Then Thorstein, Eirik's son, sent word to his namesake to come to him,
saying that matters at home were hardly quiet; that the housewife was
endeavouring to rise to her feet and to get under the clothes beside
him. And when he was come in she had risen upon the edge of the bed.
Then took he her by the hands and laid a pole-axe upon her breast.
Thorstein, Eirik's son, died near nightfall. Thorstein, the franklin,
begged Gudrid to lie down and sleep, saying that he would watch over
the body during the night. So she did, and when a little of the night
was past, Thorstein, Eirik's son, sat up and spake, saying he wished
Gudrid to be called to him, and that he wished to speak with her. “God
wills,” he said, “that this hour be given to me for my own, and the
further completion of my plan.” Thorstein, the franklin, went to find
Gudrid, and waked her; begged her to cross herself, and to ask God for
help, and told her what Thorstein, Eirik's son, had spoken with him;
“and he wishes,” said he, “to meet with thee. Thou art obliged to
consider what plan thou wilt adopt, because I can in this issue advise
thee in nowise.” She answered, “It may be that this, this wonderful
thing, has regard to certain matters, which are afterwards to be had
in memory; and I hope that God's keeping will test upon me, and I
will, with God's grace, undertake the risk and go to him, and know
what he will say, for I shall not be able to escape if harm must
happen to me. I am far from wishing that he should go elsewhere; I
suspect, moreover, that the matter will be a pressing one.” Then went
Gudrid and saw Thorstein. He appeared to her as if shedding tears. He
spake in her ear, in a low voice, certain words which she alone might
know; but this he said so that all heard, “That those men would be
blessed who held the true faith, and that all salvation and mercy
accompanied it; and that many, nevertheless, held it lightly.” “It
is,” said he, “no good custom which has prevailed here in Greenland
since Christianity came, to bury men in unconsecrated ground with few