but Groa, standing apart, frowned and muttered witch-words.

"Why lookest thou so darkly, housekeeper?" said Asmund; "the boy is
bonny and high of heart."

"Ah, he is bonny as no child is, and he shall be bonny all his
life-days. Nevertheless, she shall not stand against his ill luck. This
I prophesy of him: that women shall bring him to his end, and he shall
die a hero's death, but not at the hand of his foes."


And now the years went by peacefully. Groa dwelt with her daughter
Swanhild up at Middalhof and was the love of Asmund Asmundson. But,
though he forgot his oath thus far, yet he would never take her to wife.
The witchwife was angered at this, and she schemed and plotted much
to bring it about that Asmund should wed her. But still he would not,
though in all things else she led him as it were by a halter.


Twenty full years had gone by since Gudruda the Gentle was laid in
earth; and now Gudruda the Fair and Swanhild the Fatherless were women
too. Eric, too, was a man of five-and-twenty years, and no such man had
lived in Iceland. For he was strong and great of stature, his hair was
yellow as gold, and his grey eyes shone with the light of swords. He
was gentle and loving as a woman, and even as a lad his strength was the
strength of two men; and there were none in all the quarter who could
leap or swim or wrestle against Eric Brighteyes. Men held him in honour
and spoke well of him, though as yet he had done no deeds, but lived at
home on Coldback, managing the farm, for now Thorgrimur Iron-Toe, his
father, was dead. But women loved him much, and that was his bane--for