"It is likely enough that thou wilt have cause to use such words before
all this tale is told," said Eric; "nevertheless, mother, forbear to
curse Gudruda, who is in no way to blame for these matters."

"Thou art a faithless son," Saevuna said, "who wilt slay thyself
striving to win speech with thy May, and leave thy mother childless."

Eric said that it seemed so indeed, but he was plighted to it and the
feat must be tried. Then he kissed her, and she sought her bed, weeping.



Now it was the day of the Yule-feast, and there was no sun till one hour
before noon. But Eric, having kissed his mother and bidden her farewell,
called a thrall, Jon by name, and giving him a sealskin bag full of his
best apparel, bade him ride to Middalhof and tell Asmund the Priest that
Eric Brighteyes would come down Golden Falls an hour after mid-day, to
join his feast; and thence go to the foot of the Golden Falls, to await
him there. And the man went, wondering, for he thought his master mad.

Then Eric took a good rope, and a staff tipped with iron, and, so soon
as the light served, mounted his horse, forded Ran River, and rode along
Coldback till he came to the lip of Golden Falls. Here he stayed a while
till at length he saw many people streaming up the snow from Middalhof
far beneath, and, among them, two women who by their stature should be
Gudruda and Swanhild, and, near to them, a great man whom he did not
know. Then he showed himself for a space on the brink of the gulf and
turned his horse up stream. The sun shone bright upon the edge of
the sky, but the frost bit like a sword. Still, he must strip off his