not a stonecast from the shore of the said mainland.

Hither to meet it now cometh the witch, running along the bank, her
skirts flying wild about her, and a heavy short-sword gleaming in her
hand. Her furious running she stayed over against the boat, and
cried out in a voice broken for lack of breath:


Back over the flood
To the house by the wood!
Back unto thy rest
In the alder nest!
For the blood of the Sender lies warm on thy bow,
And the heart of the Wender is weary as now.


But she saw that the Sending Boat heeded her words nothing, whereas
it was not her blood that had awakened it, but Birdalone's. Then
cried out the witch: O child, child! say the spell and come back to
me! to me, who have reared thee and loved thee and hoped in thee! O
come back!

But how should Birdalone heed her prayer? She saw the sax; and
withal had her heart forgotten, her flesh might well remember. She
sat still, nor so much as turned her head toward the witch-wife.

Then came wild yelling words from the witch's mouth, and she cried:
Go then, naked and outcast! Go then, naked fool! and come back
hither after thou hast been under the hands of the pitiless! Ah, it
had been better for thee had I slain thee! And therewith she whirled