Eric Brighteyes | Page 7

said
that Groa lied, as many women have done on such matters. But of all
this talk the child alone remained and she was named Swanhild.
Now, but an hour before the child of Gudruda the Gentle was born,
Asmund went up from his house to the Temple, to tend the holy fire
that burned night and day upon the altar. When he had tended the fire,
he sat down upon the cross-benches before the shrine, and, gazing on
the image of the Goddess Freya, he fell asleep and dreamed a very evil
dream.
He dreamed that Gudruda the Gentle bore a dove most beautiful to see,
for all its feathers were of silver; but that Groa the Witch bore a golden
snake. And the snake and the dove dwelt together, and ever the snake
sought to slay the dove. At length there came a great white swan flying
over Coldback Fell, and its tongue was a sharp sword. Now the swan
saw the dove and loved it, and the dove loved the swan; but the snake
reared itself, and hissed, and sought to kill the dove. But the swan
covered her with his wings, and beat the snake away. Then he, Asmund,
came out and drove away the swan, as the swan had driven the snake,
and it wheeled high into the air and flew south, and the snake swam
away also through the sea. But the dove drooped and now it was blind.

Then an eagle came from the north, and would have taken the dove, but
it fled round and round, crying, and always the eagle drew nearer to it.
At length, from the south the swan came back, flying heavily, and
about its neck was twined the golden snake, and with it came a raven.
And it saw the eagle and loud it trumpeted, and shook the snake from it
so that it fell like a gleam of gold into the sea. Then the eagle and the
swan met in battle, and the swan drove the eagle down and broke it
with his wings, and, flying to the dove, comforted it. But those in the
house ran out and shot at the swan with bows and drove it away, but
now he, Asmund, was not with them. And once more the dove drooped.
Again the swan came back, and with it the raven, and a great host were
gathered against them, and, among them, all of Asmund's kith and kin,
and the men of his quarter and some of his priesthood, and many whom
he did not know by face. And the swan flew at Björn his son, and shot
out the sword of its tongue and slew him, and many a man it slew thus.
And the raven, with a beak and claws of steel, slew also many a man,
so that Asmund's kindred fled and the swan slept by the dove. But as it
slept the golden snake crawled out of the sea, and hissed in the ears of
men, and they rose up to follow it. It came to the swan and twined itself
about its neck. It struck at the dove and slew it. Then the swan awoke
and the raven awoke, and they did battle till all who remained of
Asmund's kindred and people were dead. But still the snake clung
about the swan's neck, and presently snake and swan fell into the sea,
and far out on the sea there burned a flame of fire. And Asmund awoke
trembling and left the Temple.
Now as he went, a woman came running, and weeping as she ran.
"Haste, haste!" she cried; "a daughter is born to thee, and Gudruda thy
wife is dying!"
"Is it so?" said Asmund; "after ill dreams ill tidings."
Now in the bed-closet off the great hall of Middalhof lay Gudruda the
Gentle and she was dying.
"Art thou there, husband?" she said.

"Even so, wife."
"Thou comest in an evil hour, for it is my last. Now hearken. Take thou
the new-born babe within thine arms and kiss it, and pour water over it,
and name it with my name."
This Asmund did.
"Hearken, my husband. I have been a good wife to thee, though thou
hast not been all good to me. But thus shalt thou atone: thou shalt swear
that, though she is a girl, thou wilt not cast this bairn forth to perish, but
wilt cherish and nurture her."
"I swear it," he said.
"And thou shalt swear that thou wilt not take the witchwoman Groa to
wife, nor have anything to do with her, and this for thine own sake: for,
if thou dost, she will be thy death. Dost thou swear?"
"I swear it," he said.
"It is well; but, husband, if thou