One summer, it is said, a ship came from over the main into Gufaros.
Bergfinn was he hight who was the master thereof, a Northman of kin,
rich in goods, and somewhat stricken in years, and a wise man he was
withal.
Now, goodman Thorstein rode to the ship, as it was his wont mostly
to rule the market, and this he did now. The Eastmen got housed, but
Thorstein took the master to himself, for thither he prayed to go.
Bergfinn was of few words throughout the winter, but Thorstein treated
him well The Eastman had great joy of dreams.
One day in spring-tide Thorstein asked Bergfinn if he would ride with
him up to Hawkfell, where at that time was the Thing-stead of the
Burg-firthers; for Thorstein had been told that the walls of his booth
had fallen in. The Eastman said he had good will to go, so that day they
rode, some three together, from home, and the house-carles of Thorstein
withal, till they came up under Hawkfell to a farmstead called Foxholes.
There dwelt a man of small wealth called Atli, who was Thorstein’s
tenant Thorstein bade him come and work with them, and bring with him
hoe and spade. This he did, and when they came to the tofts of the
booth, they set to work all of them, and did out the walls.
The weather was hot with sunshine that day, and Thorstein and the
Eastman grew heavy; and when they had moved out the walls, those two sat
down within the tofts, and Thorstein slept, and fared ill in his sleep.
The Eastman sat beside him, and let him have his dream fully out, and
when he awoke he was much wearied. Then the Eastman asked him what he
had dreamt, as he had had such an ill time of it in his sleep.
Thorstein said, “Nay, dreams betoken nought.”
But as they rode homeward in the evening, the Eastman asked him again
what he had dreamt.
Thorstein said, “If I tell thee the dream, then shalt thou unriddle it
to me, as it verily is.”
The Eastman said he would risk it.
Then Thorstein said: “This was my dream; for methought I was at home
at Burg, standing outside the men’s-door, and I looked up at the
house-roof, and on the ridge I saw a swan, goodly and fair, and I
thought it was mine own, and deemed it good beyond all things. Then I
saw a great eagle sweep down from the mountains, and fly thitherward and
alight beside the swan, and chuckle over her lovingly; and methouht
the swan seemed well content thereat; but I noted that the eagle was
black-eyed, and that on him were iron claws: valiant he seemed to me.
“After this I thought I saw another fowl come flying from the south
quarter, and he, too, came hither to Burg, and sat down on the house
beside the swan, and would fain be fond with her. This also was a mighty
eagle.
“But soon I thought that the eagle first-come ruffled up at the coming
of the other. Then they fought fiercely and long, and this I saw that
both bled, and such was the end of their play, that each tumbled either
way down from the house-roof, and there they lay both dead.
“But the swan sat left alone, drooping much, and sad of semblance.
“Then I saw a fowl fly from the west; that was a falcon, and he sat
beside the swan and made fondly towards her, and they flew away both
together into one and the same quarter, and therewith I awoke.
“But a dream of no mark this is,” he says, “and will in all likelihood
betoken gales, that they shall meet in the air from those quarters
whence I deemed the fowl flew.”
The Eastman spake: “I deem it nowise such,” saith he.
Thorstein said, “Make of the dream, then, what seemeth likest to thee,
and let me hear.”
Then said the Eastman: “These birds are like to be fetches of men: but
thy wife sickens now, and she will give birth to a woman-child fair and
lovely; and dearly thou wilt love her; but high-born men shall woo thy
daughter, coming from such quarters as the eagles seemed to fly from,
and shall love her with overweening love, and shall fight about her,
and both lose their lives thereby. And thereafter a third man, from the
quarter whence came the falcon, shall woo her, and to that man shall
she be wedded. Now, I have unravelled thy dream, and I think things will
befall as I have said.”
Thorstein answered: “In evil and unfriendly wise is the dream
interpreted, nor do I deem thee fit for the work of unriddling dreams.”
Then Eastman said, “Thou shalt find how it will come to pass.”
But Thorstein estranged himself from the Eastman thenceforward, and he
left that summer, and now he is out of the tale.