HOW THE FEAST WENT
“Hearken all men!” said Eric.
“Thrust him out!” quoth Björn.
“Nay, cut him down!” said Ospakar, “he is an outlawed man.”
“Words first, then deeds,” answered Skallagrim. “Thou shalt have thy
fill of both, Blacktooth, before day is done.”
“Let Eric say his say,” said Gudruda, lifting her head. “He has been
doomed unheard, and it is my will that he shall say his say.”
“What hast thou to do with Eric?” snarled Ospakar.
“The bride-cup is not yet drunk, lord,” she answered.
“To thee, then, I will speak, lady,” quoth Eric. “How comes it that,
being betrothed to me, thou dost sit there the bride of Ospakar?”
“Ask of Swanhild,” said Gudruda in a low voice. “Ask also of Hall of
Lithdale yonder, who brought me Swanhild’s gift from Straumey.”
“I must ask much of Hall and he must answer much,” said Eric. “What
tale, then, did he bring thee from Straumey?”
“He said this, Eric,” Gudruda answered: “that thou wast Swanhild’s
love; that for Swanhild’s sake thou hadst basely killed Atli the Good,
and that thou wast about to wed Swanhild’s self and take the Earl’s
seat in Orkneys.”
“And for what cause was I made outlaw at the Althing?”
“For this cause, Eric,” said Björn, “that thou hadst dealt evilly with
Swanhild, bringing her to shame against her will, and thereafter that
thou hadst slain the Earl, her husband.”
“Which, then, of these tales is true? for both cannot be true,” said
Brighteyes. “Speak, Swanhild.”
“Thou knowest well that the last is true,” said Swanhild boldly.
“How then comes it that thou didst charge Hall with that message to
Gudruda? How then comes it that thou didst send her the lock of hair
which thou didst cozen me to give thee?”
“I charged Hall with no message, and I sent no lock of hair,” Swanhild
answered.
“Stand thou forward, Hall!” said Eric, “and liar and coward though thou
art, dare not to speak other than the truth! Nay, look not at the door:
for, if thou stirrest, this spear shall find thee before thou hast gone
a pace!”
Now Hall stood forward, trembling with fear, for he saw the eye of
Skallagrim watching him close, and while Lambstail watched, his fingers
toyed with the handle of his axe.
“It is true, lord, that Swanhild charged me with that message which I
gave to the Lady Gudruda. Also she bade me give the lock of hair.”
“And for this service thou didst take money, Hall?”
“Ay, lord, she gave me money for my faring.”
“And all the while thou knewest the tidings false?”
Hall made no reply.
“Answer!” thundered Eric—“answer the truth, knave, or by every God that
passes the hundred gates I will not spare thee twice!”
“It is so, lord,” said Hall.
“Thou liest, fox!” cried Swanhild, white with wrath and casting a
fierce look upon Hall. But men took no heed of Swanhild’s words, for
all eyes were bent on Eric.
“Is it now your pleasure, comrades, that I should tell you the truth?”
said Brighteyes.
The most part of the company shouted “Yea!” but the men of Ospakar
stood silent.
“Speak on, Eric,” quoth Gudruda.
“This is the truth, then: Swanhild the Fatherless, Atli’s wife, has
always sought my love, and she has ever hated Gudruda whom I loved.
From a child she has striven to work mischief between us. Ay, and she
did this, though till now it has been hidden: she strove to murder
Gudruda; it was on the day that Skallagrim and I overcame Ospakar and
his band on Horse-Head Heights. She thrust Gudruda from the brink of
Golden Falls while she sat looking on the waters, and as she hung there
I dragged her back. Is it not so, Gudruda?”
“It is so,” said Gudruda.
Now men murmured and looked at Swanhild. But she shrank back, plucking
at her purple cloak.
“It was for this cause,” said Eric, “that Asmund, Swanhild’s father,
gave her choice to wed Atli the Earl and pass over sea or to take her
trial in the Doom-Ring. She wedded Atli and went away. Afterwards, by
witchcraft, she brought my ship to wreck on Straumey’s Isle—ay, she
walked the waters like a shape of light and lured us on to ruin, so
that all were drowned except Skallagrim and myself. Is it not so,
Skallagrim?”
“It is so, lord. I saw her with my eyes.”
Again folk murmured.
“Then we must sit in Atli’s hall,” said Eric, “and there we dwelt last
winter. For a while Swanhild did no harm, till I feared her no more.
But some three months ago, I was left with her: and a man called Koll,
Groa’s thrall, of whom ye know, came out from Iceland, bringing news of
the death of Asmund the priest, of Unna my cousin, and of Groa the
witch. To these ill-tidings Swanhild bribed him to add something. She
bribed him to add this: that thou, Gudruda, wast betrothed to Ospakar,
and wouldst wed him on last Yule Day. Moreover, he gave me a certain
message from thee, Gudruda, and, in token of its truth, the half of
that coin which I broke with thee long years ago. Say now, lady, didst
thou send the coin?”
“Nay, never!” cried Gudruda; “many years ago I lost the half thou
gavest me, though I feared to tell thee.”
“Perchance one stands there who found it,” said Eric, pointing with his
spear at Swanhild. “At the least I was deceived by it. Now the tale is
short. Swanhild mourned with me, and in my sorrow I mourned bitterly.
Then it was she asked a boon, that lock of mine, Gudruda, and, thinking
thee faithless, I gave it, holding all oaths broken. Then too, when I
would have left her, she drugged me with a witch-draught—ay, she
drugged me, and I woke to find myself false to my oath, false to Atli,
and false to thee, Gudruda. I cursed her and I left her, waiting for
the Earl, to tell him all. But Swanhild outwitted me. She told him that
other tale of shame that ye have heard, and brought Koll to him as
witness of the tale. Atli was deceived by her, and not until I had cut
him down in anger at the bitter words he spoke, calling me coward and
niddering, did he know the truth. But before he died he knew it; and he
died, holding my hand and bidding those about him find Koll and slay
him. Is it not so, ye who were Atli’s men?”
“It is so, Eric!” they cried; “we heard it with our own ears, and we
slew Koll. But afterwards Swanhild brought us to believe that Earl Atli
was distraught when he spoke thus, and that things were indeed as she
had said.”
Again men murmured, and a strange light shone in Gudruda’s eyes.
“Now, Gudruda, thou hast heard all my story,” said Eric. “Say, dost
thou believe me?”
“I believe thee, Eric.”
“Say then, wilt thou still wed yon Ospakar?”
Gudruda looked on Blacktooth, then she looked at golden Eric and opened
her lips to speak. But before a word could pass them Ospakar rose in
wrath, laying his hand upon his sword.
“Thinkest thou thus to lure away my dove, outlaw? First I will see thee
food for crows.”
“Well spoken, Blacktooth,” laughed Eric. “I waited for such words from
thee. Thrice have we striven together—once out yonder in the snow, once
on Horse-Head Heights, and once by Westman Isles—and still we live to
tell the tale. Come down, Ospakar: come down from that soft seat of
thine and here and now let us put it to the proof who is the better
man. When we met before, the stake was Whitefire set against my eye.
Now the stake is our lives and fair Gudruda’s hand. Talk no more,
Ospakar, but fall to it.”
“Gudruda shall never wed thee, while I live!” said Björn; “thou art a
landless loon, a brawler, and an outlaw. Get thee gone, Eric, with thy
wolf-hound!”
“Squeak not so loud, rat—squeak not so loud, lest hound’s fang worry
thee!” said Skallagrim.
“Whether I wed Gudruda or whether I wed her not is a matter that shall
be known in its season,” said Eric. “For thy words, I say this: that it
is risky to hurl names at such as I am, Björn, lest perchance I answer
them with spear-thrusts. Thy answer, Ospakar! What need to wait? Thy
answer!”
Now Ospakar looked at Brighteyes and grew afraid. He was a mighty man,
but he knew the weight of Eric’s arm.
“I will not fight with thee, carle,” he said, “who hast naught to
lose.”
“Then thou art coward and niddering!” said Eric. “Ospakar _Niddering_ I
name thee here before all men! What! thou couldst plot against me—thou
couldst waylay me, ten to one and two ships to one, but face to face
with me alone thou dost not dare to stand? Comrades, look on your
lord!—look at Ospakar the _Niddering!_”
Now the swarthy brow of Blacktooth grew red with rage, and his breath
came in great gasps. “Ho, men!” he cried, “drive this knave away. Strip
his harness off him and whip him hence with rods.”
“Let but a man stir towards me and this spear flies through thy heart,
Niddering,” cried Eric. “Gudruda, what thinkest thou of thy lord?”
“I know this,” said Gudruda, “that I will not wed a man who is named
‘Niddering’ in the face of all and lifts no sword.”
Gudruda spoke thus, because she was mad with love and fear and shame,
and she desired that Eric should stand face to face with Ospakar
Blacktooth, for thus, alone, she might perhaps be rid of Ospakar.
“Such words do not come well from gentle lips,” said Björn.
“Is it to be borne, brother,” answered Gudruda, “that the man who would
call me wife should be named Ospakar the Niddering? When that shame is
washed away, and then only, can I think on marriage. I will never be
Niddering’s bride!”
“Thou hearest, Ospakar Niddering?” said Eric. Then he gave the spear in
his hand to Skallagrim, and, gripping Whitefire’s hilt, he burst the
peace-strings, and tore it from the scabbard.
Now the great sword shone on high like lightning leaping from a cloud,
and as it shone men shouted, “_Ospakar! Ospakar Niddering!_ Come, win
back Whitefire from Eric’s hand, or be for ever shamed!”
Blacktooth could endure this no more. He snatched sword and shield,
and, like a bear from a cave, like a wolf from his lair, rushed roaring
from his seat. On he came, and the ground shook beneath his bulk.
“At last, Niddering!” cried Eric, and sprang to meet him.
“Back! all men, back!” shouted Skallagrim, “now we shall see blows.”
As he spoke the great swords flashed aloft and clanged upon the iron
shields. So heavy were the blows that fire leapt out from them. Ospakar
reeled back beneath the shock, and Eric was beaten to his knee. Now he
was up, but as he rushed, Ospakar struck again and swept away half of
Brighteyen’s pointed shield so that it fell upon the floor. Eric smote
also, but Ospakar dropped his knee to earth and the sword hissed over
him. Blacktooth cut at Eric’s legs; but Brighteyes sprang from the
ground and took no harm.
Now some cried, “_Eric! Eric!_” and some cried “_Ospakar! Ospakar!_”
for no one knew how the fight would go.
Gudruda sat watching in the high seat, and as blows fell her colour
came and went.
Swanhild drew near, watching also, and she desired in her fierce heart
to see Eric brought to shame and death, for, should he win, then
Gudruda would be rid of Ospakar. Now by her side stood Gizur, Ospakar’s
son, and near to her was Björn. These two held their breath, for, if
Eric conquered, all their plans were brought to nothing.
Even as he sprang into the air, Eric smote down with all his strength.
The blow fell on Ospakar’s shield. It shore through the shield and
struck on the shoulder beneath. But Blacktooth’s byrnie was good, nor
did the sword bite into it. Still the stroke was so heavy that Ospakar
staggered back four paces beneath it, then fell upon the ground.
Now folk raised a shout of “_Eric! Eric!_” for it seemed that Ospakar
was sped. Brighteyes, too, cried aloud, then rushed forward. Now, as he
came, Swanhild whispered an eager word into the ear of Björn. By
Björn’s foot lay that half of Eric’s shield which had been shorn away
by the sword of Ospakar. Gudruda, watching, saw Björn push it with his
shoe so that it slid before the feet of Brighteyes. His right foot
caught on it, he stumbled heavily—stumbled again, then fell prone on
his face, and, as he fell, stretched out his sword hand to save
himself, so that Whitefire flew from his grasp. The blade struck its
hilt against the ground, then circled in the air and fixed itself,
point downwards, in the clay of the flooring. The hand of Ospakar
rising from the ground smote against the hilt of Whitefire. He saw it,
with a shout he cast his own sword away and clasped Whitefire.
Away circled the sword of Ospakar; and of that cast this strange thing
is told, false or true. Far in the corner of the hall lurked Thorunna,
she who had betrayed Skallagrim when he was named Ounound. She had come
with a heavy heart to Middalhof in the company of Ospakar; but when she
saw Skallagrim, her husband—whom she had betrayed, and who had turned
Baresark because of her wickedness—shame smote her, and she crept away
and hid herself behind the hangings of the hall. The sword sped along
point first, it rushed like a spear through the air. It fell on the
hangings, piercing them, piercing the heart of Thorunna, who cowered
behind them, so that with one cry she sank dead to earth, slain by her
lover’s hand.
Now when men saw that Ospakar once more held Whitefire in his
hand—Whitefire that Brighteyes had won from him—they called aloud that
it was an omen. The sword of Blacktooth had come back to Blacktooth and
now Eric would surely be slain of it!
Eric sprang from the ground. He heard the shouts and saw Whitefire
blazing in Ospakar’s hand.
“Now thou art weaponless, fly! Brighteyes; fly!” cried some.
Gudruda’s cheek grew white with fear, and for a moment Eric’s heart
failed him.
“Fly not!” roared Skallagrim. “Björn tripped thee. Yet hast thou half a
shield!”
Ospakar rushed on, and Whitefire flickered over Eric’s helm. Down it
came and shore one wing from the helm. Again it shone and fell, but
Brighteyes caught the blow on his broken shield.
Then, while men waited to see him slain, Eric gave a great war-shout
and sprang forward.
“Thou art mad!” shouted the folk.
“Ye shall see! Ye shall see!” screamed Skallagrim.
Again Ospakar smote and again Eric caught the blow; and behold! he
struck back, thrusting with the point of the shorn shield straight at
the face of Ospakar.
“_Peck! Eagle; peck!_” cried Skallagrim.
Once more Whitefire shone above him. Eric rushed in beneath the sword,
and with all his mighty strength thrust the buckler-point at
Blacktooth’s face. It struck fair and full, and lo! the helm of Ospakar
burst asunder. He threw wide his giant arms, then fell as a pine falls
upon the mountain edge. He fell back, and he lay still.
But Eric, stooping over him, took Whitefire from his hand.