eric brighteyes-第2部分

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ERIC　BRIGHTEYES







I



HOW　ASMUND　THE　PRIEST　FOUND　GROA　THE　WITCH



There　lived　a　man　in　the　south；　before　Thangbrand；　Wilibald's　son；

preached　the　White　Christ　in　Iceland。　He　was　named　Eric　Brighteyes；

Thorgrimur's　son；　and　in　those　days　there　was　no　man　like　him　for

strength；　beauty　and　daring；　for　in　all　these　things　he　was　the　first。

But　he　was　not　the　first　in　good…luck。



Two　women　lived　in　the　south；　not　far　from　where　the　Westman　Islands

stand　above　the　sea。　Gudruda　the　Fair　was　the　name　of　the　one；　and

Swanhild；　called　the　Fatherless；　Groa's　daughter；　was　the　other。　They

were　half…sisters；　and　there　were　none　like　them　in　those　days；　for

they　were　the　fairest　of　all　women；　though　they　had　nothing　in　common

except　their　blood　and　hate。



Now　of　Eric　Brighteyes；　of　Gudruda　the　Fair　and　of　Swanhild　the

Fatherless；　there　is　a　tale　to　tell。



These　two　fair　women　saw　the　light　in　the　self…same　hour。　But　Eric

Brighteyes　was　their　elder　by　five　years。　The　father　of　Eric　was

Thorgrimur　Iron…Toe。　He　had　been　a　mighty　man；　but　in　fighting　with　a

Baresark；＇*＇　who　fell　upon　him　as　he　came　up　from　sowing　his　wheat；

his　foot　was　hewn　from　him；　so　that　afterwards　he　went　upon　a　wooden

leg　shod　with　iron。　Still；　he　slew　the　Baresark；　standing　on　one　leg

and　leaning　against　a　rock；　and　for　that　deed　people　honoured　him

much。　Thorgrimur　was　a　wealthy　yeoman；　slow　to　wrath；　just；　and　rich

in　friends。　Somewhat　late　in　life　he　took　to　wife　Saevuna；　Thorod's

daughter。　She　was　the　best　of　women；　strong　in　mind　and　second…

sighted；　and　she　could　cover　herself　in　her　hair。　But　these　two　never

loved　each　other　overmuch；　and　they　had　but　one　child；　Eric；　who　was

born　when　Saevuna　was　well　on　in　years。



＇*＇　The　Baresarks　were　men　on　whom　a　passing　fury　of　battle　came；　they

　　　　were　usually　outlawed。



The　father　of　Gudruda　was　Asmund　Asmundson；　the　Priest　of　Middalhof。

He　was　the　wisest　and　the　wealthiest　of　all　men　who　lived　in　the　south

of　Iceland　in　those　days；　owning　many　farms　and；　also；　two　ships　of

merchandise　and　one　long　ship　of　war；　and　having　much　money　out　at

interest。　He　had　won　his　wealth　by　viking's　work；　robbing　the　English

coasts；　and　black　tales　were　told　of　his　doings　in　his　youth　on　the

sea；　for　he　was　a　〃red…hand〃　viking。　Asmund　was　a　handsome　man；　with

blue　eyes　and　a　large　beard；　and；　moreover；　was　very　skilled　in

matters　of　law。　He　loved　money　much；　and　was　feared　of　all。　Still；　he

had　many　friends；　for　as　he　aged　he　grew　more　kindly。　He　had　in

marriage　Gudruda；　the　daughter　of　Bj？rn；　who　was　very　sweet　and　kindly

of　nature；　so　that　they　called　her　Gudruda　the　Gentle。　Of　this

marriage　there　were　two　children；　Bj？rn　and　Gudruda　the　Fair；　but

Bj？rn　grew　up　like　his　father　in　youth；　strong　and　hard；　and　greedy　of

gain；　while；　except　for　her　wonderful　beauty；　Gudruda　was　her　mother's

child　alone。



The　mother　of　Swanhild　the　Fatherless　was　Groa　the　Witch。　She　was　a

Finn；　and　it　is　told　of　her　that　the　ship　on　which　she　sailed；　trying

to　run　under　the　lee　of　the　Westman　Isles　in　a　great　gale　from　the

north…east；　was　dashed　to　pieces　on　a　rock；　and　all　those　on　board　of

her　were　caught　in　the　net　of　Ran＇*＇　and　drowned；　except　Groa　herself；

who　was　saved　by　her　magic　art。　This　at　the　least　is　true；　that；　as

Asmund　the　Priest　rode　down　by　the　sea…shore　on　the　morning　after　the

gale；　seeking　for　some　strayed　horses；　he　found　a　beautiful　woman；　who

wore　a　purple　cloak　and　a　great　girdle　of　gold；　seated　on　a　rock；

combing　her　black　hair　and　singing　the　while；　and；　at　her　feet；

washing　to　and　fro　in　a　pool；　was　a　dead　man。　He　asked　whence　she

came；　and　she　answered：



〃Out　of　the　Swan's　Bath。〃



＇*＇　The　Norse　goddess　of　the　sea。



Next；　he　asked　her　where　were　her　kin。　But；　pointing　to　the　dead　man；

she　said　that　this　alone　was　left　of　them。



〃Who　was　the　man；　then？〃　said　Asmund　the　Priest。



She　laughed　again　and　sang　this　song：



　　Groa　sails　up　from　the　Swan's　Bath；

　　　　Death　Gods　grip　the　Dead　Man's　hand。

　　Look　where　lies　her　luckless　husband；

　　　　Bolder　sea…king　ne'er　swung　sword！

　　Asmund；　keep　the　kirtle…wearer；

　　　　For　last　night　the　Norns　were　crying；

　　And　Groa　thought　they　told　of　thee：

　　　　Yea；　told　of　thee　and　babes　unborn。



〃How　knowest　thou　my　name？〃　asked　Asmund。



〃The　sea…mews　cried　it　as　the　ship　sank；　thine　and　othersand　they

shall　be　heard　in　story。〃



〃Then　that　is　the　best　of　luck；〃　quoth　Asmund；　〃but　I　think　that　thou

art　fey。〃＇*＇



＇*＇　I。e。　subject　to　supernatural　presentiments；　generally　connected

　　　　with　approaching　doom。



〃Ay；〃　she　answered；　〃fey　and　fair。〃



〃True　enough　thou　art　fair。　What　shall　we　do　with　this　dead　man？〃



〃Leave　him　in　the　arms　of　Ran。　So　may　all　husbands　lie。〃



They　spoke　no　more　with　her　at　that　time；　seeing　that　she　was　a

witchwoman。　But　Asmund　took　her　up　to　Middalhof；　and　gave　her　a　farm；

and　she　lived　there　alone；　and　he　profited　much　by　her　wisdom。







Now　it　chanced　that　Gudruda　the　Gentle　was　with　child；　and　when　her

time　came　she　gave　a　daughter　birtha　very　fair　girl；　with　dark　eyes。

On　the　same　day；　Groa　the　witchwoman　brought　forth　a　girl…child；　and

men　wondered　who　was　its　father；　for　Groa　was　no　man's　wife。　It　was

women's　talk　that　Asmund　the　Priest　was　the　father　of　this　child　also；

but　when　he　heard　it　he　was　angry；　and　said　that　no　witchwoman　should

bear　a　bairn　of　his；　howsoever　fair　she　was。　Nevertheless；　it　was

still　said　that　the　child　was　his；　and　it　is　certain　that　he　loved　it

as　a　man　loves　his　own；　but　of　all　things；　this　is　the　hardest　to

know。　When　Groa　was　questioned　she　laughed　darkly；　as　was　her　fashion；

and　said　that　she　knew　nothing　of　it；　never　having　seen　the　face　of

the　child's　father；　who　rose　out　of　the　sea　at　night。　And　for　this

cause　some　thought　him　to　have　been　a　wizard　or　the　wraith　of　her　dead

husband；　but　others　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　Bj？rn　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　fo