eric brighteyes-第8部分

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aware　that　he　had　swum　the　river　above　the　fall　and　raised　a　shout；

for　the　deed　was　great。　Now　Eric　must　begin　to　clamber　down　Sheep…

saddle；　and　this　was　no　easy　task；　for　the　rock　is　almost　sheer；　and

slippery　with　ice；　and　on　either　side　the　waters　rushed　and　thundered；

throwing　their　blinding　spray　about　him　as　they　leapt　to　the　depths

beneath。　He　looked　down；　studying　the　rock；　then；　feeling　that　he　grew

afraid；　made　an　end　of　doubt　and；　grasping　a　point　with　both　hands；

swung　himself　down　his　own　length　and　more。　Now　for　many　minutes　he

climbed　down　Sheep…saddle；　and　the　task　was　hard；　for　he　was

bewildered　with　the　booming　of　the　waters　that　bent　out　on　either　side

of　him　like　the　arc　of　a　bow；　and　the　rock　was　very　steep　and

slippery。　Still；　he　came　down　all　those　fifteen　fathoms　and　fell　not；

though　twice　he　was　near　to　falling；　and　the　watchers　below　marvelled

greatly　at　his　hardihood。



〃He　will　be　dashed　to　pieces　where　the　waters　meet；〃　said　Ospakar；　〃he

can　never　gain　Wolf's　Fang　crag　beneath；　and；　if　so　it　be　that　he　come

there　and　leaps　to　the　pool；　the　weight　of　water　will　drive　him　down

and　drown　him。〃



〃It　is　certainly　so；〃　quoth　Asmund；　〃and　it　grieves　me　much；　for　it

was　my　jest　that　drove　him　to　this　perilous　adventure；　and　we　cannot

spare　such　a　man　as　Eric　Brighteyes。〃



Now　Swanhild　turned　white　as　death；　but　Gudruda　said：　〃If　great　heart

and　strength　and　skill　may　avail　at　all；　then　Eric　shall　come　safely

down　the　waters。〃



〃Thou　fool！〃　whispered　Swanhild　in　her　ear；　〃how　can　these　help　him？

No　troll　could　live　in　yonder　cauldron。　Dead　is　Eric；　and　thou　art　the

bait　that　lured　him　to　his　death！〃



〃Spare　thy　words；〃　she　answered；　〃as　the　Norns　have　ordered　so　it

shall　be。〃



Now　Eric　stood　at　the　foot　of　Sheep…saddle；　and　within　an　arm's　length

the　mighty　waters　met；　tossing　their　yellow　waves　and　seething

furiously　as　they　leapt　to　the　mist…hid　gulf　beneath。　He　bent　over　and

looked　through　the　spray。　Three　fathoms　under　him　the　rock　Wolf's　Fang

split　the　waters；　and　thence；　if　he　can　come　thither；　he　may　leap

sheer　into　the　pool　below。　Now　he　unwound　the　rope　that　was　about　his

middle；　and　made　one　end　fast　to　a　knob　of　rockand　this　was

difficult；　for　his　hands　were　stiff　with　coldand　the　other　end　he

passed　through　his　leathern　girdle。　Then　Eric　looked　again；　and　his

heart　sank　within　him。　How　might　he　give　himself　to　this　boiling　flood

and　not　be　shattered？　But　as　he　looked；　lo！　a　rainbow　grew　upon　the

face　of　the　water；　and　one　end　of　it　lit　upon　him；　and　the　other；　like

a　glory　from　the　Gods；　fell　full　upon　Gudruda　as　she　stood　a　little

way　apart；　watching　at　the　foot　of　Golden　Falls。



〃Seest　thou　that；〃　said　Asmund　to　Groa；　who　was　at　his　side；　〃the　Gods

build　their　Bifrost　bridge　between　these　two。　Who　now　shall　keep　them

asunder？〃



〃Read　the　portent　thus；〃　she　answered：　〃they　shall　be　united；　but　not

here。　Yon　is　a　Spirit　bridge；　and；　see：　the　waters　of　Death　foam　and

fall　between　them！〃



Eric；　too；　saw　the　omen　and　it　seemed　good　to　him；　and　all　fear　left

his　heart。　Round　about　him　the　waters　thundered；　but　amidst　their　roar

he　dreamed　that　he　heard　a　voice　calling：



〃Be　of　good　cheer；　Eric　Brighteyes；　for　thou　shalt　live　to　do　mightier

deeds　than　this；　and　in　guerdon　thou　shalt　win　Gudruda。〃



So　he　paused　no　longer；　but；　shortening　up　the　rope；　pulled　on　it　with

all　his　strength；　and　then　leapt　out　upon　the　arch　of　waters。　They

struck　him　and　he　was　dashed　out　like　a　stone　from　a　sling；　again　he

fell　against　them　and　again　was　dashed　away；　so　that　his　girdle　burst。

Eric　felt　it　go　and　clung　wildly　to　the　rope　and　lo！　with　the　inward

swing；　he　fell　on　Wolf's　Fang；　where　never　a　man　has　stood　before　and

never　a　man　shall　stand　again。　Eric　lay　a　little　while　on　the　rock

till　his　breath　came　back　to　him；　and　he　listened　to　the　roar　of　the

waters。　Then；　rising　on　his　hands　and　knees；　he　crept　to　its　point；

for　he　could　scarcely　stand　because　of　the　trembling　of　the　stone

beneath　the　shock　of　the　fall；　and　when　the　people　below　saw　that　he

was　not　dead；　they　raised　a　great　shout；　and　the　sound　of　their　voices

came　to　him　through　the　noise　of　the　waters。



Now；　twelve　fathoms　beneath　him　was　the　surface　of　the　pool；　but　he

could　not　see　it　because　of　the　wreaths　of　spray。　Nevertheless；　he

must　leap　and　that　swiftly；　for　he　grew　cold。　So　of　a　sudden　Eric

stood　up　to　his　full　height；　and；　with　a　loud　cry　and　a　mighty　spring；

bounded　out　from　the　point　of　Wolf's　Fang　far　into　the　air；　beyond　the

reach　of　the　falling　flood；　and　rushed　headlong　towards　the　gulf

beneath。　Now　all　men　watching　held　their　breath　as　his　body　travelled；

and　so　great　is　the　place　and　so　high　the　leap　that　through　the　mist

Eric　seemed　but　as　a　big　white　stone　hurled　down　the　face　of　the

arching　waters。



He　was　gone；　and　the　watchers　rushed　down　to　the　foot　of　the　pool；　for

there；　if　he　rose　at　all；　he　must　pass　to　the　shallows。　Swanhild　could

look　no　more；　but　sank　upon　the　ground。　The　face　of　Gudruda　was　set

like　a　stone　with　doubt　and　anguish。　Ospakar　saw　and　read　the　meaning；

and　he　said　to　himself：　〃Now　Odin　grant　that　this　youngling　rise　not

again！　for　the　maid　loves　him　dearly；　and　he　is　too　much　a　man　to　be

lightly　swept　aside。〃



Eric　struck　the　pool。　Down　he　sank；　and　down　and　downfor　the　water

falling　from　so　far　must　almost　reach　the　bottom　of　the　pool　before　it

can　rise　againand　he　with　it。　Now　he　touched　the　bottom；　but　very

gently；　and　slowly　began　to　rise；　and；　as　he　rose；　was　carried　along

by　the　stream。　But　it　was　long　before　he　could　breathe；　and　it　seemed

to　him　that　his　lungs　would　burst。　Still；　he　struggled　up；　striking

great　strokes　with　his　legs。



〃Farewell　to　Eric；〃　said　Asmund；　〃he　will　rise　no　more　now。〃



But　just　as　he　spoke　Gudruda　pointed　to　something　that　gleamed；　white

and　golden；　beneath　the　surface　of　the　current；　and　lo！　the　bright

hair　of　Eric　rose　from　the　water；　and　he　drew　a　great　breath；　shaking

his　head　like　a　seal；　and；　though　but　feebly；　struck　out　for　the

shallows　that　are　at　the　foot　of　the　pool。　Now　he　found　footing；　but

was　swept　over　by　the　fierce　current；　and　cut　his　forehead；　and　he

carried　that　scar　till　his　death。　Again　he　rose；　and　with　a　rush

gained　the　bank　unaided　and　fell　upon　the　snow。



Now　people　gathered　about　him　in　silence　and　wondering；　for　none　had

known　so　great　a　deed。　And　presently　Eric　opened　his　eyes　and　looked

up；　and　found　the　eyes　of　Gudruda　fixed　on　his；　and　there　was　that　in

them　which　made　him　glad　he　had　dared　the　path　of　Golden　Falls。







V



HOW　ERIC　WON　THE　SWORD　WHITEFIRE



Now　Asmund　the　priest　bent　down；　and　Eric　saw　him　and　spoke：



〃Thou　badest　me　to　thy　Yule…feast；　lord；　by　yonder　slippery　road　and　I

have　come。　Dost　thou　welcome　me　well？〃



〃No　man　better；〃　quoth　Asmund。　〃Thou　art　a　gallant　man；　though

foolhardy；　and　thou　hast　done　a　deed　that　shall　be　told　of　while

skalds　sing　and　men　live　in　Iceland。〃



〃Make　place；　my　father；〃　said　Gudruda；　〃for　Eric　bleeds。〃　And　she

loosed　the　kerchief　from　her　neck　and　bound　it　about　his　wounded　brow；

and；　taking　the　rich　cloak　from　her　body；　threw　it　on　his　shoulders；

and　no　man　said　her　nay。



Then　they　led　him　to　the　hall；　where　Eric　clothed　himself　and　rested；

and　he　sent　back　the　thrall　Jon　to　Coldback；　bidding　him　tell　Saevuna；

Eric's　mother；　that　he　was　safe。　But　he　was　somewhat　weak　all　that

day；　and　the　sound　of　waters　roared　in　his　ears。



Now　Ospakar　and　Groa　were　ill　pleased　at　the　turn　things　had　taken；

but　all　the　others　rejoiced　much；　for　Eric　was　well　loved　of　men　and

they　had　grieved　if　the　waters　had　prevailed　against　his　might。　But

Swanhild　brooded　bitterly；　for　Eric　never　turned　to　look　on　her。



The　hour　of　the　feast　drew　on　and；　according　to　custom；　it　was　held　in

the　Temple；　and　thither　went　all　men。　When　they　were　seated　in　the

nave　of　the　Hof；　the　fat　ox　that　had　been　made　ready　for　sacrifice　was

led　in　and　dragged　before　the　altar　on　which　the　holy　fire　burned。　Now

Asmund　the　Priest　slew　it；　amid　silence；　before　the　figures　of　the

Gods；　and；　catching　its　blood　in　the　blood…bowl；　sprinkled　the　altar

and　all　the　worshippers　with　the　blood…twigs。　Then　the　ox　was　cut　up；

and　the　figures　of　the　almighty　Gods　were　anointed　with　its　molten　fat

and　wiped　with　fair　linen。　Next　the　flesh　was　boiled　in　the　cauldrons

that　were　hung　over　fires　lighted　all　down　the　nave；　and　the　feast

began。



Now　men　ate；　and　drank　much　ale　and　mead；　and　all　were　merry。　But

Ospakar　Blacktooth　grew　not　glad；　though　he　drank　much；　for　he　saw

that　the　eyes　of　Gudruda　ever　watched　Eric's　face　and　that　they　smiled

on　each　other。　He　was　wroth　at　this；　for　he　knew　that　the　bait　must　be

good　and　the　line　strong　that　should　win　this　fair　fish　to　his　angle；

and　as　he　sat；　unknowingly　his　fingers　loosed　the　peace…strings　of　his

sword　Whitefire；　and　he　half　drew　it；　so　that　its　brightness　flamed　in

the　firelight。



〃Thou　hast　a　wondrous　blade　there；　Ospakar！〃　said　Asmund；　〃though　this

is　no　place　to　draw　it。　Whence　came　it？　Methinks　no　such　swords　are

fashioned　now。〃



〃Ay；　Asmund；　a　wondrous　blade　indeed。　There　is　no　other　such　in　the

world；　for　the　dwarfs　forged　it　of　old；　and　he　shall　be　unconquered

who　holds　it　aloft。　This　was　King　Odin's　sword；　and　it　is　named

Whitefire。　Ralph　the　Red　took　it　from　King　Eric's　cairn　in　Norway；　and

he　strove　long　with　the　Barrow…Dweller＇*＇　before　he　wrenched　it　from

his　grasp。　But　my　father　won　it　and　slew　Ralph；　though　he　had　never

done　this　had　Whitefire　been　aloft　against　him。　But　Ralph　the　Red；

being　in　drink　when　the　ships　met　in　battle；　fought　with　an　axe；　and

was　slain　by　my　father；　and　since　then　Whitefire　has　been　the　last

light　that　many　a　chief's　eyes　have　seen。　Look　at　it；　Asmund。〃



＇*＇　The　ghost　in　the　cairn。



Now　he　drew　the　great　sword；　and　me