II

HOW ERIC TOLD HIS LOVE TO GUDRUDA IN THE SNOW ON COLDBACK

Now, it must be told that, five years before the day of the death of
Gudruda the Gentle, Saevuna, the wife of Thorgrimur Iron-Toe, gave birth
to a son, at Coldback in the Marsh, on Ran River, and when his father
came to look upon the child he called out aloud:

"Here we have a wondrous bairn, for his hair is yellow like gold and his
eyes shine bright as stars." And Thorgrimur named him Eric Brighteyes.

Now, Coldback is but an hour's ride from Middalhof, and it chanced,
in after years, that Thorgrimur went up to Middalhof, to keep the Yule
feast and worship in the Temple, for he was in the priesthood of Asmund
Asmundson, bringing the boy Eric with him. There also was Groa with
Swanhild, for now she dwelt at Middalhof; and the three fair children
were set together in the hall to play, and men thought it great sport to
see them. Now, Gudruda had a horse of wood and would ride it while Eric
pushed the horse along. But Swanhild smote her from the horse and called
to Eric to make it move; but he comforted Gudruda and would not, and at
that Swanhild was angry and lisped out:

"Push thou must, if I will it, Eric."

Then he pushed sideways and with such good will that Swanhild fell
almost into the fire of the hearth, and, leaping up, she snatched a
brand and threw it at Gudruda, firing her clothes. Men laughed at this;