Eric Brighteyes

by H. Rider Haggard

  "I will go at daybreak," said Atli, letting his head fall upon thepillow. "I have little faith in such visions, and it is too late forships of war to try the passage of the Firth."

  "Arise, I say," answered Swanhild sternly, "and do my bidding, else Iwill myself go to search the rocks."

  Then Atli rose grumbling, and shook the heavy sleep from his eyes:for of all living folk he most feared Swanhild his wife. He donned hisgarments, threw a thick cloak about him, and, going to the hall wheremen snored around the dying fires, for the night was bitter, he awokesome of them. Now among those men whom he called was Hall of Lithdale,Hall the mate who had cut the grapnel-chain. For this Hall, fearing toreturn to Iceland, had come hither saying that he had been wounded offFareys, in the great fight between Eric and Ospakar's men, and leftthere to grow well of his hurt or die. Then Atli, not knowing that thecarle lied, had bid him welcome for Eric's sake, for he still loved Ericabove all men.

  But Hall loved not labour and nightfarings to search for shipwreckedmen of whom the Lady Swanhild had chanced to dream. So he turned himselfupon his side and slept again. Still, certain of Atli's folk rose at hisbidding, and they went together down to the south-western rocks.

  But Swanhild, a cloak thrown over her night-gear, sat herself in thehigh seat of the hall and fixing her eyes, now upon the dying fires andnow upon the blood-marks in her arm, waited in silence. The night wascold and windy, but the moon shone bright, and by its light Atli and hispeople made their way to the south-western rocks, on which the sea beatmadly.

  "What lies yonder?" said Atli, pointing to some black things that laybeneath them upon the rock, cast there by the waves. A man climbed downthe cliff's side that is here as though it were cut in steps, and thencried aloud:

  "A ship's mast, new broken, lord."

  "It seems that Swanhild dreams true," muttered Atli; "but I am sure ofthis: that none have come ashore alive in such a sea."

  Presently the man who searched the rocks below cried aloud again:

  "Here lie two great men, locked in each other's arms. They seem to bedead."

  Now all the men climb down the slippery rocks as best they may, thoughthe spray wets them, and with them goes Atli. The Earl is a brisk man,though old in years, and he comes first to where the two lie. He whowas undermost lay upon his back, but his face is hid by the thick goldenhair that flowed across it.

  "Man's body indeed, but woman's locks," said Atli as he put out his handand drew the hair away, so that the light of the moon fell on the facebeneath.

  He looked, then staggered back against the rock.

  "By Thor!" he cried, "here lies the corpse of Eric Brighteyes!" and Atliwrung his hands and wept, for he loved Eric much.

  "Be not so sure that the men are dead, Earl," said one, "I thought I sawyon great carle move but now."

  "He is Skallagrim Lambstail, Eric's Death-shadow," said Atli again. "Upwith them, lads--see, yonder lies a plank--and away to the hall. I willgive twenty in silver to each of you if Eric lives," and he unclaspedhis cloak and threw it over both of them.

  Then with much labour they loosed the grip of the two men one from theother, and they set Skallagrim on the plank. But eight men bore Eric upthe cliff between them, and the task was not light, though the Earl heldhis head, from which the golden hair hung like seaweed from a rock.

  At length they came to the hall and carried them in. Swanhild, seeingthem come, moved down from the high seat.

  "Bring lamps, and pile up the fires," cried Atli. "A strange thing hascome to pass, Swanhild, and thou dost dream wisely, indeed, for herewe have Eric Brighteyes and Skallagrim Lambstail. They were locked likelovers in each other's arms, but I know not if they are dead or living."

  Now Swanhild started and came on swiftly. Had the Familiar tricked herand had she paid the price for nothing? Was Eric taken from Gudruda andgiven to her indeed--but given dead? She bent over him, gazing keenly onhis face. Then she spoke.

  "He is not dead but senseless. Bring dry clothes, and make water hot,"and, kneeling down, she loosed Eric's helm and harness and ungirdedWhitefire from his side.

  For long Swanhild and Atli tended Eric at one fire, and the servingwomen tended Skallagrim at the other. Presently there came a cry thatSkallagrim stirred, and Atli with others ran to see. At this moment alsothe eyes of Eric were unsealed, and Swanhild saw them looking at herdimly from beneath. Moved to it by her passion and her joy that he yetlived, Swanhild let her face fall till his was hidden in her unboundhair, and kissed him upon the lips. Eric shut his eyes again, sighingheavily, and presently he was asleep. They bore him to a bed and heapedwarm wrappings upon him. At daybreak he woke, and Atli, who sat watchingat his side, gave him hot mead to drink.

  "Do I dream?" said Eric, "or is it Earl Atli who tends me, and did I butnow see the face of Swanhild bending over me?"

  "It is no dream, Eric, but the truth. Thou hast been cast away here onmy isle of Straumey."

  "And Skallagrim--where is Skallagrim?"

  "Skallagrim lives--fear not!"

  "And my comrades, how went it with them?"

  "But ill, Eric. Ran has them all. Now sleep!"

  Eric groaned aloud. "I had rather died also than live to hear such heavytidings," he said. "Witch-work! witch-work! and that fair witch-facewrought it." And once again he slept, nor did he wake till the sun washigh. But Atli could make nothing of his words.

  When Swanhild left the side of Eric she met Hall of Lithdale face toface and his looks were troubled.

  "Say, lady," he asked, "will Brighteyes live?"

  "Grieve not, Hall," she answered, "Eric will surely live and he will beglad to find a messmate here to greet him, having left so many yonder,"and she pointed to the sea.

  "I shall not be glad," said Hall, letting his eyes fall.

  "Why not, Hall? Fearest thou Skallagrim? or hast thou done ill by Eric?"

  "Ay, lady, I fear Skallagrim, for he swore to slay me, and that kindof promise he ever keeps. Also, if the truth must out, I have not dealtaltogether well with Eric, and of all men I least wish to talk withhim."

  "Speak on," she said.

  Then, being forced to it, Hall told her something of the tale of thecutting of the cable, being careful to put another colour on it.

  "Now it seems that thou art a coward, Hall," Swanhild said when he haddone, "and I scarcely looked for that in thee," for she had not beendeceived by the glozing of his speech. "It will be bad for thee tomeet Eric and Skallagrim, and this is my counsel: that thou goest hencebefore they wake, for they will sit this winter here in Atli's hall."

  "And whither shall I go, lady?"

  Swanhild gazed on him, and as she did so a dark thought came into herheart: here was a knave who might serve her ends.

  "Hall," she said, "thou art an Icelander, and I have known of thee froma child, and therefore I wish to serve thee in thy strait, though thoudeservest it little. See now, Atli the Earl has a farm on the mainlandnot two hours' ride from the sea. Thither thou shalt go, if thou artwise, and thou shalt sit there this winter and be hidden from Eric andSkallagrim. Nay, thank me not, but listen: it may chance that I shallhave a service for thee to do before spring is come."

  "Lady, I shall wait upon thy word," said Hall.

  "Good. Now, so soon as it is light, I will find a man to sail with theeacross the Firth, for the sea falls, and bear my message to the stewardat Atli's farm. Also if thou needest faring-money thou shalt have it.Farewell."

  Thus then did Hall fly before Eric and Skallagrim.

  On the morrow Eric and Skallagrim arose, sick and bruised indeed, butnot at all harmed, and went down to the shore. There they found manydead men of their company, but never a one in whom the breath of liferemained.

  Skallagrim looked at Eric and spoke: "Last night the mist came upagainst the wind: last night we saw Swanhild's wraith upon the waves,and there is the path it showed, and there"--and he pointed to the deadmen--"is the witch-seed's flower. Now to-day we sit in Atli's hall andhere we must stay thi
s winter at Swanhild's side, and in all this therelies a riddle that I cannot read."

  But Eric shook his head, making no answer. Then, leaving Skallagrim withthe dead, he turned, and striding back alone towards the hall, sat downon a rock in the home meadows and, covering his face with his hands,wept for his comrades.

  As he wept Swanhild came to him, for she had seen him from afar, andtouched him gently on the arm.

  "Why weepest thou, Eric?" she said.

  "I weep for the dead, Swanhild," he answered.

  "Weep not for the dead--they are at peace; if thou must weep, weep forthe living. Nay, weep not at all; rejoice rather that thou art here tomourn. Hast thou no word of greeting for me who have not heard thy voicethese many months?"

  "How shall I greet thee, Swanhild, who would never have seen thy faceagain if I might have had my will? Knowest thou that yesternight, as welaboured in yonder Firth, we saw a shape walking the waters to leadus to our doom? How shall I greet thee, Swanhild, who art a witch andevil?"

  "And knowest thou, Eric, that yesternight I woke from sleep, havingdreamed that thou didst lie upon the shore, and thus I saved thee alive,as perchance I have saved thee aforetime? If thou didst see a shapewalking the waters it was that shape which led thee here. Hadst thousailed on, not only those thou mournest, but Skallagrim and thou thyselfhad now been numbered with the lost."

  "Better so than thus," said Brighteyes. "Knowest thou also, Swanhild,that when last night my life came back again in Atli's hall, methoughtthat Atli's wife leaned over me and kissed me on the lips? That was anill dream, Swanhild."

  "Some had found it none so ill, Eric," she made answer, looking on himstrangely. "Still, it was but a dream. Thou didst dream that Atli's wifebreathed back the breath of life into thy pale lips--be sure of it thoudidst but dream. Ah, Eric, fear me no more; forget the evil that I havewrought in the blindness and folly of my youth. Now things are otherwisewith me. Now I am a wedded wife and faithful hearted to my lord. Now, ifI still love thee, it is with a sister's love. Therefore forget mysins, remember only that as children we played upon the Iceland fells.Remember that, as boy and girl, we rode along the marshes, while thesea-mews clamoured round our heads. The world is cold, Eric, and feware the friends we find in it; many are already gone, and soon thefriendless dark draws near. So put me not away, my brother and myfriend; but, for a little space, whilst thou art here in Atli's hall,let us walk hand in hand as we walked long years ago in Iceland,gathering up the fifa-bloom, and watching the midnight shadows creep upthe icy joekul's crest."

  Thus Swanhild spoke to him most sweetly, in a low voice of music, whilethe tears gathered in her eyes, talking ever of Iceland that he loved,and of days long dead, till Eric's heart softened in him.

  "Almost do I believe thee, Swanhild," he said, stretching out his hand;"but I know thus: that thou art never twice in the same mood, and thatis beyond my measuring. Thou hast done much evil and thou hast strivento do more; also I love not those who seem to walk the seas o' nights.Still, hold thou to this last saying of thine and there shall be peacebetween us while I bide here."

  She touched his hand humbly and turned to go. But as she went Eric spokeagain: "Say, Swanhild, hast thou tidings from Iceland yonder? I haveheard no word of Asmund or of Gudruda for two long years and more."

  She stood still, and a dark shadow that he could not see flitted acrossher face.

  "I have few tidings, Eric," she said, turning, "and those few, if I maytrust them, bad enough. For this is the rumour that I have heard:that Asmund the Priest, my father, is dead; that Groa, my mother, isdead--how, I know not; and, lastly, that Gudruda the Fair, thy love, isbetrothed to Ospakar Blacktooth and weds him in the spring."

  Now Eric sprang up with an oath and grasped the hilt of Whitefire. Thenhe sat down again upon the stone and covered his face with his hands.

  "Grieve not, Eric," she said gently; "I put no faith in this news, forrumour, like the black-backed gull, often changes colour in its flightacross the seas. Also I had it but at fifth hand. I am sure of this, atleast, that Gudruda will never forsake thee without a cause."

  "It shall go ill with Ospakar if this be true," said Eric, smilinggrimly, "for Whitefire is yet left me and with it one true friend."

  "Run not to meet the evil, Eric. Thou shalt come to Iceland with thesummer flowers and find Gudruda faithful and yet fairer than of yore.Knowest thou that Hall of Lithdale, who was thy mate, has sat here thesetwo months? He is gone but this morning, I know not whither, leaving amessage that he returns no more."

  "He did well to go," said Eric, and he told her how Hall had cut thecable.

  "Ay, well indeed," answered Swanhild. "Had Atli known this he would havescourged Hall hence with rods of seaweed. And now, Eric, I desire toask thee one more thing: why wearest thou thy hair long like a woman's?Indeed, few women have such hair as thine is now."

  "For this cause, Swanhild: I swore to Gudruda that none should cut myhair till she cut it once more. It is a great burden to me surely, fornever did hair grow so fast and strong as mine, and once in a fray I washeld fast by it and went near to the losing of my life. Still, I willkeep the oath even if it grows on to my feet," and he laughed a littleand shook back his golden locks.

  Swanhild smiled also and, turning, went. But when her face was hiddenfrom him she smiled no more.

  "As I live," she said in her heart, "before spring rains fall I againwill cause thee to break this oath, Eric. Ay, I will cut a lock of thatbright hair of thine and send it for a love-token to Gudruda."

  But Eric still sat upon the rock thinking. Swanhild had set an evil seedof doubt in his heart, and already it put forth roots. What if thetale were true? What if Gudruda had given herself to Ospakar? Well, ifso--she should soon be a widow, that he swore.

  Then he rose, and stalked grimly towards the hall.

  XIX

  HOW KOLL THE HALF-WITTED BROUGHT TIDINGS FROM ICELAND

  Presently as Eric walked he met Atli the Earl seeking him. Atli greetedhim.

  "I have seen strange things, Eric," he said, "but none more strange thanthis coming of thine and the manner of it. Swanhild is foresighted, andthat was a doom-dream of hers."

  "I think her foresighted also," said Eric. "And now, Earl, knowest thouthis: that little good can come to thee at the hands of one whom thouhast saved from the sea."

  "I set no faith in such old wives' tales," answered Atli. "Here thou artcome, and it is my will that thou shouldest sit here. At the least, Iwill give thee no help to go hence."

  "Then we must bide in Straumey, it seems," said Eric: "for of all mygoods and gear this alone is left me," and he looked at Whitefire.

  "Thou hast still a gold ring or two upon thy arm," answered the Earl,laughing. "But surely, Eric, thou wouldst not begone?"

  "I know not, Earl. Listen: it is well that I should be plain with thee.Once, before thou didst wed Swanhild, she had another mind."

  "I have heard something of that, and I have guessed more, Brighteyes;but methinks Swanhild is little given to gadding now. She is as cold asice, and no good wife for any man," and Atli sighed, "'Snow melts not ifsun shines not,' so runs the saw. Thou art an honest man, Eric, and nowhisperer in the ears of others' wives."

  "I am not minded indeed to do thee such harm, Earl, but this thouknowest: that woman's guile and beauty are swords few shields can brook.Now I have spoken--and they are hard words to speak--be it as thouwilt."

  "It is my will that thou shouldest sit here this winter, Eric. Had I myway, indeed, never wouldest thou sit elsewhere. Listen: things havenot gone well with me of late. Age hath a grip of me, and foes rise upagainst one who has no sons. That was an ill marriage, too, which I madewith Swanhild yonder: for she loves me not, and I have found no lucksince first I saw her face. Moreover, it is in my mind that my daysare almost sped. Swanhild has already foretold my death, and, as thouknowest well, she is foresighted. So I pray thee, Eric, bide thou herewhile thou mayest, for I would have thee at my side."

  "It shall
be as thou wilt, Earl," said Eric.

  So Eric Brighteyes and Skallagrim Lambstail sat that winter in the hallof Atli the Earl at Straumey. For many weeks all things went well andEric forgot his fears. Swanhild was gentle to him and kindly. She lovedmuch to talk with him, even of Gudruda her rival; but no word of lovepassed her lips. Nevertheless, she did but bide her time, for when shestruck she determined to strike home. Atli and Eric were ever side byside, and Eric gave the Earl much good counsel. He promised to do thisalso, for now, being simple-minded, his doubts had passed and he hadno more fear of Swanhild. On the mainland lived a certain chief who hadseized large lands of Atli's, and held them for a year or more. Now Ericgave his word that, before he sailed for Iceland in the early summer, hewould go up against this man and drive him from the lands, if he could.For Brighteyes might not come to Iceland till hard upon midsummer, whenhis three years of outlawry were spent.

  The winter wore away and the spring came. Then Atli gathered his menand went with Eric in boats to where the chief dwelt who held his lands.There they fell on him and there was a fierce fight. But in the end theman was slain by Skallagrim, and Eric did great deeds, as was his wont.Now in this fray Eric was wounded in the foot by a spear, so that hemust be borne back to Straumey, and he lay there in the hall for manydays. Swanhild nursed him, and most days he sat talking with her in herbower.