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all taken up and burnt, and thenceforward the ghosts did no further harm. Winter came to an end, but because of the great ice-floes they were unable to move away, and during the summer they got together provisions. Next winter, Gudrun, Kol's sister, died, and Thorgils buried her under her bed; and when spring again returned they were still unable to get away.

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"And now it happened that Thorey had a dream, which she told to Thorgils. In my dream,' she said, ‘I beheld a fair land, with bright happy people in it; I expect we shall soon be released from these troubles.' 'Your dream is a good one,' answered Thorgils; but it points, doubtless, to another world where there is bliss in store for you; and you will be aided by holy men, because of your pure life and your many trials.' She begged him to quit these barren lands if possible; and he promised to try. One fine day, when she had been long confined to bed, Thorgils wished to climb the glaciers and see from above if the ice was breaking up; but Thorey was unwilling that he should leave her. I shall go but a short way off,' he said; the thralls will row out to sea to find food, and my steward, Thorarin, after helping them to launch, will remain with you.' Thorleif, Kol, and Starkad offered to accompany him, and all went to the glaciers, though Thorgils said they were leaving no protector behind, and he put no faith in the thralls. He carried his pole-axe in his hand, and was girt with the sword that he had taken from an earth-house [in Ireland]. In the afternoon they turned back home; the wind was blowing hard, but Thorgils guided them safely, walking in front. There was no boat to be seen as they approached the shed. Entering, they discovered that men and chests had all disappeared. This is an evil business,' said Thorgils, and passing further in towards Thorey's bed he heard a rattling in her

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throat, and found her dead, the child feeding at her breast. On examining her, they discovered a small wound under her arm, as if she had been stabbed with the point of a slender knife, and the place was covered with blood. At this sight great grief fell upon Thorgils. He determined to watch over the child during the night; but there was no food, for it had all been swept away. 'How he is to live longer,' said Thorgils, 'I can't see; but it will be a grievous matter to me if I am not able to help him. I will first try the plan of cutting off my nipple.' He did so, and straightway blood came forth, then a mixture of blood and milk, and lastly milk, with which he nourished the child. His companions laboured hard to procure food, and constructed for themselves a boat-the inside of wood, and the outside covered with hides.

"One morning, Thorgils going out alone beheld a wreck at a large opening in the ice, and beside it were two trolls fastening up large bundles. He hastened towards them with his Irish sword, and struck one of them as she was straining under her burden, and cut off her arm. The burden fell, and she ran away. Thorgils and his men took possession of the wreck, and found in it abundance of provisions. After this the ice broke up, and they moved away to Seal Point in the summer, where they remained during the winter. When summer came again they discovered a small island, and a fortnight afterwards they found the egg of a black-backed gull, which they gave to the child, who ate half of it. Why don't you eat it all?' asked they. 'I am sparing of my food,' he answered, 'as you are sparing of yours.' Moving forward past glaciers they arrived at some steep rocks, where they dragged the boat halfashore, and set up their tent. In the morning Kol went out, and not being able to see the boat lay down again, unwilling to tell Thorgils. Shortly afterwards

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Thorleif went out, but he would tell nothing of the loss. Then Thorgils went out, and seeing that the boat was gone told the others of its disappearance. I see nothing now to be done,' said he, but to slay the boy.' 'Not so,' answered Thorleif;' but Thorgils said it must be done. So they took the lad, and Thorleif bade Kol to slay him. 'I shall not do it,' said Kol, for I know that as soon as the present mood of Thorgils passes from him the boy's death will be a great sorrow; and I owe Thorgils good, not evil.' They went, therefore, into the house, leaving the boy outside. Thorgils asked if they had slain him; and when they denied, he thanked them heartily. The boy was then fetched in, and lay all night beside Thorgils. In the morning Thorgils told his dream. 'I was present,' he said, 'at the Assembly in Iceland; Asgrim Ellida-Grimsson and I were pulling against each other at a hank of rope, and he lost.' That shows,' answered Thorleif, 'that you will return to Iceland, where you will have law-suits against him, and win.' 'It may be so,' said Thorgils. A second night he had a dream. 'I was at home,' he said, in Tradarholt. There was a large crowd of people, and I saw a swan move along the floor, and it was more tame with others than with me. Then I shook it, and thence

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forth it was much more kind towards me.' Thorleif answered him: That signifies, father, that you will be married again, and be blessed at the beginning with but little love from your wife, but her love will much increase.' 'I dreamt once again,' said Thorgils, 'that I was at home in Tradarholt, and upon my right knee I beheld five leekbulbs growing together; and from them an abundance of leeks branched, one of which reached high up above my head, beautiful as of the colour of gold.' 'I can interpret your dream,' replied Thorleif: You will have five children, and from them will arise many families in Iceland.

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I shall not live there, but my descendants will increase elsewhere. The beautiful leek signifies that one of your descendants will be widely famous.' And so it came to pass; for from Thorgils was descended Bishop Thorlak, the canonized saint. Then Thorleif spoke: 'I dreamt, father,' he said, 'that my sister Thorny gave me a cheese, and there were no wavy ridges on it.' 'The severest of our trials is over,' answered Thorgils, as the ridges are absent.' Then they heard a great cry; some one was shouting to the Icelanders to take their boat. They went out quickly, therefore, and saw two women, who disappeared straightway, and also a bear with wounded paws struggling at a hole in the ice. Thorgils hastened up, and struck the animal a blow with his sword and killed it. To prevent it sinking in the water, he seized it by the ears, and it was then dragged up and dressed for meat. Thorgils distributed bits to each of them, whence one may judge of the straits they suffered in the matter of food. 'You are sparing of your food, father,' said Thorleif. Yes, my son,' he answered, it is fitting that we should be."

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"Afterwards they put to sea, and rowed onward, passing several creeks. As they came up to the mouth of a fiord great weariness fell upon them, and they suffered terribly from thirst; but there was no water near, and their strength failed them. They were now five in number, including the boy. Then Starkad said, 'When life has been at stake, I have known men mix. . . . So they made the mixture in a bucket, and asked Thorgils' leave to drink it. But he would neither refuse nor grant leave, saying, however, that there was great excuse to be made for them. And as they were on the point of drinking the mixture, Thorgils bade them bring it, and he would hallow the drink by a toast. When he received it, he thus spake :

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Thou most wretched of creatures that delayest our voyage, thou shalt not succeed.

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Whereupon a bird,

very like a young auk, flew away screaming from the ship. And Thorgils poured the mixture overboard. They then continued their rowing, and late in the day found water. As the bird flew away from the ship towards the north, Thorgils said, 'That bird has left us at last; may all the fiends seize him; we may rejoice that he failed to accomplish his desire.' Three days afterwards they saw a linen ́tent, which they recognised as having belonged to Thorey; and meeting with Thorgils' steward, they enquired by what means he had come there. He told them how Snækoll and the other thralls had dealt with him-offering him the choice, either to be slain or go with them. 'It was Snækoll,' he said, 'that thrust the knife-point in Thorey.' 'I know not what your deserts may be,' answered Thorgils, 'but your story has not the air of truth, and you shall live no longer.' Thorarin was then slain, and after they had buried him they moved away.

"It was the beginning of autumn when they arrived at a fiord, and coming close to land they beheld a boat-house. They dragged their boat half-ashore, therefore, and going up from the water came to a house. There was a man sitting outside, who welcomed Thorgils; and they asked one another of their names. The man said his name was Rolf, and he invited them to stay with him. The invitation was accepted, and the boy Thorfinn was then handed over to the care of one of the women, who gave him milk; but he said that it was not the same colour as his father's milk. Here Thorgils remained during the winter, and in the following spring Rolf gave him and his men a renewed invitation to stay there, and offered him his ship if he preferred to depart. Thorgils thanked him, and said that he would accept the ship. I shall be bound,' said he, 'to

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