The sun., 1891-01-11
and threw herself before Eric. praying him to

mind. but, being made up, nothing could
change It, Then. when she learned that 1t was
to get sight OF Gudruda that he purposed thus
to throw his lie away. she was very angry and
cursed her and all her kith and kin.
1T is like enough that thou wilt have cause
to use such words before all this tale is told"
said Eric: nevertheless. mother. forbear to
curse Gudruda, who is in no way to blame for
these matters"
Thou art a faithless son." she said. who
wilt slay thyself striving to gain sight OF thy
May and leave thy mother cblldless."
Eric said that 1t seemed 30 indeed. but he
was plighted to 1t and tho deed must be tried.
Then he kissed her. aud sho sought her bed,
weeping.
Now 1t was the day Of the Yule feast, and
there was no sun till ono hour before noon.
But Eric. having kissed his mother and bid
her farewell called thrall to him. Jon by
name. and gave him sealskn bag full OF his
best apparel and bade him 20 to Middalhof
and tell Asmund the Priest that Eric Bright
eyes comes down Golden Falls an hour after
midday. to Join his feast. and thence to the
foot Of the Golden Falls. to await him there.
And the man went. wondering greatly, for he
thought his master mad.
Then Eric took good rope and staff tipped
with Iron. and. SO soon as tho light served.
mounted his horse. crossed Ran River, and
rode along Coldbaok till he came to the lip OF
Golden Falls. Here he stayed while till at
length he saw many people streaming up tho
snow from Middalhof. far beneath. and, among
them. two women who by their stature should
be Gudruda and Swanhild, and. near to them.
great man whom he did not know. Then he
showed himself for space on the brink OF the
shone bright upon the edge Of the sky. but the
frost DIT Ike sword Nevertheless he must
STRIP ST p. OIL his garments. 50 that nothing re-
shirt and hose. and take the water. Now here
the. the river y,I, runs, runs mightiy and he must
ing water before he. reach sheep-saddle, and
Woe Woe. to @ him 4 his foot sIip fqr certainly be
sbs and hs
sssSons shss i could not presnl A asainss III lin.
sS hs ws'E sd sSSnf rom aSYxs Ss
fSst bIs a aad lStta the sts Goat h. for
;sss s;Sfsp!maSS the iiD = tSs r. i.ll Tss eas .hsss
isthom ,sa from h@ sSn sSo below was
it. ali is wells Il not he goes 10 Three @ knss ereat
out over tho brink Of the iaii. but he clung on
Presently he stood up. for the cold began
Sscams aRsq: shs nd hs the had Ss0ps ssum o'H. e.
deed was great, Now he must begin to swarm
with ice: and on either side the mad waters
Ing spray about him as they. leapt to the
giddy depths beneath He looked down. study
ing the rock; then. fearing that he grew afraid.
with both hands swung himself down his own
length and more. Now fer many minutes he
Win boSmns
Of the waters that bent out on either side Of
the oX the ff
down ali fifteen fsthoms and fell not. though
twice he was near to telling and the watchers
dashed a,o 70 sad may
ssa s
pool the weight 81 x. Of water will drive him down
and dFS%n carta|ni, hm .o ouot, Asmund and :.
drove him to THIS perioas sdyepture, 0s and i've We
as %hss hs' as but
na i ,sss Es sh:
may these .yai hin !F9il s9Sld ye il
the bai. that lured him to his death"
ASsSs Row Asys so"d al shs a aos q
and within an arms length the mighty waters
met. tossing their yellow m amos and seethinR
meath. He bent over and looked through tho
spray. Three fathom under him the ROCK VOLTS
sPeI I hs may oan saa shesr Doo
about his middle and made one end fast to a
hands were stifr with oold..and the other end
he passed Psed through hls M Mlesthern eirdc. Then
ofeS How a mshi eRs SsnH .hs so
ing food and not be shattered? But as he
Looked, loo 10! A rainbow crew upon ths face Of
upon Hudruda as she stood Iittls way vI apart. art
wa: at bis side y the Gods build their Bifrost
bridge 6stxssn these two. Who now shall keep
THY SSsI :Ass BE- w Sasi'ed ~. not Ter. Scsiss
and sli sea sss waters OF Death
\ SsPs$
~ & 8 xScS% e ebs;sf E!io S!iEhtssss' isr shsa
asdrads thou sha win IN .s susrd d"nn 'n'' anu
30 he pausssd no LONGER, but; shortening up
DGsa on Il Eh hs hf o %
struck him and be was dashed out Ike stone
from rom sling; again he fol! against them anl
rope, and 10! with the inward swing. be fell
on Woli's Fang. where mover a man stood be-
fore and never . man shall stand again. lie
lay q little while on the rock till his breath
came back to him. and he listened 60 the roar
and Ensss. 10 crept to III. poll point Tor be mlsh,
scarcely stand because, of the trembling OF the
stone beneath the shock OF the fall and when
the people below saw that he vas not dead
they raised q great shout and the sound OF
heir voices came to him through the noise OF
the waters.
surface OF the pool: but he might not sec it
because OF the wreaths Of spray. NeverthelesA
he must leap. and that swiftly. for he grew
cold. SO of q sudden he stood up to his fnll
Ppring, bounded out from the point Of rock lar
Into the air beyond the reach OF tho falling
food. and rushed headlong towards the gulf
beneath. Now al! men Watching held their
breath as his body travelled, and so great is
the place and 80 bigh the leap that through
the mist Eric seemed but as big white stone
hurled down the face OF the arching waters.
He was gone. and the watchers rushed to the
all. he mnSt pass to the shadows. Swanhill
gould look no more. but sank upon tho ground.
Set as q stone was the face OF Gudruda with
doubt and anguish. Ospakar saw and read
the meaning, and he said to himself: Now
Odin grant that this younglinR rise not again.
Tor the maid loves him dearly. and he Is 700
much man to be lightly swept aside"
Eric struck the pool. Down be sank, and