第148章

Now Thorod and his comrades tore up their skin clothes in strips, knotted them together, made a noose at one end, and threw up the rope on the floor of the room.It fastened itself around a chest, by which they tried to haul themselves up.Thorod lifted up his comrade until he stood on his shoulders, and from thence scrambled up through the hatchhole.There was no want of ropes in the chamber, and he threw a rope down to Thorod; but when he tried to draw him up, he could not move him from the spot.Then Thorod told him to cast the rope over a cross-beam that was in the house, make a loop in it, and place as much wood and stones in the loop as would outweigh him; and the heavy weight went down into the cellar, and Thorod was drawn up by it.Now they took as much clothes as they required in the room; and among other things they took some reindeer hides, out of which they cut sandals, and bound them under their feet, with the hoofs of the reindeer feet trailing behind.But before they set off they set fire to a large corn barn which was close by, and then ran out into the pitch-dark night.The barn blazed, and set fire to many other houses in the village.Thorod and his comrade travelled the whole night until they came to a lonely wood, where they concealed themselves when it was daylight.In the morning they were missed.There was chase made with dogs to trace the footsteps all round the house; but the hounds always came back to the house, for they had the smell of the reindeer hoofs, and followed the scent back on the road that the hoofs had left, and therefore could not find the right direction.Thorod and his comrade wandered long about in the desert forest, and came one evening to a small house, and went in.A man and a woman were sitting by the fire.The man called himself Thorer, and said it was his wife who was sitting there, and the hut belonged to them.

The peasant asked them to stop there, at which they were well pleased.He told them that he had come to this place, because he had fled from the inhabited district on account of a murder.

Thorod and his comrade were well received, and they all got their supper at the fireside; and then the benches were cleared for them, and they lay down to sleep, but the fire was still burning with a clear light.Thorod saw a man come in from another house, and never had he seen so stout a man.He was dressed in a scarlet cloak beset with gold clasps, and was of very handsome appearance.Thorod heard him scold them for taking guests, when they had scarcely food for themselves.The housewife said, "Be not angry, brother; seldom such a thing happens; and rather do them some good too, for thou hast better opportunity to do so than we." Thorod heard also the stout man named by the name of Arnliot Gelline, and observed that the woman of the house was his sister.Thorod had heard speak of Arnliot as the greatest-of robbers and malefactors.Thorod and his companion slept the first part of the night, for they were wearied with walking; but when a third of the night was still to come, Arnliot awoke them, told them to get up, and make ready to depart.They arose immediately, put on their clothes, and some breakfast was given them; and Arnliot gave each of them also a pair of skees.

Arnliot made himself ready to accompany them, and got upon his skees, which were both broad and long; but scarcely had he swung his skee-staff before he was a long way past them.He waited for them, and said they would make no progress in this way, and told them to stand upon the edge of his skees beside him.They did so.Thorod stood nearest to him, and held by Arnliot's belt, and his comrade held by him.Arnliot strode on as quickly with them both, as if he was alone and without any weight.The following day they came, towards night, to a lodge for travellers, struck fire, and prepared some food; but Arnliot told them to throw away nothing of their food, neither bones nor crumbs.Arnliot took a silver plate out of the pocket of his cloak, and ate from it.

When they were done eating, Arnliot gathered up the remains of their meal, and they prepared to go to sleep.In the other end of the house there was a loft upon cross-beams, and Arnliot and the others went up, and laid themselves down to sleep.Arnliot had a large halberd, of which the upper part was mounted with gold, and the shaft was so long that with his arm stretched out he could scarcely touch the top of it; and he was girt with a sword.They had both their weapons and their clothes up in the loft beside them.Arnliot, who lay outermost in the loft, told them to be perfectly quiet.Soon after twelve men came to the house, who were merchants going with their wares to Jamtaland;and when they came into the house they made a great disturbance, were merry, and made a great fire before them; and when they took their supper they cast away all the bones around them.They then prepared to go to sleep, and laid themselves down upon the benches around the fire.When they, had been asleep a short time, a huge witch came into the house; and when she came in, she carefully swept together all the bones and whatever was of food kind into a heap, and threw it into her mouth.Then she gripped the man who was nearest to her, riving and tearing him asunder, and threw him upon the fire.The others awoke in dreadful fright, and sprang up, but she took them, and put them one by one to death, so that only one remained in life.He ran under the loft calling for help, and if there was any one on the loft to help him.Arnliot reached down his hand, seized him by the shoulder, and drew him up into the loft.The witch-wife had turned towards the fire, and began to eat the men who were roasting.Now Arnliot stood up, took his halberd, and struck her between the shoulders, so that the point came out at her breast.

She writhed with it, gave a dreadful shriek, and sprang up.The halberd slipped from Arnliot's hands, and she ran out with it.