The Book of Dreams and Ghosts by Andrew Lang (inspirational books TXT) 📖

Although Thorgunna spoke in this fashion, yet Thurid would have her to go with her, and her things were taken out of the ship; these were in a large chest with a lock and a small box, and both were taken home to Fródá.  When Thorgunna arrived there she asked for her bed to be shown her, and was given one in the inner part of the hall.  Then she opened up the chest, and took bed-clothes out of it: they were all very beautiful, and over the bed she spread English coverlets and a silken quilt.  Out of the chest she also brought a bed-curtain and all the hangings that belonged to it, and the whole outfit was so fine that folk thought they had never seen the like of it.

Then said Thurid the housewife: “Name the price of all your bed-clothes and hangings”.

Thorgunna answered, “I will not lie among straw for you, although you are so stately, and bear yourself so proudly”.

Thurid was ill pleased at this, and offered no more to buy the things.

Thorgunna worked at cloth-making every day when there was no hay-making, but when the weather was dry she worked among the dry hay in the home field, and had a rake made for herself which she alone was to use.  Thorgunna was a big woman, both broad and tall, and very stout; she had dark eyebrows, and her eyes were close set; her hair brown and in great abundance.  She was well-mannered in her daily life, and went to church every day before beginning her work, but she was not of a light disposition nor of many words.  Most people thought that Thorgunna must be in the sixties, yet she was a very active woman.

At this time one Thorir “wooden-leg” and his wife Thorgrima “charm-cheek” were being maintained at Fródá, and there was little love between them and Thorgunna.  The person that she had most ado with was Kjartan, the son of the house; him she loved much, but he was rather cold towards her, and this often vexed her.  Kjartan was then fifteen years old, and was both big of body and manly in appearance.

The summer that year was very wet, but in the autumn there came dry days.  By this time the hay-work at Fródá was so far advanced that all the home field was mown, and nearly the half of it was quite dry.  There came then a fine dry day, clear and bright, with not a cloud to be seen in all the sky.  Thorodd, the yeoman, rose early in the morning and arranged the work of each one; some began to cart off the hay, and some to put it into stalks, while the women were set to toss and dry it.  Thorgunna also had her share assigned to her, and the work went on well during the day.  When it drew near to three in the afternoon, a mass of dark clouds was seen rising in the north which came rapidly across the sky and took its course right above the farm.  They thought it certain that there was rain in the cloud and Thorodd bade his people rake the hay together; but Thorgunna continued to scatter hers, in spite of the orders that were given.  The clouds came on quickly, and when they were above the homestead at Fródá there came such darkness with them that the people could see nothing beyond the home field; indeed, they could scarcely distinguish their own hands.  Out of the cloud came so much rain that all the hay which was lying flat was quite soaked.  When the cloud had passed over and the sky cleared again, it was seen that blood had fallen amid the rain.  In the evening there was a good draught, and the blood soon dried off all the hay except that which Thorgunna had been working at; it did not dry, nor did the rake that she had been using.

Thurid asked Thorgunna what she supposed this marvel might portend.  She said that she did not know, “but it seems to me most likely that it is an evil omen for some person who is present here”.  In the evening Thorgunna went home and took off her clothes, which had been stained with the blood; then she lay down in her bed and breathed heavily, and it was found that she was taken with sickness.  The shower had not fallen anywhere else than at Fródá.

All that evening Thorgunna would taste no food.  In the morning Thorodd came to her and asked about her sickness, and what end she thought it would have.  She answered that she did not expect to have any more illnesses.  Then she said: “I consider you the wisest person in the homestead here, and so I shall tell you what arrangements I wish to make about the property that I leave behind me, and about myself, for things will go as I tell you, though you think there is nothing very remarkable about me.  It will do you little good to depart from my instructions, for this affair has so begun that it will not pass smoothly off, unless strong measures are taken in dealing with it.”

Thorodd answered: “There seems to me great likelihood that your forebodings will come true; and therefore,” said he, “I shall promise to you not to depart from your instructions”.

“These are my arrangements,” said Thorgunna, “that I will have myself taken to Skálholt if I die of this sickness, for my mind forbodes me that that place will some time or other be the most glorious spot in this land.  I know also that by now there are priests there to sing the funeral service over me.  So I ask you to have me carried thither, and for that you shall take so much of my property that you suffer no loss in the matter.  Of my other effects, Thurid shall have the scarlet cloak that I own, and I give it her so that she may readily consent to my disposing of all the rest as I please.  I have a gold ring, and it shall go to the church with me; but as for my bed and bed-hangings, I will have them burned with fire, because they will be of service to no one.  I do not say this because I grudge that any one should possess these treasures, if I knew that they would be of use to them; rather am I so earnest in the matter, because I should be sorry for folk to fall into such trouble for me, as I know will be the case if my words are not heeded.”

Thorodd promised to do as she asked him, and after this Thorgunna’s sickness increased, so that she lay but few days before she died.  The body was first taken to the church, and Thorodd had a coffin made for it.  On the following day Thorodd had all the bed-clothes carried out into the open air, and made a pile of wood beside them.  Then Thurid the housewife came up, and asked what he was going to do with the bed-clothes.  He answered that he was to burn them with fire, as Thorgunna had directed him.  “I will not have such treasures burned,” said Thurid.  Thorodd answered: “She declared strongly that it would not do to depart from what she said”.  “That was mere jealousy,” said Thurid; “she grudged any other person the use of them, and that was why she gave these orders; but nothing terrible will happen though her words are set aside.”  “I doubt,” said he, “whether it will be well to do otherwise than as she charged me.”

Then Thurid laid her arms round his neck, and besought him not to burn the furnishings of the bed, and so much did she press him in this that his heart gave way to her, and she managed it so that Thorodd burned the mattresses and pillows, while she took for herself the quilt and coverlets and all the hangings.  Yet neither of them was well pleased.

After this the funeral was made ready; trustworthy men were sent with the body, and good horses which Thorodd owned.  The body was wrapped in linen, but not sewed up in it, and then laid in the coffin.  After this they held south over the heath as the paths go, and went on until they came to a farm called Lower Ness, which lies in the Tongues of Staf-holt.  There they asked leave to stay over night, but the farmer would give them no hospitality.  However, as it was close on nightfall, they did not see how they could go on, for they thought it would be dangerous to deal with the White River by night.  They therefore unloaded their horses, and carried the body into an out-house, after which they went into the sitting-room and took off their outer clothes, intending to stay there over night without food.

The people of the house were going to bed by daylight, and after they were in bed a great noise was heard in the kitchen.  Some went to see whether thieves had not broken in, and when they reached the kitchen they saw there a tall woman.  She was quite naked, with no clothes whatever upon her, and was busy preparing food.  Those who saw her were so terrified that they dared not go near her at all.  When the funeral party heard of this they went thither, and saw what the matter was—Thorgunna had come there, and it seemed advisable to them all not to meddle with her.  When she had done all that she wanted, she brought the food into the room, set the tables and laid the food upon them.  Then the funeral party said to the farmer: “It may happen in the end, before we part, that you will think it dearly bought that you would show us no hospitality”.  Both the farmer and the housewife answered: “We will willingly give you food, and do you all other services that you require”.

As soon as the farmer had offered them this, Thorgunna passed out of the room into the kitchen, and then went outside, nor did she show herself again.  Then a light was kindled in the room, and the wet clothes of the guests were taken off, and dry ones given them in their place.  After this they sat down at table, and blessed their food, while the farmer had holy water sprinkled over all the house.  The guests ate their food, and it harmed no man, although Thorgunna had prepared it.  They slept there that night, and were treated with great hospitality.

In the morning they continued their journey, and things went very smoothly with them; wherever this affair was heard of, most people thought it best to do them all the service that they required, and of their journey no more is to be told.  When they came to Skálholt, they handed over the precious things which Thorgunna had sent thither: the ring and other articles, all of which the priests gladly received.  Thorgunna was buried there, while the funeral party returned home, which they all reached in safety.

At Fródá there was a large hall with a fireplace in the midde, and a bed-closet at the inner end of it, as was then the custom.  At the outer end were two store-closets, one on each side; dried fish were piled in one of these, and there was meal in the other.  In this hall fires were kindled every evening, as was the custom, and folk sat round these fires for a long while before they went to supper.  On that evening on which the funeral party came home, while the folk at Fródá were sitting round the fires, they saw a half-moon appear on the panelling of the hall, and it was visible to