Then I saw that she was driving the nail into a footprint. There were three tracks only along the snow--two going away from the cottage and one returning. That which went and returned was made by this old woman, as one might see from her last steps, which made a fourth track from the door. "She is hammering the nail into her own footprint," I said, noting this. Now she sang in a cracked voice, hammering savagely the while; and now and then she shook her fist or hammer, or both, towards where the other old dame had gone out of sight round a bend of the lane. Then she put her hand to her back and straightened herself with a sort of groan, as old dames will, and slowly turned round and saw us. Whereat she screamed, and hurled the hammer at Kolgrim, who was laughing at her, cursing us valiantly for Danes and thieves, and nearly hitting him. "Peace, good mother," I said; "we are not Danes. Here is earnest thereof," and I threw her a sceatta from my pouch. She clutched it from the ice pool where it fell, and stared at us, muttering yet. Then Harek spoke to her. "Mother, I have much skill in spells, but I know not what is wrought with hammer and nail and footprint. I would fain learn." "Little know you of spells if you know not that," she said, having lost all fear of us, as it seemed. "I am only a northerner," Harek said. "Maybe 'tis a spell against a sprained ankle, which seems likely. I only know one for that." "Which know you?" she said scornfully; "you are over young to meddle with such like." "This," said Harek. "It works well if the sprain be bathed with spring-cold water, while one says it twice daily: "'Baldur and Woden Went to the woodland; There Baldur's foal fell, Wrenching its foot.' "That is how it begins." Then the old woman's eyes sparkled. "Ay; that is good. Learn it me, I pray you. Now I know that you have wizardry, for you name the old gods." "Tell me first what hammer and nail work in footprint." "Why, yon old hag has overlooked me," she said savagely. "Now, if one does as I have done, one nails her witchcraft to herself {xiii}." "Whose footprint does the nail go into?" Harek asked. "Why, hers surely. Now this is the spell," and she chanted somewhat in broad Wessex, and save that Baldur's name and Thor's hammer also came into it, I do not know what it all was. I waxed impatient now, for I thought that Heregar might be waiting for us. But she and Harek exchanged spells, and then I said: "Now, dame, know you of any thane in hiding hereabouts?" Thereat she looked sharply at me. "I know nothing. Here be I, lamed, in the cottage all day." "There is a close friend of mine in hiding from the Danes somewhere here," I said, doubting, from her manner, if she spoke the truth. "I would take him to a safer place." "None safer," she answered. "What is his name?" Then I doubted for a moment; but Harek's quick wit helped me.