Then the carline rose, and her eyes were strange, as if they saw beyond that upon which she looked. "More misfortune is coming than thou deemest," she said. "Outlawry. Mayhap even death. Be warned!" "Thou art a heathen and a witch," said her master. "Be still!" But she said: "I will not abide the curse. Hiarandi, I have worked long in thy house. Give me now my freedom and let me go." "Thou hast long been free to go," he replied. "Take thy croaking to another man's board! But this little prophecy I give to thee, that no man will believe thine ill-speaking." "No great foresight hast thou in that," she answered. "Never have I been believed." Then she drew on her cloak and hooded her face. "Thou wilt not go in the storm?" asked Asdis. "All times are alike," the woman said. "Heed thou this, Hiarandi. Beware the man who came in the ship thou didst save!" "He is one," answered Hiarandi, "whom I fear not at all." "Beware suits at law," said the carline again, and she turned to go. "It needs no great wisdom to say that," retorted Hiarandi upon her. "But stay! I send not people from my door penniless. Nothing is owing from me to thee, yet I will give a piece of money." "Soon," answered Thurid, "thou wilt need all thou hast." And she went out into the night. CHAPTER II OF THE SOURSOPS, AND THE CURSE WHICH HUNG ON THEM Of those things which had been said, Rolf heard all, yet he had not spoken. Now he drew near to his father, and said to him: "Explain to me, father, the things of which the woman spoke. What is the curse upon us, and can such a thing be true?" Then Hiarandi answered: "Thou knowest we are of the Soursops, who got their name when they sopped with sour whey the fire which was kindled to burn them in their house. Now Gisli, the first of us, slew Kol, his wife's foster-father, for the sake of his sword Graysteel, and Kol laid the curse of misfortune on us. Slayings arose by means of that sword; there came the outlawing of Gisli, the grandson of the first Gisli, and death fell in most branches of the house. Fourteen years Gisli was outlaw, even as has been, to this year, Grettir the Strong, who is the great outlaw of our day. But Gisli was slain, and his brother, while his sister died. Son of that sister is Snorri the Priest, who alone of us has prospered; for though no slayings have ever happened in our branch, unlucky are we all, as is plain to see." "I have often wondered," said Rolf, "how it is that we live here in this great hall and have but us three and the servants to fill it. There are places for seven fires down the middle of the hall, yet we use but one. And all the benches were once used, since they are worn: seats for fifty men, and the women's seats besides."