"Haggard, H Rider- Eric Brighteyes" - читать интересную книгу автора (Haggard H. Rider)

they were the fairest of all women, though they had nothing in common
except their blood and hate.

Now of Eric Brighteyes, of Gudruda the Fair and of Swanhild the
Fatherless, there is a tale to tell.

These two fair women saw the light in the self-same hour. But Eric
Brighteyes was their elder by five years. The father of Eric was
Thorgrimur Iron-Toe. He had been a mighty man; but in fighting with a
Baresark,[*] who fell upon him as he came up from sowing his wheat,
his foot was hewn from him, so that afterwards he went upon a wooden
leg shod with iron. Still, he slew the Baresark, standing on one leg
and leaning against a rock, and for that deed people honoured him
much. Thorgrimur was a wealthy yeoman, slow to wrath, just, and rich
in friends. Somewhat late in life he took to wife Saevuna, Thorod's
daughter. She was the best of women, strong in mind and second-
sighted, and she could cover herself in her hair. But these two never
loved each other overmuch, and they had but one child, Eric, who was
born when Saevuna was well on in years.

[*] The Baresarks were men on whom a passing fury of battle came; they
were usually outlawed.

The father of Gudruda was Asmund Asmundson, the Priest of Middalhof.
He was the wisest and the wealthiest of all men who lived in the south
of Iceland in those days, owning many farms and, also, two ships of
merchandise and one long ship of war, and having much money out at
interest. He had won his wealth by viking's work, robbing the English
coasts, and black tales were told of his doings in his youth on the
sea, for he was a "red-hand" viking. Asmund was a handsome man, with
blue eyes and a large beard, and, moreover, was very skilled in
matters of law. He loved money much, and was feared of all. Still, he
had many friends, for as he aged he grew more kindly. He had in
marriage Gudruda, the daughter of BjЎrn, who was very sweet and kindly
of nature, so that they called her Gudruda the Gentle. Of this
marriage there were two children, BjЎrn and Gudruda the Fair; but
BjЎrn grew up like his father in youth, strong and hard, and greedy of
gain, while, except for her wonderful beauty, Gudruda was her mother's
child alone.

The mother of Swanhild the Fatherless was Groa the Witch. She was a
Finn, and it is told of her that the ship on which she sailed, trying
to run under the lee of the Westman Isles in a great gale from the
north-east, was dashed to pieces on a rock, and all those on board of
her were caught in the net of Ran[*] and drowned, except Groa herself,
who was saved by her magic art. This at the least is true, that, as
Asmund the Priest rode down by the sea-shore on the morning after the
gale, seeking for some strayed horses, he found a beautiful woman, who
wore a purple cloak and a great girdle of gold, seated on a rock,
combing her black hair and singing the while; and, at her feet,