The Waif Woman

wended," says Finnward.

  "So that here is an old faggot that hated me, and she dead as a bucket,"says Aud; "and here is a young wife that loves you dear, and is aliveforby"--and at that she kissed him--"and the point is, which are you todo the will of?"

  The man's weakness caught him hard, and he faltered. "I fear some hurtwill come of it," said he.

  There she cut in, and bade the lads tread out the fire, and the lassesroll the bed-stuff up and carry it within.

  "My dear," says he, "my honour--this is against my honour."

  But she took his arm under hers, and caressed his hand, and kissed hisknuckles, and led him down the bay. "Bubble-bubble-bubble!" says she,imitating him like a baby, though she was none so young. "Bubble-bubble,and a silly old man! We must bury the troll wife, and here is troubleenough, and a vengeance! Horses will sweat for it before she comes toSkalaholt; 'tis my belief she was a man in a woman's habit. And so now,have done, good man, and let us get her waked and buried, which is morethan she deserves, or her old duds are like to pay for. And when that isended, we can consult upon the rest."

  So Finnward was but too well pleased to put it off.

  The next day they set forth early for Skalaholt across the heaths. Itwas heavy weather, and grey overhead; the horses sweated and neighed, andthe men went silent, for it was nowhere in their minds that the dead wifewas canny. Only Aud talked by the way, like a silly sea-gull piping on acliff, and the rest held their peace. The sun went down before they wereacross Whitewater; and the black night fell on them this side ofNetherness. At Netherness they beat upon the door. The goodman was notabed nor any of his folk, but sat in the hall talking; and to themFinnward made clear his business.

  "I will never deny you a roof," said the goodman of Netherness. "But Ihave no food ready, and if you cannot be doing without meat, you muste'en fare farther."

  They laid the body in a shed, made fast their horses, and came into thehouse, and the door was closed again. So there they sat about thelights, and there was little said, for they were none so well pleasedwith their reception. Presently, in the place where the food was kept,began a clattering of dishes; and it fell to a bondman of the house to goand see what made the clatter. He was no sooner gone than he was backagain; and told it was a big, buxom woman, high in flesh and naked as shewas born, setting meats upon a dresser. Finnward grew pale as the dawn;he got to his feet, and the rest rose with him, and all the party of thefuneral came to the buttery-door. And the dead Thorgunna took no heed oftheir coming, but went on setting forth meats, and seemed to talk withherself as she did so; and she was naked to the buff.

  Great fear fell upon them; the marrow of their back grew cold. Not oneword they spoke, neither good nor bad; but back into the hall, and downupon their bended knees, and to their prayers.

  "Now, in the name of God, what ails you?" cried the goodman ofNetherness.

  And when they had told him, shame fell upon him for his churlishness.

  "The dead wife reproves me," said the honest man.

  And he blessed himself and his house, and caused spread the tables, andthey all ate of the meats that the dead wife laid out.

  This was the first walking of Thorgunna, and it is thought by good judgesit would have been the last as well, if men had been more wise.

  The next day they came to Skalaholt, and there was the body buried, andthe next after they set out for home. Finnward's heart was heavy, andhis mind divided. He feared the dead wife and the living; he feareddishonour and he feared dispeace; and his will was like a sea-gull in thewind. Now he cleared his throat and made as if to speak; and at that Audcocked her eye and looked at the goodman mocking, and his voice diedunborn. At the last, shame gave him courage.

  "Aud," said he, "yon was a most uncanny thing at Netherness."

  "No doubt," said Aud.

  "I have never had it in my mind," said he, "that yon woman was the thingshe should be."

  "I dare say not," said Aud. "I never thought so either."

  "It stands beyond question she was more than canny," says Finnward,shaking his head. "No manner of doubt but what she was ancient of mind."

  "She was getting pretty old in body, too," says Aud.

  "Wife," says he, "it comes in upon me strongly this is no kind of womanto disobey; above all, being dead and her walking. I think, wife, wemust even do as she commanded."

  "Now what is ever your word?" says she, riding up close and setting herhand upon his shoulder. "'The goodwife's pleasure must be done'; is notthat my Finnward?"

  "The good God knows I grudge you nothing," cried Finnward. "But my bloodruns cold upon this business. Worse will come of it!" he cried, "worsewill flow from it!"

  "What is this todo?" cries Aud. "Here is an old brimstone hag thatshould have been stoned with stones, and hated me besides. Vainly shetried to frighten me when she was living; shall she frighten me now whenshe is dead and rotten? I trow not. Think shame to your beard, goodman!Are these a man's shoes I see you shaking in, when your wife rides byyour bridle-hand, as bold as nails?"

  "Ay, ay," quoth Finnward. "But there goes a byword in the country:Little wit, little fear."

  At this Aud began to be concerned, for he was usually easier to lead. Sonow she tried the other method on the man.

  "Is that your word?" cried she. "I kiss the hands of ye! If I have notwit enough, I can rid you of my company. Wit is it he seeks?" she cried."The old broomstick that we buried yesterday had wit for you."

  So she rode on ahead and looked not the road that he was on.

  Poor Finnward followed on his horse, but the light of the day was goneout, for his wife was like his life to him. He went six miles and wastrue to his heart; but the seventh was not half through when he rode upto her.

  "Is it to be the goodwife's pleasure?" she asked.

  "Aud, you shall have your way," says he; "God grant there come no ill ofit!"

  So she made much of him, and his heart was comforted.

  When they came to the house, Aud had the two chests to her own bed-place,and gloated all night on what she found. Finnward looked on, and troubledarkened his mind.

  "Wife," says he at last, "you will not forget these things belong toAsdis?"

  At that she barked upon him like a dog.

  "Am I a thief?" she cried. "The brat shall have them in her turn whenshe grows up. Would you have me give her them now to turn her minx'shead with?"

  So the weak man went his way out of the house in sorrow and fell to hisaffairs. Those that wrought with him that day observed that now he wouldlabour and toil like a man furious, and now would sit and stare like onestupid; for in truth he judged the business would end ill.

  For a while there was no more done and no more said. Aud cherished hertreasures by herself, and none was the wiser except Finnward. Only thecloak she sometimes wore, for that was hers by the will of the dead wife;but the others she let lie, because she knew she had them foully, and shefeared Finnward somewhat and Thorgunna much.

  At last husband and wife were bound to bed one night, and he was thefirst stripped and got in. "What sheets are these?" he screamed, as hislegs touched them, for these were smooth as water, but the sheets ofIceland were like sacking.

  "Clean sheets, I suppose," says Aud, but her hand quavered as she woundher hair.

  "Woman!" cried Finnward, "these are the bed-sheets of Thorgunna--theseare the sheets she died in! do not lie to me!"

  At that Aud turned and looked at him. "Well?" says she, "they have beenwashed."

  Finnward lay down again in the bed between Thorgunna's sheets, andgroaned; never a word more he said, for now he knew he was a coward and aman dishonoured. Presently his wife came beside him, and they lay still,but neither slept.

  It might be twelve in the night when Aud felt Finnward shudder so strongthat the bed shook.

  "What ails you?" said she.

  "I know not," he said. "It is a chill like the chill of death. My soulis sick with it." His voice fell
low. "It was so Thorgunna sickened,"said he. And he arose and walked in the hall in the dark till it camemorning.

  Early in the morning he went forth to the sea-fishing with four lads. Audwas troubled at heart and watched him from the door, and even as he wentdown the beach she saw him shaken with Thorgunna's shudder. It was arough day, the sea was wild, the boat laboured exceedingly, and it may bethat Finnward's mind was troubled with his sickness. Certain it is thatthey struck, and their boat was burst, upon a skerry under Snowfellness.The four lads were spilled into the sea, and the sea broke and buriedthem, but Finnward was cast upon the skerry, and