But at the end of the three years it fell out that one day in the early morning, the fisherman, looking out from his house, saw the wind and weather favorable, and all other fishers hurrying down to the sea to make the best of so good a time.  But though he waited hour after hour in the hope of seeing his neighbor pass, the man of Hvammsgil never came.  At last, losing his patience, he started out without having seen him go by.  When he came down to the shore, he found that all the boats were launched and far away.

Before night the wind rose and became a storm, and every boat that had that day put to sea was wrecked, and every fisher drowned; the peasant of Goetur alone escaping, for he had been unable to go out fishing.  The next night he had a strange dream, in which his neighbor from Hvammsgil came to him and said, “Although you did not yesterday follow my advice, I yet so far felt kindly toward you that I hindered you from going out to sea, and saved you thus from drowning; but look no more forth to see me pass, for we have met for the last time.”  And never again did the peasant see his neighbor pass his door.

THE MAGIC SCYTHE

A certain day-laborer once started from his home in the south to earn wages for hay-cutting in the north country.  In the mountains he was suddenly overtaken by a thick mist and sleet-storm, and lost his way.  Fearing to go on further, he pitched his tent in a convenient spot, and taking out his provisions, began to eat.

While he was engaged upon his meal, a brown dog came into the tent, so ill-favored, dirty, wet, and fierce-eyed, that the poor man felt quite afraid of it, and gave it as much bread and meat as it could devour.  This the dog swallowed greedily, and ran off again into the mist.  At first the man wondered much to see a dog in such a wild place, where he never expected to meet with a living creature; but after a while he thought no more about the matter, and having finished his supper, fell asleep, with his saddle for a pillow.

At midnight he dreamed that he saw a tall and aged woman enter his tent, who spoke thus to him:—­“I am beholden to you, good man, for your kindness to my daughter, but am unable to reward you as you deserve.  Here is a scythe which I place beneath your pillow; it is the only gift I can make you, but despise it not.  It will surely prove useful to you, as it can cut down all that lies before it.  Only beware of putting it into the fire to temper it.  Sharpen it, however, as you will, but in that way never.”  So saying, she was seen no more.

When the man awoke and looked forth, he found the mist all gone and the sun high in heaven; so getting all his things together and striking his tent, he laid them upon the pack-horses, saddling last of all his own horse.  But on lifting his saddle from the ground, he found beneath it a small scythe blade, which seemed well worn and was rusty.  On seeing this, he at once recalled to mind his dream, and taking the scythe with him, set out once more on his way.  He soon found again the road which he had lost, and made all speed to reach the well-peopled district to which he was bound.