“Do not be afraid,” said she, “at my unexpected appearance.  I am the owner of this house, and I thank you for the clean and neat state in which you have kept it, and for the good order in which I find everything with you.  I would willingly have come sooner, but I had no power to do so, till this little heathen (pointing to the new-born babe) was come to the light.  Now I have free access.  Only, fetch no priest from the mainland to christen it, or I must depart again.  If you will in this matter comply with my wishes, you may not only continue to live here, but all the good that ever you can wish for I will cause you.  Whatever you take in hand shall prosper.  Good luck shall follow you wherever you go; but break this condition, and depend upon it that misfortune after misfortune will come on you, and even on this child will I avenge myself.  If you want anything, or are in danger, you have only to pronounce my name three times, and I will appear and lend you assistance.  I am of the race of the old giants, and my name is Guru.  But beware of uttering in my presence the name of him whom no giant may hear of, and never venture to make the sign of the cross, or to cut it on beam or on board of the house.  You may dwell in this house the whole year long, only be so good as to give it up to me on Yule evening, when the sun is at the lowest, as then we celebrate our great festival, and then only are we permitted to be merry.  At least, if you should not be willing to go out of the house, keep yourselves up in the loft as quiet as possible the whole day long, and, as you value your lives, do not look down into the room until midnight is past.  After that you may take possession of everything again.”

When the old woman had thus spoken she vanished, and Aslog and Orm, now at ease respecting their situation, lived, without any disturbance, content and happy.  Orm never made a cast of his net without getting a plentiful draught.  He never shot an arrow from his bow that missed its aim.  In short, whatever they took in hand, were it ever so trifling, evidently prospered.

When Christmas came, they cleaned up the house in the best manner, set everything in order, kindled a fire on the hearth, and, as the twilight approached, they went up to the loft, where they remained quiet and still.  At length it grew dark.  They thought they heard a sound of flying and labouring in the air, such as the swans make in the winter-time.  There was a hole in the roof over the fire-place which might be opened or shut either to let in the light from above or to afford a free passage for the smoke.  Orm lifted up the lid, which was covered with a skin, and put out his head, but what a wonderful sight then presented itself to his eyes!  The little islands around were all lit up with countless blue lights, which moved about without ceasing, jumped up and down, then skipped down to the shore, assembled together, and now came nearer and nearer to the large island