Then Eric drew Whitefire and raised his shield.  Atli the Earl rushed at him and smote a great two-handed blow.  Eric caught it on his shield and suffered no harm; but he would not smite back.

Atli dropped his point.  “Niddering art thou, and coward to the last!” he cried.  “See, men, Eric Brighteyes fears to fight.  I am not come to this that I will cut down a man who is too faint-hearted to give blow for blow.  This is my word:  take ye your spear-shafts and push this coward to the shore.  Then put him in a boat and drive him hence.”

Now Eric grew red as the red light of sunset, for his manhood might not bear this.

“Take shield,” he said, “and, Earl, on thine own head be thy blood, for none shall live to call Eric niddering and coward.”

Atli laughed in his folly and his rage.  He took a shield, and, once more springing on Brighteyes, struck a great blow.

Eric parried, then whirled Whitefire on high and smote—­once and once only!  Down rushed the bright blade like a star through the night.  Sword and shield did Atli lift to catch the blow.  Through shield it sheared, and arm that held the shield, through byrnie mail and deep into Earl Atli’s side.  He fell prone to earth, while men held their breath, wondering at the greatness of that stroke.

But Eric leaned on Whitefire and looked at the old Earl upon the rock.

“Now, Atli, thou hast had thy way,” he said, “and methinks things are worse than they were before.  But I will say this:  would that I lay there and thou stoodest to watch me die, for as lief would I have slain my father as thee, Earl Atli.  There lies Swanhild’s work!”

Atli gazed upwards into Eric’s sad eyes and, while he gazed so, his rage left him, and of a sudden a light brake upon his mind, as even then the light of the setting sun brake through the driving mist.

“Eric,” he said, “draw near and speak with me ere I am sped.  Methinks that I have been beguiled and that thou didst not do this thing that Swanhild said and Koll bore witness to.”

“What did Swanhild say, then, Earl Atli?”

The Earl told him.

“It was to be looked for from her,” said Eric, “though I never thought of it.  Now hearken!” and he told him all.

Atli groaned aloud.  “I know this now, Eric,” he said:  “that thou speakest truth, and once more I have been deceived.  Eric, I forgive thee all, for no man may fight against woman’s witchcraft, and witch’s wine.  Swanhild is evil to the heart.  Yet, Eric, I lay this doom upon thee—­I do not lay it of my own will, for I would not harm thee, whom I love, but because of the words that the Norns put in my mouth, for now I am fey in this the hour of my death.  Thou hast sinned, and that thou didst sin against thy will shall avail thee nothing, for of thy sin fate shall fashion a handle to the spear which pierces thee.  Henceforth thou art accursed.  For I tell thee that this wicked woman Swanhild shall drag thee down to death, and worse than death, and with thee those thou lovest.  By witchcraft she brought thee to Straumey, by lies she laid me here before thee.  Now by hate and might and cruel deeds shall she bring thee to lie more low than I do.  For, Eric, thou art bound to her, and thou shalt never loose the bond!”