42 DANIEL BRUUN. 
rings. After the tables had been removed farmer Thorkel stood before 
Thorbjörg and asked her what impression she had on looking round, how 
the compartments and the behaviour of his people pleased her, and how 
soon she would get information on the subject of which he had spoken 
to her, and about which they all anxiously awaited enlightment. She let 
him understand that she could say nothing before the next morning, 
after having spent the night there. Towards evening, on the next day 
the necessary preparations were made for her to accomplish the “Seid” 
(a sort of witchery). 
She bade them moreover, procure some women who knew the 
magic chant that belonged to the “Seid”, and was called Vardlokkur 
(or the invocation of the guardian spirits), but there were none. The 
farms were searched to find one who knew it, and Gudrid said: “I am 
neither well informed in magic nor an enchantress; but in Iceland my 
foster mother Halldis taught me a chant she called Vardlokkur”. 
“Thou art fortunate being so learned”, said Thorkel. To which 
Gudrid answered: “I am a christian woman and I yield no help to such 
things”. Thorbiörg now joined the conversation remarking. “It might 
be thou wouldst be doing others a service by it without becoming more 
inferior, but I depend upon Thorkel to get what I require.” Thorkel urged 
Gudrid and she yielded. The women now encircled the magic-throne on 
which Thorbiörg sat. Gudrid now sang the chant so beautifully and so 
well that all present thought they had never heard anyone sing with 
so fine a voice, before. The prophetess thanked her for the chant 
and said, many of the spirits who would escape and not obey her, had 
come as they thought it beautiful to hear the chant sung so well. “And 
now I see many things clearly, which before have been concealed from 
me and many others. Now I can tell thee Thorkel that this bad year 
will not last longer than this winter, and everything will be better in 
the spring. The illness which has raged here will end sooner than ex- 
pected; thou, Gudrid 1 will straightway reward for the assistance thou 
hast given us. Thy future is now quite clear. Here in Greenland, 
thou wilst be most esteemly married but only a short time wilt thou 
be able to enjoy it, for thy way leads to Iceland, and there thou wilt be 
the ancestress to a good and big race, and over thy descendants clearer 
rays will shine, than I have the power to follow more closely; but I 
greet thee my daughter, farewell.” 
After that they all went to the fortune-teller and each asked that 
which they most wished to know. She gave good answers, and she was 
not far from wrong in what she said. 
She was then fetched from another farm and she repaired thither 
at once. They now sent for Thorbiérn, who did not wish to be at home 
whilst they practised witchcraft. 
The weather was soon milder, as spring came, such as Thorbiorg 
had said. Thorbiörn prepared his ship and continued his journey until 
