He looked about, and no Steingerd: but he saw the brothers whetting their weapons: so he turned on his heel and went, saying:-- (14) "The weapon that mows in the meadow It met with the gay painted buckler, When I came to encounter a goddess Who carries the beaker of wine.
Beware! for I warn you of evil When warriors threaten me mischief.
It shall not be for nought that I pour ye The newly mixed mead of the gods." And when he could find Steingerd nowhere, he made this song:-- (15) "She has gone, with the glitter of ocean Agleam on her wrist and her bosom, And my heart follows hard on her footsteps, For the hall is in darkness without her.
I have gazed, but my glances can pierce not The gloom of the desolate dwelling; And fierce is my longing to find her, The fair one who only can heal me." After a while he came to the outhouse where Steingerd was, and burst it open and had talk with her.
"This is madness," cried she, "to come talking with me; for Thorveig's sons are meant to have thy head." But he answered:-- (16) "There wait they within that would snare me; There whet they their swords for my slaying.
My bane they shall be not, the cowards, The brood of the churl and the carline.
Let the twain of them find me and fight me In the field, without shelter to shield them, And ewes of the sheep should be surer To shorten the days of the wolf." So he sat there all day.

By that time Thorkel saw that the plan he had made was come to nothing; and he bade the sons of Thorveig waylay Cormac in a dale near his garth.

"Narfi shall go with ye two," said he; "but I will stay at home, and bring you help if need be." In the evening Cormac set out, and when he came to the dale, he saw three men, and said in verse:-- (17) "There sit they in hiding to stay me From the sight of my queen of the jewels: But rude will their task be to reave me From the roof of my bounteous lady.
The fainer the hatred they harbour For him that is free of her doorway, The fainer my love and my longing For the lass that is sweeter than samphire." Then leaped up Thorveig's sons, and fought Cormac for a time: Narfi the while skulked and dodged behind them.

Thorkel saw from his house that they were getting but slowly forward, and he took his weapons.

In that nick of time Steingerd came out and saw what her father meant.