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 BIGFOOT
STORIES
By Jada L. Roberts

Copyright 2017 Jada L. Roberts.

All rights reserved
 TABLE OF CONTENTS
1. Forward
2. The Waterfall
3. Skunk Ape
4. MoMo
5. Bigfoot
6. Honey Island Swamp Monster
7. Alaska
8. U.S. Route 41
9. The Caves
 FORWARD
By Jada L. Roberts

Greetings Bigfoot believers, skeptics, adventurers, Bigfoot

hunters, eyewitnesses, and mystery seekers.
Since writing my first book series “Sharing the Mountain with
Bigfoot”, I have received many emails, le ers, and phone calls from
other eyewitnesses who wanted their stories to be told, and they
wanted me to share their stories.
This is the second book in the series of “Jada L. Roberts Bigfoot
Stories” and certainly not the last. I have many people wanting me to
write about their stories and I have enjoyed every minute of it.
As I said in the first book, if you have a story that you want told
but want to stay anonymous, please email me at
[email protected] and reach out to me. I will help you
in any way.
So, get relaxed, turn down the lights and be prepared to read
about some very interesting stories that may make you wonder what
could be out in your back yard. But be warned, you may lose a li le
sleep and jump at everything that goes bump in the night.
Please note that all names and places have been changed to
protect the people who were willing to share their stories
 THE WATERFALL
William’s Story

I live in the great state of Oregon where there are many beautiful
parks and hiking trails. One of life’s great pleasures for me is to go
hiking with my dog Max (a black Lab) to a secluded waterfall where
I find my happiness and to relax on the boulders that surround it.
Both Max and I enjoy the long hike and the reward we receive when
we get there. It’s another way for he and I to bond a li le more. He
watches out for snakes in the path while I give him snacks and
a ention. It’s a win-win for both of us. Not only that but he is my
hiking companion. I have been married to my beautiful wife for
twenty-seven years but she does not enjoy walking in the woods as I
do. I needed someone to keep me company on the long hikes and
Max was the perfect companion.
Well, that’s how it used to be until one day when we were hiking
to a waterfall near White Water Falls State Park. Sure, there are the
main waterfalls that everyone comes to see but, the ones that I like to
hike to are the ones that are secluded and not many visitors. The
falls are much longer hikes to get to and only a few people go there.
But the Park keeps the trails clean and wide for the hikers that do
like to visit them.
The waterfall that I wanted to visit is called Rushing River Falls.
It was a strenuous hike to get there but the views were amazing and
I was in awe of the falls. But as soon as Max and I arrived, there was
something amiss. A strange feeling came over me and Max started to
act differently.
Here is my story;
I sat patiently in the doctor’s office waiting room, listening for my
name to be called to go back to the small cold room in the back for
my yearly check-up. I had noticed that the front waiting room was
full and I knew that I had a long wait ahead of me.
I was bored of staring at the tan walls and looking at all the
pictures that were placed sparingly around the room. I decided to go
check out the magazine rack to see if there would be anything be er
to stare at instead of the walls.
While I sifted through all the “Be er Homes” and “celebrity”
magazines, I came across an “outdoors” magazine and decided that I
would pick that one to thumb through. I sat back down and started
leafing through the magazine when I came upon an article that read
“Oregon’s Best Kept Secret”. That piqued my curiosity. I started
reading the article and became enveloped in the story. It was telling
of a waterfall that was so beautiful that no one knows about even
though it’s right under our noses, and it was in one of the most
popular parks in the state.
I was about half way through the article when the nurse called
my name out to go to the back and into the small room. I took the
magazine with me, knowing that I had another long wait in the
room before the doctor came in to see me.
By the time the doctor knocked on the door, I had finished the
article and I had decided to hike the trail to the falls with Max on the
very next day.
I arose early the following day in preparation for the trip to the
falls. My wife had packed a lunch while I gathered my necessities for
the long drive and hike through the woods. I made sure that Max
was in good health before we took off on our journey.
It was a long two-hour drive to make it to the popular state park,
but Max and I made the best of it and anticipated to parking the
truck to get out and explore. I parked the truck under an old pine
tree that was leaning precariously toward the parking lot and I
silently hoped that this was not be the day it decided to fall. My
truck would be history if it did and we would be left stranded in the
park for a while.
 I soon forgot about the tree as I searched for the trail head that
led to the waterfall. Once found, I was amazed how the trail was
kept in immaculate condition as Max and I tro ed down deeper into
the woods.
The birds were singing and we were making good way on the
trail. We would stop along the way as Max would find something to
sniff out and I would take a break, giving both of us the much-
needed water to keep us hydrated along the dirt trail.
We kept hiking further into the forest and I started to think that
we would never make it to the waterfall and back to our truck before
dark if we were not ge ing close to it. I could not hear the water
falling and I started to think that we should turn around and go back
out of the woods. But before I turned around to start heading back,
we turned a corner on the trail and I started to hear the waterfall and
I noticed the path had become rocky, signifying that we were ge ing
closer to the falls.
As we hiked closer to the falls, the trail started to become rough
with larger boulders to cross, and a steep descend down toward the
falls. When the last large boulder that we had to cross, I looked up
and suddenly the view opened up and we were standing at the edge
of a massive cliff and the waterfall was on the other side, right in
front of us.
What a beautiful sight it was! We were standing on top of the
ridge with at least a five hundred foot drop in front of us where the
waterfall was cascading down to the bo om where a river was
snaking down the canyon and disappearing into the forest.
As I sat down on one of the boulders to take pictures and relax
after the long walk, I felt in awe of the beauty and questioned why
people never come to this wonderful place.
I pulled my backpack close to me to opened it and retrieved our
lunch. I pulled Max’s food out and put it on the ground on a smooth
rock and called him over for him to eat. I started to eat my sandwich
that my loving wife had made me when suddenly, a strange feeling
of being watched came over me. I looked around to find Max, but he
was nowhere around. I called him and after a few minutes, he came
out of the woods and came close to his food.
As soon as he took a bite of his food, he suddenly looked up and
started barking at something from behind us. That startled me as I
quickly turned around to see what he was barking at. I still felt like I
was being watched as I rose from my seat and searched through the
woods. I couldn’t see anything in the dense woods and tried to calm
Max down. He was aggressively barking as I tried to calm him down
when suddenly, he stopped and started whining just when a
powerful, overwhelming stench hit me in the face.
At that moment, I knew it was time to leave the waterfall and
start hiking back out of the forest. I also thought that we had stayed
at the falls for longer than I had wanted to as I noticed the light of
day was fading fast. I knew that if we didn’t hustle to get out of the
woods, we would be walking in the dark.
I picked up my bag, slung it over my shoulder, and started to
make my way back up the large boulders from where we had come.
I turned around to see if Mas was following me, but to my surprise,
he was not budging from his spot. I called him to follow and he
hesitated. I started to get worried about the time and I did not want
him to procrastinate on leaving the area. We needed to leave the falls
at once. I kept looking back as I waited for him to come to me. He
reluctantly started to walk toward me and I watched as he came
close enough for me to start climbing up the boulders and heading
toward the parking lot.
As I turned back around to head back up the path and cross the
large boulders, I looked up toward the top of the path, when
suddenly, a giant beast like creature stepped onto the path right in
front of me, blocking the only way up the path!
When I realized what I was looking at, my heart sunk down into
my stomach and my blood ran cold! I knew at that moment that I
was in trouble for there was nowhere to run and the creature had
blocked the only way out of the area.
While I was frozen in place and couldn’t move. Max started
barking viciously as he tried to protect me while the creature stared
into my eyes and right through to my soul. My hands started to
shake as I slowly brought them up to my chest to give a message
that I was meaning no harm as if that would have helped. When the
Bigfoot creature noticed that I was moving, suddenly I watched as it
inhaled and opened its mouth to reveal his massive teeth and then
the loudest scream came out that paralyzed me with fear and I fell to
the ground with my arms around my head. I thought at that
moment that I was going to die and there was nothing to stop it!
After the long, drawn out scream, the creature turned quickly
and started to run off into the woods, breaking trees and limbs on
the way. I listened to the loud footsteps move away from me as I
crouched in front of the boulder that I was stepping over before I
saw the creature. I could not move until I couldn’t hear the footstep
any longer.
I cautiously peeked out from the boulder to make sure the
creature was gone. Shaking, I slowly moved out of my hiding spot
and stepped onto the boulder and precariously looked around.
When I thought it was safe to move, I quickly started to climb back
up to level ground and run toward the safety of my truck.
When I reached the smooth, level path on our way back out of
the woods, I noticed that the light of the day had almost disappeared
and I knew that Max and I would not make it out of the woods
before dark. I also knew that my small flashlight was in my
backpack and I didn’t want to slow down my pace to stop and
retrieve it.
But soon I had to slow down. My legs started to get weak and I
couldn’t catch my breath. Being away from the waterfall, I could
hear the surrounding forest and knew that we were out of the
danger zone at the moment. The crickets were chirping loudly as I
stopped to catch my breath and quickly retrieved the flashlight from
the front pocket of the backpack.
As soon as I turned the flashlight on, suddenly, the crickets
stopped chirping and the forest fell eerily quiet. That’s when I heard
in the distance another loud scream! I quickly grabbed my pack and
started to run once again.
My lungs started to burn as I was gasping for air. My legs were
ge ing weak and my whole body started to shake. I had to stop and
take a break. I slowed my running and finally came to a stop, pu ing
my hands down on my knees and feverishly tried to catch my
breath. The forest was still very quiet and I could hear my own heart
beat in my ears. But I was starting to calm my breathing when
suddenly, I heard a low growl coming from behind me. I thought
that Max would start barking once again, but he whimpered and
came closer to me looking in the direction of the growl. I could tell
that he was frightened and was shaking. I was terrified and I started
to run once again.
Max and I kept running toward the trail head of the path. I was
ge ing so exhausted that I thought that I could not take another step
when finally, I saw the street lights of the parking lot where I had
parked my truck illuminate through the woods. My adrenaline
started pumping in my veins and I caught my second wind. I started
sprinting toward the lights but to my horror, I came to a sudden stop
as my eye caught a huge, tall figure standing off to the side of the
trail in the woods that was illuminated by the street lights.
As I stood there with bated breath, I watched the creature sway
slightly from side to side and then turned and walked away from me
and out of sight.
I took the last chance I had to make it to safety and started
sprinting toward my truck once again. I finally made it to the
parking lot and to my truck. When I opened the door, Max made a
leap into the truck and cowered on the floor, visibly shaken and
whimpering.
 I quickly started the truck and pulled out of the parking lot as
fast as I could go. I wanted to get out of the woods and the park and
at the time, I told myself that I would never go into the woods again.
Even though I was terrorized of the encounter I had with Bigfoot,
my situation could have been worse. I was all alone in a deep forest
with just my dog and I know that I could have been killed easily. But
the Bigfoot never came really close to me and I am grateful of that,
but if it wanted to, I would have never seen another day. I have
thought about that day for many years. I think that I was trespassing
on their territory and they wanted me to leave.
I will say this, I have never been back to that beautiful waterfall
since and I never will. That experience will last for a lifetime, I’m not
going to tempt fate by going back. Sadly, Max never wanted to go on
long trail hikes after that day and now is no longer with me. He was
my best friend and I miss him tremendously.
 SKUNK APE
Jimmie’s Story

The year was 1989 and I was twenty-one years old. At the time, I
was dating my future wife and we lived in Central Florida about an
hour’s drive east of Tampa.
There were not many things to do for entertainment in the small
towns of central Florida as there is in coastal regions, but to go
riding on sand dunes in the woods.
My friends and I enjoyed working on what we called swamp
buggies and modifying our trucks to climb the sand hills. During the
week, we went to school and work, but on the weekends, we would
all meet up in the woods to drive on the sandy roads and climb the
sand hills.
One Saturday night we were all following each other on a small
sandy road that we all knew very well and where the local people
would go to “hang out” with their friends. We were headed for the
massive sand hills that were at the end of the small road where we
would gather and have a fun Saturday night.
We started climbing the massive sand dunes with our trucks, and
one by one we would go up the hill just to get stuck in the sand and
would have to pull back down the hill. That was the fun thing to do.
I guess it was a competitive thing as we would see how far we could
go up the hill before we were forced back down.
As the night wore on, some of the people that were out climbing
the sand dunes started to leave. It was about eleven o’clock at night
and there were about three of my friends, and me, left at the dunes. I
thought that was the best time to be there for there was not many
people to have to wait to climb the hills and not as loud as it was
earlier in the night.
My friends and I decided to build a fire and take a rest from
climbing the hill. The fire was started and we sat around the pit to
enjoy our time together and to take advantage of being out in the
woods alone for a li le while. The sand dunes were a very popular
place to go and we knew that it would be a ma er of a few minutes
before we would hear someone’s truck driving down the small
sandy road to park by the hills.
But as time went on, we were surprised that we didn’t hear
anyone coming our way. We thought that we had been lucky to have
the place to ourselves when at midnight, we were still the only
people around in the area.
A couple hours go by and still no one had driven down the road
toward us. It was ge ing into the early morning hours and we were
ge ing tired so we all decided it was time to pack up and move out. I
was ready to call it a night and go home.
I pulled behind my friend’s truck and we started to make our
way out of the woods, but before we made it all the way out, we
came to a sudden stop. I kept thinking as to why he had stopped in
front of me as I watched him jump out of the truck and go in front of
it. I stepped out and walked toward the front of his truck and
noticed that there was a massive tree that had fallen across the road
and had blocked our way.
The tree that had fallen was so large that we could not drive over
it nor could we go around it and every second that I looked down at
the tree, the more I was concerned that we would have to spend the
rest of the night in the woods.
As I stood there in the beam of my friend’s headlight, listening to
the opinions of my buddies on how to move the tree, I started to
hear strange sounds coming from the woods beside me. At first, I
was the only one that heard the sound for the rest of my friends
were discussing on the how to move the tree out of our way.
 The first time I heard it, it sounded like someone was hi ing
rocks together. It was loud enough that I thought that everyone had
heard it, but as I looked around, the guys had their a ention still on
the fallen tree.
After about a minute while listening to my friends come up with
a solution about the tree, there came the same sound again but a
li le louder than the first time.
The guys where still demonstrating and talking about how to
remove the tree when I heard it a third time.
“Shhhh, did you hear that?” I asked as everyone stopped talking
and looked my way.
“Hear what?” said my friend Tommy.
As we stood there listening to our surroundings, we all noticed
that the woods were eerily quiet. We all stood around listening to the
quiet forest when suddenly, we heard the same noise that startled us
and made us jump.
“What was that?” Tommy asked as he walked closer to the
woods where the sound came from.
“I’ve heard it three times now” I replied as we all watch as
Tommy slowly walked closer to the woods on side of the road.
As we watched him move a li le closer to the woods, suddenly
we heard a loud “Thump” that sounded like something hi ing on
side of a hollow tree that echoed through the woods on the other
side of the road behind us. As we turned our a ention to the noise
from the other side, we were surprised to turn back around and
watched as Tommy bolted out of the woods and came running up to
his truck, opened the door and jumped in the driver’s seat.
Before we had a chance to ask any questions, we were stunned as
to what he said.
“Get in the truck! Get in the truck now!” he demanded as he
feverishly motioned us to get moving.
 We were shocked to see that he was visibly shaking and his face
was paled. We did as he requested and all jumped into his truck. It
was uncomfortably crowded as we piled into the vehicle and stared
out of the windshield at the massive tree that was in front of us and
blocking our way.
“What now?” I asked, “we can’t run over the tree, we will get
stuck on top” I continued as I watched him put the truck in drive
and moved closer to the fallen tree.

“Come on, man, tell us what happened” said another friend that
was si ing by the passenger side door.
As Tommy was just about to open his mouth to tell us what he
had witnessed and what made him panic, suddenly, the loudest
scream echoed through the woods, frightening us all into silence.
Tommy’s breathing became labored as he looked around for an
escape route. With my truck parked behind us and the tree in front,
we came to the realization that we were stuck. No one wanted to get
out of our safety zone go move my truck from behind. We also knew
that this road was the only way out of the woods and for someone to
go out to move my truck would have been useless.
As we sat there in the truck and debated on what to do next, we
started to hear someone or something running in the woods toward
our location. My friend that was si ing by the passenger side door
quickly rolled the window up to feel more secure. But that didn’t
help. As soon as the window was up, we started seeing rocks flying
toward us and hi ing the trucks. I turned around just in time to see a
huge rock hit the windshield of my truck as it cracked and the rock
rolled off onto the ground.
The forest became loud with long gu ural screams as the rocks
pelted the truck from all sides and I watched as Tommy pulled the
lever in drive and punched the gas pedal. The truck lurched forward
and hit the tree with the tires and stopped. There was no hurdling
the tree and we did not move another inch. We were trapped!
 When the “Whoops” and gu ural screams from all around us
continued, I thought that our situation couldn’t have go en any
worse when suddenly, the guy that sat beside me started screaming
and pointing in front of us. When we all looked toward where he
was pointing and we could not believe what we were looking at.
About forty feet in front of the truck in the head light beams, was
a massive creature that stood about six to seven feet tall in the
middle of the road. It was facing us, and in its hand, was a huge club
that seemed to have been broken from a tree. I could see clearly that
the Bigfoot/ Skunk Ape creature had hair all over its body and very
long arms that reached down past its knees. Its stance was slightly
hunched and I could see that it was very angry by the expression on
its ape like features of its face.
My heart was pounding so hard in my chest that I thought that
any moment I would pass out. I kept watching the Bigfoot as it
started to walk toward us while lifting the club up into the air. I
could hear the yells and screams coming from all around us ge ing
louder as the creature moved closer to us. But as soon as it was about
fifteen feet away, we noticed headlights coming from behind the
Bigfoot. In a split second, the creature ran toward the woods and out
of sight as the approaching SUV made its way toward us.
As the vehicle came to a stop in front of our truck, we realized it
was the police. I knew we were now safe and I was the happiest
person alive at that moment. We were panicked and told the officers
what had happened and it seemed that they had believed us. That
didn’t get us out of a ticket for being out in the woods where we
were not supposed to have been, but I had gladly paid my share of
the ticket for them saving our lives. They also helped us move the
tree that was blocking our way. To this day, I still give thanks to the
brave Police Officers who saved our lives that terrorizing night.
 MOMO
Be y’s Story

I was fourteen years old in 1972 and I remember it very well. The
only job that I had was babysi ing. It was the weekend and I was
called to go babysit a couple children while their mother went out to
run some errands. I told the children (ages were four and six) that
they could go out in the back yard to play while I prepared their
lunch and would call them when it was ready.
The back yard was small and it had a small patch of woods that
separated the back yard from a corn field. The corn field was
recently plowed and ready for planting. I could see through the
woods and could tell that there was a bare field on the other side.
The kitchen had a small window that I could look out and watch
the children play in the back yard but, as children would be, they
would go to the far end of the yard where I could not see them and
that made me feel uneasy.
I finished making the lunch and decided that we would eat out
on the back porch. The day was warming up with a nice cool breeze
and I thought it would be so nice to get out of the house myself since
it was becoming spring and we all had been cooped up in the house
all winter.
I took the lunch out on the back porch and sat it down on the
wooden picnic table that took up most of the small porch. I called for
the children to come sit and have their lunch. When I didn’t hear
them, I started to look for them and fear gripped me when I couldn’t
see them.
When I called for them again and they did not answer, I started
to get concerned. I ran down the steps of the porch and started
looking around the yard for any sign of the two li le boys. When I
noticed they were not in the back yard, I started to panic. I started to
yell for them and run around the back yard. When I thought that
they were nowhere around, suddenly, both children came out of the
wooded area running toward me. I felt a relief wash over me as I ran
to them and held them in my arms.
When we se led down and went back to the picnic table to eat
our lunch, I asked the two boys why they went into the woods
without permission.
“We heard a dog in the woods crying and we were going to help
it” said the four-year-old.
I looked at the older boy and noticed that he was looking down
at his food, twirling the fork around, and being silent.
I knew that was unlike him because he was a very sociable li le
guy. For him not to be talking seemed very strange and it had me
curious. But I let it be and kept talking to the four-year-old about the
dog that they heard crying.
I asked a few more questions about the dog that they heard
crying and thought it was probably the next-door neighbor’s Maltese
dog that I saw earlier barking at them while they were out in the
back yard.
When I looked back at the older boy, he still was not eating and
was staring down at his food. I knew that he needed to eat and I
knew something was weighing on his mind.
It took a li le coaching for him to open to me and tell me what
was wrong, but as soon as he opened his mouth to say the first
words, a strong pungent odor came rolling with the breeze from the
woods and made us all cover our noses.
That’s when I looked toward where the smell was coming from
and noticed something walking in the small patch of woods. I could
hear the footsteps and knew that it was bipedal.
 When the footsteps got closer to the back yard, I noticed that the
older child was ge ing nervous and started to get up to go into the
house. That concerned me as I didn’t know the neighborhood all that
well and thought it may be someone that wanted to do harm to us.
When the two children jumped up and ran into the house, I was
si ing there alone and waited to see who was in the woods behind
the house. I heard the footsteps ge ing closer and then started to see
a huge figure coming closer to the back yard. My heart started
pounding and I could feel the sweat popping out on my forehead.
As I was watched this bipedal creature come to a stop right
behind the house, I saw what it was and I panicked! I was in shock
and I couldn’t move! I sat there at the picnic table staring at the
biggest monster that I have ever seen.
It was about seven feet tall with hair all over its body. It had large
shoulders, no neck and it was carrying something under its arm.
When I finally realized what I saw under its arm was a dead dog
with blood dripping to the ground, I snapped out of the trance like
stare and started screaming. As I was trying to stand and run, the
creature let out a low growl and continued walking in the woods.
I ran into the house in a complete panic. I closed and locked the
back door, then went into the kitchen and closed the window that I
had been looking out of earlier, returned to the children and
huddled them on the sofa until their mother came home.
When she arrived, she noticed that I was visibly shaken and she
wanted to know what had happened. I told her what I saw but, she
didn’t want to believe me. When I continued to tell her about the
dog story that her four-year-old told me and what I had saw the
creature carrying, she started to have a look of concern come over
her face.
That’s when the older boy started to tell us what he saw. When I
let them out to go play in the back yard, they heard the neighbor’s
dog whimper, then yelp, and thought that it needed help. The two
boys went into the woods where they had heard the dog and saw
the creature “pick the dog up and squeezed it until it didn’t make
another sound”.
When they heard me calling their names, they came running out
of the woods and they sat down at the picnic table to have their
lunch.
Sadly, that was the last time that I saw the two children and their
mother. They soon moved away after the sighting and I have never
been back to that neighborhood. I still live in Missouri but not
around that area. I also had nightmares for a while after that.
It took a long time for me to be comfortable going into the thick
woods and to this day, I still don’t like going out in the woods and
stay for a long time. My husband is an avid hunter and wants me to
go with him but I’d rather stay in the city and go shopping where I
know I will not encounter another Momo.
 BIGFOOT
Daniel’s Story

I moved to the great state of Colorado in 1986 when I was fifteen

years old. When my mother and I first moved into our new home
that was nestled in the woods of a town known as Bailey, about two
hours Northeast of Colorado Springs, I was in awe of the area. With
thick woods all around and the mountainous terrain that
surrounded the town, I thought that we had moved to the place of
my dreams. I was an avid hunter and with the dense woods that
were around, I could spend all my free time after school hunting in
the massive forest behind our house.
As we se led into our new home and town, I would go to school
during the day and my mother would go to work. I would be the
first one home every day as my mother would not get off work until
late in the evening. I had time after school to roam the woods and
scout out a place to put my tree stand in a place where I thought the
deer would pass by.
One day after school I was ge ing ready to go out into the woods
behind our house to find a suitable place that I wanted to put up my
tree stand. I walked into our small back yard and headed toward the
tree line. As soon as I reached the wooded area, an eerie feeling came
over me. I thought that the feeling was strange but I felt that it was
because the area was new to me and I didn’t want to wander off very
far in fear of ge ing lost.
I was dressed in my camo gear and had my rifle slung over my
shoulder. I started to walk in a straight line and explore the area and
soon spo ed a game trail that led farther into the forest. My interest
was piqued when I saw the trail because it looked as though it was
used often and that I would put my stand close to the trail.
 I searched around for the perfect tree to hang my stand that was
close to the trail and made a mental note of where to come the next
day with the stand. It was ge ing late and I needed to go back to the
house for my mother would be worried if I wasn’t close by when she
came home.
As I turned to leave the area, an overwhelming feeling of fright
consumed me that I didn’t understand. I started to look around but
never saw anything but trees and thought that I was feeling this way
because it was in unfamiliar territory and I thought I would get used
to it as time went on.
I left the area and was soon out of the woods and into the back
yard. As soon as I entered the opening of the back yard, the odd
feeling went away and my a ention turned to the sound of a car
pulling up into the driveway that went to the side of the house
where my mother would park.
The next day after school, I gathered my small tree stand and
tools that I needed to put the stand up and headed out into the
woods to find the spot I had marked the day before. my mind was
on trying to find the tree I had marked and thinking of the best way
to put the stand up so it would hold my weight when suddenly, a
small rock came flying toward me that barely missed my head!
Startled, I started to look around to see who the culprit was that
wanted to throw a rock at me. I didn’t know anyone that lived close
to us and the closest neighbor was about a mile down the road from
our house. I didn’t think I would be meeting anyone in the woods
that day.
When I didn’t see anyone close by, I slowly started walking
toward the marked tree to hang my stand. It didn’t take long to
locate the tree and I started to assemble the stand to put it in place. I
was working feverishly and concentrating on making sure that I
assembled it correctly, when I started to feel like someone was
watching me. I stopped what I was doing to look behind me and
what I saw made every hair on my neck stand up!
 Another Random Document on
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" My poor child, it's ill news we bring," said Asmund. " Is
Thorstein Sweinson within ? " "And what's to do with Thorstein
Sweinson, father?" " I fear me he will be man of thine no more, if
peace-breaking gets its due. We are here, — thou knowest, child, it
is sore against our wills, — to summon him for breaking the peace of
the Thing by slaying his brother Orm ; and we would know, in all
kindness to himself, for what cause he did the deed." "What, father ?
this caps aught 1 It cannot be." " Nay; as to the deed we were all in
a way to witness ; for it was done hard by the Thingbounds. But
what was said none heard." She clasped her hands until her fingers
cracked, and caught her breath : then she broke out, " the villain to
kill his brother. Oh me that I am wedded to such a man : a wolfs
head that is to be. Oh father, take me away and get me free of him,"
"What, is he here?" She pointed to the door of the lockbed : but no
man stirred, for they might not enter with the strong hand until
doom had been given. So they cried out to him, but got no answer.
Then stood forth Asmund, for he was chief man amongst them, after
Orm who had the priesthood at Legbarrow since Swein was gone,
and after Hundi who might happen inherit, but now hung back. Said
Asmund : — 228
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" Neighbours, a foul thing has been done, no less than the
breaking of the Thing-peace. Ye know our old use and wont : for
how could we have law or counsel else, unless the Thing were
hallowed from all violence and the peacebreaker put out of the
peace of all true men. And this is doubly foul, for he that was slain
was our Godi and chief: and trebly, for it was his brother slew him
unoffending, so far as we know, and unprepared as you all saw. Now
stand we here over against the door of his house, and give doom,"
So they drew a few paces back to give room for the accused to
stand with his friends at his door, if he would appear : and for a
loaded wain, so the old custom was, to pass between the two
parties. And they named Asmund their lawman, and he named six to
give judgment, who took oaths that they would judge right. Then he
stated the case, and shouted aloud to Thorstein to come forth, and
speak up for himself. But when no answer was given, Hundi stood
up and said " Friends, you are too hasty. It is never our way to doom
a man unheard: and if any has the right to speak it is I, who stand
here between brother and brother. Of him that is dead, I would
speak no ill : but ye knew him. Of him that lives I have no ill to
speak. Ye know him not as I do ; and here I say that against all
seeming I hold him sackless and sinless." With that there was a
shouting against 229
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Hundi, that he was always in a tale with Thorstein, and

both were runagates and had turned Christians abroad, and there
was no trusting them. Shame it was to Hundi that he would not take
up the vengeance for his brother, and do right by the laws. Some
cried out that he should be charged with abetting the manslaughter.
"Nay," said Asmund, "peace, friends. Hear me. This let us do. Put
Hundi in keeping, and harm him not; but let the jury give doom." So
they encompassed Hundi and bore him down with their shields, and
took his weapons, and led him out and bound him ; while the six
men gave their doom that Thorstein Sweinson had broken the
Thing-peace, and slain his brother their Godi, and for that he was
put out of law. Then Asmund gave out their rinding, and said
moreover that he put the wonted price of a hundred of silver on the
wolfs head, dead or alive. And then, for the sun was nigh its setting,
they pressed into the house, no man withstanding them, and made
for the door where he lay, to kill him, as the law was, while it was
still day. They brought a great beam of wood and battered it against
the panels, swinging it between them ; while others ran round to
keep the back of the house. All this while Thorstein lay quiet, and
gave no sign, like a fox in its bield while folk twine the screws to
draw him out : and still they battered, for the door was new built,
and 230
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strong. And still Hundi lay in bonds without, struggle and

shout as he might. " And thou, Asdis,'' he cried, " shame on thee to
leave thy husband to his slayers — shame and evil on thee ! Ill befall
the finger that betrayed him, and the tongue that spoke never a
word while they doomed him ; and mischance on the gear that thou
art shifting from his house. I see thee, woman, and thy tricks : thou
robbing and thy kin murdering. Shame and scathe on the scrow of
ye ! " For Asdis had bidden her servants carry out all her goods,
seeing very clearly what was forward, because she was a wise
woman. By this time she had loaded horse and man with bales and
arks, and away down the road homeward, saying nothing to Hundi's
curses ; which was the easier, for by now the door was battered in
amid great tumult, and Thorstein was standing there, at blows with
his pursuers. One lay on the ground at his feet among the wreckage
: and a couple more sat in the hall, out of the fray, nursing ugly
wounds. " Hold, boys," shouted Asmund, " we are but spending
good stuff." They drew back, seemingly as eager to keep Thorstein
in, now, as they were to get him out before. They began to drag
tables and benches to block the passage and pin him down, and
then they got fire from the hearth and all the elding they could
compass, and cast it among the splinters of the burst panelling and
the lockbed-door. And soon the bed was ablaze, with such a 231
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smoke that they were glad to get out of the house : and
there they stood in the twilight, watching the flames catch the roof,
and grimly waiting for Thorstein to rush out and get his death
wound, or to hear his last cry in the fire. The wind had shifted to the
north-west, now that the weather was holding up ; and it drove the
smoke of the new green wood in a great whirl by the door of the
house, which was set, as always, to catch the morning sun. The men
were forced to give it a wide berth ; but sure they were that he
could not escape, and so fierce against him that not one of them
had a thought but burn and kill. They got victuals from the out-
bowers, remnants of the wedding feast, and emptied the ale-tub
from the porch, and rubbed their hands while the long tongues of
flame wavered into the air against the stars, and the forest behind
showed every branch and leaf in the glow: the crackling and spitting
dinned in their ears, and the smoke was red in coils against the
black sky. There they watched until the fire died down : and said
Asmund, " Lads, we have done a good deed, for to ash he will be
burnt in yon cinder heap. As for the price, as we have all shared the
work, let us share the pay. Come home with me and see if I keep my
word. And thou, Hundi Snail, never show thy face again, unless to
thank thy best friends for ridding thee of thy worst foe. I take all to
witness that justice has been done, and nought but justice." 232
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fOREDONE with his anger, CHAPTER Hundi crept home to

Lowick XLI. |by the dawn of the day, and WOLF'S [told the
grewsome tale to Hall- HEAD. Idora. She, good soul, wept [bitterly
for Thorstein, and most of all for the part she had taken in mating
him with that false and heartless minx. When she had her fill of
weeping, she looked up and ran forth of the house as she was, like
one bewitched. The day was far spent when she came back, queer
to look at. " Is there any quarrel between thee, Hundi Sweinson, and
thy brother?" " Nay," said he. "Would not I have saved him, but I
was bound?" "And if he had fled?" says she, between laughing and
crying. Aye, there he was, at the door, bemired and bloody with
wounds, and the hair of head singed off him, and his eyes nigh
bleared away with the fire through which he had fled. But she had
found him in the woods, and comforted him, and wormed a true tale
out of him, and led him home. There he was and there he stayed in
safe hiding, for Lowick was an outlying spot, with no passing: so
they nursed him for weeks until he was whole again. But if his body
was whole, his heart was hardened, and never a word would he
speak of good or ill, after that first talk in the wood with kind
Halldora. EE 233
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Now Halldora's one hope was to see this wrong righted ; all
the rather because she could not help blaming herself for the hasty
wedding. But it was not easy. For there sat Thorstein like a log, and
if he showed his face it would be death to him and shame to them.
Hundi was a good boy and no fool, but he was not to be sent on
ticklish errands, she knew that. And now she was tied, for there was
a lusty urchin, Thorstein Hundason by name, in her arms, with a
face as round as the harvest moon that rose up night after night
over Colton fell. So one fine day came to Greenodd door the Lowick
folk, with a led horse, bidding Unna to visit her first grandchild,
which she could not refuse. And when Halldora had got her as
pleased with all as she could be, out came the story of Thorstein :
not easily, for at first Unna was woe and wrath at her son's death,
and would hear nothing to excuse the slayer. But who can say nay to
a mother with her first babe newborn? and Thorstein was ever the
best loved and longest lost of the three. Unna's eyes were opened,
and when she came upon her boy, so beaten down and disheartened
that he scarce knew her, she could do nothing but weep over him.
And going home she sent for her brother Raud and set the case
before him, and made him a promise of the priesthood, which had
now fallen into her hands to bestow as she liked. And so he was
brought into the business. 234
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And then Halldora sent for her father, Master Grimkel Mani,
and won him over likewise. And they plotted that when the autumn
Thing was held at the Greenodd Legbarrow, Raud should be made
Godi, and be there with a great following. Then Mani should come
with all he could bring, and a round sum of money, which Unna
would find, to get Thorstein's outlawry taken off; and Hundi should
confirm the true tale, and back up the suit. But in the meanwhile,
what with all this going and coming, and the tattling of thralls, it
leaked out that Thorstein was not dead after all : and that the men
who had burnt Blawith were but fools for their pains. Asmund sent a
furious message to Hundi to warn him of the danger of harbouring
an outlaw : and bade him look for visitors some night when he did
not want them. Hundi was greatly put about, but Halldora laughed,
and said that she knew Asdis would never forgive Thorstein for
finding her out. Grimkel Mani sent some of his biggest men to bide
at Lowick, in case they might be wanted : and they slept with one
eye open. Well, the day came for the Thing : and folk were there
from far and wide in their feast array, and everyone that could be
spared of Thorstein's kin together with their people. Before the
meeting, Unna feasted the elders and householders at Greenodd,
and sat among them in her widow's weeds; and after the tables
were cleared she bade them to witness 235
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that through her son's death the Godord had fallen to her :
that, alas, one of her sons was outlawed, and the other was ill
looked upon by neighbours, so that she could name neither of them
to the office : whereupon she would give the place to her brother
Raud, who lived hard by, and was an able man, and would see that
the Thing was kept up with due offerings to the gods, and
entertainment to all comers, and so forth. Now this was not just
what the other party would have liked, but they could not gainsay it,
and away they moved to Legbarrow. Then Raud, as the custom was,
killed a ram, and reddened his hands in the blood of it ; taking at the
same time the oath of a Godi : and so after due hallowing of the
spot, sat him down on the topmost seat. Then stood Asmund on the
one side and Mani on the other, each claiming to be heard. The new
Godi ruled that Asmund should have the first word : for he thought it
wise to let them talk it well out. So Asmund set forth that his
daughter Asdis being wedded to a man who had been outlawed,
claimed to be released from him, and to take all that belonged to
her, namely the third of land and goods. For you must know that in
those heathen days, among the Northmen, the wife was master. She
had her own goods and land to herself, and could sell them for her
own use : even against the husband's will she could make away with
the full half. And yet he had to 236
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manage it all, and to manage it well; and to defend it and

her in every way. They were grand times for the women-folk. A wife
could turn off her husband like a hired servant, for almost anything
that displeased her. And there was nothing a man could do in law
that the woman could not do as well, or better. Now Asdis might
have just turned off her husband, with a word, when she left him :
but she would not then have had a claim on his land. So being a
wise woman she held her tongue, and now brought this suit against
him. There were witnesses to the outlawing at the door-doom, and
there was little defence made ; for nobody of Thorstein's friends
wished to bind him to the woman ; and as for land, there was plenty
more to be taken, if she made a point of holding to a bit of
uncleared timber. This business being done, the other put in his
plea. He was a hearty carle, was Grimkel Mani, — Master Moon we
might call him by interpretation. With his great grey beard, and his
tall figure somewhat barrowbacked, he was well listened to at
meetings, and much respected by high and low, but no great hand
at cunning and trickery. When he began to speak of Thorstein there
was a disturbance. At last Raud got peace, and the suit went
forward. Mani told how Thorstein had not been heard in his defence,
— how could he, standing alone and all his foes about him ? And
then he went on to tell the other side of the story; how Raineach
had saved Thorstein as a lad, and 237
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had been received by his people as a sister : how Orm had

been a rough kinsman to all his house, and a hard master to his folk
: and how he had tricked Raineach into thralldom, and made up a
lying tale about it. So far so good : though it was no new story for a
stranger, man or wench, to be sold off as useless or troublesome
rubbish. But then Mani went on to complain that the doom of
outlawry had been unlawfully given ; for the crime was done at the
Althing, said he, and to the Althing the case should be taken. He
said moreover that so great a penalty as full outlawry should not
have been laid at a door-doom, which was meant for little cases,
such as the distraint of goods from a refractory debtor, and such like.
Then he said that the attack had been continued after sunset, and
therefore if they had killed Thorstein it would have been murder. "
And all this," said he, " comes of the folly of men I see sitting over
yonder, who have let themselves be led on from bad to worse by a
wicked woman." Then there was a terrible to-do. Men ran for their
weapons ; and the only way of saving the Thing-stead from blood
was for Raud to break up the meeting, and draw off his friends ;
begging them to be guided and to save their strength for another
chance. Thorstein at Blawith heard the news as one who heeds little.
He thanked them for their kindness, and said he must be going, for
he would not bring them into straits. And so 238
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Hundi set him on his way across the Leven to Raud's-ey,

and Raud kept him for a night, and asked him whither bound.
Thorstein said he had a mind to go far. It was in his heart to go in
search of Raineach, even if he had to lait her at York and in the
house of King Olaf : but after her anger and the falsehood of one he
had trusted, he feared and doubted, though he said nothing. "
Kinsman," said Raud, " take my counsel. Things have gone against
thee, but the tide will turn. Thou hast friends, and good ones, at
Mansriggs and at Greenodd, at Lowick and here ; and when the
truth gets ground and springs up, it will bear fruit, never fear. We
were in error to open the case anywhere but at the Althing ; but we
shall try again and get thee cleared at last, in spite of that woman
and her witch-face. It is only a fool that throws his oars overboard
because his tiller snaps. Now go not far. Over yonder in Cartmel is
out of our bounds. None of our Northmen will touch thee there : but
when good news is to be sent, thou wilt not be hard to seek."
lARTMEL was a queer spot, CHAPTER thenadays. It was a little XLII.
village of wattled huts, heavily CARTMEL thatched above, and
daubed CHURCH, with clay, round the miry [green where children
played in the sunset. On one side of the green a beck ran up, and on
the other side a beck ran down ; and between the becks was a big
house, not 239
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unlike the rest except that it was big and they were little.
That was where the Reeve of the York priests dwelt. In the midmost
of the green was another house, daub and wattle and thatch,
standing all alone, with a cross on the gable-end of it, and a wooden
tower of open work wherein a bell hung. A man in a long gown was
pulling at a rope and ringing the bell. It tinkled in the quiet air, above
the shouts of the children on the green, with a pleasant music that
seemed to well over the fields of the broad valley, and their quickset
hedges and flagged walls, to the brown woods of the hills that lay
around, and up into the golden evening sky. It was but a
twelvemonth ago that Thorstein had been christened and taught the
faith : but since then, what things had happened ? Dare he now
enter the church, he who had kept no day holy nor heard mass, nor
even latterly said the prayers he used to say night and morning? It
had come to this that his stony heart was shut to man and God
alike. When Hundi and Halldora knelt, for she had learned her
husband's faith, — when they knelt to their cross, he would walk out
of the way dowly enough. If his brother's blood was on his hands,
that was little in an age when few men's hands were white : but
there came over him a vague and terrible fear that he could not
name to himself, — the conscience of backsliding, the haunting of
Hakon ; and the words of the applegarth at Ladir rose up in his
mind, 240
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" Whoso denieth me." He could not say what he had then
said to Hakon, nor take the answer. " You have preached to me,"
said the poor young king : and here he was, a castaway. The bell
stayed ringing, and there was a voice within, the sound that he
knew well, of evensong. He sat down by the church door, rudely
pillared in wood with some rough notching on it to imitate the
carving of the great churches he had seen : and sitting without,
listened while Amen followed Amen like the noise of a beck in a gill.
The children left playing, and stood round him out of arm's reach, to
stare. By and by the droning within stopped. A hand was laid on his
shoulder. " Who art thou, son ? " said an English voice. But there
was no answer. " Who art thou, son ? " it said again in Welsh. " A
wanderer." " Returned?" said the priest. Thorstein knelt before him
and burst into sobs. The children had crept up behind the priest, and
two or three were holding by his gown. "Children, run home: it is
supper-time for all of you," said the priest, making the sign of
blessing over their rough white heads. "And thou, son, give me thy
heart. It shall be in safe keeping." He led Thorstein into his dwelling
and set FF 241
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food before him, and bade him rest. In due time the lad's
heart was opened, and he told his tale, or somewhat of it ; so much
as let it be known that he was born a heathen and baptised a
Christian, but had fallen back ; and that all was wrong with him now.
"Aye," said the priest, "for thy sin's sake. I spare thee not, for it is
written, Whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth. But I smite thee not,
for it is written again, Him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast
out." " Father," said Thorstein, " I have learned enough to know that
a man may be made clean with penance from many a crime. Is
there a penance strong enough for such as me?" "Son," said he, "for
every sin the church has penance, and for ever sinner she has room.
To confess thy sin is the first thing; to weep for it is the next ; and
what more is there but to bring forth fruits worthy of repentance ?
For thy backsliding I bid thee dwell henceforward with Christians,
and forsake the heathen and their ways. Fast and pray as it is
commanded. And for the man-slaying thou hast done, if thou have
told the truth about it, God alone will be thy Judge. It is not for me
to bind or loose." Thorstein slept that night, and awoke with a new
heart. After matins were done the priest brought him to the Reeve,
praying that something might be given to put him in a way of living
among Christian folk, for he was a 242
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penitent and a brand plucked from the burning. The Reeve,

a burly Englishman from York, and to all purpose lord of Cartmel,
looked the stranger up and down. "Well, my penitent," said he, "this
is church land, and churchman's word is law here," said he. " But by
thy looks I should name thee a church-robber, and no lamb of our
flock. However," said he, " since father John there stands for thee,
knowing the risks, I'll see to it. What can'st thou do, man ? "
Thorstein said, very humbly for him, that he would put his hand to
anything to addle whittlegate : that he knew something about
beasts, and smithying, and suchlike. "In a word," said the Reeve,
"man of all trades and master of none, or thou would'st not be here.
But come thy ways, and I'll prove thee." Sure enough he set him one
job and another: and if Thorstein was willing at the muck-heap, he
was clever at the stithy: until the Reeve laughed again, and clapped
him on the back saying, " Good lad. I never knew yon thieving,
murdering rascals could turn out such a fellow!" So he guested him
in his house that winter, and took on with him as never was. And to
cap all, when the spring was come, " Young man," said he, "folk
can't be always on hand," said he. "That they can't," said Thorstein
wondering. " And when they are gone they would like to 243
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lie easy, by the church yonder, and see things done right by
the land?" " That they would," said Thorstein. "Well," said he, "I am
but the servant of the blessed Minster of York, and of the abbot
yonder : but I think they owe me somewhat ; and what with father
John's good word and all we might manage it. Now, look here.
There's none of these fellows fit to hold a candle to me and you, and
none knows the land as they that live on it. Reason is when I drop
off the best man should follow me ; and the abbot, he would say aye
to that, if we got the soft side of him. Now, Master Thurstan, I've a
daughter. She is a fine girl, though I say it who shouldn't; and a
right good one, and the apple of my eye. But what, lad, thou hast
set eyes on her. What then?" Thorstein thanked him kindly, and said
it was more than he deserved. " Not a bit, lad. There, think it over,
and I'll answer for the wench." Thorstein went to father John, for he
was very thick with him, and never missed his church, fast-day or
feast-day. " Father," said he, " I would go on pilgrimage to York.
Maybe a sight of the blessed Minster would do me good." " Well
said, my son : go in peace." 244
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accurate

lORK city was a wonderful place CHAPTER as one came

upon it by the old XLIII. AT North Road. From afar its YORK. towers
rose up above the green tillage of the plain, beyond the (winding
Ouse : and as the traveller drew nearer, he saw the great high
mound that encompassed the garth of houses, set with its bristling
stockade above, and parted from the fields by a water-ditch as
broad as a broad river. In the midst of this great wall was the North
gate, through which the road ran ; and within were houses and
houses, some high, some low, some mean like the cottages at
Cartmel, some stone-built and grand with painting and carving : but
all cheek by jowl, as one may say, along the narrow winding streets,
thronged with people and wares set out to sell, and foul with the
refuse and rubbish of a thickly inhabited town. Above the house-
roofs rose a great building, the famous Minster: with its towers
standing high over gable and pinnacle, graceful and slender. Up
there the bells clanged above the din and hurry of the town in those
dark deep streets, like deep roaring gills and whirling torrents below.
But it was not for the Minster that Thorstein was bound, as he
elbowed through the crowd, and picked his steps over the unpaved
lane that was more gutter than path. He hardly dared question the
wayfarers, such a stoore and a stir there seemed to be. But he knew
245
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accurate

that somewhere in the heart of the houses he should find

Olaf s palace, the new castle that had been built after Athelstan
destroyed the old Danish stronghold, — the great hall where King
Eric had sat with his witch-wife, ' and skald Egil the swart had sung
the lay that won him his head. So he went forward along the streets,
with a beating heart and pale lips, towards the midmost of the city
where the great towers rose. When he came before the castle there
was an open space, and the houses fell back like trees from a green
glade in the forest. But instead of coneys skipping in the grass, here
was a great crowd gathered and a tumult going on. Out of every
window round the place was a head thrust, and folk fringed the
houseroofs a-straddle on the thatch-rigging, and all shouting at
once. Stones were flying; and the shopkeepers at the corner, where
Thorstein came into the square, were scrambling their goods under
cover and shutting their shutters. It seemed as if the townsfolk of
the baser sort were trying to force the castle doors : and whoever
came out of the narrow streets, like rats out of their holes, thrust
themselves on their fellows in front and shoved and shouted; and ill
luck it would have been to have tripped in the midst of that
scrimmage. Over heads and fists many a stick was waving ; and
here and there an axe, and here and there a sword, flashing in the
sun-gleam, that now and then broke on the square through the rain-
showers. 246
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On they came by hundreds; aye, by thousands, swarming :

for the old books say that in those days no less than thirty thousand
souls were crammed within the narrow walls that girt the city of York
; so you may well believe there was no lack of hands in a townsfolk
mote, whether for peace or for righting. " What's to do, friend ? "
says Thorstein to a neighbour, who by the look of him was no Saxon,
but a Dane ; and a right hearty, well-to-do looking merchant man he
seemed, now that he had got his goods shifted, and shutters up,
and stood there with one hand holding his door ajar, and with the
other gripping his axe. "What's to do?" repeated the Dane; "why, it's
the old story. A stranger, eh? none of the Saxon folk anyhow." For
Danes and Northmen talked the same tongue, and foregathered
among strangers. "Nay," said Thorstein, "no Saxon, though a
traveller from over the fells." " No offence," said the Dane : " but
one can't be too careful, with Southron spies all about. Our kinsmen,
thou knowest, friend, have no bed of roses in this bonny burg." "I
know nought," said Thorstein. "What is forward?'' "What thou seest,
and I hope they may break the castle. For if the great doors yonder
hold, they will sack the shops for want of a job. Thou hast heard,
maybe, rumour that king Olaf is dead. To-day it is assured. 247
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accurate

It was somewhere in the North, Tyningaham I think they

called the spot. Look out, man ! " There was a rush towards the
door, and stones flew. The Dane plucked Thorstein into the house,
slammed the door, and made it fast with stout bars. Then he cast an
eye on the bolts of his window, and laughed as they stood in the
shop, lit only through the cracks in the shutters. " It is a pretty stiff
bit of oak," he said. " We shall hold out awhile, unless they take to
fire-raising, and that would risk their own kennels. Well, as I was
saying, Olaf being gone we must have a new king. Some of these
Saxon rubbish would be glad to see the Southrons in here : and
anyhow they mean to make hay while the sun shines." " So they are
trying to plunder the king's house ? " said Thorstein. " That's it : but
never heed them. I have seen three or four such ados in the last few
months, and one gets hardened. Though indeed if it were not for
business, I should be glad to be safe again over the seas. It's a fine
town, is Dublin. Thou wilt not be from thereaway I reckon ? " "Nay,"
said Thorstein: "but I was there a while when Olaf Guthferthson was
king, and indeed I was guested in the king's house, and it is now for
nought else but to have speech with the queen that I am in York." "
Then, my lad, thou art a bit late : and a good job for thee too, if
those rascals — how 248
The text on this page is estimated to be only 27.76%
accurate

they shout! — get into the castle.'* " She is gone then ?
What, is she dead, poor thing?" " Nay, not so bad as all that. You
see it was something o' this way. Olaf owed a deal to Earl Orm, for
without him he would never have halved England with Eadmund.
And Orm is a good business man, and looks ahead. Says he to Olaf,
If anything happens now to Eadmund, thou wilt be king of all
England : and what shall I get that helped thee thereto ? Says Olaf,
What wilt have, friend? Says Orm, There's my Aldith should be wed :
queen of York is not bad, and queen of England is better. Says Olaf,
Well, says he, king Harald Fairhair had more wives than one. Nay,
nay, says the Earl, that's out of fashion nowadays, and I doubt if the
Minster-folk would stand it : the king of York is a good Christian
now, my lord, and behaves as such: eh? So Olaf he goes to the Irish
queen and My dear, says he, a sad unhealthy spot is York city ;
better go back to Ireland. Says my dame to me, — but come in,
man, and make thyself at home. Any news from Dublin will be
welcome to the mistress." So he brought Thorstein into the living-
room behind the shop. It was crowded up with their goods, and
looked like a poor place after the great halls of the Northmen : but
everything was rich and rare. Such hangings to the beds, such
carved work in the tables and stools, such shining copper pots and
pans! GG 249
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accurate

And the merchant's wife was dressed as grand as a queen,

Thorstein thought, with brooches and rings for a dozen. The children
even were finely clothed, though they would have looked but blue
and wan alongside of the applecheeked rogues from the Northmen's
homesteads. " Dame, it's all right ; the doors are well barred, and if
they break them there is the earth-house to hide in. But see, here's
a young man has been in Dublin." "Welcome, friend," said she, "and
what news of the old country?" Thorstein could see with half an eye
that the Dane's wife was Irish, and so he replied in the language he
had learnt among the fell-folk, saying that it was a good while since
he was in Ireland, but he was now come to speak to the queen, who
had been friendly with him once. At which Master Dane screwed up
half his face and winked, and his wife shook her head at him, and
said the queen was a good body, and sorry she was for her, and pity
it was they had not gone back together with her to Ireland. "Nay,
nay," said the Dane: "business is business. Keep your shop, say I,
and your shop will keep you." " Well then," said the wife, " keep thy
shop, my lad, and this young man will take a bite, and be the readier
to lend a hand if needed." So she set food before him, and he ate.
And while he ate he turned over in his mind the chances about
Raineach. Soon he burst out, " Mistress, is it true, as the master
says, that 250
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all the queen's folk are clean away and out of the castle?" "
Aye," she said, " and a burning shame it was : but better for them
maybe. They got a good ship to sail in, and good pickings. They
were stinted of nothing." "They would be a deal about the town
before leaving York, and well known to all?" " Oh aye, it was always
in and out ; they coming to our shop and we at the castle. Not so
bad to do with, they weren't, for king's folk." " And did you happen
to know a great lass, a bonny one with red hair, a bower-may that
the queen made much of, Raineach by name?" " And what of her ? "
asked the dame. " Oh, she was just one of them in Dublin." " Was
she that ? Ah, she was a sad one if ever there was. Hey, man, hark
here! The young man would have news of tha»t great, strapping,
red-haired wench, her that the castle-folk were always fighting
about." "The minx!" shouted the merchant from the shop. " Never
heed her, lad, wherever she is." " All the men were after her," went
on the dame, "and never a one would she take. And that proud with
folk, she might have been a king's daughter. I'll be bound she was
no good, though the queen was always abetting her. Olaf would
have let them stone her for a witch, one time, but the queen got her
off. She'll be gone with the rest." 251
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It was little help he would find there, Thorstein said to

himself: but angered as he was, spoke fair: and said he would take a
turn at the look-out while the master came to his supper. But the
tumult had died down, and the rabble was dwindling as speedily as
it had gathered. The stir was over like a summer storm, and evening
had come. Thorstein asked where he could find a lodging for that
night, and said he was not penniless. The Dane merchant said he
would be glad to board him, but one might see there was little room
for guests in house or shop. Nevertheless there was close at hand a
house of priests called St. Peter's, where travellers were lodged, and
he would set the stranger on the way when all was quiet. So
Thorstein came to St. Peter's (the place that was afterwards called
St. Leonard's Hospital) which Athelstan had founded not long before,
giving to the Minster priests a thrave, that is twenty sheaves, from
every plough-land in the bishopric, that they might entertain
strangers and do good to the poor and sick. There he was received,
and no questions asked : and they gave him supper in the great hall,
and a place to lie down for the night among other wanderers and
wayfarers. Some of them were decent folk, some ugly-looking
enough to make Thorstein feel for the few silver pennies he carried,
and tuck his poke well into his sleeve, and loosen his weapon in its
sheath, before shutting his eyes. But he slept safely, 252
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