Sveinungi (goes to the picket fence; calls). Ljot!
Ljot (is heard answering). Yes!

Sveinungi. Are you there? Aren't you coming home? Ljot (is heard answering). I am coming.

Jorunn. Have you set the milk?

Rannveig. Yes.

Jorunn. Then come in, if you want to see what I have bought.

Einar (steps out into the door of the smithy. He holds a snuffbox in his hand, and is rolling up a long plug of tobacco, which he puts into the box). This tastes better; the old stuff was getting as dry as hay. (Spits.) Oh, well, there was a time, but that's so long ago.

Helgi. What are you talking about?

Einar. It was a winter night, and I was lying in wait for the fox. Well, what happened was neither more nor less than this, that when I wanted to take a chew of tobacco, I found I'd left the box at home. I can stand it for one night, I thought, but it was cold where I was lying, and the fox made himself scarce. Let me tell you, when I had been waiting till nearly dawn, I'd gladly have given my soul for a good honest chew.

(Ljot passes through from the right, carrying some freshly gathered flowers in her hand. Goes into the house.)

Helgi. And did you get the fox?

Einar. I did. It came just as I was about to go home. Enter Indridi from the house.

Jon. When you got home, I'm sure you went straight for a good big plug of tobacco.

Einar. Maybe I did! It was the finest blue fox I 've ever shot.

Enter Frida from the left. She is warm from running.

Frida. Now I've turned the horses out on the grass. (Wipes her forehead.) Do you want me to pull the bellows for you?

Einar. You'd better go in and see if Jorunn should happen to have something for you. Then you can come back [Frida runs in.

here.

Enter Bjørg and Rannveig from the house.

Bjørg. See what the mistress has brought for me! (Holding up a piece of cloth.) It will be fun to make that into an

apron.

Rannveig. I got a head-kerchief with red flowers (holds it up) and a piece of soap. (Smells it.)

Jon. May I? (Smells it.) You'll be good to kiss, when you have washed with that soap.

Rannveig. Only I won't let you.

Thora (in the doorway). I must show you what I got, too.

Enter Sølvi from the left, carrying a gun over his shoulder and a small knapsack on his back.

Sølvi. Good day to you!

The Servants. Good day!

Indridi. We did not see you coming.

Sølvi. I took the short cut. May I have something to drink? I am thirsty.

Rannveig. I'll get it for you.

Sølvi (lowering his voice). And may I see Ljot for a moment? I have something for her.

Rannveig. I'll tell her.

Indridi. Have you any news?

Sølvi. No.

Indridi. You are still at Hol?

[Exeunt Girls.

Sølvi. Yes.

Indridi. Have they begun to cut the hay?

Sølvi. Not yet.

Indridi. They generally start before any of the other farms.

Sølvi. They need to. They don't keep much help.

Enter Rannveig with the milk.

Rannveig. Here it is, and you are welcome to it.

Sølvi (drinks). Thanks.

Rannveig. I have told Ljot.

[Goes in. Helgi. Here, give me a hand! (Indridi lifts the sack to Helgi's back; Helgi carries it out to the left.)

Jon (coiling the last ropes). We can start carrying the lumber into the shed.

Enter Ljot from the house.

Sølvi. Good day to you, Ljot!

Ljot. Good day! You wished to see me?

Sølvi. You won't be angry with me?-I thought perhaps you would like this. (Takes the skin of a duck from his knapsack.) I shot it on the creek the other day, and I thought it was so pretty that I took off the skin and dried it. Do you think you could make use of it—say for a riding-cap? Ljot. It is beautiful.

Sølvi. When you hold the wing this way the spot is blue, and when you hold it so it is green; it's the way the light falls.

Ljot. I doubt if I dare take it. I scarcely know you.

Sølvi. You would make me very happy if you would take it.

Ljot. Then I will, and thank you. (Gives him her hand.) How lovely it is!

Sølvi (lowering his voice). Do you never go for a walk by yourself in the hraun?

Ljot. Why do you ask?

Sølvi. You know the pretty spot by the old roan tree; it is not more than a good ten minutes' walk from here. I thought perhaps you might go there sometimes on Sundays.

Ljot (blushes). I don't know

Sølvi. I shall be there all day Sunday. Good-bye, Ljot. Ljot (confused). Good-bye.

Sølvi. I shall be there at sunrise, and I shall be there when the sun goes down.

Enter Sveinungi, hurriedly.

[Exit to the left.

Sveinungi. Who was it that went just now?

Indridi. Is he gone? It was Sølvi.

Sveinungi. What did he want here?

Indridi. He got a cup of milk.

Sveinungi (to Ljot). It seemed to me he was talking to

you. What have you there?

Ljot. He gave me a bird's skin.

Sveinungi. Pshaw! You should have made him keep it himself.

Ljot. There was no harm meant.

Sveinungi. Einar could have brought you down one just like it, if you had cared for it. Why are you blushing so? Ljot. I did not think would be so angry you

I took the bird's skin.

because

Sveinungi. I can't bear him, that stone-picker! He roves from place to place like a tramp. Let him dare to set his nets for you! Give me the creature, and I'll hand it back to him next time he comes; for he 's sure to come.

Ljot. I can burn it myself, if you grudge me the keeping it.

[Goes in. Sveinungi (talking in the doorway). And then you get angry to boot. (To Indridi.) I see you have undone all the strappings.

Indridi. Yes.

Sveinungi. Where is Helgi?

Indridi. He went to the mill.

Enter Helgi from the left.

Sveinungi. There he comes. Then you can do what I told you.

[Goes in.

Helgi. Anything amiss? The master seemed cross.
Indridi. That's nothing.

Helgi. Is Sølvi gone?

Indridi. Yes. Let's get through with this. You go into the storehouse and take the things as I hand them to you. [They carry the breadstuffs into the storehouse.

Einar appears in the door of the smithy.

Einar. H'm, I feel I 'm getting old. There was a time when I could forge three nails in one heating, and now it's a hard rub getting through with one.

Indridi. We can't be young more than once.

Einar. And we can't cast the slough of old age, as they could once upon a time.

Einar. I don't know. I almost think these new times are not for me.

Enter Frida.

Frida. Einar, I was to call you to breakfast. (Runs against Sveinungi, who is coming out.)

Sveinungi. There, there! Why, you have brought it all