Fru Aashild walked silently at Kristin’s side. She was there only to protect her, for it was not wise to let a child go out alone on such a night. But the dew would have more power if it was collected by an innocent maiden.
When they came back to the gate, Ragnfrid was gone. Kristin was shaking with cold as she put the icy silver goblet into Fru Aashild’s hands. In her wet shoes she ran over to the loft where she slept with her father. She had her foot on the first step when Ragnfrid emerged from the shadows beneath the gallery of the loft. In her hands she held a bowl of steaming liquid.
“I’ve warmed up some ale for you, daughter,” said Ragnfrid.
Kristin thanked her gratefully and put her lips to the rim. Then her mother asked, “Kristin, those prayers and other things that Fru Aashild is teaching you—is there anything sinful or ungodly about them?”
“I can’t believe that,” replied the child. “They all mention Jesus and the Virgin Mary and the names of the saints.”
“What has she been teaching you?” asked her mother again.
“Oh, about herbs, and how to ward off bleeding and warts and strained eyes—and moths in clothing and mice in the storehouse. And which herbs to pick in sunlight and which ones have power in the rain. But I mustn’t tell the prayers to anyone else, or they will lose their power,” she said quickly.
Her mother took the empty bowl and set it on the steps. Suddenly she threw her arms around her daughter, pulled her close, and kissed her. Kristin noticed that her mother’s cheeks were hot and wet.
“May God and Our Lady guard and protect you against all evil—we have only you now, your father and I; you’re the only one that misfortune has not touched. My dear, my dear—never forget that you are your father’s dearest joy.”
Ragnfrid went back to the winter house, undressed, and crawled into bed with Ulvhild. She put her arm around the child and pressed her face close to the little one’s so that she could feel the warmth of Ulvhild’s body and smell the sharp odor of sweat from the child’s damp hair. Ulvhild slept soundly and securely as always after Fru Aashild’s evening potion. There was a soothing scent from the Virgin Mary grass spread under the sheet. And yet Ragnfrid lay there for a long time, unable to sleep, and stared up at the little scrap of light in the roof where the moon shone on the horn pane of the smoke vent.
Fru Aashild lay in the other bed, but Ragnfrid never knew whether she was asleep or awake. Fru Aashild never mentioned that they had known each other in the past, and that frightened Ragnfrid quite badly. She thought she had never felt so bitterly sad or in such an agony of fear as she did now, even though she knew that Lavrans would regain his full health—and that Ulvhild would survive.
Fru Aashild seemed to enjoy talking to Kristin, and for each day that passed, the maiden became better friends with her.
One day when they had gone out to pick herbs, they sat down next to the river in a little grassy clearing at the foot of a scree. They could look down at the courtyard of Formo and see Arne Gyrds?n’s red shirt. He had ridden over with them and was going to look after their horses while they were up in the mountain meadow gathering herbs.
As they sat there, Kristin told Fru Aashild about her encounter with the dwarf maiden. She hadn’t thought about the incident for many years, but now it suddenly came back to her. And as she spoke, the strange thought occurred to her that there was some resemblance between Fru Aashild and the dwarf woman—even though she realized full well that they did not look at all alike.
But when she had finished telling the story, Fru Aashild sat in silence for a moment and gazed out across the valley.
Finally she said, “It was wise of you to flee, since you were only a child back then. But haven’t you ever heard of people who took the gold the dwarf offered them, and then trapped the troll in a rock afterward?”
“I’ve heard of such stories,” said Kristin, “but I would never dare do that myself. And I don’t think it’s the right thing to do.”
“It’s good when you don’t dare do something that doesn’t seem right,” said Fru Aashild with a little laugh. “But it’s not so good if you think something isn’t right because you don’t dare do it.” Then she added abruptly, “You’ve grown up a great deal this summer. I wonder if you realize how lovely you’ve become.”
“Yes, I know,” said Kristin. “They say I look like my father.”
Fru Aashild laughed softly.