Leif and His New Land
Now Eric had lived in Greenland for fifteen years. His sons Thorstein and Leif had grown up to be big, strong men. One spring Leif said to his father:
"I have never seen Norway, our mother land. I long to go there and meet the great men and see the places that skalds sing about."
Eric answered:
"It is right that you should go. No man has really lived until he has seen Norway."
So he helped Leif fit out a boat and sent him off. Leif sailed for months. He passed Iceland and the Faroes and the Shetlands. He stopped at all of these places and feasted his mind on the new things. And everywhere men received him gladly; for he was handsome and wise. But at last he came near Norway. Then he stood up before the pilot's seat and sang loudly:
"My eyes can see her at last,
The mother of mighty men,
The field of famous fights.
In the sky above I see
Fair Asgard's shining roofs,
The flying hair of Thor,
The wings of Odin's birds,
The road that heroes tread.
I am here in the land of the gods,
The land of mighty men."
For a while he walked the land as though he were in a dream. He looked at this and that and everything and loved them all because it was Norway.
"I will go to the king," he said.