There had he bought much gold , and no few elephants ' teeth , and thither by help of the Wise Iron would Witta go . Witta feared nothing -- except to be poor . ' `` My father told me , '' said Witta , `` that a great Shoal runs three days ' sail out from that land , and south of the shoal lies a Forest which grows in the sea . South and east of the Forest my father came to a place where the men hid gold in their hair ; but all that country , he said , was full of Devils who lived in trees , and tore folk limb from limb . How think ye ? '' ' `` Gold or no gold , '' said Hugh , fingering his sword , `` it is a joyous venture . Have at these Devils of thine , Witta ! '' ' `` Venture ! '' said Witta sourly . `` I am only a poor sea-thief . I do not set my life adrift on a plank for joy , or the venture . Once I beach ship again at Stavanger , and feel the wife 's arms round my neck , I 'll seek no more ventures . A ship is heavier care than a wife or cattle . '' ` He leaped down among the rowers , chiding them for their little strength and their great stomachs . Yet Witta was a wolf in fight , and a very fox in cunning . ` We were driven South by a storm , and for three days and three nights he took the stern-oar , and threddled the longship through the sea . When it rose beyond measure he brake a pot of whale 's oil upon the water , which wonderfully smoothed it , and in that anointed patch he turned her head to the wind and threw out oars at the end of a rope , to make , he said , an anchor at which we lay rolling sorely , but dry . This craft his father Guthrum had shown him . He knew , too , all the Leech-Book of Bald , who was a wise doctor , and he knew the Ship-Book of Hlaf the Woman , who robbed Egypt . He knew all the care of a ship .
` After the XXXXX we saw a mountain whose top was covered with snow and pierced the clouds .
Guthrum Hugh Woman longship nights rowers sea-thief shoal storm whale