After Freyja had left, MacDonald and a few of his man continued the climb upon the volcano.
When the hardest part was done MacDonald continued on his own, not knowing if the spell would accept his men being with him.
At the top of the volcano an old witch was waiting for him: "So, you are the man with the fiery hair. And you arrived here in a floating house with sails?" "You could call it that, yes." "Then the prophecy might be true, after all. Join me to my cave."
On the way to her cave Katla, as the witch was called, told him about the prophecy. MacDonald asked her why the ghosts would be afraid of him. "Because if you find a cure for the aging disease, the gods have no reason anymore to let them be ghosts, and they would just fade into oblivion." "But don't they want to be dead, have eternal peace, as you so often hear?"
"These ghosts don't, they like it that they are worshipped by the people, and since they were all fierce warriors, they still like the feeling of killing...So, why do you need the cure?" "We have a whole army that has been infected in the Fiery Lands, and our queen wants to heal them. We don't have your ghosts, and she is afraid of what might happen with our women when the men get the disease." "Your queen is wise....let 's go, there is a cave I want you to see."
"This cave is said to lead to hið týnda land, or the lost land as you would call it. It is said that underneath the volcano live beasts and plants long forgotten. Maybe you will find the cure there...beware....the prophecy is no guarantee that you will....so don't stay there too long....or you might forget to look for a way out."
"I also want to warn you for a man, a shepherd called Barði...he once tried to steal what I am about to give you....he went in without it, and never got back. If he is still down there he will do everything to get what I have given you." "Okay,...."
"What I am giving you is a spell on your buxur...your trousers. They will allow you to run as fast as the wind without tiring. Now I see you are wearing a kilt. My guess is that it might get hot down there....never take off the buxur, or the spell will be gone...Good luck, and may the gods' speed be with you."
That was the last thing Katla said to him, and she vanished. MacDonald shook his head....ghosts, spells, folklore, witches....what else would still be coming at him....anyway, he said: "for queen and country" , and up he went.