The Complete Sagas of Icelanders, Including 49 Tales. Vol. 2 [2] 9979929324, 9789979929321, 9979929308

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THE COMPLETE SAGAS OF ICELANDERS II

THE COMPLETE SAGAS OF ICELANDERS IN C L U D IN G 49 TALES

II GENERAL EDITOR: VIDAR HREINSSON EDITORIAL TEAM: ROBERT COOK. TERRY GUNNELL, KENEVA KUNZ, BERNARD SCUDDER

LEIFUR EIRIKSSON PUBLISHING 1997

The Complete Sagas of Icelanders Including 49 Tales Copyright © 1997,Bókaútgáfan Leifiir Eiriksson hf. Reykjavik Iceland

Design: Halldór Þorsteinsson, Oddi Ltd. Layout, printing and binding: Oddi Ltd., Reykjavik, Iceland. The text is typeset in llpt Minion font on a 12 pt foot. The book is printed on 100 g Book Design Smooth paper.

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording or by any information storage and retrieval system without permission in writing from the publisher.

ISBN 9979-9293-0-8 Complete work ISBN 9979-9293-2-4 Volume II

CONTENTS

Outlaws and Nature Spirits Gisli Sursson’s Saga ................................................................................................. 1 The Saga of Grettir the Strong ............................................................................... 49 The Saga of Hord and the People of Holm ......................................................... 193 Bard’s Saga ............................................................................................................... 237 Warriors and Poets Killer-Glum’s Saga ................................................................................................... The Tale of Ogmund Bash ...................................................................................... The Tale of Thorvald Tasaldi................................................................................... The Saga of the Sworn Brothers ............................................................................ Thormod’s Tale ......................................................................................................... The Tale of Thorarin the Overbearing ................................................................... Viglund’s Saga ..........................................................................................................

267 314 322 329 403 407 411

Tales of the Supernatural The Tale of the Cairn-Dweller................................................................................. The Tale of the Mountain-Dweller.......................................................................... Star-OddVs D ream .................................................................................................... The Tale of Thidrandi and Thorhall ...................................................................... The Tale of Thorhall Knapp .................................................................................... Contents of Volumes I-V ........................................................................................

443 444 448 459 462 465

GISLI SURSSON’S SAGA WRITTEN M ID- OR LATE 13TH CENTURY

GíSLA SAGA SúRSSONAR

Gisli Sursson’s Saga is translated from íslendinga sögur. It is preserved in the fifteenthcentury vellum manuscript AM 556 a 4to which also contains the two other outlaw sagas, the Saga of Grettir the Strong and the Saga of Hord and the People of Holm. Another version, longer and slightly different, is also extant After a prelude in Norway, the saga mainly takes place in the West Fjords. Of all the major saga characters, Gisli Sursson is perhaps the most unequivocally cast in the mould of tragic hero. He is swept into a sequence of events foreboded by the ill-gotten sword Greysides. Condemned to outlawry, he continues to be haunted by fate and his enemies, but is loyally supported by his wife Aud who is one of the most memorable women in the sagas. In his outlaw period Gisli becomes slightly coloured by the medieval trickster figure, so that comic interludes temporarily divert from the tragedy but ultimately serve to intensify it. A particularly memorable device in this saga is the presence, in the verses, of the good and bad dream-women who beckon him to his fate and add psychological depth to his predica­ ment.

This story begins at the time when King Hakon, foster-son of King Athelstan of England, ruled Norway and was near the end of his days. There was a man named Thorkel, known as Skerauki, who lived in Surnadal and held the title of hersir. He had a wife named Isgerd and they had three sons. Ari was eldest, then came Gisli, and finally Thorbjorn. All three were brought up at home. There was a man named Isi, who lived in the fjord of Fibule in North More with his wife, Ingigerd, and his daughter, Ingibjorg. Ari, son of Thorkel from Surnadal, asked for Ingibjorg’s hand and she was given to him with a large dowry. A slave named Kol went with her. There was a man named Bjorn the Black, a berserk. He went around the country challenging men to fight with him if they refused to concede to his demands. One winter, he arrived at Surnadal while Thorkefs son, Ari, was taking care of the farm. Bjorn gave Ari two options: either he fight him on the island of Stokkaholm in Surnadal or else hand over his wife, Ingibjorg. Without hesitation, Ari decided that

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THE COM PLETE SAGAS OF ICELANDERS

he would fight Bjorn rather than bring shame on himself or his wife. The duel was to take place three days later. The time appointed for the duel arrived, and they fought - the result being that Ari fell and lost his life. Bjorn assumed he had won both the land and the woman, but Ari’s brother, Gisli, said that he would rather die than allow this to happen. He was determined to fight Bjorn. Then Ingibjorg spoke, ‘T did not marry Ari because I preferred him to you. Kol, my slave, has a sword called Grey-side. You must ask him to lend it to you since whoever fights with it is assured of victory.” Gisli asked the slave for the sword and Kol lent it to him, but with great reluctance. Gisli prepared himself for the duel. They fought and Bjorn was slain. Gisli felt he had won a great victory, and it is said that he asked for Ingibjorg’s hand because he did not want the family to lose a good woman. So he married her, took over her property and became a powerful figure.VThereafter Gisli’s father died, and Gisli in­ herited all his wealth. Gisli saw to it that all the men who had come with Bjorn were put to death. Kol demanded that his sword be returned. Gisli, unwilling to part with it, offered him money instead. Kol wanted nothing but the sword, but it was not returned. Greatly displeased with this, the slave attacked Gisli and wounded him badly. In re­ sponse, Gisli dealt Kol such a blow to the head with Grey-side that the blade broke as it smashed through his skull. Thus both men met their death. Thorbjorn then inherited all the wealth that previously belonged to his father and two brothers, and continued to live at Stokkar in Surnadal. He asked for the hand of a woman named Thora, the daughter of Raud from Fridarey, and his request was granted. The couple were well suited and soon began to have children. The eldest was a daughter named Thordis. The eldest of their sons was named Thorkel, then came Gisli, and the youngest was named Ari. They were regarded in the district as the finest men of their generation. Ari was taken in as a foster-son by Styrkar, his mother’s brother. Thorkel and Gisli were brought up at home. There was a young man named Bard who lived in Surnadal, who had recently in­ herited his father’s wealth. Another young man, named Kolbjorn, lived at Hella in Surnadal. He, too, had newly inherited his father’s property. There was a rumour abroad that Bard had seduced Thordis, Thorbjorn’s daugh­ ter, a good-looking and intelligent girl. Thorbjorn took this badly and said that there would be trouble if his son Ari were living at home. Bard remarked that he took no heed of the words of idle men - “I shall continue as before,” he said. Thorkel was a close friend of Bard’s and party to this liaison. Gisli, however, was as deeply offended as his father by the way people were talking. It is said that Gisli went along with Thorkel and Bard one time to Bard’s farm at Granaskeid. When they were halfway there, with no warning whatsoever, Gisli dealt Bard his death-blow. Thorkel was angry and told Gisli that he had done great wrong. Gisli told his brother to calm down and jested with him.

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GISLI SURSSON’S SAGA

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“We’ll swap swords,” he said, “then you’ll have the one with the better bite.” Thorkel composed himself and sat down beside Bard’s body. Gisli rode off home to tell his father, who was greatly pleased by the news. There was never any real warmth between the two brothers after this. Thorkel refused the exchange of weap­ ons and, having no desire to stay at home, he went to stay with a close relative of Bard’s, called Skeggi the Dueller, who lived on the island of Saxo. He strongly urged Skeggi the Dueller to avenge his kinsman’s death and take Thordis as his wife. Twenty men set off for Stokkar and when they reached the farm, Skeggi the Dueller suggested to Thorbjorn that their families be united: “I’ll marry your daughter, Thordis,” he said. But Thorbjorn did not want the man to marry his daughter. Thordis, it was said, had since become friendly with Kolbjorn. Suspecting this was the real reason his proposal had been rejected, Skeggi went to meet Kolbjorn and challenged him to a duel on the island of Saxo. Kolbjorn agreed to take up the challenge, saying that he would not be worthy of Thordis if he dared not fight Skeggi. Thorkel and Skeggi re­ turned to Saxo and stayed there until the fight was due to be fought. Twenty other men went with them. After three nights had passed, Gisli went to meet Kolbjorn and asked him if he was ready for the duel. Kolbjorn answered him by asking whether this was really the way to achieve what he wanted. “What kind of talk is that?” said Gisli. “I don’t think I’ll fight Skeggi to win Thordis,” said Kolbjorn. Gisli told Kolbjorn he was the greatest scoundrel living - “And though it shame you forever,” he said, “I shall go instead.” Gisli went to the island of Saxo with eleven men. Skeggi had already arrived at the spot where the duel was to be fought. He announced the rules and marked out where Kolbjorn was to stand, but he could not see his opponent nor anyone to re­ place him. There was a man called Ref, who worked for Skeggi as a carpenter. Skeggi asked him to make wooden effigies in the likenesses of Gisli and Kolbjorn. “And one shall stand behind the other,” he said, “and these figures of scorn shall remain like that forever to mock them.” Gisli, who was in the woods, heard this and answered, “Find some better employ­ ment for your farmhands. Here is a man who dares to fight you.” They took up their duelling positions and began to fight, each of them bearing a shield. Skeggi had a sword called Gunnlogi (War-flame) that rang loud in the air as it struck out at Gisli. Then Skeggi said, l.

War-flame sings out Saxo is entertained.

Gisli struck back with his halberd which sliced through the lower end of Skeggi’s shield and cut off his leg. Then Gisli spoke:

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THE COMPLETE SAGAS OF ICELANDERS

2. Halberd hovered I struck down Skeggi.

Skeggi bought his way out of the duel, and from that time onward he walked with a wooden leg. Thorkel went home with his brother, Gisli. The two of them were now on very good terms, and Gisli’s reputation was thought to have increased considerably as a result of this affair. Two brothers are mentioned in the story: Einar and Arni, the sons of Skeggi at Saxo. They lived at Flyndrenes, north of Trondheim. The following spring, Ein­ ar and Arni gathered together a large party of men and went to see Kolbjorn in Surnadal. They offered him a choice - either he go with them and burn Thorbjorn and his sons to death in their house or they kill him on the spot. He chose to go with them. Sixty of them left for Stokkar by night and set fire to the houses there. Thor­ bjorn, his sons, and Thordis were all asleep in an outbuilding. In the same out­ building were two barrels of whey. Gisli, his father and his brother took two goat hides, dipped them in the whey to fight the fire, and managed to douse it three times. Then they broke down a wall and ten of them succeeded in escaping to the mountainside, using the smoke as cover. At that distance the dogs at the farm could no longer be heard barking. Twelve people were burned to death in the fire. The at­ tackers believed they had killed everyone. Those who went with Gisli journeyed until they reached Styrkar’s farm on Fridarey. There they gathered a force of forty men, went to KolbjonTs farm and, without warning, set fire to his house. Kolbjorn was burned to death with eleven other men. Then they sold up their lands, bought a ship and left with all their be­ longings. There were sixty of them on board. They arrived at a group of islands called the Asen and laid over there before setting out to sea. They left the Asen islands in two boats, forty men in all, and sailed north to Flyndrenes. At the same time, Skeggi’s two sons were on their way to collect land rent with a group of seven men. Gisli’s party confronted them and killed them all. Gisli slew three men and Thorkel two. From there they went to the farm and took a great deal of goods and livestock. Skeggi the Dueller was there at his sons’ farm. This time Gisli cut off his head.

S

After this, they went back to their ship and set off for sea. They sailed for more than sixty days and nights, finally reaching the mouth of the Haukadalsa river on the south side of Dyrafjord in the west of Iceland. Two men are mentioned, both named Thorkel, who lived on opposite sides of the fjord. One of them, Thorkel Eiriksson, lived at Saurar in Keldudal on the south side and the other, known as Thorkel the Wealthy, lived on the north side at Alvidra. Thorkel Eiriksson was the first man of standing to go down to the ship to

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greet Thorbjorn Sur (Whey)1, who was called that since the time he used whey to escape being burned to death. None of the lands on either side of the fjord were settled at the time, so Thorbjorn Sur bought some land at Saebol in Haukadal on the south side. Gisli built a farm there on which they lived from that time forward. There was a man named Bjartmar who lived at the head of Arnarfjord. His wife, Thurid, was the daughter of Hrafn from Ketilseyri in Dyrafjord, and Hrafh was the son of Dyri who first settled the fjord. Bjartmar and Thurid had several children. The eldest was a girl named Hild, and their sons were named Helgi, Sigurd and Vestgeir. There was a Norwegian named Vestein, who arrived at the time of the Settle­ ment. He lodged at Bjartmar’s farm. Vestein took Bjartmar’s daughter, Hild, as his wife and it was not long before they had two children, a daughter named Aud and a son named Vestein. Vestein the Norwegian was the son of Vegeir, the brother of Vebjorn the Cham­ pion of Sognefjord. Bjartmar was the son of An Red-cloak, son of Grim Hairycheeks, brother of Arrow-Odd, son of Ketil Haeng, son of Hallbjorn Half-troll. An Red-cloak’s mother was Helga, the daughter of An Bow-bender. Vestein Vesteinsson eventually became a skilled seafarer, though at this point in the story he lived on a farm in Onundarfjord below Hest mountain. He had a wife, Gunnhild, and two sons, Berg and Helgi. Soon after, Thorbjorn Sur passed away, followed by his wife, Thora. Gisli and his brother Thorkel took over the farm. Thorbjorn and Thora were laid to rest in a burial mound. There was a man named Thorbjorn, nicknamed Selagnup (Seals’ Peak). He lived at Kvigandafell in Talknafjord. He was married to a woman called Thordis and had a daughter called Asgerd. Thorkel, the son of Thorbjorn Sur, asked for Asgerd’s hand and she became his wife. Gisli asked for the hand of Aud, Vestein’s sis­ ter, and married her. The two brothers lived together in Haukadal. One spring, Thorkel the Wealthy travelled to the Thorsnes Assembly, and Thor­ bjorn Sur’s two sons accompanied him. At that time, Thorstein Cod-biter, the son of Thorolf Moster-beard, was living at Thorsnes with his wife, Thora, the daughter of Olaf Thorsteinsson, and their children, Thordis, Thorgrim and Bork the Stout. Thorkel settled his business at the assembly, and when it was over, Thorstein invited him, along with Gisli and Thorkel, to his home. When they left, he gave them good gifts and they responded by inviting Thorstein’s sons to their assembly in the west the following spring. Thorkel the Wealthy, Gisli, and his brother Thorkel returned home. The follow­ ing spring, Thorstein’s sons went to the Hvolseyri Assembly along with a party of ten men. On their arrival they met up with Thorbjorn Sur’s sons, who invited them

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1 Although Sur means ‘whey,’ Gisli is referred to, not as Thorbjornsson (i.e. son of Thorbjorn), but Sursson after his father’s nickname.

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TH E COMPLETE SAGAS OF ICELANDERS

home when the assembly was over. They had already accepted an invitation to the home of Thorkel the Wealthy, but after they had visited him they went off to Gisli and Thorkel’s farm and enjoyed an excellent feast there. Thorgrim, the son of Thorstein, found Thordis, the sister of Gisli and Thorkel, very attractive and asked for her hand in marriage. She was betrothed to him and the wedding followed soon in the wake of the betrothal. Thordis had the farm at Saebol as her dowry and Thorgrim moved west to live there with her. Bork, how­ ever, remained at Thorsnes with his sister’s sons, Outlaw-Stein and Thorodd. Thorgrim now lived at Saebol, and Gisli and Thorkel moved to Hoi where they built a good farmhouse. The two farms, Hoi and Saebol lay side by side, divided by a hayfield wall, and both parties lived there on friendly terms. Thorgrim had a godord and stood well by the two brothers. One spring, they left for the Spring Assembly with forty men, all of them wearing coloured clothes. Vestein, Gisli’s brother-in-law, joined up with them and so did the men from Surnadal. There was a man named Gest, son of Oddleif. He arrived at the assembly and shared a booth with Thorkel the Wealthy. The men from Surnadal were sitting in the Haukadal booth drinking, while the others were at court because there were lawsuits to be heard. A man came into the Haukadal booth, a noisy fellow called Arnor, and spoke to them: “You Haukadal people don’t seem to want to do anything other than drink while your thingmen are dealing with important matters. That’s what everyone thinks, though I’m the only one to say so.” Then Gisli said, “We had better go to court. It could well be that the others are saying the same.” So they all walked over to the court where Thorgrim asked if any of them needed his support. “Having pledged our support, we will do all in our power to help you, as long as we are standing,” he told them. Then Thorkel the Wealthy answered, “The matters that men are concerned with at present are of little importance, but we will let you know if we need your sup­ port.” People began to talk about how much finery the group possessed, how imposing they were and how well they spoke. Then Thorkel said to Gest, “How long do you expect the ardour and arrogance of these people from Haukadal to last?” Gest answered, “Three summers from now, the men in that party will no longer see eye to eye.” Now Arnor was present while they were talking and he rushed into the Haukadal men’s booth and told them what had been said. Gisli answered, “I am sure this report is correct, but let us make certain that his prediction does not come true. And I see a good way to avert it. We four will make

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our bond of friendship even stronger than before by pledging our sworn brother­ hood.” This seemed good counsel to them, so they walked out to Eyrarhvolsoddi and scored out a long strip of turf, making sure that both ends were still attached to the ground. Then they propped up the arch of raised turf with a damascened spear so long-shafted that a man could stretch out his arm and touch the rivets. All four of them had to go under it, Thorgrim, Gisli, Thorkel and Vestein. Then they drew blood and let it drip down onto the soil beneath the turf strip and stirred it together - the soil and the blood. Then they all fell to their knees and swore an oath that each would avenge the other as if they were brothers, and they called on all the gods as their witnesses. But as they all clasped hands, Thorgrim said, “I will have enough trouble to deal with if I so bind myself to Thorkel and Gisli, my brothers-in-law, but I bear no obligation to Vestein” - and he quickly withdrew his hand. “Then others may do the same,” said Gisli, and he withdrew his hand, too. “I will not burden myself with ties to a man who refuses to bind himself to Vestein, my brother-in-law.” They were all deeply affected by this. Then Gisli said to Thorkel, his brother, “This is what 1 thought would happen. What has taken place here will come to nothing. I suspect fate will take its course now.” After this, everyone went home from the assembly. That summer, a ship arrived in Dyrafjord owned by two brothers from Norway. One was named Thorir and the other Thorarin, and they were from the fjord of Oslo. Thorgrim rode out to the ship and bought four hundreds of timber, paying part of the sum immediately and leaving the balance until later. Then the traders put up ship in the Sandar estuary and found a place to lodge. There was a man named Odd, the son of Orlyg, who lived at Eyri in Skutilsfjord. Thorgrim lodged the skipper and the helmsman at his house, then he sent his son, Thorodd, to examine the timber and count the pieces because he wanted it brought to his house soon. Thorodd went and took the timber and examined it, and found that it was far from being the bargain his father had described. Then he spoke harshly to the Norwegians, which they could not tolerate, and they set about him and killed him. After this, the Norwegians left their ship and travelled about Dyrafjord, where they obtained some horses and then headed off towards their lodgings. They trav­ elled all day and night, eventually arriving at a valley that leads up out of Skutils­ fjord. They ate breakfast there and then went to sleep. When Thorgrim heard the news, he set out from home without delay, had some­ one ferry him across the fjord, and then pursued the Norwegians alone. He arrived at the spot where they were sleeping and woke Thorarin by prodding at him with the shaft of his spear. Thorarin jumped up and, recognising his assailant, was about to grab his sword, but Thorgrim thrust out with his spear and killed him. Then

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TH E COM PLETE SAGAS OF ICELANDERS

Thorir awoke, ready to avenge his brother, but Thorgrim speared him clean through. The place is now called Dagverdardal (Breakfast Dale) and Austmannafall (Eastman’s Fall). This done, Thorgrim returned home and became renowned as a result of this expedition. Thorgrim remained at his farm for the winter and when spring arrived, he and his brother-in-law, Thorkel, fitted out the ship that had belonged to the Norwe­ gians. The two men from Oslo Fjord had been great trouble-makers in Norway and they had not been safe there. With the ship fully ready, Thorgrim and Thorkel set sail. That summer, Vestein and Gisli also set off from Skeljavik in Steingrimsfjord. Thus both ships were at sea. Onund from Medaldal was left in charge of Thorkel and Gisli’s farm, while Outlaw-Stein and Thordis took care of the farm at Saebol. All this took place when Harald Grey-cloak ruled Norway. Thorgrim and Thorkel came ashore in the north of that country and soon afterwards arrived at the court, where they presented themselves to the king and greeted him warmly. The king gave them a friendly welcome and they pledged themselves as his followers. They became wealthy and well respected. Gisli and Vestein had been at sea for more than fifty days and nights when they eventually ran ashore at Hordaland. It was early winter, in the dead of night, and a great blizzard was blowing. Their ship was wrecked, but the crew escaped drowning and the goods were salvaged. There was a man named Beard-Bjalfi, who owned a trading ship and was about to set out south for Denmark. Gisli and Vestein asked him if they could buy a half share in the ship. He replied that he had heard that they were decent men and agreed to the deal. They responded at once by giving him gifts worth more than the price of their share. They sailed south to Denmark and arrived at a place called Viborg, staying the winter there with a man named Sigurhadd. There were three of them, Vestein, Gisli and Bjalfi, and they were all good friends and gave each other gifts. Early in the spring, Bjalfi prepared his ship to sail for Iceland. There was a man named Sigurd, a trading partner of Vestein’s and a Norwegian by birth, who at that time was living out west in England. He sent word to Vestein, saying that he wanted to break up their partnership, claiming that he no longer needed Vestein’s money. Vestein asked Gisli’s leave to go and meet the man. “Then you must promise me,” said Gisli, “if you return safely, you will never leave Iceland again without my consent.” Vestein agreed to these terms. One morning Gisli arose early and went out to the smithy. He was a very skilled craftsman and a man of many talents. He made a coin, worth no less than an ounce of silver, and riveted it together with twenty studs, ten on each half, so that the coin appeared whole even though it could be separated into two halves. It is said that he pulled the coin apart and gave one half to Vestein, asking him to keep it as a token.

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“We will only have these sent to each other if our lives are in danger,” said Gisli. “And something tells me that we will need to send them, even though we may never meet each other again.” Vestein then went west to England. Gisli and Bjalfi made for Norway, and in the summer they sailed to Iceland. They became wealthy and well-respected men and eventually parted on good terms, Bjalfi buying Gisli’s share of the ship. Then Gisli went west to Dyrafjord on a cargo vessel with eleven men. Thorkel and Thorgrim made their ship ready in another place and they arrived at the Haukadal estuary in Dyrafjord later on the same day that Gisli had sailed in on board the cargo vessel. They met up soon afterwards and greeted each other warmly, then each of them went off to his own home. Thorgrim and Thorkel had also become wealthy. Thorkel was a proud man, and did not work on the farm. Gisli, on the other hand, worked day and night. One day when the weather was fine, Gisli sent all his men out haymaking - ex­ cept Thorkel. He was the only man left at the farmhouse, and he laid himself out in the fire-room after having finished his breakfast. The fire-room was a hundred feet long and sixty feet wide and on its south side was the women’s area, where Aud and Asgerd sat sewing. When Thorkel woke up he went over to the women’s area be­ cause he heard voices coming from it, and he lay down close by. Asgerd was speaking: “Aud, could you please cut out a shirt for my husband, Thorkel?” “I’m no better than you at such things,” said Aud, “and, besides, you would not have asked for my help if you had been cutting out a shirt for my brother, Vestein.” “That’s a separate issue,” said Asgerd, “and, to my mind, will remain so for some time.” “I’ve known what was going on for quite a while,” said Aud, “and we shall not say any more about it.” “I cannot see anything wrong with my liking Vestein,” said Asgerd. “What’s more, I’ve heard tell that you and Thorgrim saw a lot of each other before you mar­ ried Gisli.” “There was no shame in that,” said Aud. “I was never unfaithful to Gisli and have therefore brought no disgrace upon him. We shall stop talking about this now.” But Thorkel heard every word they spoke, and when they stopped, he said:

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3. Hear a great wonder, hear o f peace broken, hear o f a great matter, hear o f a death - one man’s or more.

And after this he went inside.

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TH E COMPLETE SAGAS OF ICELANDERS

Then Aud spoke: “Women’s gossip often leads to trouble, and here it may turn out to be the worst kind of trouble. We must seek counsel.” “I’ve thought of a plan,” said Asgerd, “that I think will work for me. But I do not see what you can do.” “What is it?” asked Aud. “I’ll put my arms around Thorkel’s neck when we are in bed and say it’s a lie. Then he’ll forgive me.” “That will not be enough to prevent harm coming from this,” said Aud. “What will you do?” asked Asgerd. “Tell my husband, Gisli, everything I have left unsaid as well as all that to which I cannot find a solution.” That evening Gisli came home from the haymaking. Usually, Thorkel would have thanked his brother for doing this work, but now he was silent and did not utter a word. Gisli asked him if he was feeling unwell. “I am not sick” said Thorkel, “but this is worse than sickness.” “Have I done anything to upset you?” said Gisli. “No, not a thing,” said Thorkel, “but you will find out eventually what this is about.” And then each of them went about his business and there was no more talk of the matter at that time. Thorkel ate very little that evening and was the first to retire to bed. Once he was there, Asgerd came to him, lifted the blanket, and was about to lie down when Thorkel said, “I will not have you lying here tonight, nor for a very long time to come.” Asgerd replied, “Why this sudden change? What is the reason for this?” “We both know what’s behind this,” said Thorkel, “though I have been kept in the dark about it for a long time. It will not help your reputation if I speak more plainly.” “You think what you will,” answered Asgerd, “but I am not going to argue with you about whether I may sleep in this bed or not. You have a choice - either you take me in and act as if nothing has happened or I will call witnesses this minute, divorce you and have my father reclaim my bride-price and my dowry. Then you wouldn’t have to worry about my taking up room in your bed ever again.” Thorkel was quiet for a while, then he said, “I advise you to do as you wish. I shall not stop you from sleeping here all night.” She soon made clear what she wanted to do, and they had not been lying togeth­ er for too long before they made up as if nothing had happened. Aud got into bed with Gisli, told him what she and Asgerd had been talking about. She asked him not to be angry with her, but to see if he could think of a rea­ sonable plan. “I see no plan that will work,” he said, “but I shall not be angry with you for this. Fate must find someone to speak through. Whatever is meant to happen will happen.”

GISLI SURSSON’S SAGA

11

The year wore on and the Moving Days came round again. Thorkel asked his A ^ brother Gisli to have a talk with him. “It’s like this, brother,” he said. “I have a few changes in mind that I’m disposed to carry out, and along these lines: 1 want to divide up our wealth and start farming with Thorgrim, my brother-in-law.” Gisli answered him, “What brothers own jointly is best seen together. I would ap­ preciate having things remain as they are and that we make no division.” uWe cannot go on like this any longer,” said Thorkel, “jointly owning the farm. It will lead to great loss. You have always dealt with the work and the responsibility of the farm alone, and nothing comes of anything I take a hand in.” “Do not concern yourself with this,” said Gisli, “while I say nothing of it. We have been both on good and bad terms with each other.” “That’s not what’s behind it,” said Thorkel. “The wealth must be divided, and since I demand this division, you may have the farm and the land and I will take the movable goods.” “If there is no other way than to separate, then do whatever you wish. I do not mind whether I do the dividing or the choosing.” So it ended with Gisli dealing with the division. Thorkel chose the goods while Gisli had the land. They also divided the dependants - two children, a boy named Geirmund and a girl named Gudrid. The girl went with Gisli and the boy with Thorkel. Thorkel went to his brother-in-law and lived with him, while Gisli was left with the farm which he felt was none the worse for the loss. Summer drew to a close and the Winter Nights began. In those days, it was the general custom to celebrate the coming of winter by holding feasts and a Winter Nights’ sacrifice. Gisli no longer sacrificed after he left Viborg, but he still held feasts and showed the same magnanimity as before. Then, as the aforementioned time approached, he made everything ready for a magnificent feast and invited both Thorkels - that is, Thorkel Eiriksson and Thorkel the Wealthy - as well as the sons of Bjartmar, who were Aud’s uncles, and many other friends and acquaintances. On the day the guests arrived, Aud said, “If the truth be told, there is one person missing whom I wish was here.” “Who is that?” asked Gisli. “Vestein, my brother. I wish he were here to enjoy this feast with us.” “That’s not how I feel,” said Gisli. “I would gladly pay a great deal for him not to come here now.” And that ended their conversation. YY There was a man named Thorgrim, who was known as Thorgrim Nef (Nose). He lived at Nefsstadir on the east side of the Haukadalsa river and was versed in all manner of spells and magic - the worst kind of sorcerer imaginable. Thorgrim and Thorkel invited him home because they were also holding a feast. Thorgrim Nef was a very skilled blacksmith, and it is told that both Thorgrim and Thorkel

AA

12

TH E COM PLETE SAGAS OF ICELANDERS

went to the smithy and locked themselves in. Then they took out the fragments of Grey-side, of which Thorkel had taken possession when he split up with his broth­ er, Gisli, and Thorgrim Nef made a spearhead out of them. By evening the spear­ head was completely finished. The blade was damascened, and the shaft about a hand in length. This matter must rest here for a while. The story goes on to say that Onund from Medaldal came to Gisli’s feast and took him aside to tell him that Vestein had returned to Iceland and “is to be expect­ ed here.” Gisli reacted quickly and summoned two of his farmhands, Hallvard and Havard, whom he told to go north to Onundarfjord to meet Vestein. “Give him my greetings,” said Gisli, “and tell him to stay where he is and wait until I come to visit him. He must not come to the feast at Haukadal.” He then handed them a small knotted kerchief in which was wrapped the half­ coin token, in case Vestein did not believe their story. They left and took the boat from Haukadal. Then they rowed to Laekjaros and went ashore to see Bersi, a farmer who lived at Bersastadir. They informed him that Gisli had requested that he lend them two of his horses, which were known as Bandvettir (Tied-together) - the fastest horses in the fjords. He lent them the horses and they rode until they reached Mosvellir, and from there towards Hest. Now Vestein rode out from home, and it turned out that as he rode below the sandbank at Mosvellir, the two brothers, Hallvard and Havard, rode over the top of it. Thus he and they missed each other in passing. Y O There was a man named Thorvard who lived at Holt. His farmhands had been arguing about some task and had struck each other with scythes, so that both were wounded. Vestein came by and had them settle their differences so that they were both satisfied. Then he rode on to Dyrafjord with his two Norwegian compan­ ions. Hallvard and Havard reached Hest and heard that Vestein had in fact already left. They rode after him as fast as they could and when they reached Mosvellir, they could see men riding down in the valley but there was a hill between them. They rode into Bjarnadal and when they reached Arnkelsbrekka both their horses gave out. They took to their feet and began to shout. Vestein and his companions had reached the Gemlufall heath before they heard the men shouting, but they waited there for Hallvard and Havard who conveyed Gisli’s message and presented him with the coin which Gisli had sent him. Vestein took a coin from the purse which hung from his belt and turned very red in the face. “What you say is true,” he said. “I would have turned back if you had met me sooner, but now all waters flow towards Dyrafjord and that is where I shall ride. Be­ sides, I want to. The Norwegians will turn back, but you two shall go by boat,” said Vestein, “and tell Gisli and my sister that I am on my way to them.”

GISLI SURSSON’S SAGA

13

They went home and told Gisli what had happened and he answered: “Then this is the way it has to be.” Vestein went to see his kinswoman, Luta, at Gemlufall and she had him ferried across the fjord. “Vestein,” she said to him, “be on your guard. You will have good need.” He was ferried across to Thingeyri. A man called Thorvald Gneisti (Spark) lived there. Vestein went to his house and Thorvald lent him his horse. Then he rode out with his own saddle gear and had bells on his bridle. Thorvald accompanied him as far as Sandar estuary and offered to go with him all the way to Gisli’s. Vestein told him that was not necessary. “Much has changed in Haukadal,” said Thorvald. “Be on your guard.” Then they parted. Vestein rode onward until he reached Haukadal. There was not a cloud in the sky and the moon shone. At Thorgrim and Thorkel’s farm, Geirmund and a woman called Rannveig were bringing in the cattle. Rannveig put them in stalls after Geir­ mund drove them in to her. At that moment, Vestein rode by and met Geirmund. Geirmund spoke, “Don’t stop here at Saebol. Go on to Gisli’s. And be on your guard.” Rannveig came out of the byre, looked at the man closely, and thought she rec­ ognised him. And when all the cattle were inside, she and Geirmund began to argue about who the man was as they made their way to the farmhouse. Thorgrim was sitting by the fire with the others and he asked what they were quarrelling about and whether they had seen or met anyone. “I thought I saw Vestein stop by,” said Rannveig. “He was wearing a black cloak, held a spear in his hand, and had bells on his bridle.” “And what do you say, Geirmund?” asked Thorgrim. “I couldn’t see very well, but I think he was one of Onund’s farmhands from Medaldal, wearing Gisli’s cloak. He had Onund’s saddle gear and carried a fishing spear with something dangling from it.” “Now one of you is lying,” said Thorgrim. “Rannveig, you go over to Hoi and find out what’s going on.” Rannveig went there, and arrived at the door just as the men had started drink­ ing. Gisli was standing in the doorway. He greeted her and invited her inside. She told him that she had to get back home, but “I would like to meet the young girl, Gudrid.” Gisli called to the girl, but there was no response. “Where is your wife, Aud?” asked Rannveig. “She is here,” said Gisli. Aud came out and asked what Rannveig wanted. Rannveig said that it was only a trivial matter, but got no further. Gisli told her either to come inside or go home. She left and looked even more foolish than before - if that were possible - and she had no news to tell. The following morning Vestein had the two bags of goods brought to him which

14

THE COMPLETE SAGAS OF ICELANDERS

the brothers, Hallvard and Havard, had taken back with them. He took out a tap­ estry sixty fathoms long and a head-dress made from a piece of cloth some thirty ells long with three gold strands woven along its length, and three finger bowls worked with gold. He brought these out as gifts for his sister, for Gisli, and for his sworn brother, Thorkel - if he would accept them. Gisli went with Thorkel the Wealthy and Thorkel Eiriksson to Saebol to tell his brother that Vestein had come and that he had brought gifts for both of them. Gisli showed him the gifts and asked his brother to choose what he wanted. Thorkel answered, “It would be better if you took them all. I don’t want to accept these gifts - I cannot see how they will be repaid.” And he was determined not to accept them. Gisli went home and felt that every­ thing was pointing in one direction. 4 £ Then something unusual happened at Hoi. Gisli slept unsoundly for two sucA ^ cessive nights and people asked him what he had dreamt. He did not want to tell them. On the third night, after everyone was fast asleep in bed, such a heavy gust of wind hit the house that it took off all the roofing on one side. At the same time, the heavens opened and rain fell like never before. Naturally, it poured into the house where the roof had split. Gisli sprang to his feet and rallied his men to cover the hay. There was a slave at Gisli’s house named Thord, known as the Coward. He stayed home while Gisli and almost all his men went out to attend to the haystacks. Vestein offered to go with them but Gisli did not want him to. And then, when the house began to leak badly, Vestein and Aud moved their beds lengthways down the room. Everyone else except these two had deserted the house. Just before daybreak, someone entered the house silently and walked over to where Vestein was lying. He was already awake but before he knew what was hap­ pening, a spear was thrust at him and went right through his breast. As Vestein took the blow, he spoke: “Struck there,” he said. Then the man left. Vestein tried to stand up, but as he did so he fell down beside the bedpost, dead. Aud awoke and called out to Thord the Coward and asked him to remove the weapon from the wound. At that time, whoever drew a weapon from a death wound was obliged to take revenge, and when a weapon was thus left in the fatal wound it was called secret manslaughter rather than murder. Thord was so frightened of corpses that he dared not come near the body. Then Gisli came in, saw what was happening and told Thord to calm down. He took the spear from the wound himself and threw it, still covered in blood, into a trunk so that no one might see it, then sat down on the edge of the bed. Then he had Vestein’s body made ready for burial according to the custom in those days. Vestein’s death was a great sorrow both to Gisli and the others. Then Gisli said to his foster-daughter, Gudrid, “Go to Saebol and find out what they are up to there. I’m sending you because I trust you best in this as in other matters. Make sure you tell me what they are doing.”

GISLI SURSSON’S SAGA

15

Gudrid left and arrived at Saebol. Both Thorgrims and Thorkel had arisen and sat fully armed. When she came in no one hurried to greet her. Indeed, most of them said nothing at all. Thorgrim, though, asked her what news she brought and she told them of Vestein’s death, or murder. Thorkel answered: “There was a time when we would have regarded that as news indeed.” “A man has died,” said Thorgrim, “to whom we must all pay our respects by honouring his funeral and by making a burial mound for him. There’s no denying that this is a great loss. Tell Gisli we will come there today.” She went home and told Gisli that Thorgrim sat fully armed with helmet and sword, that Thorgrim Nef had a wood axe in his hand and that Thorkel had a sword which was drawn a hand’s breadth - “all the men there were risen from their beds, some of them were armed.” “That was to be expected,” said Gisli. W

l Gisli and all his men prepared to build a mound for Vestein in the sandbank that stood on the far side of Seftjorn pond below Saebol. And while Gisli was on his way there, Thorgrim set out for the burial place with a large group of men. When they had decked out Vestein’s body according to the ways of the time, Thorgrim went to Gisli and said, “It is a custom to tie Hel-shoes1 to the men that they may wear them on their journey to Valhalla, and I will do that for Vestein.” And when he had done this, he said, “If these come loose then I don’t know how to bind Hel-shoes.” After this they sat down beside the mound and talked together. They thought it highly unlikely that anyone would know who committed the crime. Thorkel asked Gisli, “How is Aud taking her brother’s death? Does she weep much?” “You assume you already know,” said Gisli. “She shows little and suffers greatly.” Then he said, “I dreamt a dream the night before last and last night too, and though my dreams indicate who did the slaying, I will not say. I dreamt the first night that a viper wriggled out from a certain farm and stung Vestein to death and, on the second night, I dreamt that a wolf ran out from the same farm and bit Ve­ stein to death. I have not told either dream until now because 1 did not want them to come true.” And he spoke a verse:

Ai

4. Better, I believed, to remember Vestein gladdened with mead where we sat drinking

1 Shoes tied to the feet of a dead man. The Norse underworld Hel should not be confused with the Christian hell.

TH E COM PLETE SAGAS OF ICELANDERS

16

in Sigurhadd’s hall, and none came between us, than to wake a third time from so dark a dream.

Then Thorkel asked, “How is Aud taking her brother’s death? Does she weep much?” “You keep asking this, brother,” said Gisli. “You are very curious to know.” Gisli spoke this verse: 5. In secret, bowed beneath the cover o f her bonnet, she, gold o f goddess given, lacks solace o f sound sleep. From both kindly eyes and down her cheeks flows the dew o f distress for a brother lost forever.

g o ld o f g o ddess given:

d e w o f distress:

woman

tears

And again he spoke a verse: 6. Like a stream fast flowing, sorrow, the death o f laughter, through the brow’s white woods forces tears down into her lap. The snake-lair’s goddess, her weeping eyes swollen with bitter fruit, looks to me, Odin’s craftsman, for consolation.

b ro w 's w h ite woods:

sn a k e lair,

eyelashes

bed of gold; its goddess: woman

O d in 's craftsm an : poet

After that, the two brothers went home together. Then Thorkel said, “These are sad tidings and you will bear them with greater grief than we, but each man has to look out for himself and I hope you don’t let this affect you so much that people begin to suspect anything. I would like to have the games begin again and things to be as good as they have ever been between us.” “That is well spoken, and I will gladly comply,” said Gisli, “but on one condition - if anything takes place in your life that pains you as badly as this pains me, you must promise to behave in the same manner as you now ask of me.” Thorkel agreed to this. Then they went home and Vestein’s funeral feast was held. When it was over, everyone went back to his own home and all was quiet again. -f t í The games now started up as if nothing had happened. Gisli and his brotherA w in-law, Thorgrim, usually played against each other. There was some disagree­ ment as to who was the stronger, but most people thought it was Gisli. They played ball games at Seftjorn pond and there was always a large crowd.

GISLI SURSSON’S SAGA

17

One day, when the gathering was even larger than usual, Gisli suggested that the game be evenly matched. “That’s exactly what we want,” said Thorkel. “W hat’s more, we don’t want you to hold back against Thorgrim. Word is going around that you are not giving your all. I’d be pleased to see you honoured if you are the stronger.” “We have not been fully proven against each other yet,” said Gisli, “but perhaps it’s leading up to that.” They started the game and Thorgrim was outmatched. Gisli brought him down and the ball went out of play. Then Gisli went for the ball, but Thorgrim held him back and stopped him from getting it. Then Gisli tackled Thorgrim so hard that he could do nothing to stop falling. His knuckles were grazed, blood rushed from his nose and the flesh was scraped from his knees. Thorgrim rose very slowly, looked towards Vestein’s burial mound, and said: 7. Spear screeched in his wound sorely - I cannot be sorry.

Running, Gisli took the ball and pitched it between Thorgrim’s shoulder-blades. The blow thrust him flat on his face. Then Gisli said: 8. Ball smashed his shoulders broadly - I cannot be sorry.

Thorkel sprang to his feet and said, “It’s clear who is the strongest and the most highly accomplished. Now, let’s put an end to this.” And so they did. The games drew to a close, summer wore on, and there was a growing coldness between Thorgrim and Gisli. Thorgrim decided to hold a feast at the end of autumn to celebrate the coming of the Winter Nights. There was to be a sacrifice to Frey, and he invited his brother, Bork, Eyjolf Thordarson and many other men of distinction. Gisli also prepared a feast and invited his relatives from Arnarfjord, as well as the two Thorkels, Thorkel the Wealthy and Thorkel Eiriksson. No fewer than sixty people were expected to ar­ rive. There was to be drinking at both places and the floor at Saebol was strewn with rushes from Seftjorn pond. Thorgrim and Thorkel were getting their preparations under way and were about to hang up some tapestries in the house because the guests were expected that eve­ ning. Thorgrim said to Thorkel, “It would be a fine thing now to have those tapestries that Vestein wanted to give to you. It seems to me there’s quite a difference between owning them outright and never having them at all. I wish you’d have them sent for.”

18

T H E COM PLETE SAGAS OF ICELANDERS

Thorkel answered, “A wise man does all things in moderation. I will not have them sent for.” “Then I shall do it,” said Thorgrim, and he asked Geirmund to go. Geirmund answered him, “I don’t mind working, but I have no desire to go over there.” Then Thorgrim went up to him, slapped his face hard and said, “Go now then, if that makes you feel any better about it.” “I’ll go,” said Geirmund, “though it seems worse. But you may be certain that I will give you the filly of this foal you’ve given me, and you’ll reap no less than full payment.” Then he left. When he reached Gisli’s house, Gisli and Aud were about to hang up the tapestries. Geirmund told them of why he was sent and all that had been said. “Do you want to lend the tapestries, Aud?” asked Gisli. “You know that I would have neither this nor any other good befall them, nor in­ deed anything that would add to their honour. That is not why you asked me.” “What was my brother Thorkel’s wish?” asked Gisli. “He approved of my coming for them.” “That is reason enough,” said Gisli, and he went with Geirmund part of the way and then handed over the tapestries. Gisli walked as far as the hayfield wall with him and said, “Now this is how things stand - I believe that I have made your journey worthwhile, and I want your help in a matter that concerns me. A gift always looks to be repaid. I want you to unbolt three of the doors tonight. Remember how you came to be sent on this errand.” Geirmund answered, “Will your brother Thorkel be in any danger?” “None at all,” said Gisli. “Then it will be done,” said Geirmund. When he returned home he threw down the tapestries and Thorkel said, “There is no one like Gisli when it comes to forebearance. He has outdone us here.” “This is what we needed,” said Thorgrim, and he put up the tapestries. Later that evening the guests arrived and the weather began to thicken. In the still of the night, the snow drifted down and covered all the paths. That evening Bork and Eyjolf arrived with sixty men, so that there were one A w hundred and twenty all told at Saebol and half as many at Gisli’s. Later they began to drink and after that they all went to bed and slept. Gisli said to his wife, “I have not fed Thorkel the Wealthy’s horse. Walk with me and bolt the door, but stay awake while I am gone. When I come back, unbolt the door again.” He took the spear, Grey-side, from the trunk and, wearing a black cloak, a shirt and linen underbreeches, he walked down to the stream that ran between the two farms and which was the water source for both. He took the path to the stream,

GISLI SURSSONTS SAGA

19

then waded through it until he reached the path that led to Saebol. Gisli knew the layout of the farmstead at Saebol because he had built it. There was a door that led into the house from the byre, and that is where he entered. Thirty cows stood on each side. He tied their tails together and closed the byre door, making it impossible for it to be opened from the inside. Then he went to the farmhouse. Geirmund had done his work - the doors were unbolted. Gisli walked in and closed them again, just as they had been that evening. He took his time doing this, then stood still and listened to see whether anyone was awake. He discovered that they were all asleep. There were lights burning in three places in the house. He picked up some rushes from the floor, stranded them together, then threw them at one of the lights. It went out. He waited to see whether this had woken anyone and discovered that it had not. Then he picked up another bundle of rushes and threw it at the next light, putting that out too. Then he noticed that not everyone was asleep. He saw the hand of a young man reach for the third light, take down the lamp-holder and snuff the flame. He walked farther into the house and up to the bed closet where his sister, Thordis, and Thorgrim slept. The door was pulled to, and they were both in bed. He went to the bed, groped about inside and touched his sister’s breast. She was sleep­ ing on the near side. Then Thordis said, “Why is your hand so cold, Thorgrim?” and thereby woke him up. Thorgrim replied, “Do you want me to turn towards you?” She thought it had been his hand that touched her. Gisli waited a little longer, warming his hand inside his tunic, while the couple fell asleep again. Then he touched Thorgrim lightly, waking him. Thorgrim thought that Thordis had roused him and he turned towards her. Gisli then pulled the bedclothes off them with one hand and with the other he plunged Grey-side through Thorgrim so that it stuck fast in the bed. Then Thordis cried out, “Everyone wake up. Thorgrim, my husband, has been killed!” Gisli turned quickly towards the byre, leaving the way he had planned, and then locked up securely after himself. He headed home the same way he had come, leav­ ing no sign of his tracks. Aud unbolted the door as he arrived and he went to his bed as if nothing were amiss and as though he had done nothing. All the men at Saebol were exceedingly drunk and no one knew what to do. They had been caught off guard, and therefore did nothing that was either useful or ap­ propriate in the situation. Eyjolf spoke, “An evil and serious thing has happened here and no one has his A / wits about him. I think we had better light the lamps and man the doors quickly to prevent the killer from getting out.” That was done, but when there was no trace of the killer, everyone thought it must have been one of their own number who did the deed.

20

T H E C O M P L E T E SAGAS O F IC ELA N D ER S

It was not long until dawn came. Then Thorgrim’s body was taken and the spear removed, and he was made ready for burial. Sixty men set out to Gish's farm at Hoi. Thord the Coward stood outside and when he saw the band of men he ran in­ side and said that an army was approaching the farm. He was jabbering wildly. “This is good," said Gisli, and he spoke a verse: 9. Words could not fell me, by the fullest o f means. I, battle-oak, have brought death’s end to many a man, making my sword’s mouth speak. Let us go our ways silently; though the cove-stallion’s rider be fallen, trouble is astir.

battle-oak warrior

cove-stallion’s rider, seafarer, i.e. warrior

Thorkel and Eyjolf came to the farmhouse and walked over to the bed-closet where Gisli and his wife lay. Thorkel, Gisli's brother, went right up to the closet and saw that Gish's shoes were lying there, covered in ice and snow. He pushed them under the foot-board so that no one else would see them. Gisli greeted them and asked what news they brought. Thorkel told him that there were ill tidings and of great magnitude, then asked Gisli what lay behind all this and what they should do. “Great deeds and ill deeds often fall within each other’s shadow,” said Gisli. “We will take it upon ourselves to make a burial mound for Thorgrim. This we owe you, and it is our duty to carry it out with honour.” They accepted his offer and all returned to Saebol together to build a mound. They laid Thorgrim out in a boat and raised the mound in accordance with the old ways. When the mound had been sealed, Gisli walked to the mouth of the river and lifted a stone so heavy it was more like a boulder. He dropped it into the boat with such a resounding crash that almost every plank of wood gave way. “If the weather shifts this,” he said, “then I don't know how to fasten a boat.” Some people remarked that this was not unlike what Thorgrim had done with Vestein when he spoke of the Hel-shoes. Everyone then prepared to go home from the funeral. Gisli said to his brother, Thorkel, “I believe you owe it to me that we be as friendly as we have ever been in the past - and now let's begin the games.” Thorkel agreed to this readily, and they both returned home. Gisli had a good many men at his house, and when the feast was over, he bestowed good gifts on all his guests. They drank Thorgrim’s wake and Bork gave good gifts of friendship to many A v of the company. The next matter of serious account was that Bork paid Thorgrim Nef to perform a magic ritey and to this effect - that however willing people might be to help

21

GISLI SURSSON’S SAGA

the man who slew Thorgrim, their assistance should be of no avail. A nine-year-old gelding ox was given to Thorgrim for the magic rite, which he then performed. He prepared what he needed to carry it out, building a scaffold on which to practice his obscene and black art in despicable perversity. Another thing happened that was accounted strange - the snow never settled on the south-west of Thorgrim’s burial mound, nor showed any sign of frost. People suggested that Frey had been so endeared by the sacrifices Thorgrim had made to him that the god had not wanted the ground between them to freeze. Such was the situation throughout the winter while the brothers held their games together. Bork moved in with Thordis and married her. She was with child at the time, and soon gave birth to a boy. He was sprinkled with water and at first named Thorgrim after his father. However, when he grew up he was thought to be so badtempered and restless that his name was changed to Snorri the Godi. Bork lived there for a while and took part in the games. There was a woman named Audbjorg who lived farther up the valley at Annmarkastadir. She was Thorgrim Nefs sister and once had a husband whose name was Thorkel, but who was nicknamed Annmarki (Flaw). Her son, Thorstein, was one of the strongest at the games, aside from Gisli. Gisli and Thorstein were always on the same side in the games, pitched against Bork and Thorkel. One day, a great crowd of people came to see the game because they wanted to find out who was the strongest and the best player. And it was the same here as any­ where else - the more people arrived to watch, the greater the eagerness to com­ pete. It is reported that Bork made no headway against Thorstein all day, and finally he became so angry that he broke Thorstein’s bat in two. In response to this, Thor­ stein tackled him and laid him flat out on the ice. When Gisli saw this he told Thorstein that he must put his all into playing against Bork, and then he said, “I’ll exchange bats with you.” This they did, then Gisli sat down and fixed the bat. He looked towards Thorgrim’s burial mound; there was snow on the ground and the women sat on the slope. His sister Thordis was there and many others. Gisli then spoke a verse which should not have been spoken: 10. I saw the shoots reach up through melting frost on the grim Thor’s mound; I slew that sword o f Gaut. Throtf s helmet has slain that tree o f gold, and given one, greedy for new land, a plot o f his own forever.

Thor. i.e. man; word-play on Thorgrim’s name sword of Gaut (Odin): warrior Thrott's (Odin’s) helmet warrior tree of gold: man

Thordis remembered the verse, went home and interpreted what it meant. The game then came to a close and Thorstein went home.

22

TH E COMPLETE SAGAS OF ICELANDERS

There was a man named Thorgeir, known as Orri (Grouse) and who lived at Orrastadir. There was another man, named Berg, and known as Skammfot (Shortleg), who lived at Skammfotarmyri (Short-leg’s Marsh) on the east side of the river. As the men made their way home from the game, Thorstein and Berg began to talk about how it was played, and eventually they began to argue. Berg supported Bork, while Thorstein spoke out against him. Berg hit Thorstein with the back of his axe, but Thorgeir came between them and prevented Thorstein from respond­ ing. Thorstein went home to his mother, Audbjorg, and she bound up his wound. She was displeased about what had befallen him. Old Auðbjorg was so uneasy that she had no sleep that night. It was cold outside, but the air was still and the sky cloudless. She walked several times withershins around the outside of the house, sniffing in all directions. As she did this, the weather broke and a heavy, blustering snowstorm started up. This was followed by a thaw in which a flood of water gushed down the hillside and sent an avalanche of snow crashing into Berg’s farmhouse. It killed twelve men. The traces of the land­ slide can be seen to this day. Thorstein went to meet Gisli, who gave him shelter. From there, he went south to Borgarfjord and then abroad. When Bork received news of the disas­ ter at Berg’s house, he went to Annmarkastadir and had Audbjorg seized. From there she was taken out to Saltnes and stoned to death. After this, Gisli left his home and went to Nefsstadir, where he seized Thorgrim Nef and took him to Saltnes where a sack was placed over his head before he was stoned to death. He was covered over with mud and stones, beside his sister, on the ridge between Haukadal and Medaldal. All was quiet now, and the spring wore on. Bork went south to Thorsnes and was going to settle down there. He felt that his journey west had brought him no hon­ our - he had lost a man of Thorgrim’s calibre and matters had not been put right. He now prepared to go, leaving plans and instructions for what he wanted done at the farm in his absence, since he intended to return to fetch possessions and his wife. Thorkel Sursson also decided to settle at Thorsnes, and made preparations to accompany Bork, his brother-in-law. The story has it that Thordis Sursdottir, Gish’s sister, and Bork’s wife went part of the way with Bork. Bork spoke: “Now, tell me why you were so upset when we broke up the games in the autumn. You promised to tell me before I left here.” They had arrived at Thorgrim’s burial mound while they spoke. Suddenly, Thor­ dis stopped and said she would venture no farther. Then she recited the verse that Gisli had composed when he looked at Thorgrim’s burial place. “And I suspect,” she said, “that you need not look elsewhere concerning Thor­ grim’s slaying. He will rightly be brought to justice.” Bork became enraged at this, and said, “I want to turn back right now and kill

23

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Gisli. On the other hand, I can’t be sure,” he said, “how much truth there is in what Thordis says. It’s just as likely that there’s none. Women’s counsel is often cold.” Thorkel persuaded them to ride on until they reached Sandar estuary, where they stopped and rested their horses. Bork spoke very little. Thorkel said he wanted to meet his friend, Onund, and rode off so fast that he was soon out of sight. Then, he changed direction and rode to Hoi, where he told Gisli what had hap­ pened, how Thordis had discovered the truth and solved the meaning of the verse: “You’ll have to regard the matter as out in the open now.” Gisli fell silent. Then he spoke a verse: 11. My sister, too taken with her fine clothes, lacks the firm-rooted spirit o f Gudrun, Gjuki’s daughter, that sea-fire’s goddess, adorned with pearls, who killed her husband with undaunted courage to avenge her brave brothers.

Gudrun, Gjuki’s daughter, tragic heroine of the Saga of the Volsungs sea-fire: gold; its goddess: woman

“I don’t think I deserved this from her,” said Gisli. “I thought I made it clear sev­ eral times that her honour meant no less to me than my own. There were even times when I put my life in danger for her sake, and now she has pronounced my death sentence. But what I need to know now, brother, is what I can expect from you, considering what I have done.” “1 can give you warning if there is an attempt on your life,” said Thorkel, “but I can afford you no help that might lead to my being accused. I feel I have been greatly wronged by the slaying of Thorgrim, my brother-in-law, my partner and my close friend.” Gisli answered him, “It was unthinkable that a man such as Vestein should not be avenged. I would not have answered you as you now answer me, nor would I do what you propose to do.” Then they parted. Thorkel went to meet Bork and from there they went south to Thorsnes, where Bork put his house in order. Thorkel bought some land at Hvamm on Bardastrond. Then the Summons Days came round, and Bork travelled west with forty men to summon Gisli to the Thorsnes Assembly. Thorkel Sursson was in his party, as were Thorodd and Outlaw-Stein, Bork’s nephews. There was also a Norwegian with them, called Thorgrim. They rode out to the Sandar estuary. Then Thorkel said, “I have a debt to collect at a small farm down here, a little farther on,” and he named the farm. “So I’ll ride out there and pick up what’s due to me. Follow me at your own pace.” Thorkel then rode on ahead and when he reached the farmstead he had men­

24

THE COMPLETE SAGAS OF ICELANDERS

tioned, he asked the farmer’s wife if he might take one of the horses there and let his own stand by the front door. “And throw some homespun cloth over the saddle of my horse,” he said, “and when my companions arrive, tell them I’m sitting in the main room counting the silver.” She lent him a horse and he rode with great haste to the woods at Haukadal, where he met Gisli and told him what was happening - that Bork had come from the west. Now, to return to Bork. He prepared a case against Gisli for the slaying of JH W ' Thorgrim to be presented at the Thorsnes Assembly. At the same time, Gisli had sold his land to Thorkel Eiriksson and received payment in cash, which was es­ pecially convenient for him. He asked his brother Thorkel for advice. In other words, he wanted to know what Thorkel was prepared to do for him and whether he would assist him. Thorkel’s answer was the same as before - he would keep Gisli informed of any planned assault, but stay clear himself of any possible accusations. Then Thorkel rode off and took a route that brought him up behind Bork and the others, thereby slowing down their pace a little. Gisli took two cart-horses and headed for the woods with his valuables. His slave, Thord the Coward, went with him. Gisli said, “You have often shown obedience to me and done what I wanted, and I owe you some reward.” As usual, Gisli was wearing his black cloak and was well dressed. He removed his cape and said, “I want to give you this cloak, my friend, and I want you to enjoy its use right away. Put it on and sit behind on the sled and I’ll lead the horses and wear your cloak.” And that is what they did. Then Gisli said, “Should some men call out to you, make sure you do not answer. If they intend to do you harm, make for the woods.” Thord had as much wits as he had courage, for he had none of either. Gisli led the oxen and Thord, who was a big man, sat high up on the sled thinking he was very finely dressed and showing off. Now Bork and his men saw them as they made their way towards the woods, and they quickly pursued them. When Thord saw what was happening, he jumped down off the sled and made for the woods as fast as he could. They thought he was Gisli and chased him, calling out to him loudly as they ran. Thord made no reply. Instead, he ran as fast as his feet could carry him. The Norwegian, Thorgrim, threw his spear at Thord, catching him so hard between the shoulder blades that he fell face forward to the ground. That was his death blow. Then Bork said, “That was a perfect throw.” The brothers, Outlaw-Stein and Thorodd, agreed that they would pursue the slave and see whether he had any fight in him, and they turned off into the woods. To return to Bork and the others - they came up to the man in the black cloak and pulled back his hood to discover that they had been rather less lucky than they imagined. They had killed Thord the Coward when they had meant to kill Gisli.

GISLI SURSSON’S SAGA

25

The story has it that the brothers, Outlaw-Stein and Thorodd, reached the woods and that Gisli was already there. He saw them and they saw him. Then one of them threw a spear at Gisli, which he caught in mid-flight and threw back at Thorodd. It struck the middle of his body and flew right through him. Outlaw-Stein returned to his companions and told them it was difficult to move around in the woods, but Bork wanted to go there anyway, so that is where they went. When they came to the woods, Thorgrim the Norwegian saw a branch move in one place and threw his spear directly at it, hitting Gisli in the calf of his leg. Gisli threw the spear back and it pierced right through Thorgrim and killed him. The rest of them searched the woods, but they could not find Gisli so they re­ turned to Gisli’s farm and initiated a case against him for killing Thorgrim. They rode home, having taken no valuables from the house. Gisli went up the mountain­ side behind the farm and bound up his wound while Bork and the others were down at his farmstead. When they left, Gisli returned home. Gisli now prepared to leave. He got a boat and loaded it up with his valuables. His wife, Aud, and his foster-daughter, Gudrid, accompanied him to Husanes, where they all went ashore. Gisli went to the farm at Husanes and met a man there who asked him who he was. Gisli told the man as much as he thought he ought to know, but not the truth. Then he picked up a stone and threw it out to a small islet that lay offshore and asked the farmer to have his son do the same thing when he came home - then they would know who he was. But there was no man who could manage it, and thus it was proven once again that Gisli was more skilled than most other men. After this, Gisli returned to the boat and rowed out around the headland and across to Arnarfjord, and from there across a smaller fjord that lies within it, known as Geirthjofsfjord. Here he prepared to settle down, and built himself a homestead at which he stayed for the whole winter. The next thing that happened was that Gisli sent word to Vestein’s uncles, A Helgi, Sigurd and Vestgeir, the sons of Bjartmar, asking them to go to the as­ sembly and offer a settlement for him so that he would not be outlawed. They went to the assembly, but they made no headway with a settlement. Indeed, it was said that they handled matters so badly that they were close to tears before it was over. They related the outcome to Thorkel the Wealthy, saying that they dared not face Gisli to tell him he had been outlawed. Aside from Gisli’s sentence nothing else of note took place at the assembly. Thorkel the Wealthy went to meet Gisli to tell him that he had been outlawed. Then Gisli spoke these verses: 12. The trial at Thorsnes would not thus have gone against me if Vestein’s heart

26

TH E COMPLETE SAGAS OF ICELANDERS

had beat in the breasts o f the sons o f Bjartmar. 13.

My wife’s uncles were downcast when they ought to have been glad. Gold-spenders! They behaved as if they had been pelted with rotten eggs.

gold spenders: generous men

14.

News comes from the north: the assembly is over. Harsh sentence passed on me - no honour there. Giver o f pure gold, this blue-armoured warrior shall cruelly repay both Bork and Stein.

giver of pure gold: generous man

Then Gisli asked the two Thorkels what he might expect of them, and they both replied that they would give him shelter provided it meant no material loss on their parts. Then Thorkel the Wealthy rode home. It is said that Gisli spent three winters at Geirthjofsfjord, staying some of the time with Thorkel Eiriksson. Then he spent another three winters journeying around Iceland, meeting up with various chief­ tains and trying to elicit their support. As a result of Thorgrim Nef s evil arts, and the magic rite and spells he had performed, Gisli had no success in attempting to persuade these chieftains to ally themselves with him; although their support some­ times seemed almost forthcoming, something always obstructed its course. Never­ theless, he spent a long time with Thorkel Eiriksson. By this time he had been out­ lawed for six years. At the end of this period, he dwelt partly in Geirthjofsfjord, at Aud’s farm, and partly in a hut that he had built north of the river. He had another hideout by a ridge that stood on the southern hayfield wall of the farm - and he also stayed there from time to time. Q Q Now when Bork heard of this, he left home and went to meet Eyjolf the * 1 * 1 Grey, who at that time was living at Otradal in Arnarfjord. Bork asked him to go search for the outlaw Gisli and kill him, offering him sixty pieces of silver to do all in his power to find the man. Eyjolf took the money and promised to take care of the matter. There was a man with Eyjolf named Helgi, who was known as Helgi the Spy. He was

27

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sharp-sighted, a fast runner and he knew all the fjords. He was sent to Geirthjofsfjord to find out whether Gisli was there and discovered that there was indeed a man there, but he did not know whether it was Gisli or someone else. He went back and told Eyjolf the situation. Eyjolf said he was sure it was Gisli and he reacted quickly by go­ ing to Geirthjofsfjord with six men. But he did not find Gisli, so he returned home. Gisli was a wise man who dreamt a great deal and whose dreams were prophetic. All knowledgeable men agree that Gisli survived as an outlaw longer than any other man, except Grettir Asmundarson. It is said that one night, when Gisli was staying at Aud’s farm, he slept badly and when he awoke she asked him what he had dreamt. He answered her, 'There arc two women I dream of. One is good to me. The other always tells me something that makes matters worse than ever, and she only prophesies ill for me. Just now I dreamt that I appeared to be walking towards a certain house or hall, and it seemed that I walked into the house and recognised there many of my kinsmen and friends. They sat by fires and drank. And there were seven fires, some of them almost burned out and some burning very bright. Then my good dream-woman came in and said that this signified how many years I had left to live, and she advised me to stop following the old faith for the rest of my life, and to refrain from studying any charms or ancient lore. And she told me to be kind to the deaf and the lame and the poor and the helpless, and that is where my dream ended.” Then Gisli spoke some verses: 15. Bright land of wave’s flame, goddess of gold, I came to a hall where seven fires were burning, to my anguish. On both sides men on benches greeted me kindly, while I, wringer o f verses, wished each and every man there good health

wave's flame, gold; its land: woman goddess of gold: i.e. woman

16. “Consider, noble Norseman,” said the banded goddess, “how many fires burn brightly here in the hall thus many winters are left unlived for him who bears the shield in battle’s storm. Better things soon await you.” 17. “Bringer of death in battle, from words spoken by poets, 2

The Complete Sagas of Icelanders II

banded goddess: woman

28

THE COMPLETE SAGAS OF ICELANDERS

take and learn only what is good,” said Nauma’s gold to me. “Almost nothing is worse, for the burner o f shields, the waster o f sea-fire, than the spoiling o f his name.”

Naumas (goddess’s) gold: woman burner of shields: warrior sea-fire, gold; its waster, man

18. “Do not be the first to kill, nor provoke into fight the gods who answer in battle. Give me your word on this. Help the blind and handless, ring-giver, shield o f Balder. Beware, evil resides in scorn shown to the lame and needy.”

gods (Njord) who answer in battle, warriors

shield of Balder warrior

Q / S To return to Bork, he began to put considerable pressure on Eyjolf. He felt that Eyjolf had not carried out what he wanted and that he had got less than he expected for his money. Bork said he knew for certain that Gisli was in Geirthjofsfjord and he told Eyjolfs men, who were acting as messengers between them, that either Eyjolf must go and search for Gisli or he would go and do it himself. Eyjolf responded quickly and sent Helgi the Spy back to Geirthjofsfjord. This time he had enough food with him and was away for a week, waiting for Gisli to appear. One day, he saw a man emerge from a hiding place and recognised him as Gisli. Helgi made off without delay and told Eyjolf what he had discovered. Eyjolf got ready to leave with eight men, and went off to Aud’s farm in Geir­ thjofsfjord. They did not find Gisli there, so they went and searched the woods, but they could not find him there either. They returned to the farm and Eyjolf offered Aud a large sum of money to disclose Gisli’s whereabouts. But that was the last thing she wanted to do. Then they threatened to hurt her, but that produced no re­ sult and they were forced to return home. The whole expedition was considered laughable, and Eyjolf stayed at home that autumn. Although he had eluded them this time, Gisli knew they would catch him eventually because the distance between them was so short. So he left home and rode out to meet his brother, Thorkel, at Hvamm on Bardastrond. He knocked on the door of the chamber where his brother lay and Thorkel came out to greet him. “I need to know,” said Gisli, “whether you will help me. I expect it of you. I’m in a tight spot and I have long refrained from asking your assistance.” Thorkel answered as before, and said that he would offer him no help that might lead to a case being brought against him. He was willing, however, to give him silver and some horses if Gisli needed them, or anything else he had mentioned earlier. “I can see now,” said Gisli, “that you don’t want to give me any real help. Then

GISLI SURSSON’S SAGA

29

let me have three hundreds of homespun cloth, and be comforted with the thought that from this time on I will ask very little of you.” Thorkel did as he was asked. He gave Gisli the cloth and, in addition, some silver. Gisli said he would accept these but that he would not have acted so ignobly if he had been in his brother's position. Gisli was much affected when they parted. He headed out for Vadil, to Gest Oddleifsson’s mother, Thorgerd. He arrived there be­ fore dawn and knocked on the door. Thorgerd came to answer. She often used to take in outlaws, and had an underground passage. One end of this passage was by the river and the other led into the fire-room of her farmhouse. Traces of this can still be seen. Thorgerd welcomed Gisli warmly: “1 suggest you stay here for a while,” she said, “but I don’t know that I can give you much more than a woman’s help.” Gisli accepted her offer, and added that, considering the kind of help he had had from men, he did not expect women to do any worse by him. He stayed there for the winter and was nowhere treated as well during his days as an outlaw. O Æ

When spring came round again, Gisli went to Geirthjofsfjord because he could no longer be away from his wife, Aud - for they loved each other greatly. He stayed there in hiding until autumn and, as the nights lengthened, he dreamt the same dreams over and over again. The bad dream-woman appeared to him and his dreams grew ever more troubled. One time, when Aud asked him what he had dreamt, he told her. Then he spoke a verse: 19. If old age awaits this battle-spear then my dreams lead me astray. Sjofh’s seamstress, mead-goddess, comes to me in my sleep, and gives this maker o f verses no cause to believe otherwise. Wife, who wears brooches, this keeps me not from sleep.

b a ttle-spear, w a r r io r

Sjoftt's seam stress: w o m a n ; m e a d -g o d d e s s : w o m a n

Then Gisli told her that the evil dream-woman also came to him often, and al­ ways wanted to smear him with gore, bathe him in sacrificial blood and act in a foul manner. 20 . Not all my dreams bode well, yet each o f them must I tell. That woman in my dreams takes all my joy, it seems. As I fall asleep, she appears, and comes to me besmeared

30

THE COM PLETE SAGAS OF ICELANDERS

hideously in human blood, and washes me in gory flood.

And again he spoke: 21. Once more have I told my dream to the makers o f arrow-floods. And words did not fail me. Eir’s gold, battle-thirsty men, had me made an outlaw. They will surely feel my weapons bite their armour if rage comes upon me now.

arrow -floods:

Eir*s

batde

(goddess's)

gold:

woman

Things were quiet for a while. Gisli went back to Thorgerd and stayed with her for another winter, returning to Geirthjofsfjord the following summer where he stayed until autumn. Then he went once again to his brother, Thorkel, and knocked on his door. Thorkel did not want to come out, so Gisli took a piece of wood, scored runes on it and threw it into the house. Thorkel saw the piece of wood, picked it up, looked at it and then stood up and went outside. He greeted Gisli and asked him what news he brought. Gisli said he had none to tell: “I’ve come to meet you, brother, for the last time. Assist me worthily now and I will repay you by never asking anything of you again.” Thorkel gave him the same answer as before. He offered Gisli horses or a boat, but refused any further help. Gisli accepted the offer of a boat and asked Thorkel to help him get it afloat - which he did. Then he gave Gisli six weights of food and one hundred of homespun cloth. After Gisli had gone aboard, Thorkel stood there on the shore. Then Gisli said, “You think you’re safe and sound and living in plenty, a friend of many chieftains, who has no need not to be on his guard - and I am an outlaw and have many enemies. But I can tell you this, that even so you will be killed before me. We take our leave of each other now on worse terms than we ought and will never see each other again. But know this. I would never have treated you as you have treated me.” “Your prophecies don’t scare me,” said Thorkel, and after that they parted. Gisli went out to the island of Hergilsey in Breidafjord. There he removed from his boat the decking, thwarts, oars and all else that was not fastened down, turned the boat over and let it drift ashore in the Nesjar. When people saw the boat, wrecked and washed ashore, they assumed that Gisli had taken it from his brother Thorkel, then capsized and drowned. Gisli walked to the farmhouse on the island of Hergilsey, where a man called Ingjald lived with his wife, Thorgerd. Ingjald was Gisli’s cousin, the son of his mother’s sister, and had come to Iceland with Gisli. When they met, he put himself

GISLI SURSSON'S SAGA

31

at Gisli’s complete disposal, offering to do for him whatever was in his power. Gisli accepted his offer and stayed there for a while. O Ö There was both a male and a female slave at Ingjald’s house. The man was named Svart and the woman Bothild. Ingjald had a son named Helgi, as great and simple-minded an oaf as ever there was. He was tethered by the neck to a heavy stone with a hole in it, and left outside to graze like an animal. He was known as Ingjald’s Fool and was a very large man, almost a troll. Gisli stayed there for that winter and built a boat and many other things for Ingj­ ald, and everything he made was easily recognisable because he was a superior craftsman. People showed surprise at the number of well-crafted items that Ingjald owned since it was known that he was no carpenter. Gisli always spent the summers in Geirthjofsfjord, and by now three years had passed since he had his dreams. Ingjald had proven himself a faithful friend, but suspicions arose and people began to believe that Gisli was alive and living with Ingjald, and that he had not drowned as they had once thought. People started to remark on the fact that Ingjald had three boats and all were skilfully crafted. This gossip reached Eyjolf the Grey, and he sent Helgi out again, this time to the island of Hergilsey. Gisli always stayed in an underground passage when people came to the island. Ingjald was a good host and he invited Helgi to rest there, so he re­ mained for the night. Ingjald was a hard-working man and rowed out to fish whenever the weather permitted. The following morning, when he was ready to go to sea, he asked Helgi whether he was not eager to be on his way and why he was still in bed. Helgi said that he was not feeling very well, let out a long sigh and rubbed his head. Ingjald told him to lie still, and then went off to sea. Helgi began to groan heavily. It is said that Thorgerd then went to the underground hiding place, intending to give Gisli some breakfast. There was a partition between the pantry and where Helgi lay in bed. Thorgerd left the pantry and Helgi climbed up the partition and saw that someone’s food had been served up. At that very moment, Thorgerd re­ turned and Helgi turned round quickly and fell off the partition. Thorgerd asked him what he was doing climbing up the rafters instead of lying still. He said he was so racked with pains in his joints that he could not lie still. “Could you help me back to bed?” he said. She did as he asked and went out with the food. Then Helgi got up and followed her and saw what was going on. After that he went back to bed, lay down and stayed there for the rest of the day. Ingjald returned that evening, went to Helgi’s bed and asked him if he felt any better. Helgi said he was improving and asked if he might be ferried from the island the following morning. He was rowed out to the island of Flatey, and from there he went south to Thorsnes, reporting that he had news that Gisli was staying at Ingj­ ald’s house. Bork set out with a party of fourteen men, boarded a ship and sailed south across Breidafjord. That day, Ingjald went fishing and took Gisli with him.

32

THE COM PLETE SAGAS OF ICELANDERS

The male and female slaves, Svart and Bothild, were in a separate boat, close to the islands known as Skutileyjar. Ingjald saw a ship sailing from the south, and said, “There’s a ship out there and I think it’s Bork the Stout.” “What do you suggest we do now?” asked Gisli. “Let’s see whether your wits match your integrity.” “I’m not a clever man,” said Ingjald, “but we have to decide something quickly. Let’s row as fast as we can to Hergilsey, get up on top of Vadsteinaberg and fight them off as long as we can keep standing.” “Just as I anticipated,” said Gisli. “You hit on the very plan that best shows your integrity. But I would be paying you poorly indeed for all the help you have given me if I had you lose your life for my sake - and that shall never happen. We’ll use a different plan. You and your slave, Svart, row out to the island and make ready to defend yourselves there. They will think that it is I who am with you when they sail up past the ness. I’ll exchange clothes with the slave, as I did once before, then I’ll get into the boat with Bothild.” Ingjald did as he was advised, but he was clearly very angry. When they parted company, Bothild said, “What can be done now?” Gisli spoke a verse: 22. The shield-holder seeks a plan to part with Ingjald. Let us pour Sudri’s mead, slave-woman, though I accept my fate, whatever it be. Noble woman of low means, lit by the blue wave’s lands: I fear nothing for myself.

sh ield -h o ld er, w a r r io r

S u d ri’s ( d w a r f s ) m e a d : p o e tr y

lit b y th e b lu e w av e's lands: a d o r n e d w ith s e a -fire (g o ld )

Then they rowed south towards Bork and his men, and behaved as if nothing were amiss. Gisli told how they should proceed. “You will say,” he told her, “that this is the fool on board, and I’ll sit in the prow and mimic him. I’ll wrap myself up in the tackle and hang overboard a few times and act as stupidly as I can. If they go past us a little, I’ll row as hard as I can and try to put some more distance between us.” Bothild rowed towards them, but not close, and pretended to be moving from one fishing ground to another. Bork called out to her and asked her if Gisli was on the island. “I don’t know,” she answered. “But I do know there’s a man out there who sur­ passes all others in size and skill.” “I see,” said Bork. “Is Ingjald the farmer at home?” “He rowed back to the island quite some time ago,” she said, “and his slave was with him, as far as I know.”

GISLI SURSSON’S SAGA

33

“That is not what’s happened,” said Bork. “It must be Gisli who is with him. Let’s row after them as fast as we can.” The men answered, “We’re having fun with the idiot,” and looked towards him. “Look at how madly he’s behaving.” Then they said what a terrible thing it was for her to have to look after this fool. “I agree,” said Bothild, “but I think it’s just idle amusement for you. You don’t feel sorry for me at all.” “Let’s indulge no further in this nonsense,” said Bork. “We must be on our way.” They left, and Bork and his crew rowed out to Hergilsey and went ashore. Then they saw the men up on Vadsteinaberg and headed that way, thinking they were really in luck. But it was Ingjald and his slave up on the crag. Bork soon recognised the men and said to Ingjald, “The best thing you can do is hand over Gisli - or else tell me where he is. You’re an unspeakable wretch, hiding my brother’s murderer like this when you’re my tenant. Don’t expect any mercy from me. You deserve to die for this.” Ingjald replied, “My clothes are so poor that it would be no great grief if I stopped wearing them out. I’d rather die than not do all I can to keep Gisli from harm.” It is said that Ingjald served Gisli best, and that his help was the most useful to him. When Thorgrim Nef performed his magic rite, he ordained that no assistance Gisli might receive from men on the mainland would come to anything. However, it never occurred to him to say anything about the islands, and thus Ingjald helped him for longer than most. But this could not last indefinitely.

0 ^ 7 Bork thought it was unwise to attack his tenant, Ingjald, so he and his men turned instead towards the farmhouse to search for Gisli. As was to be ex­ pected, they did not find him there, so they went about the island and came to a place where the fool lay eating in a small, grassy hollow, haltered by the neck to a stone. Bork spoke: “Not only is there a great deal of talk about this fool, but he seems to move around a lot more than I thought. There’s nothing here. We have gone about this task so badly that it doesn’t bear thinking about, and I have no idea when we’ll be able to make matters right. That was Gisli in the boat alongside us, imperson­ ating the fool. He’s got a whole bag of tricks, as well as being a skilled mimic. But think how much it would shame us to let him slip through our fingers. Let’s get after him quickly and make sure he doesn’t escape our clutches.” They jumped aboard their ship and rowed after Gisli and Bothild, pulling long strokes with their oars. They saw that the two of them had gone quite some dis­ tance into the sound, and both vessels rowed at full pace. The one with the larger crew sped along faster, and finally it came so close that Bork was within spear­ throwing range as Gisli pulled ashore. Gisli said to the slave-woman, “Here we part ways. Take these two gold rings -

34

T H E COM PLETE SAGAS OF ICELANDERS

one you must take to Ingjald and the other to his wife. Tell them to give you your freedom and accept these as tokens. I also want Svart to be freed. You have truly saved my life and I want you to reap your reward.” They parted and Gisli jumped ashore and ran to a ravine in Hjardarnes. The slave-woman rowed off so hard that the sweat rose from her like steam. Bork and his men rowed ashore and Outlaw-Stein was the first off the boat. He ran off to look for Gisli and when he reached the ravine, Gisli was standing there with his sword drawn. He drove it at once through Outlaw-Stein’s head, split him down to the shoulders and he fell to the ground, dead. Bork and the others then came up on to the island and Gisli ran down to the water, intending to swim for the mainland. Bork threw a spear at him and it struck him in the calf of his leg, wound­ ing him badly. Gisli removed the spear, but lost his sword, too weary to keep hold of it any longer. By then, the darkness of night had fallen. When Gisli reached land he ran into the woods - at that time much of the coun­ try was covered with trees - and Bork and the others ran ashore to look for him, hoping to restrict him to the woodland. Gisli was so worn out and stiff that he could hardly walk, and he was also aware that he was surrounded on all sides by Bork’s party of men. Trying to think of a plan, he went down to the sea, and in the darkness he made his way along the shoreline under the shelter of the overhanging cliffs until he came to Haug. There he met a farmer called Ref, a very sly man. Ref greeted him and asked him what was going on. Gisli told him all that had taken place between him and Bork and his men. Ref had a wife named Alfdis, a good-looking woman, but fierce tempered and thoroughly shrewish. She and Ref were more than a match for each other. When Gisli had given his account, he urged Ref to give him all the help he could. “They will be here soon,” said Gisli. “I’m in a very tight spot and there aren’t too many people around to whom I can turn.” “I will help you, but on one condition,” said Ref: “that I alone decide how I go about matters, and you must not interfere.” “I accept,” said Gisli. “I will not venture any farther on my way.” “Come inside then,” said Ref. And so they went in. Then Ref said to Alfdis, “Now, I’m going to give you a new bedfellow.” And he took off all the bed covering and told Gisli to lie down on the straw. Then he put the covers back over him and Alfdis rested on top of him. “And now you stay put,” said Ref, “whatever happens.” Then he asked Alfdis to be as difficult to deal with as possible and to act as madly as she could. “And don’t hold yourself back,” said Ref. “Say whatever comes into your mind. Swear and curse as much as you like. I’ll go off to talk with them and say whatever I like.” When he went out again he saw some men coming - eight of Bork’s compan­ ions. Bork himself had stayed behind at the Fossa river. These men had come to

GISLI SURSSON’S SAGA

35

search for Gisli and to capture him if they found him. Ref was outside and asked them what they were doing. “We can only tell you what you must already know. Have you any idea where Gisli has gone? Has he come by here, by any chance?” “In the first place,” said Ref, “he hasn’t been here, and in the second place, if he’d chanced it he'd have met a very swift end. Do you really think I’m any less eager to kill him than you? I have sense enough to know that it would mean no small gain to be in with a man such as Bork and be counted his friend.” They asked, “Do you mind if we search you and the farm?” “O f course not,” said Ref, “please do. Once you’re certain he’s not here, you’ll be able to concentrate on searching elsewhere. Come in and search the place thor­ oughly.” They went in, and when Alfdis heard the noise they were making she asked what gang of thugs was out there and what kind of idiots barged in on people in the middle of the night. Ref told her to calm down, and she responded with a flurry of foul language that they were unlikely to forget. They continued to search the place even so, but not quite as carefully as they might have done if they had not had to suffer such a torrent of abuse from the farmer’s wife. Having found nothing, they left and wished the farmer well. He, in return, wished them a good journey. Then they went back to meet up with Bork and were highly displeased with the whole trip. They felt they had lost a good man, been put to shame and achieved nothing. News of this spread all over the country and people considered that the men had derived nothing from their futile search for Gisli. Bork went home and told Eyjolf how matters stood. Gisli stayed with Ref for two weeks and then left. They parted good friends and Gisli gave him a knife and a belt - both valuable possessions. Gisli had nothing else with him. After that Gisli returned to his wife in Geirthjofsfjord. His reputation had in­ creased considerably as a result of what had happened, and it is truly said that there has never been a more accomplished and courageous man than Gisli, and yet luck was not with him. But now to other matters. To return to Bork: that spring, he went with a large group of men to the Thorskafjord Assembly, intending to meet up with his friends. Gest trav­ elled east from Bardastrond, and Thorkel Sursson, too. They arrived in separate ships. When Gest was ready to embark, two poorly dressed young men with staffs ap­ proached him and it was noticed that Gest spoke to them in secret. They asked if they might go with him on his ship and he granted them that favour. They jour­ neyed with him to Hallsteinsnes, then went ashore and walked on until they came to the Thorskafjord Assembly. There was a man named Hallbjorn, a wanderer who travelled around the coun­ try, though always in a group of ten or twelve others. He raised a booth for himself

36

T H E COM PLETE SAGAS OF ICELANDERS

at the assembly, and this is where the two young men went. They asked him for a place in the booth, saying that they, too, were road-travellers and he said he would give shelter to anyone who asked for it. “I’ve come here many a springtime,” he said, “and I know all the chieftains and godis.” The lads said they would be pleased to be in his care and learn from him: “We’re very curious to see all the grand and mighty men we have heard so many stories about.” Hallbjorn said he would go down to the shore and identify every ship as soon as it came in, and tell them which it was. They thanked him for his kindness, and then they all went down to the shore to watch the ships as they sailed in. Then the elder lad spoke: “Who owns the ship that is sailing in now?” Hallbjorn told him it belonged to Bork the Stout. “And who is that, sailing in next?” “Gest the Wise,” he said. “And that ship, coming in behind him, and putting up at the horn of the fjord?” “That is Thorkel Sursson,” said Hallbjorn. They watched as Thorkel came ashore and sat down somewhere while the crew carried their goods and provisions onto to dry ground, out of reach of the tides, and Bork set up their booth. Thorkel was wearing a Russian hat and a grey fur cloak that was pinned at the shoulder with a gold clasp. He carried a sword in his hand. Then Hallbjorn went over to where Thorkel was sitting, and the young men went with him. One of the lads spoke - it was the elder. He said, “Who is this noble-looking man who sits here? Never have I seen such a fine and handsome man.” The man answered, “Well spoken. My name is Thorkel.” Then the lad said, “That must be a very good sword you have there in your hand. Would you allow me to look at it?” Thorkel answered him, “Your behaviour is rather unusual, but all right, I’ll allow you to,” and he handed him the sword. The young man took it, turned to one side, unfastened the peace straps and drew the sword. When Thorkel saw that he said, “I did not give you permission to draw the sword.” “I did not ask your permission,” said the lad. Then he raised the sword in the air and struck Thorkel on the neck with such a fearsome blow that it took off his head. When this had happened, Hallbjorn leapt up and the lad threw down the blood­ stained sword. He grabbed his staff and he ran off with Hallbjorn and the others in his band, who were almost out of their wits with fear, and they all ran past the booth that Bork had set up. People thronged around Thorkel, but no one seemed to know who had done this deed. Bork asked why there was so much noise and com­ motion around Thorkel just as Hallbjorn and about fifteen of his band ran past the

GISLI SURSSON’S SAGA

37

booth. The younger lad was called Helgi, while his older companion, who had done the killing, was called Berg. It was Helgi who answered: wI'm not sure what they are discussing, but I think they're arguing about whether Vestein left only daughters behind him, or whether he had a son.” Hallbjorn ran to his booth, and the lads hurried to some nearby woods and could not be found. Q / S People ran into Hallbjorn's booth and asked what had happened. The roadÅ ) y farers told them that two young men, about whom they knew nothing, had come into their group and that they had no idea this would happen. Then they gave descriptions of them and repeated what the young men had said. From what Helgi said Bork surmised that they were Vestein’s sons. Then Bork went to meet Gest and discuss with him what should be done. Bork said, “I bear a greater responsibility than anyone else to bring a suit in the wake of my brother-in-law Thorkel's slaying. We think it not unlikely that Vestein's sons did this deed. No one else could have had anything against Thorkel. And it looks as if they've escaped for the moment. Tell me how I should proceed with the case.'' Gest answered him, “I know what I'd do if I had done the killing. I’d use the trick of changing my name, so that any case brought against me would come to nothing.” And he discouraged Bork from pursuing the accusation. People were reasonably sure that Gest had conspired with the lads because he was a blood-relation of theirs. They broke off their talk and the case was dropped. Thorkel was buried ac­ cording to the old customs, and then everyone went home. Nothing else of note took place at the assembly. Bork was as displeased with this trip as he had often been with the others, and this matter brought much disgrace and dishonour to him. The young men travelled until they reached Geirthjofsfjord, where they spent five days and five nights out in the open. By night they went to Aud’s farm - where Gisli was staying - and knocked on the door. Aud went to the door to greet them and asked their business. Gisli lay in bed in the underground hideout, and she would have raised her voice if he had needed to be on his guard. They told her of Thorkel's slaying and what the situation was, and also how long they had gone without food. “I’m going to send you,” said Aud, “across the ridge to Mosdal, to Bjartmar’s sons. I'll give you some food and some tokens so that they give you shelter for a while, and I'm doing this because I'm in no mind to ask Gisli to help you.” The young men went into the woods, where they could not be traced and, having gone without food for a long time, they ate. When they had satisfied their hunger, they lay down to sleep because by then they were very tired.

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THE COMPLETE SAGAS OF ICELANDERS

Now, the story turns to Aud. She went to Gisli and said, “Now, it means a & v great deal to me how you will act and whether you choose to honour me more than I deserve.” He answered her quickly, “I know you are going to tell me of my brother Thorkel’s death.” “It is so,” said Aud, “and the lads have come and want to join up with you. They feel they have no one else to rely on.” Gisli answered, “I could not bear to see my brother’s killers or to be with them,” and he jumped up and went to draw his sword as he spoke this verse: 23. Who knows, but Gisli may again draw cold sword from sheath when warriors from the assembly report the slaying of Thorkel to the polishers o f rings. We will dare great deeds, even to the very death.

p o lish ers o frin g s: m e n

Aud told him they had already left - “for I had sense enough not to risk their tar­ rying here.” Gisli said it was better that they did not meet. Then he soon calmed down and things were quiet for a while. It is said that at this time, according to the prophesy of the dream-woman, Gisli had only two years of life remaining to him. As time passed, Gisli stayed in Geirthjofsfjord and all his dreams and restless nights began again. Now it was mainly the bad dream-woman who came to him, although the good one also appeared sometimes. One night, Gisli dreamt again that the good dream-woman came to him. She was riding a grey horse, and she invited him to come home with her, to which he agreed. They arrived at a house, which was more like a great hall, and she led him inside. He saw cushions on the raised benches and the whole place was beautifully decorated. She told him they would stay there and take their pleasure - “and this is where you will come when you die,” she said, “and enjoy wealth and great happiness.” Then Gisli awoke and spoke several verses concerning what he had dreamt: 24. The thread-goddess invited the praise-maker to ride on a grey steed to her home. And as we rode along she was gentle to me, that bearer o f the ale-horn

thread-goddess: woman praise-maker, poet

b ea rer o f th e ale-horn: w o m a n

39

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swore she would heal me. I remember her words. 25. The good dream-woman led me, the poet, to sleep there, where soft beds lay. From my mind this will not fade. The thread-goddess led me to her soft resting place, so perfectly arranged, and there I lay me down.

thread-goddess: woman

26. “Here, shall you lie down and breathe your last with me,” said the Hild of the rings. “And here, my warrior, you shall rule over all this wealth and have dominion over me, and we shall have riches beyond gold’s measure.”

Hild of the rings: the dream-woman

Q i It is said that on one occasion when Helgi was sent again to spy in Geirthjofs^ A fjord - where everyone believed Gisli to be staying - a man named Havard went with him. He had come to Iceland earlier that summer and was a kinsman of Gest Oddleifsson. They were sent into the woods to cut timber for building, and al­ though that was the apparent purpose of their journey, it was really a ploy for them to look for Gisli and to see whether they could locate his hideout. One evening they saw a fire on the ridge, south of the river. This was at dusk, but it was very dark. Then Havard asked Helgi what they should do - “for you are more used to all this than I am,” he said. “There is only one thing to do,” said Helgi, “and that is to build a cairn here on this hillock, where we are now, so that it can be found tomorrow when it grows light enough to see.” This is what they decided to do. When they had built the cairn, Havard said that he was so drowsy that he could do nothing other than go to sleep - which he then did. Helgi stayed awake and finished off building the cairn, and when he was done, Havard awoke and told him to sleep for a while, saying that he would keep watch. Then Helgi slept for a spell, and while he was sleeping, Havard began carrying away every single stone of the cairn under the cover of darkness. When he had done that, he took a great boulder and hurtled it down on the rock-face near Helgi’s head so hard that the ground shook. Helgi sprang to his feet, shaking with fear, and asked what had happened. Havard said, “There’s a man in the woods. Many such boulders have been cast down here tonight.”

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TH E COM PLETE SAGAS OF ICELANDERS

“That must have been Gisli,” said Helgi, “and he must know we’re here. You must surely realise, my friend, that every bone in our bodies would have been smashed to pieces if that rock had hit us. There’s nothing else to do but get out of here as quickly as possible.” Then Helgi ran as fast as he could, and Havard went after him and asked him not to run so far ahead. But Helgi took no notice and ran as fast as his feet would carry him. Finally, they both reached the boat, jumped into it and rowed hard without pause until they came to Otradal. Helgi said that he now knew of Gisli’s whereabouts. Eyjolf acted quickly. He left immediately with eleven men - Helgi and Havard among them - and journeyed until they came to Geirthjofsfjord. They scanned the whole wood for the cairn and Gisli’s hideout, but found neither. Then Eyjolf asked Havard where they had built the cairn. He answered, “I couldn’t tell you. Not only was I so tired that I hardly knew what was going on around me, but it was Helgi who finished building the cairn while I slept. I think Gisli must have been aware of us being there, then taken the cairn apart when it was light and we were gone.” Then Eyjolf said, “Fortune is not with us in this matter, so we shall turn back.” And they did just that. But first Eyjolf wanted to go and see Aud. They reached the farmhouse and went in, where Eyjolf sat down to talk to Aud, and these were his words - “I want to make a deal with you, Aud,” he said. “You tell me where Gisli is and I will give you three hundred pieces of silver, which I have received as the price on his head, and you shall not be present when we take his life. In addition, I will ar­ range a marriage for you that will be superior in every way to this one. And you must consider,” he said, “how impractical it would be for you to linger in this deserted fjord and suffer from Gisli’s ill fortune, never seeing your family and kinfolk again.” This was her reply: “I don’t expect,” she said, “that we’ll reach agreement on your ability to find me as good a match as this one. Yet, it’s true what they say, ‘death’s best consolation is wealth’, so let me see whether this silver is as plentiful or as fine as you say.” So he poured the silver into her lap, and she held it there while he counted it and showed her its value. Gudrid, her foster-daughter, began to cry. Then Gudrid went to meet Gisli and told him, “My foster-mother has lost her senses and means to betray you.” Gisli said, “Think only good thoughts, for my death will never be the result of Aud’s treachery.” Then he spoke a verse: 27. The fiord-riders claim the mead-goddess has sold her man, with a mind deep and treacherous as the sea.

f io r d -r id e r s se a fa re rs, s tr a n g e r s m e a d -g o d d e ss G isli’s w ife

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But I know the land o f gold sits and weeps. I do not think this true o f the proud sea-flame’s wearer.

land of gold: woman

sea-flame gold; its wearer, woman

After that the girl went home, but did not say where she had been. By that time Eyjolf had counted all the silver. Aud spoke: “By no means is this silver any less or worse than you have said. And now you must agree that I may do with it whatever I choose.” Eyjolf gladly agreed, and told her that, of course, she might do as she wished with it. Aud took the silver and put it in a large purse, then she stood up and struck Eyj­ olf on the nose and blood spurted all over him. “Take that for your gullibility,” she said, “and all the harm that ensues from it. There was never any hope that I would render up my husband into your hands, you wicked man. Take this now for your cowardice and your shame, and remember, you wretch, for as long as you live, that a woman has struck you. And you will not get what you desire, either.” Then Eyjolf said, “Seize the cur and kill it, though it be a bitch.” Then Havard spoke. “Our expedition has gone badly enough without this dis­ graceful deed. Stand up to him, men. Don’t let him do this.” Eyjolf said, “The old saying is true, ‘the treachery of a friend is worse than that of a foe’.” Havard was a popular man, and many of the party were ready to show him their support, as well as to prevent Eyjolf from carrying out this disgraceful act. So Eyjolf conceded to them, and having done that he left. But before Havard left, Aud spoke to him: “It would be wrong to hold back the debt that Gisli owes you. Here is a gold ring I want you to have.” “But it is not a debt I was looking to recover,” said Havard. “Even so,” said Aud, “I want to pay you back.” Actually, she gave him the gold ring for his help. Havard got himself a horse and rode south to Gest Oddleifsson at Bardastrond, for he had no desire to remain any longer with Eyjolf. Eyjolf went back home to Otradal, and was thoroughly displeased with the outcome of his journey, especially since most people regarded it as disgraceful. As the summer wore on, Gisli stayed in his underground hideout and was & & very much on his guard. He had no intention of leaving and, besides, he felt that no other refuge was left him since the tally of years in his dreams had now passed away. It happened that one summer night Gisli once again had a very fitful and restless sleep, and when he awoke Aud asked him what he had dreamt. He told her that the bad dream-woman had come to him and said, “Now I shall destroy everything that the good dream-woman has said to you and I will make certain that nothing comes of what she has promised.” Then Gisli spoke a verse:

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THE COMPLETE SAGAS OF ICELANDERS

28. “Never shall the two o f you abide together. Your great love will slowly turn to poison and become sorrow,” said the dread woman. “He who rules all has sent you alone from your house to explore the other world.”

“Then in a second dream,” he said, “this woman came to me and tied a blood­ stained cap on my head, and before that she bathed my head in blood and poured it all over me, covering me in gore.” And he spoke a verse: 29. I dreamt a dream of her, woman o f the serpent’s lair. She washed my hair in Odin’s fire spilled from the well of swords. And it seemed to me those hands of the ring-goddess, blood-red, were bathed and drenched in gold-breaker’s gore.

Odin's fire, blood well of swords: wound ring-goddess: woman gold-breaker, man

Then he spoke another verse: 30. I thought I felt how the valkyrie’s hands, dripping with sword-rain, placed a bloody cap upon my thickly grown, straight-cut locks of hair. That is how the thread-goddess woke me from my dream.

sword-rain: blood

thread-goddess: woman

Gisli began to have so many dreams that he became very frightened of the dark and dared not be alone any longer. Whenever he closed his eyes, he saw the same woman. On yet another night, Gisli slept badly and Aud asked him what happened to him in his dream. “I dreamt,” said Gisli, “that some men came upon us. Eyjolf was among them and many others. We confronted each other, and I know there was an exchange of blows between us. One of them came first, really howling, and I think I must have cut him in two at the waist. I thought he had the head of a wolf. Then many others attacked me. I felt I had my shield in my hand and that I fought them off for a long while.”

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Then Gisli spoke a verse: 31.

My foes sought me out, swinging their swords, but I did not fall then. I was outnumbered, yet I fed the raven’s maw. But your white bosom was reddened and steeped in my crimson blood.

fed the raven's maw: killed men

Then he spoke another: 32.

They could not mar my shield with their resounding blows. It protected the poet well. I had courage enough, but they were too many and I was overcome, swords singing loud in the air around me.

And then another: 33.

I brought down one of them before warriors wounded me, I fed his corpse to the blood-hawk. My sword’s edge swung and cut its way through his thighs slicing his legs in twain. His sudden fall beneath me added to my greater glory.

blood-hawk raven

Now autumn drew near, but Gisli’s dreams did not ease up; indeed, they grew more frequent. One night, after he had slept badly, Aud asked him again what had appeared to him. Gisli spoke a verse: 34.

I felt my life’s blood run down both my sides. I had to bear that bravely. Goddess decked in gold, these are the dreams that trouble my sleep. I am an outlaw to most men; only arrow-storms await me.

arrow-storms: battle

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T H E C O M P L E T E SAGAS O F ICELA N D ERS

And then he spoke another: 35.

I felt my blood spilled over my arched shoulders by a corpse-net’s wielder with his sharp sword. Bearer o f golden rings, my hopes o f life were meagre from that raven-feeder’s fury; herb-goddess, such was my solace.

bea rer o f golden rings: w o m a n , G isli’s w ife

raven-feeder, herb-goddess:

warrior woman

And then another: 36 .

I felt the troll-guard's shakers shear off both my hands with their armour-piercers. I was mortally wounded. Then I felt the edge slice my helmet-stump and split it. Thread-goddess, weapons wielded gaped above my head.

troll-guard: s h ie ld ; its shakers: w a r rio r s

h elm et-stu m p: h e a d Thread-goddess: w o m a n

And yet again: 37.

I felt, as I slept, that above me stood a woman with silver headband. Her brow was wet, the eyes o f that bonnet-goddess were weeping. And that wave o f gold-fire soon bound up my wounds. What message, think you, has this dream for me?

bonnet-goddess: w o m a n w a v e o f gold-fire: w o m a n

£ / I , Gisli stayed home that summer, and all was quiet. Then, on the last night of Ö T summer, Gisli could not sleep and neither could the other two, Aud and Gudrid. It was the kind of weather where the air is very still, but there was also a heavy frost. Then Gisli said he wanted to leave the house and head south to his hideout under the ridge, to see if he could get some sleep there. All three of them went. The women were wearing tunics and they trailed along in the frozen dew. Gisli had a piece of wood, on which he scored runes, and as he did so the shavings fell to the ground. They arrived at the hideout and Gisli lay down to see if he could sleep, while the women stayed awake. A heavy drowsiness came upon him and he dreamt that some

45

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loon birds, larger than cock ptarmigans, came to the house. They screamed horribly and had been wallowing in blood and gore. Then Aud asked what he dreamt. “Yet again, my dreams were not good,” said Gisli, and he spoke a verse: 38. When we parted, flaxen goddess, my ears rang with a sound from my blood-hall’s realm - and I poured the dwarfs brew. I, maker of the sword’s voice, heard two loon birds fighting and I knew that soon the dew o f bows would be descending.

flaxen goddess: woman (Gisli’s wife) blood-hall: heart; its realm: the mind poured the dwarfs brew: made a verse maker of the sword's voice, warrior dew of bows: showers of arrows, battle

In the same moment, they heard men’s voices - Eyjolf had arrived with fourteen others. They had been to the farmhouse and seen the trail in the frozen dew, as if it was pointing the way. When Gisli and the two women became aware of the intruders, they climbed up on to the ridge where their vantage point was the best. Each of the women held a large club. Eyjolf and the others had come to the bottom of the ridge. Then Eyjolf said to Gisli, “1 advise you to retreat no farther. Don’t have yourself chased like a coward. You are said to have great courage. We have not met too often, but I’d prefer this encounter to be our last.” Gisli answered him, “Then attack like a man, and you may be sure I will retreat no farther. And you should lead the attack, since you bear a greater grudge than the men who come with you.” “I won’t have you decide,” said Eyjolf, “how I deploy my men.” “It comes as no surprise,” said Gisli, “that a coward such as you would not dare to cross weapons with me.” Then Eyjolf said to Helgi the Spy, “You would win great acclaim if you were the first to climb the ridge and attack Gisli - a deed of heroism that would long be re­ membered.” “I’ve often noticed,” said Helgi, “that you usually want other people in front of you when there’s any danger. Since you urge me so profoundly, I’ll attempt it, but you must show enough courage to come with me and keep close behind - that is, if you’re not a completely toothless bitch.” Helgi found what seemed the best way up, and he carried a large axe in his hand. Gisli was also armed with an axe, and had a sword and shield at his side. He wore a grey cloak, which he had tied with a cord. Helgi made a sudden dash and ran up the slope at Gisli. Gisli turned and swung his sword, striking Helgi in the loins and cutting him asunder so that both halves of his body fell back off the edge of the ridge. Eyjolf made his way up in a different place, where he was confronted by Aud, and she struck him with her club so hard on the arm that it took away all his strength, and he staggered back down.

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THE COM PLETE SAGAS OF ICELANDERS

Then Gisli said, “I knew long ago that I had married well, but never realised till now that the match was as good as this. Yet the help you gave me now was less than you wished and less than you intended, even though the blow was good, for I might have dispatched them both in the same way.” £ j f l Then two men went to grab hold of Aud and Gudrid, but found the task was ^ V not so easy. Twelve men went for Gisli, and made their way up on to the ridge. He fought them off with rocks and weapons so well that his stand became famous. Then one of Eyjolf s companions ran up to Gisli and said, “Lay down your fine weapons and give them all to me - and give me your wife, Aud, too.” Gisli answered him, “Then show your courage, because neither befits you - nei­ ther my weapons nor my wife.” The man thrust out at Gisli with a spear, and Gisli struck back, shearing the head from the shaft. But the blow was so fierce that his axe smashed against the rocky ground and the blade broke off. He threw it down and took up his sword instead, fighting on and guarding himself with his shield. Then they launched a spirited attack, but Gisli defended himself well and with great courage. It was a hard and closely fought fight in which Gisli slew two more men, bringing the tally now to four. Eyjolf ordered them to attack as boldly as they could. “We’re having a hard time of it,” he said, “but that will not matter if we are re­ warded for our efforts.” Then, when it was least expected, Gisli turned around and ran from the ridge up onto the crag known as Einhamar. There, he faced them and defended himself. This caught them completely off-guard, and they felt their position had worsened con­ siderably. Four of them were dead, and the rest were wounded and weary, so they held off their attack for a while. Then Eyjolf urged them on harder than ever, prom­ ising them substantial reward if they defeated Gisli. Eyjolf had with him a group of men of outstanding strength and hardiness.

36

A man called Svein was the first to attack Gisli, but Gisli struck at him, clove him through the shoulder blades and threw him off the edge of the crag. The others seriously began to wonder where this man's capacity for slaughter was going to end. Then Gisli said to Eyjolf, “May the three hundred pieces of silver that you have received for my life be dearly earned, and may you wish that you had added another three hundreds for us never to have met. On your head will fall the shame for this great slaughter.” They looked for a plan - none among them would flee to save his own life. So they went at him in two flanks, and heading the attack with Eyjolf were two of his kinsmen, Thorir and Thord. Both were excellent fighters. The battle was fierce and they succeeded in wounding Gisli in several places with their spears, but he defend­ ed himself with great courage and strength and they faced such an onslaught of

GISLI SURSSON’S SAGA

47

rocks and powerful blows that none escaped being wounded. When Gisli struck out he never missed. Now Eyjolf and his kinsmen saw that their names and their hon­ our were at stake, and they attacked harder than ever, thrusting at him with their spears until his guts spilled out. Gisli gathered them up together in his shirt and bound them underneath with the cord. Then he told them to hold off a while. uThe end you wanted will come,” he said. Then he spoke a verse: 39. Goddess o f golden rain, who gives me great joy, may boldly hear report o f her friend’s brave stand. I greet the sword’s honed edge that bites into my flesh, knowing that this courage was given me by my father.

This was Gish's last verse. As soon as he had spoken it, he jumped off the crag and drove his sword into the head of Eyjolf s kinsman, Thord, and split him down to the waist. In doing so, Gisli fell down on top of him and breathed his last. Everyone in Eyjolf s party was badly wounded, and Gisli had died with so many and such great wounds that it was an amazement to all. They say that he never once backed off, and as far as anyone could see his last blow was no weaker than his first. Thus Gish's life came to an end, and although he was deemed a man of great prowess, he never had much luck. The men dragged his body down and took his sword from him. Then they covered him over with stones and went down to the sea. Then a sixth man died on the shore. Eyjolf invited Aud to accompany him, but she did not want to go. After that, Eyjolf and the remaining men returned to Otradal, and that same night a sev­ enth man died. An eighth died after being bedridden with his wounds for a year, and although the other wounded men recovered they gained nothing but dishonour. And it is said everywhere that no man in this land had ever been known to put up a greater stand than Gisli. Eyjolf set out from his home with eleven men and went south to meet Bork the Stout. He told him the news and gave a full account of what had happened. Bork was greatly pleased by this, and he asked Thordis to give Eyjolf a warm welcome. “Remember,” he said, “the great love you bore my brother Thorgrim and treat Eyjolf well.” “I weep for my brother Gisli,” said Thordis. “Would not a good bowl of porridge be warm enough a welcome for Eyjolf?” And later in the evening, when she brought in the food, she deliberately dropped a tray of spoons. Eyjolf had laid Gisli’s sword between the bench and his feet, and

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Thordis recognised it. When she bent down to pick up the spoons, she grabbed it by the hilt and thrust out at Eyjolf, meaning to strike him in the guts. But she had not noticed the blade-guard which turned upward and caught against the table. Moreover, she struck at him lower than she intended, hitting him in the thigh and thereby wounding him sorely. Bork grabbed hold of Thordis and wrenched the sword away from her, and the others all jumped to their feet and overturned the tables and the food. Bork left it in Eyjolf s hands to decide the penalty for this deed, and he claimed full compensa­ tion - the same as was imposed for slaying a man - and said he would have de­ manded more if Bork had handled this matter less fittingly. Then Thordis named witnesses and declared herself divorced from Bork, saying that she would never again share his bed - and she stood by her word. She left and went to live at Thordisarstadir, out at Eyri. Bork, however, remained at Helgafell until the chieftain, Snorri, drove him out. After that he went to live at Glerarskogar. Eyjolf went home and was greatly displeased with his visit. Vestein’s sons went to Gest Oddleifsson, their kinsman, and urged him to use his power to get them out of the country along with their mother, Gunnhild, Gisli’s wife, Aud, Ingjald’s daughter, Gudrid, and Geirmund, their broth­ er. They all went to the Hvita river and Gest paid for their passage abroad. They were only at sea for a short time before they reached Norway. Berg and the other two men walked around town and tried to find a place to lodge. They met two men, one of whom was a young, well-built lad, dressed in fine red clothes. He asked Berg his name, and Berg told him his true identity and kin since he expected to gain more by using his father’s name. The man in red pulled out his sword and dealt Berg a death blow on the spot. He was Ari Sursson, brother to Gisli and Thorkel. Berg’s companions went back to the ship and told what had happened, and the skipper helped them escape, finding a place for Helgi [Vestein’s son] on board a ship bound for Greenland. Helgi arrived in that country, became prosperous and was held in great esteem there. Some men were sent out to kill him, but nothing came of it. He eventually died on a hunting expedition, and this was considered a great loss. Aud and Gunnhild went to Hedeby in Denmark, took the Christian faith and then went on a pilgrimage to Rome. They never returned. Geirmund remained in Norway, married and prospered there. Gudrid, his sister, also married and was thought to be a woman of wisdom. Many can be counted as her descendants. Ari Sursson went to Iceland and came ashore at Hvita river. He sold his ship and bought himself some land at Hamar, where he lived for several years. After that he lived in several other places in Myrar, and had many descendants. And here ends the saga of Gisli Sursson. T ra n s la te d b y M A R T IN S. R E G A L

THE SAGA OF GRETTIR THE STRONG W ritten c . 1400

G rettis saga

Grettir’s Saga is translated from Örnólfur Thorssons edition (Mål og meaning, 1995). The saga is preserved in some 16th-century vellum manuscripts. AM 551 A 4toy on which this translation is based, includes Bard’s Saga and Viglund’s Saga. A prelude relates how Grettir s ancestors, who are related to the kings of Norway, settled in Iceland. Grettir was born in Midfjord, north Iceland, but the setting follows him to Norway and all around Ice­ land, and the saga ends in Constantinople where his death was avenged. Grettir's Saga is unique in that although it was written around 1400, it ranks in terms of depth and characterisation with the classical 13th-century tragic sagas. Another unique fea­ ture is its masterful fusion of the classical saga-style and highly varied content of very di­ verse origin: folk tales, adventure motifs (one of which shows intriguingly close parallels to the Old English Beowulf), local tales from the Book of Settlements, ghost stories and slap­ stick. This colourful tapestry forms the background to the portrayal of Grettir, which stands out front other saga characterisation for its psychological depth. In a single character we see a hero, an outlaw, the peasant society's defence against outside threats, a picaresque rogue, a villain, an implied womaniser and a victim offate whose only flaw is his fear of the dark. The saga is a conscious literary composition by an author, which draws upon an entire tra­ dition of writing and story-telling, and by criticising its own tradition as well as society points towards the modern novel. At the same time, no other saga hero has held such ap­ peal to the Icelanders themselves, and is widely seen as personifying the national character. As the clergyman and poet Matthias Jochumsson said around the end of the 19th century, “You, Grettir, are my nation.”

There was a man called Onund. He was the son of Ofeig Hobbler, whose father was Ivar Horse-cock. Onund’s sister Gudbjorg was the mother of Gudbrand Lump, whose daughter Asta was the mother of King Olaf the Holy. On his mother’s side Onund was from Oppland, while his father’s family mainly came from Rogaland and Hordaland. Onund was a great viking and raided in the countries west of Norway. Balki Blaengsson from Sotanes and Orm the Wealthy went with him on his raids. Their

Í

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TH E COM PLETE SAGAS OF ICELANDERS

third companion was called Hallvard. They had five ships, all well manned. They went raiding in the Hebrides and when they reached the Barra Isles, they came across a king called Kjarval who also had five ships. They launched an attack on him and a heavy battle ensued. Onund’s men fought fiercely. Many men were killed on both sides, and in the end the king fled on one of his ships. Onund’s men seized both the ships and a great amount of wealth, and set up winter quarters there. They spent three summers raiding in Ireland and Scotland, then went to Norway. in those days there was great turmoil in Norway. Harald Tangle-hair, son of Halfdan the Black, had been the king of Oppland and fought his way to control of the realm. After that he set off for the north and fought many battles, all of which he won. Then he went on making war southwards and conquered every­ where he went. When he reached Hordaland, a massive band turned out to face him, led by Kjotvi the Wealthy, Thorir Long-chin, the people of South Rogaland and King Sulki. Geirmund Dark-skin was in the British Isles then and did not take part in that battle, even though he had land in Hordaland. That autumn Onund and his companions sailed back from the west. When they heard this news, Thorir Long-chin and King Kjotvi sent men to meet them and ask them to join forces, promising them worthy rewards. They joined forces with Thorir and the others, because they were eager to put their strength to the test, and said they wanted to be put in the thick of the batde. They clashed with King Harald in Rogaland, by the fjord called Havsfjord. Both sides had great armies, and the battle was one of the greatest ever fought in Norway. Most sagas refer to it, because it is such matters that sagas usually relate. Troops ar­ rived from all over Norway, and many from other countries, and a large number of vikings. Onund drew his ship up alongside Thorir Long-chin’s, right in the midst of the fray. King Harald sailed up to Thorir’s ship, because Thorir was a great berserk and brave fighter. Both sides fought fiercely. Then the king urged his berserks on. They were called Wolf-skins; iron weapons would not bite on them, and when they charged they were unstoppable. Thorir fought valiantly but was killed on his ship after a brave stand. Then the attackers cleared the ship from stem to stern and chopped through the ropes that tied it to the others; it drifted back among the ships. After that the king’s men attacked Onund’s ship. Onund was at the bow and fought bravely. Then the king’s men said, “That man in the gunwale is putting up a tough fight. Let’s leave him with some reminders that he has been in a battle.” Onund was standing with one foot on the gunwale, striking a blow, when some­ one lunged at him, and as he warded off the attack he buckled at the knees. At that moment one of the men in the prow of the king’s ship struck at him, hitting him just below the knee and chopping off his leg. Onund was put out of action immedi­ ately and most of his men were killed.

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THE SAGA OF GRETTIR THE STRONG

51

Onund was carried to the ship owned by a man called Thrand, who was the son of Bjorn and the brother of Eyvind the Norwegian. He was on the side fighting against King Harald and had drawn his ship up alongside Onund’s. After this, the main fleet split up. Thrand and other vikings got away as best they could, and sailed off west. Onund went with him, and so did Balki and Hallvard Surf. O nund’s wound healed but he wore a wooden leg for the rest of his life, and so he was nicknamed Onund Tree-leg as long as he lived. Many excellent men were in Britain at that time; they had fled their lands in Norway because King Harald outlawed all those who had fought against him and seized their property. When Onund’s wounds had healed, he and Thrand and eight others went to see Geirmund Dark-skin, since he was the most renowned viking in the territory west of Norway then, and asked him if he did not want to try to recover the land he had ruled in Hordaland, offering him their support. They thought that they would come to regret the loss of their property sorely, for Onund came from a great family and was a wealthy man. Geirmund replied that, since King Harald had grown so strong by then, he thought there was little hope of their recovering much by force now, because others had suffered defeat when almost the whole country had op­ posed him. He had no intention of becoming the king’s slave, he said, and begging for what he had previously owned himself, but would rather find another place to establish himself. He was also past his prime by now. Onund and the others went back to the Hebrides where they joined many of their friends. There was a man called Ofeig, whose nickname was Grettir (Snake). He was the son of Einar, whose father was Olvir the Child-sparer. Ofeig’s brother was Oleif the Broad, whose son was Thormod Skafti. Another of Olvir’s sons was Steinolf, whose daughter Una married Thorbjorn Salmon-catcher. Steinmod was yet another of Olvir’s sons. He was the father of Konal, whose daughter was Alfdis from Barra. Konal’s son Steinmod was the father of Halldora, who married Eilif the son of Ketil the One-handed. Ofeig Grettir’s wife was Asny, the daughter of Vestar Haengsson. Ofeig’s sons were Asmund the Beardless and Asbjorn, and his daughters were called Aldis, Aesa and Asvor. Ofeig had fled west across the sea from King Harald’s oppression, and so had his kinsman Thormod Skafti, with all the people from their households. They raided in many parts of the British Isles. Thrand and Onund Tree-leg intended to go westwards to Ireland to meet Ey­ vind the Norwegian, Thrand’s brother, who was in charge of defending the Irish realm. Eyvind’s mother was Hlif, the daughter of Hrolf Ingjaldsson, whose grand­ father was King Frodi, while Thrand’s mother was Helga, the daughter of Ondott Crow. Thrand and Eyvind’s father, Bjorn, was the son of Hrolf from Ar. He had fled from Gotland after he burned King Solvi’s brother-in-law Sigfast to death in his

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house. He went to Norway that same summer and stayed the winter with Grim the Hersir, the son of Kollbjorn Scurrilous. Grim tried to murder Bjorn for his money. From there, Bjorn went to Ondott Crow who lived in Kvinesfjord in Agder prov­ ince. Ondott welcomed Bjorn warmly and he stayed there for the winter, but went raiding every summer until his wife Hlif died. Afterwards, Ondott married his daughter Helga to Bjorn, who then gave up raiding. Eyvind had taken charge of his father’s warships and grown to be an important chieftain in Britain. His wife was Rafarta, daughter of King Kjarval of Ireland. Their sons were Helgi the Lean and Snaebjorn. When Thrand and Onund reached the Hebrides, they met Ofeig Grettir and Thormod Skafti, and a close friendship developed among them, because all the peo­ ple who met up again after being in Norway at the height of the warfare there felt as though they had rescued each other from the dead. Once, when Onund grew very quiet, Thrand asked him what was on his mind. Onund replied with a verse: l.

I am not happy after facing the arrow-hail pounding on shields. Much happens too early; we flinched at the ogresses’ howling. Most men, I feel, doubtless deem me of little mettle; this is what most has deprived me o f my delights.

ogresses* howling axe

Thrand told Onund that he would always be thought a brave man: “You should settle down and marry. 1 shall support you in word and deed if you let me know whom you have in mind.” Onund said this was a noble gesture, but that he once had better prospects of making a good marriage. “Ofeig has a daughter called Aesa,” Thrand replied. “We can approach her if you wish.” Onund said he would like that. Then they raised the matter with Ofeig. He responded favourably and said he was aware that Onund was of great family and a wealthy man - “but I value his land lit­ tle. And he’s only half the man that he was, while my daughter is still a child.” Thrand said Onund was in finer fettle than many men with both legs. And with Thrand’s support, the matter was settled and Ofeig made over her dowry in the form of possessions, because neither of them was prepared to pay money for the lands in Norway. Shortly afterwards, Thrand was betrothed to Thormod Skafti’s daughter. Both women were to remain pledged to be married for three years afterwards. The men went raiding during the summers, but spent the winters on Barra.

THE SAGA OF GRETTIR THE STRONG

53

There were two vikings called Vigbjod and Vestmar. They came from the Heb­ rides and were at sea in both summer and winter. They had eight ships and raided in Ireland, doing many evil deeds there until Eyvind the Norwegian took charge of defending the realm. Then they shifted to the Hebrides and raided there and all the way down to the Firths of Scotland. Onund and Thrand went off to seek them out and were told that they had sailed to the island called Bute. Then Onund and Thrand went there with seven ships. When the vikings saw how many ships the others had, they felt they had sufficient forces, took their weapons and sailed off to face them. Onund ordered his men to position the ships in a nar­ row, deep channel between two cliffs, which could only be attacked from one end with no more than five ships at once. Being a clever man, Onund took five ships in­ to the channel but left them scope to retreat when they wished, since there was open sea behind them. There was also an islet on one side of them where he posi­ tioned one of his ships, and they brought many rocks to the edge of the cliff there, out of sight of the ships. The vikings advanced boldly, thinking the ships were caught in a trap. Vigbjod asked who these people were that had been penned in. Thrand told them he was the brother of Eyvind the Norwegian - “And this is my companion, Onund Tree-leg.” The vikings laughed and said:

4

2. May the trolls swallow you whole, Tree-leg, may the trolls topple you all.

. .It’s not often we see men go into battle who can’t even stand up for them­ selves.” Onund said that there was no telling until it was put to the test. After that, they lined up their ships and a great battle ensued. Both sides ad­ vanced firmly, and when the battle reached full pitch Onund let his ship drift to­ wards the cliff. When the vikings saw that, they thought he was trying to escape, so they pursued him under the cliff as fast as possible. At that moment, the men who had been placed on the cliff moved out to the edge and launched such huge rocks onto the vikings that they were unable to withstand the onslaught. A large number of the vikings were killed, and others were put out of action by their injuries. Then the vikings tried to sail away but were unable to do so, because by that time their ships had been driven by both the fleet and the current into the narrowest part of the channel. Onund and his men made a vigorous attack on Vigbjod, while Thrand attacked Vestmar, but they made little progress. When Vigbjod’s crew began to thin out, Onund and his men boarded the ship. Vigbjod noticed this and urged his men forward, while he turned to face Onund. Most of Onund’s men yielded their ground, but he told them to wait and see the outcome of his encounter with Vigbjod, because Onund was a very strong fighter.

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They wedged a log under Onund’s knee so that he would stand quite firmly. The viking moved along the ship from the aft until he reached Onund, and struck at him with his sword, hacking his shield away where the blow struck. His sword re­ bounded into the log below Onund’s knee and stuck there. As Vigbjod leaned over to jerk the sword back, Onund aimed a blow at his shoulder, cutting off his arm and putting him out of action. Once Vestmar knew that his companion was felled, he rushed for the outermost ship and fled, as did all his men who could make their way there. Afterwards, Onund and his crew examined the casualties. Vigbjod was on the verge of death by then. Onund went up to him and spoke a verse: 3.

See if your w ounds bleed. D id you see m e flinch? You did not deal a scratch to me, the one-legged slinger o f riches. Many breakers o f battle-axes are m ore brag than brains. That man was not generous with his strength when challenged

slin g er o f riches: n o b le (g e n e ro u s ) m a n breakers o f battle-axes: g o o d fig h te rs

generous w ith his strength: i.e. d id n o t p u t u p a g o o d fig h t

They seized a great amount of booty and returned to Barra in the autumn. The following summer they made preparations to sail west to Ireland. Balki and Hallvard set off across the ocean and went to Iceland, where there was said to be plenty of good land available. Balki then took land in Hrutafjord and lived at two farms, both called Balkastadir. Hallvard took land in Sugandafjord (Surf Fjord) and Skalavik as far as Stigi, and settled there. Thrand and Onund went to see Eyvind the Norwegian. He welcomed his brother warmly, but when he found out that Onund was with him, he became angry and wanted to attack him. Thrand asked him not to, saying there was no justification for aggression against Norsemen, especially if they were not causing any trouble. Eyvind replied that Onund had shown aggression towards King Kjarval in the past and would pay for it now. The two brothers talked the matter over at length until Thrand said that he and Onund would share the same fate, and Eyvind backed down. They spent a long time there that summer and went raiding with Eyvind, who considered Onund a very courageous man. They went to the Hebrides in the autumn. Eyvind bestowed all their inheritance on his brother, if Bjorn, their father, were to die before Thrand. Then they stayed in the Hebrides until they married their brides, and for several winters afterwards.

5

The next thing that happened was that Bjorn, Thrand’s father, died. When Grim the Hersir heard this he went to see Ondott Crow and claimed the inher­ itance left by Bjorn, but Ondott said Thrand was his father’s heir. Grim pointed out that Thrand had gone west to Britain, and Bjorn was from Gotland; the king was

6

THE SAGA OF GRETTIR THE STRONG

55

entitled to inherit from all foreigners. Ondott said he planned to keep the inher­ itance for his grandson Thrand, so Grim left without gaining anything from his claim. Thrand heard the news of his father’s death and set off from the Hebrides at once, along with Onund Tree-leg. At the same time, Ofeig Grettir and Thormod Skafti left for Iceland with the people from their households, and landed at Eyrar in the south, where they spent their first winter with Thorbjorn Salmon-catcher. After that they took land in Gnupverjahrepp. Ofeig settled on the western side, between the rivers Thvera and Kalfa, and lived at Ofeigsstadir near Steinsholt. Thormod set­ tled on the eastern side and lived in Skaftaholt. Thormod had two daughters: Thorvor, whose son was Thorodd the Godi from Hjalli, and Thorve, the mother of Thorstein the Godi, who was the father of Bjarni the Wise. To return to Thrand and Onund, they sailed over to Norway with such a strong wind behind them that their voyage went unreported until they reached Ondott Crow. He welcomed Thrand warmly and told him about the claim Grim the Hersir had made to inherit from Bjorn: “It seems more proper to me for you rather than the king’s slaves to inherit from your father. You have also had the good fortune to manage to come here without anyone knowing about your voyage. But I suspect that Grim will make a move against either of us if he can. I want you to take the in­ heritance for yourself and go abroad.” Thrand said that he would do so. He then took the inheritance and made preparations to leave Norway at once. Before he put out to sea, Thrand asked Onund Tree-leg whether he did not want to go to Iceland. Onund said that he wanted to go and see his kinsmen and friends in the south of Norway first. “Then we shall part now,” said Thrand. “I would like you to support my kins­ men, because they will be the victims of revenge if I escape. I shall go to Iceland and would like you to go there too.” Onund promised he would do so, and they parted in great friendship. Thrand went to Iceland, where Ofeig and Thormod gave him a warm welcome. Thrand lived at Thrandarholt, west of the river Thjorsa.

7

Onund went south to Rogaland and met many of his kinsmen and friends there. He stayed there in secret with a man called Kolbein. He heard that King Harald had seized his property and entrusted it to a man called Harek, who was the king’s agent. One night, Onund went to his house and made a surprise attack on him. Harek was led out to be executed. Onund took all the possessions that he and his men could find, then burned the house. He stayed in various places that winter. That autumn, Grim the Hersir killed Ondott Crow for refusing him the inher­ itance in the king’s name. Signy, Ondott’s wife, carried all their valuables out to a ship the same night and left with her sons, Asmund and Asgrim, to stay with her fa­ ther Sighvat. Shortly afterwards she sent her sons to Sokndal to her foster-father Hedin, but they were not happy there for long and wanted to go back to their

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mother. They left and went to stay at Kvinesdal for Yule with Ingjald the Loyal. He took them in on the insistence of his wife Gyda, and they remained there for the winter. In the spring, Onund went north to Agder, for he had heard of Ondott’s death, and that he had been slain. When he met Signy he asked her what assistance they would accept from him. She told him they were eager to take vengeance upon Grim the Hersir for killing Ondott. Ondott’s sons were sent for and when they met Onund Tree-leg they joined forces and kept a watch on Grim’s activities. Grim brewed a great deal of ale that summer, because he had invited Earl Audun to stay with him. When Onund and Ondott’s sons heard of this, they went to Grim’s farm and set fire to the houses, taking them by surprise, and burned Grim the Hersir to death inside along with some thirty men. They took many valuables away with them. Onund went and hid in the woods, while the brothers took their foster-father Ingjald’s boat and rowed off to stay in hiding close to the farm. Earl Audun arrived for the feast as planned, but his friend was nowhere to be found. He gathered men and stayed there several nights without finding a trace of Onund and his companions. The earl slept in a loft with two other men. Onund knew about everything that was happening at the farm and sent for the brothers. When they arrived, Onund gave them the choice of keeping guard over the farm or attacking the earl, and they chose to attack him. They broke down the door of the loft with a battering ram and Asmund grabbed the earl’s two compan­ ions and dashed them down so hard that he almost killed them. Asgrim ran at the earl and demanded compensation for his father’s death, because Audun had plotted with Grim the Hersir and joined in the attack when Ondott was killed. The earl said he had no money with him and asked to be able to pay later. Then Asgrim pressed the point of his spear against the earl’s chest and told him to pay up at once. The earl took off his necklace, three gold rings and a velvet cloak. Asgrim took these val­ uables and gave him the nickname Audun Chicken. When the farmers and local people became aware of the assault, they came out to try to help the earl. A fierce battle followed, because Onund had a large party with him, and many worthy farmers and earl’s men were killed. Then the brothers went and reported to Onund what they had done with the earl. Onund said it was unfortunate that the earl had not been killed - “That would be some sort of revenge upon King Harald for the losses we have suffered on his ac­ count.” They said that this was a greater disgrace for the earl, and then they left for Surnadal to see Eirik Ale-eager, who was a landholder. He took them all in for the winter. That Yule they had drinking feasts with a man called Hallstein Horse. Eirik played host first, and served them well and honestly. When it was Hallstein’s turn to be host, a disagreement occurred and Hallstein struck Eirik with a drinking-horn. Eirik was unable to take revenge, and went home at that. Ondott’s sons were furious at this, and soon afterwards Asgrim went to Hall-

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stein’s farm, walked in alone and dealt him a mighty wound. The people indoors leapt to their feet and attacked Asgrim, but he fought them off and escaped from their clutches out into the dark. They thought they had killed him. Onund and Asmund heard about the incident. They assumed that Asgrim was dead and there was nothing for them to do about it. Eirik advised them to go to Iceland and said that they would not stand a chance in N oway once the king got round to dealing with them. They took his advice and made preparations to sail to Iceland, taking a ship each. Hallstein was laid up with his wounds and died before Onund and his men sailed off. Kolbein, who was mentioned earlier, joined Onund’s ship.

8

0 n u n d and Asmund put to sea when they were ready and sailed together. Then Onund spoke a verse:

4. Once I was thought fit to brave the howling winds o f swords; w hen the piercing shower o f spears roared down - and Hallvard too. N ow with one leg I m ust m ount m y steed o f the waves, bound for Iceland’s shores. This poet is past his prime.

They had a rough time at sea, and the strong southerly wind drove them north off their course. They reached Iceland, and were north of Langanes when they got their bearings. Their ships were so close together that they could call out to each other. Asmund said they ought to sail to Eyjafjord, and they agreed to, but when they tacked towards land, a storm blew up from the south-east. Onund's crew tried to sail close-hauled, but their sailyard tore loose, so they lowered sail and were driv­ en out to sea. Asmund reached shelter by Hrisey Island and waited there for a fa­ vourable wind into Eyjafjord. Helgi the Lean gave him the whole of Kraeklingahlid to settle in, and he lived at southern Glera. His brother Asgrim went to Iceland several years later and lived at northern Glera. He was the father of Ellida-Grim, whose son was called Asmund. To return to Onund Tree-leg, he and his men drifted for several days until a north wind blew up and they could sail to land. Those who had been to Ice­ land before recognised that they were west of Skagi. They sailed into Strandafloi bay and when they made land at South Strandir, six men rowed out towards them on a ten-oared boat and asked who was in charge of the ship. Onund told them his name and asked them where they were from. They told him they were members of Thorvald from Drangar’s household. Then Onund asked whether all the land had been taken along Strandir, and they told him that there was little left to settle in the inner part of Strandir, and none on

9

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THE COM PLETE SAGAS OF ICELANDERS

the way north there. Onund asked his crew if they wanted to go and look in the west or take what was given to them there. They chose to take a look at the land first, sailed into the bay and anchored in the creek by Arnes, put out a boat and rowed to land. A wealthy man called Eirik Snare was living there and had taken the land be­ tween Ingolfsfjord and Ofaera in Veidilausa. When Eirik heard that Onund had ar­ rived, he invited him to accept anything he wanted, but said there was little land left that had not been settled already. Onund said he would like to see what there was first. They went across the fjords, and when they reached Ofaera Eirik said, “Look at this place. None of the land here is settled, all the way to Bjorn’s settlement.” A large mountain jutted out on that side of the fjords, and snow had fallen on it. Onund looked at the mountain and spoke a verse: 5. This spear-shooter’s life wavers a course from right to left, leaving lands and rights: my ribbed ship roams the seas like a tame horse. I have left behind many kinsmen and lands to reach this pass: I have struck a harsh bargain, swapped my fields for the cold-backed mountain.

cold-backed mountain: i.e. Kaldbak

“Many people have lost so much in Norway,” Eirik replied, “that will never be made good. I think almost all the land has been settled in the main districts, so I would not encourage you to leave this place. I shall keep my word and you can have whatever of my land that you like.” Onund said he would accept the offer and took the land from Ofaera and the three bays of Byrgisvik, Kolbeinsvik and Kaldbaksvik, all the way to the cliffs at Kaldbakskleif. Then Eirik gave him the whole of Veidilausa and Reykjarfjord and the part of Reykjanes that was on his side. No agreement was made about harvest­ ing the beach, because so much drifted in that everyone could take what he wanted. Onund made a farmstead in Kaldbak and kept a large household. When his live­ stock began to increase, he set up another farm in Reykjarfjord. Kolbein lived in Kolbeinsvik and Onund stayed there peacefully for several years. Y /N Onund was so brave that few men were a match for him, even if they were completely able-bodied. He was well known all over Iceland because of his ancestry. The next thing that happened was the quarrel between Ofeig Grettir and Thorbjorn the Champion of Earls, which ended with Thorbjorn killing Ofeig at Grettisgeil near Hael. Ofeig’s sons gathered a large party to bring the case against his slayer. They sent for Onund Tree-leg, who rode south in the spring and stayed at

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Hvamm with Aud the Deep-minded. She welcomed him warmly, since he had stayed with her in Britain. Her grandson Olaf Feilan was a grown man by this time, and Aud was old and frail. She mentioned to Onund that she wanted her kinsman Olaf married, and wanted him to ask for the hand of Alfdis from Barra, who was a cousin of Onund’s wife Aesa. Onund thought this was a good match, and Olaf rode south with him. When Onund met his friends and kinsmen they invited him to stay with them. They discussed the case of Ofeig’s killing and brought it before the Kjalarnes Assemblyy because the Althing had still not been established at this time. The case was settled and heavy compensation was paid for Ofeig’s killing, while Thorbjorn the Champion of Earls was sentenced to outlawry. His son was Solmund, the father of Kari the Singed. They lived outside Iceland for a long time afterwards. Thrand invited Onund and his party to stay with him, along with Olaf and Thormod Skafti. They presented Olaf s proposal of marriage, which was readily accept­ ed, because everyone knew what a generous woman Aud was. The bargain was set­ tled, and Onund and his men rode home afterwards. Aud thanked Onund for sup­ porting Olaf. The same autumn, Olaf Feilan married Alfdis from Barra, and Aud the Deepminded died, as is related in the Saga of the People of LaxardaL 4 4 Onund and Aesa had two sons. The elder one was called Thorgeir, and the younger one Ofeig Grettir. Aesa died soon after this episode, and Onund mar­ ried a woman called Thordis. She was the daughter of Thorgrim from Gnup in Midword and was related to Skeggi from Midfjord. Onund had a son called Thor­ grim by her. He soon grew up to be a tall and strong man, a dedicated farmer and a wise man. Onund lived at Kaldbak into his old age. He died of illness and is buried in Treeleg’s Mound. He was the bravest and nimblest one-legged man ever to live in Ice­ land. Thorgrim was the most prominent of Onund’s sons, even though the others were older. By the time he was twenty-five his hair was streaked with grey, so he was nicknamed Grey-head. His mother Thordis got married again, to Audun Shaft from Vididal in the north, and their son was Asgeir who lived by the river Asgeirsa. Thorgrim Grey-head and his brothers owned a great amount of property together, and never divided it out themselves. Eirik Snare lived at Arnes, as was related earlier. His wife was Olof, the daughter of Ingolf from Ingolfsfjord. Their son Flosi was a promising man who had many friends. Three brothers, Ingolf, Ofeig and Eyvind, had come to Iceland and taken the three fjords named after them, and lived there afterwards. Eyvind’s son Olaf lived in Eyvindarfjord at first, then moved to Drangar. He was a powerful man. No quarrels occurred while the older men lived, but after Eirik died, Flosi claimed that the people from Kaldbak had no legal right to the lands that Eirik had given to Onund. A serious dispute developed among them, but Thorgrim and his

AA

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The Complete Sagas of Icelanders II

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TH E COM PLETE SAGAS OF ICELANDERS

brothers remained there as before. The local people could not hold games together after that. Thorgeir was in charge of the brothers’ farm in Reykjarfjord and was in the habit of rowing out to fish, because the fjords were full of fish then. Then the people in Vik made a plan. There was a man called Thorfinn who was one of Flosi’s farmhands at Arnes. Flosi sent him off to kill Thorgeir, and he hid in the boat-shed. That morning, Thorgeir prepared to put out to sea and go fishing, taking two men with him, one named Hamund and the other Brand. Thorgeir led the way. He had a leather flask full of drink on his back. It was very dark, and as he was walking down from the boat-shed, Thorfinn ran up to him and struck him be­ tween the shoulderblades with an axe, which sunk in with a squelch. Thorfinn let go of the axe, because he assumed there would be no point in dressing the wound, and he wanted to escape at once. So Thorfinn ran off to Arnes and arrived there before it was completely daylight. He announced that Thorgeir had been killed and said he would need Flosi’s protec­ tion. The only action they could take would be to offer a settlement, he said, “and that will make our case look a little more favourable, considering how serious it is.” Flosi said he would wait to hear what had happened first, “and I can see you’re pretty scared by your mighty deed.” To return to Thorgeir, he had spun round when the blow struck him, so that the axe went into the leather flask without wounding him. Because it was dark they did not search for the attacker, but rowed out along the fjords to Kaldbak, where they told what had happened. They made great fun of the incident and called him Thorgeir Bottle-back, and the nickname stuck with him. This verse was made about the attack: 6. In the old days, heroes would bathe shield-biters like shimmering fish in a sea o f blood flowing from wounds deep as sharp-pointed roofs. Now the weakling who never won renown far and wide has smeared, from sheer cowardice, both sides o f his axe with curdled whey.

shield-biters: swords

Y O A* this time a great famine occurred in Iceland, the like of which has never been seen since. Almost no fish were caught, and nothing drifted ashore either. It lasted for many years. One autumn some merchants on a trading-ship were driven off course and ship­ wrecked in Vik. Flosi took four or five of them into his house; their leader was

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called Stein. They stayed in various places around Vik and planned to rebuild their ship from the wreckage, but it proved too much for them. The ship was too narrow at the stem and stern, and too wide-beamed. That spring, a mighty northerly gale set in, lasting for almost a week. After it died down everyone went out to see what had been brought ashore. There was a man called Thorstein who lived at Reykjanes. He found a whale beached on the inner side of the promontory, at a place called Rifsker (Reef Skerry or Rib Skerry). It was a huge finback whale. He sent a messenger off to Vik at once to tell Flosi, and then to the neighbouring farms. There was a man called Einar who lived at Gjogur. He was a tenant of the people from Kaldbak and was supposed to keep track of everything that drifted ashore on their side of the fjord. He saw that the whale had beached and set off in his boat at once and rowed across the fjord to Byrgisvik. From there, he sent a messenger to Kaldbak. When Thorgrim and his brothers heard the news, they made ready to leave as quickly as they could and set off in a ten-oared boat, twelve of them in all. Kolbein’s sons Ivar and Leif went with them too, in a party of six, and every other farmer who could make it went out to the whale. To return to Flosi, he sent for his kinsmen from Ingolfsfjord and Ofeigsfjord to the north, and for Olaf Eyvindarson, who was living at Drangar then. Flosi and the people from Vik arrived first. They began flensing the whale straight away and hauling the pieces up onto land. There were almost twenty of them to begin with, and their numbers soon grew. Then the people from Kaldbak turned up in four boats. Thorgrim claimed the whale as his own and forbade the people from Vik from cutting up the whale, shar­ ing it out or taking it away. Flosi asked him to prove that Eirik had specifically granted Onund Tree-leg the right to everything that drifted ashore there, otherwise he would defend it by force. Thorgrim thought he had too few men, so he did not mount an attack. Then some men in a boat came rowing furiously over to that side of the fjord. They soon came ashore; it was Svan from Hoi in Bjarnarfjord and his farmhands. When he joined Thorgrim he told him not to let himself be robbed. They were al­ ready close friends and Svan offered his support, which the brothers accepted. Then they launched a fierce attack. Thorgeir Bottle-back jumped up on the whale first and went for Flosfs farmhands. Thorfinn, who was mentioned before, was flensing the whale, standing just down from the head in a foothold he had cut for himself. ‘T m returning your axe,” said Thorgeir. Then he struck a blow at Thorfinn's neck, chopping his head off. Flosi was standing on the beach when he saw this and urged his men to fight back. They fought for a good while, and the people from Kaldbak came off better. Hardly anyone had any weapons apart from the axes and knives they were using to cut up the whale. The people from Vik were driven away from the whale and onto the beach, but the Norwegian merchants were armed and proved dangerous. Stein, their skipper, chopped off Ivar Kolbeinsson’s leg, but Ivar’s brother Leif clubbed

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THE COMPLETE SAGAS OF ICELANDERS

one of Stein’s companions to death with a whale rib. They fought with everything they could lay their hands on, and men were killed on both sides. After this, Olaf from Drangar arrived with several boatloads of men who joined Flosi’s side. The people from Kaldbak were outnumbered then, but had already loaded their boats, and Svan ordered them aboard. They made their way towards the boats, with the people from Vik pursuing them. When Svan reached the sea he struck out at Stein the merchant, inflicting a bloody wound on him, then leapt onto his boat. Thorgrim dealt Flosi a heavy wound and managed to get away. Olaf struck at Ofeig Grettir, dealing him a fatal wound. Thorgeir snatched Ofeig up in his arms and leapt aboard the boat with him. The people from Kaldbak rowed back across the fjord, and the two sides parted then. This verse was made about the incident: 7. I heard they were rather hard, the weapons wielded at Rifsker: many men struck out, armed only with strips of whalemeat. The metal-Goths gave as good as they got: they lobbed lumps o f blubber. That was a brawl, not a battle.

metal-Goths: (legendary) warriors

Afterwards a truce was arranged between them and they presented the case to the Althing. Thorodd the Godi, Skeggi from Midfjord and many men from south Iceland supported the people from Kaldbak. Flosi was outlawed along with many others who had been with him. The case impoverished him, because he insisted on paying all the compensation by himself. Thorgrim and his brother were unable to prove that they had paid for the lands and drift rights which Flosi had laid claim to. Thorkel Moon was the lawspeaker then and was asked to rule on the matter. He said that in a legal sense some payment appeared to have been made, al­ though not the full price, “because Steinunn the Old and my grandfather Ingolf1 did likewise when she accepted the whole of Rosmhvalanes from him in return for a coloured hooded cloak. That settlement has never been invalidated, even though it is a much weightier case. I propose,” he said, “that the disputed land should be shared out equally between the two parties. Then it will be agreed as law that each shall have the right to whatever drifts ashore on his own land.” This was done, and the land was divided up. Thorgrim and his brother handed over Reykjarfjord and all the land on the far side of it, but kept Kamb. A large amount of compensation was paid for Ofeig, but Thorfmn had forfeited his right to compensation. Thorgeir received compensation for the plot to kill him. After this they were reconciled. 1 Arnarson, the first settler of Iceland.

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Flosi set off for Norway with Stein the merchant, and sold his lands in Vik to Geirmund Wobbler, who lived there afterwards. The ship built by the merchants bulged out wide and was nicknamed Trekylli (Pouch of Wood). Trekyllisvik bay is named after it. Flosi set off abroad on it but was driven back into Oxarfjord. What happened after that is told in the Saga of Bodmod, Grimolf and Gerpir.1 After this, Thorgrim and Thorgeir divided up all they owned: Thorgrim received all the money and possessions, and Thorgeir the land. Then Thor­ grim moved to Midfjord and bought land at Bjarg with Skeggi’s support. Thorgrim married Thordis, the daughter of Asmund from Asmundargnup who had taken land in Thingeyri. Thorgrim and Thordis had a son called Asmund. He was tall, strong and wise, and had a fine head of hair, although he went grey at an early age. Because of this, he was nicknamed Grey-locks or Grey-fluff. Thorgrim turned out to be a dedicated farmer and made all his men work very hard. Asmund was reluctant to work and the father and son did not get on well to­ gether. This continued until Asmund was grown up, when he asked his father for the means to travel abroad. Thorgrim replied that he would not give him very much, but let him have a few goods to trade. Asmund went abroad and soon start­ ed acquiring much wealth. He sailed to a number of countries and was an out­ standing merchant, becoming very rich. He was a popular and trustworthy man, and had many kinsmen of high standing in Norway. One autumn, Asmund was staying in Vik in Norway with a man of high standing called Thorstein, who was from Oppland and had a sister called Rannveig. She was a very good match, so Asmund asked to marry her, which was arranged with Thorstein’s support. Asmund settled there for some while and became highly respected. He and Rannveig had a son called Thorstein who was very handsome and strong, with a powerful voice, tall but rather slow in his movements. Because of this he was nicknamed Dromund (Galleon). While Thorstein was still a young boy his mother fell ill and died. After her death, Asmund grew restless in Norway, so Rannveig’s family looked after Thorstein and his possessions, while Asmund set off sailing again and became a man of re­ nown. Asmund landed in Hunavatn when Thorkel Scratcher was the chieftain in Vatnsdal. When he heard of Asmund’s arrival, Thorkel rode out to his ship and invited him home to Masstadir in Vatnsdal. Asmund went there to stay. Thorkel was the son of Thorgrim, the Godi of Karnsa, and was a man of great wisdom. All this took place after Bishop Fridrek and Thorvald Kodransson had arrived in Iceland. They were living at Laekjarmot at this time and were the first Christian missionaries in the north of Iceland. Thorkel and many others took the sign of the 1 T h is saga, also re fe rre d t o in th e B ook o f S ettlem en ts, is u n k n o w n .

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cross. Many incidents occurred between the bishop’s men and the people of the north which are not part of this saga. There was a woman called Asdis who was brought up in Thorkel’s household. She was the daughter of Bard, the son of Jokul, whose father was Ingimund the Old. Ingimund was the son of Thorstein and grandson of Ketil the Large. Asdis’s mother was Aldis, who was the daughter of Ofeig Grettir, as mentioned earlier. She was un­ married and considered an outstanding match on account of both her family and her wealth. Asmund had grown bored with sailing and wanted to settle in Iceland, so he asked for Asdis’s hand in marriage. Thorkel was well aware of Asmund’s back­ ground and knew him to be both wealthy and clever with his money, so it was ar­ ranged that he would marry Asdis. Asmund became a close friend of Thorkel’s and a good farmer, well-versed in law, and ambitious. Shortly after this, Thorgrim Grey-head died and Asmund inherited the farm at Bjarg from him. W ' Asmund Grey-locks set up a farm at Bjarg, a large and impressive place with many people in the household. He was a popular man. These were the children he had with Asdis: Atli was the oldest, a straightforward and gentle man, quiet and unassuming. Everyone liked him. Grettir was their second son. He was very overbearing as a child, taciturn and rough, and mis­ chievous in both word and deed. His father Asmund showed him little affection, but his mother loved him dearly. Grettir Asmundarson was handsome, with a broad, short face, red-haired and fairly freckled, and as a child he was slow to devel­ op. Asmund had a daughter called Thordis who later married Glum, the son of Ospak Kjallaksson from Skridinsenni. His second daughter, Rannveig, married Gamli, the son of Thorhall the Vinlander. They lived at Melar in Hrutafjord and had a son called Grim. Glum and Asmund’s daughter Thordis had a son called Ospak, who quarrelled with Odd Ofeigsson, as is told in the Saga of the Confeder­ ates. Grettir grew up at Bjarg to the age of ten. He began to develop then and Asmund told him he would have to do some work on the farm. Grettir answered that he was not suited for it, but asked all the same what he was supposed to do. Asmund said, “You shall look after the geese I am rearing.” “A trifling job for weaklings,” Grettir replied. “Do the job well,” said Asmund, “and we shall get on better.” Grettir took charge of the geese. There were fifty of them and many goslings as well. Before long he began to have trouble rounding them up, and thought the gos­ lings were tedious, which infuriated him because he had a fairly short temper. A lit­ tle while later some vagrants passing by found the goslings dead outside; the geese’s wings were broken. This was in the autumn. Asmund was furious and asked Grettir if he had killed the birds. Grettir grinned and answered:

A I-

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THE SAGA OF GRETTIR TH E STRONG 8.

When winter comes around I wring the goslings’ necks for certain; and if older ones are there as well I can deal with them single-handed.

“You shan’t deal with them any more,” said Asmund. “A true friend spares others from evil,” Grettir replied. “You will be given another job,” said Asmund. “The more you try, the more you learn,” Grettir replied. “What am I supposed to do now?” “I always have my back rubbed by the fireside, you shall do that,” said Asmund. “That will be warm for my hands,” said Grettir, “but it’s still a job for weaklings.” Grettir did this job for some time, but as autumn went on Asmund began to rel­ ish sitting inside in the warmth, and urged Grettir to scratch his back harder. In those days it was the custom on farms to have big fire-halls where everyone sat beside the long fire in the evenings. Tables were set up there, and everyone slept alongside the fire in the evening. Women would comb wool there during the day. One evening when Grettir had to scratch Asmund’s back, the old man said to him: “You ought to shake off that laziness of yours for once, you layabout.” “It’s a bad thing to goad the obstinate,” said Grettir. “You’re good for nothing,” Asmund replied. Seeing the wool-combs lying on the bench, Grettir picked one up and ran it along Asmund’s back. Asmund leapt to his feet in a rage and struck at Grettir with his stick, but he dodged the blow. Then Grettir’s mother came in and asked what they were fighting about. Grettir spoke a verse: 9. He should ward off harm from me but wants me to burn my hands; I feel it sorely, bearer of gold; we both suffer for this plan. Goddess o f cloth, I go to work on the spreader of treasure thoroughly with uncut nails: I see beaks pecking at deep wounds

bearer of gold: woman goddess of cloth: woman spreader of treasure, noble man

Grettir’s mother disliked this trick that he had played and said he would not turn out to be a heedful sort of person. Relations between Asmund and Grettir did not improve after this incident. Some time later, Asmund told Grettir to look after his horses. Grettir said he liked that idea more than rubbing his father’s back by the fire. “Now you shall do exactly as I tell you,” said Asmund. “I have a fawn mare with a

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dark stripe down her back; I call her Kengala (Back-stripe). She is so acute about the weather and the water-level in the rivers that a snowstorm never fails to materi­ alise if she refuses to graze. In that case you should keep the horses in the stable, but take them north to the ridge when winter sets in. It seems to me that you need to make a better job of this task than the other two I gave you.” Grettir replied, “That’s a cold and manly job. But I’m wary of trusting the mare, because I’ve never heard about anyone who has until now.” Then Grettir took over looking after the horses and Yule came and went. Then it turned very cold and snowed, making the ground hard for them to graze. Grettir had thin clothes on and was still fairly tender. He began to feel the cold, while Kengala always stood out in the most exposed places every time there was a storm. She never entered the meadow so early that she had returned to the stable before nightfall. Grettir thought he would play a trick on her to pay her back for staying out all the time. Early one morning, Grettir went to the stable and opened it. Kengala was stand­ ing at the trough, because even when the other horses were given fodder she would eat it all herself. Grettir climbed on her back with a sharp knife in his hand, and slashed her across the shoulders with it and down her back on either side of her spine. The mare was fat and shied from humans, and she reacted violently, rearing up and hammering the walls with her hooves. Grettir fell off her back and when he got to his feet he tried to mount her again. After a sharp struggle, he ended by flay­ ing all the hide off her back right down to the flanks, then drove the horses out to the pasture. The only thing Kengala bit at was her own back, and just after midday she started up and ran back to the stable. Grettir closed up the stable and went home. Asmund asked him where the horses were, and Grettir said he had put them inside the stable as usual. Asmund said there must be a snowstorm in the offing, when the horses refused to stay outside in such weather. “Wisdom falls short where it is most expected,” said Grettir. The night passed and the snowstorm did not materialise. Grettir drove out the horses and Kengala could not stand being out in the pasture. Asmund thought it was peculiar that the weather did not change. On the third morning, Asmund went to see the horses. He went up to Kengala and said, “I think the horses have had little benefit from such a good winter, but your back will be as firm as ever, Kengala.” “The foreseeable happens, and the unforeseeable too,” said Grettir. Asmund rubbed the mare’s back, and its hide came off with his hand. He was puzzled by the state she was in, and said Grettir must be responsible. Grettir grinned and said nothing. Asmund went home ranting. He went into the fire-hall and heard his wife say, “Surely my son looked after the horses well.” Asmund spoke a verse:

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THE SAGA OF GRETTIR THE STRONG

10. First o f all, he has flayed my trusty Kengala. Fair women mostly go too far with their words: Grettir tricked me. That lad is certainly wise enough to teach me not entrust him with orders. May the goddess o f the ring take in my words.

goddess of the ring: woman (Asdis)

Asdis answered, “I do not know which 1 object to more: that you keep giving him jobs, or that he does them all the same way.” uThis will be the end of that now," Asmund said. “But he’ll be treated all the worse for it.” “Then neither of us should accuse the other,” said Grettir, and the matter rested there for a while. Asmund had Kengala put to death. Grettir played many more pranks in his youth which are not recounted. He grew very big, but no one knew how strong he was, because he was not a wrestler. He often made verses and ditties that tended to be scornful. He did not lounge around in the fire-hall1, and he was taciturn most of the time. There were many young men growing up in Midfjord at this time. Torfa the A w Poetess, who lived at Torfustadir, had a son called Bersi, an accomplished young man and fine poet. The brothers Kormak and Thorgils lived at Mel, and a lad called Odd was brought up with them. He was a dependant living on their farm, so he was nicknamed Odd the Pauper-poet. There was a man called Audun who grew up at Audunarstadir in Vididal, a straightforward and kind person and the strongest lad for his age in that area. Kalf, Asgeir’s son, lived at Asgeirsa with his brother Thorvald. Grettir’s brother Atli had also grown very manly by this time and was an exceptionally peaceful character who was liked by everybody. All these youths used to play ball games at Lake Midfjardarvatn. People would go there from Midfjord and Vididal, along with many others from Vesturhop and Vatnsnes and from Hrutafjord, too. Those who came from farthest away used to stay overnight there. Players of equal strength were matched against each other, and it was generally an enjoyable event every autumn. When Grettir was fourteen he went to the games at the insistence of his brother Atli. Players were lined up to face each other, and Grettir was pitted against Audun, who was mentioned before. Audun was several years their elder. He hit the ball over Grettir’s head so that he could not catch it, and it bounced far away over the ice. Grettir lost his temper at this, thinking that Audun had done it to make fun of him, but fetched the ball all the same, came back and, when he was within reach, hurled i.e. he was not a “coal-biter,” an unpromising youth who turned into a hero.

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it at Audun’s forehead, making it bleed. Audun struck out at Grettir with the bat he was holding, but only glanced off him, because Grettir dodged the blow. Then they grappled with each other and started wrestling, and everyone could tell Grettir was stronger than they had imagined, because Audun was very powerful. After they had fought for a long time, Grettir lost his balance in the end, and Aud­ un jumped on him and kneed him in the groin. Atli, Bersi and many others ran over and broke up the fight. Grettir said there was no need to hold him like a mad dog - “Only a slave takes vengeance at once, and a coward never.” No one allowed the incident to develop into a quarrel, because the brothers Kalf and Thorvald wanted them to make up afterwards. Moreover, Grettir and Audun were distant relatives. The game went on as before and nothing else caused any fric­ tion. ' i f a Thorkel Scratcher was very old by now. He was the godi of the people from A w Vatnsdal and a great chieftain. As befits relatives by marriage, he and Asmund Grey-locks were close friends, and Thorkel made a habit of riding to Bjarg every spring to visit everyone there. In the spring after this incident he went to Bjarg as usual. Asmund and Asdis welcomed him with open arms. He spent three nights there, and the two kinsmen talked together about many things. Thorkel asked Asmund how capable he imagined his sons would turn out to be. Asmund said he expected Atli to become a good farmer, prudent and wise. “A useful man, just like you,” said Thorkel. “But what do you say about Grettir?” “He will be a strong and unruly man,” said Asmund. “He has been obstinate and caused me trouble.” “That does not bode well, kinsman,” Thorkel replied. “Anyway, what arrange­ ments shall we make for riding to the Althing this summer?” “I’m starting to have trouble moving about, and I’d prefer to stay at home,” said Asmund. “Do you want Atli to go instead of you?” asked Thorkel. “I don’t think I can spare him, because of all the work on the farm and all the provisions he has to get,” said Asmund. “Grettir refuses to do any work here, and he is clever enough to handle my affairs for me at the Thing under your guidance.” “It’s up to you to decide, kinsman,” said Thorkel. When he was ready to leave, Thorkel rode off home, and Asmund sent him on his way with fine gifts. Some time later, Thorkel made preparations to go to the Thing. He rode there taking sixty men with him, all the men who supported his authority as a godi. He arrived at Bjarg, and Grettir rode from there with him. They rode south over the moor called Tvidaegra (Two days’ journey). Since there were few places to rest the horses in the highland they rode fast into the settled district. When they reached Fljotstunga, they decided it was time to sleep, so they unbridled their horses and let

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them loose with their saddles on. The men slept there until late, and when they woke up they looked around for their horses, which had strayed off in all directions and some had been rolling on the ground. Grettir was the last of them to find his horse. In those days it was the custom for people to take their own provisions to the Thing with them and most people rode with a bag of food across their saddle. The saddle had moved under the belly of Grettir’s horse, but his bag was missing, so he went to look for it but could not find it anywhere. He noticed a man walking around at a brisk pace, and asked him who he was. The man said his name was Skeggi, and that he was a farmhand from As in Vatnsdal. wfm with Thorkel’s party,” he added, “and I’ve been careless and lost my bag of food.” “What only happens to one is worst,” said Grettir. “I’ve lost the bag I had with me too. Let’s look for them together.” Skeggi thought this was a good idea, and the two of them roamed the area for a while. All of a sudden Skeggi darted across the moorland and snatched up a bag there. Grettir saw him bend down and asked what he had picked up. “My bag of food,” said Skeggi. “Who else says it’s yours?” asked Grettir. “Let me have a look. One thing may look like something else.” Skeggi said no one was going to take his own belongings from him. Grettir grabbed at the bag and they tugged at it, both insisting they were right. “It’s strange of you to suppose,” said the farmhand, “that just because not all the people in Vatnsdal are as rich as you, they wouldn’t dare to keep hold of what’s theirs against you.” Grettir said people should have what was theirs, whatever their status. Skeggi said, “What a pity Audun’s too far away to throttle you like he did at the ball game.” “Be that as it may,” said Grettir. “You certainly won’t throttle me, whatever hap­ pened then.” Skeggi seized his axe and struck at Grettir. Seeing this, Grettir grabbed the shaft of the axe with his left hand, above where Skeggi was holding it, and wrenched it free in an instant. Grettir struck him with the same axe right through to his brain. The farmhand dropped down dead on the spot. Grettir took the bag of food and threw it across his saddle, then rode off to join his companions. Thorkel was riding in front, unaware of what had happened. Peo­ ple had noticed that Skeggi had gone missing from the party, and when Grettir reached them they asked him what he knew of his whereabouts. Grettir spoke a verse:l. ll.

I imagine a cleft-dwelling troll made a wild rush for Skeggi,

cleft-dwelling troll: ogress living in the cliffs, also an axe

TH E COM PLETE SAGAS OF ICELANDERS

70 that battle-axe was thirsty to taste blood just now. Not sparing her fangs, she stretched her harsh mouth over his head, split his forehead in two: I was there when they fought

battle-axe. hag, also axe

Thorkel’s men ran up then and said a troll would never have taken him in broad daylight. Thorkel kept quiet, then said, “There’s more to it than that; Grettir must have killed him. So how did it happen?” Grettir told him all about their quarrel. “Things have taken a bad turn,” said Thorkel. “Skeggi was sent to accompany me. He was from a good family, and I shall accept responsibility by paying whatever compensation is decided, but 1 have no control over whether a sentence of outlawry is passed. You have two options, Grettir: either go to the Thing and take the chance of what is decided there, or turn back now.” Grettir opted to go to the Thing, so he went on with them. The case was brought by the slain man’s heirs. Thorkel undertook to pay compensation, but Grettir was sentenced to lesser outlawry and was banished from Iceland for three years. When they rode back from the Thing, the chieftains rested their horses at Sledaas before going their separate ways. Grettir lifted up a boulder lying in the grass there, which is now called Grettishaf (Grettir’s Lift). Many people went up to look at it and were astonished that such a young man could lift such a huge rock. Grettir rode home to Bjarg and told his father what had happened. Asmund showed little reaction to the news and said Grettir would turn out to be a troublemaker. ■ 4 ^ There was a man called Haflidi who lived at Reydarfell in the Hvitarsida disA / trict. He was a merchant and owned a trading ship which had been hauled up on the river Hvita. One member of his crew was a man called Bard, who had a young and pretty wife. Asmund sent a messenger to Haflidi asking him to take Grettir on and look after him. Haflidi said he had been told that Grettir was an unruly character, but for the sake of his friendship with Asmund he agreed to take him along, and made prep­ arations to sail abroad. Asmund refused to give Grettir anything for the journey ex­ cept provisions and a little homespun cloth. Grettir asked his father to give him a weapon. “You’ve never done anything I’ve told you. And I don’t know what useful thing you would do with weapons, so I shan’t be giving you any.” “Then there’s no need to reward a favour that isn’t done,” said Grettir. The father and son parted with little love lost between them. Many people wished Grettir a safe journey, but few a safe return. His mother accompanied him on his way. “You haven’t been sent on your way as well equipped as I would like to see some­

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one of your standing, my son,” she told him before they parted. “What I think you lack most is a useful weapon. Something tells me y o u will be needing one.” Then she took an inlaid sword from under her cloak, a fine piece of work­ manship. “This sword belonged to my grandfather Jokul and the most prominent people of the Vatnsdal clan, and it brought them many triumphs. I want to give you this sword. Make good use of it.” Grettir thanked her kindly for the gift, saying he thought it was better than any­ thing else, even much more valuable gifts. Then he went on his way, and Asdis wished him many good things. Grettir rode south over the moor, not stopping until he had crossed it and reached the ship. Haflidi welcomed him warmly and asked him what he was equipped with for the journey. Grettir spoke a verse: 12. Rider of the cloak that clothes the wind! I think that rich man has given me a poor start from home. I hoped for gold from the dragon’s lair. For her gift o f a wound-maker a woman of calibre proved the truth o f the ancient saying: The mother is best to the child.

cloak that clothes the wind: sail; its rider, seafarer

Haflidi said it was obvious that she cared the most for him. They put to sea when they were ready to sail and the wind was favourable, and when they were clear of all the shallows they hoisted sail. Grettir made himself a place to sleep under the ship's boat and refused to leave it, neither to bail out the ship nor turn the sails, nor do any of the tasks on board he was supposed to share with the rest of the crew. Nor would he pay them to be relieved of his duties. They sailed south around Reykjanes and then along the south of Iceland, and when they lost sight of land they ran into strong breaking waves. The ship tended to leak and could hardly stand up to the breakers, and the crew were drenched. Grettir kept making lampoons about them, which infuriated them. One day when it was both windy and cold, the crew called out to Grettir and told him to pull his weight - “Our fingers are frozen to the bone.” Grettir looked up and said: 13.

What luck if every layabout’s fingers would shrivel up and drop off.

They could not get him to work, but disliked his behaviour all the more and said they would make him pay for all the lampoons and offences he had made.

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THE COMPLETE SAGAS OF ICELANDERS

“You’d much rather stroke Bard’s wife’s belly with your hands than do your du­ ties on board,” they said. “We won’t stand for it.” The weather grew steadily worse and the crew had to bail the ship out day and night, and they started threatening Grettir. When Haflidi heard this, he went over to where Grettir was lying, and said to him, “I don’t like the way you and the crew have been getting on together. You re­ fuse to do your duties and you lampoon them into the bargain, and now they’re threatening to throw you overboard. This is no way to behave.” “Why can’t they get on with their own business?” Grettir asked him. “But I’d like to leave a couple of them lying around before I disappear overboard.” “This is impossible,” said Haflidi. “Things won’t turn out well for us if this is the way you and the crew are going to behave. I want to suggest a plan to you.” “What is it?” asked Grettir. “They complain about you making lampoons about them,” said Haflidi. “I sug­ gest that you make a lampoon about me, and then maybe they’ll put up with you better.” “The only verse I would ever make about you would be praise,” said Grettir. “I would never compare you with those layabouts.” Then Haflidi said, “You could make a verse that sounds better if you look closely at it, but is none too pretty on first impression.” “I can manage that,” said Grettir. So Haflidi went up to the crew and said, “You’re toiling away so hard, it’s no sur­ prise that you disapprove of Grettir.” “His lampoons annoy us more than anything else,” they said. Then Haflidi said in a loud voice, “He’ll certainly pay for it in the end, too.” Hearing Haflidi criticising him, Grettir spoke a verse: 14.

Life has changed for loud-mouthed Haflidi since he supped on curds at Reydarfell; he felt at home then. See the proud spearhead o f battle breakfast now day and night on the elk that rides the land-hugging seas.

breakfast: or, read as break fast for a battle image elk that rides the seas: ship

The merchants disliked the verse intensely and said that Grettir would not get away with heaping abuse on Haflidi. Then Haflidi said, “Grettir deserves to be humiliated by you, but I don’t want to stake my honour against his spite and heedlessness. We shall not take revenge on him while we are in such peril, but you can remember it when you reach land if you wish.”

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73

“Why can’t we put up with it like you?” said the merchants. “Why should lam­ poons hurt us more than you?” Haflidi told them to try, and afterwards they took far less offence at his lam­ poons. They had a long, rough passage, and the ship began leaking in several places. The crew toiled so hard that they began to flag. Bard’s young wife made a habit of sewing Grettir’s shirt-sleeves up for him, and the crew made fun of him for it. Haflidi went over to where Grettir lay and spoke a verse: 15. Stand up from where youTe buried, Grettir, the ship is furrowing the waves deep while you chatter cheerfully with that glad-hearted woman. She has rolled up your sleeves, sewn them tight around your arms, that woman, she wants you to respect your companions who are working below.

Grettir stood up at once and spoke a verse: 16. I stand up, how much beneath me the ship is heaving and pitching. I know the woman will frown on me for slouching on board. That maid of fair spirit and face is sure to disapprove if I let others here always do my work for me.

Then he ran to the men who were bailing water at the aft of the ship and asked what they wanted him to do. They said he would not do much good. “Many hands make light work,” said Grettir. Haflidi told them not to refuse his assistance - “Maybe he thinks he can get all this business off his hands by offering to help.” In those days there were no bilge troughs on ships, but the bailing was done us­ ing buckets or tubs, which was a wet and tiring job. Two buckets were used, and one was carried down while the other went up. The bailers told Grettir to dip the buckets in the water, saying this would show them what he was capable of. He answered back that this would not take much effort to show them, and he went down and filled the buckets with water, while two men emptied them. Before long they were exhausted. Four others took over from them, and the same thing hap­ pened. Some claim there were eight men emptying the buckets for him by the end when the ship was completely bailed out. After this, the merchants spoke very dif­

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ferently about Grettir, because they saw what he could accomplish on account of his great strength. He also turned out to be very energetic in helping them afterwards with whatever was needed. They were carried eastwards across the ocean, and a heavy fog descended. The next thing they knew was that one night their ship sailed into a skerry, ripping a hole in the keel under the prow. The ship’s boat was put out with all the women and goods on board. There was an islet nearby and they took as much of their be­ longings to it as they could manage that night. When day broke they discussed where they had landed. Some of them who had sailed abroad before recognised that they had reached South More in Norway. There was an island called Haramsoy a short way off towards the mainland, where a lot of people lived, and the local landholder had his home. The landholder who lived on the island was called Thorfinn. He was an im­ portant chieftain, the son of Kar the Old, who had lived there for a long time. When it was fully light, people on the island could see the merchants in trouble. Thorfinn was told and reacted at once by sending out a large warship that he owned, with sixteen oars on either side. Almost thirty men were on board and they rowed with all their might and saved the merchants’ belongings, but the ship sank, and many valuables were lost with it. Thorfinn had all the people from the ship tak­ en to his house, where they stayed for a week, drying out their goods. Then the merchants left for the south, and have left the saga. Grettir remained behind with Thorfinn and kept a low profile. Mostly, he said very little and Thorfinn had him fed but did not pay much attention to him. Grettir was unsociable towards him and refused to go outside with him during the day. Thorfinn disapproved, but could not bring himself to refuse him food. Thorfinn was a very houseproud and cheerful host, and liked everyone else to be happy too. Grettir went visiting a lot and often went to the other farms on the island. There was a man called Audun who lived at a place called Vindheim. Grettir went there every day and struck up a friendship with him, and would sit there late into the day. Late one evening, Grettir was about to walk back to Thorfinn’s when he saw a great fire flare up on the headland down from Audun’s farm. Grettir asked what strange thing was happening there. Audun said he had no need to find out. “Where I come from,” said Grettir, “people who saw that would say it was the glow of a treasure hoard.” “The keeper of that fire,” answered the farmer, “is someone we are better off not trying to find out about.” “I’d like to find out,” said Grettir. “There’s a mound on the headland,” said Audun, “where Kar the Old, Thorfinn’s father, was buried. At first they owned a single farm on the island, but since Kar died he has haunted the island and frightened away all the farmers who owned land here. Now Thorfinn owns the entire island and no one who is under his protection is harmed by Kar.”

B

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75

Grettir said he had done well to tell him this, and said, “I shall come back tomor­ row. Have some tools ready for me to dig with.” “I advise you not to get involved in this,” said Audun, “because I know Thorfinn will hate you for it.” Grettir said he was prepared to take that risk. The night passed, and Grettir came back early in the morning. The tools were ready for him, and the farmer accompanied him to the mound. Grettir broke open the mound and worked furiously, not stopping until he had reached the timber props, by which time it was very late in the day. Then he tore away the props. Audun discouraged him as best he could from entering the mound. Grettir told him to watch over the rope, “because I want to find out what’s inside there.” Then Grettir went inside the mound. It was dark and smelled unpleasant. He explored the mound to see how it was laid out. He found some horse bones, then he rubbed against the carved back of a chair and could tell there was a man sitting in it. A huge amount of gold and silver had been piled up there and the man’s feet were resting on a chest full of silver. Grettir took all the treasure and carried it over to the rope. And when he was walking back inside the mound, something grabbed him tight. He dropped the treasure and fought back, and the two of them grappled violently, knocking everything over that was in their way. The mounddweller went for him ferociously, and Grettir backed off for a long time, until he realised that he would need all his strength. They both fought with all their might, and struggled towards where the horse bones were. They grappled for a long while there and both of them were brought to their knees at different times, until in the end the mound-dweller toppled over backwards with a mighty crash. Audun ran away from the rope, thinking that Grettir must have been killed. Then Grettir drew his sword, Jokul’s Gift, swung at the mound-dweller’s neck and chopped off his head. He placed the head up against the mound-dweller’s buttocks and took all the treasure over to the rope. Audun was nowhere around, so he had to clamber up the rope himself and then pull up the treasure, which he had tied to the end of it. Grettir was feeling very stiff after his fight with Kar and went back to Thorfinn’s farm with the treasure. Everyone there was seated at the table. Thorfinn glared at Grettir when he entered the hall and asked him what he needed to do that was so important he couldn’t keep the same hours as other people. “Many little things happen at night,” Grettir said. Then he spread out on the table all the treasure he had taken from the mound. Grettir had his eye on one piece of the treasure in particular, a fine short-sword. He said he had never seen such a good weapon before, and handed it over last of all. Thorfinn’s eyebrows lifted when he saw the treasure and the short-sword, because it was an heirloom that had never left his family. “Where did you get this treasure from?” Thorfinn asked. Grettir spoke a verse:

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17. Spreader of gold that glitters on waves, my hopes of winning treasure from the mound are clearly dashed: men will soon hear of this. Yet I see too that few makers o f sword-blizzards will earn much joy when they seek the dragon’s mire of gold there.

spreader of gold: generous man hopes.. .are dashed: i.e. he perhaps realises Thorfinn will take the treasure himself makers of sword-blizzards: warriors

dragon's mire: treasure where dragons lie

Thorfinn answered, “You are not a man of faint heart. No one until now has ever been keen to break into that mound. I know that it is a waste of treasure to bury it in the ground or a mound, so I cannot say you have done wrong, because after all you brought it to me. And where did you find that fine short-sword?” Grettir answered with a verse: 18. Spreader o f gold that burns on waves, in a murky mound I gained hold o f the sword that stretches wounds: a ghost was felled then. Were it mine, that scourge o f men, that precious flash of flame clashing down on helmets, would never leave my hand.

spreader of gold: generous man

flash of flame: i.e. sword

“You state your case well,” said Thorfinn, “but you must prove your prowess be­ fore I give you the sword, because my father never gave it to me while he was alive.” “There’s no telling whom it will serve the best in the end,” Grettir answered. Thorfinn took the treasure and kept the sword by his bedside. The winter passed and Yule came around, and nothing else eventful happened. Earl Eirik, Hakon’s son, had left for England the previous summer to see his A y brother-in-law, King Canute the Great. He had appointed his son, Earl Hakon, as ruler of Norway, but had entrusted his brother Earl Svein with governing the realm and taking care of Hakon, who was still only a boy. Before leaving Norway, Earl Eirik had summoned the landholders and powerful farmers to him. They discussed many aspects of the law and government of the country, because Eirik was a firm ruler. People there thought it was a disgraceful practice to allow robbers and berserks to challenge men of high standing to duels for their money or wives, without compensation being paid for the one who was slain. Many had suffered disgrace and lost their money, and some had even lost their lives, so Earl Eirik banned all duels in Norway. He also outlawed all robbers and berserks who caused any trouble. Thorfinn Karsson from Haramsoy was involved in planning this measure, because he was a wise man and a close friend of the earl. The worst troublemakers were said to be two brothers called Thorir Paunch and

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Ogmund the Evil. They came from Halogaland and were bigger and stronger than anybody else. They would go berserk and spare nothing when they flew into a rage. They used to take away men's wives and daughters and keep them for a week or two, then return them. Wherever they went, they used to plunder and cause other trouble. Earl Eirik outlawed them throughout Norway. Thorfinn was the most avid campaigner to have them banished, and they felt that he deserved to be paid back with all the hatred they could show. Then the earl went abroad, as described in his saga,1 and Earl Svein ruled and governed Norway. Thorfinn went home to his farm and stayed there most of the time until Yule, as mentioned above. Towards Yule he made preparations to go to another of his farms, in a place called Slysfjord on the mainland. He had invited many of his friends there, but his wife was unable to go with him, because their grown-up daughter was ill, so the two women stayed behind at home. Thorfinn took thirty freed slaves with him to the Yule feast, which was a joyful and merry occasion. On Yule Eve the weather was bright and calm. Grettir spent most of his time out­ doors during the day, and saw ships sailing north and south along the shore, be­ cause everybody was on the way to feasts. The farmer's daughter had recovered by then and could walk about with her mother. The day passed. Then Grettir saw a boat being rowed up to the island. It was not large, but had overlapping shields arranged from stem to stern, and was painted above the water­ line. The men on board were rowing vigorously, heading for Thorfinn's boat-shed. When the boat touched ground the crew leapt ashore; Grettir counted them, and there were twelve in all. They did not seem to have come in peace. After they had hauled their boat ashore onto dry land, they ran over to Thorfinn’s boat-shed. In­ side was Thorfinn's huge warship which had always needed thirty men to launch, but the twelve of them tugged it straight out onto the gravelly beach, lifted up their own boat, and put it in the boat-shed. Grettir could tell they were not going to wait for an invitation, so he went up to them and greeted them warmly, asking who they were and the name of their leader. The one he had asked answered back at once that he was called Thorir and nick­ named Thorir Paunch. Then he mentioned his brother Ogmund’s name and those of the rest of their companions. “I expect your master Thorfinn has heard about us,” he said. “Would he happen to be at home?” “You're in luck,” said Grettir, “because you’ve arrived at a very good time, if you are the men I think you are. The master of the house is away and all the free-born men in the household have gone with him, and they aren't planning to return until after Yule. His wife and daughter are at home. If I had any score to settle, this is ex­ actly the time 1 would have wanted to arrive, because everything you need is to be had here, ale and other pleasures.” Thorir kept quiet while Grettir talked away, then he said to Ogmund, “Things 1 Unknown apart from this passing reference and one other.

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have not gone the way I predicted, and I have a mind to repay Thorfinn for having us outlawed. This man tells us just what we wanted to hear, and we don’t need to force the words out of him.” “Every man is the master of his own words,” said Grettir. “I shall look after you in every way I can. Come home with me.” They thanked him and said they would accept his offer. When they reached the farmhouse, Grettir took Thorir by the arm and led him into the main room. Grettir was very talkative then. Thorfinn’s wife was in the main room hanging up tapestries and making it ready for Yule. Hearing Grettir talking to someone, she stopped where she was on the floor and asked who it was that he was welcoming so openly. “It is the right thing to do, to give guests a kind welcome, my good lady,” said Grett­ ir. “Master Thorir Paunch has arrived with eleven companions and they intend to stay here for Yule. That’s a fine thing, because we were rather short of company before.” “I don’t rank them with masters or fine men,” she replied, “because they are the worst robbers and evil-doers around. I would gladly have given almost anything I own for them not to have come here at this time. And you’re repaying Thorfinn badly for rescuing you from a shipwreck without a penny to your name and keep­ ing you all winter as a free man.” “You would do better to help the guests out of their wet clothes than to criticise me. You’ll have plenty of chance to do that later.” Then Thorir said, “Don’t be surly, my good lady. You won’t lack anything though your husband is away from home, for you’ll have a man in his place, and so will your daughter and all the women of the household.” “That’s spoken like a true man,” said Grettir. “They won’t be able to complain about being neglected.” All the women rushed out of the room and were seized with fear and fits of weeping. “Hand over anything you want me to look after,” Grettir told the berserks, “your weapons and wet clothes, because the women will be easier to handle when they are not scared.” Thorir said he did not care how much the women bickered, “but you deserve to be treated completely differently from the rest of the people here. I think we can make a true friend of you.” “That is up to you,” said Grettir. “I for one don’t treat all men alike.” Then they put down most of their weapons. Afterwards, Grettir said, “I think you had better go over to the table and have something to drink, because all that rowing must have made you thirsty.” They said they were quite ready to do that, but did not know where the cellar was, so when Grettir asked whether they would leave everything to him, the ber­ serks readily agreed. Grettir went off, fetched the ale and served it up. They were very tired and gulped it down in great draughts. He kept plying them with the strongest ale there was for a long time, and told them many amusing tales. It was a very noisy gathering and the people of the household had no wish to join them.

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Then Thorir said, “I have never met a stranger who has treated us as well as this man. How would you like us to reward you for yoiu service?” ‘T don’t want any reward for the time being, but if we’re still as good friends when you leave as we seem to be now, then I shall join your band. Even though I may be a lesser man than some of you, I shan’t get in the way of your doing great deeds.” They were delighted at his words and wanted to make a firm pledge of compan­ ionship at once. Grettir declined, saying, “There’s truth in the old saying that ‘Ale makes another man.’ Let’s not rush into doing any more than I have said already. We are all rather impetuous characters.” They said they would not take the promise back. As the evening wore on and it grew very dark, Grettir noticed that they were becoming worn out by all the drink­ ing. “Don’t you think it’s time for bed now?” he said. Thorir said it was, “and I’ll keep my promise to the lady of the house.” Grettir left the room and called out in a loud voice, “Get into bed, ladies. Master Thorir wants you there.” They shouted curses back at him, howling and screaming, just as the berserks left the room. “Let us go outside,” Grettir said to them. “I’ll show you where Thorfinn keeps his clothes.” They agreed and they went out to a huge, solidly-built outhouse with a big lock on the door. Beside it, joined by a single boarded wall, stood a big, solid privy. They were quite tall buildings, with some steps leading up to them. The berserks became rather unruly and started pushing Grettir about, and he dodged out of their way, then when they least expected it he dashed out of the building, grabbed the latch, slammed the door and locked it. Thinking at first that the door must have swung shut by itself, Thorir and his companions did not pay any attention to it. They had a light with them, because Grettir had been showing them many of Thorfinn’s be­ longings, and they went on looking around inside for a while. Grettir rushed back to the farmhouse and, reaching the doorway, he called out in a loud voice to ask where the farmer’s wife was. She was too scared to reply. “There’s a fine catch here for the taking,” he said. “Are there any suitable weap­ ons around?” “There are plenty of weapons, but I don’t know what use they’ll be to you,” she replied. “We’ll talk about that later,” he said. “Now it’s everyone lor himself. It’s now or never.” “It would surely be a godsend if anything could improve our lot now,” said the farmer’s wife. “Old Kar’s barbed spear is hanging above Thorfinn’s bed. A helmet, coat of mail and that fine sword are there too, weapons that will not fail you as long as your courage holds up.”

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Grettir snatched up the helmet and spear and girded on the sword, and went straight out again. The woman called out to the farmhands, telling them to go with this good, brave man. Four of them ran for their weapons, but four others did not dare to approach. To return to the berserks, they felt Grettir was taking a long time about coming back and began to suspect a trick. They ran for the door and discovered it was locked, then pushed against the timber wall so hard that every board in it creaked. Eventually they managed to break down the boarding into the privy, and from there they headed down the steps. They went berserk and began howling like dogs. Just at that moment, Grettir turned up. Using both hands, he thrust the spear at Thorir’s stomach just as he was on his way down the steps, and it went straight through him. The spear was fitted with a long, thin blade; Ogmund the Evil was be­ hind Thorir and bumped against him so that the spear pierced him right up to the barbs, out between his shoulderblades and into Ogmund’s chest. Both of them tumbled down dead from the spear. All the men who had come out ran down the steps. Grettir attacked each one in turn, slashing at them with his sword or lunging with his spear, while they fought back with logs that were lying out on the field or anything else they could find. They were deadly characters to deal with even when they had no weapons because of their mighty strength. Grettir killed two of the Halogalanders in the hayfield. The four farmhands came out then; they had been bickering over who should have which weapon. They advanced when the berserks were on the retreat anyway, but when the berserks fought back they scampered off to the buildings again. Six vikings fell there, and Grettir was the slayer of them all. The other six fled; they made their way down to the boat-shed and went inside. They defended them­ selves with oars, and dealt Grettir such fierce blows that he almost sustained serious injuries. The farmhands went back, boasting of their prowess. The farmer’s wife ordered them to go and find out what had happened to Grettir, but they would not. Grettir killed two men in the boat-shed, but four escaped from him. They ran off in pairs in different directions and Grettir chased the two who were closer to him. It was pitch dark by now. They ran into a barn on the farm called Vindheim that was mentioned earlier, and after a long struggle Grettir killed both of them. He was feel­ ing very stiff and exhausted by then and the night was almost over. When the weather turned cold with drifting snow he did not feel like looking for the two re­ maining vikings, so he went back home to the farm. The farmer’s wife lit a light at the windows of the top rooms to guide him on his way, and by following the light he eventually made his way home. When he reached the door, the farmer’s wife went up to him and welcomed him in. “You have won great renown for this,” she said, “and delivered me and my household from a shameful fate which we would never have recovered from, if you had not rescued us.”

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“I think Tm much the same person you were heaping abuse on earlier this eve­ ning,” said Grettir. uWe didn’t know you were the mighty warrior that you have proved yourself to be,” she said. “Feel free to take anything you want in this house that is fitting for us to give and an honour for you to accept. And I have a feeling Thorfmn will reward you even more handsomely when he comes home.” “There is little need for rewards for the time being but I shall accept your offer until your husband comes home. And I trust you will be able to sleep in peace from berserks.” Grettir had not had much to drink that evening and lay down with his weapons beside him during the night. At daylight the next morning people were summoned from around the island and they set out to find the berserks who had escaped the night before. They were discovered towards the end of the day, lying up against a rock, dead from the cold and their wounds. Their bodies were carried off to the shoreline and buried there in a shallow grave. After that the islanders went home, certain that peace had been brought to them. When he went back to the farmer’s wife, Grettir spoke this verse: 19.

Twelve wielders o f battle-flame I sent to a sea-lapped grave, alone and undaunted I brought swift death upon them all. Woman, high-bom tree o f gold, what deed that one man does will ever be w orthy o f praise if this one counts for little?

b a ttle-fla m e, s w o rd

tree o f gold: w o m a n

“There are certainly few men like you around these days,” said the farmer’s wife. She made him sit in the high seat and treated him well in every respect. Time passed until Thorfmn was due home. ^ /N After Yule, Thorfmn made preparations to go back home, and gave many of Jm ^ the people he had invited to the feast fine gifts when they parted. Then he set off with his band of men until he drew close to his boat-shed. They noticed a ship lying on the sand, and soon recognised that it was his big warship. Thorfmn had not yet heard anything about the vikings. He ordered them to hurry for land, “for I suspect that this is not the work of any friends of mine,” he said. Thorfmn led his men ashore and went straight over to the boat-shed. He saw a boat inside it which he recognised as belonging to the berserks. Then he said to his men, “I suspect that such events have happened here that I would have given the island and everything on it to have been able to avert.” They asked him why. Then he said, “The vikings have been here, the worst men I know about in the

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whole of Norway: Thorir Paunch and Ogmund the Evil. They won’t have done us any favours here, and I don’t trust that Icelander very much.” He spoke at length to his companions about this. Grettir was at home and delayed the people on the farm from going down to the beach, saying that he did not care if the man of the house was nervous about what might have happened. Then the wife asked his permission to leave, and he said she was free to go where she pleased, but he showed no signs of going himself. She rushed off to see Thorfinn and welcomed him warmly. He was happy to see her and said, “Praise God that I see you and my daughter safe and happy. So what has happened to you since I left?” “Things have turned out well in the end,” she said, “but we came very close to suffering a shameful fate that we would never have recovered from if your winter guest had not helped us.” “Let’s sit down now, and you tell me all that happened,” said Thorfinn. She told him in detail about everything that had happened, praising Grettir’s courage and action. Thorfinn remained silent until she had finished the story, then said, “The old saying is true, that it takes time to know people. So where is Grettir now?” “He’s in the main room of the farm,” she replied. Then they went back to the farmhouse. Thorfinn went up to Grettir, embraced him and thanked him eloquently for the integrity he had displayed. “Now 1 shall say something to you that few men say to their friends,” Thorfinn said. “I hope you need help some time, and then you would really see whether I could prove useful to you or not. I shall never really be able to repay your good deeds unless you end up in trouble. But my hospitality is open to you for as long as you need to accept it, and I will treat you the best of all my men.” Grettir thanked him kindly and said, “I would have accepted your offer earlier too.” Grettir spent the winter there on the best of terms with Thorfinn. He became re­ nowned for this deed all over Norway, especially in places where berserks had been causing the most trouble. In the spring, Thorfinn asked Grettir what he was planning to do, and Grettir re­ plied that he wanted to go north to the market in Vagan. Thorfinn told him that as much money as he wanted was there for the taking, but Grettir said all he needed was a little cash. Thorfinn said this was only a matter of course, and he accompa­ nied him to his ship. Then he gave Grettir the fine short-sword which Grettir car­ ried for the rest of his life and was a precious piece of work. Thorfinn also invited him back whenever he needed any help. Grettir went north to Vagan where a large crowd had assembled. Many people whom he had never met before welcomed him warmly on account of the great deed he had done in killing the vikings. Many leading men invited him to stay with them, but he preferred to go back to his friend Thorfinn. He took a passage on a trading ship owned by a man called Thorkel, who lived at Salten in Halogaland and

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was from an important family there. Thorkel welcomed Grettir warmly when he ar­ rived at his farm and made an eloquent invitation to him to stay for the winter. Grettir accepted the offer, stayed with Thorkel that winter and was very well looked after. Q 'i There was a man called Bjorn who was staying with Thorkel, a distant relative - iiA of his and from a good family, but rather short-tempered. He was not popular with the ordinary people, because he spread stories about the men who stayed with Thorkel and drove many of them away. He and Grettir hardly got on at all together. Bjorn looked down on him, while Grettir was stubborn, and friction developed be­ tween them. Since Bjorn was a boisterous and swaggering character, many young men used to seek his company and loiter with him in the evenings. Early in the winter, it happened that a savage bear left its den and was so fero­ cious that it spared neither men nor animals. Everyone assumed it must have been woken from hibernation by the noise that Bjorn and his companions were always making. The animal grew so troublesome that it would prey on the farmers’ live­ stock, and since Thorkel was the wealthiest farmer in the district, he suffered the greatest losses. One day Thorkel summoned his men to join him and find out where the bear’s den was. They discovered it in the cliffs overlooking the sea: there was a single cliff with a cave in it and a narrow track leading up to it. There was a sheer drop below the cave down to boulders on the shore, which would have spelled certain death. The bear lay in its den by day, but usually came outside at night. No pens could protect the sheep from the bear, and dogs shied from it. Everyone thought it was a terrible situation to deal with. Thorkel’s kinsman Bjorn said that the most difficult task was over once the den had been found. “I shall now put to the test,” he said, “who will come off the better in this game, my namesake1 or me.” Grettir acted as though he did not know about Bjorn’s boasts. Bjorn started going out every night when everyone else went to bed. One night he went to the den and heard the bear inside roaring ferociously. Bjorn lay down on the path with his shield over him, planning to wait until it came outside as usual. The bear got wind of him and stayed inside. Bjorn grew very sleepy lying there and could not keep awake. Suddenly the animal came out of its den, saw him lying there, clawed at him with its paw and pulled the shield off him, then tossed it over the edge of the cliff. Bjorn woke up with a start, took to his heels and ran home. The bear came close to catching him. His companions knew this, for they had been spying on him; they found the shield the following morning and made great fun of him for it. At Yuletide, Thorkel went to the den for himself, with seven other men - Bjorn 1 The name Björn means “bear.”

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and Grettir, and other followers of his. Grettir was wearing a fur cloak which he took off while they moved in on the bear. It was difficult to attack, because they could only prod it with spears which it warded off with its mouth. Bjorn eagerly urged them to attack it, but never went so close himself that he was in any danger. When no one was watching he took Grettir’s cloak and threw it into the bear’s den. They were unable to make any progress and turned back home towards the end of the day. When Grettir was making ready to go home he noticed his cloak was miss­ ing, and could see that the bear was lying down on it. “Which of you lads has played a trick on me and thrown my cloak into the den?” he asked. “Someone did it who dares to admit it,” said Bjorn. “I shan’t make a big fuss about that,” said Grettir. Then they turned back home. After they had gone some way, the thong on Grettir’s leggings broke. Thorkel told the others to wait for him, but Grettir said there was no need. “Don’t imagine Grettir will run off and leave his cloak behind,” said Bjorn. “He wants to win fame by killing the bear single-handed after the eight of us have given up on it. Then he would live up to his reputation, but he has put up a poor show today.” “I don’t know how this will turn out for you,” said Thorkel, “but you are no match for him, so leave him alone.” Bjorn said neither of them had the right to put words into his mouth. A ridge was blocking their view of each other, and Grettir turned back to the path. This time there was no disagreement about making the attack. He drew the sword Jokul’s Gift, and had a strap on the hilt of his short-sword which he slipped around his wrist, because he felt he had more scope to act with his hand free. He went straight along the path, and when the bear saw him, it ran at him fero­ ciously and lashed at him with the paw that was farther away from the cliff. Grettir struck with his sword, hit the paw above the claws and chopped it off. Then the bear tried to strike him with its good paw, and shifted its weight to the stump; be­ cause that paw was shorter than it had expected, the bear toppled into Grettir’s arms. Grettir grabbed the bear by the ears and held it at arm’s length to prevent it from biting him. He said later that holding off that bear was his greatest feat of strength. Because the bear thrashed about and the path was so narrow, they both toppled over the edge of the cliff. The bear was heavier than Grettir, so it hit the boulders first, with him on top of it, and was badly injured by the fall. Grettir grabbed his short-sword, drove it through the bear’s heart and killed it. Then he went home, taking his cloak with him, which was ripped to shreds. He also took the piece of the paw that he had cut off. Thorkel was sitting drinking in the main room when Grettir walked in. Everyone laughed at Grettir in his tattered cloak. He produced the piece he had cut off the bear’s paw and put it on the table. “Where is my kinsman Bjorn now?” said Thorkel. “I have never seen your weapons

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bite so sharp. I want you to make redress to Grettir for the dishonour you have done him.” Bjorn said that he would take his time about doing that, “and I don’t care wheth­ er he likes it or not.” Then Grettir spoke a verse: 20. That murderous weasel often returned dripping sweat o f fear, not blood, in the twilight after he visited his winter-clad foe. N o one saw m e sitting by the bear’s den late at night, yet I brought that furry beast out from the cave’s m outh.

m u rd ero u s weasel: i.e. B jo rn

w in te r -c la d foe: i.e. t h e b e a r

“You have certainly done well,” said Bjorn, “and you tell a different story about me, too. I realise that you think your barbs have struck home.” “Grettir, I do not want you to take vengeance on Bjorn,” said Thorkel. “I shall pay you the full compensation due for a man’s life, if you two are reconciled.” Bjorn said he had better things to spend his money on than paying compensation for that - “I think you should leave each man to himself when Grettir and I clash.” Grettir said he liked the idea. “For my sake at least, Grettir,” Thorkel said, “you must not impose on Bjorn while the two of you are staying with me.” “So be it,” said Grettir. Bjorn said he would not go around in fear of Grettir, wherever they met. Grettir grinned and refused to accept any compensation on Bjorn’s behalf, and they re­ mained there for the rest of the winter. In the spring Grettir went back north to Vagan with the merchants. He and Å jJ iJ Thorkel parted in friendship, while Bjorn set off for England at the helm of a ship that Thorkel sent there. Bjorn spent the summer there and bought all the goods Thorkel had told him to. Then he sailed back to Norway as the autumn drew on. Grettir stayed in Vagan until the fleet put out and sailed north with some mer­ chants as far as the port called Gartar, which is on the estuary where Trondheim stands, and they put the awnings up. When they had finished, they saw a ship ap­ proaching from the south. They recognised at once that this was one of the ships that sailed to England, and when it landed just down the coast from them, the crew went ashore. Grettir and his companions went over to them. When they met he saw that Bjorn was one of the crew and said to him, “It’s a good thing that we should meet here, because we still have an old score to settle. I want to put our strength to the test now.”

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Bjorn said the argument was a thing of the past to him, “but if any wrong was done, let me pay you any compensation for it that you would feel honoured to accept.” Then Grettir spoke a verse: 21. I beat the spiky-fanged bear, word of that deed spread far; that harsh-hearted beast ripped the warrior’s long pelt. The devious guardian of rings whose work that was shall pay. I do not think I am one to outbid others in boasts.

guardian of rings: man, i.e. Bjorn

Bjorn said money had been paid to settle greater wrongs than this. Grettir replied that there were not many people around who had played mali­ cious tricks on him, and that he had never accepted compensation, and would not this time either - “We shall not both walk away from here in one piece if I have any say in the matter. I declare you a coward if you do not dare to fight.” Bjorn could see that he had no hope of talking his way out of this situation, so he took his weapons and went ashore. Then they rushed at each other and fought, and before long Bjorn was wounded and fell down dead to the ground. Seeing this, Bjorn’s companions went to their ship, sailed north to call on Thorkel and told him about the incident. He said this had not happened any sooner than was to be expected. Shortly afterwards Thorkel went to Trondheim, where he went to see Earl Svein. After he had killed Bjorn, Grettir went south to More to see his friend Thorfinn, and told him what had happened. Thorfinn welcomed him warmly. “And it’s a good thing that you need a friend,” he said. “Stay with me until this business is over.” Grettir thanked him for his offer and said he would accept it this time. Earl Svein was staying at Steinkjer in Trondheim when he heard news of Bjorn’s killing. One of the earl’s men was Bjorn’s brother, whose name was Hjarrandi. He was furious when he heard about Bjorn being killed and asked the earl for his sup­ port in this matter. The earl promised it, then sent a messenger to summon both Thorfinn and Grettir to appear before him. They prepared to leave as soon as they heard the earl’s order, and went to Trondheim. The earl arranged a meeting with them to discuss the matter and asked Hjarrandi to attend it as well. Hjarrandi announced he would never carry his brother’s life around in his purse.1 “I shall either meet the same fate as he did, or take vengeance for him,” he said. When the case was examined, the earl felt that Bjorn had done Grettir much wrong. Thorfinn offered to pay such an amount of compensation that the earl con1 i.e. a c c e p t m o n e y in s te a d o f h is k illin g h is b r o t h e r ’s killer.

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sidered would honour his heirs, and gave a long speech about the freedom that Grettir had brought to people in the north when he killed the berserks, as described earlier. “That is quite true, Thorfinn,” said the earl. “He purged the country of a great scourge. I am honoured to accept compensation on your recommendation. In addi­ tion, Grettir is renowned for his strength and courage.” Hjarrandi did not want to accept this settlement, so they all left the meeting. Thorfinn appointed one of his kinsmen, Arnbjorn, to be with Grettir every day, be­ cause he knew Hjarrandi was waiting for a chance to kill him. One day when Grettir and Arnbjorn were walking around the streets of the town to keep themselves amused, they went past a gate and a man suddenly rushed out brandishing an axe with both hands, and aimed a blow at Grettir. Not expecting the attack, Grettir was slow to react. Arnbjorn saw the assailant, grabbed hold of Grettir and pushed him so hard that he fell to his knees. The axe struck him on the shoulderblade, ran down it and out under his armpit, causing a deep wound. Grettir swung round, drawing his short-sword, and recognised Hjarrandi. The axe had stuck in the ground, Hjarrandi was slow in pulling it back out, and Grettir struck at him, slicing off his arm at the shoulder. Then Hjarrandi’s companions ran up, five of them in all, and a fight ensued. Grettir and Arnbjorn made short work of it; they killed Hjarrandi’s five men, while one escaped1 and went straight to see the earl and tell him the news. The earl was furious when he heard this and called an assembly for the following day. Thorfinn attended it. The earl charged Grettir with the killings and he admitted them, saying they had been in self-defence. “I have a wound to prove it,” said Grettir. “I would have been killed if Arnbjorn had not saved me.” The earl replied that it was a shame he had not been killed - “You will be the death of many men if you remain alive.” Grettir’s friend and companion Bersi, the son of Torfa the Poetess, was with the earl at that time. He and Thorfinn went before the earl and asked for Grettir to be spared, and suggested that the earl himself judge the case so long as Grettir were granted his life and the right to stay in Norway. The earl was reluctant to make any settlement, but eventually he gave in to their entreaties; and a truce was made al­ lowing Grettir to remain in peace until the spring, although the earl refused to make a binding settlement until Gunnar, the brother of Bjorn and Hjarrandi, was present. Gunnar had a house in the town of Tunsberg. In the spring, the earl summoned Grettir and Thorfinn to Tunsberg, where he planned to stay himself when most of the ships were calling there. Grettir and Thorfinn went there and the earl was already in town when they arrived. 1 This inconsistency is in the original.

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Grettir met his brother Thorstein Dromund there. He welcomed Grettir warmly and invited him to stay, since he had a house in the town. Grettir told him about the case he had become involved in, and Thorstein was sympathetic, but warned him to be on his guard against Gunnar. Spring drew on. ^ \ ' Gunnar was in town, waiting for the chance to attack Grettir. One day Grettir happened to be drinking in a tavern to avoid running into Gunnar, when the door was rammed so hard that it broke into pieces. Four men ran in, fully armed: Gunnar and his men had come and they attacked Grettir. He grabbed his weapons, which were hanging above him, and retreated into the corner where he put up his defence. He held his shield in front of him and wielded his short-sword, and they made little headway against him. He struck a blow at one of Gunnar’s men - and that was all it took. Then Grettir cleared a space for himself on the floor, and his assailants backed off to the far side of the tavern. Another of Gunnar’s men was killed then. Gunnar tried to escape with his remaining compan­ ion, who reached the door but tripped on the threshold, fell to the ground and was slow to get back to his feet. Guarding himself with his shield, Gunnar backed away from Grettir, who attacked him vigorously and jumped up onto the side-bench nearest the door. Gunnar’s hands, holding the shield, were still inside the door, so Grettir hacked down between his body and the shield, chopping off both his hands at the wrist; Gunnar tumbled over backwards through the door. Grettir dealt him a death blow. Gunnar’s companion made it back to his feet at that moment and ran straight off to the earl to tell him the news. Earl Svein was furious when he heard this account, and summoned an assembly in the town immediately. When Thorfinn and Thorstein Dromund found out they mustered all their kinsmen and friends and turned up for the assembly in a very large band. The earl was very surly and would hardly listen to anyone. Thorfinn went up to the earl first and said, “I have come here to offer you a set­ tlement with honour for the killings that Grettir has committed. You alone shall shape and set the terms, if his life is spared.” “You never seem to tire of asking for Grettir’s life to be spared,” the earl an­ swered angrily. “But I don’t think that you have a good case. He has killed three brothers now, one after the other, all of them so brave that none of them would carry another in his purse. There is no point in pleading for Grettir’s life, Thorfinn, because I will not perpetrate injustice in this country by accepting compensation for such atrocities.” Then Bersi, Torfa the Poetess’ son, stepped forward and asked the earl to accept a settlement. “I implore you with the offer of all I own, because Grettir is a man of great family and a good friend of mine, my lord. You must see that it is better to spare one man’s life and win the gratitude of many men, and decide for yourself the amount of compensation to be paid, than to reject an honourable gesture and risk not being able to capture the man anyway.”

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The earl replied, “That is an honourable attitude, Bersi; you always show what a noble man you are. Nonetheless I have no intention of breaking the laws of this land by sparing the lives of men who deserve to die.” Then Thorstein Dromund stepped forward, greeted the earl and made an offer on Grettir’s behalf with an eloquent speech. The earl asked him what his motiva­ tion was in making an offer on behalf of such a man. Thorstein told him they were brothers. The earl said he had not been aware of that - “It is noble of you to want to help him. But since I have ruled that no compensation shall be paid in this case, I shall treat you all in the same way. I shall have Grettir’s life, whatever the cost, as soon as I can arrange it.” Then the earl leapt to his feet and refused to consider their offers of a settlement any longer. Thorstein and the others went back to his house and prepared to defend themselves. When the earl realised this, he had all his men arm themselves and marched there in procession. Before they arrived, Thorstein and the others mount­ ed a guard at the gate. Thorfinn, Thorstein, Grettir and Bersi stood at the front, and each of them had a large band of men with him. The earl told them to hand over Grettir and not push themselves to the brink. They all repeated their earlier offers, but the earl refused to listen to them. Thorfinn and Thorstein said the earl had more work on his hands than simply taking Grettir’s life, “for we shall all meet the same fate, and it will be said that you have gone to great lengths to take one man’s life when we are all slain with him.” The earl replied that he would spare none of them. Battle seemed to be on the point of breaking out. Then many fair-minded men approached the earl and plead­ ed with him not to be the cause of such a disaster, saying that he would suffer heavy losses before his opponents were killed. The earl realised the wisdom of this advice; he calmed down somewhat. A settlement was drawn up, which Thorfinn and Thor­ stein were eager to accept provided Grettir’s life was spared. “You shall understand,” said the earl, “that although I am making a great com­ promise over these killings, I do not call this a settlement of any kind. I do not care to fight my own men, even though this whole matter has shown how little you respect me.” Then Thorfinn said, “This is a much greater honour for you, because you alone shall set the amount of compensation to be paid.” The earl said that he would allow Grettir to leave in peace for Iceland as soon as ships began sailing there, if they wished, and they said they would accept that offer. Then they paid the earl the compensation he wanted, and there was no love lost be­ tween them when they parted. Grettir went off with Thorfinn, and he parted with his brother Thorstein in great friendship. Thorfinn won renown for the support he had given to Grettir in the face of overwhelming odds. None of Grettir’s supporters enjoyed the earl’s friendship after that, with the single exception of Bersi. Grettir made this verse:

THE COMPLETE SAGAS OF ICELANDERS

90 22. Thorfinn, partner o f the thunderer’s elite was destined to give me help when the woman who reigns entombed in the realm o f the dead laid claim to my life.

thundererys eliter, chosen warriors in Valhalla

woman who reigns in the realm of the dead: Hel, goddess of the dead

23. O f all men most, the cliff-giants’ killer and dwarfs abode, mighty ship of the distant seas, kept evil Loki’s deathly daughter at bay from me.

cliff-giants’ killer, the god Thor dwarfs abode: stone (Icel. steinn); Thor + stone = the name Thorstein mighty ship: dromond (Icel. dromundr), a medieval galleon

Lokis daughter, the goddess Hel

24. None of the men of the thing-leader had any heart to tackle us when the leopard wished to smite their forts of thought with his shield-fire.

thing-leader. king (i.e. Earl Svein)

leopard: i.e. Bersi (Icel. = “bear”) forts of thought heads or breasts shield-fire: sword

Grettir went back north with Thorfinn and stayed with him until he arranged a passage for him with some merchants who were sailing to Iceland. Thorfinn gave him many fine garments and a painted saddle and a bridle. They parted in friend­ ship, and Thorfinn told him to visit him if he ever returned to Norway. Jrt Asmund Grey-locks lived at Bjarg while Grettir was abroad, and was consid^ w ered one of the leading men in Midfjord. Thorkel Scratcher died at the time when Grettir was not in Iceland. Thorvald Asgeirsson lived at As in Vatnsdal then and became a great chieftain. He was the father of Dalla; she was married to Isleif, who later became bishop of Skalholt. Asmund enjoyed much support from Thor­ vald in presenting law cases and many other matters. There was a man named Thorgils who was brought up at Asmund’s farm. He was known as Thorgils Masson, and was a close relative of Asmund’s. Thorgils was a strong man and earned much wealth with guidance from Asmund, who bought him land at Laekjamot, where he went to live. Thorgils kept his household well pro­ vided for and went to Strandir every year. There he took whales and other provi­ sions. He was an intrepid character, venturing as far as the outer Almenningar.

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In those days the sworn brothers Thorgeir Havarsson and Thormod Kolbrun’s Poet were in their prime. They owned a ferry, raided where they pleased and were very overbearing. One summer, Thorgils Masson chanced upon a beached whale at Almenningar and started flensing it with his companions at once. When the sworn brothers heard of this, they went there and everyone seemed to be on good terms at first. Thorgils offered them half of the uncut part of the whale, but they insisted on being given all that had not yet been cut, unless they divided all the meat, cut and uncut, equally between them. Thorgils firmly refused to hand over any of the meat he had already cut. Tempers flared, both sides took their weapons, and a battle ensued. Thorgeir and Thorgils duelled fiercely for a long time without any of the others in­ tervening. In the end, after a long, hard fight, Thorgils was killed by Thorgeir. Thor­ mod fought the rest of Thorgils' men somewhere else, and he emerged as victor, killing three of them. After Thorgils' death, his companions returned to Midfjord, taking his body with them. He was greatly mourned. The sworn brothers kept the entire whale for them­ selves. Thormod refers to this encounter in the drapa he made in memory of Thor­ geir. Asmund Grey-locks learned of the killing of his kinsman Thorgils. He was re­ sponsible for pursuing the case for it. He examined the body, named witnesses to the wounds and brought the case before the Althing, which was considered the cor­ rect procedure for a killing that took place in another quarter. And time passed. There was a man called Thorstein Kuggason, the son of Thorkel the Squat and grandson of Thord Bellower. Thord was the son of Olaf Feilan, whose father Thorstein Red was the son of Aud the Deep-minded. Thorstein Kuggason's mother, Thurid, was the daughter of Asgeir Scatter-brain, who was Asmund Greylocks’ uncle on his father’s side. Thorstein Kuggason took charge of the case for the killing of Thorgils Masson, together with Asmund Grey-locks. Asmund sent a message to Thorstein to call on him. Thorstein was a good fighter and very aggressive. He set off to see Asmund at once, and they discussed the case. Thorstein was vehement and insisted that no compensation would be accepted, saying that they had enough support from kins­ men to punish the killings either with outlawry or revenge. Asmund replied that he would follow any course he wanted to take. They rode north to see their kinsman Thorvald to ask him for his support, and he agreed at once. Then they prepared the case against Thorgeir and Thormod. Thorstein rode back to his farm at Ljarskogar in the district of Hvamm. There was a man called Skeggi who lived at the nearby farm of Hvamm, and he sided with Thorgils in the case. Skeggi was the son of Thorarin Foal’s-brow, whose father was Thord Bellower. Skeggi's mother, Fridgerd, was the daughter of Thord from Hofdi. They mustered a large band to ride to the Althing and pursued the case vigor4

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ously. Asmund and Thorvald rode down from the north with sixty men and spent several nights at Ljarskogar. There was a man called Thorgils who lived at Reykjaholar at that time, the A son of Ari Masson. His grandfather, Atli the Red, was the son of Ulf the Squinter, who took land in Reykjanes. Thorgils Arason’s mother, Thorgerd, was the daughter of Alf from Dalir. Alf had another daughter called Thorelf, who was the mother of Thorgeir Havarsson. Because of their kinship, Thorgeir could count on the support of Thorgils, who was the leading man in the West Fjords Quarter. Thorgils was so charitable that he would give food to all free-born men for as long as they cared to accept it, so there was always a large number of people with him at Reykjaholar. Thorgils enjoyed great honour for his generosity, and was a kind and wise man. Thorgeir used to stay with him for the winter, and go to Strandir in sum­ mer. After Thorgils Masson had been killed, Thorgeir went to Reykjaholar to tell Thorgils Arason the news. Thorgils offered him a place to stay there. “But I imagine they will be difficult about the case,” he said, “and I am reluctant to make matters any worse. I shall send someone to Thorstein to offer him com­ pensation for the killing of Thorgils. If he refuses a settlement, I shall not make a firm stand in your defence.” Thorgeir said he would abide by what Thorgils saw as best. In the autumn, Thorgils Arason sent a messenger to Thorstein Kuggason to ap­ proach him about a settlement. Thorstein was absolutely against accepting any compensation for the killing of Thorgils Masson, but said he would settle the other killings as wise men suggested. When Thorgils heard this, he called Thorgeir over and asked what he thought would be the most useful support to provide. Thorgeir said he would prefer to leave the country if he were outlawed, and Thorgils replied that he would try to arrange that. A ship had been laid up in the river Nordura in Borgarfjord, and Thorgils secret­ ly paid for a passage on it for the two sworn brothers. The winter passed by. Thorgils heard that Thorstein had gathered a large band of men to go to the Al­ thing and that they were all staying at Ljarskogar then, so he put off his departure, wanting them to be on their way south before he set off, and that is what happened. When Thorgils rode south, the sworn brothers went with him, and on the way Thorgeir killed Bundle-Torfi at Maskelda and Skuf and Bjarni in Hundadal. In his drapa about Thorgeir, Thormod said: 25. Fate favoured the warrior when the swords rained down: Mar’s son paid for his pride, ravens tore at raw flesh.

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Then the rider o f the waves, the skilled battle-worker, gladly lent his hand to kill Skuf and Bjarni.

rider of the waves: seafarer, i.e. Thorgeir

Thorgils made an immediate settlement for the killings of Skuf and Bjarni in the val­ ley, which kept him there for longer than he had planned. Thorgeir headed for the ship, but Thorgils went to the Thing and did not arrive before the court had convened. Then Asmund Grey-locks invited a defence for the killing of Thorgils Masson. Thorgils Arason approached the court and offered to pay compensation provided that Thorgeir would be acquitted. He sought a defence in the question whether the common land was not free for anyone to harvest. The lawspeaker was asked if these were legal grounds for a defence. Skafti, who was the lawspeaker at that time and supported Asmund because of their kinship, answered that this law only applied to people of equal standing, and that farmers enjoyed preference over single men. As­ mund said that Thorgils Masson had offered the sworn brothers an equal share of the uncut part of the whale when they arrived, and this refuted the defence. Thorstein and his kinsmen pursued the case vigorously, and refused to approve of any­ thing less than a sentence of outlawry on Thorgeir. Thorgils realised he had to choose between mustering his men for an attack, without being sure how that would turn out, or letting them have their way. Since Thorgeir was already on board the ship, Thorgils let the case take its course. Thorgeir was outlawed, while compensation was paid for the people Thormod had killed, and he was free. Asmund and Thorstein gained much stature from this case. Everyone went home from the Thing afterwards. Some claimed Thorgils had not put much effort into pursuing the case, but he paid little attention and let people say what they pleased. But when Thorgeir heard he had been outlawed, he said, “I want everyone who has had me declared an outlaw to pay the full price for it in the end, if I have any say in the matter.” There was a man known as Gaut Sleituson, the son of Sleitu-Helgi (Helgi the Cheat) and a kinsman of Thorgils Masson. He was one of the crew on board the same ship that Thorgeir was sailing on. He made snarling remarks to Thorgeir and threatened him, and seeing this, the merchants thought it was obvious they should not travel on the same ship. Although Thorgeir said he did not care how much Gaut scowled at him, they opted to make Gaut leave the ship, and he went back up north to the countryside. Thorgeir and Gaut did not clash for the time being, but the incident led to a quarrel between them, as would emerge later. Grettir Asmundarson went back to Iceland that summer and landed in V Skagafjord. By then he was so renowned for his strength and vigour that no young man was considered his equal. He rode home to Bjarg at once and Asmund gave him a warm welcome. Atli was running the farm then, and the two brothers got on well together. At this stage, Grettir had grown so overbearing that he felt nothing was beyond him.

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Most of the boys whom Grettir had played games with on Midfjardarvatn before he went abroad were grown men by this time. One of them was Audun, who lived at Audunarstadir in Vididal, the son of Asgeir and grandson of Audun. His great­ grandfather was Asgeir Scatter-brain. Audun from Audunarstadir was a good farm­ er and a worthy man. He was stronger than anyone else in the north of Iceland, but was considered a very peaceful man in his district. Grettir remembered the humiliation he felt he had suffered from Audun at the ball game described earlier, and he wanted to put to the test which of them had grown stronger since then. So he set off for Audunarstadir in the beginning of hay­ time. Grettir dressed extravagantly and rode off in the finely wrought painted saddle that Thorfinn had given him. He had a good horse and took his finest weapons with him. Grettir arrived at Audunarstadir early in the morning and knocked on the door. Few people were at home. Grettir asked whether Audun was in. He was told that he had gone to the shieling to fetch food. Grettir unbridled his horse, and because the hayfields had not been mown, it headed for the grassiest part. Then Grettir went into the hall, sat down on the bench and fell asleep. A little later Audun returned home and noticed a horse with a painted saddle in the hayfields. He had two horses to carry the food, and one of them was carrying curds in skins with the necks tied up, called curd pouches. Audun unloaded the horses and carried the curds indoors in his arms. His eyes had not adjusted to the darkness, and Grettir stuck out his foot from the edge of the bench, tripping him over. He landed on the curd pouch and the band it was tied with came undone. Audun leapt to his feet and asked what trickster was there. Grettir said his name. Audun said, “That was a stupid thing to do. What are you here for?” “I want to fight you,” Grettir replied. “I have to see to the food first,” said Audun. “As you please,” said Grettir, “if you don’t have anyone else to have it done for you.” Audun bent down to pick up the curd pouch, slung it into Grettir’s arms and told him to take what he was given. Grettir was covered with curds, which he con­ sidered a greater insult than if Audun had given him a bloody wound. Then they went for each other and grappled fiercely. Grettir attacked him furiously, and Aud­ un yielded his ground, realising that Grettir had grown stronger than him. Every­ thing in their way was knocked over and they tumbled all over the hall. Both of them exerted themselves to the full, but Grettir got the upper hand and eventually he brought Audun to the ground, after he had torn off all Grettir’s weapons. They were struggling hard and crashing about when the ground began shaking too. Grettir heard someone ride up to the farm, dismount and hurry indoors. He saw a smartly-dressed man enter, wearing a red cloak with a helmet on his head. The man had come over to the longhouse because he could hear the noise of their brawling. He asked what was going on in there. Grettir said his name.

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“And who's asking?" he added. “My name is Bardi,” said the newcomer. “Are you Bardi Gudmundarson from Asbjarnarnes?” “The very same,” said Bardi. “And what are you up to here?” “Audun and I are playing a little game,” replied Grettir. “I’m not sure how much of a game it is,” said Bardi. “And you don't make a good pair either. You are an unjust and overbearing man, Grettir, while Audun is gentle and kind. Let him get up at once.” “Never reach around a door for the handle,” Grettir answered back. “I think you'd do better to avenge your brother Hall than to interfere in what Audun and I get up to.” “I'm always being told that,” said Bardi, “but I'm not sure whether he ever will be avenged. All the same, I want you to leave Audun alone, because he’s a gentle man.” Grettir did as Bardi suggested, although he was not happy about it. Bardi asked what they were quarrelling about. Then Grettir spoke a verse: 26. Odin here, for all I know, might reward you for your pains, pay back your strivings with a swollen neck. That’s how the gold-watcher’s god choked my words long ago, before the snake that coils around mountains left home.

Odin: i.e. Audun (one of Odin’s aliases)

gold-watcher*s god: Odin (i.e. Audun) snake: i.e. Grettir (also a name given to snakes, lit. “ffowner,” “face-puller”)

Bardi said it was not surprising if he sought revenge. “Now I shall make a settlement between you,” he said. “I want you to leave the matter as it stands and put an end to it.” They let the agreement stand because they were kinsmen, but Grettir did not like Bardi and his brothers much. Then they rode off together. On the way, Grettir said to Bardi, “I have heard that you plan to ride to Borgarfjord this summer. I propose that I should join you when you go there, which I think is a better offer than you deserve.” Bardi was pleased with the proposal, thanked him and accepted it at once. Then they parted. Then Bardi turned round and called back to Grettir. “I want to make a condition,” he said. “You can’t come along without my fosterfather Thorarin’s consent, because he is in charge of the expedition.” “You ought to be capable of making your own plans,” Grettir replied. “I don’t leave other people to decide where I go. But I shall be annoyed if you leave me out of the band.”

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Then they went their separate ways and Bardi said he would send word to Grettir, “if Thorarin wants you to go.” Otherwise he was to stay at home. Grettir rode home to Bjarg, and Bardi to his farm. That summer a big horse-fight was held at Langafit down from Reykir, which was well attended. Atli from Bjarg had a fine stallion from the same stock as Kengala, grey with a black mane and a stripe down its back, and he and his father prized it highly. The brothers Kormak and Thorgils from Mel had a brown stallion, which was reliable for fighting and was pitted against Atli’s. Many other good horses were there. Odd the Pauper-poet, Kormak’s kinsman, was supposed to lead their horse to the fight later in the day. Odd had grown into a strong, swaggering man, overbearing and reckless. Grettir asked Atli who was supposed to lead his horse to the fight. “I’m not exactly sure,” Atli replied. “Do you want me to be your second?” Grettir asked him. “Only if you restrain yourself,” said Atli. “There are some very pushy characters here.” “Let them pay the price for their impetuousness if they can’t control themselves,” said Grettir. Then the stallions were brought out; the horses were kept tied together at the edge of the riverbank, just above a deep pool. The horses fought well and it was a good show. Odd goaded his horse on vigorously, while Grettir kept his horse back, holding its tail with one hand and the stick he used to goad it on with the other. Odd was standing close to the front of his horse and it was difficult to be sure that he was not prodding Atli’s horse with his stick to drive it back. Grettir showed no sign that he noticed this. As the horses moved towards the river, Odd jabbed at Grettir with his stick and hit him on the shoulderblade, as Grettir had his back turned to him. It was a hard enough blow to cause a swelling, although it did not bleed. At that moment the horses reared, Grettir ducked under the haunches of his stallion and jabbed Odd so hard in the side with his stick that it broke three of his ribs and sent him flying into the pool, taking his horse with him and the other horses which were tethered together. People dived in and dragged him back out of the river. A great clamour followed. Kormak and his men went for their weapons, and so did the people from Bjarg. When the people from Hrutafjord and Vatnsnes saw this, they intervened and separated them. They all went home after that, amidst threats from either side, but everything remained quiet for a while. Atli did not say much about the incident, but Grettir was more brash about it and said they would meet again later if he had any say in the matter. There was a man called Thorbjorn who lived at Thoroddsstadir in Hrutafjord. He was the son of Arnor Hairy-nose, whose father Thorodd had tak­ en land on that side of Hrutafjord all the way to Bakki. Thorbjorn was an excep­ tionally strong man, and was nicknamed the Ox. He had a brother called Thorodd

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who was called Half-poem. Their mother was Gerd> the daughter of Bodvar from Bodvarsholar. Thorbjorn was a brave fighter and always had plenty of men with him. He was noted for having more trouble in obtaining farmhands than other farmers did, and he paid hardly any of them for their work. He was not thought easy to deal with. One of his kinsmen was named Thorbjorn, too, and called Traveller. He was a merchant and shared everything with his namesake. Most of the time he stayed at Thoroddsstadir and was not thought to bring out the best in Thorbjorn Ox. He was a disdainful character and liked to mock people. There was a man called Thorir, the son of Thorkel from Bordeyri. His daughter Helga married Sleitu-Helgi. Thorir lived at Melar in Hrutafjord at first, but after the killings at Fagrabrekka he sold the land to Thorhall the Vinlander, the son of Gamli, and moved south to live at Skard in Haukadal. His son was Gamli, who married Rannveig, Asmund Grey-locks’ daughter. At this time they were living at Melar and lived together well. Thorir from Skard had two sons, called Gunnar and Thorgeir. They were promis­ ing men who had taken over their father’s farm, but spent most of their time with Thorbjorn Ox and became excessively overbearing. In the summer in which all this took place, Kormak and Thorgils rode south with their kinsman Narfi to Nordurardal on some business. Odd the Pauper-poet was with them and had recovered from the bruising he received at the horse-fight. While they were south of the moor, Grettir left Bjarg with two of Atli’s farmhands. They rode over to Burfell and continued over the ridge into Hrutafjord, until they reached Melar in the evening. They spent three nights there. Rannveig and Gamli welcomed Grettir warmly and invited him to stay longer with them, but he wanted to ride back home. Grettir then heard that Kormak and his men had returned from the south and had spent the night at Tunga. Grettir prepared to make an early start from Melar. Gamli told him to be on his guard and offered to let him have some men to accompany him. Grim, who was Gamli’s brother and an outstandingly vigorous man, went with him together with another man, and the five of them rode off until they reached Hrutafjord ridge, west of Burfell. There is a big boulder there called Grettishaf (Grettir’s Lift). Grettir spent much of the day trying to lift it, and stayed there so long that Kormak’s men arrived. He went up to them and they all dismounted. Grettir said it was more in the spirit of free-born men to strike the mightiest blows they could, instead of fight­ ing with sticks like vagrants. Kormak told his men to take up the challenge like men and fight for all they were worth. Then the two bands of men ran for each other and fought. Grettir led his men forward and told them to make sure no one attacked him from behind. They fought for some time and people from both parties were wounded. The same day, Thorbjorn Ox had ridden over the ridge to Burfell, and saw the encounter when he and his men were riding back. Thorbjorn Traveller was with him, together with Thorir’s sons Gunnar and Thorgeir and Thorodd Half-poem.

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When they reached the fight, Thorbjorn told his men to try to break it up, but the fighting was so fierce by then that they could do nothing to stop it. Grettir stormed around, and when he confronted Thorir’s two sons he knocked them both off their feet. They flew into a rage and Gunnar dealt Atli’s farmhand a mortal blow. When Thorbjorn saw this he told them to separate; he promised his support to the side that obeyed his command. Two of Kormak’s farmhands had been killed by then. Grettir, realising that he could not prevail if Thorbjorn’s men joined the other side, called an end to the fight. Everyone who had taken part in the fight was wounded, and Grettir was annoyed that they had been separated. Afterwards they all went home, and never reached a settlement over the incident. Thorbjorn Traveller made many jibes about it, and relations between the people from Bjarg and Thorbjorn Ox deteriorated into total hostility, as emerged later. Atli was not offered any compensation for his farmhand, but he gave the impression that he was unaware of this. Grettir stayed at Bjarg until hay-time. There is no ac­ count or mention that he and Kormak ever encountered each other again. Q 4 After Bardi Gudmundarson and his brothers parted with Grettir, they rode home to Asbjarnarnes. They were the sons of Gudmund, the son of Solmund. Solmund’s mother, Thorlaug, was the daughter of Saemund the Hebridean, who was the foster-brother of Ingimund the Old. Bardi was a very distinguished man. He soon set off to see his foster-father, Thorarin the Wise, who welcomed him warmly and asked him what he had achieved in mustering forces for the expedition they had planned. Bardi replied that he had enlisted a man whose assistance was worth twice that of anyone else. Thorarin paused for a while, then said, “That must be Grettir Asmundarson.” “A wise man can guess the future,” said Bardi. “That’s the very man, fosterfather.” Thorarin replied, “It is true that Grettir is the greatest of all men now living in our country, and for as long as he keeps his health, it will be a long time before he is beaten with weapons. But he is a man of unbridled temper, and I doubt how much good fortune he will enjoy. You will need to make sure that not everyone on your expedition is a man of ill-fortune; there will be plenty of those even if he does not go along. He shall not be going anywhere, if I have any say in the matter.” “I never expected you to grudge me the bravest man, whatever happens, fosterfather,” said Bardi. “No one in my straits can provide for everything.” “You will succeed, even if I provide for things,” replied Thorarin. The matter was settled as Thorarin wished and no message was sent to Grettir. Bardi went south to Borgarfjord and the Slayings on the Heath took place. Grettir was at Bjarg when he heard that Bardi had ridden south. He grew angry about not having been told, and said that this was not the end of the matter. He re­ ceived word when they were expected from the south and rode down to the farm at Thoreyjargnup, planning to ambush Bardi and his men when they rode back. He set off from the farm for the hillside and waited there.

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The same day, Bardi and his men rode back from the south over Tvidaegra, after the Slayings on the Heath. There were six of them and they were all severely wounded. When they came up alongside the farm Bardi said, “There’s a big man up on the hillside, fully armed. Do you recognise him?” They said they did not know who it was. Bardi said, “I believe Grettir Asmundarson is there, and if that is so, he will be look­ ing for us. I imagine he took offence at not being with us, and I don’t think we are at all prepared if he makes any trouble. I shall send for help from Thoreyjargnup, since I don’t want to stake everything against someone as overbearing as he is.” His men agreed that this was a wise course of action, and did as he said. Bardi and the others rode on their way, and when Grettir saw them he came down in front of them. They exchanged greetings and Grettir asked if there was any news. Bardi told him everything that had happened, without flinching. Grettir asked who the men with him were, and Bardi told him they were his brothers and his brotherin-law Eyjolf. “You have cleared your name at last,” said Grettir, “so the next thing to do is to find out which of us is the stronger.” “I have other fish to fry than having a pointless fight with you,” said Bardi. “I think I have done enough to be free of that.” “You must be losing your nerve then, Bardi,” said Grettir, “if you don’t dare to fight with me.” “Call it what you want,” Bardi replied. “If you want to push people around you should pick on someone other than me. And you quite probably will, because your overbearing knows no bounds now.” Disturbed by Bardi’s prediction, Grettir began to wonder whether to attack one of them, but thought this would be a rash idea, since they were six and he was by himself. At that moment, a party arrived from Thoreyjargnup to join Bardi. Grettir backed off and went over to his horse, while Bardi and his men went on their way. They did not bother to wish each other farewell. There is no mention of any further encounters between Bardi and Grettir. Grettir himself has said that he felt confident about fighting any three men at once, nor would he flee from four without putting it to the test, but would only fight more men than that if his life was at stake, as this verse says: 27.

Versed in valkyries’ arts, I trust myself to tackle three men wherever the war-goddesses’ storm demands memorable deeds. But if the choice is mine I will not meet more than four ship-stormers when killers roar for blood.

valkyries*arts: warfare war-goddessesy storm: battle

ship-stormers: vikings

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After parting with Bardi, Grettir went to Bjarg. He sorely regretted not having anything to test his strength against, and asked around for a challenge to take up. There was a man called Thorhall, who lived at Thorhallsstadir in Forsaeludal, inland from Vatnsdal. He was the son of Grim, whose father was Thorhall, the son of Fridmund, the first settler of Forsaeludal. ThorhalTs wife was called Gudrun, and they had a son called Grim and a grown-up daughter called Thurid. Thorhall was a man of wealth, which was mostly in livestock; no man owned as much farm stock as he did. Although he was not a chieftain, he was a capable farmer. His farm was badly haunted and he hardly ever managed to find shepherds whom he thought capable. He consulted many wise men about what to do, but no one could give any advice that worked. Thorhall rode to the Thing every summer. He owned fine horses. One summer at the Althing, Thorhall went to the booth of Skafti Thoroddsson the Lawspeaker. Skafti was exceptionally wise and gave good advice when asked. He and his father differed in that Thorodd could see into the future and was called devious by some people, while Skafti suggested to anyone what he considered to be the right course, if it were followed. For this reason, he was called his father’s better. Thorhall entered Skafti’s booth. He welcomed Thorhall warmly, knowing him to be a wealthy man, and asked what news there was. Thorhall said, “I would like to ask you some advice.” “I am little capable of that,” Skafti replied, “but what is your problem?” Thorhall said, “The situation is that I have trouble keeping my shepherds. Some of them are treated roughly, while others leave before their time is up. No one who knows what the job involves is prepared to take it on.” Skafti answered, “There must be an evil being at work if people are more reluc­ tant to look after your sheep than their own. But since you have approached me for advice, I shall provide you with a shepherd by the name of Glam. He hails from Sylgsdalir in Sweden and came to Iceland last summer, a big, strong man but not really the type that ordinary people find welcome.” Thorhall said he did not mind, as long as he looked after the sheep well enough. Skafti said that no one else would stand much chance if Glam could not look af­ ter them with all his strength and courage. Thorhall left then; this was at the end of the Thing. Thorhall noticed that two of his fawn horses had gone missing, and went to look for them himself. This was seen as proof that he was not a man of great standing. He went up to the foot of Sledaas ridge and southwards around the mountain called Armannsfell. Then he saw a man coming down from Godaskog wood with some brushwood loaded on a horse. They soon met up. Thorhall asked him his name, and he said he was called Glam. He was a well-built man and very strange-looking, with wide blue eyes and wolf-grey hair. Thorhall was quite taken aback when he saw this man, but realised that he was the one who had been sent.

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“What work are you best at?” asked Thorhall. Glam said he was easily capable of looking after the sheep in winter. “Will you look after my sheep?” Thorhall asked. “Skafti put you into my charge.” “f 11 be most useful to you if I am left to do as 1 please> because I have a bad tem­ per when I don’t like something.” “1 won't suffer for that,” said Thorhall, “and I want you to come to me.” “I can do that,” said Glam. “Are there any problems involved?” “It is supposed to be haunted,” said Thorhall. “I'm not afraid of ghouls,” said Glam. “It will be less boring for me then.” “Those are qualities you'll need,” said Thorhall, “and it helps if you’re not exactly puny, either.” Afterwards they made an agreement that Glam would arrive at the Winter Nights. Then they parted, and Thorhall found his horses where he had just been looking for them before. Thorhall rode home and thanked Skafti for the favour he had done him. The summer passed, and Thorhall heard nothing of his shepherd. No one knew about him, but at the appointed time he turned up at Thorhallsstadir. The farmer welcomed him warmly, but the other people on the farm did not take a liking to him, least of all the farmer’s wife. He took charge of watching the sheep and it was little effort for him. He had a deep, booming voice, and the sheep would all flock together when he called out to them. There was a church at Thorhallsstadir, but Glam would not go near it. He was not given to worship and had no faith, but was peevish and rude. Everyone found him obnoxious. Time went by until Christmas Eve. Glam got up that day and called out for his food. The farmer’s wife answered, “It is not the Christian custom to eat on this day, be­ cause tomorrow is the first day of Christmas. It is our duty to fast today.” Glam replied, “You have all sorts of superstitions that I dismiss as worthless. Peo­ ple don’t strike me as being any better off now than they were in the days when they didn’t practise such things. I preferred the way people were when they were called heathens. I want my food, and don’t try any tricks.” The farmer's wife said, “1 know that you will suffer for it today if you go ahead with this evil act.” Glam told her to bring him his food immediately, saying that otherwise she would be the worse off. She did not dare to disobey him. And when he had eaten his fill, he went outside in a rather stormy mood. It was dark and snow was falling. The weather was stormy and grew much worse as the day progressed. People heard the shepherd early in the day, but less as the day wore on. Then the snow began to drift and in the evening a blizzard got up. Everyone went to mass, and night fell, but Glam did not return home. The idea of going out to look for him was suggest­ ed, but because of the raging blizzard and pitch darkness, no search was made. He did not return on Christmas Eve, and everyone waited until the mass was over. When it was fully daylight the people set off to make a search and found sheep

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scattered among the snowdrifts, thrown around by the storm; some had fled to the mountains. Then they found a huge trampled area towards the head of the valley, which looked as if a mighty skirmish had taken place there, because rocks and soil had been torn up in many places. They looked more closely and saw Glam lying a short distance way. He was dead, black as hell and bloated to the size of a bull. Al­ though they were repulsed and they shuddered at the sight of him, they tried to car­ ry him off to church, but could only manage to move him as far as the edge of a chasm a short way above them. Having done this, they went home and told the farmer about the incident. Thorhall asked what could have caused Glam’s death, and they said they had traced some footprints which were as large as if a barrel had been slammed down in the snow, and they led up from the trampled ground to the crag at the head of the valley - splashes of blood ran alongside them. They concluded that the evil being, which was there before, had killed Glam, but that he must have dealt it a mighty, fatal wound, because no one has ever been aware of it since. On the second day of Christmas, another attempt was made to take Glam’s body to church. Oxen and horses were tethered to it but could not budge it on flat ground, when there was no slope to go down. After that, the body was left there. On the third day a priest went with them and they searched all day, but could not find Glam. The priest did not want to search again, and the shepherd was found when the priest was not with them. They gave up trying to take him to church, and buried him in a shallow grave where he was. Shortly afterwards, people became aware that Glam was not resting in peace. He wrought such havoc that some people fainted at the sight of him, and others went out of their minds. Immediately after Christmas, people thought they saw him at the farm, and were so terrified that many of them fled. After that, Glam started straddling the roof at night, until it was nearly smashed to pieces. Then his ghost roamed around there by day and night. Even people with ample reason for going into the valley hardly dared to venture there. The local people thought this was a terrible plague. In the spring, Thorhall took on some new farmhands and began farming & & again. The hauntings waned when the days were at their longest, and time passed until midsummer. A ship arrived in Hunavatn that summer. There was a man called Thorgaut on board, a big and powerful foreigner who had the strength of two men. He was on his own and had not tied himself down anywhere, but wanted to find some kind of work because he had no money. Thorhall rode down to the ship and met Thorgaut and asked if he wanted to go and work for him. Thorgaut said he might well do so, adding that he was not par­ ticular about what he did. “You ought to prepare yourself for something that’s not fit for weaklings to do,” Thorhall said, “because of the ghosts that have been haunting the place. I don’t want to deceive you about that.”

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Thorgaut answered, “I shan’t be giving up just because I see a little ghoul. No one else will be comfortable there if it scares me. I won’t leave the job on account of that.” They struck a bargain and Thorgaut was appointed to watch over the sheep dur­ ing the winter. The summer passed, and Thorgaut took charge of the sheep during the Winter Nights. Everybody liked him. Glam kept coming to the house and strad­ dled the roof. Thorgaut was quite amused at this and said that the wretch would have to come closer “before I get scared of him.” Thorhall told him to keep that to himself: “It’s better if you two don’t put your strength to the test.” Thorgaut answered, “You’ve definitely had the courage shaken out of you. But stories like that won’t finish me off overnight.” Winter passed and Christmas came around. On Christmas Eve, the shepherd went to tend to the sheep. The farmer’s wife said, “It would be better if the old story did not repeat itself, I feel.” “Don’t worry about that, lady,” he replied. “Something worth telling will have to happen if I don’t come back.” Then he went back to tend to the sheep. The weather was fairly cold, and the snow was drifting heavily. Thorgaut was accustomed to come back at twilight, but on this occasion he did not return at that time. People returned from the mass as usual and thought events were following a familiar pattern. The farmer wanted to mount a search for his shepherd, but the people who had returned from mass ar­ gued against it, saying they would not risk being snatched away by trolls by night. The farmer did not have the resolve to go out himself, so nothing came of the search. After they had eaten on Christmas Day, they went out to search for the shepherd. They went to Glam’s grave first, expecting him to be responsible for the shepherd’s disappearance. A great sight greeted them when they approached the grave, for they found the shepherd there, his neck broken and every bone in his body crushed. They took him to church and Thorgaut caused no one harm afterwards.1 Glam, however, redoubled his efforts and caused so much trouble that everyone fled from Thorhallsstadir apart from the farmer and his wife. The same cowherd had been there for a long time. Thorhall did not want him to leave, because the cowherd was a kindly man who looked after the cattle well. He was very advanced in years and reluctant to leave, for he realised that all the farm­ er’s livestock would go to ruin if no one were there to tend to it. One morning after midwinter, the farmer’s wife went to the milking shed to milk the cows as usual. It was fully daylight then, for no one dared to go outside before that time apart from the cowherd, who would go out as soon as it started to grow 1 i.e. his ghost rested in peace.

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light. She could hear a great crashing noise inside the shed and mighty bellowing, and ran back indoors screaming that she had no idea what awful deeds were being done in there. The farmer went out and when he came to the bulls, they were butt­ ing each other. He was disturbed by this sight and went into the barn. There he saw his cowherd lying on his back with his head in one stall and his feet in another. The farmer went up to him and felt him, and realised at once that he was dead; his back had been broken over the stone wall dividing the stalls. Thorhall thought it was not safe to stay there any longer and left the farm, taking with him everything he could. Glam killed all the livestock that was left behind, then went all over the valley and laid waste all the farms inland from Tunga. Thorhall stayed with friends for the rest of the winter. No one could venture into the valley with horses or dogs, because the animals were killed on the spot. When spring arrived and the days were at their longest, the hauntings waned somewhat, and Thorhall wanted to return to his land. Although it was not easy for him to find farmhands, he started farming at Thorhallsstadir again. The same thing happened over again: when autumn came around the hauntings increased. The farmer’s daughter was the main victim, and in the end it led to her death. They tried everything imaginable to stop the hauntings, but nothing worked. Everyone thought the whole of Vatnsdal valley would be left uninhabited if no action were taken.

% To return to Grettir Asmundarson, he stayed at home at Bjarg the autumn O t- after he had left Killer-Bardi at Thoreyjargnup. Just before the Winter Nights, Grettir rode north over the ridges to Vididal and stayed at Audunarstadir. He and Audun made a full reconciliation, Grettir gave him a fine axe, and they pledged each other their friendship. Audun lived at Audunarstadir for a long time and had many descendants. His son was Egil, who married Ulfheid, the daughter of Eyjolf Gudmundarson. Their son Eyjolf, who was killed at the Althing, was the father of Orm, chaplain to Bishop Thorlak. Grettir rode north to Vatnsdal and paid a visit to Tunga. Jokul Bardarson, his maternal uncle, was living there at that time. Jokul was a big, strong man, and ex­ ceptionally arrogant. He was a merchant and was very overbearing, but a man of many gifts. He welcomed Grettir, who stayed with him for three nights. Glam’s hauntings had become so notorious that people hardly talked about any­ thing else. Grettir asked in detail about all the incidents that had taken place. Jokul said the stories were no exaggeration - “Would you be curious about look­ ing in there, kinsman?” Grettir said this was right. Jokul told him not to, “for this is a great test of fortune, and you are an impor­ tant man in your family. We do not consider any other young man a match for you, but evil begets evil as far as Glam is concerned. And it’s much better to tackle hu­ man beings than such evil beings.”

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Grettir said he was interested in calling at Thorhallsstadir and seeing how things were there. Jokul said, “I can see there’s no point in trying to dissuade you, but the saying is true, that fate and fortune do not always go hand-in-hand.” “Peril waits at a man’s door, though another goes in before,” said Grettir. “You should consider what fate you yourself will meet in the end.” Jokul replied, “We both may have some insight into the future, but neither of us can prevent it happening.” After that they parted ways, and neither was pleased with the other’s predictions. £ Jtf Grettir rode to Thorhallsstadir and the farmer welcomed him warmly. He & w asked Grettir where he was heading, and the farmer was pleased when he re­ plied that he wanted to stay there for the night. Thorhall said he was grateful that Grettir had come, “for there aren’t many peo­ ple who feel they stand to gain from staying here at present. You must have heard of the tricks being played here, and I wouldn’t like you to have any trouble on my ac­ count. And even if you leave here in one piece, I’m certain that you will lose your horse, because no one who comes here manages to keep his horse unhurt.” Grettir said that horses were easy to come by, whatever might happen to this one. Thorhall was pleased that Grettir wanted to stay and welcomed him with open arms. Grettir’s horse was firmly locked indoors, then they went to sleep and the night passed without Glam turning up. Then Thorhall said, “Things have changed for the better since you arrived, be­ cause Glam usually rises every night and plays havoc on the roof or breaks down the doors, as you can see for yourself.” Grettir said, “Either he will not bide his time much longer, or will give up for more than a single night. I shall stay another night and see what happens.” Then they went to inspect Grettir’s horse, which had not been touched. The farmer thought everything was pointing in the same direction. Grettir stayed a second night and the wretch did not return, and the farmer thought the outlook was much more promising. Then he went to inspect Grettir’s horse. The stable had been broken into when he arrived, and the horse had been dragged outdoors and every bone in its body broken. Thorhall told Grettir what the situation was and told him to leave, “because you’re a dead man if you wait for Glam.” Grettir answered, “A glimpse of that wretch is the least I can ask in return for my horse.” The farmer said he would gain nothing by seeing Glam, “for he is different from any human form. But I feel better for every hour you are willing to stay here.” The day passed, and at bedtime Grettir did not get undressed, but lay down on the bench facing the farmer’s bed closet. He covered himself with a shaggy fur cloak, tucking one end under his feet and the other behind his head, so that he could see out through the opening at the neck. In front of the seat was a very strong bed-

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frame, and he braced his feet against it. The frame had been smashed right away from the door to the house and some makeshift boards had been put in its place. The partition which had separated the hall from the entrance way had been broken away, too, both above and below the crossbeam. All the beds had been shifted and the place was hardly fit for habitation. A light was left burning in the living-room that night. About one-third of the way through the night, Grettir heard a great din outside. Something climbed up onto the houses and sat astride the roof of the hall, kicking against it with its heels so that every piece of timber in the house creaked. This went on for a long time. Then it climbed down from the roof and went to the door. When the door opened, Grettir watched the wretch stick its head inside, which looked hideously big with grotesque features. Glam moved slowly and stood up straight once he was through the door. He towered up to the rafters, turned to the hall, rested his arm on the crossbeam and glowered inside. The farmer did not make a sound, for he had already had quite enough just hearing what went on out­ side. Grettir lay there, completely still. When Glam noticed something lying in a heap on the seat, he moved along in­ side the hall and gave the cloak a sharp tug. Grettir braced his feet against the bedframe, and did not yield. Glam yanked at it again, much harder, yet the cloak still would not budge. The third time he tugged so hard with both hands that he sat Grettir up on the bench, and they ripped the cloak in two between them. Glam looked at the strip he was left holding, astonished that someone could tug so hard against him. At that moment Grettir ducked under Glam’s arms and clutched him around the waist, squeezing against his backbone with all his might in the hope of toppling him. But the wretch gripped Grettir’s arms so tightly that he was forced to yield his grip. Grettir backed away into one seat after another. All the benches were torn loose and everything in their way was smashed. Glam tried to make it to the door, while Grettir struggled for a foothold. Eventually Glam managed to drag him out of the hall. A mighty fight ensued, because the wretch intended to take him outside the farmhouse. But difficult as Glam was to deal with indoors, Grettir saw he would be even harder to handle outdoors, so he struggled with all his might to keep from going out. Glam’s strength redoubled and he clutched Grettir towards him when they reached the entrance hall. When Grettir realised that he could not hold him back, in a single move he suddenly thrust himself as hard as he could into the wretch’s arms and pressed both feet against a rock that was buried in the ground at the doorway. The wretch was caught unawares, and as he had been straining to pull Grettir towards him, Glam tumbled over backwards and crashed through the door. His shoulders took the door-frame with him and the rafters were torn apart, the wooden roofing and the frozen turf on it, and Glam fell out of the house onto his back, face upwards, with Grettir on top of him. The moon was shining strongly but thick patches of clouds covered and uncovered it in turns. Just as Glam fell, the clouds drifted away from the moon and Glam glared up at it. Grettir himself has said that this was the only sight that ever unnerved him. Sud­

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denly Grettir's strength deserted him, from exhaustion and also because of the fierce way Glam was rolling his eyes and, unable to draw his sword, he lay there on the brink of death. Glam was endowed with more evil force than most other ghosts, as he spoke these words: “You have gone to great lengths to confront me, Grettir,” he said, “and it won't seem surprising if you do not earn much good fortune from me. I can tell you that you have attained half the strength and manhood allotted to you had you not encountered me. I cannot take away from you the strength you have already achieved, but I can ordain that you will never become any stronger than you are now, strong enough as you may be, as many people will find out to their cost. You have become renowned until now for your deeds, but henceforth outlawry and kill­ ings will fall to your lot, and most of your deeds will bring you misfortune and im­ providence. You will be made an outlaw and be forced to live alone and outdoors. And this curse I lay on you: my eyes will always be before your sight and this will make you find it difficult to be alone. And this will lead to your death.” As the wretch finished saying this, the helplessness that had come upon Grettir wore off. He drew his short-sword, chopped off Glam's head and placed it against the buttocks. Then the farmer came outside, having dressed while Glam delivered his speech; he had not dared to approach until Glam had been felled. Thorhall praised God and thanked Grettir kindly for having overcome this evil spirit. They set to and burnt Glam to ashes, then carried them away in a skin bag and buried them as far away as possible from grazing land or paths. After that they went back home; it was close to dawn by then. Grettir lay down, for he was very stiff. Thorhall had people sent for from the neighbouring farms in order to show them and tell them what had happened. Everyone who heard of this exploit was greatly impressed by it, and said that in all of Iceland no man was a match for Grettir Asmundarson in strength, courage and all accomplishments. Thorhall sent Grettir on his way with generous gifts, giving him a good horse and splendid clothes, because those he had been wearing were all ripped to shreds. They parted in friendship. Grettir rode off to As in Vatnsdal where Thorvald welcomed him warmly and asked in detail about his encounter with Glam. Grettir told him about their dealings, and said that he had never before been through such a test of strength, so long had they grappled together. Thorvald told him to keep his temper in check, “and everything will turn out well. Otherwise, you will be prone to misfortune.” Grettir said that his temperament had not improved, and that he had much more trouble restraining himself and was much quicker to take offence than before. He noticed a marked difference in that he had grown so afraid of the dark that he did not dare to go anywhere alone after nightfall - he thought he could see all kinds of phantoms. It has since become a saying about people who suffer hallucinations that Glam lends them his eyes or they see things with Glam's eyes. Grettir rode home to Bjarg when he had finished his business, and stayed there for the rest of the winter.

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£

In the autumn when Grettir went north to Vatnsdal, Thorbjorn Ox held a w great feast which many people attended. Thorbjorn Traveller was at the feast. The guests talked about many things, and the people of Hrutafjord asked about the clash with Grettir by the ridge that sum­ mer. Thorbjorn Ox gave a good account of Grettir and said Kormak would have come off the worse if no one had intervened to separate them. Then Thorbjorn Traveller said, “There were two things: I didn’t see Grettir per­ form any brave deeds and, if anything, I think it gave him a shock when we arrived, and he was quite happy to have the quarrel broken up. Nor did I see him try to take vengeance when Atli’s farmhand was killed. I don’t think Grettir has any courage if he lacks the force of numbers.” Thorbjorn was very sarcastic about all this. Many people there said these were empty jibes that Grettir certainly would not stand for if he heard about them. Nothing else noteworthy happened at the feast, and everyone went home. There was a lot of friction between the two sides that winter, but neither attacked the other. Nothing else noteworthy happened that winter. Early the following spring, before the assembly, a ship arrived from Norway. The people on board brought plenty of news. First of all, the Norwegian crown had changed hands, King Olaf Haraldsson had taken power and Earl Svein had fled the country that spring after the battle of Nes. Many remarkable tales were told about King Olaf, including the fact that he gave the warmest welcome of all to men who were accomplished in some way, and took them into his service. This news delighted many young men and made them eager to go abroad. When Grettir heard this news, he became interested in sailing to Norway, hoping to receive honour from the king there like everyone else. A ship was moored at Gasar in Eyjafjord, and Grettir took himself a passage on it. At this time he still did not have much to take with him on the voyage. Asmund was growing very frail with age by now and hardly ever left his bed. He and Asdis had an exceptionally promising young son called Illugi. Atli took com­ plete charge of running the farm and all the husbandry, which made a great im­ provement, because he was both prudent and clever. Grettir went to the ship. Thorbjorn Traveller had secured a passage on it too, be­ fore anyone knew Grettir would be on board. Many people tried to dissuade Thor­ bjorn from sailing on the same ship as Grettir, but he said he would go all the same. He made his preparations to leave, and was rather late about it. He did not make it north to Gasar until the ship was ready to sail. Before Thorbjorn set off from the west, Asmund Grey-locks fell ill and was left bedridden. Thorbjorn Traveller turned up at Gasar late in the afternoon as the crew were washing their hands in the booths before sitting down to their meal. People greeted Thorbjorn when he rode between the booths, and they asked him the news.

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He said he had nothing to tell them, “except that I reckon that Asmund the war­ rior from Bjarg must be dead by now.” Most of them agreed that a worthy man had left the world when he died. “How did it happen?” they asked. Thorbjorn replied, “That warrior did not meet a great end. He suffocated in the smoke of his own fireplace, like a dog. But it was no loss, he’d gone senile anyway.” They answered, “What a strange way to talk of such a man. Grettir wouldn’t be pleased if he heard that.” “I can endure that,” said Thorbjorn. “Grettir will need to raise his short-sword higher than he did by the ridge in Hrutafjord last summer before I am frightened of him.” Grettir heard quite clearly what Thorbjorn was saying, but did not interrupt him while he was telling his story. When Thorbjorn finished, Grettir said, “I predict that you won’t suffocate in the smoke of your fireplace, Traveller, but you might not die of old age either. What a strange thing to do, talking so scornfully about innocent people.” Thorbjorn said, “I don’t plan to retract anything. And I didn’t think you put on a very brave show when we saved you from the people from Melar who were pum­ melling you like a bull’s head.” Then Grettir spoke a verse: 28. The bow-slinger’s tongue is always too long with its words; some will incur sore revenge for that. Many who call for shields to parry the sword’s biting wounds have paid with their lives, Traveller, for less wrong than you have done.

bow-slinger. warrior

many who call for shields: i.e. many warriors

Thorbjorn said, “The day I will die is the same as ever, however much you bab­ ble.” Grettir replied, “My predictions have never died of old age until now and nor will this one. Defend yourself if you want. You won’t have a better chance later.” Then Grettir struck a blow at Thorbjorn, who put out his hand intending to parry it. But the blow struck his arm above the wrist and then his neck, chopping his head clean off. The merchants said that he had struck hard, like a true king’s man, adding that it was no loss when a quarrelsome and venomous man like Thor­ bjorn was killed. Shortly afterwards they put out to sea and reached Norway late in the summer, landing just south of Hordaland. Then they heard that King Olaf was staying in Trondheim. Grettir secured himself a passage to the north with some traders, be­ cause he wanted to go and see the king.

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There was a man called Thorir who lived at Gard in Adaldal, the son of Skeggi Bodolfsson. Skeggi had taken land in Kelda district, all the way to Keldunes, and was married to Helga, the daughter of Thorgeir from Fiskilaek. Skeggi’s son Thorir was a man of great standing and a seafarer. He had two sons, called Thorgeir and Skeggi. They were both promising men, and grown-up at this time. Thorir had been in Norway the summer that King Olaf arrived from England. He struck up a close friendship with the king and with Bishop Sigurd, as shown by the fact that Thorir had a large knorr built in the woods and asked Bishop Sigurd to consecrate it, which he did. Afterwards, Thorir sailed to Iceland, and when he grew tired of travelling he had the knorr dismantled. He had the beaks of the prow set up above the door to his house where they remained for a long time afterwards. They were so sensitive to the weather that one of them would whistle when a southerly wind was in the offing, and the other before a northerly wind. When Thorir heard that King Olaf had become sole ruler of Norway, he felt he had something to claim there for the sake of their friendship. Thorir sent his sons out to Norway to meet the king and intended them to enter his service. They ar­ rived in the south of the country late in the autumn and took a boat northwards along the coast to meet the king. They reached harbour just south of Stad and moored there for several nights. With plenty to eat and drink on board, they did not venture outside because the weather was so bad. To return to Grettir and his men, they were making their way north along the coast and often ran into rough weather, since winter was starting. And when they headed north for Stad, they ran into a mighty storm with blizzards and frost and just managed to get ashore one night. Everyone was exhausted by the cold, and they moored beside a grassy bank where they managed to carry their goods and provi­ sions to safety. The merchants complained bitterly about not being able to take the fire with them, claiming that their health and very lives were at stake. They spent the evening there, all in a very sorry state. As the evening wore on they saw a great fire blazing on the other side of the channel they had entered. When Grettir’s shipmates saw the fire, they said it would be a fortunate man who could have some of it, but doubted whether they ought to unmoor the ship, since that seemed too risky to everyone. Then they discussed at great length whether anyone would be capable of going to fetch the fire. Grettir made little contribution to their conversation, but said that once there had been men who would not have flinched at doing so. The merchants said they were no better off from what used to be if no such men were to be found now - “But would you feel up to it, Grettir?” they asked. “You are said to be the most accomplished man in Iceland, and you definitely know how much we need it.” Grettir said, “It doesn’t strike me as much of a feat to fetch the fire, but I don’t know whether you will offer a greater reward than the person who does it will ask for.”

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They said, uWhy should you think we are so dishonourable that we would not make proper reward for such a deed?” ‘T will attempt it if you think there is such a pressing need, but I have a premoni­ tion that I will gain no credit from it.” They assured him this would never happen, and said he spoke like a man of true integrity. After that, Grettir prepared for his swim. He took off his clothes and put on nothing but a cowl with breeches of homespun cloth underneath. He tucked up the cowl and tied a bast rope around his waist, and took a cask with him. Then he dived overboard. He headed straight across the channel and went ashore. He saw a house and heard voices and great merriment. Grettir went up to it. The people inside were the sons of Thorir who were mentioned earlier. They had been staying there for several nights, waiting for the weather to die down so that they could sail on north beyond Stad. They had sat down to drink; there were twelve of them. Their boat was moored in the main harbour, where a hut had been built for people to stay in who were travelling along the coast. A great quantity of straw had been carried inside, and there was a huge fire on the floor. Grettir burst into the house, unaware who was inside. By the time he reached land his cowl was frozen stiff, and he looked frighteningly huge, like a troll. The people inside were startled and took him to be an evil creature. They struck at him with everything they could lay their hands on. A great scuffle ensued, and Grettir warded off the blows with his arms. Some of the men struck him with blazing logs and the fire spread all over the house. Then he managed to leave with the fire and returned to his companions. They lavished praise on his exploit and his bravery, and said no man was a match for him. The night passed, and the crew felt they had been saved when they had the fire. The weather was fine the next morning, and the merchants woke up early and made ready to sail away, saying that they would go and find the people who had made the fire, to find out who they were. They unmoored the ship and sailed across the channel, but instead of finding the hut they saw a great pile of ashes with hu­ man bones inside, and felt certain that it must have burned down along with every­ one inside it. They asked Grettir whether he had caused this mishap, and called it a pernicious crime. Grettir said what he had suspected had come true, that they would reward him badly for fetching the fire, and said it was a bad thing to help dishonourable men. Grettir suffered greatly for the incident, because wherever the merchants went they said that he had burnt those men in their house. Word soon spread that Thorir from Gard’s sons had died there, with their compan­ ions, and the merchants drove Grettir off their ship and refused to have him with them. He became so despised that no one wanted to have anything to do with him. Grettir thought the outlook was bad, but wanted to go and see the king at any cost, and headed north for Trondheim where he was staying. Before Grettir arrived, the king had heard all about the matter, and was given a very slanderous impression of him. Grettir stayed in town for a few days before he managed to see the king.

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A O n e day when the king was sitting in conference, Grettir went in and greetO y ed him respectfully. The king looked at him and said, “Are you Grettir the Strong?” “I have been called that,” he replied, “and I am here in the hope of gaining from you some respite from the slanders that have been made against me, for an incident which I say was not my doing.” King Olaf said, “You are certainly a big enough man, but I do not know if you will have the good fortune to clear you name of this charge. However, it does seem more likely than not that you did not burn the men inside deliberately.” Grettir said he would welcome the chance to be cleared of the accusation, if the king considered it possible, and the king told him to give a true account of what had happened between them. Grettir related the episode described earlier, adding that everyone was still alive when he left carrying the fire, “and to prove it, I shall undertake any ordeal that you consider within the law.” King Olaf replied, “We will grant you leave to carry hot iron to prove your case, if providence deems it so.” Grettir was pleased with the idea. He started fasting to prepare himself to carry the iron, and the day of the ordeal arrived. The king went to church with the bishop and a large gathering, because many were curious to see Grettir after all that had been told about him. Then Grettir was brought to the church, and when he entered many of the people there looked at him and said he was exceptional in strength and build. As Grettir was walking down the aisle, a young and quite ugly boy ran up to him and said, “What a strange custom in this country that calls itself Christian, to allow evil-doers and bandits and thieves to go about in peace and undergo ordeals. What would an evil man do except try to save his own life for as long as he can? Here now is a criminal who has been proven responsible for evil deeds and of burning innocent people alive in their houses, and he is being given the chance of an ordeal. This is an outrage.” He went up to Grettir and gave him the sign of the finger, pulled faces at him and called him the son of a sea-troll and many other rude names. Grettir flew into a rage, lost control of himself, raised his fist and boxed the boy on the ear, knocking him out cold; some people claim he was killed on the spot. Nobody seemed to know where the boy came from or what became of him, but the most common explanation is that he was an evil spirit sent to bring Grettir bad luck. A great rumpus broke out in the church and the king was told that the man who was to carry the hot iron had started a brawl. King Olaf went farther inside the church, saw what was going on, and said, “You are an ill-fated man, Grettir. The ordeal that everything was ready for cannot be done now. Nothing can be done about your ill-fortune.” Grettir answered, “For the sake of my family I had expected greater honour from

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you than I look set to earn, lord,'" and recounted his kinship with King Olaf, which has been described earlier.1 “I should very much like you to take me into your service,” Grettir continued. uMany of the men you have with you are not considered better fighters than I am.” “I can see there are few men to match you in strength and valour,” said the king, “but you are far too ill-fated to be with us. You may go in peace as far as I am con­ cerned and spend the winter wherever you want, but in the summer you shall go to Iceland, because it is there that you are ordained to rest your bones.” Grettir answered, “First I would like to undertake the ordeal for the burning, be­ cause that I did not do deliberately.” “That is very likely,” said the king, “but since you ruined your chance of an or­ deal through your impetuousness, you will never clear yourself of this accusation any better than you have managed so far. Rashness always breeds trouble. If any man has ever been accursed, it must surely be you.” Afterwards, Grettir stayed in town for a while, and received nothing more from King Olaf than that. Then he went south, planning to go east to meet his brother Thorstein Dromund in Tunsberg. Nothing is said of his journey until he arrived in Jaeren in the east. At Yule, Grettir arrived at the house of a farmer called Einar. He was a wealthy man, married, and had an unmarried daughter called Gyrid, a beautiful woman who was considered a fine match. Einar invited Grettir to stay with him over Yule, and he accepted. In many parts of Norway at this time, outlaws and criminals would suddenly ap­ pear out of the woods and challenge men to duels for their women, and seize their possessions where there was little resistance. It happened one day over Yule that a large band of criminals called on Einar. Their leader was a huge berserk called Snaekoll. He challenged Einar either to hand over his daughter, or defend her if he considered himself man enough. But the farmer was no longer a young man, and not a warrior either. He thought he had a big problem on his hands, and asked Grettir secretly what action he could suggest, “because you are called a man of renown.” Grettir told him not to agree to anything that he considered a disgrace. The ber­ serk was sitting on a horse and wearing a helmet with the cheek-guards undone. He was holding out a shield rimmed with iron and acted very menacingly. The berserk said to the farmer, “Make your choice at once. What does that great lout standing beside you suggest? Maybe he would fancy playing a game with me?” Grettir said, “The farmer and I are two of a kind, because neither of us is given to fighting.” Snaekoll said, “It would give you a fright having to face me if I lose my temper.” “What is tested is known,” replied Grettir.

TV

1 Cf. Chapter 1.

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The berserk thought that Grettir and the farmer were stalling. He started to howl loudly and bite the edge of his shield. He put his shield in his mouth, spread his lips over the corner of it and acted like a savage. Grettir strode over to him, and when he came alongside the berserk’s horse he kicked the bottom of the shield up into his mouth so hard that his face ripped open and his jaws fell down to his chest. In a single action he grabbed the berserk’s helmet with his left hand and dashed him from his horse, and with his right hand he drew the short-sword he was wearing and struck him on the neck, chopping his head off. When Snaekoll’s companions saw this, they fled in all directions. Grettir could not be bothered to chase them, for he could tell that they were not at all brave. The farmer and many other people thanked him kindly for this bold and resolute deed. Grettir stayed there over Yule and was well provided for, and the farmer sent him on his way with generous gifts. Then Grettir headed east to Tunsberg to see his brother, who welcomed him kindly and asked about his journey and the slaying of the berserk. Grettir spoke a verse: 29. With a mighty kick from my ankle’s thorn, Snaekoll, the tender of battle-din, felt his bossed battle-shield smash on his dinner’s door. So hard did the iron-plated wall that guards the barbs’ walkway batter the house where his teeth are stacked that his jaws split down to his chest.

ankle's thorn: foot tender of battle-din: warrior dinner's door, mouth barbs' walkway, battle; its walk shield house, i.e. mouth

Thorstein said, “You would do well in many ways, kinsman, if you were not dogged by misfortune.” Grettir answered, “What is done shall be told all the same.” /I \ Grettir stayed with Thorstein for the rest of the winter and into spring. One morning when the two brothers were lying in the attic where they slept, Thorstein woke up and saw that Grettir had stretched his arms out on top of his bedclothes. Grettir woke up shortly afterwards. Then Thorstein said, “I’ve been looking at your arms, kinsman, and I’m certainly not surprised at the strong blows they have delivered to so many men, because I have never seen any man with such arms.” “You should have known,” said Grettir, “that I would never have accomplished the deeds I have done if I weren’t stoutly built.” “I would have preferred less muscle and more good fortune,” said Thorstein. Then Grettir said, “The saying is true: no man is his own creator. Show me your arms then.” Thorstein showed him; he was exceptionally lanky.

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With a smile, Grettir said, “I’ve seen quite enough. Your ribs look like hooks, and I don’t think I’ve ever seen another pair of tongs like those arms of yours. I can’t imagine you have the strength of a woman.” “That may be true,” said Thorstein, “but you should know that if these skinny arms don’t avenge your death, nothing ever will.” “How can we tell what will happen in the end?” said Grettir. “But it strikes me as pretty unlikely.” Nothing else is mentioned about their conversation. Spring passed, and Grettir found a passage on a ship and went to Iceland in the summer. He and his brother parted in friendship, and never met again. 4

To return to the killing of Thorbjorn Traveller, Thorbjorn Ox heard about it, as described earlier. He flew into a rage at the news and said many people had scores to settle. Asmund Grey-locks had lain ill for a long time that summer, and when he felt his strength was waning, he had called for his kinsmen and said he wanted Atli to take charge of running the farm after his death. “But I do fear,” said Asmund, “that you can hardly expect any peace for trouble­ makers. I want all my relatives to take the most care of him. I have nothing to pro­ pose about Grettir, for all his doings seem at the mercy of the wheel of fortune. And strong as he might be, I am afraid he will have more trouble of his own to deal with than to give support to his kinsmen. But even though Illugi is young, he will grow into a brave man if he can keep out of harm’s way.” When Asmund had made the arrangements he wanted with his sons, his illness intensified. He died shortly afterwards and was buried at the church he had built at Bjarg. His death was mourned as a great loss by people in the district. Atli became an eminent farmer and kept a large household which he provided well for. Towards the end of summer he went out to Snjofellsnes to get some stockfish. He took a large number of horses with him and rode from home to Melar in Hrutafjord to visit his brother-in-law Gamli. Atli was joined on the jour­ ney by Gamli’s brother Grim and another man. They rode west through Haukadalsskard pass and followed the route out to Nes. There they bought plenty of stockfish, which they loaded onto seven horses, and went home when they were ready. /f

^

Thorbjorn Ox heard that Atli and Grim were away from home. The brothers Gunnar and Thorgeir, the sons of Thorir from Skard, were staying with him. Thorbjorn felt jealous of Atli’s popularity and urged the brothers to ambush him on his way back from Nes, so they rode home to Skard and waited for Atli and the others to pass by there with their horses. As they reached the farm at Skard they could see Atli and his men riding past, and the brothers set off at once with their farmhands in pursuit.

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When Atli saw them coming he ordered the others to unload the packs from the horses. “They must be coming to offer me compensation for the farmhand of mine that Gunnar killed last summer. We shall not make the first move, but defend ourselves if they attack us.” Thorir’s sons reached them and dismounted at once. Adi welcomed them and asked if there was any news - “Or were you going to grant me compensation for my farmhand, Gunnar?” Gunnar replied, “You people from Bjarg do not deserve decent compensation from me. The slaying of Thorbjorn, whom Grettir killed, is more deserving of com­ pensation.” “I don’t have to answer for that,” said Atli. “And you’re not responsible for that case anyway.” Gunnar said that was not the point - “Let’s attack them now and take advantage of the fact that Grettir isn’t around.” Then they went for Atli; there were eight of them in all, while Atli and his men numbered only six. Atli moved in front of his men and drew the sword Jokul’s Gift, which Grettir had given to him. Then Thorgeir said, “They are both too proud for their own good. Grettir held his short-sword high at the ridge in Hrutafjord last summer, too.” Atli replied, “He is more used to mighty deeds than I am.” Then they fought. Gunnar attacked Atli furiously, as if in a frenzy. After they had fought for a while, Atli said, “We will earn no prestige from killing each other’s farmhands. There would be more point if we were to fight together by ourselves, for I have never killed a man before.” Gunnar refused his offer. Atli told his farmhands to guard the pack-horses, “And I shall find out how they respond.” Then he advanced so vigorously that Gunnar and his men were driven back. Atli killed two of the brothers’ companions. After that he turned to face Gunnar and struck a blow that sliced through his shield below the handle and struck him in the leg below the knee. He dealt another blow at once that proved fatal. Meanwhile Grim Thorhallsson attacked Thorgeir and they fought for a long time, because they were both stalwart men. When Thorgeir saw his brother Gunnar killed, he tried to flee, but Grim ran after him and chased him until he tripped and fell onto his face. Grim swung his axe and buried it between his shoulderblades. They spared the lives of the three remaining men, tended their wounds, loaded the packs back on the horses and went home to announce the killings. Atli stayed at home with a large band of men that autumn. Thorbjorn Ox was fu­ rious, but was unable to act because Atli was so popular. Grim stayed the winter with him, and so did his brother-in-law Gamli. Another of his brothers-in-law, Glum Ospaksson from Eyri in Bitra, was there too. There was a large band of men at Bjarg and much celebration through the winter.

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A j A j Thorbjorn Ox took charge of the case for the slaying of Thorir’s sons. He brought charges against Grim and Atli, who defended themselves on the grounds that the brothers’ unlawful assault had led them to forfeit their immunity. The case was presented to the Hunavatn Assembly and both sides were there with large numbers of men. Atli had plenty of supporters, because of his many kinsmen. Friends of both sides tried to mediate and discuss a settlement, and everyone agreed that Atli was a man of good character, peaceful yet resolute in the face of a chal­ lenge. Thorbjorn realised there was no more honourable course than to accept a settlement. Atli made a condition that he would not agree to banishment from his district nor exile abroad. Two men were appointed to arbitrate the settlement: Thorvald Asgeirsson on be­ half of Atli, and to represent Thorbjorn, Solvi the Elegant. Solvi’s father was Asbrand Thorbrandsson, whose grandfather, Harald Ring, had taken land in Vatnsnes all the way to the river Ambattara in the west and the river Thvera in the east, and right across to the Bjargaos estuary, with all the land on that side of Bjorg down to the sea. Solvi was a boisterous person, but wise as well, so Thorbjorn chose him to make a settlement on his behalf. Then they announced the settlement they had decided, whereby half compensa­ tion would be paid for Thorir’s sons, and the other half waived because of their un­ lawful assault and plot to kill Atli. The slaying of Atli’s farmhand at the Hrutafjord ridge and the two who were killed with Thorir’s sons cancelled each other out. Grim Thorhallsson was forced to leave the district, and Atli wanted to pay the com­ pensation by himself. Atli was very pleased with the settlement but Thorbjorn was displeased by it. They were nominally reconciled when they parted, but Thorbjorn was heard to comment that their dealings were not yet over if he had his way. Atli rode home from the assembly and thanked Thorvald for his support. Grim Thorhallsson moved south to Borgarfjord to live at Gilsbakki, where he became an eminent farm­ er. There was a farmhand called Ali who lived on Thorbjorn’s farm, a man of V W little fortune, and lazy too. Thorbjorn told him he would beat him if he did not work harder, but Ali said he had no urge to do so, and answered him back in­ solently. Thorbjorn said he should not dare to disobey, but Ali answered him with words just as strong, until Thorbjorn could not stand it any more, knocked him to the ground and treated him roughly. After that, Ali fled from the farm and headed over the ridge to Midfjord, not stopping until he reached Bjarg. Atli was at home and asked him where he was heading. Ali said he was looking for a place to work. “Aren’t you Thorbjorn’s farmhand?” Atli asked. “We weren’t on such good terms,” Ali said. “I didn’t stay there long, but it was bad while it lasted. When we left, I had grown tired of the tunes he was always squeezing out of my throat. I shall never go back there, whatever happens to me. / \ , jg t

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And it is true that you two are very different in the way you treat your workers. I would very much like to work for you if there is any chance.” Atli answered, “I have plenty of farmhands without having to deprive Thorbjorn of the ones he has taken on. You strike me as a weakling. Go back to him.” Ali said, “I shall never go there of my own free will.” Ali stayed there for a while. One morning he went off with Atli’s farmhands and worked like a man with a thousand hands. Ali kept this up through the summer. Atli ignored him, but had him fed because he approved of the work he was doing. Then Thorbjorn heard that Ali was at Bjarg. He rode over to Bjarg with two oth­ er men and called Atli out to talk to him. Atli went outside and greeted them. Thorbjorn said, “You are trying to start yet another confrontation and quarrel with me, Atli. Why did you take my farmhand - did you have any right to do so without permission?” Atli replied, “I can’t see any proof that he’s your farmhand. I don’t want to keep him if you have proof that he is one of your farmhands. But I don’t want to have to drag him out, either.” “You can have your way for now,” Thorbjorn said. “But I demand that man back and forbid him to work for you. I shall come back once more, and it’s not certain that we’ll part on better terms then than now.” Atli replied, “I’ll be here waiting and take whatever comes.” Then Thorbjorn rode home. When the farmhands came back to the farm that evening, Atli told Ali about his conversation with Thorbjorn. He ordered him to be on his way and said he did not want him to stay there any longer. Ali replied, “The old saying is true, that men who are praised most betray worst. I did not imagine that you would send me away now, after I have worked my fingers to the bone for you this summer in the hope that you would look after me. Yet this is what you all do, for all the good impression you make. Now I shall be beaten be­ fore your very eyes if you refuse to give me any protection or help.” Atli changed his mind on hearing this speech and did not feel inclined to send him away. Time passed until hay-time came around. One day just before midsummer, Thorbjorn Ox rode over to Bjarg. He was wear­ ing a helmet, with a sword girded around him and a spear in his hand. It was a broad spear with a very broad blade. That day it was wet outside. Atli had sent his farmhands out to cut hay, and some of his men had gone north to Horn to catch fish. There were few other men at home with Atli. Thorbjorn arrived around noon. He was alone and rode up to the door. It was shut, but no one was outside. Thorbjorn knocked on the door, then hid behind the house so that no one would see him from the door. A knock was heard and a woman answered the door. Thorbjorn caught a glimpse of the woman but kept himself hidden, since he had something else in mind. She returned tó the main room. Atli asked who was there, and she replied that she could not see that anyone had arrived outside. While they were talking about this, Thorbjorn knocked loudly on the door.

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Atli said, “That person wants to see me. He must have some business with me, whether it proves beneficial or not.” Then he left the room and went to the door. He could not see anyone outside. Since it was raining heavily, he did not go outside, but held onto a doorpost with each hand and looked around. All of a sudden Thorbjorn rushed up to the door holding his spear in both hands, and lunged at Atli’s stomach, piercing him right through. When Atli took the blow he said, “Broad spears are the fashion these days.” Then he fell forward onto the threshold. The women who had been in the room came out and saw that Atli was dead. Thorbjorn had already mounted his horse by then. He announced that he was responsible for the killing and rode home after­ wards. Atli’s mother Asdis sent for people to help. Atli’s body was dressed and Ju ried beside his father. Atli’s death was deeply mourned, for he had been both wise and popular. No compensation was produced for the killing of Atli and no claim was made, because it was Grettir’s duty to follow up the case if he came back to Iceland. The matter was left to rest that summer. Thorbjorn incurred little approval for this deed, but stayed where he was on his farm. Just before the Althing met that summer, a ship arrived at Gasar. The crew w brought news of Grettir’s travels, including the burning. Thorir from Gard was furious at the news and felt obliged to take vengeance on Grettir for the death of his sons. Thorir rode off with a large party and raised the matter of the burning at the Althing, but people were reluctant to discuss it while no one was there to an­ swer for it. Thorir said he would not settle for less than seeing Grettir outlawed throughout Iceland for such an ignominious act. Skafti the Lawspeaker answered him, “Certainly this is an evil deed, if the ac­ count of it is correct. But one man only tells half a tale, and more people prefer the worse side of a story which has two versions. I shall not declare Grettir an outlaw for this deed under the present circumstances.” Thorir was a powerful figure in his district, a great chieftain and popular among many great men. He pursued the matter so hard that there was no chance for Grettir to be cleared. Thorir then declared Grettir an outlaw throughout Iceland and proved to be his fiercest enemy, as was often shown afterwards. He put an out­ law’s price on Grettir’s head, then rode home. Many people said that Thorir had acted more from zeal than respect for the law, but the declaration remained in force. Nothing else of note happened until after midsummer. A Towards the end of summer, Grettir Asmundarson landed in the river Hvita T M- in Borgarfjord. People from the district went down to the ship, and Grettir heard all the news at once: first his father’s death, then his brother’s slaying, and thirdly, his own outlawry throughout Iceland.

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Then Grettir spoke a verse: 30.

In one fell swoop it befell the wise verse-gatherer: outlawry, my father’s death to bear nobly in silence, and my brother’s. But on other mornings, many shoots of the Valkyrie’s war-tree will be the sadder for my sorrows, breaker o f swords in battle.

Valkyrie's war-tree, battle; its shoots: warriors breaker of swords: warrior

People say that Grettir’s mood did not change in the slightest when he heard this news, and he remained as cheerful as before. Grettir stayed on his ship for a while, because he could not find a horse to his liking. There was a man called Svein who lived at Bakki, inland from Thingnes. He was a good farmer and a cheerful character, and often made humorous poems. He owned an exceptionally swift brown mare that he called Saddle-head. Grettir left Vellir one night, because he did not want the merchants to find out. He took himself a black cowl which he wore over his clothes as a disguise, then set off past Thingnes and up to Bakki. It was daylight by this time. He saw a brown horse in the hayfields, went over to it and bridled it, then mounted it and rode in­ land along the bank of the Hvita, below Baer to the river Flokadalsa and up onto the track above Kalfanes. The farmhands at Bakki were getting up around that time and told the farmer that someone had taken his horse. Svein got up, smiled and spoke this verse: 31.

Away he rode, the helmet-tree, the rider of the prow; by the farm he swept away Saddle-head in his hands. This tricky character, holder of the shield that blocks the battle’s sun, will do deeds more dangerous than this.

helmet-tree warrior rider of the prow: seafarer

Then he took his horse and set off in pursuit. Grettir rode on until he reached the land above the farm at Kropp, where he met a man called Halli who said he was on his way down to the ship at Vellir. Grettir spoke a verse: 32.

Bowman, tree with boughs o f elm, spread word far and wide that you have found Saddle-head all the way up at Kropp.

elm: bow; its tree bowman

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On a mare’s back there was a man who plays for high stakes, wearing a black cowl: Halli, speed on your way!

They went their separate ways and Halli headed down the track, but had not reached Kalfanes by the time Svein came riding towards him. They exchanged a quick greeting. Then Svein spoke a verse: 33.

Did you see where he rode, that prankster, that cunning slob, on a horse from the next farm? Great is our loss. We here shall demand vengeance upon that thief; whatever happens, he’ll be left black and blue if I catch him.

“You will manage that, then,” said Halli, “for I saw that man who said he was rid­ ing Saddle-head and told me to spread the word far and wide. He was very large and wearing a black cowl.” “He must have a high opinion of himself,” said Svein, “and I shall find out who he is.” Then he rode off after him. Grettir arrived in Deildartunga. A woman was standing outdoors. Grettir started talking to her, and spoke this verse: 34.

Noble guardian o f gold, tell this ditty to whom it behoof: The snake in its lair has snatched his horse away. I, the bold-worded server o f Odin’s ale will ride that mare in fury, not resting before I reach Gilsbakki.

guardian of gold: woman behoof. i.e. a pun on the horse’s owner snake: Grettir (which means “snake”)

Odin's ale. poetry; its server, poet

The woman memorised the verse, and he rode on his way. Svein rode up soon afterwards, before the woman went indoors. When he ar­ rived, he spoke this verse: 35 .

What swinger o f swishing swords rode in a swirling storm hard on a dark-hided horse here a few steps ahead?

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That bold man will surely wear a sheepish look and pine for his lost glory, flee m e for long today.

She told him the verse that she had been taught. He pondered over it, then said, “That man is likely to prove more than a match for me, but I shall find him all the same.” Then he rode through the district, and he and Grettir were always within sight of each other. The weather was windy and raining. Grettir arrived at Gilsbakki by day­ light, and when Grim Thorhallsson learned of his arrival he gave him a very warm welcome and invited him to stay. Grettir accepted the offer. He set Saddle-head free and told Grim how he had come by the horse. Then Svein arrived, dismounted and saw his horse there. He spoke this verse: 36.

W ho has been riding m y mare? W hat will I earn for the favour? W ho has seen a greater thief? W hat has the cowl-wearer staked?

Grettir had taken off his wet clothes and when he heard the verse he answered: 37.

I rode the mare to Grim’s. H e’s more a m an than a crofter. I have little favour to pay you. But let us settle in friendship.

“A settlement shall certainly be made,” said Svein, “and you have paid for your horse ride in full.” After that they took turns speaking verses and Grettir said he could not find fault with him for wanting to look after his property. Svein spent the night there, just like Grettir, and they both made many humorous verses about the incident, which they called the Saddle-head Verses. The next morning Svein rode home, and he and Grettir parted on good terms. Grim told Grettir about many things which had happened in Midfjord while he was abroad, adding that no compensation had been made for Atli and that Thorbjorn Ox was in such a powerful position that Asdis might not be able to go on liv­ ing at Bjarg if the situation continued. Grettir spent only a few nights with Grim, because he did not want news of his arrival to reach the north before he got there himself. Grim told him to call on him if he needed any assistance, “but I want to avoid breaking the law and being sentenced to outlawry for harbouring you.” Grettir bade him farewell, saying “It is likely that I shall need your help more later.”

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Then Grettir rode north across Tvidaegra heath and on to Bjarg, arriving at night. Everyone was asleep, apart from his mother. He went round the back of the house to the door there where he knew there was a passage, then found his way into the main room and up to his mother’s bed. He shook her. She asked who was there, and Grettir said his name. She sat up, kissed him, heaved a sigh and said, ‘‘Welcome home, kinsman. But what short-lived benefit I have had from my sons! The one 1 depended on most has been killed, you have been declared an outlaw and a criminal, and the third is too young to act.” “It is an old saying,” said Grettir, “that one misfortune is overcome by suffering a greater one. There is greater consolation than money, and I expect Atli to be avenged. As for me, many people will be pleased to escape from me in one piece.” She said this did not seem unlikely. Grettir stayed there for some while, his whereabouts only known to a few people, and he tried to find out what the people in the district were doing. No one had heard that Grettir had arrived in Midfjord. He found out that Thorbjorn Ox was staying on his farm and had only a few men with him. This was after hay-time. A j G Grettir rode west over the ridges one fine day, and arrived at Thoroddsstadir v V just before noon. He knocked on the door and some women went out and greeted him. They did not recognise him. He asked for Thorbjorn, and they said he had gone to the meadows to bind the hay, taking his sixteen-year-old son, Arnor; Thorbjorn was a very energetic worker and hardly ever idle. When Grettir heard about him he wished them well and rode away to the path towards Reykir. There was some grassy marshland below the ridge, where Thorbjorn had cut a great amount of hay which was now completely dry. He intended to bind it and take it back to the farm with his son, while a woman was there raking it together into little stacks. Grettir rode along the lowest part of the land, while Thorbjorn and his son were higher up, having bound one bundle, and were starting work on the next. Thorbjorn had put down his shield and sword by the bundle, but his son had a hand-axe with him. Seeing someone arriving, Thorbjorn said to his son, “There’s a man riding up to us. Let’s stop binding the hay and find out what he wants.” They did so. Grettir dismounted. He was wearing a helmet and was girded with a short-sword, and he was carrying a great spear in his hand, with no barbs on it but a silver-laid socket. He sat down and removed the rivet from the shaft, to prevent Thorbjorn from throwing the spear back at him. Then Thorbjorn said, “He’s a big man, and I’ll never recognise anybody if that isn’t Grettir Asmundarson, who has a great score to settle with us. We must face him bravely and not show any signs of fear. Let’s follow a plan: I shall face him and see how we get on together, because I feel confident about taking on any man single-handed. You creep up behind him and drive your axe between his shoulder5

The Complete Sagas of Icelanders II

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blades with both hands. You won’t need to be careful about him harming you when his back is turned.” Neither Thorbjorn nor his son was wearing a helmet. Grettir entered the marsh­ land and when he was within range he threw his spear at Thorbjorn, but since the shaft was looser than he had expected it flew off course, the head came loose, and it stuck in the ground. Thorbjorn picked up his shield and brandished it, then drew his sword and turned to face Grettir when he was sure who he was. Grettir drew his short-sword and when he swung it around he noticed the boy standing behind him, so he kept on the move. When he saw the boy was within striking distance he raised his sword aloft, then swung the back of the blade at Arnor’s head so hard that it broke his skull and killed him. Thorbjorn rushed forwards and swung a blow at Grettir, who drew his buckler with his left hand to parry it, then thrust out with his sword, splitting Thorbjorn’s shield and striking him such a blow on the head that his brains spilled out and he fell down dead on the spot. Grettir did not deal them any more wounds. He searched for his spear but when he could not find it he went over to his horse and rode out to Reykir where he announced the killings. The woman who was working on the meadow saw the killings and ran home in a panic to say that Thorbjorn and his son had both been killed. Everyone at the farm was very surprised because none of them knew about Grettir’s movements. They sent for people from the next farm and a large band soon arrived and took the bodies to church. Thorodd Half-poem took charge of prosecuting the killings and mustered a band of men at once. Grettir rode back to Bjarg, saw his mother and told her about the incident. She was pleased at the news and said that now he had shown the Vatnsdal family traits. “But this will mark the start and the cause of your outlawry,” she said. “I know for a fact that you will never stay here very long on account of Thorbjorn’s kins­ men, but at least they know now that you are capable of anger.” Then Grettir spoke a verse: 38. In wether fjord Odin’s weapons stormed the bear-hugging giant’s adversary, the ox mustered its full force. Now for Atli’s slaying, long unavenged after he slumped to the fair earth, he is repaid in kind.

wether fjord: Hrutafjord (= Rams* fjord) Odin's storm of weapons: batde giant's adversary: Thor; Thor + bjom (bear): Thorbjorn

Asdis said this was true, “but I do not know what action you can take now.” Grettir said he would seek out his friends and kinsmen in the west. “I shan’t be causing you any trouble,” he told her. He made ready to leave, and he and his mother parted with affection. He went to

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Melar in Hrutafjord first and told his brother-in-law Gamli all about the killing of Thorbjorn. Gamli told him to hurry out of Hrutafjord “while Thorbjorn’s kinsmen still have their band of men together. We shall give you as much support as we can in the set­ tlement for Atli’s killing.” After that, Grettir rode westwards over Laxardal moor, not stopping until he reached Thorstein Kuggason’s farm at Ljarskogar, where he stayed for much of the autumn. Thorodd Half-poem asked around to find out who had killed Thorbjorn F y and his son. When he and his men came to Reykir, they were told that Grettir had turned up there and announced that he was responsible for the killings. Thorodd thought he could tell what had happened and went to Bjarg. A large num ­ ber of people were gathered there, and he asked whether Grettir was among them. Asdis said he had ridden away and that she would not hide him, “if he were here anyway. You ought to be pleased to drop the matter. But what happened was not too heavy a vengeance for Atli’s death. You never asked whether 1 suffered for that. Now it is fitting to let things stand as they are.” Then they rode back home, unable to see what more could be done. The spear that Grettir had lost was not found for a long time, until the days that people still alive today can remember. It was found towards the end of Sturla Thordarson the Lawspeaker’s life, in the marshland where Thorbjorn was killed, which is now known as Spjotsmyri (Spear-Mire.) This is taken as proof that Thor­ bjorn was killed there, although some accounts say that he was killed in Midfitjar. Thorbjorn’s kinsmen received word that Grettir was at Ljarskogar, then gathered forces and set off there. But Gamli noticed them from Melar and tipped Thorstein and Grettir off about the party that was leaving Hrutafjord. When Thorstein heard this he sent Grettir in to Tunga to stay with Snorri the Godi, because they were on speaking terms at the time. He told Grettir he should ask Snorri for help, but go west to Thorgils Arason at Reykjaholar if he refused: “He will take you in for the winter. Stay in the West Fjords until these matters are settled.” Grettir said he would follow his advice. He rode over to Tunga, met Snorri the Godi and asked him to take him in. Snorri answered, “1 am growing old now and have no inclination to take in out­ laws if I am not compelled to. Why did that noble man turn you away, anyway?” Grettir said that Thorstein had often treated him kindly, “but it will take more people than just him to sort this matter out.” Snorri said, “I can speak in your favour if that will be of any help, but you should look for somewhere else to stay than with me.” They parted after these words, and Grettir headed west to Reykjanes. The party from Hrutafjord arrived at Samsstadir, where they heard that Grettir had left Ljar­ skogar, so they turned back.

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H / N Grettir arrived at Reykjaholar just before the Winter Nights and asked Thorgils for winter lodgings. Thorgils said that he was welcome to food, like any free-born man, “but this is not a particularly comfortable place to stay.” Grettir said he was not choosy. “Then there’s another problem,” Thorgils added. “There are two very unruly men staying here, the sworn brothers Thorgeir and Thormod. I don’t know how you will get on together, but I always let them stay here for as long as they like. You can stay here if you want, too, but none of you will be allowed to pick quarrels with each other.” Grettir said he would not start trouble with anyone, especially if this was his host’s wish. Soon afterwards the sworn brothers came back. There was some friction between Thorgeir and Grettir, but Thormod got on well with him. Thorgils told the sworn brothers everything he had told Grettir, and they held him in such esteem that none of them said a word out of place to the others, even though they were not always of like mind. The first part of winter passed in this way. People say that Thorgils owned the islands called Olafseyjar, about six miles out into the fjord off Reykjanes. Thorgils owned a fine ox which had not been brought back in the autumn. He kept on mentioning that he wanted it back before Yule. One day the sworn brothers made ready to go and fetch the ox, if a third man could be found to join them. Grettir offered to join them and they welcomed the idea, so the three of them set off in a ten-oared boat. It was a cold day, with a northerly wind. Their boat was kept in Hvalshausholm, and when they put out the wind got up. They landed on the islands and caught the ox. Then Grettir asked whether they would prefer to carry the ox aboard or hold the boat still, since there were quite powerful waves breaking on the islands. They told him to hold the boat, so he stood half-way along it on the seaward side, up to his shoulderblades in the sea, and held it so firmly that it did not move an inch. Thor­ geir took hold of the rear of the ox and Thormod the front, and they lifted it out to the boat and sat down to row away. Thormod rowed at the prow, Thorgeir amid­ ships and Grettir at the stern, and they headed into the bay. When they rounded the cliff at Hafraklett they ran into a gale. Then Thorgeir said, “The stern is holding us back.” Grettir said, “The stern will keep up if there are decent rowers in front.” Thorgeir pulled on the oars so hard that both the rowlocks broke, and he said to Grettir, “You row harder while I mend the rowlocks.” Grettir rowed away hard while Thorgeir mended the rowlocks. But when Thor­ geir started rowing, Grettir’s oars had become so worn that he snapped them in half against the side of the boat. Thormod said they ought to row more gently and not break anything. Grettir snatched up two wooden shafts that were lying in the boat, punched a couple of holes in the side of the boat and rowed so furiously that every

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beam in the boat creaked with the strain. But since it was a sturdy boat with rather brawny men on board, they made it to Hvalshausholm. Grettir asked whether they would prefer to take the ox back to the farm or beach the boat. They chose to beach the boat, and pulled it up on land with all the water that was in it, and the thick ice on it too. Grettir led the ox, which walked very stiff­ ly because it was tethered and rather fat. The ox grew exhausted, and when it got as far as Tittlingsstadir it could not go any farther. The sworn brothers went back to the farm, because none of them would help the others do their jobs. Thorgils asked about Grettir and they told him where they had left him behind. He sent men off to find him, and when they got as far as Hellisholar they saw a man walking towards them with an ox on his back: it was Grettir carrying the ox. Everyone was astonished at what he was capable of. Thorgeir was especially jealous of Grettir’s strength. One day just after Yule, Grettir went by himself to bathe in the pool. Thorgeir knew this and said to Thormod, “Let’s go up to Grettir and see how he reacts if I jump on him when he leaves the pool.” “I don’t like the idea,” said Thormod, “and he won’t treat you kindly for it either.” “I’m going to anyway,” said Thorgeir. Then he went down the slope, holding his axe high. Grettir was walking away from the pool then and when they met, Thorgeir said, “Is it true, Grettir, that you have said you would never run away from a man on his own?” “I’m not sure about that,” Grettir replied, “but I’ve never run very far away from you.” Then Thorgeir raised his axe. Grettir ducked the blow, tackled Thorgeir and brought him down hard. Thorgeir said to Thormod, “Are you going to stand around watching while this madman flattens me?” Thormod grabbed Grettir by the feet, intending to pull him off Thorgeir, but could not budge him. He was girded with a short-sword and made to draw it, but just then Thorgils came up and told them to calm down and stop tackling Grettir. They did as he said, and turned the episode into a joke. There are no accounts of any other clash­ es between them. Thorgils was thought to have been a man of great fortune for being able to restrain such violent characters. In the spring they all departed. Grettir went in to Thorskafjord and was asked how he had liked his food and winter lodgings at Reykjaholar. He replied, “When I was there the most enjoyable part of my meal was being around to eat it in the first place.” Then he set off west over the moors. JrtY Thorgils Arason rode to the Althing with a large band of men. All the men of w A distinction from all over Iceland attended it. He soon met Skafti the Lawspeaker, and they had a talk.

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“Is it true, Thorgils,” Skafti said, “that this winter you harboured the three most difficult men in the country, all of them outlaws, yet you managed to prevent them from doing each other harm?” Thorgils said this was true. Skafti said, “That is the mark of great leadership. But what do you think of their characters, and how brave is each one of them?” Thorgils said, “I consider them all unusually brave of heart, but I think two of them know the meaning of fear. Yet they differ, for Thormod is a god-fearing man and very religious, while Grettir is so afraid of the dark that he wouldn’t dare to go anywhere after dark if he could choose. But 1 don’t think my kinsman Thorgeir knows what fear means.” “Their characters must be just as you say,” said Skafti, and they parted with these words. At this Althing, Thorodd Half-poem brought charges for the killing of Thorbjorn Ox which Atli’s kinsmen had prevented him from presenting at the Hunavatn Assembly. Here he felt there was less likelihood of the matter being quashed. Atli’s kinsmen consulted Skafti about the charges, and he told them that he thought he could see a legally valid defence which should earn them full compensa­ tion. The cases were referred for settlement and the majority agreed that the killings of Atli and Thorbjorn would cancel each other out. When Skafti learned this he went to the men who had considered the settlement and asked on what grounds they had arrived at their decision. They stated that the men who had been killed were of equal status. Skafti asked, “Which happened first, Grettir’s outlawry or Atli’s death?” They worked out that there was a week’s interval between Grettir being declared an outlaw at the Althing and Atli’s killing, which happened immediately after the Althing. Skafti said, “I suspected that you would overlook this point in bringing the ac­ tion. You regarded someone as responsible for prosecuting the case who had already been outlawed, and was therefore unable either to defend himself or prosecute it. I declare that Grettir is ineligible in this case, and that the next of kin by law must be responsible for following it through.” Then Thorodd Half-poem said, “Who shall answer for killing my brother Thor­ bjorn, then?” “That’s for you to determine for yourselves,” Skafti said, “but Grettir’s kinsmen will not pay out any money for him or his actions if they cannot pay for his free­ dom.” When Thorvald Asgeirsson discovered that Grettir had been ruled out as a party to the case, they tried to determine the next of kin. The closest kinsmen were Skeggi Gamlason from Melar and Ospak, the son of Glum from Eyri in Bitra, who were both tough and ambitious men. Thorodd was made to pay compensation for the killing of Atli, the sum of two hundred pieces of silver.

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Then Snorri the Godi made a proposal: “Would you people from Hrutafjord agree to waive the compensation in return for Grettir being cleared? I expect him to inflict a lot of suffering for as long as he is an outlaw.” Grettir’s kinsmen agreed eagerly, saying they did not care about money if he could be left to live in peace and freedom. Thorodd said he knew he was in a diffi­ cult position and would accept such a settlement for his part. Snorri told them to find out first whether Thorir from Gard would grant permis­ sion for Grettir to be cleared, but when Thorir heard this he flew into a rage and said Grettir would never be released from his outlawry or escape from it. “And to give him even less chance of being cleared,” he said, “a higher price shall be put on his head than for any other outlaw.” Since he rejected the idea so flatly, nothing was done about lifting Grettir’s out­ lawry. Gamli and his men took the money into their safekeeping, but Thorodd Half-poem received no compensation for his brother Thorbjorn. He and Thorir then both put up a reward for capturing Grettir, three marks of silver each. This was considered an exceptional move, since no higher price than three marks had ever been put on a man’s head before. Snorri said it was unwise to go to such lengths to keep a man in outlawry who was capable of causing so much trouble, and said that many would pay the price for it. Then they all parted ways and rode home from the Althing. J B O When Grettir had crossed the Thorskafjord moor and entered Langidal, he helped himself to the crofters’ belongings, taking whatever he needed from them. He took weapons from some of them and clothing from others. Some were more reluctant than others, but after he had gone they all said they had had no choice. Vermund the Slender, Killer-Styr’s brother, was living in Vatnsfjord at that time. He was married to Thorbjorg, the daughter of Olaf Hoskuldsson. She was nick­ named Thorbjorg the Stout. At the time when Grettir was in Langidal, Vermund had ridden off to the Al­ thing. Grettir headed north over the ridge to Laugabol, where a man called Helgi lived, the leading farmer in the district. Grettir took a fine horse that the farmer owned, then set off to Gervidal. A man called Thorkel lived there; he was fairly well provided-for but a petty character. Grettir took everything he wanted from Thorkel, who did not dare to complain or resist. From there, Grettir went to Eyri and along that side of the fjord, taking both food and clothing from everyone and dealing out much rough treatment which most people suffered grudgingly. Grettir grew bolder and ceased to be on his guard. He travelled on all the way to Vatnsfjardardal and spent many nights in a shieling there. He slept in the woods there and completely relaxed his guard. When the shepherds realised this, they made the rounds of the farms and said that a great brute had arrived in the district whom they did not think would be easy to deal with. The farmers gathered up to form a band of thirty men and hid in the

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woods without Grettir knowing about them. The shepherds kept watch for a chance to capture Grettir, although they had no idea who the man was. One day when Grettir was lying asleep the farmers approached. When they saw him there they made plans to capture him with the least risk to themselves, and de­ cided that ten of them would jump on him and others tie him by the feet. This was done, and they threw themselves on top of him, but Grettir reacted so violently that they were thrown off him and he managed to get to his knees, which gave them the chance to throw ropes around his body and legs. Grettir gave two of them such a hard kick on the ears that they were knocked unconscious. Then they all piled on top of him and he thrashed around for a long time, but eventually they managed to overpower him and tie him up. After that they discussed what to do with him. They asked Helgi from Laugabol to take charge of him until Vermund returned from the Thing. Helgi replied, “I have more important things to do than to let my farmhands keep guard over him, because my land is tough to work. I certainly won’t ever take him with me.” Then they asked Thorkel from Gervidal to take charge of him, saying that he had ample provisions. Thorkel protested and said he had no chance of doing so, “since I live on my farm by myself with my old wife, far away from everyone else. You’re not going to land me with this problem.” “Thoralf from Eyri, you should take Grettir then,” they said, “and watch him for the duration of the Thing, or at least pass him on to the next farm and take respon­ sibility for making sure he does not escape. Put him down as firmly tied up as he is now when you take him.” Thoralf answered, “I don’t want to take Grettir, because I have neither the provi­ sions nor money to keep him. Nor was he captured on my land. There’s more trouble than honour at stake in taking charge of him or doing anything with him. He’ll never set foot in my house.” Then they asked each farmer in turn, and they all refused. This conversation of theirs was the basis of the poem called Handing Grettir Around which witty men composed and embellished with humorous phrases for people’s amusement. After discussing the matter at length, they agreed not to let their good fortune become misfortune, so they set straight to work and put up a gallows right there in the woods. They planned to hang Grettir there and then and went about the task very boisterously. Then they saw three people riding along the valley below. One of them was wear­ ing brightly coloured clothes, and they took it to be Thorbjorg, the wife of the farmer from Vatnsfjord, as in fact it turned out to be. She was going off to the shiel­ ing. She was a woman of firm character and foresight, and she took charge of local affairs and decided everything when Vermund was away from home. She rode up to the crowd and was helped down from her horse. The farmers wel­ comed her warmly.

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Then she said, “What sort of a meeting are you holding here? And who is that thick-necked man sitting tied up over there?” Grettir said his name and greeted her. She replied, “Whatever drove you to want to come here and cause trouble to my thingmen, Grettir?” “You can’t provide for everything,” said Grettir. “I had to be somewhere.” “What bad fortune you have,” she said, “letting these wretches capture you with­ out being able to fight them off. And what do you farmers plan to do with him?” The farmers told her they were going to string him up on the gallows for the trouble he had caused. She replied, “Grettir may well have deserved this, but executing Grettir will be more than you men of Isafjord can handle, because he is a man of renown and great family, even though fortune does not favour him. What would you do to save your life, Grettir, if I have you spared?” He asked, “What do you suggest?” “You shall swear an oath,” she replied, “not to cause any trouble here in Isafjord. You shall not take vengeance on any of the men who attacked you and captured you.” Grettir said she should decide the terms. Then he was untied. He later said that he had never shown such control over his temper as when he did not go for them while they lorded it over him. Thorbjorg invited him to stay with her and provided him with a horse to ride there. He went back to Vatnsfjord with her and waited for Vermund to return. She treated him well, and earned wide renown from this epi­ sode. Vermund turned sullen when he returned home and found out Grettir was there. Thorbjorg told him about the entire incident with the people from Isafjord. Vermund asked, “What did he do to deserve your sparing his life?” “There were many reasons,” Thorbjorg replied. “First of all, you will be consid­ ered a man of much greater stature, married to a woman who had the courage to do such a thing. And then, his kinswoman Hrefna would not expect me to allow him to be killed. Thirdly, he is a man of outstanding accomplishments in many re­ spects.” “You are a wise woman in most ways,” said Vermund. “Thank you for doing this.” Then he told Grettir, “You did not put up much of a defence, a great warrior like you, to let those wretches capture you. But that’s what always happens to trouble­ makers.” Then Grettir spoke a verse: 39. Great was my lack o f good fortune in the midst o f the sea-roofs fiord

sea-roof, ice (Isafjord = Ice fiord)

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when those old hogs grabbed a firm hold on my head’s bones.

“What did they plan to do with you once they had captured you?” Vermund asked. Grettir spoke a verse: 40. Many said that I deserved the bridal gift o f Sigar - a noose. Until they met the rowan branch adorned with leaves and covered with praise

Sigar. semi-legendary king who punished Hagbard for courting his daughter, by having him hanged rowan branch: Thor once saved himself from drowning by grab­ bing a rowan branch; a play on Thor-bjorg, “Thor’s rescue”

Vermund asked him, “Would they have hanged you if they had been left to them­ selves to decide?” Grettir spoke a verse: 41. I would have stuck my own head in the baited snare before its time, if Thorbjorg, woman so fair, had not saved this poet.

Vermund asked him, “Did she invite you to stay with her?” Grettir answered: 42. She asked me to come with her, the tree that held out to Thor a helping hand; gave a fine horse and granted peace to the serpent who coils in the Thunderer’s bed.

tree, rowan tree (i.e. Thorbjorg, cf. verse 40)

serpent Grettir is a snake’s name Thunderer’s bed: earth, the wife of Odin

“You will lead a great and difficult life,” said Vermund, “and now you have learnt to be on your guard against your enemies. I have no mind to keep you here and in­

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cur the ill-will of many powerful men. You are best advised to seek out your kins­ men, for few men will be prepared to take you in if they can avoid it. And you are not one who easily yields to another’s bidding.” Grettir spent some time in Vatnsfjord, then left for the West Fjords. He called up­ on many men of great standing, but invariably something happened to stop them taking him in. Towards the end of autumn, Grettir headed back south and did not stop until he reached Ljarskogar, where his kinsman Thorstein Kuggason welcomed him warmly. Thorstein invited him to stay for the winter, and Grettir accepted the offer. Thorstein was an industrious man and a fine craftsman, and made all his men work hard as well. Grettir did not care much for physical labour, and in this respect they did not get on together. Thorstein had had a church built on his farm. He also built a bridge from his farm, with great craftsmanship. The side of the bridge, beneath the struts that supported it, was rigged with rings and bells which would peal if anyone crossed it, and they could be heard two miles away at Skarfsstadir. Thorstein had put a great deal of effort into making the bridge, because he was a very skilful blacksmith. Grettir was energetic at hammering the iron, although he could not always be bothered to do it, but he kept himself under control through the winter and no incidents happened. But when the people of Hrutafjord heard that Grettir was staying with Thorstein, they sent out a party when spring arrived. Thorstein, however, got word of this. He told Grettir to find himself shelter somewhere else instead, “for I can see that you’re not prepared to work, and I don’t have any use for men who don’t make any effort.” “Where do you suggest I go, then?” asked Grettir. Thorstein told him to go south and see his kinsmen there, “but call on me again if they fail you.” Grettir did as he said and went down to Borgarfjord to see Grim Thorhallsson. He stayed with him until after the Althing, and then Grim told him to go to Hjalli and stay with Skafti the Lawspeaker. Grettir continued south along the lower path over the moors, not stopping until he reached Tunga, the farm of Thorhall Asgrimsson, Ellida-Grim’s grandson. He avoided travelling where there were farms. Thorhall knew who Grettir was, from his ancestry, although his name was also well known all over Iceland because of his accomplishments. Thorhall was a wise man and treated Grettir well, but did not want him to stay there for long. Jg1/|

Grettir went from Tunga up to Haukadal, and from there he went north to Kjol. He stayed there for much of the summer, and no one travelling north or south over Kjol could rest assured that he would not relieve them of their be­ longings, because he had little chance of picking anything else up there. One day when Grettir was on Dufunefsskeid as usual, he saw a man riding along Kjol from the north. He was a big man, seated on a fine horse with a bridle studded

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with nails and embossed at the ears. He was leading another horse with bags on it. The man was wearing a wide-brimmed hat which concealed his face. Taking a fancy to the man’s horse and belongings, Grettir went up to him, greet­ ed him and asked him his name. He said his name was Loft, “And I know your name, too. You must be Grettir Asmundarson the Strong. Where are you heading?” “I haven’t chosen a place to go to yet,” answered Grettir. “But my business with you was to find out if you want to hand over some of your belongings to me.” Loft replied, “Why should I let you have what is mine - what will you give me for it?” Grettir answered, “Haven’t you heard that I’m not in the habit of paying for things, but I generally seem to get what I want all the same?” Loft said, “You can offer other people those terms, but I won’t hand over what’s mine. Let’s be going our separate ways.” And he rode past Grettir, goading his horse on. “Let’s not part so hastily,” Grettir said, as he snatched the horse’s reins out of Loft’s hands and held them in his own. Loft said to him, “Be on your way. You won’t take anything from me if I can stop you.” “We’ll put that to the test, then,” said Grettir. Loft reached down past the leather cheek-patches of the bridle, grabbed the reins between the bit and where Grettir was holding them, and tugged so hard that they slipped right out of Grettir’s hands. Grettir looked at his palms and realised that this man certainly had some power in his hands. He looked at him and asked, “Where are you heading now?” Loft answered him with a verse: 43. I am heading for the storm’s frost-cauldron below the beetling expanse of ice; there the snake, salmon of the ground, may meet a pebble and the palm’s land.

cauldron: i.e. a cave ice. i.e. glacier (probably Balljokul, see verse 44.) snake, i.e. Grettir salmon (i.e. fish) of the ground: snake pebble. Icel. hall-; palm's land: hand (lcel. mund-) = a man called Hallmund

Grettir said, “No one can be certain of finding where you live if you don’t say it more plainly.” Then Loft spoke a verse: 44. I have trouble hiding from you

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if you are set on seeking me out. It is in the land o f Borgarfjord, Balljokul by m en it is called.

Then they parted. When Grettir realised that he was no match in strength for that man, he spoke this verse: 45. Seldom I w ould seek such a m eeting, with swift Illugi standing far from m y side, and Atli, a staunch rain-maker with metal, as w hen that man, undaunted, drew the reins from m y hands. The w ise-eyed w om an asks if I am awed by awful Loft.

ra in -m a k e r w ith m etal: w a r r io r

w ise -e y e d w om an : h is m o th e r , A sdis?

After that, Grettir set off from Kjol for the south and rode to Hjalli, where he met Skafti and asked him for help. Skafti replied, “I’m told that you are causing rather a lot of trouble and have been robbing people of their belongings. That is not worthy of a man of such great kin. The matter would be easier to consider if you did not go around robbing people. But since I am supposed to be the lawspeaker in this country, I am under obligation not to break the law by harbouring outlaws. I want you to go somewhere where you do not need to rob people of their possessions.” Grettir said he gladly would, but added that he could hardly bear being alone for fear of the dark. Skafti said Grettir was not free to act only as he chose, “and you should never trust anyone enough to allow what happened to you in the West Fjords to repeat it­ self. Many people have lost their lives through overconfidence.” Grettir thanked him for his advice and returned to Borgarfjord that autumn. He met his friend Grim Thorhallsson and told him about SkaftFs suggestions. Grim told him to go north to Fiskivotn on the Arnarvatn moor, and he did so. JH JN Grettir went up onto the Arnarvatn moor and made himself a hut there, the W W ruins of which can still be seen. He settled in there and since he wanted to do anything but rob people he took a net and boat and caught fish to live on. He found life on the mountain very dismal, because he was so afraid of the dark. But when other outlaws heard that Grettir had gone there, many were keen to find him for the security it would offer them. There was a man from north Iceland called Grim, who was an outlaw. The peo­ ple of Hrutafjord made a bargain with him to kill Grettir, promising him his free-

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dom and a payment if he managed to do so. He went to see Grettir and asked him to take him in. Grettir replied, “I don’t think you would be any safer even if you stayed with me. You outlaws are difficult to see through, but I dislike being alone if I can avoid it. I also only want someone to stay with me if he will do any kind of work that happens to need doing.” Grim said he had not expected anything else and urged him to let him stay there. Grettir was won over in the end and took him in. He stayed there into the winter and waited for a chance to go for Grettir, but did not find it easy to attack him. Grettir was suspicious of him and kept his weapons by his side day and night, and Grim never dared to make a move against him while he was awake. One morning Grim returned from fishing, entered the hut and stamped his feet to find out whether Grettir was asleep, but he lay there without even stirring. Grettir’s short-sword was hanging above his bed, and Grim imagined he would never have a better chance. He made a great noise to try to make Grettir speak, but he said nothing. He felt sure that Grettir was fast asleep, stole up to the bed, reached out for the short-sword, took it down and drew it. Just as Grim raised the short-sword, Grettir leapt to the floor and grabbed it, seized him by the shoulder with his other hand and dashed him to the floor so hard that he was dazed. “So this is the way you treat me, for all the good impression you tried to make,” said Grettir. He got the whole story out of Grim, and then killed him. Now, Grettir realised what taking in an outlaw involved. The winter passed, and nothing caused Grettir more suffering than his fear of the dark.

56

Thorir from Gard heard of Grettir’s whereabouts and wanted to hatch a plan to have him killed. There was a man called Thorir Redbeard, a very stout man and a ferocious killer, because of which he had been outlawed throughout Iceland. Thorir from Gard called for him and when they met he asked Redbeard to undertake a mission for him and kill Grettir the Strong. Redbeard said that this would not be an easy task, since Grettir was a clever and cautious man. Thorir asked him to try, “for this is a noble deed for such a brave man as you. I shall free you from outlawry and give you plenty of money as well.” Redbeard accepted the offer and Thorir told him how to go about killing Grettir. Afterwards Redbeard headed for the east, because he thought that would create less suspicion about his movements. He arrived at Arnarvatn moor after Grettir had spent a year there, and when they met, Redbeard asked Grettir to take him in for the winter. Grettir replied, “I do not intend to let anyone else try the trick that that smooth talker played on me last autumn. After he had been here for a while, he tried to take my life. I shall not risk taking in outlaws any more.”

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Thorir Redbeard said, “You certainly cannot be blamed for distrusting outlaws. You must have heard about all the killings and unjust acts I have been responsible for, but it has never been claimed that 1 would commit such a cowardly deed as to betray my master. It is bad to be a bad man, because a bad man is judged to be like even worse men. And I wouldn’t have come here, either, if I’d had a better option, but I don’t think there are many men who could overcome us if we support each other. Take a chance with me and see whether you get on with me, and send me away again if you sense anything deceitful about me.” Grettir replied, “I shall take one more chance on you, but you can be certain that if I suspect you of treachery it will cost you your life.” Thorir agreed. So Grettir took him in and found that he had the strength of two men in everything he undertook. He was willing to do any job Grettir sent him to do. Grettir did not need to do a single chore and had never led such a comfortable life ever since he went into exile, yet he remained so firmly on his guard that Thorir Redbeard never saw a chance to attack him. Thorir spent two years on the moor with Grettir. He began to grow bored with being there and pondered what plan he could adopt that Grettir would not see through. One spring night a great storm got up while they were asleep. Grettir woke up and asked where their boat was. Thorir leapt out of bed and ran out to the boat, then smashed it to pieces and strewed them all over the place as if the wind had swept them there. Afterwards he went back to the hut and said in a loud voice, “We are in trouble, my friend. Our boat has been smashed to pieces and the nets are lying far out in the lake.” “Go and fetch them, then,” said Grettir, “because I think you are responsible for smashing the boat.” Thorir replied, “Of all the things I can do, swimming is the one I have least apti­ tude for. I feel confident about pitting myself against any other normal man at any­ thing else. Surely you realise that I haven’t intended you to do a stroke of work since I came to you. I wouldn’t ask you to do this if I could do it myself.” Grettir stood up, took his weapons and went to the lake. A point of land there juts out into the water with a large cove on one side. The water was very deep right up to land and had undermined the bank. Grettir said, “Swim out and fetch the nets and let me see what kind of a man you are.” “I told you before,” said Thorir, “that I can’t swim. I don’t know what’s hap­ pened to all your heroism and courage.” “I shall retrieve the nets, then,” said Grettir. “But don’t betray my trust in you.” Thorir replied, “Do you really expect such deceit and cowardice from me?” Grettir said, “You will prove for yourself what kind of a man you are.” Then he threw off his clothes and weapons and dived in after the nets. He gath­ ered them up, headed back to land and threw them up onto the bank. When he was

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about to go ashore, Thorir snatched up the short-sword and drew it quickly. He darted towards Grettir as he stepped up onto the bank, and swung a blow at him. Grettir threw himself backwards into the water and sank like a stone. Thorir watched the water, planning to prevent him from landing when he resurfaced. Grettir swam underwater right underneath the bank out of Thorir’s sight until he reached the cove behind him. He went ashore there, catching Thorir unawares. The next thing Thorir knew was when Grettir lifted him up above his head and dashed him to the ground so hard that he lost his grip on the short-sword. Grettir managed to grab it and without saying a word to him lopped off his head. Thorir’s life came to an end there and then. After that, Grettir flatly refused to take in outlaws, even though he could hardly bear being by himself.

Thorir from Gard was at the Althing when he heard that Thorir Redbeard w / had been killed. Realising that this was not a simple matter to handle, he decided to ride away from the Althing and travel west by the route over the lower moors. He took a band of almost eighty men with him and intended to take Grettir’s life. When Grim Thorhallsson found out, he sent word to Grettir and told him to keep on his guard; Grettir always kept an eye on people’s movements. One day he saw a large band of men riding up in the direction of where he was staying. He ran up to a pass between the cliffs, not wanting to flee because he had not caught sight of the whole party. Then Thorir arrived with all his men and told them to finish Grettir off for good, saying that the evil-doer would not put up much of a defence this time. Grettir answered him, “There’s many a slip betwixt cup and lip. You’ve come a long way for this, and some of you will earn a few scars before we part ways.” Thorir urged his men to attack. The pass was so narrow that Grettir could easily defend one side of it, but he was puzzled why no one ever dealt him a blow from behind. Some of Thorir’s men were killed and others were wounded, but they could make no headway. Then Thorir said, “I have heard that Grettir was exceptionally strong and brave but I never knew he was skilled in the magic arts until what I have seen now. Twice as many men are being killed while he keeps his back turned to them. I see now that we are dealing with a troll, not a man.” He told his men to retreat, and they did so. Grettir was puzzled by what was hap­ pening, for he was worn out. Thorir and his men turned round and rode off to the north, and people said it had been a humiliating expedition; Thorir had lost eigh­ teen men and many others were wounded. Grettir went up the pass and saw a huge man sitting up against a crag, badly wounded. Grettir asked him his name and he said it was Hallmund - “You’ll recognise me if I tell you that you thought I held the reins rather tight when I met you on Kjol the other summer. I feel I have repaid you now.”

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“I definitely think you have acted nobly towards me, whether or not I can repay you in turn.” Hallmund said, UI want you to come to where 1 live, because you must find life tedious up here on the moor.” Grettir accepted gladly, and they set off south together for the Balljokul glacier. Hallmund lived in a big cave there with his daughter, who was stout and very im­ posing. They treated Grettir well and she nursed their wounds. Grettir spent much of the summer there. He composed a lay about Hallmund which contains this verse: 46. High he steps and swaggers on, Hallmund in his mountain hall.

This verse is in it: 47. The battle-keen sword crawled like a snake over tracks of wounds when the stormy weather rained weapons in wether fjord. Those staunch men from Kelda had the chance to hold my wake, but brave Hallmund from the cave helped me escape unscathed.

wether fjord: Hrutafjord (cf. verse 38)

It has been said that Grettir killed six men at the battle, and Hallmund twelve. As the summer wore on, Grettir grew eager to go back to the settlements to see his friends and kinsmen. Hallmund told him to call on him if he went south, and Grettir promised that he would. He went west to Borgarfjord and from there to the valleys of Breidafjord to con­ sult Thorstein Kuggason about where to go next. Thorstein thought that Grettir’s enemies were growing in number and few people would take him in. uBut you could go south to Myrar and see what is in store there,” he added. That autumn, Grettir went south to Myrar. ®iorn> the Champion of the Hitardal people, was living at Holm then. He V v was the son of Arngeir and grandson of Bersi the Godless whose father Balki had taken land in Hrutafjord, as described earlier. Bjorn was a powerful chieftain and a very forceful man, and often harboured outlaws. When Grettir arrived at Holm, Bjorn welcomed him warmly, because their ancestors had been close friends. Grettir asked if he could give him any help. Bjorn told him that because Grettir had enemies all over the country by now, people would avoid giving him protection, so as not to incur outlawry themselves:

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“But I could give you some help if you leave the people under my protection in peace, whatever you do to anyone else in this district.” Grettir agreed to that. Then Bjorn said, “I have noticed that there is a good fortress and hiding-place, if you use your ingenuity, in the mountain beside the river at Hitara. There is a hole right through the mountain that can be seen from the road, because the main path lies below it, with a scree slope stretching up to it which hardly anyone could scale if there was a strong man at the top to defend the lair. I think the best plan you could consider is to stay there, because you can go from there to Myrar and the sea to provide for yourself.” Grettir said he would accept any advice he had to offer. Then he went off to Fagraskogafjall and made himself a place to stay there. He covered the mouth of the hole with grey homespun cloth, which gave the impression that the cave was still open when seen from the path below. He went down into the district to gather pro­ visions, and the people of Myrar regarded Grettir as a terrible scourge. Thord Kolbeinsson was living at Hitarnes then. He was a fine poet. In those days he and Bjorn were great enemies, and Bjorn did not think it was entirely futile if Grettir were to cause trouble to Thord’s men or livestock. Grettir always stayed with Bjorn, and they challenged each other at various feats. The Saga of Bjorn claims that they were a match for each other in sports, but most people believe that Grettir was the strongest man to have lived in Iceland since Orm Storolfsson and Thoralf Skolmsson stopped undertaking trials of strength. Grettir and Bjorn swam right down Hitara in one stretch, all the way from the lake to the sea. They put the stepping-stones in the river that have never moved since, even when it swelled or froze or filled with clumps of ice. Grettir stayed on Fagraskoga­ fjall mountain for a winter without being attacked, although many people suffered losses at his hands. They were unable to act against him because he could defend himself easily and was on friendly terms with the people who lived closest to him. There was a man called Gisli. He was the son of Thorstein, whom Snorri the v j Godi had had killed. Gisli was a big, strong man with a liking for impressive weapons and clothes; he thought very much of himself and was quite boastful. He was a merchant and made land at Hvita that summer, after Grettir had been on the mountain for the winter. Thord Kolbeinsson rode down to the ship. Gisli greeted him warmly and offered him any of his goods that he wanted. Thord accepted his offer and they started talking. Gisli said, “Is it true what I’m told, that you are at a loss for a way to rid yourself of this outlaw who has been causing you so much harm?” Thord said, “I have not tried yet, but many people think he is a difficult man to attack, as many a man has found out to his cost.” “I am not surprised that you have trouble dealing with Bjorn when you can’t rid yourself of the other one. Unfortunately I shall be too far away this winter to be able to put matters right for you.”

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“Hearsay will be the safest way for you to handle him.” “You don’t need to go telling me about Grettir,” said Gisli. “I faced tougher chal­ lenges when I went raiding with King Canute the Great and in Britain. 1 was said to have guarded my place on board ship then. And I feel confident about myself and my weapons, if I ever had the chance to fight Grettir.” Thord replied that Gisli would not go unrewarded if he got rid of Grettir - “And there’s a higher price on his head than for any other outlaw. It was six marks of sil­ ver to start with, and Thorir from Gard added another three this summer, but everyone agrees that whoever wins the reward will have earned a great deal.” “Men will do anything for money,” said Gisli, “not least merchants like me. But we should keep this to ourselves. He might be more on his guard if he finds out that I’m planning something with you. I shall spend the winter out on Olduhrygg is his lair on my way there? He’ll be caught by surprise. I won’t muster a big party to attack him.” Thord was pleased with the plan. He rode home afterwards and let the matter rest there. But this was a case of the saying, “The woods have ears.” Some friends of Bjorn from Hitardal had overheard Gisli and Thord’s conversation and told him about it in detail. Bjorn told Grettir about it when he met him and said they would see how he stood up to that test. . “It wouldn’t exactly be a pity,” said Bjorn, “if you were to rough him up a bit, but don’t kill him if you can avoid it.” Grettir grinned and made no comment. Around the time of the autumn sheep roundup, Grettir went down to the Flisa district and took some sheep. He managed to catch four wethers. The farmers be­ came aware of his movements and went after him. He reached the slope only an in­ stant before the farmers made it there. They tried to drive their sheep away from him, without attacking him with weapons. There were six of them and they blocked his path. Grettir flew into a rage at the thought of losing his sheep, grabbed two of the farmers and tossed them down the slope, knocking them unconscious. When the others saw this, they made a half-hearted attack. Grettir took the sheep, hooked them together by their horns, flung a pair over each of his shoulders and went up to his lair. The farmers went back, feeling they had come off the worse and were more displeased with their lot than ever. Gisli stayed at his ship that autumn until it was laid up. He was delayed for many reasons and only finished late. He rode off from the south just before the Winter Nights and stayed at Hraun, on the south side of Hitara river. The next morning, before he rode on, Gisli spoke to his companions: “We shall put on brightly coloured clothes when we ride today,” he said, “to let the outlaw see that we are not the ordinary sort of travellers who wander along here every day.” There were three of them in all; they did as Gisli had said. When they had crossed the river he spoke to them again: “I’m told the outlaw is

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up on the top of these mountains here, and it's not an easy place to approach,” he said. “So wouldn’t he be pleased to come and meet us and take a look at our be­ longings?” They said he was accustomed to doing that. That same morning, Grettir had got up early in his lair. The weather was cold and freezing and there had been a light snowfall. He saw three men riding over Hitara from the south, their elegant clothes and enamelled shields shimmering in the sunlight. It occurred to Grettir who they might be and he felt he really would need to take some of their belongings off them, and he was curious to meet such braggarts. He took his weapons and ran down the scree. When Gisli heard the stones clattering he said, “There’s a big man coming down the slope there to meet us. We must act bravely, for there is a fine catch to be had.” His companions said that the man wouldn’t walk right into their hands unless he had some self-confidence, “and it is fitting that he who begs shall receive.” Then they leapt down from their horses. That moment, Grettir came up, took the bag of clothing that Gisli was carrying behind his saddle and said, “I’ll have this. I often stoop to trifles.” Gisli replied, “No, you won’t. Don’t you know who you’re dealing with?” Grettir told him, “I can’t exactly say I do, but since I’m asking for such a trifle, you can’t expect special treatment from me.” “Maybe you think it’s a trifle,” said Gisli, “but I’d sooner part with three thou­ sand ells of homespun than this. You’re certainly an unjust character, and you don’t try to hide it either. Attack him, men, and see what he’s capable of.” They went for Grettir, who backed off to a rock beside the path where he made his defence. The rock is known as Grettishaf (Grettir’s Lift). Gisli urged his men to attack, but Grettir could see that he was not as brave as he pretended to be, because he always kept behind them. Grettir lost his patience then, swung his short-sword and dealt one of Gisli’s companions his death blow, then leapt out from behind the rock and attacked so furiously that Gisli was driven back right along the side of the mountain. Then Gisli’s other companion was killed. Grettir said, “You don’t show much sign of having done brave deeds far and wide. And what a miserable way to part from your companions.” Gisli replied, “The fire seems hottest to a burned man. And it’s a tough job to deal with a man of such fiendish strength.” They exchanged a few blows before Gisli threw down his weapons and rushed off in retreat along the foot of the mountain. Grettir gave him time to throw off any­ thing he wanted, and whenever Gisli had the chance he shed some item of clothing. Grettir never quickened his pace to close the gap between them. Gisli ran the whole way over the mountain and right across Kaldardal valley, along the slopes at Aslaugarhlid and above Kolbeinsstadir, then out into the lava field at Borgarhraun. By then he had nothing left on but his underwear and was exhausted. Grettir followed in pursuit and was always only an arm’s length away. He snatched up a large branch. Gisli did not stop until he reached the river Haffjardara, which was swollen

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and difficult to cross. He was about to run out into the water when Grettir broke into a spurt, grabbed him and overpowered him. Grettir threw him to the ground and said, “Are you Gisli who wanted to meet Grettir Asmundarson?” Gisli replied, “I’ve found him now, but I don’t know how we will part. Keep what you have taken from me and let me go free.” Grettir said, “You won’t understand what I say to you; I must give you something to remember me by,” then pulled Gisli’s undershirt over his head and thrashed him with the branch on his back and both sides. Gisli kept trying to wriggle out of the way, but Grettir flayed the skin off him before he set him free. Gisli thought he would sooner not learn anything from Grettir than take another flogging like that. Nor did he ever do anything else to earn such a thrashing. When Gisli had got to his feet, he ran out to a great pool in the river and swam across it, reaching the farm called Hrossholt that night in a state of exhaustion. He lay in bed there for a week, his body covered in welts. After that, he went back to where he was staying. Grettir went back, picked up the clothes that Gisli had cast off and took them home with them. Gisli never got them back. Many people thought Gisli had been dealt a fitting punishment for all his brava­ do and boasting. Grettir composed this verse about their dealings: 48. The horse that nibbles with its teeth lightly when it ought to bite saves its breath until the end then runs off from the other horse. From me that day at Myrar ran interfering Gisli farting like a carthorse, stripped o f fame and honour.

ought to bite. i.e. during a horse-fight

The following spring Gisli made his ship ready and strictly forbade that anything he owned should be transported by the route south past the mountain, saying that the devil himself lived there. Gisli rode south around the coast all the way to his ship. He and Grettir never met again and he was completely discredited after that incident. He is now out of the story. Matters continued to worsen between Thord Kolbeinsson and Grettir. Thord hatched many plans to have Grettir driven away or killed. /N When Grettir had been on Fagraskogafjali for two years and his third winter there was beginning, he went south to Myrar, to the farm called Laekjarbug, where he took six wethers against the owner’s will. From there he went down to Akrar and drove two bulls and many sheep off to slaughter, then went south to Hitara.

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When the farmers became aware of his movements, they sent word to Thord at Hitarnes, asking him to take charge of getting rid of Grettir, but he declined. He an­ swered their pleas by sending his son Arnor, who was later known as the Poet of Earls, to go with them, and told them not to let Grettir get away. Word was sent all over the district. There was a man called Bjarni who lived at Jorvi in the Flisa district, who gath­ ered a band of men from the west side of Hitara. The plan was to send parties in from either side of the river. Grettir had two men with him. One was a brave man called Eyjolf, the son of the fanner from Fagriskog, and another man was with them. Thorarin from Akrar and Thorfinn from Laekjarbug were the first to arrive, with a band of almost twenty men in all. Grettir wanted to cross the river, but Thorgeir, Arnor and Bjarni turned up on the west bank. A narrow point of land jutted out into the river on Grettir’s side, and when he saw the expedition arriving he drove the animals there which he had taken, because whenever he got his hands on any­ thing he never wanted to let go of it again. The people from Myrar attacked him boldly straight away. Grettir told his com­ panions to guard his rear against attack. There was not room for many people to at­ tack him at once. A tough battle ensued. Grettir swung to either side with his shortsword and they found it hard to move in close to him. Some of the people from Myrar were killed there and others wounded. The party moving in from the other side of the river arrived late because the ford was not close by, and after only a short fight the attackers retreated. Thorarin from Akrar was a very old man, so he did not take part in the attack. When the battle was over, Thorarin’s son Thrand arrived, together with Thord's nephew Thorgils Ingjaldsson and Finnbogi, the son of Thorgeir Thorhallsson from Hitardal, and Steinolf Thorleifsson from Hraundal. They urged everyone to renew the attack and another fierce assault was mounted. Grettir realised that there were only two options, to flee or hold back nothing. He advanced so furiously that no one could hold his ground, because there was such a crowd there that Grettir thought he had no chance of escaping and he wanted to do as much as he could before he himself was killed, and he also wanted to face some­ one he considered a challenge. He ran for Steinolf from Hraundal and struck a blow at his head, splitting it down to his shoulders. Straight afterwards he dealt an­ other blow which struck Thorgils Ingjaldsson in the middle and almost sliced him in half. Thrand tried to attack him and avenge his kinsman, but Grettir swung at him and hit him on the right thigh, slicing off the muscles and leaving him in­ capacitated. After that he dealt a great wound to Finnbogi. Then Thorarin called out and told them to retreat, “because the longer you fight him, the worse treatment he will deal out to you. He is picking you off one by one.” They did as he said and turned away. Five men had been killed on the spot and another five were fatally wounded or maimed. Most of the men who had been in the encounter sustained some wounds. Grettir was exhausted but only slightly

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wounded. The people from Myrar left, their ranks seriously depleted because many brave men had been killed there. The party from the west of the river made slow progress and did not arrive until the encounter was over. When they saw the routing their companions had been given, Arnor was unwilling to risk his own life and was severely criticised for it by his father and many others. People thought he had not acted like much of a war­ rior. The place where they fought is now called Grettisoddi (Grettir's Point). Grettir and his men took some horses and rode up to the foot of the mountain, be­ cause they all had some wounds. When they reached Fagriskog, where Eyjolf stayed, the farmer's daughter was standing outside and asked them if there was any news. Grettir gave her an account of the battle, and spoke this verse: 49. Goddess who serves the ale horns, the great gash on Steinolf s head will never manage to heal and more men died besides. Bleak is ThorgiTs future, for his bones were all split open; people say that eight breakers o f treasure are dead.

Goddess who serves the ale horns: woman

breakers of treasure: men

After that, Grettir went up to his lair and stayed there for the winter. The next time Bjorn met Grettir he told him he thought much had happened: V A “And you will not be safe here much longer. You have killed my kinsmen and friends, but I shall not abandon the promise I made to you for as long as you stay here.” Grettir said he had been defending his own life and limbs - “But it is unfortunate that you are displeased.” Bjorn said that what was done was done. Soon afterwards, some men whose kinsmen had been killed by Grettir visited Bjorn and told him not to let that troublemaker stay there tormenting them any longer. Bjorn said it would be done as soon as the winter was over. Thrand, the son of Thorarin from Akrar, recovered from his wounds. He became a worthy man. He married Steinunn, the daughter of Hrut from Kambsnes. Stein­ olf s father, Thorolf from Hraundal, was an important figure. The people of Hraundal are descended from him. No other accounts are given of Grettir’s dealings with the people of Myrar while he stayed on the mountain. Bjorn remained friends with him, although it cost him other friendships to allow Grettir to stay there, because the people were displeased not to receive compensation for their kinsmen. Around the time the Thing was held, Grettir left Myrar. He went to Borgarfjord once again to see Grim Thorhallsson and consult him about what he should do.

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Grim said he did not have the means to keep him, so Grettir went to see his friend Hallmund and stayed with him until towards the end of summer. In the autumn, Grettir went to Geitland and waited for the weather to clear. Then he went up onto Geitlandsjokul glacier and headed towards the south-east, taking a cauldron and tinder-box with him. It is thought that Hallmund, wh'o knew much of the country, gave him directions about where to go. Grettir forged on until he found a long and fairly narrow valley that was enclosed by the glacier on all sides and above. He found a place to descend and saw beautiful slopes with grass and brushwood growing on them. There were hot springs there, which Grettir presumed was the reason that the spot was not covered by the glacier. A small brook flowed through the valley with level spits on either side. The sun only shone in there for a short time each day. Grettir was astonished at how many sheep were in the valley, much finer and fatter than he had ever seen. Grettir settled down there and made a hut from the wood he managed to find. Then he caught some sheep to eat; a single one yielded twice the meat of those from other places. There was a dusky-brown ewe there whose size particularly impressed him. The ewe had a lamb with it that Grettir fancied eating, so he caught it and cut it up. There was half a weight of suet inside it and the meat was much better still. When the ewe began to pine for its lamb it went up to Grettir’s hut every night and bleat­ ed so loudly that he could never sleep. He deeply regretted killing the lamb on ac­ count of the disturbance that it caused him. At dusk every evening he would hear a voice calling farther up the valley, and the sheep would all flock to the same fold. Grettir said that a half-troll, a giant called Thorir, ruled over the valley and kept him under his protection. Grettir named the valley Thorisdal (Thorir's Valley) after him. He said Thorir had some daughters that he had some fun with, and they took to it eagerly because visitors were rare. To observe the fasts, Grettir made a rule of eating only suet and liver during Lent. Nothing eventful happened that winter. Grettir grew so bored there that he was unable to stay any longer, so he left the valley, headed due south down over the gla­ cier and descended it by the middle of Skjaldbreid. There he erected a slab of stone and made a hole in it, and it said that anyone who puts his eye to the hole can see into the gully that runs down from Thorisdal. Then he went across the south of Iceland to the East Fjords. He spent the whole summer and winter travelling and went to see all the leading men, but he was turned away everywhere and could find neither food nor a place to sleep. Then he went back to the north, staying in various places. Æ &

Shortly after Grettir had left the Amarvatn moor a man called Grim arrived there, the son of the widow from Kropp. He had been outlawed for killing the son of Eid Skeggjason from As. He stayed in the place Grettir had been and caught plenty of fish from the lake. Hallmund resented Grim for taking Grettir’s

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place and set his mind on making sure that Grim would not gain anything no mat­ ter how much he fished. One day Grim caught a hundred fish, carried them back to his hut and stacked them outside. But when he came out the next morning every single fish was gone. Puzzled, he went to the lake and caught two hundred fish, brought them back and stacked them outside, but the same thing happened: they were all gone in the morning, and he began to suspect something. On the third day he caught three hundred fish, carried them back and kept watch over his hut. Grim could see out through a hole in the door whether anyone came to the hut. Time passed and about one-third of the way through the night he heard some rather heavy steps outside. When Grim heard this he took an axe which he had with him, a very sharp weapon. He wanted to find out what this man was doing. The stranger had a huge basket on his back, then put it down and looked around but did not see anyone outside. He rummaged around in the fish approvingly, then heaped them all into his basket, filling it. The catch of fish was so big that Grim ex­ pected a horse could not carry more, but the stranger picked up the basket and bent down to lift it on his back. Just as he was standing up, Grim ran out and swung his axe with both hands, sinking the whole of the blade into his neck. The stranger reacted quickly and made a rush for the mountain to the south with the basket on his back. Grim gave chase, wondering whether he had wounded him. They went all the way south to the foot of Balljokul glacier, where the man went into a cave. A bright fire was burning inside and a woman was sitting beside it, heftily-built and imposing. Grim heard her greet him as her father, calling him Hallmund. He threw down his load with a heavy sigh, and she asked him why he was covered with blood. He answered her with this verse: 50 .

It is clear to me that no man may rely upon his own strength, for men's resolve falls short on their dying day when their fortune fails.

She asked him in detail about the incident and he told her everything that had happened. “You must listen now/’ he said, “as I relate all my exploits. I shall recite a poem about them and want you to carve it out on a rune-stick.” Then he recited the Lay of Hallmund, which contains these verses: 51.

I proved my worth when I tugged Grettir

148 with full force off those reins. Then I saw him stand and stare a good while into his palms.

52.

Next of all came Thorir to the moor o f Arnarvatn and we two made battle, the play of swords, with eighty men.

53 .

Slashing blows from Grettir's hand seemed to strike on their shields, but I have heard that men thought the sword-tracks I left were much greater.

54.

I made hands and heads fly from men's bodies at Grettir's back, so that one and eighteen men from Kelda lay there to die.

55.

I have dealt giants and their kind and cliff-dwellers harsh treatment, beaten hard many evil spirits and brought death to half-trolls,

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brought trouble to alm ost all m onstrous beings and elves’ kin.

Hallmund named many of his exploits in the poem, for he had been all over the country. Then his daughtei said, "That man kept a tight grip on what was his, which wasn’t surprising after the way you provoked him. But who will avenge you now?” Hallmund answered, ‘T m not sure the chance will ever arise. I feel certain that Grettir would take vengeance if he had the opportunity, but it will be impossible to withstand the good fortune of that man who did this to me, because he will achieve great things.” Hallmund’s strength began to wane as he recited the poem and as soon as he fin­ ished it, he died. She was unable to contain herself and wept bitterly. Then Grim entered the cave and told her to take heart, “for no one lives beyond his fated day. And he brought it upon himself, because I could hardly stand there and watch him robbing me.” She said there was much truth in what he said, “and overbearing reaps a bad re­ ward.” She cheered up somewhat as she talked to him, and Grim stayed in the cave for many nights and learned the poem. He and Hallmund’s daughter got on well together. Grim spent the winter after Hallmund died on Arnarvatn moor. Thorkel Eyjolfsson confronted him on the moor later and they fought. Their duel ended when Grim had the chance to take Thorkel’s life but refused to kill him. In return, Thor­ kel took him into his house, arranged for him to go abroad and gave him plenty of valuables. It was thought a noble way for them to treat each other. Grim became a seafarer afterwards and a great many stories are told of his adventures. To turn to Grettir, when he left the East Fjords he moved under cover and disguised himself in order to avoid meeting Thorir. He lived outdoors on Modrudal heath and various other places, and was sometimes on Reykir heath. When Thorir heard that Grettir was on Reykir heath, he gathered a band of men and rode there, determined not to let him get away. Grettir hardly noticed them be­ fore they arrived. He was at a shieling with another man. When they saw the parties and had to act quickly, Grettir said they had to stun their horses and drag them into the shieling, which they did. Thorir and some men rode past them northwards over the moor, but they could not find their friend Grettir and they turned back. When the party had ridden past them again, Grettir said, “They’ll have a dis­ appointing journey if they don’t find us. You keep an eye on the horses and I shall go out to meet them. It would be a good joke to play on them if they don’t recog­ nise me.” Grettir’s companion tried to dissuade him, but he set off all the same, wearing different clothes and a wide-brimmed hat covering his face, with a staff in his hand.

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Then he walked out into their path. They greeted him and asked whether he had seen some men riding across the moor. “I must have seen the men you are looking for. You’ve just missed them, because they were here south of those marshes on the left.” As soon as he told them that they galloped off for the marshes. The land was so marshy that they became bogged down and had to drag their horses through it, and spent much of the day floundering there. They cursed the beggar for playing such a trick on them. Grettir went straight back to his companion, and when he met him he spoke this verse: 56. I did not ride to face the tenders o f swords that strike terror into shields; I tread a solitary path, a life o f tribulation is shaped for me. I would not meet the brave stormers of Odin’s wall; when Thorir musters men so many, I make for safety.

tenders of swords: warriors

Odin's walk shields

Grettir and his companion rode at full gallop down from the western side of the moor and past the farm at Gard before Thorir returned with his men. As they ap­ proached the farm a man who did not recognise them joined them. They saw a young woman standing outside the farm, dressed in fine clothes. Grettir asked who she was, and the newcomer said it was Thorir’s daughter. Then Grettir spoke a verse: 57. Empty as my words may often be, you shall tell your father, wise Sun-goddess who guards the gold where the serpent sits, how I ride past his grand farm, a jewel mounted on the horse that gallops the prow’s land, and two men with me.

goddess who guards gold: woman

prow's land: sea; its horse, ship; jewel: seafarer

From this verse the newcomer realised who the others were and rode to the farm to say that Grettir had just ridden past. When Thorir returned home, many people certainly thought Grettir had pulled the wool over their eyes. Thorir mounted spies to look out for Grettir wherever he might go. Grettir’s answer was to send his companion to the west of the district with their horses while he went up to the mountains disguised in a cowl. Then he went north at the beginning of winter, and no one recognised him.

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Everyone said Thorir had been given the same treatment as ever, or even worse, in his dealings with Grettir. / ^ / 1 ' There was a priest called Stein who lived at Eyjardalsa in Bardardal. He was ’« ' T a good farmer and a wealthy man, and had an energetic grown-up son called Kjartan. There was a man called Thorstein the White who lived at Sandhaugar south of Eyjardalsa. His wife, Steinvor, was young and cheerful. They had some children who were young at this time. Their farm was haunted by trolls. Two years before Grettir arrived in the north, Steinvor had gone to Eyjardalsa for Christmas mass as usual, while her husband stayed at home. Everyone went to bed that evening, and in the night a great crashing noise was heard in the main room, moving in the direction of the farmer’s bed. No one dared to get out of bed and find out what it was, because there were very few people there. When his wife came home in the morning the farmer had vanished and no one knew what had become of him. A year went by. The following winter the farmer’s wife wanted to go to Christmas mass again and told her farmhand to stay at home. He was reluctant, but told her to do as she pleased. The same thing happened: the farmhand vanished, and everyone thought this was a strange occurrence. Seeing splashes of blood by the front door, they real­ ised that evil beings must have taken them both. Word of this incident spread far and wide. Grettir heard about it and because he was particularly skilful at putting an end to hauntings and ghosts he set off for Bardardal, arriving at Sandhaugar on Christmas Eve. He went in disguise and called himself Gest (Visitor). The farmer’s wife could see that he was exceptionally powerfully built, but the other people who lived there were afraid of him. He asked to be allowed to stay there. The farmer’s wife said there was food for him, “but you stay here at your own risk.” He agreed. “I shall stay here,” he said, “and you can go to mass if you wish.” She replied, “You must be a brave man to dare to stay here.” “I’m a man of many talents,” he said. “I don’t fancy staying here,” she said, “but I cannot cross the river.” “I shall take you across it,” he said. Then she made herself ready to go to mass, and so did her small daughter. There had been a heavy thaw and the river was swollen, with clumps of ice floating down it. The farmer’s wife said, “Neither horses nor men can cross this river.” “There are always places to ford,” said Gest. “Don’t be afraid.” “Carry the girl over first,” said the farmer’s wife. “She’s lighter than I am.” “I can’t be bothered to make two trips,” said Gest. “I’ll carry you both on my arm.”

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She made the sign of the cross and said, “There's no way you will ever make it. What will you do with the girl?” “I shall find a way,” he said, snatching them both up and seating the girl in her mother's lap. Then he carried them both on his left arm in order to leave his right arm free, and waded out into the river. They were both too scared even to scream. The river broke over his chest the mo­ ment he entered the water, then a huge clump of ice drifted towards him, but he thrust out his free hand and deflected it. Then the river became so deep that it broke over his shoulders. He waded on mightily until he reached the bank on the other side and set the women down onto land. Then he turned back. It was dusk when he returned to Sandhaugar and he called out for his food. After eating his fill he told the people on the farm to go farther in­ side the main room, then he took the tables and spare timber and wedged them across the room to make a wall so high that none of them could get over it. No one dared to challenge what he was doing or utter a word of complaint. There was a door below the gable in the side wall to the room, with a platform by it. Gest lay down there without undressing. A light was left to burn in the room at the door, and Gest lay there well into the night. When the farmer's wife arrived at Eyjardalsa for the mass, everyone was aston­ ished that she had managed to cross the river. She said she was not sure whether it was a man or a troll who had carried her across. The priest said it was definitely a man, “although few are a match for him, and we shall keep quiet about this. He might be there to bring about a remedy to your troubles.” The farmer's wife stayed there for the night. Æ JÖ To return to Grettir, towards midnight he heard a great noise, then a huge w W trollwoman entered the room. She was holding a trough in one hand and a big knife in the other. She looked around when she was inside and, seeing Gest ly­ ing there, made a rush for him. He leapt up to confront her, and they attacked each other ferociously and struggled for a long time in the room. She was stronger but he dodged her cleverly. They smashed everything that was in their way, even the partition which divided the room crossways. She dragged him out through the door and towards the front door, where he made a firm stand against her. She wanted to drag him outside the farmhouse, but could not manage it until they had broken down the entire door-frame and took it with them around their necks. Then she lugged him off down to the river, right up to the chasm. Gest was exhausted, but ei­ ther had to brace himself or let her hurl him into it. They struggled all night and he felt he had never fought such a powerful beast before. She was pressing him so tightly to her body that he could do nothing with either of his arms except clutch at her waist. When they were on the edge of the chasm he lifted her off her feet and swung her off balance, freeing his right arm. At once he grabbed for the shortsword he was wearing, drew it, swung it at her shoulder and chopped off her right

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arm. He was released the moment she plunged into the chasm and under the water­ fall. Gest the visitor was left stiff and exhausted and lay on the edge of the cliff for a long time. He went back at daybreak and lay down on the bed, swollen and bruised. When the farmer's wife came back from the mass she saw the mess in her house, went over to Gest and asked him what had happened there that everything was broken and smashed. He told her about the entire episode, and she found it re­ markable and asked him his name. He told her his real name and told her to fetch the priest, saying that he wanted to talk to him. This was done. When Stein the priest arrived at Sandhaugar he realised at once that it was Grettir Asmundarson who called himself Gest. The priest asked him what he thought might have happened to the men who had vanished, and Grettir said he assumed they had gone into the chasm. The priest said he could not believe his stories without seeing any proof, but Grettir said they would find out for sure later. Then the priest went home. Grettir lay in bed for many days, the farmer's wife treated him very well and Christmas went by. According to Grettir, the trollwoman plunged into the chasm when she received her wound, but the people of Bardardal claim she turned to stone at daybreak while they were wrestling and died when he chopped off her arm, and is still standing there on the cliff, as a rock in the shape of a woman. The people who lived in the valley hid Grettir there that winter. One day after Christmas Grettir went to Eyjardalsa, and when he saw the priest he said to him, “I notice that you don't have much faith in my accounts, so I want you to go down to the river with me and see how probable you think it is.” The priest agreed. When they reached the waterfall they saw a cave in the cliff face, which was so sheer that no one could climb it and was almost ten fathoms down to the water. They had taken a rope with them. The priest said, “It looks way beyond what you can manage, to go down there.” Grettir replied, “There is a way, and all the greater for great men. I shall take a look at what’s in the cave while you keep an eye on the rope.” The priest said it was up to him, drove a peg into the top of the cliff and piled rocks around it. Next, Grettir looped the end of the rope around a rock and lowered it down w w to the water. “How do you plan to get down there now?” asked the priest. “I don't want to be tied to anything when I enter the waterfall,” said Grettir. “I have an intuition.” Afterwards he prepared himself to set off. He took off most of his clothes and girded on his short-sword but did not take any other weapons. Then he leapt over the side of the cliff and down into the waterfall. The priest watched the soles of his feet disappear, then had no idea what had become of him. Grettir dived under the waterfall, which was no easy task because to avoid the swirling current he had to

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dive right down to the bottom before he could resurface on the other side. There was a ledge that he climbed onto. Behind the waterfall, where the river plunged over the side of the cliff, was a huge cave. He entered the cave and a great log fire was burning there. Grettir saw a giant ly­ ing there, monstrous in size and terrible to behold. When Grettir approached it, the giant snatched up a pike and swung a blow at the intruder. Known as a shafted sword, this pike was equally suited for striking or stabbing, and had a wooden shaft. Grettir returned the blow with his short-sword, striking the shaft and chopping through it. The giant tried to reach behind him for a sword that was hanging on the wall of the cave, but as he did so Grettir struck him on the breast, slicing his lower ribs and belly straight off and sending his innards gushing out into the river where they were swept away. The priest, sitting by the rope, saw some slimy, bloodstained strands floating in the current. He panicked, convinced that Grettir was dead, abandoned the rope and went home. It was evening by then. The priest said that Grettir was certainly dead and described it as a great loss. To turn to Grettir, he struck a few quick blows at the giant until he was dead, then went inside the cave. He lit a flame and looked around. It is not said how much treasure he found there, but people assume that it was a great hoard. He stayed there into the night, found the bones of two men and put them into a bag. Then he made his way out of the cave, swam back to the rope and shook it, expect­ ing the priest to be there. When he realised that the priest had gone, he had to clamber up it with his hands, and finally made it to the cliff top. Then he headed back to Eyjardalsa, went to the church porch and left the bag there, which had the bones in it and a rune-stick beautifully carved with this verse: 58. I entered the black chasm where the plummeting rock face gaped with its cold spraying mouth at the maker of sword-showers. The plunging current pressed hard at my breast in the trollwoman’s hall; the wife of the god of poets burdened my shoulders with her hate

And also this one: 59. The trollwoman’s ugly lover came at me from his cave, made his long and bold struggle with me, for certain. I snapped his hard-edged pike away from its shaft - my sword,

sword-showers: battle trollwomarís hall: cave? wife of the god of poets: Idunn, wife of Bragi; a concealed pun on a word for “eddy”

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ablaze with battle, split open his breast and black belly.

The runes also stated that Grettir had taken these bones from the cave. When the priest went to church the next morning he found the stick and all the rest, and read the runes. By then, Grettir had gone back to Sandhaugar. / ^ ^ 7 The next time the priest saw Grettir he asked him in detail about the in/ cident and Grettir told him the entire story of his voyage, adding that the priest had not kept a very trustworthy hold on the rope, which the priest admitted. People realised that these evil beings had been responsible for the disappearances in the valley. No visitations or hauntings ever occurred in the valley afterwards and Grettir was considered to have rid the place of a great evil. The priest buried the bones in the churchyard. Grettir spent the winter at Sandhaugar, but kept a low profile. But when Thorir from Gard heard a rumour that Grettir was in Bardardal, he sent a party off to claim his life. People advised Grettir to leave, so he set off westwards. When he reached Gudmund the Powerful's farm at Modruvellir, Grettir asked him for help, but Gudmund said it was unsuitable to take him in. “Your only option,” he said, “is to settle down somewhere where you do not need to live in fear of your life.” Grettir said he did not know where that might be. Gudmund said, “There is an island in Skagafjord called Drangey. It is a good place to mount a defence because it can only be ascended by ladder. If you could get up there I cannot imagine anyone would ever hope to overcome you by weap­ ons or trickery, provided you keep a close watch over the ladders.” “Let it be put to the test, then,” said Grettir. “But I have grown so afraid of the dark that I could not be alone even if my life depended on it.” Gudmund said, “That may be, but never have greater faith in anyone than your­ self. Many people are not all that they seem.” Grettir thanked him for his advice and left Modruvellir, not stopping until he reached Bjarg. His mother welcomed him warmly, and so did lllugi. He spent a few nights there and heard that Thorstein Kuggason had been killed in the autumn be­ fore Grettir went to Bardardal. Now he felt his enemies were definitely beginning to close in on him. Then Grettir rode south over Holtavarda heath, planning to take vengeance for Hallmund’s death if he ran into Grim. But when he reached Nordurardal, he heard that Grim had left two or three years previously, as described earlier. Grettir heard this news so late because he had spent two years in hiding and a third in Thorisdal and had not met anyone who would tell him any news. Then he headed for the valleys of Breidafjord and waited in ambush for travellers crossing Brattabrekka. Once again he helped himself to the crofters’ belongings; this was in midsummer. 6

The Complete Sagas of Icelanders II

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Towards the end of that summer, Steinvor from Sandhaugar gave birth to a boy named Skeggi. At first he was said to be the son of Kjartan, the son of the priest at Eyjardalsa. Skeggi was distinguished from all his brothers and sisters by his strength and build. By the age of fifteen he was the strongest person in north Iceland, and then his paternity was attributed to Grettir. Everyone thought he would grow into an outstanding man, but he died at the age of sixteen and there are no stories about him.

After Thorstein Kuggason was killed, Snorri the Godi grew very cold towards his own son Thorodd and Bork the Stout’s son Sam. The reason is not described, except that they had refused to carry out some great deed which Snorri had put to them. Snorri the Godi threw Thorodd out of his home and told him not to come back until he had killed an outlaw, and there the matter remained. Thorodd moved to the Dales. There was a widow called Geirlaug who lived at Breidabolstad in Sokkolfsdal. She was harbouring a young man who had been outlawed for wounding someone, and had him working as her shepherd. Snorri’s son Thorodd heard this, rode over to Breidabolstad and asked where the shepherd was. The widow said he was watching over the sheep. “What do you want of him, anyway?” “I want his life,” said Thorodd. “He is an outlaw.” She replied, “You won’t gain much prestige by killing a wretch like him, since you have such a great opinion of your own bravery. I can point out a much greater feat to undertake if you really have a mind to put yourself to the test.” “What’s that?” he asked. She replied, “Grettir Asmundarson is hiding in the mountains up there. Take him on. That’s much more your calibre.” Thorodd welcomed the idea and said, “I shall go and do that.” He drove his spurs into his horse and rode up the valley. When he reached the hills below the river Austura, he saw a fawn horse with a saddle on it. He also saw a big man who had weapons with him, and went over to him. Grettir greeted him and asked him who he was. Thorodd told him his name and asked, “Why don’t you ask what I’m here for, instead of my name?” “Because it’s bound to be some trifle,” said Grettir. “Aren’t you Snorri the Godi’s son?” “That I am,” said Thorodd. “And now we shall find out which of us is the stronger.” “That’s easy,” said Grettir. “Haven’t you heard that I don’t bring much luck to most people who touch me?” “I know that,” said Thorodd, “but the time has come to risk it.” He drew his sword and attacked furiously, while Grettir defended himself with

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his shield without raising his weapon against Thorodd. This went on for a while and Grettir did not sustain any wounds. Then Grettir said, “Let’s put a stop to this game. You’ll never take me on and win.” Thorodd struck as hard as he could. Grettir grew bored of dealing with Thorodd, grabbed hold of him, sat him down beside him and said, “I can do exactly as I please with you and I’m not afraid of be­ ing killed by you, but I am afraid of that old grey-haired father of yours, Snorri the Godi, and his plans. They’ve brought about the downfall of many a man. You should choose yourself a task that you are up to. Fighting with me isn’t child’s play.” When Thorodd saw that he was not making any headway he calmed down some­ what, and they went their separate ways. Thorodd rode back home to Tunga and told his father about what had passed between him and Grettir. Snorri the Godi smiled and said, “Many a man is blind to his own faults, and this shows the great difference between the two of you. You struck blows at him and he could have done anything he wanted with you. But Grettir acted wisely by not kill­ ing you, because I would not have put up with your remaining unavenged. For my part, I shall help him if I am present when his affairs are discussed.” Snorri was moved that Grettir had treated Thorodd well and in all his plottings he proved to be Grettir’s constant friend. Grettir rode north to Bjarg shortly after he and Thorodd parted, and remained there in hiding for a while. Then his fear of the dark grew so intense that he did not dare to go anywhere when it began to get dark. His mother invited him to stay, but said she could see it would hardly help him, considering that he had people against him throughout the land. Grettir told her she would not suffer any difficulties on his account: “But I shall not go on living, if the price is being alone,” he said. His brother Illugi was fifteen years old at the time, and highly accomplished. He was present at their conversation. Grettir told his mother what Gudmund the Pow­ erful had advised him to do, and said that he would try to find out if there was a chance of going to Drangey, but would not be able to stay there unless he had a trustworthy man with him. Then Illugi said, “I shall go with you, brother, but I do not know if my presence will be of any worth to you, apart from the fact that I shall be loyal to you and not run away from you for as long as you stand, and I will be fully aware of how you are getting on if I accompany you.” Grettir replied, “You are the man in whose company I am most cheerful, and if my mother does not object I would gladly have you come with me.” Then Asdis said, “I have come to the point where I am on the horns of a dilem­ ma. I cannot lose Illugi, yet I know that Grettir is in such a predicament that some action has to be taken. Much as I regret seeing you both depart, my sons, this is what I want if it makes Grettir’s lot better than before.”

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Illugi was pleased at her words and looked forward to going with Grettir. She gave them a lot of money, and they made preparations to leave. Asdis led them off from the farm and before they parted she spoke these words: “There you go, my two sons, and your deaths will be the saddest of all, but no one can avoid what is ordained to him. I shall never see either of you again. Meet the same fate. I do not know what fortune you seek in Drangey, but you will both per­ ish there, and many people will begrudge your presence there. Be on your guard against treachery. You will be killed by weapons: I have had strange dreams. Be wary of sorcery, few things are mightier than black magic.” After saying this, she burst into tears. Then Grettir said, “Do not weep, mother. If we are killed, it will be said of you that you had sons, not daughters. Live well and in good health.” After that, they parted. Then they travelled north through the countryside and met their kinsmen. They stayed there for the autumn and into the winter. Then they headed for Skagafjord, went northwards through Vatnsskard and on to Reykjaskard, then down the slope at Saemundarhlid and on to Langholt. They reached Glaumbaer late in the day. Grettir kept his hood off, as he always did outdoors, whatever the weather. After they had moved on a short way from there, a man came up to them from the opposite direction. He had a large head and was tall, slim and poorly dressed. He greeted them and asked them their names. They told him, and he said he was called Thorbjorn. He was a vagrant who could not be bothered to work, and very boastful; people made great fun of him and some even played tricks on him. He tried to impress them and told them many stories about the local people. Grettir found him highly amusing. He asked whether they did not think they needed someone to work for them. “I’d like to go with you,” he said. Then he talked them into letting him go along with them. The snow was drifting heavily and the weather was cold. Because he was boisterous and a great joker, he was nicknamed Glaum (Merrymaker). “When you went around bareheaded in that storm,” said Glaum, “the people at Glaumbaer were very curious about whether you are as strong as you are insensitive to the cold. There were two farmer’s sons there, quite uncommonly strong, and the shepherd called them out to tend the sheep with him, but they claimed they were so cold they could hardly dress.” Grettir said, “I saw a young man in a doorway pulling on his gloves and another walking between the cattleshed and the compost heap. 1 could hardly be afraid of either of them.” Then they went to Reynines and spent the night there. From there they went out to the shore to the farm called Reykir where a man called Thorvald lived, a good farmer. Grettir asked him for help and told him of his plans to go out to Drangey. The farmer said that the people in Skagafjord would not regard him as a friendly gift, and he refused to commit himself. Then Grettir took the money that his moth­

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er had let him have and gave it to the farmer. His brows lifted when he saw the money and then he ordered his farmhands to ferry them out at night, by moon­ light. Reykir is the closest point on land to the island, four miles away. When they reached the island, Grettir was impressed by what he saw, because it was covered in grass but had cliffs that rose so steeply from the sea that they could not be ascended except by putting ladders up to them. If the upper ladder was then pulled up, it was impossible for anyone to land on the island. There was also a large bird colony on the cliffs in summer. Eighty sheep were kept on the island, too, owned by farmers from the mainland. They were mainly rams and ewes that were intended for slaughter. Grettir settled down there. By that time he had been an out­ law for fifteen or sixteen years, according to Sturla Thordarson.

When Grettir arrived in Drangey, these were the chieftains in the district of / ^ Skagafjord: Hjalti who lived at Hof in Hjaltadal, the son of Thord Hjaltason whose grandfather was Thord Skalp. Hjalti was a chieftain, a very noble man and popular. His brother was called Thorbjorn Hook, a big, strong man, tough to deal with and ruthless. Their father, Thord, had married at an old age, and his wife was not their mother. She treated her stepchildren badly, and Thorbjorn worst of all, be­ cause he was difficult and brutal. Once when Thorbjorn was sitting and playing a board game using big pieces that fitted into the board on long pins, his stepmother walked by and saw him playing the game. She thought that he was idling away his time, so she threw a few remarks in his direction and he answered her back insolently. Then she picked up one of the pieces and struck Thorbjorn on the cheek with the peg on it, but it glanced off into his eye, gouging it out onto his cheek. He leapt to his feet and gave her such a drub­ bing that she was confined to bed by it and then died from the beating. People said that she had been pregnant at the time. After that, Thorbjorn became a great troublemaker. He took his inheritance, and lived at first in Vidvik. Halldor, the son of Thorgeir and grandson of Thord from Hofdi, lived at Hof on the Hofdi coast. He was married to Thordis, the daughter of Thord and sister of Hjalti and Thorbjorn Hook. Halldor was a worthy farmer and very wealthy. There was a man called Bjorn who lived at Haganes in Fljot. He was a friend of Halldor from Hof, and they supported each other in every matter. A man called Tungu-Stein lived at Steinsstadir. His father was Bjorn, the son of Ofeig Thin-beard. Ofeig was the son of Crow-Hreidar, to whose father Eirik from Goddalir gave the tongue of land down from the marsh at Skalamyri. Stein was a man of renown. There was a man called Eirik, the son of Starri the Dueller and grandson of Eirik from Goddalir, whose father was Hroald, the son of Geirmund Stiff-beard. Eirik, Starri’s son, lived at Hof in Goddalir. All these men were highly respected. Two brothers lived at Breida in Slettahlid; they were both named Thord. They were men of great might, yet peaceable.

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All of these men owned a share in the island of Drangey. Some people say that no fewer than twenty men shared the island and that none of them would sell his share to any other. Thord’s sons owned the largest shares, because they were the wealthi­ est. ^ 7 4 Time passed until the winter solstice when the farmers made ready to fetch Å A their sheep from the island for slaughtering. They manned a boat and each of them took at least one person with him; some had two. When they approached the island, they could see people moving around. This struck them as strange, and they imagined that a ship had been wrecked and its crew had made land there. They rowed up to where the ladders were, but the people above pulled the ladders up. Puzzled by this, the farmers called out to them and asked who was there. Grettir told them his name and those of his companions. The farmers asked who had ferried him out to the island. Grettir replied, “Someone ferried me here who had a boat and a pair of hands and was more a friend of mine than yours.” The farmers answered, “Let us fetch our sheep and take them back to land with us, and you can keep for nothing the sheep of ours that you’ve slaughtered.” “That’s a fine offer,” Grettir replied, “but now each of us shall keep what we al­ ready have. I’ll tell you straight out that I shall not leave here unless I’m dragged away dead. I’m not letting go of what I’ve got my hands on.” The farmers fell silent, feeling that a great bringer of woe had come to Drangey. They offered him expensive gifts and fine promises, but Grettir refused them all, and the farmers went away again, dissatisfied with their lot. They told the people of the district who this scavenger was who had gone to the island. This news took them by surprise and they did not think any action could be taken. They talked the matter over during the winter and could not see a plan for removing Grettir from the island. Time went by until the Hegranes Assembly came around in the spring. A / great gathering from all the districts which the assembly covered attended it. They spent much of the spring engaged in both legal cases and festivities, because at that time there were many men in districts who liked celebrating. When Grettir heard that most of the local people had gone to the assembly he made plans with his friends, because he always remained on good terms with those who were closest to him and did not spare anything that he had acquired. He said that he wanted to fetch provisions from land, but that Illugi and Glaum should stay behind. Illugi thought this inadvisable, but let Grettir have his way. Grettir told them to guard the ladder, saying this was important. Then he went to the land and took what he thought he needed. He went everywhere secretly and no one realised that he was on land. He heard that there were great festivities at the assembly and was curious to go there, so he took an old and rather shabby costume, and arrived

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at the assembly as people were leaving the Law Council on their way back to their booths. Some young men said that the weather was fine and pleasant, and that it would do them good to arrange wrestling matches and entertainment. Everyone agreed that this was a good idea and went to sit down near the booths. Thord’s sons where largely in charge of the entertainment. Thorbjorn Hook was a bossy character and organised the entertainment in a forceful way; everyone had to do what he wanted. He grabbed people by the shoul­ ders and tossed them into the ring. The first to wrestle were the weakest, then each in turn, and everyone had great fun. When most of the men had wrestled apart from the very strongest, the farmers talked over who would be prepared to wrestle with either of the brothers called Thord mentioned earlier, but no one was willing to. They went up to various men and challenged them, but the harder they were pressed, the more reluctant they became. Then Thorbjorn Hook took a look around and saw a heavily built man sitting there, but could not see his face clearly. Thorbjorn grabbed at him and tugged him, but he stayed where he was and did not budge. Then Thorbjorn said, “No one has held his ground as firmly as you today. Who is this man?” Grettir replied, “I’m called Gest (Visitor).” “Surely you want to take part in the entertainment,” said Thorbjorn. “You’re a welcome guest.” “I think that many things are quick to change,” he said. “I shall not jump to my feet and play a game with you, since I’m a complete stranger here.” Many people said he would deserve to be treated well if he, a stranger, was willing to give them a little entertainment. He asked what they wanted of him, and they told him to wrestle with someone. He said that he had given up brawling, “but I used to enjoy it for a while.” Since he did not refuse absolutely, they urged him all the more. Then he said, “If you set so much store by having me join in, you can have your way if you guarantee my security here at the assembly and until I get back home.” They all leapt to their feet and said they would gladly do so. There was a man called Haf who urged them most of all to guarantee the man his security. He was the son of Thorarin, whose father was called Haf and his grandfather Thord Knapp, who had taken the land from Stifla in Fljot to the river Tungua. Haf lived at Knappsstadir and was a great speaker. He proposed the pledge of safety with great conviction, and this is the opening of his speech: “I hereby proclaim safety among all men, in particular for the same Gest who is sitting here, including all godis and worthy farmers and every common man who is able to fight and bear weapons, and all other people of the district of the Hegranes Assembly, or wherever they come from, named or unnamed, let us pledge safety and full peace to this unknown visitor called Gest, in play and wrestling and all en­ tertainment, for his stay here and journey home, whether he need to go by sea or

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over land and by whatever means of transport. He shall be safe in all places, named and unnamed, for as long as he needs to return home safe and sound, while these pledges hold. I proclaim this truce for us and our kinsmen, friends and relatives, for men as for women, bondswomen and slaves, servants and free men. Any man shall be a truce-breaker who breaks this truce or violates this pledge, banished and cast out from God and good men, from heaven and from all holy men, unfit for the company of men, and in all places driven out like an outlaw wherever trucebreakers drift or Christian men attend church or heathen men sacrifice in their temples, where flame burns, earth grows, an infant calls its mother and a mother bears a son, where man kindles fire, a ship sails, shields glint, the sun shines, snow settles, a Lapp skis, a fir-tree grows, the eagle flies for the whole spring day with a firm wind beneath both wings, the firmament arches, the world is settled and the wind carries water to the sea, slaves sow grain. He shall be barred from churches and the company of Christian men, heathens, houses and caves, from every world except Hell. Let us now be in accord and agreement with each other, and of good mind whether we meet on mountain or shore, ship or skis, earth or glacier, on the ocean or on horseback, like a man who meets his friend by water or his brother on a road, as reconciled with each other as a son with his father or a father with his son in all our dealings. Let us now join hands and keep this truce firmly and all words spoken in this pledge, witnessed by God and all good men and all those who hear my words or are present now.” Many people remarked that these were great words. Then Gest said, “You have proclaimed and spoken well, if you do not break your word later. Now I shall not hesitate to make my contribution.” After that he threw off his cowl and stripped to the waist. All the men looked at each other with expressions of alarm. They realised that this was Grettir Asmundarson, because he surpassed all other men in physique and strength. Everyone fell silent, and Haf realised he had acted rashly. The local people grouped into pairs and each accused the other, but most of all they blamed the man who had proposed the pledge of safety. Then Grettir said, “Tell me plainly what you are pondering, because I shall not sit here unclothed for long. There is more at stake for you than for me, whether you keep the truce or break it.” They said little in reply and sat down. Thord’s sons and their brother-in-law Halldor began talking among themselves. Some of the people wanted to keep the truce but others did not. They all nodded to each other. Then Grettir spoke a verse: 60 . I have gone unrecognised this morning by many necklace-bearers, stormers of shields in battle do not know which face to wear.

necklace-bearers: men stormers of shields: warriors, men

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A challenging game has been offered to men o f stinging speech, they waver in keeping their word: H a f s bombast has ebbed away.

Then Tungu-Stein said, “Do you think that’s the way it is, Grettir? What do you think the chieftains will decide to do? It’s true that you’re a man of outstanding strength. But can’t you see the way they are putting their heads together?” Then Grettir spoke a verse: 6 1.

The lifters o f valkyriet drapes are rubbing their noses together, trees that ram the war-goddess’s wall are jousting with their beards. With harsh minds they team up, plunderers o f the dragon’s bed, regretting the truce that they proclaimed to me.

Valkyrie's drapes: shields war-goddess's walk shield

dragon's bed: gold

Then Thord’s son Hjalti spoke: “This shall not be done. We shall keep our pledge, even though we were not as wise as you. I don’t want to set people an exam­ ple by breaking the truce that we ourselves have declared and pledged. Grettir shall be free to go where he wants and be safe until he returns from this journey. Then our pledges will be over, whatever happens between us.” Everybody thanked him and felt he had acted nobly, considering the circum­ stances. While he spoke, Thorbjorn Hook fell silent. Then it was suggested that one of the two Thords should wrestle with Grettir, and he said it was up to them to decide. One of the brothers came forward. Grettir stood there firmly, and Thord took a swift run at him, but he did not budge. Then Grettir reached over Thord’s back, took hold of his breeches and lifted him off his feet, and threw him backwards over his head so that he landed on his shoulders, suffering a considerable fall. People said that both brothers should tackle him at once, and they did so. A great tussle ensued and each gained the upper hand in turn. Grettir always managed to keep one of the brothers on the ground, but all three of them went down on their knees or were thrown down. They wrestled so hard that they were bruised and scratched all over. Everyone greatly enjoyed the match. When they finished, everyone thanked them for the wrestling match and the spectators agreed that the two of them were no stronger than Grettir alone, even though they were each a match for two strong men. The brothers were so equal in strength that neither could outdo the other when they wrestled together. Grettir did not stay at the assembly for long. The farmers told him to give up the island but he refused, and they could do nothing about it.

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Grettir returned to Drangey and Illugi welcomed him gladly. They stayed there quietly, and Grettir told the others about his journey. The summer went by. Everybody felt the people of Skagafjord had acted very nobly by honouring their pledges so well. Considering the offence that Grettir had caused them, it can be seen what trustworthy men were there then. The less wealthy farmers agreed among themselves that there was little to be gained from owning small shares in Drangey and offered to sell them to Thord’s sons, but Hjalti said he did not want to buy them. Moreover, the farmers made a condition that whoever wanted to buy their shares would either have to kill Grettir or drive him away from the island. Thorbjorn Hook said he would not flinch from leading an attack on Grettir if they would pay him to do so. Hjalti made over his share in the island to his brother Thorbjorn, who was the more ruthless of the two and an unpopular man. More farmers followed suit. Thorbjorn acquired a large share in the island for a small price, and he undertook to drive Grettir away. Late in the summer, Thorbjorn Hook took a fully manned boat to Drangey, / ^ and Grettir and his men went to the edge of the cliff. They talked together, and Thorbjorn asked Grettir to do him a favour and leave the island. Grettir said there was no hope of that. Thorbjorn said, “I might be able to lend you some assistance if you do so. Many of the farmers have made over their shares in the island to me now.” Grettir replied, “Now you have confirmed my resolution never to leave, by telling me that you own the greater part of this island. It’s fitting for us to share the scurvy-grass here. It is true that I found it tough having the whole of Skagafjord against me, but in this case I shall stop at nothing, because neither of us is smoth­ ered by popularity. You might as well stop coming here, because my mind is made up.” “There is a time for everything,” said Thorbjorn, “and you will come to grief.” “I shall take that risk,” said Grettir, and they parted. Thorbjorn went back home. ^ / \ ' It is said that by the time Grettir had spent two years on Drangey they had Å - V slaughtered almost all the sheep that were there. But it is mentioned that they spared the life of one ram which had a grey belly and big horns. They made a lot of fun of it, because it was so tame it would wait outside for them and run after them wherever they went. It would go back to their hut in the evening and rub its horns against the door. They enjoyed being on the island, because there was plenty of food from birds and eggs. But firewood was in very short supply. Grettir always made Glaum watch out for driftwood. Wood was often washed ashore which he brought back for fire­ wood. The brothers had no work to do apart from catching birds and gathering eggs on the cliffs when they felt like it. Glaum began to grow very lazy about his work. He started to complain about it

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and took less care than before. It was his job to guard the fire every night and Grettir warned him firmly about doing so, because they had no boat with them. One night, the fire happened to go out. Grettir turned surly and said that Glaum deserved to be thrashed. But he said his life was a misery being stuck in exile but scolded and beaten if anything went wrong. Grettir asked lllugi what they could do, and he said that as far as he could see they would have to wait there until a boat came by. Grettir said that was a hopeless approach - “I would rather risk trying to make it to land.” “That seems a huge chance to take,” said lllugi, “because we’re lost if anything happens to you.” “I shall not drown while I’m swimming,” Grettir said, “but I shall have much less faith in the slave in future, since so much was at stake for us.” The shortest route to land was four miles from the island. Grettir prepared for his swim by putting on a homespun cowl and breeches, / W and having his fingers wrapped up together. The weather was good, and he left the island late in the day. lllugi thought his voyage boded ill. Grettir swam into the fjord with the current behind him, and it was completely calm. He swam vigorously and reached Reykjanes when the sun had set, then went up to the farm at Reykir and bathed in the hot pool there, because he was quite cold. After a long bask in the pool that night, he went into the main room. It was very hot there, since the fire had been alight that evening and the room had hardly cooled down. He was very weary, fell fast asleep and lay there into the day. In the morning, the people on the farm got up and two women were the first to enter the main room, a servant-woman and the farmer’s daughter. Grettir was asleep and his clothes had slipped off him and onto the floor. They saw a man lying there whom they recognised. Then the servant-woman said, “Upon my word, sister, Grettir Asmundarson is here, lying naked. He looks big-framed to me all right, but I’m astonished to see how poorly endowed he is between his legs. It’s not in proportion to the rest of him.” The farmer’s daughter answered, “Why can’t you ever keep your mouth shut? You’re no ordinary idiot, and just keep quiet.” “I can’t keep quiet about that, sister,” the servant-woman said. “I’d never have believed it if anyone had told me.” Then she went over to him to take a peek and ran back to the farmer’s daughter every so often, roaring with laughter. Grettir heard what she said. And when she ran across the floor once more he grabbed her and spoke a verse: 62. That wench takes things too lightly: Few invokers of spear-storms

spear-storms: battles; their invokers: warriors

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have much choice about the sword that adorns their forest of hair. I bet my bollocks are twice the size that other spear-thrusters boast, even if their shafts can outstretch mine.

He snatched her up onto the bench, and the farmer’s daughter ran out of the room. Then Grettir spoke a verse: 63. The seamstress sitting at home, short-sworded she calls me; maybe the boastful hand-maiden o f ball-trunks is telling the truth. But a young man like me can expect sprouts to grow in the groin-forest: Get ready for action, splay-legged goddess.

ball-trunks: penises

The servant-woman shouted out at the top of her voice, but when she left Grettir she did not taunt him again. Soon afterwards he stood up, went over to Thorvald the farmer, told him of his problem with the fire and asked him to ferry him back. He did so, borrowed a boat and took him to the island, and Grettir thanked him for his noble gesture. When word got around that Grettir had swum four miles, everyone was full of admiration for his feats both on land and at sea. The people of Skagafjord criticised Thorbjorn Hook heavily for not driving Grettir from off Drangey and said they would take back their shares in the island. He could not see any way out of his problem, but asked them to keep patient. That summer a ship arrived at the Gonguskard estuary, with a man called / w Haering on board. He was young and so fit that he could climb any cliff. He went to stay with Thorbjorn Hook and was there into the autumn. Haering urged Thorbjorn to go to Drangey, saying he wanted to see whether the cliff was so great that it could not be climbed in any place. Thorbjorn said he would certainly not go unrewarded if he got onto the island and managed to wound Grettir or kill him. He made it all sound very feasible to Haering. Afterwards they went to Drangey and put the Norwegian ashore somewhere. He was supposed to take them unawares if he managed to scale the cliff, while Thor­ bjorn and his men laid to by the ladder and started talking to Grettir. Thorbjorn asked whether he wasn’t planning to leave the island, but Grettir replied that there was nothing he was more determined to do than stay put. “You have played many tricks on us,” said Thorbjorn, “even if we do manage to take revenge, and you do not seem to fear much for your safety.” They went on like this for a long time and did not reach any agreement.

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To return to Haering, he climbed back and forth on the cliff face and managed to scale it in a place where no man has succeeded either before or since. When he reached the top of the cliff he saw where the brothers were standing with their backs turned to him. He thought of winning immediate wealth and renown. The brothers were unaware of his movements, because they thought the island was in­ accessible except where the ladder was. Grettir was arguing with Thorbjorn and his men and there was no lack of threatening words on either side. Then Illugi hap­ pened to glance around and saw that a man was right behind them. Illugi said, “There’s a man coming for us wielding his axe, and he looks rather hostile to me.” “Go and deal with him, then,” said Grettir, “and I shall guard the ladder.” Illugi went to face Haering and when the Norwegian saw him he ran off across the island. Illugi chased him the length of the island and when Haering reached the edge of the cliff he jumped off it, breaking every bone in his body. His life came to an end there. The place where he perished has been called Haeringshlaup (Haering’s Leap) ever since. Illugi went back and Grettir asked him how he had left the man he had been sent after. “He wouldn’t trust me to take care of him,” said Illugi, “so he broke his neck for himself at the foot of the cliff. May the farmers pray for him as a dead man.” When Thorbjorn Hook heard this, he told his men to cast off: “I have made two expeditions against Grettir now and I shall not be going a third time unless I am somehow the wiser. They seem likely to stay on Drangey, no matter what I can do about it. But I think Grettir will not stay here for as long as he has until now.” Then they went home, and this trip was considered even worse than the one be­ fore. Grettir spent the winter in Drangey and he and Thorbjorn did not meet again that winter. At this time Skafti Thoroddsson the Lawspeaker died. This was a great setback to Grettir, since he had promised to advocate the commutation of Grettir’s sentence when he had been in outlawry for twenty years. It was the nineteenth year of his outlawry when the events just described took place. In the spring Snorri the Godi died and many incidents occurred at this time which do not come into this story. At the Althing that summer, Grettir’s kinsmen discussed his outlawry at A A length. Some of them felt that he had completed his sentence, since he was well into the twentieth year of it. However, the people who had brought charges against him would not accept this, claiming that he had committed many deeds that deserved outlawry since then and therefore his sentence should be correspond­ ingly longer. A new lawspeaker had been appointed, Stein Thorgestsson, whose grandfather was Stein the Much-travelled, the son of Thorir Autumn-darkness. Stein the Lawspeaker’s mother was Arnora, the daughter of Thord Bellower. Stein was a wise man. He was asked to make a ruling, and told them to check whether

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this was the twentieth summer since Grettir had been outlawed. This proved to be the case. Then Thorir from Gard joined in and tried to find every possible objection. He managed to discover that Grettir had spent one year in Iceland when he was not an outlaw, meaning that he had been an outlaw for eighteen years. The lawspeaker said that no man should be an outlaw for more than twenty years, even if some years of his sentences overlapped - “But before that time I shall not deem to have anyone’s outlawry lifted.” Grettir’s commutation from outlawry was ruled out on these grounds for the time being, but it seemed certain that the sentence would be lifted the following summer. The people of Skagafjord were displeased by the prospect of Grettir’s outlawry be­ ing lifted and asked Thorbjorn Hook either to hand back the island or kill Grettir. He found himself in a dilemma, since he did not know any way to overcome Grettir, but nevertheless wanted to keep the island. He sought all means of getting rid of Grettir, either with ruthless action or trickery or any other way he could bring it about. Thorbjorn Hook had a foster-mother called Thurid who was very old and / V not considered capable of doing much. She had been well versed in magic and knew many secret arts when she was young and people were heathen, but by this time it was thought she had lost all her powers. Yet although Christianity had been adopted in Iceland, many vestiges of heathendom remained. It had been the law in Iceland that sacrifices and other black magic were not forbidden if they were practised in private, but were punishable by lesser outlawry if they were done pub­ licly. For many people then it was true that a firm habit is hard to shake and what is learnt in childhood becomes second nature. Since Thorbjorn was completely stumped he sought guidance where most people would have thought it least likely to be found, from his foster-mother, and asked her what advice she could give him. She answered him, “I think this goes to prove the old saying that many people go to the goat-shed looking for wool. What should I want less than to pretend to be greater than everyone else in this district and then turn out to be useless when it came to the test? But as far as I can see I cannot do any worse than you, almost bedridden as I am. If you want my advice, I must also decide how you should em­ ploy it.” He agreed and said she had always offered him good counsel. Nothing else hap­ pened until hay-time. One day the crone said to Thorbjorn, “The weather is calm and clear today. I want you to go to Drangey and pick a quarrel with Grettir. I shall go with you and see how guarded he is in his speech. That will give me something concrete to work with when I see how providence favours them and then I shall make such words over them as I see fit.” Hook answered, “These trips to Drangey are becoming tedious, because when 1 go there I always return feeling worse.”

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Then the crone said, ‘T shan’t offer you any advice if you don’t leave anything up to me to decide.” “T hat won’t happen, foster-mother,” he said, “but I have said that I only want to go there a third time if I am in a better position.” “You will have to risk that,” the crone said. “You will have a lot of trouble before Grettir is laid low and the outcome for you will often seem uncertain. And you will pay the price for it in the end. But you have made such commitments that some­ thing has to be done.” After that, Thorbjorn had a ten-oared boat launched and went aboard with elev­ en other men. The old woman was with them. They rowed out to Drangey, and when Grettir and his brother saw them they went to the ladder and started dis­ cussing their affairs once again. Thorbjorn told Grettir that he had come yet again to find out if he would leave, saying that he would ignore what it had cost him, and Grettir’s stay on the island, if they parted with no harm done. Grettir said he would not make or accept a compromise about leaving. “I’ve told you that often enough and there’s no need to discuss it with me,” he said. “You can do as you please, but I shall stay here and take whatever comes.” Realising that he would not gain anything this time, Thorbjorn said, “I realise the sort of fiends I have to deal with here. A good few days are likely to pass before I come back again.” “I shan’t consider it a great loss if you never come back,” Grettir replied. The crone was lying in the stem of the boat, under some blankets. Then she stirred and said, “These men are brave but fortune does not go with them. There is a great difference between you. You have made them many fine of­ fers but they turn them all down, and there are few more certain ways to court trouble than to refuse what is good. Now I curse you, Grettir, to be deprived of all favour, all endowments and fortune, all defence and wisdom, the more so the long­ er you live. I trust that you will have fewer days of happiness in the future than you have had until now.” When Grettir heard this he was startled and said, “What devil is that on the boat with them?” Illugi replied, “I think it’s that old woman, Thorbjorn’s foster-mother.” “Curse that old witch,” said Grettir. “That was the worst thing we could have ex­ pected. No words have ever unsettled me more than those that she spoke. I know that she and her sorcery will cause me some harm. I’ll give her something for vis­ iting me,” and he grabbed a huge rock and hurled it down onto the boat, and it landed on the pile of blankets. It was a longer throw than Thorbjorn imagined any man was capable of. A great shriek was heard. The rock had hit the old woman on her thigh and broken it. Then Illugi said, “I wish you hadn’t done that.” “Don’t find fault with me for that,” Grettir said, “but it disturbs me that it didn’t hit her hard enough, because a crone’s life wouldn’t be too great a price to pay for both of ours.”

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“How could she pay for us?” asked Illugi. “That wouldn’t make us worth much.” Thorbjorn set off back home and they did not exchange farewells when they parted. Then he said to the crone, “It turned out as I expected: you did not earn much glory on your voyage to the island. You have been crippled and we are no closer to honour than before. We have to put up with not receiving compensation for one disgrace after another.” She replied, “This will be the beginning of their misfortune and I foresee that they will take a turn for the worse from now on. If I live to manage it, I do not fear being unable to take revenge for this incident they have brought upon me.” “You speak like a woman of high courage, foster-mother,” said Thorbjorn. They reached home and the old woman went to bed and was confined there for almost a month. By then her bad leg had set and she began getting about again. People made great fun of their trip. They thought Thorbjorn had often been out­ witted in his dealings with Grettir, first concerning the pledge of safety at the as­ sembly, again when Haering perished and the third time when the old woman had her leg broken, without Thorbjorn being able to make any move against them in re­ turn. Thorbjorn Hook was greatly vexed by such comments. Autumn passed by until three weeks were left until winter. Then the crone y asked to be taken down to the sea. Thorbjorn asked her what she wanted to do. “It’s a trifling errand,” she said, “but it may portend greater tidings.” He did as she requested, and when she reached the shore she hobbled along by the sea as if following directions, until she came to a tree lying there, a stub with the roots on, big enough to have to be carried on a man’s shoulders. She looked at the tree and asked the men to turn it over for her. The underside looked burnt and rubbed down. She made them scrape a flat surface where the tree had been rubbed, then took her knife and carved runes into the root, smeared them with her blood and recited spells. Then she walked backwards and withershins around it, and spoke many mighty pronouncements upon it. After that she had the tree put to sea, pronouncing that it should drift out to Drangey, “and may it harm Grettir in every way.” From there she went back home to Vidvik. Thorbjorn said he could not see the point of this, but the crone said he would certainly find out later. There was a wind blowing landwards along the fjord, but the crone’s tree set off against the wind and did not seem to travel any the slower for it. Grettir was still in Drangey as mentioned before, with his companions, and they were all feeling contented with their lot. The day after the old woman had put her spell on the tree, Grettir and the others went down the cliff to look for firewood. When they reached the west side of the island they found the tree with its roots, washed ashore. Illugi said, “Here is plenty of firewood, kinsman. Let’s carry it back.” Grettir kicked at it with his foot. /

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“An evil tree by evil sent. We should find some other firewood,” he said, throw­ ing it out to sea. He told Illugi to take care not to carry it back, “because it is sent to bring us bad fortune.” After that they went back to their hut and did not mention the matter to Glaum. The following day they found the tree, closer to the ladder than before. Grettir put it back out to sea and said it should never be brought to where they lived. The night passed. A rainy gale got up and they did not feel like going outside, so they told Glaum to go and look for firewood. He complained at their cruelty in sending him out every time the weather was bad. When he went down the ladder he found the old woman's tree, and thinking he had done well for himself, he picked it up, strug­ gled back to the hut and threw it down with a great thud. When Grettir heard this he said, “Glaum has found something. I shall go out and see what it is,” and he took his wood-axe and left. Then Glaum said, “Don't make a worse job of cutting it up than I did of bringing it back.” Grettir lost his temper and swung his axe at the tree with both hands, without bothering to see what tree it was. And the moment the axe struck the tree it slid flat and glanced off into Grettir’s right leg above the knee, delivering a deep wound right to the bone. Then he looked at the tree and said, “The more evil intent has proved the more powerful, and this will not be the only time. This tree here is the one that I have twice thrown back to sea. You have caused us misfortune twice now, Glaum, once when you let our fire go out and now that you have brought back this tree of ill for­ tune. If you have a third mishap it will be the death of you and us all.” Illugi dressed Grettir’s wound, which did not bleed much. Grettir slept well that night and three nights passed without the wound causing him any pain. When they undid the bandage, the cut had grown over so much that it was almost healed. Then Illugi said, “I don’t expect that you will suffer from this wound very long.” “That would be a good thing,” said Grettir, “but this has been a strange incident, however it turns out, and I have an intuition that it will be otherwise.” £ /N They lay down to sleep that evening and in the middle of the night Grettir v V began thrashing about in his sleep. Illugi asked him why he was restless. Grettir told him that his leg was hurting, “and more likely than not it has changed colour.” They kindled a light, and when they undid the bandage his leg looked swollen and black as coal, and the wound had split open and looked much nastier than be­ fore. It caused him such great pain that he could not keep still or sleep a wink. Then Grettir said, “This was only to be expected, for the sickness I have contract­ ed is not without reason; it is the work of sorcery. The crone intends it to avenge the rock I threw at her.” Illugi said, “I told you that no good would come of that old crone.”

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“Everything will end up the same way,” said Grettir, and he spoke five verses: 64.

The sword’s edge often tipped the balance in battle, when I fought off the harsh berserks and held the birchwood house, again when the gold-maid’s champion, gold-maid's champion: protector of woman, i.e. man Hjarrandi, lost his hands, while Bjorn and Gunnar alike lost their lives and peace o f mind. 65.

Again I went out once on board a wide ship to Dyrholmar, a seasoned seafaring wielder of spears. Then Vebrand’s fine heir, dispatcher of heavy spears, made his mighty challenge to peace-loving Torfi.

[This incident is not mentioned in the Saga narrative]

66. While many wrangled with weapons, tree, man the brave fighter, a tree fenced in by the giant’s walls o f shields, was split up from this poet. He gave me a horse later once the tree with oars for branches tree with oars for branches: seafarer had lost his life at Grettir’s hands in the spattering surf o f spears. [This incident is not mentioned in the Saga narrative] 67.

I heard Thorfinn was little thought strong in deeds of daring, but that barbed tree Amor’s son said he would cut my life short. The hard-headed spreader of gold from the snake’s bed lost his nerve when he found me alone outdoors, I was not that easy prey.

68. I managed to guard my life against the holders o f spears, it was not seldom that I needed such faith when hemmed in.

barbed tree, tree (man) with a spear’s point, i.e. warrior spreader of gold: generous man snake's bed: i.e. hoard of gold [This episode is not related in Grettir’s Saga. The encounter is mentioned in the Saga of the People of Ljosavatn, but it is stated there that they did not fight.]

THE SAGA OF GRETTIR THE STRONG

Now that tough hag, land of stones, has wrought a spell on the tree that sheds flaming battle-swords. Fierce is the force o f magic.

173 hag Thurid, Thorbjorn’s foster-mother; stones: jewels, their land: woman (perhaps an ironic reference to the rock that Grettir threw at her) tree, man, warrior

“We shall be on our guard now/' said Grettir, “because Thorbjorn Hook won't be planning this as the only move against us. Glaum, I want you to guard the ladder every day from now on and pull it up at night, and do this faithfully, as much is at stake. And if you betray us, you will soon suffer for it.” Glaum promised to do it properly. Then the weather became rougher, a north­ easterly wind got up and it grew colder. Every evening, Grettir asked whether the ladder had been pulled up. Glaum said, “What a time to expect anyone to come. Would anyone be so set on taking your life that he would kill himself to do so? It's more than impossible to travel in this weather. I think your great courage has failed you if you expect every­ thing to be the death of you two.” “You will acquit yourself much worse than either of us,” said Grettir, “whatever it is that has to be done. But you must guard the ladder, even if you have to be forced to do it.” They made him go out every morning, and he disliked it. The pain in Grettir’s leg intensified, the whole of it swelled up and his upper and lower thigh began to fester. The infection spread all around the wound, so that Grettir was on the brink of death. Illugi sat nursing him day and night and paid no attention to anything else. This was during the second week after Grettir had cut himself. f Y \ Thorbjorn Hook was staying at home in Vidvik, disgruntled about failing to O A get the better of Grettir. A good week after the crone had cast the spell on the tree, she went up to Thorbjorn and asked him whether he wasn’t planning to go and see Grettir. He said there was nothing he was more determined to do. “Do you want to see him, foster-mother?” he asked. “I shall not meet him,” said the crone. “But I have sent him my greeting which I expect will have reached him. 1 think the best course for you would be to act quick­ ly and go to see him soon, otherwise you will not have the chance to overcome him.” Thorbjorn replied, “I have made so many disastrous voyages there that I shall not go there now. It’s ample reason that the storm is too fierce for travelling anywhere, however urgent the need.” She replied, “You must be completely empty-headed if you can’t see a way around that. I shall give you some advice yet again. Go and gather some men first and ride over to your brother-in-law Halldor at Hof to ask his counsel. If I have any control over Grettir’s health, would it be surprising if I didn’t control the breeze that’s playing there at the moment, too?” Realising that the crone could see further than he thought, Thorbjorn sent word

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around the district to muster a band of men. He was answered immediately that none of the men who had handed over their shares in Drangey was prepared to lend any help; they said that Thorbjorn should have both his share in the island and the job of attacking Grettir. But Tungu-Stein sent him two followers, Thorbjorn’s brother Hjalti sent three and Eirik from Goddalir sent one. Thorbjorn took six men from his own farm and the party of twelve set off from Vidvik for Hof. Halldor in­ vited them to stay and asked the purpose of their visit. Thorbjorn told him the whole story. Halldor asked whose idea it was and Thorbjorn told him that his foster-mother had urged him to do it. “No good will come of this,” said Halldor, “because she is a sorceress and that is forbidden now.” “I can’t provide for everything,” said Thorbjorn. “But I shall put an end to this somehow if I have my say. How shall I go about getting onto the island?” “I can tell that you are trusting in something,” said Halldor, “although I don’t know how good that is. If you want to go ahead with it, go over and see my friend Bjorn at Haganes in Fljot. He owns a good boat. Tell him that I have asked him to lend it to you. From there you can sail in along the fjord to Drangey, but this voy­ age of yours looks rash unless Grettir is ill or injured. And you can be certain that if you don’t overcome him honourably, he has plenty of people to seek redress. Don’t kill Illugi if you can avoid it. And I can tell that some of this plan is not completely Christian.” Halldor lent him six men for the trip. One was called Kar, another Thorleif and the third Brand, but the others are not named. The eighteen of them set off for Fljot, reached Haganes and gave Bjorn Halldor’s message. He said it was his duty to do what they asked for Halldor’s sake, but added that he did not owe Thorbjorn any favours and thought it was a fool’s errand. He tried hard to discourage them. They could not be talked into turning back, but went to the shore and launched the boat, which was already rigged by the boatshed. Then they made ready to set sail and everyone on land thought the weather was impossible for travelling. When they hoisted the sail, the boat soon picked up great speed into the fjord, and after they reached the main part of the fjord where the water was deeper, the gale died down so sharply that they never felt it was too windy. They arrived at Drangey after nightfall. To return to Grettir, he was so ill by now that he could not get to his feet. O - i i Illugi sat beside him while Glaum was supposed to keep guard. Once again he made a lot of complaints, saying that they seemed to think their lives would just drain away for no apparent reason. He went out of the hut very reluctantly. When he reached the ladders he said to himself that he wasn’t going to pull the top one up this time. He grew very sleepy, lay down and slept the whole day, right up until the time Thorbjorn reached the island. He and his men noticed that the ladder had not been pulled up. Then Thorbjorn said, “Something unusual is going on here, since no one is up

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and about but their ladder is still down. Our trip may well prove more eventful than we thought at first. We shall hurry to the hut and not let our courage fail us. We can be certain that if they are in good health, we will all have to do the very best we can.” Then they went up onto the top of the island, looked around and saw someone lying a short way from the ladder, snoring loudly. Thorbjorn recognised Glaum, went up to him, hit him on the ear with the end of the hilt of his sword and told the wretch to wake up: “Any man whose life depends on your loyalty is certainly in a poor position.” Glaum sat up and said, “There they go again. Do you think it’s too much free­ dom for me to lie out here in the cold?” Hook said, “Are you so stupid that you don’t even realise your enemies are here and will kill you all?” Instead of saying anything, Glaum screamed with all his might when he recog­ nised the men. “Either you shut up this instant,” said Hook, “and tell us about the layout of your hut, or I shall kill you.” Glaum said no more than if his head were being held under water. Thorbjorn said, “Are the brothers in their hut? Why aren’t they up and about?” “It’s impossible,” said Glaum, “because Grettir is ill and at the point of death and Illugi is watching over him.” Hook asked about Grettir’s health and what had happened, and Glaum told him how his wound had come about. Then Hook said with a laugh, “This proves the old saying, that old friendships are the last to break, and also, in your case, that a slave makes a poor friend, Glaum. Bad as he may be, you have betrayed your master shamefully.” Many of the men abused him for his disloyalty, then beat him so hard he was al­ most crippled by it, and left him lying there. Then they went over to the hut and hammered on the door. Illugi said, “Grey-belly’s knocking at the door, brother.” “And knocks hard, too,” said Grettir, “and ruthlessly,” and at that moment the door burst open. Illugi leapt for his weapons and defended the door, blocking their entry. They at­ tacked for a long time but could only get the points of their spears inside and Illugi chopped them all off from the shafts. Seeing that they were making no headway, they leapt up onto the roof of the hut and tore it up. Then Grettir got to his feet, grabbed his spear and thrust it out between the rafters. It struck Kar, Halldor from H of s farmhand, and went right through him. Hook told them to proceed with caution and keep themselves covered, “because we can defeat them if we act sensibly.” Then they ripped the roof from the ends of the beam and forced against it until it broke. Grettir was unable to get up from his knees, but grabbed his short-sword Kar’s Gift. At that moment the attackers jumped down into the body of the hut and

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the two sides swapped blows fiercely. Grettir swung his short-sword at Hjalti Thordarson’s follower Vikar, striking him on the left shoulder as he jumped down into the hut and cutting right through his shoulders and down his right side. The man was chopped clean in half and his body fell on top of Grettir in two pieces. Grettir could not raise his short-sword as quickly as he wanted, and at that moment Thorbjorn Hook lunged his spear between his shoulders, causing a great wound. Then Grettir said, “Bare is the back of a brotherless man.” Illugi threw a shield over Grettir and protected him so valiantly that everyone praised his defence. Then Grettir asked Hook, “Who showed you the way to the island?” “Christ showed us the way,” Hook said. “I would guess,” said Grettir, “that wretched old crone, your foster-mother, showed you the way, because you have surely trusted in her advice.” “Your fate will be the same, regardless of whom we have trusted,” said Hook. They attacked fiercely, but Illugi defended them both vigorously. By now Grettir was completely put out of action by illness and wounds. Then Hook told his men to close in on Illugi with their shields, “since I have never seen his like in a man of his age.” They did so and hemmed him in so tightly with pieces of wood and weapons that he could not put up any defence, so that they managed to seize him and hold him. He had dealt wounds to most of the attackers and killed three of Hook’s followers. After that they went for Grettir. He had slumped forward and could not put up any defence, because he was already at the point of death from his leg injury. His thigh had festered all the way up to his groin. They dealt him so many wounds that there was little or no blood left to come out of each one. When they thought he must be dead, Hook grabbed for Grettir’s short-sword, saying he had carried it long enough. But Grettir had clenched his fingers so tightly around the hilt that it would not come free. Many others joined in but they could do nothing either. In the end eight of them tried and none of them could loosen his grip. Then Hook said, “Why should we show the outlaw any mercy? Put his hand over that beam.” When they had done so, they chopped off Grettir’s hand at the wrist and the fin­ gers straightened out and released their grip on the hilt. Then Hook took the shortsword with both hands and chopped at Grettir’s head. It was such a mighty blow that the sword could not withstand it and a piece broke off half-way down the edge. Thorbjorn’s men watched and asked him why he had ruined such a fine weapon. Hook replied, “Then it will be easier to identify if anyone asks.” They said there was no need, since the man was already dead. “There’s more to be done yet,” said Hook. And he dealt two or three blows to Grettir’s neck before the head came off. “Now I know for certain that Grettir is dead,” Hook said. It was in this way that Grettir lost his life, the most valiant man who has ever lived in Iceland, one year short of forty-five when he was killed. He was fourteen

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when he killed Skeggi, which was his first killing, and everything went in his favour and to his advantage until he tackled the wretch Glam at the age of twenty. When he was sentenced to outlawry he was twenty-five. He spent more than nineteen years1as an outlaw and often faced great ordeals, and kept his faith well, as far as he had the chance. He could foresee most events, but could do nothing about them. “Here we have felled a great warrior,” said Thorbjorn. “Let us take the head to land with us since I do not want to lose the price that has been put on it. Then there will be no mistaking that I killed him.” The others said it was up to him, but were not impressed because they all thought he had acted dishonourably. Then Hook said to Illugi, “It is a great shame that such a vigorous man as you should fall prey to the folly of joining this outlaw in his evil doings and condemn yourself to be killed without the right to compensation.” Illugi answered, “As soon as the Althing is over next summer, you will know who has been outlawed. But neither you nor that old woman, your foster-mother, shall pass judgement on this case, because it was your sorcery and black magic that killed Grettir, yet you put him to the sword when he was at death’s door anyway, and compounded your sorcery with this malicious deed.” Then Hook said, “You speak boldly, but it will not turn out like that. I want to show you that I think your life will be a great loss, so I shall spare you if you swear an oath of loyalty not to take vengeance upon any man who has been on this expedition.” Illugi said, “That might have been worth considering if Grettir had been given the chance to defend himself and you had got the better of him by noble means and sheer strength. But now there is no chance that I shall earn my life by acting as basely as you. I shall tell you straight out that no one will be a greater scourge to you than I shall, if I live, because I will be a long time forgetting the way you over­ came Grettir. I much prefer to die.” Thorbjorn discussed with his companions whether they should grant Illugi his life or not. They said he should decide on what action to take, because he was in charge of the expedition. Hook said he did not want to risk being dogged by a man who would not give them any promises. And when Illugi realised they were going to kill him he said with a laugh, “Now you’ve decided to do what was closer to my heart.” They led him out to the east side of the island at daybreak and beheaded him there, and all praised his courage and said he was unlike anyone of his age. Then they buried both the brothers in a shallow grave on the island, but kept Grettir’s head and took it away with them, along with all the weapons and clothing that were of any value. Hook kept Grettir’s fine short-sword for himself and carried it around with him for a long time afterwards. They took Glaum with them and he complained bitterly. The storm abated that 1 The chronology of the saga itself suggests that he spent fifteen years as an outlaw, although Chapter 77 hinges on the idea of nineteen years.

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night and they rowed to land in the morning. Hook went ashore at the closest point and sent the boat on to Bjorn. When they reached Osland, Glaum began complaining so bitterly that they could not be bothered to take him with them any farther and killed him there and then, and he cried at the top of his voice before he was beheaded. Hook went back home to Vidvik, pleased with the outcome of his expedition. They kept Grettir’s head in salt in an outhouse at Vidvik that became known as Grettir’s Shed, and it lay there all winter. Hook was greatly despised for his deed when people realised that he had overcome Grettir with sorcery. Hook stayed there until after Christmas, then rode off to see Thorir from Gard and told him about the killings, adding that he laid claim to the price that had been put on Grettir’s head. Thorir said he would not conceal the tact that he was responsible for Grettir’s outlawry. ‘T often received harsh treatment from him,” he said, “but I never wanted to claim his life by acting like an evil-doer or sorcerer as you have done. I shall not give you any money, since in my view you have forfeited your right to live through your magic and sorcery.” Hook replied, “I expect you are prompted more by miserliness and meanness than by any concern about the way Grettir was killed.” Thorir said the obvious thing for them to do was to wait for the Althing and ac­ cept what the lawspeaker deemed right. And Thorir and Thorbjorn Hook parted in complete animosity. Grettir and Illugi’s kinsmen were furious when they heard about the killings and took the view that Hook had committed a malicious deed by killing a dying man, and doubly so by using sorcery. They consulted the wisest men and they all condemned Hook’s behaviour. Four weeks into the summer, Thorbjorn rode off west to Midfjord. When word of his travels spread, Asdis summoned people to her, including many of her friends: her sons-in-law Gamli and Glum and their sons Skeggi, who was called the Shorthanded, and Ospak who was mentioned earlier. Asdis was so popular that everyone in Midfjord took her side, even those who had been Grettir’s enemies before. The first to do so was Thorodd Half-poem, along with most of the people of Hrutafjord. Then Hook arrived at Bjarg with a band of twenty men, bringing Grettir’s head with them. Not all the men who had promised Asdis their support had arrived by then. Thorbjorn and his men went into the main room with the head and put it down on the floor. Asdis was in the room along with many other people. They did not exchange greetings. Then Hook spoke a verse: 69. From the island I have carried Grettir’s insatiable head,

T H E SAGA O F G R E T T IR T H E S T R O N G

17 9

the brooch-goddess is forced brooch-goddess: woman to m ourn the red-haired man. Here on the floor you can see the peace-breaker's head; it will rot before the goddess o f the golden flame flame from waves: gold; its goddess: woman from waves, unless she salts it.

Asdis remained quiet while he spoke the verse. After that, she spoke a verse: 70.

N o less than sheep fleeing a w o lf you w ould have jum ped into the sea, men o f golden sow's droppings, sim : F re y ja, th e f e rtility g o d d e s s; h e r droppings: g o ld ( b u t th e laughing-stock o f the north, im a g e o f a so w ’s d r o p p in g s is a ls o in s u ltin g ) had the batde-tree stood upright battle-tree: w a r r io r on the island, had Grettir the war-bringer been sound. 1 m ake light o f y o u r praise. i.e. I a m lib eral w ith it, o r m o c k in g I make light o f your praise.

Many people said it was not surprising that she had such brave sons, considering how brave she was herself, after all she had suffered. Ospak was outside and talked to those of Hook’s men who had not gone in­ doors. He asked about the killings, and they all praised Illugi’s defence. Then they described how tightly Grettir had held onto the short-sword when he was dead, which everyone thought was remarkable. A large band of men was seen riding up from the west. Many of Asdis’s friends were in it, including Gamli and Skeggi from Melar. Thorbjorn Hook had planned to hold a confiscation court for all of Illugi’s possessions, but when the party arrived he saw he was helpless to act. Ospak and Gamli were very agitated and wanted to at­ tack Hook, but the wiser people in the band told them to follow the advice of their kinsman Thorvald and other chieftains, saying that the more wise men who handled Hook’s case, the worse it would be regarded. They were kept apart, and Hook rode away and took Grettir’s head with him, in­ tending to take it to the Althing. He rode home thinking the outlook was grim, be­ cause almost all the chieftains in the country were related to Grettir and Illugi either by blood or marriage. That summer Skeggi the Short-handed married Valgerd, the daughter of Thorodd Half-poem, and Thorodd then joined in the proceedings with Grettir’s kins­ men. £

4

The men rode to the Althing and Hook had fewer supporters than he had expected, because his action was so widely condemned. Halldor asked whether they ought to take Grettir’s head to the Althing, and Hook indicated that he intended to have it with him. “That is inadvisable,” Halldor said, “because you will have enough opponents anyway, even if you don’t prompt people into remembering their grief.”

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They were already on their way, heading south across Sand. Hook took the head and had it buried in a mound of sand which is now called Grettir’s Mound. A large crowd attended the Althing. Hook presented his case and praised his own deeds highly, saying that he had killed the greatest outlaw in the country, and claimed the reward that had been put on Grettir’s head. Thorir gave him the same answer as before. The lawspeaker was asked for his ruling. He said he wanted to hear if there were any arguments against Hook receiving the reward for killing Grettir, otherwise he would be entitled to the price that had been put on his head. Then Thorvald Asgeirsson summoned Short-hand to bring the counter-charge. He countered by accusing Thorbjorn Hook firstly of magic and sorcery that led to Grettir’s death, and secondly of killing him when he was already dying, and de­ manded outlawry as punishment. The men at the Althing took sides, and few of them supported Thorbjorn. Things turned out differently from what Thorbjorn had expected, since Thorvald and his son-in-law Isleif claimed that anyone who brought about a man’s death by sorcery deserved to forfeit his own life. At the suggestion of wise men, it was con­ cluded that Thorbjorn should sail abroad the same summer and never return to Iceland or as long as anyone remained alive who had a claim against him for killing Grettir and Illugi. It was also made law that all practitioners of black magic should be outlawed. Thorbjorn realised the position he was in and left the Thing, expecting Grettir’s kinsmen to mount an attack on him. Nor did he receive any of the reward that had been placed on Grettir’s head, because Stein the Lawspeaker did not want it to be paid for such a malicious deed. No compensation was paid for the men who were killed when they went with Thorbjorn to Drangey, which was cancelled out against the killing of Illugi, although Illugi’s kinsmen disapproved strongly of this ruling. Everyone rode home from the Thing and all the charges that had been made against Grettir were waived. Grettir’s nephew Skeggi, who was Gamli’s son and Thorodd Half-poem’s son-inlaw, went north to Skagafjord at the instigation of Thorvald Asgeirsson and his sonin-law Isleif, who later became Bishop of Skalholt, and with everyone’s approval. He took a boat and went to Drangey to fetch Grettir and Illugi’s bodies, and took them to Reykir on Reykjastrond where they were buried at the church. As proof that Grettir is buried there, when the church at Reykir was moved in the days of the Sturlung clan his bones were dug up and everyone thought they were huge and strong. Illugi’s bones were then buried north of the church, and Grettir’s head by the church on the farm at Bjarg. Asdis stayed at Bjarg and was so popular that no one ever caused her any trouble, not even when Grettir was in outlawry. Skeggi the Short-handed took over the farm at Bjarg when Asdis died and he be­ came an important man. His son Gamli was the father of Skeggi from Skarfsstadir and Asdis, who was the mother of Odd the Monk. A great line is descended from her.

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£ j t í Thorbjørn Hook joined a ship at Gasar and took all the belongings that he V W could with him, while his brother Hjalti took over his lands. Hook gave him Drangey, too. Hjalti became a great chieftain, but is not mentioned further in this saga. Hook went to Norway and continued to swagger. He claimed to have done a great deed in killing Grettir, and so it seemed too to many people who were un­ familiar with the circumstances. But many knew what a renowned man Grettir was. He mentioned only the part of their dealings that was to his credit and left out all that was less praiseworthy. The story reached Tunsberg in the autumn, and when Thorstein Dromund heard about the killings he turned very sullen, because he had been told that Hook was very tough and ruthless. Thorstein recalled the comments he had made about his arms when he and Grettir talked together long before. Thorstein stayed on the alert as to Hook’s whereabouts. They both spent the winter in Norway; Thorbjorn was in the north and Thorstein in Tunsberg and they had never seen each other before. However, when Thorbjorn found out that Grettir had a brother in Norway he thought this would be a dangerous contingency in a foreign country, so he sought advice about where to head for. In those days many Norwegians went to Constantinople to serve as mercenaries. Thorbjorn was attracted by the idea of going there to earn fame and fortune and of keeping away from Scandinavia and Grettir’s kinsmen. He made preparations to leave Norway and set off, not stopping until he reached Constantinople where he became a mercenary.

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Thorstein Dromund was a wealthy and highly respected man. When he heard that Thorbjorn Hook had left the country and gone to Constanti­ nople, he quickly entrusted his property to his kinsmen and set off in search of him, following close behind wherever he went. Hook was not even aware of his movements. Thorstein Dromund arrived in Constantinople shortly after Hook and wanted to kill him at all costs, but they did not know each other by sight. They both asked to join the Varangian Guard and were welcomed when it was known that they were from Norway. Michael Catalactus was the Byzantine emperor at that time. Thorstein Dromund kept watch to see if he could identify Hook, but did not manage to because there were so many people there. He could not sleep and was very displeased with his lot, feeling that he had suffered a great loss. The next thing that happened was that the Varangian Guard was supposed to go on a mission to quell fighting in the country. It was their custom and law to hold a Weapon Taking before they left, and they did so this time too. When the Weapon Taking was made, all the Varangians were obliged to assemble with any others who intended to go on the mission with them, to display their weapons. Both Thorstein and Hook turned up. Thorbjorn was the first of the two to show his weapon; he had the short-sword Grettir’s Gift with him. When he showed it to the others, many

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people admired it and said that it was a fine weapon, but that the chip on the edge was a great flaw, and asked how it had come about. Hook said this was a tale worth the telling. “The first thing that happened was that out in Iceland,” he said, “I killed a war­ rior called Grettir the Strong, who was the toughest and bravest man there. No one could defeat him until 1 appeared. Because I was fated to defeat him I managed to overcome him even though he had many times the might that I did. When I chopped his head off with the sword, a chip broke from the edge.” The people standing nearby said he must have had a hard head and showed the sword to each other. Thorstein realised from this which man was Hook, and asked to see the short-sword like the others. Hook passed it over, since most of them praised his courage and exploits and he thought that this man would do so too, naturally unaware that Thorstein or any of Grettir’s kinsmen were present. Dromund took hold of the sword and immediately wielded it and struck at Hook. The blow hit him on the head with such force that it sank down to his jaws. Thorbjorn Hook dropped down dead to the ground, ignobly. Everyone was dumbfounded. The emperor’s treasurer seized Thorstein at once and asked for an explanation as to why he had committed such an atrocity at a sacred assembly. Thorstein said he was Grettir the Strong’s brother, adding that he had never managed to take revenge for him until then. Many of the Varangians agreed that this strong man must have been important, considering that Thorstein had travelled so far across the world to avenge him. The emperor’s officers thought this was a likely explanation, but there was no one there to corroborate Thorstein’s story, and it was the Varangians’ law that any man who killed another should pay with noth­ ing less than his own life. Thorstein was given a quick, harsh sentence: he was to be confined to a dark cell in a dungeon and await execution there if no one paid a ran­ som to free him. A man was already in the dungeon when Thorstein was put in it. He had been there a long time and was on the verge of death from deprivation. It was both foul­ smelling and cold there. Thorstein said to the man, “What do you think about your life?” The man replied, “It is awful, because no one wants to help me and I have no kinsmen to pay my ransom.” Thorstein said, “Many things cannot be foretold. Let us be cheerful and find something to keep our spirits high.” The man said there was nothing that could keep his spirits high. “Let us try all the same,” said Thorstein, and he began to sing songs. He had such a mighty voice that hardly anyone could compare with him, and he did not spare it. There was a public street a short way from the dungeon. Thorstein sang so loud that the walls resounded and the other man, who had been close to death before, took great joy in it. Thorstein went on singing into the evening.

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There was a noble lady called Spes who lived in the city, very rich and of a good family. Her husband was called Sigurd. He was wealthy but of lesser family than hers, and she had married him for money. There was little love between them and she felt she had married beneath her. She was proud and obtrusive. It happened that while Thorstein was keeping his spirits high by singing that eve­ ning, Spes strolled along the street near the dungeon and heard a voice so beautiful that she said she had never heard the like before. She was out with a large group of servants and told them to go there and find out who had such a fine voice. They called out and asked who had been incarcerated there. Thorstein told them his name. Then Spes said, “Are you as accomplished in other ways as you are at singing?” He said there was not much evidence of that. “What wrong have you done,” she asked, “to warrant being tormented in there?” He told her he had killed a man in order to avenge his brother. “But I couldn’t produce witnesses to prove it,” he added, “so I was put in here, unless someone would pay my ransom to free me. But I don’t think there is any chance of that, because I have no kinsmen here.” “It will be a great loss if you are killed,” said Spes. “Was the brother that you avenged such a famous man?” He said he was more than twice his own worth, and she asked him what proof there was of that. Then Thorstein spoke a verse: 71. Eight callers of the sword-meet could not remove the sword from hardy Grettir’s hand, high woman heaped with rings, until the firm-handed strappers of the scabbard chopped the shoulder-leg from the wave-horse’s rider.

callers of the sword-meet, warriors

strappers of the scabbard: swordsmen, warriors shoulder-leg: arm wave-horse, ship; its rider, seafarer

“What great qualities,” said the ones who could understand the verse. Once Spes heard this she said, “Will you accept your life from me, if there is the chance?” “I gladly will,” said Thorstein, “if my companion who is sitting in here with me is released too. Otherwise we shall stay here together.” She replied, “I expect you are more worth paying for than he is.” “Be that as it may,” said Thorstein, “either we shall leave here together or not at all.” Then she went to where the Varangians were staying and asked for Thorstein to be released, offering the money for it. They were willing to do so, and through her influence and wealth she had both men released. When Thorstein came out of the

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dungeon he went to see Spes. She took him into her household and kept him there in secret. Sometimes he went on missions with the Varangians and proved to be a man of outstanding courage in all their exploits. £ In those days, Harald Sigurdarson' was in Constantinople and Thorstein beV V came friends with him. Thorstein was considered a man of great standing now, since Spes made sure he had plenty of money. Spes was impressed by his ac­ complishments and they fell in love. She began to run very short of money, because she entertained her friends lavishly. Her husband, too, noticed a change in her and in many aspects of her behaviour, particularly in the amount she spent. He found out that gold and treasures which were in her keeping had gone missing. Once her husband Sigurd talked to her about it, saying that she had started be­ having very strangely: “You pay no heed to our wealth and squander it left and right. You look as if you are going around in a trance and are always avoiding me. I know for certain that something is going on.” She replied, “1 told you and my kinsmen when we were married that I wanted to be independent and free with all things which are seemly, which is why I am openhanded with your money. Or were you hinting at other things which might be shameful for me?” He answered, “I’m not completely free of the suspicion that you have someone whom you prefer to me.” “I don’t know that you have any grounds for that,” she said, “and I think you’re saying all this without any justification. There is no point in us talking to each other if you make such insinuations about me.” Then he dropped the subject for the time being. Spes and Thorstein went on as before and paid no heed to malicious gossip, be­ cause she trusted in her shrewdness and popularity. They would often sit talking to­ gether and enjoying themselves. One evening when they were sitting in one of the upstairs rooms where her valu­ ables were kept, she asked Thorstein to sing something, thinking that her husband was sitting drinking as usual. She locked the door. After he had been singing for a while, someone knocked at the door and called out to her to open it; her husband was there with many servants. Spes had opened up a large chest to show Thorstein her valuables, and when she realised who was there she refused to open the door. “I have a quick plan,” she said to Thorstein. “Jump into the chest and keep quiet.” He did so, and she bolted the chest and sat down on top of it. Just at that mo­ ment her husband entered the room, after he and his men had broken down the door. Spes said, “Why are you making such a commotion? Are some troublemakers chasing you?”1 1Later king

o f Norway

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Her husband replied, “It’s about time that you reveal the sort of woman you real­ ly are. Where is the man whose voice was booming just now? I expect you think he sounds better than I do.” She said, “No one is a total fool if he knows when to hold his tongue. And the same goes for you. You imagine you are so cunning and expect your lies will stick to me, but they will be put to the test now. If you’re telling the truth, then take the man, because he won’t get out through the walls or the rafters.” He searched the house and found nothing. “Why don’t you take him then,” she said, “if you’re so sure that he’s here?” Then he fell silent and was unable to work out what trick was being played on him. He asked his men whether they hadn’t heard it too. But when they saw that Spes disapproved, they would not corroborate anything, saying that sounds could easily be mistaken. Her husband left then, convinced that he was right even though he could not find the man. After that he stopped spying on his wife and her doings for a long while. Another time much later, Thorstein and Spes were sitting in the room where her husband kept his clothes; there was both cut and uncut cloth in it. She showed Thorstein many cloths and they spread them out. When they were not on their guard, her husband came along with many men and broke down the door. While they were breaking in, she bundled the cloths on top of Thorstein and was leaning up against the pile when the others entered. “Are you still going to deny that there’s a man here with you?” said her husband. “Here are some people who saw you both.” She told them not to be so excited: “You will not fail to find what is here, but leave me alone and do not push me around.” They searched the building, found nothing, and eventually gave up. Then Spes said, “It is always good to exceed people’s expectations. Obviously you could not hope to find what was not here. Won’t you admit your folly, my husband, and retract your slanders against me?” He replied, “Far from it, because I am convinced that you are genuinely guilty of the accusations I have made against you. And if you think you can clear your name, you will have to prove it.” She said she did not mind that, and they dropped the subject. After that, Thorstein was generally with the Varangians. People say he sought ad­ vice from Harald Sigurdarson and that he and Spes would never have found a solu­ tion without the benefit of his wisdom. Time went by, and Spes’s husband Sigurd announced that he would be going away on some errand. His wife did not discourage him. When her husband had left, Thorstein moved in with Spes and they spent all their time together. Her house was built projecting over the sea and several rooms had the sea below them. Spes and Thorstein always sat together there. There was a little hatch in the floor, unknown to anyone except the two of them, and they left it open in case they needed to act quickly.

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As for her husband, he did not leave at all, but went into hiding with the idea of spying on his wife. And one evening when they least suspected, they happened to be sitting enjoying themselves in the room above the sea when her husband suddenly took them by surprise with a large band of people with him. He posted several men at a window in the house and told them to see whether what he said was right. Everyone said he was telling the truth and must have been earlier, too, and they stormed the room. When they heard the noise, Spes told Thorstein, “You must go down here at all costs. Give me a signal if you manage to get clear of the buildings.” He said yes, and dived out through the hole in the floor, then Spes kicked the hatch down and it fell into place, so that there was no sign that the floor had been tampered with. Then her husband and his men entered the room. They went around searching it but found nothing, as was to be expected. The room was empty and there was nothing inside except the smooth floor and some benches. His wife sat there toying with the rings on her fingers; she ignored the men and acted as if this was none of her business. Her husband was perplexed and asked his men whether they hadn’t seen the man. They said they definitely had. Then Spes said, “This goes to prove the old saying that all things happen in threes. The same has happened to you too, Sigurd. As 1 see it, you have burst in on me three times, but are you any the wiser than you were in the beginning?” “I’m not the only one to tell the tale this time,” her husband said. “You will be given a chance to prove your innocence in the whole matter, because there is no way that I shall accept such a disgrace without recompense.” “I think you are asking the very thing I wanted to offer,” she said, “since I wel­ come the chance of clearing my name of these slanders. They have been spread so far that I shall suffer disgrace if I do not clear myself of them.” “You will likewise have to deny that you have given away our money or treas­ ures,” he said. Spes replied, “When I undertake to prove my innocence, I shall likewise clear myself on all the counts you have levelled against me. But think what the outcome will be. I shall go to see the bishop straight away tomorrow, and he can state how I can prove my complete innocence of all the slanderous words you have spoken against me.” Her husband was satisfied with this answer and left with his men. To return to Thorstein, he swam clear of the buildings and went ashore where he thought it was suitable. He took a burning log and held it up so that it could be seen from Spes’s house. She spent a long time outdoors that evening and night, wanting to know if Thorstein had made it to land. And when she saw the flame she realised that he had made it ashore, because they had agreed upon this signal. The next morning Spes invited her husband to go and discuss their situation with the bishop, and he readily agreed. They went before the bishop and her hus­ band made the same accusations about her as before. The bishop asked whether she

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had ever been accused of such things before, but no one said they had heard any­ thing. Then he asked about the grounds on which Sigurd made these accusations, and he produced some men who had seen her sitting in a locked room with a man whom he suspected of seducing her. The bishop said she was welcome to try to prove her innocence of these accusations if she wished. She said she would gladly do so. “I believe,'’ said Spes, uthat I can find plenty of women who will recommend that I may be allowed to swear to my innocence in this matter.” Then the oath was stated to her and the day decided when it should be sworn. She went home afterwards, contented, and met Thorstein to make their plans. That day passed, and the day appointed for Spes to swear her oath came V y around. She invited all her friends and kinsmen and presented herself in the finest clothes that she owned. Many elegant women went with her. The weather was very rainy, the road was wet and there was a big ditch that had to be crossed on the way to the church. And when Spes and her party reached the ditch a great crowd was waiting there, including many poor people who asked for alms, since this was a public street. All the people felt obliged to greet her as warmly as they could, and wished her well since she had often helped them kindly. Among the poor people was a beggar with a stick, a large man with a long beard. The woman stopped by the ditch, because the people of the court thought they would get dirty crossing it. Seeing that this woman was more elegantly adorned than the other women, this huge beggar spoke to her. “Good lady,” he said, “please condescend to allow me to carry you across this fen, because we beggars are obliged to serve you in such a way as we can.” “How well can you carry me,” she said, “since you can’t even support yourself?” “It would be a proof of your humility,” he said, “and I cannot offer you more than I have. Everything will turn out better for you if you do not humiliate a poor man.” “You can be sure,” she said, “that if you do not carry me properly it will cost you a flogging or even some greater disgrace.” “I shall gladly risk that,” he replied and ambled out into the ditch. She gave the impression that she expected him to carry her badly, but climbed onto his back all the same. He stumbled along slowly, walking with two crutches. When he reached the middle of the ditch, he began to wobble to all sides. She told him to make more effort - “This will be the worst journey you have ever made if you drop me here.” The wretched character plodded on and picked up strength, and made the ut­ most effort and came close to the other side. Then he stumbled and shot forwards, throwing her onto the bank but falling into the ditch himself right up to the armpits. As he lay there he grabbed at the lady but because he could not get a grip on her clothes he put his muddy hand on her knee and all over her bare thigh. 7

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She leaped up cursing him, saying that evil beggars always caused trouble - “You really deserve to be left lying there for dead, if it were not beneath my dignity to deal with such a wretched creature.” He replied, “How differently fortune favours people. I thought I was treating you well and hoped for alms from you, but all I earn is curses and abuse and nothing of any use,” and he gave the impression of being very upset. Many people pitied him, but she said he was just a conniving old man. But when many of them pleaded on his behalf, she took out her pouch which was full of gold coins. She shook out the coins and said, “Take this, old man. It would never be right if you were not paid in full for the way I have abused you. We shall part on the terms that you deserve.” He picked up the gold and thanked her for her kindness. Spes went to the church and a large crowd was waiting there. Sigurd launched into her and told her to prove herself innocent of the accusations he had made against her. She replied, “I pay no heed to your accusations. What man do you claim to have seen in the room with me? I always need men of worth near me and I do not con­ sider that shameful. But I swear that I have not given any man gold and been de­ filed by him apart from my husband and that wicked beggar who put his muddy hand on my thigh when he carried me over the ditch today.” Many people agreed that this was a full oath and that it was no flaw on her char­ acter just because an old man had unexpectedly taken a liberty with her. She said that she had to include everything that happened to her. Afterwards she swore to the oath as it now was stated. Many people said that she was proving the saying that ‘an oath should leave few things unsworn.’ She replied that she expected wise men would consider that it had dispelled all suspicion. Then her kinsmen declared that it was a great torment for women of standing to be slandered in such a way without recompense, since a woman was liable to be punished by death if she was found to have committed adultery. Spes then asked the bishop to grant her a divorce from Sigurd, saying that she did not want to put up with his slanders. Her kinsmen presented the request, and through their agency and gifts of money, the divorce was granted. Sigurd received little of their wealth and was banished from the country. In this case, as in others, the weaker were forced to yield. He did not manage to have his way even though he was in the right. Spes took charge of all their money and was considered a very forceful woman. On closer scrutiny her oath seemed suspect, and it was assumed the terms had been laid down for her by clever men. It was discovered that the beggar who had carried her over the ditch was Thorstein Dromund, but Sigurd did not manage to win redress in the matter. /N Thorstein Dromund was with the Varangian Guard while this episode was y V on everyone’s lips. He won such renown that it was felt that hardly any man of such accomplishments had ever been there. He earned great honour from

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Harald Sigurdarson, who respected their kinship,1 and it is thought that Thorstein followed his advice. Shortly after Sigurd was banished from the country Thorstein made a proposal of marriage to Spes. She answered him favourably, but referred the matter to her kins­ men. They held meetings about it and it was decided to leave the choice to her. With her kinsmen’s approval they made the settlement and remained happily mar­ ried with plenty of money. Thorstein was regarded as a man of good fortune for the way he had solved his problems. They spent two years together in Constantinople. After that, Thorstein told his wife that he wanted to go back to Norway to re­ claim his property there, and she said that the decision was his to make. He sold the property he owned and realised a good sum of money from it. Then they set off on their journey with a fine group of people and travelled all the way until they reached Norway. Thorstein’s kinsmen welcomed them both very warmly and were quick to realise how generous and magnanimous Spes was. She soon became ex­ tremely popular. They had children and stayed on their property in Norway, con­ tented with their lot. Magnus the Good was king of Norway then. Thorstein soon went to meet him and was well received, because of the great renown he had earned for avenging Grettir the Strong. Apart from Grettir Asmundarson, scarcely any instance is known of an Icelander being avenged in Constantinople. Thorstein is said to have become one of King Magnus the Good’s men. He stayed in Norway for nine years after he arrived there and both he and his wife were held in high regard. Then King Harald Sigurdarson left Constantinople and King Mag­ nus gave him a half-share in the kingdom of Norway. They were joint rulers of Nor­ way for a while. Many of the people who had been friends with King Magnus were discontented after his death. They had all liked him, but found it difficult to secure the favour of King Harald, who was harsh and vindictive. Thorstein Dromund began to show his age then, although he remained very vig­ orous. By that time, sixteen years had passed since the killing of Grettir Asmundar­ son. Many people urged Thorstein to go and meet King Harald and enter his service, but he would not agree. Then Spes said, “I don’t want you to go and see King Harald, Thorstein, because we owe a greater debt to another king and need to consider that. We are both grow­ ing old and are past our prime and have acted more on our own inclinations than on Christian teachings or the principles of righteousness. I know that this debt of ours cannot be paid either by our families or with our own wealth, but that we must give account of it ourselves. Now I want us to change our way of life and leave

yA

1 Thorstein’s ancestors in Norway were related to the royal family there, cf. Ch. 1 and Grettir's remarks to King Olaf in Chapter 39.

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this country to go and see the Pope in Rome, because I believe that my matters can be settled there.” Thorstein replied, “I am equally aware of the things you mention. It is right and appropriate for you to decide, after you let me decide when the outlook was far less promising; we shall act exactly as you prescribe.” Their decision took everyone by surprise. By now, Thorstein was two years short of sixty-five, but still very able-bodied. He summoned all his kinsmen and relatives by marriage and revealed his plans to them. Wise men approved but felt their de­ parture would be a great loss. Thorstein said that it was not certain whether they would return. ‘T want to thank you all,” he said, “for how well you safeguarded my wealth the last time I was out of the country. Now I want to invite you and ask you to take charge of my children and their inheritance, and bring them up as your qualities al­ low you to, since I have reached the age where 1 am equally likely to come back or not, even if I live. Provide for everything I leave behind here just as if I would never return to Norway.” They answered that the arrangement would be capably managed “if Thorstein’s wife stays behind to look after everything.” Then Spes said, “I travelled abroad from Constantinople with Thorstein, leaving behind both kinsmen and wealth, because I wanted both of us to meet the same fate. I have enjoyed staying here, but I am not tempted to spend a long time here in Norway or in the northern countries if he leaves. We have always been compatible and nothing has ever come between us. Now we shall go together, because we share the knowledge of what has happened from the time we first met.” When they had made those arrangements, Thorstein asked some respected men to divide up his wealth into two halves. Thorstein’s kinsmen took charge of the half that was intended for his children, who were brought up with their father’s family and developed into people of great character. A large family is descended from them in Vik. Thorstein and Spes divided up one share of their wealth and donated some to churches for the benefit of their souls, and took the rest with them. Then they set off for Rome and many people prayed for their well-being. They travelled all the way until they reached Rome. When they appeared y before the man who was appointed to hear confessions, they gave a true ac­ count of all that had happened and the clever device they had employed to contrive their marriage. They meekly offered to undertake any penitence and atonement that he wished to impose on them, but because they had made up their minds to atone for their shortcomings without any compulsion or enmity on the part of men of the church, they were released from all imposition as far as was possible, and were kindly asked to provide wisely for their souls and live pure lives thereafter, once they had been granted total absolution. They were felt to have conducted themselves wisely. Then Spes said, “At last I think that all our affairs have been well handled and

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concluded. Now we have not shared only misfortune. Since foolish men may follow the example we set earlier in our lives, we shall end them in a way that good men may emulate. Let us hire men who are gifted at working in stone, to make a stone cell for each of us so that we may atone for our transgressions against God.” Thorstein paid to have a stone cell built for each for them and provide whatever else they needed to live. When the stone cells had been built, at an appropriate time and when everything was completed, they gave up their secular life together of their own free will, in order to enjoy instead eternal life together in the world to come. They went to separate cells and lived for as long as God allotted them, and thus they ended their lives. Most people regarded Thorstein Dromund and his wife Spes as the most for­ tunate of people, considering the situation they found themselves in. None of his children or descendants is known to have ever come to Iceland. Sturla the Lawspeaker has said that he does not consider any outlaw to have y & been as distinguished as Grettir the Strong, and justifies this on three grounds. Firstly, he regards him as the wisest, since he spent the longest time in outlawry of any man and was never overcome for as long as he kept his health. Sec­ ondly, he was the strongest man in Iceland among his contemporaries, and more capable than others at laying ghosts and visitations to rest. The third reason was that, unlike any other Icelander, he was avenged in Constantinople, and what is more, the man who avenged him, Thorstein Dromund, became so exceptionally favoured by fortune in the last years of his life. Here ends the Saga of Grettir Asmundarson, our fellow countryman. Thanks be to those who have listened, but few to him who has scrawled this saga. Here is the end of this work and may we all be delivered unto God. Amen. T ra n s la te d b y B E R N A R D S C U D D E R

THE SAGA OF HORD AND THE PEOPLE OF HOLM W ritten late 14th century

H ardar saga og H ólmverja

The Saga of Hord and the People of Holm is an outlaw saga, translated from the text giv­ en in Islendinga sögur. It takes place not far from Reykjavik, in Hvalfjord and on the tiny islet ofGeirsholm near the farm Botn at the bottom of the fjord. The saga has come down to us in a vellum manuscript (AM 556 a, 4to), made in the last quarter of the fifteenth century, which also contains two more famous sagas about outlaws, the Saga of Grettir the Strong and Gisli Sursson’s Saga. The story of Hord Grimkelsson and the people of Holm was known in the thirteenth century and referred to in several texts from that time. Schol­ ars are divided, however, about whether these references are allusions to written or oral ver­ sions of the saga. Our saga in its extant form was probably composed late in the saga­ writing period, about a hundred years after the earliest allusions to it. The foreign adventures of Hord, culminating in his marrying the daughter of an earl, in­ clude motifs familiar from the legendary sagas, such as receiving a magic sword from Odin, breaking into a burial mound, and recovering priceless and semi-magical treasure. How­ ever, there is also a place for magic, sorcery and communion with the pagan gods in the Ice­ landic setting of the saga, which hints at the hero's involvement in a tangled web of super­ natural forces that are playing out their final moves before the coming of a new religion.

Most of Iceland was settled in the days of Harald Fair-hair. People would not en­ dure his oppression and tyranny, especially those who belonged to aristocratic families and who had ambition and good prospects. They would rather leave their property in Norway than suffer aggression and injustice - whether from a king or from anyone else. Bjorn Gold-bearer was one of these. He travelled from Orkadal to Iceland, and settled South Reykjadal, which was between the rivers Grimsa and Flokadalsa, and lived at Gullberastadir. He had sons called Svarthofdi, Geirmund and Thjostolf who do not come into this story. Bjorn’s oldest son was named Grimkel. He was both big and strong. Bjorn Goldbearer became a powerful and wealthy man. Grimkel Bjarnarson asked for the hand of Rannveig Thorbjarnardottir from Arnarholt. Her father Thorbjorn was the

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brother of Lyting, who was the father of Geitir at Krossavik. They married, but lived together no more than three years before she died of a fatal illness. They had a daughter who was named Thurid. She was brought up by a man named Sigurd Snout, who lived at Fell. She was a fine-looking woman, skilled with her hands, and somewhat harsh-tempered. Even so she was popular. Grimkel first lived in the south at Fjoll not far from the lake Olfusvatn. The place is called Grimkelsstadir and is a sheep pen now. He was a godi over an ex­ tensive region. He was wealthy and a powerful chieftain but was said not to be in every respect a just man. He moved his household to Olfusvatn after the death of his wife because that seemed to him to be better land. He lived there from then on for the rest of his life. He was called Grimkel the Godi. There was a man named Hogni who lived in Hagavik near Olfusvatn. His wife was named Thorbjorg. They had a daughter named Gudrid. She was a goodlooking and popular woman. Hogni was low-born but was a capable person none­ theless, while his wife Thorbjorg was from a considerably more important family. However, they got on very well together. Hogni owned a lot of property. There was a man named Valbrand who lived at Breidabolstad in North Reykjadal. He was the son of Valthjof the Old. Valbrand’s son was named Torfi. The father and son shared a godord. Torfi was a shrewd man and widely known. A man grew up with them whose name was Sigurd Gunnhildarson. He was related to Torfi and was called Sigurd Torfi’s Foster-son. He was a very promising man and adept at most feats of skill. Valbrand had a second child, a daughter named Signy. She had been married to Thorgeir of Midfell, the son of Finn Halldorsson the Wealthy. Finn’s father Halldor was the son of Hogni. Thorgeir had died by the time this story took place. He and Signy had a son named Grim, a promising man who grew up with his mother. Signy lived at Signyjarstadir, near Breidabolstad. She had a strong character and was quick spoken, proud, and hard-hearted in everything. A man grew up there with her who was named Grim. He was called Grim the Short. He was Signy’s foster-son and a man of importance, astute and sagacious about most things. Koll Kjallaksson lived then at Lund in South Reykjadal. He was an important chieftain.

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A man named Thorvald lived at Vatnshorn in Skorradal. He was big and strong. His wife was named Thorgrima and she was called Craftswoman. She was adept at sorcery. Their son was named Indridi, a big and promising man. Thor­ grima outlived her husband, and when she became a widow she lived at Hvamm in Skorradal. She became wealthy and powerful. It is said that one summer, as he often did, Grimkel the Godi rode to the Things and that one day he walked from his booth with a large group of people to the booth of Valbrand, and went in. Valbrand received him warmly, because Grimkel was known to him previously. They sat down and began to talk.

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Grimkel said, “I have been assured, Valbrand, that you have a daughter called Signy who is an outstanding person. I want to ask for her hand if you will marry her to me.” Valbrand answered, “We know that you come from a good family, are well to do, and that you are a warrior. I want to respond favourably to this.” The conclusion of their talk was that Valbrand betrothed his daughter Signy to Grimkel the Godi and that the wedding was to be held in the fifth month of sum­ mer south at Olfusvatn. Torfi Valbrandsson was not at the Thing, and when Valbrand came home he told his son the news. Torfi answered, “You think my advice has little value if you don’t ask for it, and in fact I do not consider the marriage that you have arranged for your daughter to be as worthy as you do. It will not be a source of great happiness for Signy when the man is both old and tyrannical.” Torfi spoke this verse: 1.

The old seeker o f sword’s w ound-storm gave the brooch-bearer to Grimkel in marriage. Som e such is what I heard. The sim pleton took wealth, ease, joy from the goddess’s gem. I expect that the old one will be o f small use to her.

w o u n d -sto r m : b a ttle ; its seeker, w a r r io r brooch-bearer, w o m a n

g o d d e ss’s gem : w o m a n

Signy now learned of her marriage arrangements and was not impressed. And when the siblings Torfi and Signy met, he expressed his opposition to the engage­ ment. “There is great love between us,” he said. “I don’t want you to marry out of the district, taking your property away.” She answered, “I can see a good plan here, brother. Don’t break up the engage­ ment and I will hand all of my property over to you, so that you shall pay the dowry my father has agreed on, and there will certainly be twenty hundreds left. I will give it to you as a token of friendship, except for the two treasures I value most. One is my fine pendant that I wear on a necklace and the other is my horse Svartfaxi.” Torfi said he was well-pleased and wished her happiness. Now people got ready for the wedding trip. Koll from Lund was invited to the wedding as someone most distinguished. The father and son asked him to ride at the head of the party of guests because Valbrand was so old that he lacked the will to go, and Torfi refused to go. Koll undertook the journey with the bride, and they were thirty people altogether. They spent the night at Thverfell in South Reykjadal. Grim the Short, Signy’s foster-son, was responsible for taking care of the horses

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during the stay, and in the morning when he rounded them up he did not find Signy’s horse Svartfaxi. Grim then went to look north, over the ridge towards Flokadal. He followed tracks in the dew. He found the horse dead in an eroded gul­ ly down in the valley. He took the fetter off that he had had on him overnight, and went back and told Signy that her fine horse was dead and how it had happened. She answered, “That is an uncanny evil from which no good will come. I want to turn back and go no further.” Koll said that could not be done and that it would never do to break off a trip of this sort for such a reason. And it had to be as Koll wanted it. They all went on togeth­ er until they got to Olfusvatn, where Grimkel already had a large number of guests from the neighbourhood. It was a splendid feast and went on in grand fashion. When the party was over Koll and the other guests left, and Signy stayed behind with Thordis, her foster-mother, and Grim the Short. Grimkel gave Koll fine gifts and spoke in friendship with him, but considered the father and son to have shown unmistakable contempt for their agreement by not attending the wedding. He learned of Torfi’s verse and could not do anything about it. A coolness developed between them. Grimkel was stubborn and Signy was reserved. The coolness grew because they could not make friends in common, except for Grim the Short. He was able to please them both. And thus passed the first year. Grim the Short spoke to Signy in the spring. He said he wanted to leave. “It is hard going between the two of you,” he said, “and for that reason it is best to part while you both think well of me.” Signy said, “Speak to Grimkel about it first and follow his advice, because then you will get better terms. I very much want you to have a good settlement and I be­ lieve he is well-disposed towards you.” Now Grim did so and spoke to the master, saying he wanted to leave if he would agree to it. Grimkel answered, “It is my opinion that you should stay here. You will have bet­ ter terms than before because you need Signy a lot, and we need you to improve our temperaments.” And so Grim arranged it that he stayed on for another summer and winter and they were both well-pleased with him. But the next spring Grim told the farmer that he wanted to leave for certain, and Grimkel spoke strongly against it. “Then ask for the hand of Gudrid Hognadottir for me,” said Grim, “if you want me here with you.” Grimkel answered, “You are becoming quite superior. There is a great difference in rank here. You are poor and Hogni is a very wealthy man.” Grim said, “You could easily arrange it though.” Grimkel answered, “I can try.” He went to Hagavik and was warmly welcomed there. He asked for Gudrid’s hand on behalf of Grim: “It can be said of the man that he is wise and is accomplished in many skills. He would be a useful neighbour and

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would get a lot done where it was appropriate. You are getting older> and it seems to me that such a son-in-law would be convenient.” Hogni answered, uYou have often sought greater honour for me than this, but the mother and daughter shall have the most to say about it.” Grimkel said that they would not have to put up much money: “Nothing shall be more important here than that you yourself advise your daughter for me, and I have a strong hunch that Grim will be a capable man.” There is no need to say more here. The conclusion of their discussion was that Grim won Gudrid. Their wedding was held at Olfusvatn and went very well. They lived together happily. They stayed for the winter and each was very pleased with the other. But in the spring Grim and his wife wanted to leave. He told Signy, but she told him to speak to Grimkel, and said that everything would work out for the best if he let Grimkel decide. Then he raised with the farmer the subject of his wanting to leave. Grimkel answered, “I think it is best to make this easy for you, and to let you de­ cide for yourself, because it is likely that you will become a good farmer.” Grim then bought land south of Kluftir which he named Grimsstadir and where he lived from then on. Grimkel provided Grim with all the household goods and Hogni paid for the land. Grim was soon making lots of money. The livestock in­ creased as though there were two heads on everything he owned, and it was not long until he was considered to be among the best farmers. It is said that Signy Valbrandsdottir had a dream, in which she saw a big tree in Grimkefs and her bed, very beautiful and with such huge roots that they reached all the buildings on the farm, but the tree did not seem to her to have as many leaves as she would have liked. She told her dream to Thordis her foster-mother, who interpreted it to mean that she and Grimkel would have a child who would be great and honourable. She said she believed it would be a boy, “and many people will think highly of him for his accomplishments, but it would not surprise me if by the end his condition was not the most flourishing, because the big tree did not seem to have as many leaves as you wanted it to. And it is not certain that he will be much loved by most of his rel­ atives.”

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A little later Signy gave birth to a baby boy. He was named Hord. He soon grew to be big and promising but not especially well-developed at first, for at three years of age he could still not walk by himself. People thought it was strange and in­ auspicious, as outstanding as he was in every other respect. On the day when a sacrifice was held at the temple at Olfusvatn - Grimkel was a devoted worshipper of the gods - Signy sat in her chair in the middle of the main room floor. She was getting ready, and her fine pendant lay in her lap. The boy Hord stood by the bench along the wall and then walked for the first time from the

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bench to his mother, stumbling into her knees. The pendant flew off onto the floor and broke into three pieces. Signy was furious and said, “Your first walking turned out badly and many evil ones will follow it, and yet the worst will be the last.” She spoke a verse: 2. He broke before the woman the fine pendant o f giant’s speech. I doubt that any man can ever compensate the lady. The young gold-yearner’s first walk went not well. Worse will be each one after, although harshest the last.

giant's speech: gold

gold-yeamer. man (boy)

At that moment Grimkel came into the main room and heard what she had spoken. He silently picked up the boy, extremely angry over her words, and spoke a verse: 3. The reacher for riches has possessed a poor mother. The woman’s first child, new walking, has suffered from the hateful words a sea-fire’s seeker will feel. People’s censure lives longer than some peerless men.

reacher for riches: man (boy)

sea-fire: gold; its seeker, man

So angry had Grimkel become that he would not have the boy at home. He went to visit Grim and Gudrid and asked them to take Hord and bring him up. They said they wanted to very much and received him happily, considering it a blessing. The winter before Grim and Gudrid had had a son whom they named Geir. He was soon big and promising and adept at most feats of skill, although he fell short of Hord in everything. They grew up together and were soon on loving terms. Signy was now less content than ever, and things were much cooler between Grimkel and her than before. Yet she dreamed that she saw a tree as large as before, with enormous roots, many limbs and covered with leaves. That dream her fostermother also interpreted as their having a child, a daughter from whom a large fam­ ily would be descended, which the tree with many limbs represented, “and where you saw it covered with leaves is symbolised a religious conversion to come, and her progeny will follow the faith that will be proclaimed then and will be better.” After the Thing in the summer Signy asked Grimkel to let her go north to her relatives. He said he would allow it but that she should not be gone longer than half a month.

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Two farmhands went with her, and Thordis her foster-mother. They rode north to Reykjadal. Torfi received them warmly and asked her to stay there for the winter or else he would consider it a lack of love for him. She said she had permission to be away only half a month and no longer. Torfi said that did not matter. She gave in then to his pleading and urging. They went to feasts in the winter, and when they were at a party down at Baer, Signy’s foster-mother suddenly died. She was buried at Thordisarholt, which is near Baer. That was a great blow to Signy, and they went back afterward to Breidabolstad. And a little later Signy became very ill as she was about to give birth, and the progress of her labour was very grave. Torfi spoke to her, saying that he had been apprehensive about her marriage and had been opposed to Grimkel all along. She said that it was not unlikely to have an important outcome. She gave birth to a large, healthy girl. Torfi would not let the baby be sprinkled with water until they knew whether Signy would live. She died there at once in the bed. Then Torfi was so furious that he wanted the child exposed. He told Sigurd his foster-son to take the child and to go with it to the river Reykjadalsa and kill it. Sig­ urd said that would be an evil thing to do, but he could not bring himself to refuse him. Sigurd took the baby up and set out on his way. The child looked so promis­ ing to him that he could not bear to throw it out into the river. He then turned up towards Signyjarstadir and laid the child down there in a gateway, thinking it would soon be found. Grim the farmer, Signy’s son, stood out in front of the house and saw it. He went over and picked the child up and took her home with him. He had his wife Helga pretend to go into labour and to say that she had given birth to this little girl. He had her sprinkled with water and named Thorbjorg. Grim went from his house over to Breidabolstad. He saw a large number of peo­ ple walking out of the yard. It was Signy’s funeral procession. Torfi told Grim about his mother’s death: “And I would like to turn everything over to you, although we should be paying Grimkel the amount due him. But we still want to do well by you.” Grim told him that was well said. Then they buried Signy and parted. Then Grim and Sigurd met. Sigurd said he knew that Torfi would be angry with him when he learned that he had spared the child’s life. “I have an idea about that,” said Grim. “1 shall see that you get out of the country and thus reward you for your fortunate experience.” And so he did. He sent Sigurd south to Eyrar and provided him with two horses, one with a pack on it. And from there he went abroad. The next day Torfi came to Signyjarstadir and asked why Helga was in bed, say­ ing he had not heard she was ill. Then he recognised the child next to her and said, “You and Grim have grown very bold if you dare to raise the child that I ordered to be exposed.” Helga answered, “This child was nearly related to Grim, and there was a justifica­ tion for his saving its life.”

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Then Torfi asked where Grim was. She said he had gone out to the farmhands. Torfi went out and met Grim. Torfi carried on terribly and said Grim had become inexcusably bold and asked what he knew about Sigurd, saying that he deserved punishment for disobeying his orders, and insisted that Grimkel had earned such contemptuous treatment from him. Grim said that he had sent Sigurd west to the fjords to board a ship. Torfi was furious at that. He took the little girl but would not have her killed be­ cause it was called murder to kill children after they had been sprinkled with water. He kept the little girl at home, handing her over to a slave woman to be nursed, but would not give her anything for clothing nor reduce the woman’s work. There was a man named Sigmund. He went round the country begging with his wife and son, who was named Helgi. They usually stayed in the guest house where they were, unless Sigmund was in the main house entertaining. That same autumn they came to Breidabolstad. Torfi received them well and said to them, “You shall not stay in the guest house, because I find you have a pleasing and rather lucky look about you, Sig­ mund.” He answered, “You would not be seeing amiss if you saw it that way.” Torfi said that he wanted to do him an honour, “because I will accept the foster­ ing of a child from you.” Sigmund answered, “There is an inequality between us, even though I foster your child, because it is said that he is the inferior who fosters another’s child.” Torfi said, “You shall take the little girl to Olfusvatn.” Sigmund agreed to do it. He received Thorbjorg, fastened her onto his back and then left. Torfi meant to do this only to disgrace Grimkel, thinking that this man was well-suited to carry the little girl around as a vagrant. Also he did not want to risk a better man than Sigmund because if the man brought the baby to him it would be just like Grimkel to consider some kind of revenge. Sigmund now had plenty of good places to stay because wherever the little girl went everyone felt obliged to treat her well and those who came with her, and for that reason Sigmund wanted to take the longest route. He travelled out around Andakil and Melahverfi and then along the coast all around Reykjanes and back through Grindavik and Olfus. One evening Sigmund and the others arrived at Olfusvatn. Sigmund was wet and ice-covered. He sat down just inside the door, while Grimkel sat on his bed with a sword across his knees. He asked who was there. Sigmund answered, “Sigmund is here, your child’s foster-father, good master, and Thorbjorg your daughter. She is the finest of children.” Grimkel spoke: “Listen to what the tramp says! You, the most miserable of vaga­ bonds, the foster-father of my child! Torfi’s hatred of me takes many forms. First he killed the mother and now he drives the child into beggary from house to house.” Grimkel then spoke a verse:

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4. Torfi was not slow to kill the prop o f needlework. He truly dishonours this blade-breaker in every way. The swordsman has sent this goddess o f the silver urn wrongfully into vagrancy. The grief is to be repaid.

prop of needlework: woman blade-breaker, warrior goddess of the silver urm girl

Grimkel knew Torfi’s scheme and therefore would not have the little girl there. Grimkel told Sigmund to get out at once unless he wanted a beating or something even worse. They had to leave immediately and take the little girl with them. They went around Grimsnes and Laugardal and neglected the baby now, because they did not know whether they would ever get rid of her. They ran out of good places to stay. Sigmund now realised that he had swallowed the bait when he accepted the child from Torfi. One day they came to Grimsstadir at breakfast time. They told Grim that they had a baby with them. Grim said that he wanted to see the young child “that people are talking so much about.” Sigmund said that it was a lot of trouble to loosen the baby’s bindings and that it would not be easy to comfort her afterwards. Grim said they should not worry about that. Then the child was unbound and shown to Grim. Then he said, “Surely, this is Signy’s child, with her eyes. She would expect me not to allow her child to go house to house if I could prevent it. But Torfi wants to bring dishonour on all of this baby’s kinsmen, even himself. Now, Sigmund, I will take this child from you and relieve you of this inconvenience.” That made him very happy. They stayed there that day and then went down across Botn heath. Many people predicted that Grim would put himself in danger from Grimkel the Godi in this affair on account of his over-reaching. About the time of the Moving Days, Grimkel the Godi rode south from home to Hjalli in Olfus and then east to Arnarbaeli and up along Floi to Oddgeirsholar, from there to Grimsnes, spent the night at Laugardal, and then home. Be­ cause Grimkel held the office of godi over this whole district, he summoned all of the farmers he met to assemble at Midfell after two nights had passed. Sixty of his thingmen came to Midfell. Grimkel told them about his pressing case against Torfi and said that he intended to take a trip to summon him. That was understandable to everyone. They rode past Gjabakki to Kluftir and past the glacier Ok, and then along the lower way by Augastadir and thus to Breidabolstad. Torfi was not at home, having gone up into Hvitarsida. Grimkel charged Torfi with plotting to kill

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Thorbjorg and for recovery of Signy’s dowry. He referred the case to the Althing and then rode home. Few things were now more talked about than the case of Grimkel and Torfi. When Grim the Short heard about this he went from home over to Reykjavik to meet with Thorkel Moon, the Lawspeaker. Their conversation turned to the dispute between Grimkel and Torfi. Grim asked how he thought it might turn out between them. He said the prospects were not good when such ambitious people were in­ volved. Grim said, ‘T wish very much that you would take a part in reconciling them, be­ cause you are both wise and kind.” Thorkel answered, “Your request is nobly and virtuously pursued, and for that reason I would like to have a part in bringing about a settlement.” Grim said, “I will pay you for reconciling them.” He poured out into his lap a hundred of silver and thanked him for his promise to try to reconcile them. Thorkel said he was acting nobly, “but understand that I am giving you hope of a settlement but not promising it.” Grim answered, “When you give hope it is worth more than when other men firmly promise.” After this Grim went on his way. Time passed until the Althing. Both sides came with a large number of men. Grim was at the Thing. He went to see Thorkel Moon and asked him to try to seek a settlement, saying that he could earn great honour if he were able to recon­ cile the two leaders. Thorkel now did so. He went first to find Grimkel the Godi and broached the subject with him. Grimkel answered, “I can say in a few words that for all our disputes and Torfi’s hatred of me I will have no one’s settlement but my own, unless it can be under­ stood at the outset that he pay me no less than the price of thirty-six hundreds of homespun cloth” Then Thorkel offered to arbitrate between them: “And you will be able to see how important this is, as fighting inevitably erupts if you do not reach an agree­ ment. We will support those who more closely follow our words and respect them. That is more valuable than what is at stake between you two.” Grimkel then said, “In that case I consent that Thorkel judge the case. He is re­ nowned for his justice.” Torfi now saw that nothing else would do and said that he too consented. Thorkel said, “It is my declaration and settlement that Torfi pay Grimkel the val­ ue of eighteen hundreds of homespun, but that he have this amount on loan for six years, at the end of which time he pay the value of thirty-six hundreds.” He declared this to be what seemed most just to him. Grimkel answered, “I will accept this settlement because I agreed to abide by it, and yet the case seems to me to have been greatly reduced. My son Hord shall have this money as an inheritance from his mother.”

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Torfi said he would not pay Hord the money unless he grew up to be a better man than his father was. Grimkel said that it could not be known for sure how this would turn out, but that it would not be to Hord’s advantage if the proverb held true that men grew up to be most like their maternal uncles, “because you do not restrict yourself to hu­ man form and it seems to me he would be worse off to have that from you than not.” Then there was a lot of shouting. Neither side was pleased by the settlement but nominally it was maintained. That year passed and then another. Then Grimkel asked for the hand of Sigrid Thorbjarnardottir of Skalmarnes. His proposal was well-received because he was considered distinguished and aristocratic, although he was somewhat in decline. She was promised to him. Their wedding was held at Grimkel’s home at Olfusvatn. It was a magnificent, well-conducted wedding. Their life together was good. Grim­ kel lived now in peace. \ \ A man named Illugi lived at Holm on Akranes. He was the son of Hrolf the AA Geitlander, son of Ulf, son of Grim the Halogalander. Illugi’s brother was Solvi, the father of Thord, who was the father of Magnus the priest at Reykjaholt. The sister of Illugi was Halldora, the wife of Gizur the White, the mother of Vilborg, who was the mother of Jorunn, the mother of Gudrun, the mother of Einar, the father of Magnus the Bishop. Illugi was a big strong man and very rich. He went on a courting trip to Olfusvatn and asked for the hand of Thurid, Grimkel’s daughter by his first wife. Grimkel was satisfied with the proposal because he was acquainted with Illugi. The betrothal was announced then and there. Hord was not present at the making of this contract. The wedding was to be held at Olfusvatn at the end of hay-time. And when the time came Illugi arranged a party of thirty people to travel to the wedding. With him was Thorstein Ox-goad of Saurbaer, a great farmer, and Thormod from Brekka on Hvalfjardarstrond. They went across the fjord to Kjalarnes and north of Mosfell and then up by Vilborgarkelda, from there to Jorukleif and then to Hagavik and so to Olfusvatn, where they arrived early in the morning. Illugi said, “Where is Hord - I don’t see him - or wasn’t he invited?” Grimkel said that an invitation would be understood, “but I did not mention it to him specifically.” Illugi answered, “Well, it isn’t suitable not to have him here.” He rode to Grimsstadir. The door was shut. They knocked, and Geir came to the door. He asked who was there. Illugi said who it was and asked for Hord. Geir said he was inside. Illugi said, “Ask him to come out because I want to talk to him.” Geir went in and came out saying that Hord was in bed and was ill. Illugi went in because Hord would not come out. Illugi asked, “What kind of illness do you have, Hord?”

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He said that it was not much. Illugi said, “I would really like you to come to my wedding with me and give me your friendship.” Hord said that he might have mentioned it earlier if it was that important to him: “I will certainly not go, because you have consulted me little in this mat­ ter.” Illugi could get nothing from Hord except strong words. He rode away with mat­ ters standing thus. A little while later Geir said to Hord, “It would be more honourable if we went to the wedding. I will get our horses.” Hord said he did not like it. Geir said, “Go for the sake of my asking it and of your honour.” Hord now did so. They rode after the others. And when they met, Illugi was cheerful, showing no response to Hord’s strong language. They rode to the wedding and were well-received. Hord sat at Illugi’s side. The feast was magnificent and wellconducted. They all rode away from the feast together as far as Vilborgarkelda. There the roads divided. Then Illugi said, “Now we must part, Hord, and I would like the friendship be­ tween us to be good. Here is a shield I want to give you.” Hord answered, “Grim, my foster-father, has plenty of pieces of wood,” and spoke a verse: 5.

The generous soldier gave me a shield that was no good. He will need this servant in the storm of battle. Let the wise warrior, oath-breaker and ring-spender, who loves my golden goddess have his treasure for himself.

golden goddess: woman (i.e. sister)

Illugi then said, “Then accept this ring in friendship with me if you will not have the shield.” Hord accepted the ring. It was a costly object. “I don’t know,” said Hord, “why I think you won’t keep your faith as my broth­ er-in-law, but we’ll see how it turns out.” They parted then with few words of farewell but reconciled for the time be­ ing. When Hord came home he said to Thorbjorg, “I want to give you this ring that Illugi gave me because I love you more than anyone else. Remember this gift after my death, because I know that you will live longer than I.” Thorbjorg answered and spoke this verse:

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6. Should I learn that you be slain with weapons or fallen in battle, to that man my bitter counsels shall truly be a sentence o f death.

Hord was twelve years old at this point in the story. He was then the equal in strength of the strongest men in the neighbourhood. Time passed until Geir was sixteen years old and Hord was fifteen. He was then a head taller than most other men. He could not be deceived by illusions because he saw everything just as it was. He had a superb head of hair, great bodily strength, was a fine swimmer and endowed with every kind of skill. He had a light complex­ ion and fair hair. His face was broad and full, with a hooked nose, keen blue eyes that were somewhat staring, broad-shouldered, narrow-waisted, deep-chested, with small hands and feet and well-proportioned in every way. Geir was somewhat less strong, although almost no one was his equal. He was a great athlete, though he could never be a match for Hord. Y O That same summer a ship came into Eyrar. It was owned by a man named h Z j Brynjolf Thorbjarnarson, the son of Grjotgard, from Vik in Norway. There were thirty men on board. They arrived before the Thing. Brynjolf rode to the Thing and stayed in the booth of Grimkel the Godi. He frequently said that he was curious to see Hord, “because I have heard so much,” he said, “about his good looks and ability.” And it happened that Hord came to the Thing, together with Geir, since they were inseparable. A wonderful affection existed between those foster-brothers be­ cause they differed in neither word nor deed. Brynjolf and they now met. They got along well. Brynjolf said that what he had heard of Hord’s size and good looks had not been exaggerated. “It seems to me, Hord,” said Brynjolf, “that you are well-suited to travel abroad and to be in the company of distinguished men. I want to be friends with you and to give you half of my ship.” Hord said, “You are taking a lot on your hands with an unknown man, and yet I want to answer this offer of yours favourably, but not promise to go abroad before 1 know what my travelling goods and equipment are, because as things stand I have very little.” Geir said, “That is a great offer, foster-brother, and it seems to me to be a prom­ ising idea. I am all in favour.” Hord said, “I am unwilling to ask Grimkel for a contribution.” Geir told him he should not be, “because he loves you very much. Now I wish

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you would be resolute in these plans and also that you would accept with thanks what Brynjolf offers you.” Then they went home from the Thing. And when Hord got home he told his sister Thorbjorg. She said that Brynjolf must be a decent person. Geir continued to urge the journey abroad. ‘T think,” he said, “that you should take Helgi Sigmundarson as your man­ servant.” Thorbjorg answered, “I’d like to persuade you not to, because it seems to me that Sigmund’s whole family is unlucky. The grief will never leave my heart that I suf­ fered when they took me begging from house to house.” Hord answered, “I care very little for Helgi, because we have endured an enor­ mous disgrace on account of them,” and spoke this verse: 7. That sorrow I allude to in the soul of Thorbjorg is the most in the memory o f many people, when her mother’s brother bade Sigmund bring her up —the goddess of gold — in homeless vagrancy.

goddess of gold: woman, girl

Helgi kept asking to go and Geir pleaded his case. Before they would let up, the conclusion was that Helgi should go with them, and Hord said that their poor judgement would be easier to see later on. After this Hord asked Grimkel for capital, mentioning sixty hundreds of homespun cloth, of which twenty would be striped. Grimkel said, “In this your arrogance and greed are quite apparent.” He went away without saying more. Grimkel’s wife Sigrid said his silence was assent, “because that must be close to what he himself had intended as merchandise.” Thus it was done. They took all of the wares to Sigurd Snout at Fell, went to sea with Brynjolf immediately that summer, and landed safely at Bergen. •Í

King Harald Grey-cloak then ruled Norway. They looked for lodging and found it with the help of Brynjolf, who did his best for them in every way. One day when Brynjolf had ridden inland, Geir went out walking alone. He was wearing a homespun cloak. Geir saw where a group of men was approaching, one of whom was wearing a black cape. They soon met. They asked him his name. Geir told them the truth and asked who they were. The leader said his name was Arnthor and that he was the treasurer for Gunnhild, the Mother of Kings. They de­ manded that Geir sell them his cloak, but he would not sell it. Then one of them seized the cloak from him. Geir was left standing there, his hand on his sword. They laughed hard and mocked him and said the Icelander had not held on to the

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cloak. He grew angry, both with their mockery and with losing the cloak. He sud­ denly grabbed the cloak and they pulled on it violently for several moments. Arnthor reached out for the cloak, intending to snatch it from him. At this Geir drew his sword and struck Arnthor’s arm above the elbow so that it was severed. He took the cloak and went back to his lodgings, because the others were too startled to act. His sheath was left behind. They looked after Arnthor because he was faint from bleeding. When Geir came home, Hord asked why there was blood on his sword. Geir told him what had happened. Hord answered, uWhat you did was called for. Being passive now won’t get us anywhere.” Arnthor was faint from bleeding and fell into the arms of those who were with him. He died a little later of the haemorrhage. Hord then sent for the Icelanders who were there. There was Tind Hallkelsson, the brother of Illugi the Black. They moved quickly and came to meet with Hord, and there were twenty-four altogether. Horns sounded the alarm in the town, and word was sent to the king that one of the retainers had been killed. The king came quickly and told them to hand over Geir, “because he has killed my ftiend and my mother’s treasurer.” Hord answered, “It would be dishonourable for us to surrender our man to your weapons. We will offer you self-judgement for the man, provided that Geir is spared in life and limb.” Brynjolf returned as they were talking and said, “My lord, please accept money for the man and bear in mind your honour and my friendship, because many men would lose their lives before Geir was killed.” The king answered, “For your words, Brynjolf, I will settle this with Geir and ac­ cept compensation for myself, but not for my mother.” Brynjolf thanked him. He paid all of the money for Geir and gave the king fine gifts besides, because he was wealthy and a decent person. When the king had left, Brynjolf said, “I can’t risk keeping you here, on account of Gunnhild. I will send you east to Vik for safety and support with Thorbjorn my father.” Hord answered, “I will trust your guidance because you are a decent person.” They went quickly east to Vik. Thorbjorn received them warmly on account of a message from his son. They were treated very well there and were considered to be excellent men. It did not seem to most people that Helgi improved Hord’s disposi­ tion. At the beginning of winter Brynjolf came east and they all stayed there togeth­ er in friendship. In the spring Thorbjorn told Hord and the others that he wanted to send them east to Gotland “to my friend Earl Harald, with an identifying token, because I know that Gunnhild will be here soon and then I cannot protect you against her.” Hord said that he and his son should make the decisions. Then they got their ship ready.

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W ' When they were ready, the foster-brothers parted from the father and son in A A great friendship, headed east to Gotland, and came to the household of Earl Harald. He received them well when he had seen the tokens from his friend Thorbjorn. The earl had a son named Hroar who was out raiding and a daughter named Helga, a very good-looking woman. Earl Harald had Hord sit next to him at the ta­ ble in his son Hroar’s place. They were there over the summer. In the autumn Hroar returned from raiding. He was welcomed joyously. Hord moved from his place at the table. Soon a fast friendship grew up between Hord and Hroar. Time passed until Yule. And when people had sat down on the first evening of Yule, Hroar stood up and said, “I step here onto the bench and make this solemn vow, that I will have broken into the burial mound of Soti the Viking before another Yule comes.” The earl said, “A big vow, and you will need help to fulfil it. Soti was a great troll in life and more so by half now that he is dead.” Hord stood up and said, “Would it be proper to follow your customs? I make this vow, to go with you into Soti’s mound and not leave before you do.” Geir made this vow, to follow Hord whether he went there or somewhere else and never to part from him unless Hord wished it. Helgi also made this vow, to fol­ low Hord and Geir wherever they went if he could and to consider no one their su­ perior while they both lived. Hord answered, “It is not certain that there will be a long time between our deaths. Give careful thought to not being the cause of both of our deaths and of more people’s besides.” “I will occupy myself with that,” said Helgi. The earl thought highly of Hord and said he had the greatest expectation of his son Hroar’s achieving prestige when Hord was involved. "f Ö And when spring came, Hroar prepared to go, in a party of twelve men, to SoA w ti’s mound. They rode through a dense forest. And in a certain place Hord saw where a little hidden path went off from the forest road. He rode along that path until he came to a clearing. There he saw a building, large and ornamented. A man stood outside in a black striped hooded tunic. He greeted Hord by name. He returned a friendly answer and asked what his name was, “because I don’t know you, although you seem acquainted with me.” “My name is Bjorn,” the man said, “and I recognised you as soon as I saw you al­ though I have never seen you before. I was a friend of your kinsmen and you shall benefit from that. I know that you intend to break open Soti the Viking’s mound, but that won’t work if you have to manage it on your own. And if it turns out as I suspect, that you don’t succeed in breaking into the mound, then visit me.” Then they parted. Hord rode to meet Hroar. They came to the mound early in the day and began breaking into it, and by evening they had reached wood. But the next day it was as whole as it had been before. The same thing happened the second day. Hord then rode to see Bjorn and told him how matters stood.

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“It happened," said Bjorn, “the way I thought it would, because I was not igno­ rant of what a monstrous troll Soti was. Now here is a sword that I will give you. Drive it into the hole in the mound and then find out whether it closes up again or not.” Then Hord went back to the mound. Hroar said he wanted to leave, “and have no more to do with this fiend.” Others urged this too. Hord then answered, “It is no good not fulfilling a man's vow. Let’s keep trying.” The third day they set to breaking into the mound. Again they reached wood as before. Hord drove the sword that Bjorn had given him into the opening. They went to sleep for the night, and came back in the morning, and nothing had changed there. The fourth day they broke all of the long timbers, and the fifth day they opened the door. Hord told the men to be careful of the gust of bad air that would blow out of the mound, and he himself stood behind the door while the stench was at its worst. Two men died instantly from the foulness that blew out. They had been curious and had not heeded Hord’s advice. Hord then said, “Who wants to go into the mound? It seems to me that he should who swore a vow to take on Soti.” Hroar did not say anything then. And when Hord saw that no one was ready to go into the mound, he drove in two rope pegs. “Now,” he said, “I will go into the mound if I can then have three objects that I choose out of the mound.” Hroar said that it would be all right as far as he was concerned and they all agreed. Hord then said, “I want you to hold the rope, Geir, because I have the most faith in you.” After that Hord went into the mound and Geir held the rope. Hord did not find any treasure in the mound and told Geir that he wanted him to come into the mound with him and to bring fire and wax, “because they each have great powers,” he said. “Ask Hroar and Helgi to hold onto the rope.” They did so and Geir went down into the mound. Hord finally found a door, and they broke it down. Then there was a great earthquake and the lights went out. A terrible stench rushed out. There in the side mound was a faint glimmering. Then they saw a ship with much treasure in it. Soti sat in the prow and was horrible to look at. Geir stood in the doorway while Hord approached to take the treasure. Soti spoke this verse: 8. Why so eager, Hord, to break into the mound-dweller’s house though Hroar asked it? I have never done you, sword-swinger,

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an injury in m y life.

Hord spoke: 9. To find the denizen I did it, and from the ghost to snatch old riches. Everyone agrees that there is probably not, in the whole world, a worse man w ho wields a weapon.

Then Soti sprang up and ran at Hord. There was a fierce fight, from which Hord was seriously weakened. Soti grabbed so strongly that Hord’s flesh bunched togeth­ er in knots. Hord asked Geir to light the wax candle and find out how Soti reacted to it. And when the light shone over Soti, he grew weak and fell down. Hord could then get the gold ring off Soti’s arm. It was such a great treasure that people say a gold ring of equal value has not come to Iceland. And when Soti lost the ring he spoke this verse: 10. Hord robbed me o f the good ring. H alf as willingly would I lose it as all the gold borne by Grani. It shall becom e your killer and all o f theirs who own it.

Grani: Sigurd Fafnisbani’s horse

Hord spoke: 11. Even if I knew that all the words o f this villain w ould com e true, still he should, the ancient coward, no longer enjoy the golden sea-fire.

sea-fire, gold

“You shall certainly learn,” Soti said, “that this ring shall be the death of you and of all who own it, except for a woman.”

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Hord asked Geir to bring the light to him and see how friendly he was. With that Soti plunged down into the earth, unwilling to wait for the light. Thus he parted from them. Hord and Geir took all the chests and carried them to the rope and all the valuables they could find. Hord took a sword and helmet that Soti had owned, which were the greatest of treasures. They pulled on the rope and realised that the men had left the mound. Hord hauled himself up the rope and got out of the mound. Geir tied the treasure with the rope and Hord pulled it out. It is to be told about Hroar and Helgi that when the earthquake came, all the men who were outside became frantic except Helgi and Hroar, and they had to re­ strain the others. When they met each other again it was a joyful reunion. They thought that Geir and Hord had been recovered from hell. Hroar asked Hord what had happened, and he spoke a verse: 12. I opposed not a man who was easy or cowardly. It was hard to put down this heathen monster. I know when the light shone Soti’s face turned ugly, the cruel magician wanted to dive into the earth.

Then they went away with their winnings. They could not find Bjorn anywhere and people believed that it had probably been Odin. Hord was thought to have achieved a great accomplishment by going into the mound. He spoke then to Hroar: “Now I think I’ve earned the three objects of my choice.” Hroar said that was true, “and you are most deserving to have them.” “Then I will choose,” said Hord, “the sword, arm ring and helmet.” Afterwards they divided all the treasure, and everyone was well-satisfied. The earl would not accept the money they offered him, saying that Hord was the most de­ serving to have it. They remained there in great honour for a year. In the spring Hord said that he wanted to go to Iceland, but the earl and A w Hroar said that they did not at all want him to leave, believing that never had a man such as he been there. Hord said, “I will give you a choice about this. Let me have Helga the Earfs Daughter in marriage.” The earl said he would agree to that. Thus it was arranged, with the consent of Helga and Hroar. Hord loved his wife Helga very much. He was then very wealthy. The sworn brothers - Hord, Hroar, Geir, and Helgi - all went out raiding in the summer. They had four ships, each one in command of his own. They grew wealthy and famous, and the raiding went well.

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4 ^ Now to go back to the story that was left earlier, when Sigurd Torfi’s FosterA / son sailed from Eyrar and came to Norway, where he spent the winter. The following summer he went aboard a ship with merchants and sailed south to Den­ mark. King Harald Gormsson then ruled there. Sigurd came to be well-liked by the king because he proved to be the boldest of men. His wealth and reputation quickly grew to the point that he joined a band of vikings, where he proved to be a great warrior. And thus it went for several summers until Sigurd became the leader of the viking band. He himself commanded five ships. One summer he sailed east along the coast of Balagard in Finland. And when he came to the channel known as Svinasund, it was evening. They stayed there over­ night. In the morning they were not aware of anything until they saw vikings row­ ing towards them in seven ships. They asked who was in command of the ships. On the poop deck of one of the ships, a man stood up who was both big and dark. He said his name was Bjorn Black-side, the son of Ulfhedin, son of Ulfham, son of Ulf, son of Ulfham the Shape-shifter, and asked who was in his way. Sigurd told him his name. “Would you rather go ashore with empty sword belts and give us your ships and money, or do you want to fight us?” “We would sooner choose to defend our property and freedom and fall with honour.” Then both sides got ready. A ferocious battle broke out. Sigurd advanced bravely, but it came to the point that all of his ships were emptied and three of Bjorn’s. Then Sigurd was left standing alone and defended himself for a long time, until he was surrounded by shields. Then he was captured, after having killed seven men by himself. Evening had come on. His hands were firmly bound, fetters put on his feet, and six men were given the duty of guarding him overnight. He was to be killed in the morning. All the vikings spent the night ashore. Sigurd asked who were going to provide the entertainment. The guards told him not to expect entertainment, “when you are going to die to­ morrow.” “I’m not afraid of my death, and will recite you a poem if you want.” They said they would like to hear it. He recited so that they all fell asleep. He rolled himself over until he came to where an axe lay. He could then cut the bind­ ings from his hands, and after that was able to kick his feet out of the fetters in a way that took off both of his heel bones. Then he killed all the guards, and after­ wards dived into the sea and swam for land. He walked across the headland because he did not want to risk running into the vikings. On the other side, he saw four ships lying at anchor and tents on shore. He went boldly up to the tents. By then it was fully daytime. He asked who was in command. They said that someone named Hord was over Hroar, Geir and Helgi, and they asked in turn who he was. He told them the truth. He then went to Hord and they asked each other the news. Hord recognised Sigurd immediately and in­ vited him to stay with him. Sigurd said he would consent to that, telling him about

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his recent disaster and asking Hord to settle things for him with the vikings. Hord did not think that was very promising but would do as he asked. They reacted quickly, emptying the ships of their cargo and replacing it with stones. Then they rowed out beyond the headland. When the vikings became aware of them they got themselves ready, pretending to be missing a friend from his place, where Sigurd had left. Then a battle broke out between them. The sworn brothers advanced firmly and Sigurd’s performance could not be faulted. Later in the day Hord went up onto the ship where Bjorn Black-side was and Geir right after him. They each went along one side of the ship and slew every human being before the mast. Bjorn Black-side then ran to oppose Hord. Hord had then come aft of the mast and Bjorn swung at him with a twoedged sword. Hord did not bring his shield in front of him, jumping backward in­ stead over the step of the mast. The sword went into the step so forcefully that nei­ ther of its inlaid steel edges was visible. And when Hord saw how Bjorn leaned for­ ward with the stroke he struck him so powerfully and quickly across the shoulders that he cut him in two below the breast bone with the sword he took from Soti. Thus ended the life of Bjorn Black-side. And while that was happening Geir had killed every human being on the ship, and Hroar’s and Helgi’s party cleared a ship. Sigurd cleared one and the vikings were fleeing on the fourth. Hord’s forces seized a great amount of booty and bandaged the wounds of their men. Sigurd’s wounds healed without leaving him disabled. He followed Hord as long as he lived after that and was considered to be the boldest of men. They now sailed back to Gotland in the autumn and stayed there well-cared for over the winter.

Geir then wanted to go to Iceland and asked Hord for permission to leave. Hord told him he could go whenever he wanted to but to keep up the friend­ ship between them. Helgi stayed with Hord, as did Sigurd. Geir departed. They had to wait a long time for a fair wind but got to Vik, where they put up tents on shore. Gunnhild, the Mother of Kings, heard about it and sent her men to kill Geir. They came at night, pulling the tents down over them and beating them up without warning. Geir alone got away with his weapons, killing nine men in the process. He kept going until he got to Brynjolf Thorbjarnarson’s. The father and son got him to a ship and provided him with some money. People believed that Gunnhild had lured Geir to Norway by sorcery. She was extremely displeased that he escaped. They now put out to sea. Geir arrived at Eyrar in the summer. Grim, his father, had died, as had Hogni, his mother’s father, at Hagavik, but Gudrid and Thorbjorg kept up the farm at Grimsstadir. Geir went there and stayed over the winter. In the spring he bought land at Lower Botn and moved his household there. It was an extremely good farm, and Gudrid and Thorbjorg moved there.

B

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Indridi Thorvaldsson and Thorgrima Craftswoman established a farm in A y the lower part of Skorradal at a place now called Indridastadir. Thor­ grima, Indridi’s mother, lived then at Hvamm, and Thorvald, his father, was dead. The first summer that Geir lived at Botn, a man named Orm came to Iceland and landed at Vikarsskeid on the river Thjorsa. They wrecked their ship and lost all of their goods. There were fifteen men on board and they had no food or shelter. Two years earlier Orm had been at Hvita and had received board and room from Indridi. Now Indridi rode down from the north with two other men to meet Orm, saying that he could not bear knowing he had no means of survival. He invited him home with him and all his crew. Orm agreed to go and thanked him for the in­ vitation. They all rode together past Bakkarholt, along Graining and past Bildsfell and then by Ulfljotsvatn and from there to Olfusvatn where they arrived at twilight. Grimkel greeted them but did not invite them in. Indridi then asked for Thorbjorg, Grimkel’s daughter, in marriage: “You know my ancestry and financial resources, farmer. I want to know your answer right away.” Grimkel said, “We may not rush this forward here and now. It cannot be decided so quickly.” No invitation to come in was forthcoming. Indridi rode to Hagavik for the night. And when they had ridden away Sigrid the mistress of the house said to Grimkel, “It seems very strange that you will not marry your daughter to Indridi when we think he is such a distinguished man. Have someone ride after them, and don’t stand in the way of your honour or your daughter’s.” Grimkel said, “We will do as you wish.” Then they were sent for at Hagavik. They rode back with the messengers, and Grimkel received them very pleasantly. They discussed the matter and it was decid­ ed that Indridi should marry Thorbjorg, and with her receive forty hundreds. The wedding should take place at once at Olfusvatn. Indridi himself should be respon­ sible for how those felt about it who were not present. Indridi left his party there and went with two other men to visit Thorbjorg at Botn. He went by Jorukleif and then to Grimsstadir and from there to Botn heath and so to Botn. Geir was not at home. Many people said that Geir probably wanted to marry Thorbjorg, but she did not say anything in opposition to this proposal nor to going with Indridi. Then they went to Olfusvatn, where preparations were made for the wedding. Grimkel went to the temple of Thorgerd Altar-bride wanting to pray about the marriage of Thorbjorg. But when he came into the temple the gods were in a great bustle and preparing to leave their thrones. Grimkel asked, “What has happened? Where are you going? Where will you di­ rect good fortune now?” Thorgerd spoke: “We will not direct good fortune to Hord because he has stolen my brother Soti’s fine golden arm ring and disgraced him in many other ways as

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well. I want instead to turn good fortune to Thorbjorg, but there is a light over her so strong that I am afraid it will separate us. And you have but a short time to live.” He left then and was very angry with the gods. He went home for some fire and burned down the temple and all the gods and said that they would not tell him any more of their tragic stories. In the evening when people were sitting at the table, Grimkel the Godi suddenly died. He was buried to the south of the hayfteld wall The whole management of the property fell to Indridi and Illugi because Hord was not in the country. Indridi did not want to participate in managing Grimkers prop­ erty, except for Thorbjorg’s dowry. Illugi immediately took control of the estate in the autumn. But in the spring he divided the property with Sigrid. She kept the land at Olfusvatn and was considered a good mistress. O /N

A few years later Hord Grimkelsson landed at Eyrar with his wife Helga, Sigurd Torfi’s Foster-son, Helgi Sigmundarson and thirty men. Hord was then thirty years old. He had been abroad continuously for fifteen years and had become rich and highly esteemed. Illugi the Red of Holm came to the ship and invited Hord and all of his men to stay with him, going towards them when they were arriving and treating them with the greatest respect. Hord accepted readily and considered it a magnificent in­ vitation. Hord went to Illugi’s with twenty-five people, where they were given ale to drink all winter in splendid fashion, and Hord was well-pleased. Illugi offered him all of the property of his that he had received. Hord said it would suit him better to collect his own money from Torfi his kinsman and said he wanted to go find him. Then he went with eleven other men to Breidabolstad, where he met Torfi and put in a claim for his money. Torfi said that he did not know for sure about the financial claim, “because 1 am not obliged to pay you the money if you do not measure up to your father.” Hord said that this had still not been put to much of a test, but that he would try to get the money. Then he rode away and told Illugi when he got home. Illugi told Hord to give way, “and I expect that it will then go better between you, because Torfi is a wise but ruthless man.” Hord said it would work out much differently: “he has always treated us badly and never well. I will go immediately and collect men.” Hord rode along Akranes collecting men, while Illugi collected them from below and to the west, around Heynes and Gardar to Fellsoxl and Klafastadir. Hord went east of the river Kuludalsa. They rode up around Midfell and from there to Breida­ bolstad. Torfi was outside and greeted them pleasantly. Illugi sought a settlement and said it was necessary to reconcile men so closely related. Torfi said he expected that Hord was right. “He will become a great man,” he said, “responding so quickly. I will not refuse to offer him reconciliation and farm land here. With the farm I will give him thirty cows and thirty farm workers. I will deliver everything for farming within the year. I

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want to find out what kind of man he will be. He shall assume the responsibility for everything he receives, both land and livestock.” Illugi said it was a fine offer, and Hord accepted it and they were thus reconciled. Hord moved his household there in the spring and Illugi paid him all his money. Hord’s farm flourished. He entertained guests and travellers. No one interfered with Hord and he did not involve himself in the affairs of others. He lived there for two years. O Y There was a man named Aud. He lived at Audsstadir, across from Uppsalir and somewhat below. He was eccentric, well off, low-born, and was quar­ relsome besides. He had a son named Sigurd who owned two piebald mares, which he thought much of. Illugi the Red had given Hord a herd of five black horses when he left Holm. Aud’s piebald mares got into the habit of running away from their pasture and visiting them. Hord said he thought it a pity that Aud should get too little benefit from his horses. Little developed out of the family relationship between Hord and Torfi. People did not dispute much with Hord, and indeed he had only good relations with other people. Torfi lived then at Uppsalir. He was a godi and was considered overbearing and hard to get along with. The second summer it went as before, that Aud’s horses ran away from him to Hord’s horses. Hord ordered his horses taken over the mountain so that Aud’s mares would not find them. It was done, but Aud’s mares found the horses. It happened during haying that Sigurd Audsson came back from the herd of horses and had not been able to catch his horses. Then Hord sent Helgi Sigmundsson to help him. Helgi went with Sigurd and was in a bad mood, saying that Aud alone was responsible for this trouble and inconvenience. And when he got to the horses he saw that the boy had injured the stallion. He said, “You don’t have the makings of much of a man, and you won’t ruin many valuable things after this.” Then he killed the boy. A little later Hord appeared and said, “You are a bad man for killing an innocent youngster out by himself. It would be appropriate if I killed you. I cannot bring my­ self to do it, even though it would be better if you did not go on living after this kind of wicked deed. This will be the beginning of your misfortune. What I had a foreboding of has now occurred and it is very likely that it will in some way drag us both to our deaths, and many others in the aftermath that is fated.” Hord threw a heavy cloak over the body and then went home first. A little later Hord went to Audsstadir, and when he walked into the yard from the west Aud came in from the north. When they met Hord spoke: “It happened wrongly and against my will that your son was killed. I will give you self-judgement now, to show that I think it was an evil deed, and will pay all of the money immediately. Most people would say that you could hardly expect a better conclusion to this kind of case.”

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Aud answered, “I have met with Torfi my friend and put the case in his hands, and he has promised me to prosecute it to the fullest extent of the law, so I will be able to see that you Breidabol people pay dearly for it.” Hord said, “You have been wrong to set Torfi and me against each other by slan­ der, and now you have to pay for it.” He pulled out the sword he got from Soti and slashed Aud apart, into two pieces, and one of his farmhands. Hord had grown so angry that he burned the farm house and all the implements and hay stacks, as well as two women who would not come out. And when Torfi heard about it he said that nobody had ever felt impelled to do anything of the sort, “to commit such monstrous deeds against my friends, al­ though Hord will be difficult to get rid of.” And when he heard that Hord was not at home he took a summoning trip to Breidabolstad and summoned the case to the Althing, and then he went home. And when Hord heard this he sent Helgi south to Indridi his brother-in-law and asked him to ride to the assembly and represent him in his case and to offer a settle­ ment. He said that he could not bring himself, because of Torfi’s enmity, to seek a reconciliation himself. Helgi left and met Indridi and told him what Hord had said. Indridi said, “I have promised Illugi the Red to go to the Kjalarnes Assembly, but I will invite Hord here to me.” Helgi answered, “There is less cause for you to go to the Kjalarnes Assembly than to represent such a courageous man as your brother-in-law - you would be a cow­ ard.” Thorbjorg spoke: “It would have been helpful if a valiant man had come with this message, but now nothing may come of it. And you have been the cause of these troubles.” Helgi went home and said nothing to Hord about Indridi’s invitation to come to him, but said that he would not offer him support. Hord was not pleased and spoke this verse: 13. My brother-in-law proved useless to me, as he did to many other trees o f wave-fire, in a law case. Thorgrim’s immovable heir has settled on staying home. The steel-wielder is hard on us, but worse later on.

wave-fire, gold; its trees: men

steel-wielder. warrior

And when people assembled at the Thing and convened the court, Torfi asked whether anyone would propose a financial settlement on behalf of Hord. “I will,” he said, “accept monetary compensation if anyone will offer it; but I am not inclined to let the matter drop altogether.”

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No one responded and Hord and Helgi were both condemned to outlawry. When Hord learned of his sentence he spoke this verse: 14.

The rich man certainly made me, who goes with gold, an exile at the Althing - in summer season, kind to snakes, and in winter when they weaken I won’t be afraid.

He and Torfi did not meet then for a while.

22

A little later Hord travelled with his whole work force to his foster-brother Geirs at Botn. Before he left, Hord burned down all the buildings on the farm and also the hay. He said Torfi would find little of value there. Some people say that Hord had lived at Uppsalir at that time and Torfi at Breidabolstad. Hord was thirty-six years old when he was sentenced to outlawry and went to Botn. His whole household and his followers went with him to Geir’s and stayed together as a body. One day Hord spoke this verse: 15.

Certainly will Torfi rely - the mocking rich man, whose gold is fire-red Nile sand on riding to attack the men at Botn. I expect the fighters to face him and the warriors might feed the wolves if an equal number o f shield-holders were here on the inside.

shield-holders: warriors

It was costly for them that year because there were fewer supplies than they need­ ed and Geir paid less attention to farm business than before. They slaughtered the livestock, which meant that the summer after there were barely enough animals to feed the people. By autumn the livestock had all been slaughtered except for a very few cows. And one morning in the winter before Yule, Geir touched Helgi on the legs. He got right up and they went over the ridge to Vatnshorn in Skorradal. The farmer was not at home. He was at a wedding at Koll’s at Lund in Reykjadal. Geir said, “Now we have to collect as much stock as we can, and you can either keep watch or go into the cowshed.” Helgi chose to stand guard. Geir went into the cowshed and untied the cattle. Two men were in the hay barn playing chess and a light was burning there.

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One of them said, “Are the cattle loose in the cowshed?” The other one said it was probably the women’s fault for not tying them up. Then one of them went out towards the doorway. And when Geir saw that, he ran forward and killed him. And when the first one had been gone for some time and the other one came to the barn door he met the same fate as the first one. Geir slew him too. Then they led away a seven-year-old ox. And when they got back to Botn, Hord was very displeased, and said he would leave if they were going to steal. “It seems to me,” he said, “much more sensible to go raiding if nothing else is possible.” Geir asked him not to leave for this reason: “You can be in charge of everything for the two of us.” And so Hord did not leave. When the women went into the cowshed at Vatnshorn it seemed strange to them that the cattle were all untied. They thought the herdsmen must be asleep. They tied up the cattle. And when they went to the barn door they found them there dead. Then word was sent to the farmer, and he came home. This event was talked about a great deal. Hord would not allow the ox to be used before a man was sent to Vatnshorn to report the truth about Geir’s actions. Some people also say that Hord probably compensated the farmer at Vatnshorn for his men and the ox, and that therefore charges were not brought against him in the matter. Kolgrim the Old, the son of the hersir Alf of Trondheim, lived at this time at Ferstikla. He was one of the original settlers of Iceland. His son was Thorhall, the father of Kolgrim, father of Stein, father of Kvist, father of Kali. Kolgrim sent word to the people at Botn that they should meet to play ball games and scraper games1at Sand. They agreed to come. The games began and continued over Yule. The men from Botn usually got the worst of it because Kolgrim arranged things so that the men from the shore at Hvalfjardarstrond had a stronger team. The men at Botn had to make a lot of shoes when they walked. The ox-hide was often cut for footwear. People thought that Kolgrim had wanted to satisfy his curi­ osity about the disappearance of the ox and for that reason had arranged the games. He thought he could recognise the ox-hide on their feet. They were then given the name “Ox-men”. They continued to be treated roughly in the games. When they came home they discussed their sense that they were being roughly treated and said they would stop playing soon. Hord spoke harshly to them and said they would not measure up to ordinary bullies if they were afraid to get even, “and you are,” he said, “only prepared to commit crimes.”

There is some uncertainty about the nature of this game, which seems to have involved pot scrapers made of horn. 8

The Complete Sagas of Icelanders II

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Then Thord Cat and the outlaw Thorgeir Belt-beard had come to Hord. Hord had horn scrapers made that night. Everyone was ready to go to the games as soon as Hord went, although they were rather stiff. Onund Thormodsson of Brekka was set against Hord. He was a popular man and very strong. That game was extremely rough, and before evening came, six of the shore men lay dead, and no one from Botn. Both sides then went home. All of the men who lived further out the shore accompanied Onund. And when they got a short way from Brekka, Onund told them to go ahead, “while I tie my shoe,” he said. They did not want to go on without him. He sat down rather abruptly. In that instant he died, and he is buried there. It is now called Onundarhol. Charges were not brought against Hord or his men in this matter. Thorstein Gold-button then lived at Thyril. He was duplicitous, underhanded, crafty, and prosperous. Thorvald Black-beard lived at Sand, an estimable farmer and powerful. ^ /Í

There was a man named Ref, who was the son of Thorstein, son of Solmund, son of Thorolf Butter. He lived at Stykkisvoll in Brynjudal. He was a powerful godi and a warrior. Later on he was called Ref the Old. His mother was named Thorbjorg Katla. She lived at Hrisar. She was adept at magic and a great sor­ ceress. Refs brother was named Kjartan. He lived at Thorbrandsstadir, a big strong man, bad-tempered, and tyrannical in every way. He was intensely disliked by everyone. There was a man named Orm Hvamm-Thorisson, a popular man and a great craftsman. All of these men were against the men of Botn. Hord and his people found out that during the Thing in the summer men had laid plans to gather together and kill them, because they saw that as the animals were slaughtered they would be driven to robbery. Geir ordered fortifications built and said they would not be beaten easily. Hord said he expected their food supplies would be cut off - “and I want us to go to Holm, the small island off shore in Hvalfjord opposite Blaskeggsaros (Blackbeard Estuary), on the other side of Dagverdarnes. That island has steep cliffs to­ wards the sea and is as wide as a large cattle pen.” They moved there with all of their belongings while the assembly was in session. They took a large ferry from Thorstein Ox-goad at Saurbaer to assist them, a sixoared boat from Thormod of Brekka, and a four-oared seal boat from Thorvald Black-beard. They built themselves a great longhouse, with one end pointing north­ east and the other south-west. There was a door in the middle of the wall facing west. The longhouse stood along the south edge of the island, and along the north side it was possible to walk between the cliff and the door at the end. It could be approached only from the north. To the west of the hut were hidden trenches. It was their law that any man would be thrown from the rocks who stayed in bed longer than three nights. Everyone was required to go wherever Hord or Geir want­ ed them to if they went too. They took turns doing the work. The buildings at

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Botn, including the timbers, were all moved to Holm. The island is now called Geirsholm, taking its name from Geir Grimsson. The largest number of people on Holm was two hundred, and there were never fewer than eighty. These have been mentioned by name: Hord and his wife Helga the Earl’s Daughter, their sons Grimkel and Bjorn, who was two years old, Geir and Sigurd Torfi’s Foster-son Gunnhildarson, Helgi Sigmundarson, Thord Cat, and Thorgeir Belt-beard. He gave the worst advice of all the Holm people, urging them to commit every kind of crime. Nearly all the drifters flocked there and swore oaths to be faithful and loyal to Hord and Geir and to each other. Thorgeir Belt-beard and Sigurd Torfi’s Foster-son with ten other men brought water from the river Blaskeggsa by filling a seal boat with water and pouring it into a tub that was out on Holm. And thus time passed for a while. Ø H Thorbjorg Katla boasted that she said the people of Holm would never W harm her - so much faith did she have in her magic. And when they heard about this on Holm, Geir said he wanted to put it to the test, and set out from home with eleven other men after the assembly. Thord Cat came with him. When they got to the valley they saw that sheep were being driven north over the hill be­ tween Brynjudal and Botn. Geir had two men guard the ferry. Thord Cat sat on the ridge and kept watch. When Thorbjorg Katla came outside she knew from her magic and clairvoyance that a ship had come from Holm. She got her kerchief and waved it over her head. Then a dense darkness came over Geir and his men. She sent word to her son Ref that he should assemble some men. There were fifteen altogether and they came upon Thord Cat unawares in the dark. They seized him and killed him, and he is buried in the lower part of Kattarhofdi (Cat’s Headland). Geir and his men reached the shore. The darkness lifted and they could see clearly. Ref and his men rode to­ wards them and they fought. All of the men were killed who were following Geir and three of Ref s. Geir got to the ship and back to Holm, but he was seriously wounded. Hord ridiculed his excursion and said Katla had still not met them. Helga was a good healer and she brought Geir back to health. Fear came over the people of Holm because of this. As soon as Geir’s wounds were bandaged Hord boarded a ship with eleven other men and went directly in to Brynjudal, saying he wanted to test Katla again. Two guarded the ship and ten went to get the sheep. Katla again brandished her kerchief and sent word to Ref, saying it would now be worthwhile meeting the people of Holm, “because their leader is now the fair-haired man who considers himself to be a great warrior.” Ref came with five other men. Hord’s vision was not obscured by Katla’s magic, and they went on their way as they intended, slaughtering sheep on the ship until they had fully loaded it, with Ref and his men looking on. They transported it out to Holm, and thus they parted.

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(> 4

Towards the end of summer Hord went with twenty-three other men to Saurbaer because Thorstein Ox-goad had boasted that his foster-mother Skroppa the Sorceress would be able to prevent any harm coming to him from the people of Holm with her sorcery. When they came to land, seven men guarded the ship at anchor and seventeen went ashore. They saw a large bull on the gravel-bank up from the boat shed. They wanted to taunt it but Hord was against it. Two of Hord’s men turned towards the bull anyway, following their own inclinations. The bull struck out with his horns twice. One of them aimed for its side and the other for its head. Their spears flew back at them and into their chests. They were both killed. Hord said, “Follow my advice because nothing here is as it seems.” Then they came to the farm house. Skroppa and the farmer’s daughters, Helga and Sigrid, were at home, but Thorstein was at the shieling in Kuvallardal. That is in Svinadal. Skroppa opened up all the buildings. She created the illusion that where they sat on the cross-bench there appeared to be three boxes. Hord’s men talked about wanting to break the boxes. Hord forbade that. Then they went to the north of the farm yard, wanting to see if they could find some sheep. They saw a sow run­ ning with two little pigs north out of the yard. They headed her off. Then they thought they saw a large body of men coming at them with spears and fully armed, and the sow to the north of them, with her piglets, flapping her ears. Geir said, “Lets get to the boat. The odds will be too much against us.” Hord said that it was not a good idea to run so fast without having tried any­ thing. At that he picked up a large stone and struck the sow, killing it. And when they came up to it they saw that there lay Skroppa dead and the farmer’s daughters stood over her where the piglets had appeared to be. And then as soon as Skroppa was dead they saw that it was a herd of cattle coming towards them and not men. They drove those same animals to the ship, killed them and loaded the ferry with meat. Geir forced Sigrid to go with him, and then they went out to Holm. Skroppa was buried between Saurbaer and Ferstikla, in Skroppugil (Skroppa’s Gully). Thorstein Gold-button was left in peace by the people of Holm because they had a secret agreement that he should transport all the unattached men to Holm and should tell them of all the schemes of the residents of the area. He had sworn an oath to hold firmly to this and to deceive them in nothing, and they had promised him not to rob him. In the winter before Yule, twelve of them went in a group in the dead of night to Orm’s at Hvamm. Orm was not at home. He had gone somewhere on an errand. He had a slave named Bolli who always looked after the farm when Orm was not at home. They broke into a separate storage building and carried out goods and food. They took a chest of Orm’s that his valuables were in and left with everything. Bolli thought that he had done badly not to have kept watch over the warehouse. He said he would get the chest back from the people of Holm or die in the attempt and asked them to tell the master to be with seventeen other men at the boat house on the fourth night from then, waiting in silence.

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Then Bolli got ready. He had worn-out shoes and a hood of everyday cloth. He was in Brynjudal the first night, although not at the farms. He went to Thorstein Gold-button and said his name was Thorbjorn, that he was an outlaw, and that he wanted to go out to Hord and join his band. Thorstein Gold-button took him out to Holm, and when Hord and Geir saw the man they were not of the same mind about him. Geir thought it was a good idea to take him in, but Hord said he sus­ pected he was a spy. Geir’s advice prevailed, however, and first he swore oaths to them and then they accepted him. He told them a lot about what was happening ashore but then said he was sleepy. He lay down and slept through the day. Geir and his men could not open the chest and asked Thorbjorn what he would suggest. He said that was not difficult. “There’s nothing in it,” he said, “except the farmer’s tools.” He said the one thing that Orm considered to be a loss in the robbery by the people of Holm was that his tool chest was missing: “I was then at Mosfell when news came of the robbery. I will take him the chest if you want me to.” Geir saw little reason to be concerned about the chest if there was nothing in it but tools. Thorbjorn was there for two nights and tried to persuade them to relinquish the chest. Hord did not want to follow any advice of Thorbjorn’s, saying it would have a bad outcome. However, Geir wanted it his way and six of them went together at night to Orm’s boat house. They carried the chest ashore and up to the boat house, and set it under the hull of Orm’s ship. Then Thorbjorn called out that the men should stand up and take the thieves. The ones who had been hiding there jumped up and attacked them. Geir grabbed the stub end of an old oar and struck out in every direction and defended himself very bravely. Geir then reached his ship. Four of his men were killed. Orm took a ferry and rowed af­ ter Geir. Back on Holm Hord said, “More than likely Geir needs people with him. There is no knowing how that Thorbjorn has turned out for him.” He took a boat and rowed up the fjord, coming to the chase between Orm and Geir. Orm then turned back quickly to shore. Geir went out to Holm with Hord. Orm later gave Bolli his freedom and land at Bollastadir and everything necessary for farming. He lived there afterward and became a wealthy and fearless man. ^ £ In the summer after the Thing, Hord and Geir left one evening with twentyV two other men in one ferry, landing at the rock formation called Sjalfkviar (Sheep Pens), facing the door of the farm Holm. They left six men guarding the ship and eighteen went up on land. They drove sheep down from Akrafell. Hord saw that a man went out of Holm in his shirt and underpants. It was sunrise and Hord recognised lllugi, because he had better eye-sight than other people. lllugi became aware of their movements and immediately sent people to Gard, to Heynes, and to Kuvallara to assemble men. He did not take action until there were thirty of them. And when Hord saw the gathering of men he asked Geir to choose whether he would kill the sheep, prepare the meat and load the ship, or hold off 111-

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ugi and his men so that they could not get to them. Geir said he would rather dress the meat than contend with Illugi. Hord said, “I think you have made the best choice by far. I am also more accustomed to this. Twelve of us will try to hold them off, and we must always have this number, so that as my men fall there will be fewer of you dressing the meat.” There were twelve preparing the sheep. Then the combat began between Hord and Illugi. Hord’s courageous defence of the sheep pens was excellent, considering how fiercely Illugi attacked them. Men continued to join Illugi so that finally they totalled forty, while Hord had twelve altogether. His men suffered many casualties because of the great numerical disadvantage. Sigurd Torfi’s Foster-son performed with great bravery, as he always did. Helgi Sigmundarson defended himself manful­ ly. Thorgeir Belt-beard loaded the ferry. Geir was not slow about slaughtering and dressing the sheep. Nine of Hord’s men had fallen by the time the ferry was loaded, and when they were getting on board, the men from the district attacked them re­ lentlessly, and six of Hord’s men fell before they could take cover behind the sides of the ship. Hord was wounded by a two-bladed axe. Everyone was wounded in one way or another. Illugi then ordered them to assemble ships, but Hord and his men had damaged all of the larger ones. A north-east wind was blowing against Hord and his people. They bandaged their wounds and rowed along the north coast of the fjord, past Katanes and Kalmansarvik. They put their cargo onto a skerry because the weather was pushing them back. Geir wanted to stay behind with one other man, although Hord thought it was foolish to risk themselves there. Hord continued to steer the ferry up into the fjord. Then they rested because they had loaded so much, even though the others had turned towards them. Illugi pursued them hard and they steered around the headland. Then Hord gave this headland a name, calling it Kata­ nes because he thought so many boats [katar] were coming around it. When Illugi got there he immediately attacked them. Hord said, “You are pursuing hard, brother-in-law. 1 had a foreboding long ago of what is now coming about.” Illugi said, “You too have done a lot to make it happen.” Then the fighting grew harsh. Hord defended one side of the ferry and six men the other. In a little while, the people of Holm came in three ships and immediately jumped onto the ferry. Then Illugi pulled back and they chased him down the fjord. There was a man named Brand, the son of Thorbjorn the Bald from Midfell. He attacked Geir on the skerry and fought with him, and killed the man with him. Geir defended himself well, but Brand was with six other men. At that moment Hord appeared, saying that it had not gone much differently for Geir than he had guessed it would. Then Brand fled. They started after him and killed him, with five other men, at a place now called Brandsflesjar (Brand’s Flats) up the fjord from the skerry, and east of Kalmansa. The sixth man escaped. Hord and Geir transported all the plunder to Holm. Hord then spoke this verse:

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16. Illugi the Red had felled fifteen men before; the Tyr o f the farmstead thought not of a truce; Grim-minded Geir repaid that rampage, now as many have fallen from the gold-giver’s side.

Tyr (god) of the farmstead: farmer

The summer now passed. The next winter, after Yule, Hord and Geir and fourteen men went up ^ 7 through the pass at Alftarskard and into Svinadal and from there to Skorradal where they stayed hidden during the day. That night they went down to the sheep barns, and in the morning drove eighty wethers that belonged to Indridi up along the lake Skorradalsvatn. Then there was a heavy snowfall and unnaturally bad weather directed against them. The sheep in the lead were exhausted when they got to the foot of the mountain. Geir and the others wanted to leave the sheep but Hord said it would be faint-hearted in the face of some drifting snow and a little misty weather blowing at them. Hord then took the bellwethers, one in each hand, and dragged them forward over the mountain. It made a wide track, along which they drove the other sheep. The place is now called Geldingadragi (Wether Trail). And when they got to Svinadal there was no snow. They went then to their ship and killed the sheep, at a place now called Gorvik, and from there went out to Holm. The winter now passed. In the spring Hord and Geir set out with Sigurd Torfi’s Foster-son, Helgi, Thorgeir Belt-beard and sixty armed men. They went north through Alftarskard to Indridastadir and hid themselves there in the woods until the cattle were driven out to pasture. Svart was the name of the man who drove the livestock, and he had a little boy with him. Hord and his men went to the cattle and drove them to the west of Skorradalsvatn. Svart went with them. They went along Geldingadragi into Svina­ dal. There they killed Svart. Then they went to sleep there in the upper end of the valley. The boy headed the cattle back while they were sleeping. Hord awoke and watched from under his shield. He allowed the boy to go on his way, saying, “Go now, boy, because things are put to better use by my sister than by the people of Holm.” When the boy got home he told Hord’s words to Thorbjorg, saying that such a man was a great loss, “and he treated me well, but his men killed Svart.” She said nothing in reply. Where the cattle turned away from them is now called Kuhallardal (Cow Slope Valley). Geir woke up and wanted to go after the cattle, but Hord said they should not. Later they rounded up the pigs of the farmers in Svinadal and drove them

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down onto the sand, killing them and loading the ship at a place now called Svinasand (Pigs Sand), and then they went out to Holm. During the Althing in the summer the people of Holm went up the fjord to Dagverdarnes. They walked up Sildamannagata to Hvamm in Skorradal and took the oxen of Thorgrima Craftswoman on the southern shore of Skorradalsvatn and drove them south onto the ridge. One was a spotted grey ox. He sniffed a lot. He ran back at them, and each of the others in turn, and out into the lake, where they swam across at the narrowest place, and then went home to Hvamm. Hord said then, “Thorgrima’s powers are great when the cattle are unable to con­ trol their own behaviour.” Thorgrima had been sleeping. She woke up sooner than expected and looked out. She saw the oxen were wet, and she said, “You have been treated roughly, but the heroes had a loose hold on you.” Hord now asked his companions whether they would not like to change their way of life. “It seems to me,” he said, “a bad idea of ours at present that the only way we live is by robbery.” They said he would have the most to say about their plans. “Then I want us,” he said, “to go to the merchants in Hvita and give them two hard choices: either they turn their ship over to us or else we kill them.” Geir said he was all ready, “but before we go, I want to burn Torfi Valbrandsson and Koll at Lund, Kolgrim the Old, Indridi and Illugi in their houses.” Hord said, “Little will come of your big ideas. It is more likely that we will all be killed because men will not tolerate such great injustice as we are committing.” There were more against going to the ship and in favour of committing crimes, except Sigurd Torfi’s Foster-son. Hord said, “Things will have to happen as they have been planned, and designed in such a way that it is impossible to correct them. But it is far from my nature to immerse myself in these crimes any longer.” They went back to Holm the same night and were there for three weeks. Then eighty of them went to land. Hord said he would be willing to burn Illugi or Indridi in their houses, “because they have constantly been against me and have never stood with me in the great troubles I have had.” They went at night into Svinadal and lay there in the woods during the day. The next night they went to Skorradal and hid themselves there. The same night that Hord left Holm, Thorbjorg dreamed at Indridastadir that eighty wolves ran towards the farm house with flames coming out of their mouths and among them was a polar bear who appeared somewhat sad. They stayed for some time at the farm and then ran west out of the yard to a hill and lay down there. Indridi said that it was the thoughts of the people of Holm directed at

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him. Thorbjorg said she guessed it would be the people themselves and coming very soon. She asked Indridi to divert the stream coming from the spring into the house and to cover it over, because she said she was able to dream clearly of what was soon to happen. And that was done. Thorbjorg had large chimneys built. She had their valuables carried up onto the cross-beams because water came halfway up the walls. She had no shortage of men present. A little later Hord and his people came. He walked up to the door ahead of the company. He knocked on the door. Thorbjorg came to the door and greeted Hord pleasantly and asked him to come in with his closest comrades. She wanted him to separate himself from that riffraff, and said that many people would then come to his aid. Hord asked her to come out into the field with him and said she would be well off with him if she left Indridi. She said that would be most unfitting and ex­ pressed herself unwilling to separate from Indridi. Then they dragged a pile of wood to the doorway and set fire to the farmhouse, but the people inside warded it off with water. The attack went badly and Geir could not understand it. Hord said, ‘T suspect that my sister suggested this water supply.” They looked about and found the stream and diverted it away, but there was enough water in the house, so much had run in before. Hord noticed that a man stood in one of the chimneys holding a bow. He threw a javelin at the man and killed him. After that he saw a group of men whom Thorbjorg had sent for coming towards the house. Geir said they would have to withdraw, and Hord did not dis­ agree. Then they turned away. No buildings had collapsed. A great number of men came to Indridastadir. The people of Holm went home and stayed there quietly for a while. The farmers organised a meeting at Leidvoll on the river Laxa, in Grunnafjord to stop the crimes from continuing any longer that the people of Holm had been committing against all of them. Word was sent to the chieftains of the dis­ trict and to all of the farmers and working men that they should come to this as­ sembly. When Indridi was getting ready to go to the meeting Thorbjorg asked him where he was going. He told her. “Then I will go with you,” she said, “because you must know that I am loyal to you.” He did not want her to go to the meeting and said it would not be pleasant for her to hear what was said there. She said she suspected that. Then Indridi rode to the meeting. A little later Thorbjorg had a horse saddled and went with one man to the assembly. There was a great crowd of people and a loud clamour, but when she came they fell silent. She said, “I think I know what your actions and intentions are, and therefore I shall not hide from you what occupies my mind: that 1 shall slay the man or shall order him slain who kills my brother Hord.” Afterwards she rode away. At this assembly were Torfi Valbrandsson, Koll of Lund, Indridi, lllugi, Kolgrim,

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Ref and Thorstein Ox-goad and Orm of Hvamm and many other leading men of the district. Torfi said, “It is obvious to everyone here, and all are agreed, that the only thing to be done is to put these scoundrels to death. Otherwise the people who live clos­ est will first be robbed of everything, and later on everyone else in the district. You can see that they will not go easy on others when Hord would burn his brothers-inlaw inside. Let’s decide on some good strategy quickly, and then no reports can get to them. This is an urgent task for everyone.” Illugi stated that they would commit more crimes than could be tolerated, and that the worst people had congregated there: “I will honour no family connection with them. We have learned that they intended the same treatment for us as Indridi received.” Kolgrim said they felt the cold most who were the closest, but that it would not be long to wait before others had the same problem to deal with, although they lived further away. Such words were spoken by one man after another. Ref said that one thing to be done was to send a man out to Holm who would swear an oath not to betray them “and say that it was the will of all the residents of the district that they should leave Holm for wherever they wanted to go, and that everyone would then be at peace with everyone else.” Torfi was the main originator of this plan, while also requesting that they ride at once, overnight, up the fjord so that the people of Holm would not become aware of it, “because some people along the shore,” he said, “seem suspicious to me.” They rode immediately that night. They ate breakfast the next morning on the headland at the end of the fjord which has since then been called Dagverdarnes (Breakfast Headland). That same morning Thorgeir Belt-beard and Sigurd Torfi’s Foster-son went to get water with ten other men in a skiff. The people of Holm had no idea that men were gathering or of any plots against them. When the area residents became aware of the expedition of Sigurd and his & & men they sent Koll Kjallaksson with twenty-three men. And when they met, Thorgeir Belt-beard and six men fled at once, but Sigurd Torfi’s Foster-son and four other men prepared to defend themselves. It was a violent encounter. Sigurd put up an exceptionally strong defence because he was both powerful and adept at handling his weapons. They fought until all of Sigurd’s companions had fallen, and still he was not wounded. Thorvald Black-beard attacked him vigorously, and many others. Five of Roll’s men had fallen by then. Yet Sigurd defended himself superbly. He continued to kill many men, but was eventually wounded. Thorvald Blackbeard suddenly turned towards Sigurd and shoved a spear through him. Sigurd had been defending himself with an axe. He threw the axe at Thorvald and it sank into his head. Both of them fell to the ground dead. Sigurd had slain nine men and his companions had killed three. Altogether seventeen men from both sides fell there at the forks in the river. They are now called Blaskeggsar (Black-beard’s Rivers).

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Thorgeir Belt-beard stopped at Arnarvatn heath and hid in a cave at Fitjar, where he collected men. They stayed there until men from Borgarfjord attacked them. Then Thorgeir fled north to Strandir and was killed there, as is told in “The Tale of Alfgeir.” ^ / f , Now the leaders looked about for someone who might go out to the island, & V but most people declined. Torfi said that the person who went would benefit from the great prestige he earned, seeming afterwards a bigger man than before. And he said that the people on the island had probably run out of good luck on ac­ count of the crimes they had committed. Kjartan Katlason, Ref s brother, a great warrior and an extremely quick man in his movements, said he would risk going if they would give him the arm ring taken from Soti if Hord were hunted down - “and I also have a grievance to repay the people of Holm for.” They agreed to this, thinking that of those present he was the most likely to suc­ ceed. Kjartan then said, “Wouldn’t it be most natural to use Thorstein Gold-button’s boat? He has often acted to our disadvantage.” Everyone considered it appropriate and said that the people of Holm would be least suspicious of it. Kjartan Katlason then rowed out in Thorstein Gold-button’s boat. He wore a coat of mail under his cloak. And when he got to Holm he told Hord that the residents wanted to come to terms and said that Illugi and his friends played a large role in proposing that they should go free. Geir believed this, think­ ing it likely on account of his having the boat of Thorstein Gold-button, who had sworn them oaths that he would never betray them. Many of them were eager to get away, were bored being there and urged that they leave Holm with Kjartan. Then Hord said, “Geir and I have very often disagreed because we have always seen things in different ways. It seems to me that in Kjartan they have found a poor man to carry such a proposal, as important as it is for both sides. Nor have we been friends with Kjartan.” He said, “We don’t need to bring that up, because it doesn’t apply to someone carrying a proposal of peace, but I am only telling the truth and will swear to it if you consider that more reliable.” Hord said he thought he would not be conscientious about swearing an oath, and spoke this verse: 17. To me it seems the tree o f battle, who bids us leave, would not fail, feeble-hearted, to spy on us. That god o f golden sea-shine who seeks this, would never

tree of battle, warrior

sea-shine: gold; its god: man

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leave here uninjured, were I, the bow-breaker, to rule.

Then nearly everyone pressed urgently to leave. Some of them began moving out right away with Kjartan. Hord said he would never leave, “but I am pleased that they will find out how loyal Kjartan is to them. I expect,” he said, “that they will be less cheerful by the end of the day.” Kjartan thought the more he took away the better. Many of them boarded the ferry. Kjartan said that they would go back themselves to get their people on the next trip. Then they left Holm. Until the ship came around the point of land on Dagverdarnes the large crowd of men could not be seen. But when they were tied up to land the farmers penned them in with their great numbers. And when they came ashore they were all seized and held, and then sticks were twisted in their hair and every one of them was beheaded. The residents rejoiced that such criminals did not amount to much and thought that the prospects were excellent of defeating them all. £ t f Kjartan went a second time back to Holm. The people of Holm asked why their comrades had not come to get them. Kjartan said they had been so pleased by the truce that they had run ashore in celebration. Geir believed this and took many men aboard the ship with Kjartan. Hord spoke against making this trip and said it would have important consequences. He would not go. Helgi Sigmundarson stayed behind with him and Helga the Earl's Daughter, their two sons and six other men. Geir and the others then left Holm, Hord thinking no better of Geir's wanting to go with Kjartan. And when they rowed around the headland Geir saw the large crowd of people ashore. He suspected that they had been deceived. Then he said, “Bad things come from bad ideas, and are often seen too late. Hord has many times come closer to the truth than I, and I think it may be so again, and that our life of crime probably ends here. It would be good if Hord got away be­ cause he alone would be a greater loss than all of us.” They had come very close to land. Geir jumped overboard and swam along the rocks. There was a Norwegian with Indridi named Orm, a very strong man, who was an excellent shot and good at many feats of skill. He threw a javelin at Geir, which hit him between the shoulders and killed him. He was much praised for this deed. The place where the body washed ashore is called Geirstangi (Geir's Point). Helga the Earl's Daughter stood out on the island and saw these things happen. She told Hord and asked him to look. They did not see it in the same way. She said it would bring about important events. The area residents praised Kjartan highly, allowing that he would prosper from

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these expeditions, and said there must be few people remaining. Kjartan said he in­ tended to tie the final knot in capturing Hord and to entice him to land like the others. He took a six-oared boat and went out to Holm. Hord asked where Geir was and why he did not come to meet him. Kjartan said he was being kept ashore until he came, “so you can all come to an agreement at the same time.” Hord said, “You took a lot on yourself, Kjartan, to transport all of us Holm people to land, and you will get a large reward for it from the people of the district. I am not going anywhere. I have never trusted you, and I can’t see any indication that you will prove to be good.” Kjartan said, “It cannot be that you are less courageous than your men in not daring to go ashore.” Hord jumped up then, unable to bear his goading, and said he thought there would be no need to question his bravery before they had finished their business. Hord said that Helga should go with him. But she said she would not, nor her sons either, and that it had now come to the point when, according to the proverb, noth­ ing can rescue the doomed. Helga sobbed bitterly. Hord boarded the ship very angry, and they went then until they got to where Geir floated dead by a skerry. Hord jumped up then and said to Kjartan, “Wretched coward, you won’t have long to enjoy this treason.” Hord then struck at him with Soti’s sword and split him all the way down to his waist, the whole trunk in a double coat of mail. At that moment the ship ran ashore and everyone who had been on the ship was captured. Indridi first seized Hord and tied his hands quite tightly. Hord said, “You are tying rather firmly now, brother-in-law.” Indridi answered, “You taught me that when you wanted to burn me in my house.” Illugi said to Indridi, “Hord doesn’t have good brothers-in-law, but of course he doesn’t deserve to have.” Indridi answered, “Long ago he destroyed the value that any relationship with him through marriage might have.” He then held out an axe and indicated that someone should kill Hord, but no one would do it. Then Hord suddenly twisted hard and got loose. He grabbed the axe out of Indridi’s hand and jumped out over a ring of men three deep. Helgi Sigmundarson got loose and ran right after him. Ref mounted a horse and rode after them but could not catch them. Then an uncanny fatigue called “war fetters” came over Hord and he struck it off the first time and the second. A third time the war fetters came on him the pursuers were able to pen him in and form a ring around him, but again he jumped out over the ring after killing three men. Then he took Helgi Sigmundarson on his back and ran to the mountain. They chased him hard. Ref was the fastest because he was on horseback but he did not dare to attack Hord. Again the war fetters came over Hord. The main body of pursuers then arrived. He threw Helgi off of his back.

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He said, “Strong sorcery is involved in this. But you shall not have your way about anything that I can still control.” Then he chopped Helgi apart through the middle and said they would not kill his sworn brother before his eyes. People thought that Helgi had already been quite dead. Then Hord was so angry and hideous to look at that none of them dared to approach him head on. Torfi said that the man who dared strike him down should have the arm ring taken from Soti that Hord had on his arm. They made a circle around him. Thorstein Gold-button arrived then from home at Thyril. They at­ tacked Hord vigorously. There he slew another six men. Then the axe fell off the shaft. At that moment Thorstein Gold-button struck him on the nape of the neck with a long-shafted axe, because none of them dared to come at him from the front or to attack him, although he was unarmed. That wound was fatal. By then he had killed thirteen men, including the four he killed by the ship before he was captured. Everyone praised his valour, both his friends and his enemies. They thought that among his contemporaries no one had been in all respects more heroic or more in­ telligent than Hord, although he had not been a lucky man. His followers were the cause of his life of crime and also the fact that no one escapes his fate. The area residents praised Thorstein Gold-button for this deed and gave him & J- the ring taken from Soti, and said he earned it and should enjoy it well. But when Thorstein learned of Thorbjorg’s speech he would willingly never have done it. In addition to the sworn brothers, almost sixty of the people of Holm were killed on Dagverdarnes. Then the leaders talked about its being a good idea to go after Helga and kill Hord’s and her sons. It seemed to some of them to be too late in the day. They made an agreement that no truce or assistance would be offered to them, or else they would all avenge it. And they provided a heavy penalty. They intended to go out in the morning and stayed there overnight. £ (5 Helga was on the island and suspected all the devices and treachery of the V residents. She thought about her situation, with the result that she dived in­ to the water and swam from the island to land during the night, carrying her fouryear-old son Bjorn with her to the river Blaskeggsa. Then she swam back to meet Grimkel, her eight-year-old son, for whom swimming was becoming difficult, and carried him to land. That is now called Helgusund (Helga’s Sound). That night they went up the mountain from Thyril and rested in a pass which is now called Helguskard (Helga’s Pass). She carried Bjorn on her back and Grimkel walked. They travelled until she and the boys got to Indridastadir. She sat down then out­ side the wall of the hayfield and sent Grimkel to the house to ask Thorbjorg for protection for them. Thorbjorg was sitting on the cross-bench when the boy came in. He asked her for protection. She stood up and reached out to him and led him outside and asked who he was. He told her the truth. She asked for news and where Helga was. Grim-

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kel told her as much as he knew and led her to Helga. Thorbjorg could not speak then, she was so moved. She showed her into an outbuilding and locked them in. That evening Indridi came home and many men with him. There was nothing unusual about Thorbjorg as she served food to her guests. But when they told her the news, and that Thorstein Gold-button had killed Hord, going behind him while he stood still, then Thorbjorg spoke this verse: 18. Hord was felled to earth in the harsh storm o f Odin, while killing eight and five in the fighting. Chant o f grim magicians held him rather firmly; that tree of bitter swords would otherwise still be standing.

storm of Odin: battle

tree of swords: warrior

And when they went to bed that night Thorbjorg pulled out a short single-edged sword and tried to strike her husband Indridi, but he resisted and was seriously wounded on the hand. He said then, “Now, Thorbjorg, we have to find a way out of a hard situation, and you want to take a big part. But what would it take to make peace between the two of us?” “Nothing except bringing me the head of Thorstein Gold-button.” Indridi agreed to do it. He left by himself in the morning and rode by the most direct route to Thyril. He got off his horse and went down the path called Indridastig by Thyril and waited there until Thorstein went to his temple, as was his habit. When Thorstein got there he went into the temple and fell down before the stone where he sacrificed that stood there in the building, and he prayed before it. Indridi stood outside next to the building. He heard this verse spoken from inside the stone: 19. Your fated feet have come this way, have trod the earth, a final day. Indridi must before daylight repay your crime with equal right.

Then Thorstein left and walked home. Indridi could easily see the way he would take and told him not to run so fast. Then he jumped in front of him and at once struck him below the chin with Soti’s sword, so that he cut off his head. At Thyril he declared himself responsible for the killing, saying that Thorstein had been dis­

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loyal for a long time. He rode home and handed the head to Thorbjorg. She said she did not care about it when it was off the body. “Now,” Indridi said, “you will be reconciled with me.” She said it would not happen until he welcomed Helga and her sons, if they should be able to get there, and offer them all the assistance they might need. “Then,” she said, “I will give you all my love from then on.” Indridi said he guessed that they probably jumped into the sea and drowned themselves when they were not to be found on the island - “therefore I will prom­ ise you this, because I know I won’t have to make good on it.” Then Thorbjorg went after Helga and her sons and brought them out. Indridi spoke then, rather coldly: “I have said more than I should, although now it is best to keep one’s word.” He did everything well that he said he would. And no one brought charges against him. Everyone considered Thorbjorg to have behaved magnanimously. There was a man called Thorolf who was nicknamed Stiff. He was clever with his hands, well-off, easy-going and full of jokes, brave and aggressive and sturdy in every respect. He came to Indridastadir that same autumn and of­ fered the farmer his services. Thorbjorg told him to offer him room and board. And so it was. He stayed there awhile as a craftsman. Helga the Earl’s Daughter was amused by him, as was Thorbjorg. He seemed to be having an affair with the earl’s daughter and she did not resist this. Thorolf had been with Ref during the summer and had not liked it there. He asked Thorbjorg to let him stay over the winter. She answered, “I will get you a place for the winter, the ring taken from Soti, Helga the Earl’s Daughter and many other valuable things if you kill Ref in Brynjudal.” He answered, “That isn’t beyond my ability. I believe I would certainly be able to get it done if I had Soti’s sword. Besides, I don’t expect to receive a large payment for doing a small job.” They agreed on this. It was not possible to get the sword because Indridi had it with him at all times, wherever he went. One day Thorbjorg took Soti’s sword and cut the sheath here and there so that the sword fell out of its own accord. And when Indridi went to put on the sword it fell out of the sheath. He thought that was strange, but Thorbjorg said it was in the nature of the sword, as an omen of events to come. He asked her to repair the sheath and she said she would do it when she found the time. Indridi had to go west to Myrar to settle a dispute among his friends. He did not have the sword with him. When he was gone, Thorbjorg handed Soti’s sword to Thorolf, telling him to use it honourably if he wanted to get Helga in marriage. Thorolf went to Refs and got there late in the day. He hid in a pile of turf and piled up pieces of peat around himself so that nothing came out but his nostrils. Ref was cautious so that he had the doors bolted every evening and had a light car­ ried twice around all the buildings, first before supper and a second time before

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people went to bed. And that was done this time. But Thorolf was not discovered. Thorolf could imitate anyone’s voice. He stood up when everyone had gone to bed. He woke up Ref s serving woman, telling her he was the shepherd. He told her to ask Ref for a piece of skin for shoes because he said he was going up into the moun­ tains in the morning. She said he was not being lazy, that he should not have less than others, “and none of the servants is more useful than you.” He said that would be true before it was over. Ref slept in a bed-closet and did not allow anyone to come in to him in the night. She went anyway and told him about the shepherd’s request for a piece of shoe skin. She said it was not proper for him not to have shoes or other equipment he needed, “when he continually thinks about your property night and day.” Ref was irritated with her that she should come with that kind of errand in the middle of the night - “but there is a poor-quality shark skin out in the peat shed and he can take a piece of shoe skin from that.” And when she went away Thorolf wedged a piece of wood in the shutter of the bed-closet so that it did not close. He had stood up over Ref while they were talking, and his nerve failed him. Ref went to sleep, but Thorolf did not dare to attack him. Thorbjorg Katla, Refs mother, called out, “Wake up, my son! The devil is stand­ ing over you and will kill you.” Then Ref tried to stand, and at that moment Thorolf struck with Soti’s sword low on both his legs, one where the calf was thinnest and the other on the ankle. After that Thorolf jumped out of the bed-closet onto the floor. Then Thorbjorg came to­ wards him and grabbed him and pulled him under her and bit his windpipe in two and that killed him. Ref took Soti’s sword and pulled the ring off of Thorolf that Thorbjorg and Helga had given him, which Hord had taken from Soti. Ref recovered and was always carried in a chair afterward because he was never able to walk. However, he lived for a long time after this, so that he was called Ref the Old and was always considered a most excellent man. ^ /N

A little later Indridi came home and heard about this. He suspected that Thorbjorg might have been involved in the plan. But he did not want to lose his sword. Later he went to see Ref and asked him to return the sword - “be­ cause I was not involved in any of this scheme,” he said. Ref handed him the sword: “I don’t want to lose your friendship,” he said. Indridi took back his sword and afterwards rode home. From this it may be inferred what a chieftain Indridi was, that a warrior like Ref would not risk doing anything but return the sword to Indridi when he asked him, despite the great mutilation he had received from it. A little later Thorgrima Craftswoman met Thorbjorg Katla, Refs mother, and later they were both found dead in Mulafell. They were all torn and cut apart into pieces and the area around their burial mound has since been considered haunted.

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People say that Thorgrima, Indridi’s mother, wanted to get the Soti’s ring for Indridi, but that Katla safeguarded it and would not relinquish it, and for that rea­ son they killed each other off. The ring has never been found since. A few years later a ship came into Breidavik. On it were Tind Hallkelsson and Thord Kolgrimsson from Ferstikla. They rode from the ship, Tind to Hallkelsstadir and Thord across the river Hvita, intending to go home. But when Helga the Earl’s Daughter heard about this she said to her son Grimkel that his father’s death was slow in coming into his mind. She told him to lie in wait for Thord Kolgrims­ son, “because his father was one of the chief opponents of your father Hord.” Grimkel was then twelve years old. “I want you, kinsman,” she said, “to kill Thord because in him is great revenge.” Grimkel was with two other men. They met on the east side of the ford Bakkavad on Hvita below some stacks of peat. A little later they were all found dead in both parties. There was a man called Skeif who lived in poverty at Hvitarvellir. Some people allege that he must have killed the wounded men and then taken the valuable things that Thord had with him and that were never heard of again. Skeif went to Norway and never came back, and he grew very wealthy. Indridi did not want to risk having Helga and her son Bjorn in this country. They went from Eyrar to Norway and from there to Gotland, where Hroar was still living. He rejoiced to see his sister Helga but felt the great loss of Hord. It is not mentioned that Helga was ever married again. Bjorn became a big man. He came back to Iceland and killed many men to avenge his father. He was a fearless fighter. Twenty-four men were killed to avenge Hord, and compensation was paid for none of them. Hord’s sons killed some, his relatives and brothers-in-law some, and Hroar killed some. Almost all of them were killed with the advice of Thorbjorg Grimkelsdottir. She was considered to have been a great and noble woman. She and Indridi lived at Indridastadir to old age. They were held to be very dis­ tinguished people and had many descendants. Hord was thirty nine years old when he was killed and most of that time had brought him honour and esteem, except for the three years when he was outlawed. The priest Styrmir the Learned says in addition that he thinks he was foremost among outlaws by reason of his intelligence, his deftness with weapons and abilities of every kind, secondly that he was so highly esteemed abroad that the Earl of Got­ land gave him his daughter in marriage, and third that after no man in Iceland have so many men been killed in revenge and without payment of compensation. Now we end the Saga of the People of Holm. God give us all good days without end. Amen. Translated by ROBERT KELLOGG

BARD’S SAGA W

r it t e n late

14 t h C e n t u r y

Bárðar

sa g a

S n æ fellsá ss

Bard's Saga is translated from the text printed in Islendinga sögur. The saga, set in the preternatural landscapes of Snaefellsnes in West Icelandy is known from five medieval parchments. This fantastic tale of an Icelandic guardian spirit is kept earth-bound by the incorporation of genealogies and anecdotes from the Book of Settlements and generous sprinklings of toponyms from the Snaefellsnes areat especially during the first part of the saga. The latter section forms a sequel, with the focus now on Gest, Bard's son, who as­ sumes many of his father's characteristics. Woven into the text are numerous legends, mo­ tifs, type-scenes, and stock characters familiar from folklore, some of which have a broader European currency. Gest's descent into Raknars mound recalls Beowulf and the Saga of Grettir the Strong, while Raknar s own entrance into Olafs court suggests Sir Gawain and the Green Knight and its Irish sources. The setting of the saga adds to the aura of supernatural mystery. Jules Verne relied upon the mysterious and imposing “Mt. Sneffels” to set the scene for his fabulous travelogue A Journey to the Centre of the Earth.1 There was a king named Dumb. He ruled over the gulfs that stretch north across Helluland and are now called Dumbshaf after King Dumb. He was descended from giants on his father's side, a good-looking people and larger than other men; but his mother was descended from the tribe of trolls. This double descent was evi­ dent in Dumb for he was strapping and handsome, as well as good-tempered, so that he was readily able to mingle with human beings. He took after his mother's side for he was not only sturdy and ready for great deeds, but also shifty and vicious if something was not to his liking. He wanted to become the sole ruler of the North, and they gave him the name of king because it seemed to them that he would be a great defence against giants, trolls, and evil beings. He was also the greatest guardian of all those who called upon him. He took over the kingship at the age of twelve. He abducted Mjoll, the daughter of Snaer the Old, from Kvenland and took her as his wife. She was a pretty woman and nearly the largest of all wom­ en who were human. When they had been together for a year, Mjoll gave birth to a son. The boy was

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sprinkled with water and named Bard because Dumb’s father had been called Bard the Giant. This boy was both tall and good-looking, so that people thought that a better-looking fellow had nevei been seen. He was amazingly like his mother, for she was so fair and white of skin that the whitest of snow, which falls in calm weather, took its name from her and is called “mjoll.” A bit later discord arose between the ogres and King Dumb, and King Dumb, not wishing to endanger his son Bard in the strife, took him south to Norway to those mountains that are called the Dovrefjell (Doffi’s Mountains). There a mountain dwell­ er ruled who was named Dofri. He welcomed Dumb, and a warm friendship devel­ oped between them. Dumb asked him to foster his son, to which Dofri agreed. Bard was ten years old then. Dofiri trained him in all manner of skills, in genealogy and at fighting, and it is anything but unlikely that Bard did not also learn magic and ancient lore, acquiring both foresight and magic powers, for Dofiri was learned in these things. At that time all such subjects were considered arts by men of prestige and power be­ cause people knew nothing then of the true god here up north in this half of the world. Dofri had a daughter called Flaumgerd, the largest and most daring of women, but not particularly pretty. Yet she was human on her mother’s side; her mother was dead then. The three of them lived together in the cave. Bard and Flaumgerd grew fond of each other, and Dofri did nothing to prevent it. When Bard was thir­ teen years old, Dofri gave him his daughter Flaumgerd in marriage, and they lived there with Dofri until Bard was eighteen years old. One night when Bard lay in bed, it happened that he dreamed that a mighty tree seemed to grow from the cooking hearth of his foster-father Dofri. It had an enor­ mous number of branches and flourishing foliage. It grew so rapidly that it shot up to the stone roof and then out through a window in the cave. Soon it had grown so large that it seemed to him that the buds blossomed all over Norway. On one of its branches grew the most beautiful of flowers, though all the boughs had blooms in plenty. One of the branches was golden. Bard interpreted the dream to mean that a man of royal lineage would come to Dofri’s cave and grow up there, and this same man would become the sole ruler of Norway. That branch so fair represented a king, descended from the ancestor who had been raised there, and this king would pro­ claim a faith different from the present one. This dream was not especially agreeable to him. Men claim that the bright blossom represented King Olaf Haraldsson. After this dream Bard and Flaumgerd moved away from Dofri, and shortly there­ after Harald Halfdan’s son arrived and grew up with Dofri the Giant. After that Dofri supported him in becoming king of Norway, as is told in the saga of Harald Dofri’s Foster-son.11

1 Although no saga of this Harald survives, the Tale o f Halfdan the Black, found in the codex Flateyjarbók, tells how Dofri was taken captive by King Halfdan, Harald’s father. The young Harald sets Dofri free and is exiled by his father as a result. Dofri repays Harald’s help by fostering the lad and raising him to be king of Norway. Harald refers to Dofri as his foster-father in the Saga of the People of Kjalames, Ch. 12.

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Bard went north to Halogaland and settled there. He had three daughters by his wife Flaumgerd. The eldest of them was called Helga, the second Thordis, and the third Gudrun. When Bard had been in Halogaland a year, his wife Flaum­ gerd died, and he felt it a great loss. Afterwards Bard asked for the hand of Herthrud, the daughter of Hersir Hrolf the Wealthy. They had six daughters: Ragnhild, Flaumgerd, Thora, Thorhild, Geirrid, and Mjoll. The next point to mention is that the strife between the ogres and King Dumb grew. Finding the king to be a fierce foe, they joined forces and resolved to kill him. He who led them was Hardverk. One day they happened to meet him in a stone boat.1There were eighteen of them in all, and they attacked him and beat him with iron clubs, but he defended himself with his oars. In the end King Dumb fell in bat­ tle after he had killed twelve of them. Hardverk survived; six men were left in all. He then became their king there in the north. Mjoll was married again to Red-cloak the Strong, son of Svadi the Giant from the north of the Dovrefjell. They had a son called Thorkel, who was big and strong, with dark hair and swarthy skin. When he got older, he became the worst trouble­ maker. A little later his mother Mjoll died, and Thorkel married Eygerd, daughter of Ulf of Halogaland. Eygerd’s mother was Thora, the daughter of Mjoll, the daughter of An Bow-bender. Thorkel then moved to the neighbourhood of his brother Bard in Halogaland. They lived in the ijord Salten in northern Halogaland. Shortly thereafter the brothers travelled north across Dumbshaf and burned Hardverk the Strong in his house - and thirty ogres with him. Then Bard could not stay there. They went home to Salten and lived there until King Harald Tangle-hair12 won the kingdom of Norway. But when he had accomplished this deed, he became so high and mighty that there could be no man worthy of notice between the river Raumelf in the south and Finnabu in the north who was not forced to pay him taxes, neither those who burned seaweed to make salt nor those who worked the fields. When Bard learned this, it seemed to him that he would not escape these hardships any more readily than had any other. Rather would he forsake friendship and fatherland than live under the kind of tyrannous yoke that he had heard every­ one else was under. It occurred to him to seek out other lands.

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There was a man named Bard, son of Hoyanger-Bjorn, a Halogalander by birth. The namesakes got together and decided to set out for Iceland, where there was said to be choice property. Bard Dumbsson also said that his dreams had told him that he would end his life in Iceland. Each man commanded his own ship and had more than thirty men with him. On the ship with Bard was his wife Herthrud and all his daughters. The man of

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1 Not unattested maritime transportation for a giant. 2 That is, Harald Halfdanarson. He had vowed not to comb his hair until he ruled all Norway; when he accomplished this vow and the matted mop was brushed, his hair was so beautiful that he was nicknamed “Fair-hair”.

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most renown there other than Bard was Thorkel, son of Red-cloak and brother of Bard Dumbsson. There was on the ship a great farmer named Skjold, a Halogalander by birth, and his wife Groa. They were quite different in temperament. Also on board ship was a man named Sval and his wife Thufa. They were both very trolltempered, difficult and ill-disposed to all. Two slave-women, one named Kneif (Nipper) and the other Skin-breeches, and a young lad named Thorkel who was called Skin-swathed were there. He was a second cousin of Bard on his sister’s side and had been brought up north of Dumbshaf. It was difficult to come by homespun cloth there, and the boy was swaddled in seal skins for warmth. As those were his swaddling-clothes, he was called Thorkel Skin-swathed. He was full-grown at this point in the story. He was a tall man, lank and long-legged, long-armed and poorly proportioned, with fingers skinny and long, his face narrow and elongated with high cheekbones, large and protruding teeth, pop-eyed and wide-mouthed, long­ necked and bulb-headed, with small shoulders and a thick waist, and feet long and pointed. He was swift of foot and skilful in all he did; brusque and a hard worker, he was faithful in all things to those he served. There was also a sailor with Bard who was called Thorir, a capable man of enormous strength. He was the son of Knorr, son of Jokul, son of Bjorn the Hebridean. With Bard there was also Ingjald, son of Alfarinn, son of Vali, brother of Holmkel, father of Ketilrid, about whom Viglund composed most of his verses. Many other men were on the ship with Bard, although they are not named here. When the namesakes were ready to leave, they put out to sea. They had a rough passage and were at sea for sixty days. They made land in the south, then sailed on westward. They saw a great mountain covered all over with glaciers. They called it Snaefell, and the peninsula Snaefellsnes. The namesakes separated off the peninsula. Bard the son of Hoyanger-Bjorn held a westerly course around the land, and then north; he was out at sea for another sixty days. He arrived at the mouth of Skjalfandafljot and claimed all of Bardardal above the streams Villikalfsborgara and Eyjardalsa, settling for a while at Lundarbrekka. Feeling that a wind from the south would be better than the wind from the north, and the land thus better to the south of the highlands, he sent his sons south during goa-month, and they found horsetails1 and other vegetation. One of them went back, while the other waited. Then Bard had a yoke made for any creature that could move and had each pull his own food and the household belongings. He trav­ elled along Vonarskard, and the route is now called Bardargata. He claimed the Fljot district, settled at Gnupar, and was then called Gnupa-Bard. He had many children. His son was Sigmund, father of Thorstein, who married Aesa, the daughter of Hrolf Redbeard. Their daughter was Thorunn who married Thorkel Leif, and their son was Thorgeir, the Godi of Ljosavatn. Another son of Bard and Herthrud was Thorstein, the father of Thorir who was at Fitjar with King Hakon. Thorir cut a slit in a hide and used it as protection and because of that was 1 The meaning of the original is uncertain; it could also be moss campion or saxifrage.

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called Leather-neck. He married Fjorleif, the daughter of Eyvind. Their sons were Havard of Fellsmuli, Herjolf of Myvatn, Ketil of Husavik, Vemund Fringe who mar­ ried Halldora, the daughter of Thorkel the Black, Askel, and Hals. Thorir lived at Helgastadir. Bard Dumbsson moored his ship in a lagoon on the south shore of the penin­ sula, and they called it Djupalon (Deep Lagoon). Bard went ashore with his men, and when they came to a huge cave formed of jutting rocks, they made sacri­ fices for their good fortune. That is now called Trollakirkja (Church of Trolls). Then they beached their ship in a small bay. Those on board had relieved them­ selves1 in the lagoon, and the same excrement washed ashore in this inlet; so it was called Dritvik (Shit Inlet). Later they set out to explore the land. When Bard came to a small promontory, Kneif the slave-woman asked Bard to give her the peninsula, which he did. It is now called Kneifarnes (Nipper’s Ness). Then Bard discovered a huge cave, and they remained there for a while. The cave seemed to them to reply to everything that they said because an echo in the cave answered them immediately. They called it Songhellir (Singing Cave) and held all their councils there. That custom lasted while Bard lived. Later Bard walked until he came to a pond. He took off all his clothes there and bathed in the shallows. People now call it Bardarlaug (Bard’s Pool). A short distance away he built a large house and named it Laugarbrekka, and lived there for some time. A man left with Bard the farmer who was named Sigmund. He was the son of Ketil Thistle who settled Thistilfjord, and his wife was named Hildigunn. They were with Bard at Laugarbrekka. Thorkel Red-cloak’s son settled the land which is called Arnarstapi, and Skjold lived at Trod. But his wife Groa was of such temperament that she was unhappy liv­ ing with him, for she thought herself too good for him. She went to a jutting cave, cleared it by hewing away the rock so that it became a great cavern, and lived there with her belongings. She had no other home while Skjold lived, and it was called Grouhellir (Groa’s Cave). After Skjold’s death, Thorkel Skin-swathed asked to marry Groa, and with the support of his kinsman Bard, he got her as wife and they lived at Dagverdara after that. Thorir Knarrarson maintained Bard’s farm at Oxnakelda. Bard’s slave-woman Skin-breeches lived at the farm named Skinnbrok. Ingjald went around the peninsula and found land with Bard’s advice at the place which is called Ingjaldshvol. Sval and Thufa immediately disappeared from the ship the first night and were not heard of for some time. In fact, they were in the mountains, and both had turned

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1 A lite ra l t r a n s l a t i o n o f t h e I c e la n d ic e x p r e s s io n f o r this» a lfre k a , w o u ld b e “ d r o v e t h e e lv e s a w a y ” .

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into trolls. As time passed, much mischief was caused by them, but no one dared to do anything about it because of their troll powers. On one occasion, a whale washed ashore on Bard’s land, and Sval behaved as was his habit: he went at night to butcher the whale. After he had been cutting at the whale awhile, Bard arrived. A mighty wrestling match took place between them. Sval turned troll so that Bard became the weaker. But in the end Bard broke the spine of Sval and buried him there in the gravel. It is called Svalsmol there. The next night he found Thufa at the whale, and he killed her in the same way. People felt the country was well rid of them.

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Thorkel Red-cloak’s son had two sons by his wife: one was named Solvi and the other Red-cloak after Thorkel’s father. They were raised at Arnarstapi and were promising men. The daughters of Bard, who were both tall and attractive, grew up at Laugarbrekka. Helga was the oldest of them. Thorkel’s sons and Bard’s daughters played together in the winter on the ice of the streams there which are called Barnaar rivers (Children’s rivers). They played long and hard, going at it with high spirits. The sons of Thorkel wanted to rule the roost because they were stronger, but the daughters of Bard would not allow them­ selves to be subdued any more than they were able. One day they were playing, and there was the usual rivalry between Red-cloak and Helga. There was an ice field off shore that day and a thick fog. They were play­ ing right down by the sea. Then Red-cloak pushed Helga out onto the sea on an ice floe just as a strong wind blew out from land. The ice floe drifted out to the ice field, and Helga got up onto the ice field. That same night the ice drifted away from land and out to sea. She clung to the ice, and it drifted so fast that within seven days she arrived in Greenland with the ice. Then Eirik the Red, son of Thorvald, son of Asvald, son of Ox-Thorir, lived at Brattahlid. Eirik married Thjodhild, the daughter of Jorund Atlason and Thorbjorg Ship-breast, the stepdaughter of Thorbjorn of Haukadal. Their son was Leif the Lucky. Eirik had settled Greenland the year before. Helga accepted winter lodgings with Eirik. With Eirik there was a man named Skeggi Skin-Bjorn’s son, son of SkutadSkeggi. He was an Icelander and was called Skeggi from Midfjord because he lived at Reykir in Midfjord, although he was often away trading. Helga was a beautiful woman. She was thought to have arrived there in a peculiar fashion and, because of that, she was called a troll by some men. She was also a man’s equal in strength, whatever she did. She related the whole story of her jour­ neys. Eirik recognised her lineage because he knew Bard, even though Eirik had been young when Bard came to Iceland. One day Helga stood outside, looked around, and recited: 1.

Happy would I be if I could see

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Burfell and Bali, both Londrangar, Adalthegnsholar and Ondvertnes, Heidarkolla and Hreggnasi, and the gravel o f Dritvik before the doors of my fosterer.

These place names are all on Snaefellsnes. Skeggi took Helga under his protection and shared his bed with her. During the winter trolls and evil nature-spirits came down to Eiriksfjord and gave men the worst trouble, destroying ships and breaking folk’s bones. There were three of them, man, woman, and son. Skeggi planned to kill them, and managed to do so because Helga helped him and nearly gave her life to the cause. During the next summer Skeggi went to Norway with Helga, and he was there the next year. The summer after he travelled to Iceland and went home to his farm at Reykir, and Helga accompanied him. There is no mention of them having had any children. Now we turn to those sisters, the daughters of Bard, who returned home to Laugarbrekka and told their father how things had fared with Red-cloak and Bard’s daughter Helga. Bard became terribly angry at this, jumped up, and went off to Arnarstapi. His face was then dark with anger. Thorkel was not at home for he had gone to sea. The lads Red-cloak and Solvi were outside. One of them was eleven years old and the other twelve. Bard took them both, one under each arm, and went to the mountains. Struggling was no use to them because Bard was so strong that he could have held them even if they had been full-grown men. When he got to the mountain, he threw Red-cloak into a ravine so big and deep that Red-cloak was dead before he got to the bottom. It is now called Raudfeldsgja. He continued onwards with Solvi until he came to a high cliff, from which he threw Solvi. When he hit the ground, his skull was smashed and he died. It has since been called Solvahamar (Solvi’s Cliff). After that he went back to Arnarstapi, announced the deaths of the brothers, and went on his way home. Thorkel came home and discovered how the lives of his sons had ended. He turned around and went after his brother. When they met, they wasted no time on greetings but went at each other at once, tearing up anything in their way. In the end Thorkel fell because Bard was the stronger. Thorkel lay down for a while after the fall, and Bard went home. Thorkel’s leg had been broken in the brothers’ wres­ tling match; he stood up and limped home. Afterwards his foot was bound, and it mended well. Thereafter he was called Thorkel Bound-leg. When Thorkel had recovered, he left Snaefellsnes with his belongings and went east to Haeng Thorkelsson. His mother was Hrafnhild, the daughter of Ketil Haeng from Hrafnista. He had settled all of Rangarvellir and lived at Lower Hof.

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On Haeng’s advice, Thorkel claimed the land in the vicinity of Thrihyming and lived there on the southern side of the mountain, where he is counted among the original settlers. He was a terrible shape-changer. He had these children with his wife: Bork Blue-tooth-beard, the father of Starkad of Thrihyming; Thorny, who married Orm Storolfsson; and Dagrun, mother of Bersi. Bard reacted to all of this - the fight between the brothers and the disappear­ ance of his daughter - by becoming silent and nasty to deal with. Men could not get a thing out of him afterwards. One day Bard came to talk with Sigmund his comrade and announced: “I can see,” said he, “that because of my kin and my terrible sorrow I cannot deal with normal people, and therefore I must put myself on some other course. But on ac­ count of your long and loyal service to me, I will give you the land here at Laugarbrekka and the farm that accompanies it.” Sigmund thanked him for the gift. To Thorir Knarrarson he gave the land at Oxnakelda, and to Thorkel Skin-swathed he gave Dagverdara. There was the great­ est friendship between them, as well as kinship, and it lasted a lifetime. After that Bard disappeared with all of his possessions. It is thought by people that he vanished into the glaciers and lived there in a huge cavern. His family was more likely to live in large caves than in houses, as he had been raised by Doffi in the Dovrefjell. He was also more like trolls in strength and size than like human be­ ings. For that reason his name was lengthened, and he was called Bard the As (guardian spirit) of Snaefell because they practically worshipped him on the penin­ sula and called upon him in times of difficulty. For many he also proved to be a source of real help in need. After Bard disappeared, Sigmund and Hildigunn lived at Laugarbrekka until their deaths, and Sigmund is buried there. He had three sons. One was Einar who lived at Laugarbrekka. He married Unn, daughter of Thorir, brother of Aslak of Langadal. Hallveig was their daughter; Thorbjorn Vifilsson married her. Another son was named Breid. He married Gunnhild, the daughter of Aslak of Langadal. Their son was Thormod who married Helga the daughter of Onund and sister of Hrafn the Poet. Their daughter was Herthrud who married Simon. Their daughter was Gunn­ hild who married Thorgils. Their daughter was Valgerd, the mother of Finnbogi the Learned of Geirshlid. The third son was called Thorkel. He married Joreid, the daughter of Tind Hallkelsson. After the death of Sigmund, Hildigunn lived there with her son Einar. It was said that Hildigunn was skilled in sorcery, and, because of that, she was accused by that man named Einar who was called Einar from Lon. He came to Laugarbrekka with six men and charged Hildigunn with sorcery, but her son Einar was then not at home. He came home just after Einar from Lon had left. She told him the news and presented him with a newly made cloak. Einar took his shield, his sword and a pack horse and rode after them. The horse collapsed from exhaustion on the rocks where Bard Snaefell’s As had killed Thufa,

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the wife of Sval, and which are now called Thufubjorg (Thufa’s Rocks). Einar man­ aged to get by the steep cliffs, and there they fought. Seven of Einar from Lon’s men fell, while his two slaves ran off. The namesakes fought for a long time. People say that Einar Sigmundarson had called on Bard for victory. Then the belt on Einar from Lon’s breeches came apart, and when he clutched at his breeches Einar dealt him his death blow. Einar Sigmundarson's slave Hreidar, who saw from Thufubjorg where Einar from Lon’s slaves ran, went after them. He ran after them and killed them both in a bay now called Thraelavik (Slaves’ Inlet). Because of this, Einar gave him his freedom and as much land as he could plough and fence in three days. It is called Hreidarsgerdi, and he lived there afterwards. Einar lived at Laugarbrekka until his old age and is buried a short distance from the mound of his father, Sigmund. Einar’s mound is always green with grass, winter and summer.

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Now there comes next what has been told of before: that Helga Bardardottir was with Skeggi from Midfjord. When Bard learned this, he went to fetch her in the autumn and took her home with him because Skeggi was married then. She knew no joy after parting with Skeggi, but forever after sorrowed and pined for him. One day she said this verse: 2. Soon will I seek to leave. My sorrow does not fade for the waster o f wealth. I must wither away for with passion hot and heavy I loved the heaper of riches. So my sorrow I cannot hide. I sit alone, I tell my tragedy.

waster of wealth: (generous) man

heaper of riches: (generous) man

Helga could not abide her father and thereafter disappeared. It is thought that she could not stay near men or beast, or in lodgings. She was most often in small caves and hills. Helguhellir (Helga’s Cave) in Drangahraun is named after her, and many other place names connected with her are known in Iceland. It was she, and not Gudrun Gjukadottir,1although some men say so, who worked as servant one winter at Hjalli in Olfus with Thorodd and his son Skafti. Helga was there in secret and lay in the outermost bed in the hall during the winter with the curtain drawn before her. She played the harp nearly all night because she was still, as before, not much given to sleeping. There was a Norwegian named Hrafn with the family. Men often talked about 1 Gudrun is the great heroic persona of the Poetic Edda and Saga of the Volsungs who first married Sigurd Fafnisbani and then Atli, king of the Huns.

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the fact that no one seemed to know who this woman was. Hrafh was the most sus­ picious one there, and one night he looked under the bed curtain. He saw Helga sitting up in bed in a shift. The woman seemed to him very beautiful. He wanted to get into bed and under her clothes, but she would have none of it. They struggled, and when they separated, Hrafn the Norwegian’s right arm and left leg were bro­ ken. A little later Helga vanished and travelled far in Iceland and delighted in nothing anywhere. Everywhere she went she hid her identity and usually kept far from men. She also stayed with her father now and again. There was a troll-woman named Hetta. She had a dwelling in Ennisfjall and was the worst shape-shifter, dealing cruelly with both man and beast. One time she killed much of the livestock belonging to Ingjald at Hvol. When he realised this, he went to meet her. She fled, but he pursued her up into the moun­ tain. In those days there was a great deal of fishing off Snaefellsnes, and no one was better at getting his men out to sea than Ingjald. He was also the most daring of fishermen himself. But as Hetta drew away from him, she announced: “Now I shall repay you for the losses I caused and show you a fishing bank where there is never any lack of fish for those who go seeking. And you need not break your habit of being alone on ship­ board as you are accustomed to be.” Then she spoke a verse:

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3. You shall row past the mountain of fjords out on the troubled sea, there the cod will glitter, if you would find Grim’s Bank. There you shall then lie at anchor. Thor has love for Frigg. Let the snub-nosed shiverer row Along the headland in Hrakhvamm.

mountain of fiords: perhaps Kirkjufell

Then they parted. That was in the autumn. Ingjald, alone on the ship, rowed out to sea the day after. He rowed until he was far away from the mountain and the peninsula. It seemed to him rather farther than he had thought. The weather was good in the morning, and when he came to the bank, there were plenty of fish. A bit later a cloud drifted up from Ennisfjall and quickly covered the sky. Next the wind came up, and it snowed with frost. Then Ingjald saw a man in a boat who pulled in fish mightily. He was red-bearded. Ingjald asked him his name, and he re­ plied that he was called Grim. Ingjald asked if he would not like to head for land. Grim replied that he was not ready, “and you must wait here until I have filled the boat.”

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The weather worsened, becoming so stormy and murky that one could not see from stem to stern. Ingjald had lost all his hooks and fishing tackle. The oars were also much battered. He thought that he would never reach land on account of Hetta’s witchcraft and felt that all of this had been her doing. He called on Bard Snaefelfs As to help him. Ingjald was quickly growing cold because the ship took on water, and each wave froze as it came in. Ingjald was accustomed to have a great fur cloak over him, and it was there in the ship with him. He took the cloak and pulled it over himself for protection. Death seemed more certain to him than life then. That day at home in Ingjaldshvol it happened around midday that someone came to the window of the main room about meal time and spoke these words in a deep voice: 4.

Out he rowed alone in his boat, skin-cloaked Ingjald. Eighteen hooks he lost skin-cloaked Ingjald and a forty-yard line skin-cloaked Ingjald. May he never return again skin-cloaked Ingjald.

People were startled by that, but it was held to be true that Hetta the trollwoman must have said these words, believing, just as she hoped, that Ingjald ought never to return, exactly as she had planned it. When Ingjald was nearly dead, he saw a man rowing alone in a boat. He was in a grey cowl with a rope of hide around his waist. Ingjald thought that he recognised his friend Bard. He rowed swiftly to Ingjald’s ship and announced: “You are doing poorly, my companion, and it is a great wonder that you, such an intelligent man, should allow an evil being like Hetta to trick you. Now get into the ship with me, if you will, and see if you can steer, and I will row.” Ingjald did so. Grim had disappeared on the boat when Bard arrived. It is thought by people that it must have been Thor. Bard rowed strongly until he reached land. Bard took Ingjald home; he was terribly tired, but he regained full health. Bard left for his home. There was an evil spirit named Kolia of Torfa, known also as Skin-cap; she lived at Hnausar. She did much harm, both stealing and killing. Thorir of Oxnakelda discovered her at his livestock one night. They immediately went at it and wrestled. Thorir soon found that she had the strength of a troll. Their match was both hard and long, but it ended when he broke her back and so sent her to her death. When he stood up, he spoke this poem:

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5. A troll was Kolia of Torfa, - hardly loose now - from Hnausar. She walked stooping as I recount on her way east over Botnar. I intended a back-breaker for the stupid ogress this day. The plucky troll’s renown was lost when I snapped her neck.

Many men said that Bard once again must have helped Thorir in this because all of Bard’s friends called on him whenever they found themselves in danger. Bard often wandered around the country, appearing far and wide. He was usually clad in a grey cowl with a walrus-hide rope around him, and a cleft staff in his hand with a long and thick gaff. He often made use of it when travelling the glaciers. It is said that the brothers Bard and Thorkel met and made complete peace. They had many dealings after that, and they lived together for a long time in Brynjudal in a cave that has since been called Bardarhellir (Bard’s Cave), and they went to the games at Eirik’s farmstead, Eiriksstadir by Skjaldbreid. These were also attended by Lagalf, son of Litildros, from Siglunes in the north. They had wrestling matches, and Lagalf and Eirik were evenly matched, but Eirik had already beaten Thorkel Bound-leg. Later Bard and Eirik wrestled, and his hand was broken. Lagalf travelled from home to the games and back again that evening.1 He wres­ tled on the way with a shepherd of Hallbjorn of Silfrastadir named Skeljung. He was a berserk. Skeljung fell and broke his leg. Lagalf carried him to the farm and then went on his way. When he went along Blonduhlid, he came to Frostastadir and went toward the house from the south. Peering through the window, he saw into the house. A farmer was accusing his wife of taking meal from the meal bag that hung over them. He boxed her ear, and she cried as a result. Lagalf reached his axe in through the window and cut down the bag. It landed on the farmer’s head, and he fell down senseless. Lagalf turned away and set off for his home in Siglunes that evening, and he is out of the story. The farmer came to and thought that the bag had fallen by itself from above. There are some people who say that Orm Storolfsson was at the games at Skjald­ breid and wrestled with Bergthor of Blafell, and that Orm won. Also present was the young Orm Forest-nose. He wrestled with Thorir of Thorisdal, the valley in Geitlandsjokul. Thorir was the sturdier of them. Also present was Thoralf Skolmsson who wrestled with Hallmund from Balljokul. They were nearly matched, but Bard was thought to be the strongest of all of them. These games ended without anything more to tell. 1 The distance he travelled is about 400-500 km.

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' í / \ There was a man named Onund who was called Broad-beard. He was the son A V 7 of Ulf, son of Ulf from Fitjar, son of Thorir the Stamper. He lived in the up­ permost part of Reykjadal on a farm called Breidabolstad. He married Geirlaug, the daughter of Thormod of Akranes, sister of Bersi. Their daughter was named Thorodda. Torfi, son of Valbrand, son of Valthjof, son of Orlyg of Esjuberg, married her. Her dowry was half of Breidabolstad, and so the farmstead was divided into two. This Torfi killed all twelve of the men of Kropp, and he figured most in the killing of the men from Holm; the leaders were Killer-Hord, the son of Torfi’s sister, and Geir, after whom the islet Geirsholm is named. Torfi was also at Hellisfitjar with 111ugi the Black and Sturla the Godi. Eighteen of the men of Hellir were killed then, and they burned Audun Smidkelsson in his house at Thorvardsstadir. Torfi’s son was Thorkel of Skaney. The son of Onund was Odd, a large and promising man. No one seemed more suited to be the leader in those parts than Odd. When he was twelve years old, he made a trip out to Snaefellsnes to buy stock­ fish; he returned home by travelling through Drangahraun. Odd fell behind his men because he was looking after his horse, and things did not go so quickly for him. Then a thick fog came up. As he drove his horse before him along the path, he saw a man come out of the lava fields down towards him. He was in a grey cowl and had a two-pronged staff in hand. He turned to Odd and greeted him by name. Odd acknowledged his greeting warmly and asked him his name. He said that he was called Bard and that he owned a house there on the penin­ sula: “I have business with you: first, I wish to befriend you and invite you to a Yule feast. It would seem better if you would agree to the journey.” Odd replied: “Then so be it, if that is what you advise.” “You are doing the right thing,” said Bard, “but I do not wish you to tell anyone about this.” Odd agreed, “but I wish to know where I should attend this feast.” “You shall go,” said Bard, “to Dagverdara and have Thorkel Skin-swathed show you the right way to my home.” Then they parted. Odd went home and said nothing about this. In the winter seven nights before Yule, Odd rode off from home alone, out to Snaefellsnes, and did not stop until he came to Dagverdara. It was late in the eve­ ning, two nights before Yule. His horse was terribly tired because it had had a hard journey, and the weather was severe. Odd knocked on the door, but it was a long while before anyone came to answer it. Finally the door was opened halfway. There emerged a rather loathsome head peering out of the crack in the door. His eyes bulged as he strained to see what was out there. The face was awfully narrow and ugly to look at. When he saw the man, he wanted to shut the door again, but Odd jammed his axe shaft in the way so that the door would not close. Then Odd fell upon the door so hard that it broke into pieces.

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Odd went into the house the same way that the other one went and continued going this way until he came into the main room. It was bright and warm there. Thorkel sat on a cross-bench. He was very jolly and offered Odd lodgings. He stayed there that night, receiving good hospitality. In the morning Odd got up early, and they prepared for the journey. The weather was cold and quite frosty, with skies bright overhead, but there was driving snow near the mountains. Thorkel walked, but Odd rode. They set out for the mountain, with Thorkel first. When they reached the mountain, it grew very dark from the driving snow. Then it began to blow, and the greatest blizzard began. They travelled until Odd began to walk, and Thorkel led the horse. When it was least expected, Thorkel disappeared into the storm so that Odd nev­ er knew what became of him. It was both windy and cold, steep and slippery. He wandered for a long time not knowing where he was going. Sometime later Odd realised that there was a man walking in the dimness in a grey cowl with a cleft staff. As he walked, he dug the tip of the staff into the glacier. When they met, Odd recognised Bard Snaefell’s As. They greeted each other and exchanged the usual news. Bard asked him to come with him. They did not walk long before they came to a huge cave, and then to another cave, which was bright within. Some rather large, but nevertheless presentable, women sat there. Odd’s clothes were pulled off, and he was treated with the best hospitality. He was there all of the Yule season, entirely comfortable. There was no one else there except Bard’s household. Odd liked Thordis the best of Bard’s daughters, and with her he spoke most often. Soon Bard noticed this, but he did not say anything about it. Bard asked Odd to stay for the winter, and he agreed to that. Soon Bard took a liking to Odd and taught him law that winter. Afterwards he was spoken of as a man more learned in law than any other. Bard discovered that Thordis and Odd felt warmly for each other. He asked Odd if he wished to marry Thordis. Odd answered: “There’s no concealing that I have more love for her than for any other woman. The truth is that if you are willing to marry her to me, I shall not re­ fuse.” So Bard married his daughter to Odd and gave her rare treasures for her dowry. Bard was to visit Odd for the wedding and bring the bride there. Then they parted in friendship. Odd went home and prepared the feast. At the named time Bard came to Tunga with the bride and ten others. There was Thorkel Bound-leg with his brother and Orm the Strong, his brother-in-law. Thorkel Skin-swathed was there also with Bard, and Odd welcomed them warmly. Ingjald from Hvol was there too, and Thorir Knarrarson, who was Bard’s friend, plus Einar Sigmundarson from Laugarbrekka, and seven others whom people did not know. Many guests had arrived before: a kinsman of Odd called Torfi Valbrandsson, Illugi the Black, Geir the Wealthy from Geirshlid, and Arngrim the Godi from Nordurtunga. There was also Galti son of Kjolvor, Odd’s relative, and many other men.

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Nothing newsworthy happened at the feast* Then everyone left for home. Between Odd and Thordis there was great love. They were together for three years. Then Thordis died; they had had no children. That was a great sorrow to Odd. Then Odd married Jorunn Helgadottir. Their sons were Thorvald, who led the burning of Blund-Ketil, and Thorodd, who married Jofrid Gunnarsdottir. The daughters of Tunga-Odd were Thurid, who married Svarthofdi; Hungerd, who married Sverting, the son of Goat-Bjorn; and Hallgerd, who married Hallbjorn, the son of Odd from Kidjaberg. Kjolvor was Odd's mother’s sister, the mother of Thorleif, the mother of Thurid, the mother of both Gunnhild, who married Kolli, and Glum, the father of Thorarin, the father of Glum of Vatnsleysa. 4 4 Now we return to Skeggi from Midfjord who lived at Reykir in Midfjord. He had married a woman named Hallbera, the daughter of Grim. Their son was Eid, who later married Hafthora, the daughter of Thorberg Corn-mouth and Alof Ship-shield, the sister of Thorgeir Gollnir. They had another son named Roll, the father of Halldor, the father of Thordis and Thorkatla, for whom Helgi the Poet pined. Skeggi had three daughters. One was named Hrodny, who married Thord Bellower. Another was named Thorbjorg, who married Asbjorn the Wealthy, son of Hord. Their daughter was Ingibjorg, who married Illugi the Black. Their sons were Gunnlaug Serpent-tongue, and Hermund, and Ketil. The third daughter of Skeggi was named Thordis. She grew up at Reykir. She was a most beautiful and skilled woman. Thord Bellower, a great chieftain, lived at Hvamm in Hvammssveit. Thorbjorn Ox lived at Thoroddsstadir in Hrutafjord. He was the son of Arnor Hairy-nose, the son of Thorodd who settled that region. Thorbjorn was the greatest champion. He killed Atli Asmundarson, but Grettir avenged his brother and killed Thorbjorn. The brother of Thorbjorn was Thorodd Half-poem. Grenjud, son of Hermund the Crooked, lived at Melar in Hrutafjord. He had a daughter who was named Thorgerd. Grenjud and Thorbjorg had a son who was named Thorbjorn, a most accomplished man. In the autumn at Reykir in Midfjord it happened that about evening someone knocked on the door. Eid was sixteen years old. He went to the door. A very large man stood outside the door, wearing a grey cowl and leaning upon a cleft staff which he held in his hand. The man greeted the farmer’s son by name, and Eid asked who he was. He replied that he was called Gest. He asked whether Eid had any authority. Eid said that he had all the authority that he wished. “Then will you,” said Gest, “provide me with lodgings for the winter?” “I am reluctant to do that,” said Eid. “Little do you make of yourself, you up-and-coming young man,” said Gest, “if you will not undertake to give one man food for a few nights, even though I shall go away and spread your reputation wherever I go.”9

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Eid spoke: “Why don’t you stay here for the winter rather than travel in the mid­ dle of the night?” Gest walked inside with the farmer’s son. The farmer asked what manner of man this was, and Eid replied with all that he had discussed with Gest. Skeggi did not think much of this, but let Eid have his way. Gest stayed there for the winter, but it was in fact Bard Snaefell’s As. Bard taught Eid law and genealogy. Eid became the most learned of men in the law so that he was later known as Law-Eid. Thordis, the daughter of Skeggi, was fifteen years old. It was said among some men that Gest would seduce her during the winter. In the summer Gest went away and thanked Eid for the visit. And as the summer passed, Thordis began to thicken around the waist, and in the autumn she bore a child in the shieling. It was a big and handsome boy. She sprinkled the boy with water and said that he should be named after his father; he was called Gest. The next day a woman of great size came to the shieling and offered to take the boy and foster him. Thordis granted her this. A little later she disappeared with the boy. She was really Helga, Bard’s daughter. Gest grew up with her for a time. Skeggi paid little attention to Thordis after this. Some years later Thorbjorn Grenjadarson sought to marry Thordis, Skeggi’s daughter, and she was married to him. Thorbjorn then established a farm at Tunga beyond Melar. They were not together long before they had two sons: the elder was named Thord, and the younger Thorvald. They were both promising men, but Thord excelled by far. Thorbjorn became a rich man, with some five hundred sheep sheltering in his sheds. ■4Q At Laekjamot in Vididal lived a man who was named Thorgils, variously called Thorgils Boomer or Thorgils the Wise. His son was Thorarin the Wise, foster-father of Killer-Bardi. Audun Shaft lived at Audunarstadir then; he was old, but he had been the great­ est man and a fine champion. Thorbjorn the farmer at Tunga had many sources of income. He had a shieling in Hrutafjardardal, which he had manned in the early part of the summer. Thordis the housewife was always at the shieling. At the time Thord was six years old and Thorvald five. One evening Thordis was at the spring washing her hair. Helga Bardardottir came to her with Gest, who was then twelve years old. She said, “Here is your son, Thordis, and it is not likely that he would have grown more if he had been with you.” Then Thordis asked the woman who she was. She said that she was named Helga and was the daughter of Bard Snaefell’s As, “but I have travelled widely with Gest for my home is not in one place. I wish to tell you also that I am the sister of Gest and that Bard is the father of us both.” Thordis said, “That is unlikely.”

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She did not stay there, but went away. Gest remained with his mother, and he was both huge and handsome for he was already as tall as those who were in their twenties. Gest stayed at Tunga the following winter and then Bard his father sought him, taking him home with him to Snaefellsjokul. Bard had brought Thordis a hand­ some set of women’s clothing. Gest grew up with his father, and he taught him all of the skills that he knew. Gest became so strong that no one alive was his equal. Y£

In those days the troll-woman Hit was alive and lived in Hundahellir in the valley which has since been called Hitardal. Hit held a great Yule feast. She invited Bard Snaefell’s As first of all and with him his son Gest and Thorkel Skin-swathed. Also invited were Gudrun Dearth-widow and her son Kalf. Surt from Hellisfitjar and Jora of Jorukleif were invited. A giant whose name was Kolbjorn was invited. He lived in a cave which was in Breiddalsbotnar, near the bottom of Hrutafjardardal where the valley gets shallow in the west near Slettafell. Kolbjorn was accompanied by Gapi and Gljufra-Geir, who lived at High Gnup in Gnupsdal, and Glam and Am from Midfjardarnesbjorg. There was also Gudlaug from Gudlaugshofdi. The seats were so arranged in Hundahellir that on the inside at the middle of the cross-bench sat Gudrun Dearth-widow. On one side of her sat Jora of Jorukleif, the daughter of Egil, and on the other side sat Helga, the daughter of Bard, but there were no more. Hit served the guests. In the high seat sat Bard SnaefelFs As, with Gudlaug from Gudlaugshofdi outwards from him, and Gest Bardarson inwards from him, then Kalf, and Thorkel Skin-swathed. Opposite Bard sat Surt of Fitjar, and inwards from him sat Kolbjorn from Breiddal, then Glam and Am, and out­ wards from him Geir and Gapi. The tables were set up, and a magnificent spread was laid on the tables. Drinking was completely without control so that all there became stupefied. When the meal was over, Hit and the ogres asked Bard what he wished to do for fiin. They said that they would abide by his advice. Bard asked that they start the skin-throwing game. Then they stood up - Bard and Surt, Kolbjorn, Gudlaug and Gljufra-Geir - and played a four-corner skin-throwing game. There was no little commotion. It was obvious, though, that Bard was the strongest even though he was old. They used a huge bearskin, rolled up tightly, as the skin and four of them threw it back and forth among themselves, while one person, the “outsider,” was supposed to try to get the hide. It was not a good idea to be in the way of their shoves. Most of them stood up on the benches, but not Gest, who remained seated at his place. When it was Kolbjorn’s turn to be “out,” he tried to get the hide away from Bard and leaped at him rather suddenly. When Gest saw that, he thrust his foot out be­ fore Kolbjorn so that the ogre fell on the rock so hard that he broke his nose. Blood flowed all over him. There was an uproar and a very violent struggle. Kolbjorn wanted to take his revenge on Gest.

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Bard said no one was allowed to run amok in the halls of his friend Hit, “where she has invited us out of friendship.” It was as Bard wished, but Kolbjorn took it badly that he could not have his re­ venge. Everyone went to his homestead. It seemed, as it often had before, that all the ogres were afraid of Bard. At the parting, as Gest left, Hit gave him a dog who was called Snati. He was grey in the face. On account of his strength and in­ telligence, he was the greatest companion. She said that he was better in battle than four men. Then Bard went home, where he and Gest stayed for a while. Y / j , There was a shepherd of Thorbjorn, a farmer of Tunga, named Gust. He herdÁ J- ed sheep winter and summer, showing the farmer the utmost loyalty in all things. Gust was stout and fast on his feet, but not strong. Ten years after Gest left Tunga, all of the sheep which Thorbjorn the farmer had left in Gust’s care happened to disappear. He searched for three days on end without finding the sheep, came home in the evening, and said that he would give up looking for the sheep, “because I have searched for three days in all directions and in places where it seemed to me that there was any likelihood that the flock might be.” The farmer gave him a serious reprimand and said that the sheep must be near. Gust said that he would look no longer. In the morning Thorbjorn rode to Reykir in Midfjord to meet Skeggi his fatherin-law. Skeggi welcomed him warmly and asked him the news. Thorbjorn said that he had no news, “other than that my sheep have all dis­ appeared, and we have searched for three days and have found nothing. 1 have come here now for I want you to give me some good advice about how I ought to deal with this matter and for you to tell me what you think is likely to have hap­ pened. There is nothing normal about the disappearance of these sheep.” “I think I know,” said Skeggi, “what happened to your sheep. Some trolls have taken them and have made them hidden from view. No one except your sons will succeed in getting them back because this is all aimed at them. It may be that the trolls feel that they have some reason for revenge and that someone they know who suffered a defeat at the brothers’ hands is unable to take revenge. It is my advice that the brothers search.” Thorbjorn rode home after this and talked with his sons about their looking for the sheep. Thord said, “My kinsman Skeggi must have given this counsel, and it seems to me that he is sending us into the clutches of trolls. But it might be that my kinsman Skeggi has seen something in the situation that will bring us honour in the doing. Let us certainly go.” So early one morning the brothers set out for the mountains. By midday they had found nothing, although they had come a long way. Thord spoke: “Now let us part company, and you go up under Snaefell, search all of Hvammsartungur; then go over the mountains, and so to Svinaskard and Hauka-

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dalsskard, and home afterwards. I intend to search all of Hrutafjardardal inland. If I do not come home tonight, then greet my father, mother, friends, and family be­ cause it is likely that I will not be coming back.” The brothers parted. Thorvald searched his route and came home in the evening, but he had not found the sheep. But as for Thord, after the brothers parted, he walked inland up the valley, plan­ ning to examine it from end to end. When he had walked for a while, a thick fog came up, so dense that he could see practically nothing at all. All of a sudden, he made out that there was a man near him in the fog. Thord set off in that direction, and when he was nearer, he saw that it was a woman. She seemed pretty and fair of form to Thord and of no more than medium height. But when he tried to catch up with her, she disappeared so quickly that he could not see what had become of her in the fog. After that Thord wandered in the valley. It was not long before he heard a dread­ ful din in the darkness, and suddenly he saw a man before him, if man it could be called. This man was large and big-boned. Bowed was his back and bent were his knees. He had a face so ugly and hideous that Thord thought he had never seen the likes of it: his nose was broken in three places marked by huge knots. Because of that, it seemed triply twisted, like the horns of old rams. He had a huge iron staff in his hand. When they met, this fiend hailed Thord by name. Thord acknowledged his greet­ ing and asked him what his name might be. He said that he was called Kolbjorn and ruled over this valley. Thord asked if he had seen anything of his father’s sheep. Kolbjorn said, “1 will not deny that I caused the disappearance of your father’s flock. It has now occurred just as I would have chosen - he has asked you to under­ take the search. Have you seen anyone other than me since you left home?” Thord replied that in fact he had seen a woman, but he had not spoken to her, “because she disappeared from view so fast.” “That would have been,” said Kolbjorn, “my daughter Solrun. Now I shall make you an offer, and you may choose whichever thing you would rather: that you lose your father’s flock and get back not one single head, because I am not especially fond of some of your family; or, on the other hand, that we make a deal, and I mar­ ry my daughter Solrun to you. Then the sheep would be given to you.” Thord said, “My kinsmen may feel that I agreed too quickly, but this woman seemed to me someone who would not be mismatched if married to a vigorous fel­ low.” “This offer would not be made to everyone,” said Kolbjorn, “and I do not wish to deny my daughter a good match.” It was agreed that Kolbjorn promise his daughter Solrun to Thord with the con­ dition that he should attend the wedding in a fortnight at Kolbjorn’s home. He said that his homestead was in a cave in Brattagil. Kolbjorn asked him to have as many men with him as he wished, excepting Skeggi from Midfjord and his son Eid, Thord the Bellower, Thorgils the Wise, Thor-

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bjorn Ox, and especially Audun Shaft of Vididal: “I do not wish you to invite ogres or cave dwellers, least of all Bard Snaefell’s As and his followers.” To this Thord agreed, and they then parted. Kolbjorn accompanied Thord for a ways. Then they saw the sheep all bunched up together in a vale. Thord herded them home to Tunga. Everyone greeted him warmly and asked him the news; he told them what there was to tell and what had happened on his journey. Thorbjorn the farmer was much amazed by this and said that it was likely that he had been be­ witched by trolls. Thord said that everything was fine, “and I see nothing to fear from following this course of action.” “It would seem to me the better choice, kinsman,” said Thorbjorn, “if you did not attend this wedding, told no one about it, and acted as if nothing had hap­ pened.” Thord made no comment. Now the date agreed upon came. ■i Ö Thord said to his brother Thorvald: “Will you, kinsman, go with me to attend A w my wedding?” “I am afraid that you are doomed if you seek to deliver yourself into the hands of monsters. But even if I knew beforehand that I was not coming back, I would still rather follow you, if you should die there, than stay at home. I shall go with you, if you are determined to meet Kolbjorn.” They got ready and went up Hrutafjardardal until they came upon a huge cave. They went in, but it was both foul and freezing. When they had sat there for a while, a large man came into the cave, accompanied by a remarkably large dog. They asked him his name. He said he was a guest there. They said that that was clear. “Are you Thord,” he said, “coming to attend your wedding?” He said that it was true. “Do you wish,” said Gest (Guest), “that I be your guest and attend your banquet with my dog?” “Such is my impression of you,” said Thord, “that I would get great aid from you, no matter what my need, that I shall accept.” “Then stand up,” said Gest. “You will want to see your prospective bride and how well she fares.” They went farther into the cave until they came to an inner vault. There Thord saw Solrun sitting on a chair with her hair tied to the back of the chair. Her hands were bound. There was food so close to her that she could smell it, but she could not reach more than she could barely survive on. She was so thin and starved that she looked like skin draped over bones. Even so, Thord saw that the woman was fair. Thord freed her. He fell deeply in love with her, and he kissed her tender­ lyShe said, “Try to get out of here before Kolbjorn comes home.” They asked where he was, and she said that he was going to invite monsters to

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the wedding. “He intends nothing other than to kill both of you brothers and to hold me here in the same torment as he has before.” Thord asked if she were Kolbjorn’s daughter. She said that she was not his daughter, but that he had abducted her from Solarfjoll in Greenland - “from my father Bard by sorcery. He intends to make me his slave and slut. Until now I have never yielded to him, and so he has always treated me terribly, but worst of all since he promised me to you. He refuses every man marriage to me in spite of his taunting pledges.” Thord said that he would lay down his life to get her away. Then they left her, and she stayed behind. When they had been in the cave for a while, they heard a great din and huge thumps. Then Kolbjorn arrived with thirty ogres and many oth­ er monsters. Thord and his companions went to meet Kolbjorn and his crew, and they greeted them. Kolbjorn was rather uninviting and in a bad mood. He did not look on Gest with friendly eyes. The tables were set up, and seats arranged. On one bench sat Gest, Thord, and Thorvald. The dog Snati lay at their feet. On the middle of another bench sat Gljufra-Geir. He was the best friend of Kolbjorn and like him in all that was ill. In­ wards from him sat Am and Gapi, then Glam, and then each after the other, ar­ ranged so that the cave was completely occupied on their side. The bride did not come and take a seat. Kolbjorn served. Food was brought to Gljufra-Geir and his bench-mates. There was both horse and human flesh. They began to eat, ripping the flesh from the bones like eagles and hunting bitches. Then before Thord and his companions was set food that any human could well have eaten. The drink was strong and little spared. Kolbjorn had a mother called Skrukka. She was a powerful troll, though by this time quite ancient. Kolbjorn did not want her in the middle of their uproar and noise, so she was in an inner vault. But there was little that would come as a sur­ prise to her because of her sorcery. Kolbjorn’s men began to drink with little moderation, and they quickly became as soused as swine and made such a row that the cave resounded. Kolbjorn went to Thord and asked: “What would you like to do for entertain­ ment and amusement, future brother-in-law? - for it is you who shall counsel all that happens in this household.” Because he was the quicker to answer, Gest said, “Let your men do for fun as they would like best. Let them have a go at joint-throwing or hold wrestling matches.” Then Glam took a huge hock and threw it hard, aiming at Thord’s middle. Gest saw this and announced: “Let me deal with this game because I am more ac­ customed to it than you.” And so he did, catching the bone in mid-air and returning it. It hit Glam’s eye so hard that the eye popped out onto his cheek. Glam did not like this and growled like a wolf-cur.

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His foster-brother Am saw this wound, took the bone, and let it fly at Thor­ vald. Thord saw this, grabbed it, and sent it back. The knuckle bone hit Am’s cheekbone so that it broke his jaw into bits. Now there was a huge uproar in the cave. Then Skram from Thambardal grabbed a remarkably huge shank and hurled it very hard with his hands at Gest because he sat across from him. Gest took it, and he did not wait long before he sent it back without mercy. The leg bone hit the thigh and hands of Skram with such force that both were broken. Now the ogres made more noise than can be described because it may be said that their howls were more like the screaming of corpses than any living thing. Kolbjorn announced: “Give up this game, for at Gest’s hands we will all be harmed. It was against my advice that he was invited here to the banquet.” “That’s the way it goes,” said Gest. Then they started drinking for the second time until everyone fell asleep, each in his own place, except for Gljuffa-Geir and Gapi. Kolbjorn said that everyone should lie where he was, “except that you and Geir should come to my bed chamber,” and so they did. Gest said to his friends that they should make their beds in other places. They lay down. When they were asleep, Gest stood up, took his sword, and went back into the cave where he cut the head off of every rock dweller who was inside. When he had done this deed, he went on in order to find out where Kolbjorn and they lay. He found a door in the cave wall. It was so securely locked that Gest thought that they would awaken if he tampered with it. Then he went into the cave to Solrun. He asked her to stand up and go with him. She did so, but said that she thought it would lead both to her death and to that of all the others. Then they came to where the brothers were. Gest asked them to get up quickly and leave the cave before Kolbjorn awakened, “if it is possible. Solrun is here already.” The brothers stood up and went on their way down through the valley. Now we turn to Skrukka, Kolbjorn’s mother. She had awakened a little after they had left and then, knowing immediately from her troll’s insight what the companions had done, sprang up in perfect health. She at once charged so fiercely at the door beyond which Kolbjorn slept that the door splintered into many pieces. Kolbjorn awakened and asked who was there making such a racket. Skrukka said it was she and exclaimed: “You’d do better, kinsman Kolbjorn, not to lie any longer because Thord has taken off - with Solrun and his supporters. This is Gest’s doing; he has killed all of your guests except those who are here now. There is nothing else to do now, but to go after them and kill them all.” Kolbjorn said, “It’s been shown often that few can match your wisdom. I would have come to grief many times, if I had not had your help. You shall go after them first, Mother, because you are ready, and see if you can outflank them. Go by the

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upper road over the ridges and take them by surpiise, and we’ll take the low road through the valley; then we will be able to meet up with them.” Skrukka left, and Kolbjorn and his supporters got themselves ready as fast as pos­ sible. Thord and his companions kept going until they saw that they were being fol­ lowed. Kolbjorn called to them when he saw them and asked that they flee no far­ ther. At this Solrun took fright, and said, “I thought that this might happen; now you’ll all surely be killed. Kolbjorn is such a terrible troll that no one can withstand him.” Gest said, “Fate will decide that now. We’ll divide our forces. Thord will fight against his father-in-law Kolbjorn; it is fitting that he should take on the toughest task because he has put us all in this position. Thorvald shall take on Gapi, and I shall deal with Gljufra-Geir. We’ll need all our craft if we’re to succeed this time. Snati, you attack the crone, but Solrun shall watch our sport.” When Kolbjorn came, they all attacked each other and wrestled fiercely. Snati climbed up the cliff which Skrukka was underneath and rolled huge rocks on top of her. She grimaced horribly at this and threw the stones back. Snati rolled a huge boulder that landed on the spine of the crone just as she intended to pick up a stone, so that her back broke; she died as a result. Gest and Gljufra-Geir went at it at once, and it happened that Gest got him across his hip, raising him aloft with such great force that he came down head first so hard that his head broke into small bits; he was dead a short time later. Then Gest went where Thorvald was about to fall, and he struck off both of Gapi’s legs above the knees. Gapi then fell backwards. Thord and Kolbjorn had a long, hard struggle, but it came about that Thord fell. At that moment Gest came, grabbed the hair of Kolbjorn, and put his knees into his back so forcefully that his neck was dislocated as a result. Gest then shoved him off of Thord. Thord stood up and was awfully stiff from Kolbjorn’s handling. Thorvald had then killed Gapi. Gest exclaimed: “Now it has happened, Solrun, that we have claimed victory, and you are freed from the trolls’ clutches.” “We have you to thank for that,” said Thord, “and I would like you to choose a reward for yourself.” “I do not want the wealth of you two brothers, but if you both think that it is worth some sort of reward, then arrange a passage to Norway for me. I am curious to see the king who rules there about whom there is so much said.” They said that they would do that. “But now I do not wish to conceal from you two,” said Gest, “that I am your brother - from the same mother as you both. We must now part for the time being. I shall come to the ship in the spring.” Gest went his way, and the brothers made their way home with Solrun to Tunga

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and told the whole story of their journey as it had happened. It was thought by most who heard it that Thord had had great luck. ■ 4 ^ There was a ship’s captain named Kolbein who had a ship at Bordeyri in A / Hrutafjord. The brothers rode there and secured a passage for Gest in the summer. They set out to sea with the first favourable winds. On the outgoing jour­ ney were Gest and his dog Snati, Thord, Solrun, and Thorvald. They had favourable winds and sighted land in Trondheim. Olaf Tryggvason was the king of Norway then. The brothers, and Solrun as well, went to meet him. They saluted the king and asked him for lodgings through the winter, but the king asked if they would allow themselves to be baptised. They were reluctant about it, but in the end they were baptised along with Solrun. They were with the king in good fellowship through the winter. Gest stayed by the ship in a tent shaped like a hay rick. His dog was with him, but no one else. One day the king felt jovial and spoke to Thord: “Where did you pick up that pretty woman?” “Out in Iceland,” said Thord. “How old a fellow are you?” Thord said, “I am nineteen years old.” The king said, “You look like a valiant man. Where do you think you have en­ countered the greatest peril?” “Out in Iceland,” said Thord, “when I won this woman.” “Who saved you?” “He is called Gest,” said Thord. “Did he come here?” said the king. Thord said that he had - “and I want to tell you what I would like from you: I should like to become a king's man.” “Bring Gest to meet me if you want to become my man.” Then Thord went to meet Gest. He was unwilling to do this and announced: “I am not eager to meet the king be­ cause I am told that he is so overbearing that he wants to control everything, even what other men believe.” A while later Gest went with Thord to meet the king. Gest greeted the king, and the king welcomed him. Gest asked: “What business do you have with me, lord?” The king said, “The same as with other men: that you believe in the true god.” Gest said, “I’m of no mind to renounce the faith that my kinsmen have held be­ fore me. I have the feeling that if I renounce those customs, I won’t have long to live.” The king spoke: “The lives of men are in the hands of God and no man in my kingdom will be allowed to follow heathen habits for long.” Gest said, “It seems likely to me, lord, that your faith is better than mine, but, in the face of threats or force, I will not renounce my belief.”

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“So be it," said the king, “because my impression of you suggests to me that you would rather give up your faith on your own than by another's force and you are not lacking in good luck; be welcome with us during the winter.” Gest thanked the king for his speech and said that he would accept the offer. Gest was with the king for a while; not long after this he took the sign of the cross.1Time passed, and Christmas came. On Christmas Eve the king sat on his throne with all of the court, each in his A v place. The men were glad and merry because the king was in the best of spirits. When the men had drunk for a while, a man came into the hall. He was huge and horrid looking, dusky of face and roving of eye, black-bearded and long-nosed. This man had a helmet on his head, was clad in a coat of mail, and girded with a sword. He had a golden band around his neck and a thick golden ring on his arm. He went into the hall and up to the king’s throne. He greeted no one. Men mar­ velled mightily at the sight of him. No man spoke a word to him. When he had stood for a while before the king, he announced: “Here have I come and nothing at all has been offered to me by this great figure. I shall be more generous for I shall offer to award those treasures that I have here now to that man who dares to take them from me - but there is no one like that here.” Then he went away, and there was a foul odour in the hall. Terrible dread came over all of them because of this. The king asked the men to sit still until the smell dispersed, and the men did as the king asked. But when it was investigated, many men were lying as if half-dead and witless until the king himself came and recited over them. All of the watchdogs were dead, except for Vigi12 alone and Gest’s dog, Snati. The king said, “Gest, who do you think that man was who came in here?” Gest said, “I haven’t seen him before, but I’ve been told by my kinsmen of a king named Raknar and I think that I recognised him from their stories. He had ruled over Helluland and many other countries. When he had ruled for a long time, he had himself buried alive along with five hundred men in Raknar’s ship Slodinn. He murdered his own father and mother, and many other people. I think that his grave mound is likely to be in the northern wastelands of Helluland from the tales that men tell.” The king spoke: “I think you probably speak the truth. Now it is my request, Gest,” said the king, “that you go and get these treasures.” “That could be called a death sentence, lord,” said Gest, “but I won’t refuse to go, if you prepare my journey as you know I will need to be prepared.” The king said, “I shall do everything I can toward making your trip turn out well.” 1A

r i tu a l p r e l i m i n a r y t o c h r i s t e n i n g in w h ic h a p e r s o n is m a r k e d u p o n t h e f o r e h e a d w ith t h e s ig n o f

th e cro ss.

2 T h is

d o g b e l o n g e d t o K in g O l a f T ry g g v a s o n .

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Then Gest made ready. The king gave him forty pairs of iron shoes that were lined with down. At Gest’s request, he gave him two magidans, a man called Krok and a woman, Krekja. He also provided him with a priest called Jostein as a com­ panion. He was an excellent man and valued highly by the king. Gest said that he did not care to have him along The king said, “He will serve you best when you need him most.” “Then why should he not come along?” said Gest. “You are credited with fore­ sight, and I think it is impossible to reckon the worth of a man who proves to be valiant in great perils.” The king gave a short-sword to Gest and said that it would bite if the need arose. He gave to him a length of cloth and asked him to wrap it around himself before entering the grave mound. The king gave Gest a candle and said that it would light itself if it were held aloft, “because it will be dark in Raknar’s grave. If you do not stay longer than the candle stays alight, all will go well.” The king gave Gest three seasons’ worth of provisions. Then he sailed north along the coast all the way past Halogaland and Finnmark to Hafsbotnar. When they were north of Dumbshaf, there came out from shore a man who joined the journey with them. He called himself Raudgrani.1 He was one-eyed, and he wore a blue-spotted cape with a hood, which buttoned all the way down to his feet. Jostein the priest did not care for him. Raudgrani preached heathen beliefs and lore to Gest’s men and said that it was best to sacrifice for good luck. One day when Raudgrani preached this sort of heathenish belief to them, the priest became angry, grabbed the crucifix, and hit Raudgrani in the head. He fell overboard and did not come up afterwards. Then they realised that it had been Odin. Gest did not pay much attention to the priest. A little later they came to the wastes of Greenland. The winter was approaching by then, so they stayed there through the winter. By some cliffs they saw two bars of gold fastened to a kettle full of gold. Gest sent Krok and Krekja to get the bars and the kettle. But when they got there and went to take them, the earth gaped under their feet and swallowed them up, so that the ground closed over their heads. It vanished at once, the kettle and the bars and all, when it was looked at. Gest stood guard in the door of the hall every night during the winter. One night a horrible bull came to the shed, bellowing mightily and aggressively. Gest attacked the bull, striking at him with an axe. The bull shook itself, and the axe did not bite but broke. Then with both hands Gest seized the bull by its horns, and they wres­ tled quite forcefully. Gest found that his strength was of little use against the mon­ ster. It tried to force him against the wall of the shed and gore him there. At that moment Jostein the priest arrived and struck the spine of the bull with the crucifix.

1 A name Odin also takes in the legendary sagas.

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At the blow the bull collapsed down into the earth so that no more harm came from him. Nothing further of note occurred. 4 ^ They went away from there in the spring, each bearing his own provisions. A y First they went overland in a south-westerly direction; then they turned across the land. They came to glaciers first, and then to enormous stretches of burnt lava. They then put on the iron shoes that the king had given them. They were forty, but the men were twenty plus Gest. When they had all put on the shoes except Jostein the priest, they ventured onto the lava field. After they had walked for a while, the priest became disabled. He walked the lava field with bloody feet. Gest then said, “Which of you fellows will help this scribbler to make it off the mountain?” No one spoke up because each thought he had enough to cope with. “It is a good idea to help him,” said Gest, “because the king spoke highly of him, and we had better not go against his advice. Come here, priest, and get up on my pack and bring your kit with you.” The priest did so. Gest then led the way and walked the fastest. They walked like this for three days. When the lava field ended, they came to the sea. There was a large island off shore. Out to the island lay a reef, narrow and long. It was dry at low tide, and so it was when they arrived. They went out onto the island, and there they saw a large grave mound. Some people say that the mound was located in the north off Helluland, but, wherever it was, there were no dwellings in the vicinity then. O /N That day Gest had the mound broken open. By evening they had broken a hole in the mound with the assistance of the priest, but by morning it had closed up as before. They broke it open a second time, but by morning it was as be­ fore. Then the priest wanted to watch the mound opening. He sat there all night, and he had with him his holy water and crucifix. When the middle of the night came, he saw Raknar, magnificently dressed. He asked the priest to go with him and said that he should make his journey worthwhile, “and here are a ring and a necklace that I will give you.” The priest did not answer and sat as still as before. Many marvels appeared to him - both trolls and evil spirits, fiends and fairy folk. Some entreated him, while others threatened him, urging him to go away instead. He thought that he saw his family and friends there, and even Olaf the king with his court; the king asked him to come with him. He also saw that Gest and his companions were getting ready to leave, and they called to Jostein the priest to follow them and flee from there. The priest paid no attention to that, and no matter what wonders he saw or how dread­ fully these fiends acted, they could never come near the priest on account of the water that he sprinkled.

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As dawn came, these wonders all stopped. Then Gest and his men came to the mound. They could not see that the priest had suffered any harm. Then Gest was lowered into the mound, with the priest and other men holding the rope. It was fifty fathoms down to the floor of the mound. Gest had wrapped himself with the cloth that the king had presented to him and girt himself with the short-sword. He held the candle in his hand, and it lit up as soon as he reached bottom. Gest now looked around the mound. He saw the ship Slodinn and five hundred men in it. The ship had been so large that it could not be manned by few­ er men. It was said to be the equal of the ship Gnodin1that Asmund commanded. Gest boarded the ship. He saw that all the men had been prepared to stand up until the candlelight shone on them, but after that they could not move, only roll their eyes and snort from their noses. Gest struck off all of their heads with the shortsword, which bit into them as if cutting water. He pillaged all of the trappings from the dragon ship and had them drawn up. Then he searched for Raknar. He found a tunnel into the earth, and there he saw Raknar sitting on a chair. He was horrible to behold. It was both foul and cold there. A chest full of coins stood before his feet. He had a quite splendid necklace around his neck and a thick gold ring on his arm. He wore a coat of mail, with a helmet on his head and a sword in his hand. Gest approached Raknar and greeted him respectfully, as befits a king. Raknar bowed to him in return. Gest announced: “You are both famous and, it seems to me, marvellous to look upon. I have come a long way to see you. You must now reward me well and give me the fine treasures that you have. I shall then convey your generosity far and wide.” Raknar bent his helmeted head towards him. Gest took the helmet; next Gest re­ moved his coat of mail, and Raknar was most amenable. All of the treasures he took off of Raknar except the sword because when Gest reached for it, Raknar sprang up and leapt at Gest. He now seemed neither old nor stiff. The candle that the king had given Gest was now completely burned down. Raknar was so enraged that Gest was completely overmatched. Gest felt his own death was near. All of those who were on the ship also rose up. That was enough for Gest and he called on his father Bard for help. Bard soon appeared, but was able to do nothing. Those who were dead kept him off balance, so that he could not come anywhere near. Then Gest vowed to the One who had created heaven and earth to take the faith that King Olaf proclaimed, if he got out of the mound alive. Gest then pleaded desperately to King Olaf, that if he were able to help more than himself, to come to his aid. After that Gest saw King Olaf enter the mound with a great light. Raknar was so taken aback at the sight that all his strength drained from him. Gest went at Raknar. so fiercely that, with the help of King Olaf, he fell on his back. Gest hewed the head from Rak­ nar and laid it by his buttocks. All of the dead sat down at the appearance of King

1 This ship is named in several legendary sagas.

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Olaf, each in his place. When this had been accomplished, King Olaf disappeared from Gest’s sight. Now, turning to those men up on the mound, while these wonders just relat­ u i A ed were taking place they all lost their senses, except for the priest and Gest’s dog. He never left the rope. When Gest had tied the rope about him, the priest, with the dog’s help, drew him up with all the treasures and welcomed Gest thank­ fully, feeling as if he had hauled him back from hell. They went where the men were fighting amongst themselves, and the priest dashed water over them. They then re­ gained their wits immediately. They prepared to leave. It seemed to them almost as if the earth shook under their feet. The sea, too, flowed over the reef with such huge waves that it almost flooded the whole island. Never had Snati left the mound while Gest was inside. Now they did not know where to search for the reef. Gest sent Snati out into the waves, and the dog jumped into the breakers at once and dived underwater where the reef should have been. But the dog could not resist the power of Raknar, and drowned there in the waves. Gest felt it a heavy loss. Jostein the priest then took the lead with a crucifix in one hand and water in the other, which he splashed. The sea then split so that they could walk dry feet to land. They all went back the same way. Gest presented the king with all the treasures and told him everything that had happened. The king then asked him to be bap­ tised. Gest said that he had promised to do so in Raknar’s mound. And so that was done. The next night after Gest was baptised, he dreamt that his father Bard came to him and announced: “A poor deed you’ve done, renouncing your faith and that of your forefathers, and allowing yourself to be forced to change your beliefs for lack of character. For doing so, you shall lose both your eyes.” Bard then placed his hands on Gest’s eyes, more than a little roughly, and after­ wards disappeared. When Gest awoke, he had such horrible pain in his eyes that they burst out the same day. Afterwards Gest died, still in his baptismal clothes. The king felt it a great loss. O O The next summer the brothers Thord and Thorvald prepared to go to Ice and then he would rather have chosen someone else, but now had to continue with the choice that had already been made. He and Einar Eyjolfsson now met, and Thorarin re­ called the agreement they had made between them. Einar replied, “My attitude is the same as before, when Bard was killed.” Now Einar took charge of the case to conduct it at the Thing in the summer, and prosecuted Glum. Thorarin lay wounded all summer and so did Thorvald Tasaldi, but both recovered. Glum had a large force at the Thing, as had both sides. An attempt at a settle­ ment was now made by distinguished relatives of both sides, and the resulting agreement was that the killing of Steinolf should be paid for by cancelling the out­ lawry of Vigfus Glumsson. But Gudbrand was convicted of the killing of Thorvald, and Glum arranged for him to go abroad. They went home with things like that, and Thorvard and Thorarin were displeased, and Thorarin thought he had got no satisfaction for the killing of his brother Thorvald. Now Glum enjoyed a high repu­ tation. During the following winter a verse began to circulate which Glum had just composed: 7.

The goddess asks o f my actions, the girl who guards the wine-keep; but murmurs o f murder are over, not in the mouths of men now. For me, who enlivened the raven, linen-lass, that lies finished . . ,]

wine-keep: vat or horn

Q A

One day when people were at the hot spring in Hrafnagil Thorvard arrived there. He was a very entertaining man and amusing on many topics. He said, “What’s become of the people who used to be able to amuse us with new stories?” They said, “All the pleasure and fun is where you are.” He said, “Nothing gives me greater pleasure nowadays than reciting Glum’s verses. But I’m puzzled about what he thinks has been counted short in one verse, where he says he’s been credited with too few killings. What are we to think about how that could be? And is it more likely that Gudbrand might have killed Thorvald, or that Glum did?” That line of argument seemed convincing to a lot of people. Now he went to see Thorarin and said, “I’ve been thinking a bit, and it seems to me that the truth hasn’t come out about the killing of Thorvald Hook, because it can be seen in Glum’s poetry that he thinks he’s been counted a bit short on kill­ ings.”1 1 The last two lines of this verse are lost and the original ending must have contained an equivocal statement about a miscounting of Glum’s killings (see the next chapter), but this translation does not try to fill the gap.

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Thorarin said, “I can hardly take up the case a second time, even supposing this were true. It will have to stay quiet now.” “That’s not a good idea, though it might have been allowed to lapse if the matter hadn’t been dug up again. But now I’ll make sure people know about it, and you’ll get so much disgrace as a result that no one will ever have had more.” Thorarin said, “It seems to me that the case will be hard to pursue at the Althing because of the strength of Glum’s relatives.” Thorvard said, “I can suggest a plan to get round that. Summon him to the Hegranes Assembly. You’ve got strong support from your relatives there, and it’ll be difficult for him to defend the case.” Thorarin replied, “That’s the plan we’ll adopt.” With that they parted. Now the spring weather was bad and everything became hard to get. In the spring Thorarin prepared a case against Glum at the Hegranes Assembly, because all the godis whose duty it was to hold the local assembly there were bound by kinship with Thorarin; but it was almost impossible to come over the moors on horseback because of the snow. Glum resorted to putting a large cargo vessel in the charge of his brother Thorstein, who was to make his way westwards and come to the as­ sembly with armour and supplies. But when they were off Ulfsdal they wrecked the ship and everything was lost there - men, goods and all. Glum went to the assembly with about a hundred men and did not manage to camp any nearer than the outer margins of the court area.1 Einar Eyjolfsson had arrived there with the Espihol men. Word was sent to Glum that he should come and produce a legal defence for himself. So Glum went, but no more room was allowed than one man might walk through; forces were drawn up on both sides and Glum was told to run the gauntlet between them if he wanted to get to the court. But that seemed inadvisable to him, and he said to his men, “Now it’s easy to see that they think they have us in the hollow of their hand, and perhaps they’re right. But I don’t want you to turn back all the same; I’ll go first, and then two abreast be­ hind me, and four abreast behind them, and we’ll run forward with our spears in front of us, and the wedge will go in if it’s driven hard.” They did so, and in a single rush ran into the judgement circle, and it was late into the evening before they were driven away, so large and dense was the crowd there. At last the court was convened a second time; but when they began to sum up the case, Glum went to the assembly slope and called witnesses to the fact that the sun had now touched the horizon of the assembly field. Then he used the power of veto1

1fjörbatigsgarðr usually refers to the sentence passed on a lesser outlaw, but seems originally to have been used of the three places where such a man was protected. Here it may refer to a specific outer area in which lesser outlaws and others who could not enter the assembly because of the sanctity of the place were allowed to conduct their business.

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to prevent anyone from judging cases, and at that every case that was then in pro­ gress had to lapse. People rode away, and the Espihol men were very annoyed about it. Thorarin said Glum had made them look disgraceful. Einar replied, “It doesn’t seem so dreadful to me as to you, because the case can be taken up again from the point at which it lapsed.” Then the Espihol men rode to the Althing with Einar and many friends of theirs who had promised them support against Glum. Glum’s relatives helped him to get his legal rights in the case, and it was settled on the advice of wise men, if Glum would take an oath about the case to swear that he had not killed Thorvald Hook. And as a lot of people mediated, they agreed that Glum should take an oath that he had not killed Thorvald Hook, and it was specified precisely that the oath should be taken five weeks before the beginning of winter. And now the case was pursued so strongly that they were going to go through with the prosecution unless he would take the oath at three temples in Eyjafjord, and he would be liable to the legal penalty for failing to take an oath if it was not forthcoming. There was a lot of talk about this case, about what Glum’s oaths would be like or how they would be delivered. Q S Now people rode home from the Thing and Glum stayed at home throughÅ v out the summer, and all was quiet in the district. The time for the Autumn Meeting came round, and people rode to it, but Glum left the meeting, so that nothing was heard of him. Mar stayed at home on the farm, but five weeks before the beginning of winter he sent out invitations, as a wedding had been arranged there, and no fewer than a hundred people came to the feast. Everyone thought this invitation strange, because those for whom it was held were of little importance. That evening people there saw men riding in twos and threes out of all the valleys in Eyjafjord, and gathering together into an army, which came down into the dis­ trict, and Glum and Asgrim and Gizur had arrived with about three hundred men, and they came to Thvera for the night and stayed for the feast. Next morning Glum sent word to Thorarin and told him to come to Djupadal not later than mid-morning to hear the oaths. Thorarin reacted quickly and got hold of about a hundred men. But when they came to the temple, six men went into it - Gizur and Asgrim with Glum, and Einar and Hlenni the Old with Thorar­ in. The man who was to take a temple oath used to take in his hand a silver ring reddened in the blood of a sacrificed ox, and weighing not less than three ounces. Then Glum spoke these words, that “I name Asgrim as witness and secondly Giz­ ur as witness that I take a temple oath on the ring and I deny to the god, that I was not there and did not strike there and did not redden point or edge where Thorvald Hook met his death. Let those who are wise men standing by look to the oath.”1 1 Glum’s oath depends on the preposition at having the same form as a poetic negative suffix, so that ek vark at þar - “I was at that place” and ek varkat þar - “I was not there” sound identical. Glum’s opponents expect a denial, so they do not notice the obvious prosaic sense.

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Thorarin and his friends were not prepared to find fault, but they said they had not heard that form of words used before. In the same way the oaths were taken at Gnupufell and also at Thvera. Gizur and Asgrim stayed at Thvera for some days, and at parting Glum gave Gizur the black cloak and Asgrim the gold-inlaid spear, and they parted friends. During the winter Thorvard and Thorarin met, and Thorvard asked, “Did Glum take the oath alright?” Thorarin replied, “We didn’t find anything wrong with it.” Thorvard said, “It’s remarkable that clever men can be so easily fooled. I’ve known people announcing that they were responsible for killings, but I’ve never known or heard of anyone taking an oath that he had killed somebody, as Glum has done - and what more could he have said than to affirm that he struck there and was present there and reddened point and edge where Thorvald Hook fell at Hrisateig? - even if he didn’t put it in the most usual words - and that disgrace to you will be remembered ever afterwards.” Thorarin replied, “I didn’t take it like that, and besides, I’m tired of having to deal with Glum.” Thorvard said, “If you decide you’re getting tired of it because of ill health, then let Einar take up the case again. He’s clever and of noble family, and many people will support him. Gudmund doesn’t sit idle where his brother is concerned, and getting himself into possession of Thvera is the thing Einar wants most.” After that Thorarin and Einar met and co-ordinated their plans, and Thorarin said, “If you take charge of the case many people will help you. What’s more, I’ll arrange for you to buy the land at no higher price than Glum paid Thorkel the Tall for it.” Einar replied, “Glum has now given away the things his grandfather Vigftis gave him, the cloak and spear which he told him to keep if he wanted to hold onto his position, saying it would decline after he let them go. Now I’ll take up the case and follow it through.” O Æ Now Einar once more prepared the case for the killing with a view to prosecution at the Althing, and both sides gathered in great numbers. But before Glum rode away from home he dreamed that large numbers of people had come to Thvera to meet Frey, and that he saw a large crowd on the gravel banks beside the river, while Frey sat on a throne. He dreamed that he asked who had come there. They replied, “These are your bygone kinsmen, and now we’re asking Frey that you may not be driven off the land at Thvera, but it’s no use, for Frey answers curt­ ly and angrily and remembers now Thorkel the Tail’s gift of an ox.” He woke up - and Glum said his feelings for Frey were the worse ever afterwards. People rode to the Thing, and the outcome of the case was that Glum admitted the killing, and his friends and relatives exerted their influence so that there might be a settlement rather than that outlawry or exile should result. And they were rec­ onciled at the Thing by Glum giving half the land at Thvera to Ketil, the son of Thorvald Hook, in compensation for his father, and selling half for what it was

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worth; but he was to stay there throughout that winter and then was to be banished from the district and not allowed to live any nearer to it than Horgardal. After that they went away from the Thing. Later Einar bought the land as he had been promised. In the spring Einar’s men arrived there to work the land, and Einar said that they must tell him every word Glum said. One day Glum got into conversation with them and said, “It’s easy to see that Einar has got himself some good labourers, and the work on the land is well done. Now it's very important that great and small matters should alike be attended to. You ought to put up a beam to hang washing on, here beside the river where it’s convenient for the women to do the heavy washing - for the wells by the farmhouse are bad.” Now they came home and Einar asked what conversation they had had with Glum. They said how attentive he was to everything that ought to be done. He said, “Did you think he really wanted to get things ready nicely for me?” They replied, “That’s how it seems to us.” Einar said, “It doesn’t look that way to me. I think he would have strung you up on that beam, and was intending to raise a scorn-pole to insult me. But now you’re not to go again.” Einar moved house there in the spring, but Glum stayed there until the last of the Moving Days. When they were ready to leave, Glum sat down in the high seat and made no move to depart, even though he was shouted for. He had the hall hung with tapestries and refused to part with the land like a mere peasant. Hallbera the daughter of Thorodd Hjalmsson was the mother of Gudmund and Einar. She then lived at Hanakamb. She came to Thvera and greeted Glum and said, “I wish you good luck Glum, sit­ ting there, but you can’t stay here any longer. Now I’ve marked out the lands of Thvera with fire, and I turn you out now, both you and yours, for the land is con­ secrated to my son Einar.” Then Glum rose up and told her to go on nattering - “despicable woman”. But nonetheless, Glum then rode away, and happening to look over his shoulder towards the farm, recited a verse: 8. Like the earls o f old I laid open my way, with Odin’s trees, my warriors, wind-tossed with war word spread of that, men heard. But now at last I’ve struck - you soldier who wave the stave beckoning war - from my hand the broad land to its borders.

Glum farmed at Modruvellir in Horgardal along with Thorgrim Blizzard, but put up with that no more than one year. Then he lived for two years in Myrkardal.

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Then a landslide crashed down near the farmhouse there, so that it swept away part of the buildings. Then Glum recited a verse: 9.

. . . No more joy for the generous necklace-sender since there came on us wide ranging woe from a single blow. After we’d sat contented - you soldier sating blood’s seagulls, Mar - my domain’s shorn smaller, cut short, after forty winters.1

necklace-sender, giver of gifts

b lood's seagulls: ra v e n s

Then Glum bought land at Thverbrekka in Oxnadal and stayed there for the rest of his life, and lived to become old and blind. There was a man called Narfi who lived on the island of Hrisey. He had been A married to Ulfheid, the daughter of Ingjald, son of Helgi the Lean. Their sons were Eyjolf, Klaeng, Thorbrand and Thorvald. They were all very able men and relatives of Glum. Klaeng and Eyjolf went on living on Hrisey after their father. There was a man living at Hagi called Thorvald and nicknamed the Manly, and he was married to a daughter of Thord Hrafnsson of Stokkahlada who was called Helga. One spring Thorvald came from Hagi to Hrisey in a cargo vessel, intending to go fishing, and when Klaeng heard about that he joined him in the expedition. But when they got out of the fjord they found a recently dead whale, fastened ropes to it and towed it in along the fjord in the course of the day. Klaeng wanted to take it to Hrisey, because that was a shorter distance than to Hagi, but Thorvald wanted to take it to Hagi and said that was just as legal. Klaeng said it was against the law to move it anywhere except to the nearest land belonging to one of those involved. Thorvald said that he was justified and declared that Glum’s kinsmen did not need to encroach on his rights - “and whatever the law says, the stronger side are going to have their way this time.” Thorvald had more men on that occasion and they took the drifting whale from Klaeng by force, although both of them were landowners. Klaeng went home and was very annoyed about it; Thorvald and his party laughed at Klaeng and his men and reckoned that they would not dare do anything about it. One morning Klaeng got up early and went in to Hagi with three other men - he got there early, when people were still asleep. 1 One or two syllables are missing at the beginning of this verse; I have not tried to fill the gap. The warrior kenning in the second half of this verse, literally “he who feeds the seagull of the spear's sea (i.e. of blood)", may include a conceptual pun between mar (“seagull”) and the name of Glum’s son Mar, to whom the verse may have been addressed.

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Then Klaeng said, uNow we must work out a plan. There are some cattle here be­ side the farmyard, and we’ll drive them up onto the turf roof of the building Thorvald’s sleeping in, and in that way entice him out.” They did so, and Thorvald woke up and dashed out. Klaeng rushed at him and gave him a fatal wound, and then quickly went away, not daring to announce his re­ sponsibility for the killing at Hagi because there were a lot of people about; so he went home out to the island and announced the killing there. Now it fell to Thorarin and Thord to prosecute. They said it had been murder. And when this case came before the assembly, Glum stayed at home, but during the assembly he went out to Fljot and into Svarfadardal and asked for support at the confiscation court, but gave instructions that this intention be kept secret. Klaufi of Bard said, “We’ll certainly give Glum support” - he was married to Halldora, daughter of Arnor Red-cheek; and many others promised Glum their support. Now Glum went home. The case went ahead at the assembly, and afterwards they set off for the confisca­ tion court with four ships and thirty men on each, and Einar, Thorarin and Thord were in command of the ships. They came out to the island at dawn and saw smoke over the buildings, and Einar asked whether it seemed to them, as it did to him, that the smoke was not completely black. They agreed. Einar said, “It seems to me from the smoke as if it must be very crowded in the buildings, and the steam must be rising off men. But we’ll make an experiment to see if that’s the case, and row ostentatiously away from the island, and then we’ll find out whether it is crowded.” And so they did. But when the men on the island saw that, they rushed out to the ships and set off after them. And Glum had come there with some two hundred men, and they chased them all the way in to Oddeyri, and the confiscation court was not held, and the men of Eyjafjord were disgraced by the incident. Glum stayed on his farm throughout the summer. It was also his responsibility to consecrate the Autumn Meeting, but the assembly place is on the east side of the fjord, not far from Kaupang, and the Eyjafjord people collected a very large number of men, while Glum had only thirty. Many people tried to persuade Glum not to go with so few men. He replied, “The best part of my life must be over now, but I’m glad to say that they haven’t so completely routed me that I can’t behave properly.” Glum went by ship in along the fjord and came ashore to the booths.1There are steep gravel banks and loose stones there between the fjord and the booths. And when Glum came opposite the booth that belonged to Einar, men came running out of the booths and rushed at them with shields and shoved them off the gravel 1T h e

b o o t h s (a s a t t h e A lth in g ) w e r e sm all» p e r m a n e n t b u t r o o tle s s s t r u c t u r e s o f t u r f a n d sto n e » u n ­

i n h a b i t e d e x c e p t d u r i n g t h e a s s e m b ly , w h e n t h e y w e re c o v e r e d o v e r w ith s h e e ts o f c a n v a s a n d u s e d a s d w e llin g s .

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banks, and Glum fell and rolled with his shield down to the level shingle at the bot­ tom, and was not wounded at all, but three spears had stuck fast in his shield. Thorvald Tasaldi had then just reached the shore, saw that things were going badly for Glum, and leapt ashore taking an oar in his hand. He ran up onto the gravel bank and lashed out at Gudmund the Powerful with the oar; it hit his shield, smashing it in half. Part of the oar hit him on the chest, and he fell unconscious and was carried to his booth on a blanket by four men. Then each side dared the other to attack, and they hurled missiles at each other and fought with stones, and there was a hard fight and many were wounded; and everyone agreed that a small number could not have defended themselves more stoutly than Glum and his men. Einar and his forces attacked fiercely. Then people went between them and it fin­ ished with two of Glum's men dead - Klaeng Narfason and Grim Bank-leg, the brother of Halldora, Glum's wife. Then Brusi Hallason recited this verse: 10. When it comes to killings, lady, in our contest with those who control the oak-ribbed ocean horses, I believe honours are even. And yet, I suspect, the soldiers with shield and sword reeled down, you questioning girl, down hill much harder than I had expected.

ocean horses: ships

Einar recited a verse: 11. The thruster of falchions was forced in flight from the Thing through the fighting; down the steep slope he slipped (no simple matter to stop him!) to the stones beside the ships’ highway, the strand where sea steeds land; the sword-flashing soldier could not stand sure with his hoof on the shore.

Then Glum recited a verse against this one: 12. The army halted, with helmets, hats o f hanged Odin, from battle; they did not relish the risk, o f a rush down the slope in hope. While we stood, keen for the clash o f the blood-steeped ice, its keepers (a raven gorged his meal o f gore) with shields on the shore.

blood-steeped ice: swords; their clash: battle

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The case was settled by the killings of Klaeng and Thorvald of Hagi being set against each other. The killing of Grim Bank-leg was also equated with the bloody wound given to Gudmund, and Glum was ill-pleased by the outcome of the case, as he said in a verse which he composed afterwards: 13.

Evil is all on earth, age curses, the poet rages. Long past and lost is most of my life, in a blizzard of strife, endless. By swirling bloodshed brave Bank-leg lies unthanked no goddess-play makes Grim glad, or grasps my grim vengeance for him.

goddess-play, battle

One summer, when the brothers Gudmund and Einar were riding home from the Thing, Glum invited people to his house and sent men up to Oxnadal heath to invite the brothers. And he said that he now wanted to be completely reconciled with them, “because I’m not able to achieve anything now because of old age, and I won’t invite them only for a meal.” Glum was now blind. He had a watch kept on their progress. Gudmund wanted to accept the invitation, but Einar did not, and they rode along on opposite sides of the river. Glum was told that one of the two parties was coming. “Then Einar can’t be willing to accept the invitation - he’s so suspicious that he trusts nobody.” It is said that Einar shouted across to Gudmund and said, “If you go tonight, I’ll be there tomorrow.” And Gudmund thought over what he had said: “Then your meaning must be that you would have to prosecute the case after my death.”1 Now he turned to follow Einar. Glum was told that neither group was coming. “That’s bad,” said Glum, “because I’d expected that if I went to meet them I shouldn’t miss them both.” He had a short-sword drawn under his cloak. And that was the end of the en­ counters between Glum and the people of Eyjafjord. But when Christianity came to Iceland Glum received baptism and lived for three years after that, and was confirmed during his final illness by Bishop Kol and died in the white robes of a convert. Mar Glumsson was then living at Fornhagi, where he had had a church built, and Glum was buried there, and also Mar when he died, and many other people, because for a long time there was no church in Horgardal except that one. It is said that for twenty years Glum had been the greatest leader in 1 Gudmund interprets Einar’s remark, correctly, as an unspoken pun; if his brother “came” the morn­ ing after himself he would “speak after” him; the phrasal verb mcela eptir means both “to speak after someone” and “to prosecute the case for someone’s killing”.

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Eyjafjord, and for another twenty years nobody was more than equal with him. People say also that Glum was the hardiest of all fighting men in this country. And here ends the saga of Glum. Translated by JOHN McKINNELL

THE TALE OF OGMUND BASH (ögm undar þáttur dytts)1 At that time there were many well-born people in Iceland who were related to King Olaf Tryggvason. One of them was Killer-Glum, the son of Eyjolf the Lump and of Astrid, the daughter of Vigfus the Hersir, as has been said already.' The sister of Killer-Glum was called Helga - she was married to Steingrim of Sigluvik. Their son was called Thorvald, nicknamed Tasaldi. There was a man called Ogmund who had grown up with Killer-Glum; he was the son of Hrafn, who was at that time a rich man and lived up north in Skagafjord. He had been a slave of Glum and his mother Astrid and Glum had given him his freedom, so that Hrafn was his freed slave. Ogmund’s mother’s family came from Guddalir and her name is not known, but she was related to Killer-Glum. Ogmund was a fine man to look at, big and able, and was treated with great favour by his kinsman Glum. Glum had by now declined into old age and lived at Thverbrekka in Oxnadal by the time his kinsman Ogmund had grown up; but Glum’s son Vigfus was at that time with Earl Hakon in Norway. One spring Ogmund told Glum that he was eager to go abroad. “I’d like,” he said, “to buy myself a ship at Gasir. I’ll use my father’s money, which will be enough, but I’d like practical help and a word of support from you.” Glum replied, “Lots of people go abroad who are no more promising than you. Now it seems important to me that you should get honour and reputation from the journey rather than a lot of money, if you can’t get both.” Glum bought a ship for him from some Norwegians, and Ogmund made ready for his journey with a lot of goods which his father gave him. Ogmund was to be skipper of this ship and its crew, who were mostly Icelanders going abroad for the first time. They put to sea rather late in the summer and the breeze was good to them - they got a strong following wind. But when the ocean had been crossed, they sighted land late in the day, and the breeze was blowing towards the land. Then the Norwegians who were navigating said that it would be more prudent to strike sail, let the ship drift overnight, and then sail to land in daylight.

1 This version of the tale comes from F la te y ja r b ó k , where it forms Ch. 174 of the G r e a t S a g a o f O la f T ry g g v a so n . Translated from ísle n s k f o r n r it IX. " i.e. in the G re a t Saga o f O la f Tryggvason. The action of the story takes place during the years 992 and 996.

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Ogmund replied, uWe mustn’t waste such a fair wind - it’s not certain that it will be the same in the morning, and there’s plenty of moonlight tonight.” They did as he ordered and sailed on. But when they were a short way from land, there lay in front of them a large number of longships fastened together at their moorings in a channel between two islands. They failed to see the ships before they sailed into one and sank it, and then sailed on into harbour on the mainland. Then some of the men who were aboard the merchant ship said that they had sailed care­ lessly, but Ogmund replied that it was up to every man to mind his own business. But the command of those longships was held under Earl Hakon, while the ship they had sunk belonged to a man called Hallvard, a powerful man and the earl’s greatest friend. All the goods that had been on the ship were lost, but the crew were saved. The earl was told first thing in the morning what disgrace and injury had been done to them. He became very angry at this piece of news and spoke in these terms: “These men must be idiots who’ve never been to a foreign country before. Now I give you leave, Hallvard, to punish them and take revenge for your grievances, because they can only be the sort of men that it won’t be beyond you to deal with. You’re not without either the courage or the strength to do them as much damage or more, whoever they are.” Then Vigfus, son of Killer-Glum, replied, “You must surely, my lord, be prepared to accept reparation from these men and let them stay alive, if they are willing to submit to whatever damages you award. Now I’ll go and find out who they are and try to arrange a settlement, if that is possible.” The earl replied, “You may do that, but I think they’ll find that I’ll come down pretty heavily on them in assessing damages for such a serious offence.” Vigfus went to the merchant ship and recognised his relative Ogmund there, greeted him warmly and asked for news from Iceland about his father. Ogmund gave him the information he had asked for. Then Vigfus said, “You’re going to get into serious trouble because of this acci­ dent.” Then Vigfus told him what had happened, and also that Earl Hakon had been reluctant to allow mediation with them: “Now it’s my business with you here, kinsman, to ask you to submit to the earl’s judgement. I’ll put forward your side of the case as well as I can, and then it may pass off well, at least to some ex­ tent.” Ogmund replied, “From all I’ve heard about this earl, I ought not to place my whole future in his power, least of all if he makes threats, because he’ll certainly carry them out. But I won’t refuse if he speaks moderately about it.” Vigfus replied, “You might consider what it would be sensible for you to do, be­ cause you’re dealing with someone whose anger you can’t resist if you refuse to ac­ cept his decision.” Vigfus went out to the earl’s ship and told him that these men were his foster-1 11

The Com plete Sagas of Icelanders II

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brothers and some of them his relatives - “and they’re willing to put their case in your hands.” Then one of the earl’s men retorted, “You’re telling your lord a lie, Vigfus they’re making no sensible offer for themselves.” Hallvard answered, “The truth of the matter is that I ought to take my revenge myself and not have to involve other people in it.” The earl told him to do that. Vigfus said, “If I can manage it, I’ll be the death of anyone who kills my kinsman Ogmund.” Hallvard answered, “You Icelanders may be enormously brave, but it can still be expected in this country that people who have any self-respect won’t put up with being insulted without compensation, whether by you relatives of Killer-Glum or by anyone else.” Then Hallvard rowed towards the merchant ship, while the earl ordered a close watch to be kept on Vigfus. Hallvard came to the merchant ship and asked who was skipper there. Ogmund gave his name. Then Hallvard said, “My friends and I have a serious grievance against you, and we’ve come here now to find out if you’ll offer any reasonable damages.” Ogmund answered, “You won’t be refused damages if your demands aren’t exces­ sive.” Hallvard said, “The men involved in this are not going to accept anything small in settlement of such a major injury.” Ogmund said, “We’ll refuse to compensate at all if there’s arrogant behaviour on the other side.” “I’ve no intention,” said Hallvard, “of pleading for what you ought to offer.” Then he leapt up onto the merchant ship and struck Ogmund a hefty blow with the back of his axe, so that he fell senseless at once. With that, Hallvard went to see the earl and told him about it, but the earl said he’d done much less about it than would have been proper. Hallvard answered, “Their leader was the main villain of the piece, and I didn’t feel like doing any more this time than knocking him silly. It was fitting that dis­ grace should be the payment for disgraceful behaviour, and the revenge can always be added to later if it seems necessary.” But as soon as Vigfus heard about that he got very worked up and wanted to fight Hallvard or to kill him if he could get the chance; but the earl gave orders that he be watched, so that he got no opportunity. Ogmund came round, although he had been seriously injured and lay ill far into the winter; but he recovered eventually and was much mocked because of this in­ cident, so that wherever he went he was nicknamed Ogmund Bash - but he be­ haved as if he knew nothing about what was being said. Vigfus often visited him and urged him to take vengeance. “I’ll give you my support,” he said, “in putting a stop to your disgrace.” Ogmund replied, “There’s no reason to take the matter as far as that, kinsman -

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it seems to me that I’ve suffered no more disgrace in this business than Hallvard, and less could hardly be expected, considering how obstinately we conducted our side of things at first. It would be unwise to take vengeance for this, seeing Hallvard is a great friend of Earl Hakon and you’re here under his rule. 1 ought to repay your father Glum better than by putting you in such danger that certain maiming or death could be expected for you as a result of my interference.” Vigfus replied, “I give you no thanks, and my father won’t either, for claiming to be looking after my interests when I don’t want to myself. I suspect it’s cowardice more than prudence that brings you to this, and it’s bad to give backing to a man who’s got the heart of a hare in his chest. It seems, too, that you take after your long line of slave ancestors more than the Thvera men.” They parted, with Vigfus in a great rage. The winter and the spring passed away. Then Ogmund made ready his ship and went out to Iceland in the summer, and he had acquired a great deal of wealth on this trip. He sailed his ship into Eyjafjord. Glum soon heard about the ship’s arriv­ al; he was also told at once the disgrace Ogmund had suffered. But when Ogmund had made arrangements for his ship and property, he went to Thverbrekka and stayed with Glum for a while. Glum had little to say to him, and it could be seen that he was not grateful for his visit. Ogmund was in the best of spirits and strutted about a great deal. He went to all the social gatherings in the district, and was rath­ er inclined to meddle in people’s affairs, and if any quarrels arose nobody was quicker with great solutions than Ogmund. He was also given to involving himself in everything Glum needed in management of the farm or supplies, and held the most splendid opinion of himself, but for a long time Glum would not speak to him. And one day Glum said to him, “You must know, Ogmund, that I give you no thanks for your labour, and I’m amazed that you’re so self-assertive and meddle­ some in other people’s business, seeing there’s no courage in you. And that first trip of yours was a disgrace, so that I would rather not see you again, when you’re will­ ing to accept shame for yourself and reproach for all your relations, and to be called a coward ever afterwards because you daren’t take your revenge.” Ogmund replied, “You ought to consider, kinsman, what influenced me when the chance of vengeance was passed over; I thought too much was at risk, in the safety of your son Vigfus.” “You shouldn’t have considered that,” said Glum, “when he didn’t want to him­ self. It would have seemed worth it to me to have you both dead, provided you’d shown your courage by taking vengeance. Now either you’re more patient and longsuffering than most other people, but you’ll show your manhood, albeit rather be­ latedly, by being less pusillanimous in your behaviour another time; or else you’re completely useless, the worse influences in you will get the upper hand, and it’ll turn out as it often does, that a man sprung from slaves proves incapable of noble behaviour. But anyway, I won’t have you with me any longer.” Then Ogmund went to his father’s.

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But when he had been two years in Iceland, he made ready his ship and took on men for it and sailed to Norway, making landfall in the north, in the Trondheim district, and continuing in along the fjord.1 He moored his ship late in the day off Nidarholm. After that Ogmund said, “Lower a boat now. I’ll row up into the river and get news of the country.” Ogmund put on a parti-coloured cloak with hand-worked gold embroidery at the seams - it was an object of great value. He got into a boat with two other men it was early in the morning - and they rowed in to the quay. There was a man walking down to the river from the town, wearing a hooded mantle made of scarlet and embroidered all over. The hooded man walked down to the quayside and asked who was in charge of the boat. Ogmund gave his name. The townsman said, “Are you Ogmund Bash?” “Some people call me that,” he said, “and what’s your name?” He replied, “I’m called Gunnar Half and Half - and that’s my nickname because I like wearing parti-coloured clothes.” Ogmund said, “What news is there in this country?” Gunnar answered, “The main news at the moment is that Earl Hakon is dead, and an excellent king, Olaf Tryggvason, has come to power.” Ogmund said, “What do you know about a man called Hallvard, a man of great family and wealth from Trondheim province?” Gunnar replied, “It’s not strange that you should ask about him. He’s now known as Hallvard Neck, because he was in the battle against the Jomsvikings with Earl Hakon last year, and there he got a large wound on the neck, behind the ear, and he’s carried his head on one side ever since. He’s here in the town with King Olaf now, and has been enjoying good favour from him. But you’ve got a good cloak, Ogmund, and in fine colours, seeing it’s parti-coloured - will you sell it to me?” Ogmund replied, “I won’t sell you the cloak, but if you like it I’ll give it to you.” “Give it to me then, and good luck to you for it,” said Gunnar, “and I’d like to be able to repay you for this gift; but you must first accept this hooded mantle. Per­ haps it may be of use to you.” Then Gunnar went a bit further up into the town wearing the cloak, but Og­ mund put on the mantle. He said to his men, “Now you must tie the boat loosely to the bank by the sternpost, so that it doesn’t drift while I go ashore; but you must sit in your places and keep the oars ready to start rowing.” Then Ogmund went up into the town and saw little sign of anyone. He saw an 1 The town of Nidaros (modern Trondheim) was bounded by Trondheim fjord to the north and by the river Nid to the east. The island of Nidarholm lies out in the fjord north of the town; Ogmund anchors between it and the town in the evening and takes the ship’s boat up into the river next morning to get to the quay.

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inn with its doors open, and inside some men standing by some wash basins; one was particularly big and handsome, and carried his head on one side, and Ogmund realised from Gunnar’s description that it must be Hallvard. Ogmund went to the doors, and all those inside thought they recognised him as Gunnar Half and Half. Speaking in rather a low voice, he asked Hallvard to come out to him for a mo­ ment - “because I have an important and urgent message for you,” he said. Then he turned away from the doorway on the other side and drew the sword he was carrying. Everyone there was acquainted with Gunnar Half and Half, and Hall­ vard went out by himself; but Ogmund struck him a fatal blow as soon as he came up to him. Then he rushed down to the boat, threw off the mantle, put a stone in the hood and flung it out into the river, where it sank to the bottom. Ogmund got into the boat and told them to row out of the river. When they got to the merchant ship he said to his men, “There’s great disorder in this country, and now the wind is blowing out along the fjord - we’ll hoist sail and sail back to Iceland.” They said he was rather timorous, when he did not dare land just because the lo­ cal inhabitants were quarrelling among themselves. But they did as he ordered, came back to Iceland and reached Eyjafjord. Ogmund went to see Killer-Glum, told him about his trip and said that the revenge had been taken, even if the delay had been long. Then Glum was pleased and said he had always felt that Ogmund would turn out to be a worthwhile man in the end. Then Ogmund stayed over the winter with Glum and was in good favour with him. Meanwhile, when it seemed to Hallvard’s men that he was a long time coming back, they went out and found him lying dead in a pool of his own blood. Then this piece of news was told to King Olaf, and with it, as people thought was the case, that Gunnar Half and Half had killed him. The king replied, “I wouldn’t have thought it at all likely from him, but nonethe­ less he must be searched for in the town at once and hanged if he is responsible for this.” Gunnar Half and Half had a brother called Sigurd; he was rich and one of King O lafs retinue, and very dear to him. Sigurd was there in the town. But when he found out that his brother had been condemned to death, he went to look for him and found him. Sigurd asked him if he really was guilty of this deed of which he was accused. Gunnar said, “Far from it.” Sigurd said, “People think it’s true all the same, so tell me, what do you know about this event?” Gunnar replied, “I’m not telling that at the moment either to you or to anyone else.” Sigurd said, “Get yourself out of here then.” Gunnar did so, reached the forest and could not be found. Afterwards he went eastwards over the mountains through Oppland, hiding all the way; he did not break his journey until he got all the way east into Sweden.

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Great heathen sacrifices were held there at that time, and for a long while Frey had been the god who was worshipped most there - and so much power had been gained by Frey’s statue that the devil used to speak to people out of the mouth of the idol, and a young and beautiful woman had been obtained to serve Frey. It was the faith of the local people that Frey was alive, as seemed to some extent to be the case, and they thought he would need to have a sexual relationship with his wife; along with Frey she was to have complete control over the temple settlement and all that belonged to it. Gunnar Half and Half finally got as far as there and asked Frey’s wife to help him, suggesting that she might let him stay there. She looked him over and asked who he was. He said he was a travelling man of low degree and from a foreign land. She said, “You can’t be an altogether fortunate man, for Frey does not look with a friendly eye on you. Now rest here for three nights at first, and then we’ll see how Frey takes to you.” Gunnar replied, wI’d much rather accept your help and protection than Frey’s.” Gunnar was entertaining and a great storyteller. But when three nights had passed, Gunnar asked Frey’s wife what was to happen then about his staying there. “I don’t know for certain,” she said. “You’re destitute, yet it may be that you’re of good family all the same, and for that reason I would like to give you some help; but Frey has little use for you, and I fear he would be angry. Now stay here a fort­ night, and then we’ll see what happens.” Gunnar said, “So far it’s turning out just as I would have chosen, that Frey hates me but you are helping me, because I think he’s a real devil and a half.” Gunnar got on with people better the longer he stayed there, because of his en­ tertaining conversation and other excellent qualities. Once more he came to speak with Frey’s wife and asked about his position. She answered, “People have taken a liking to you, and I think it would be a good idea for you to stay here over the winter and go to the feasts with Frey and me when he goes to ensure good crops for the people - yet he dislikes you.” Gunnar thanked her cordially. Now it came to the time that they set out from home, and Frey and his wife were to sit in a cart while their retainers walked in front. They had far to go over some mountain tracks. Then a great snowstorm came upon them; the journey became difficult, but Gunnar was ordered to go with the cart and lead the cart horse. But at last it came to the point that the whole company drifted away from them, so that only Gunnar was left, with Frey and his wife in the cart. Then Gunnar began to get very tired as he was leading the cart horse: and when that had gone on for a while, he gave up leading and sat down in the cart, allowing the beast to choose its own way. A little later she said to Gunnar, “Make another effort and lead the horse, or else Frey will attack you.” He did so for a bit, but when he became very tired once again, he said, “Now I’ll risk having to stand up to Frey if he comes at me.”

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Then Frey got out of the cart and they began to wrestle, and Gunnar was much too weak. He saw that this would never do. Then he thought to himself that if he could manage to overcome this demon and it was granted to him to get back to Norway, then he would turn back to the true faith and be reconciled with King Olaf, if he was willing to accept him. And immediately after this thought Frey began to reel before him, and next he fell. Then the devil which had been hidden in the idol went rushing out of it, and only a hollow log of wood was left - and he broke that to pieces. Afterwards he gave the woman two choices - either he would abandon her and look out for himself, or else she was to say when they came to settled country that he was Frey. She said she would much rather say that. Then he put on the clothes of the idol, and the weather began to clear. At last they came to the feast which had been prepared for them; many of the men who ought to have come with them were present. Now it seemed to the people an omen of great importance that Frey had shown his power by bringing himself into settled lands with his wife, and in such weather that everyone had fled from them; and what was more, that he could now walk with other men, and ate and drank like other people. They went round to feasts throughout the winter. Frey was always very silent with other people. But it did happen that he would not allow living beasts to be slaughtered before him as before, and would accept no sacrifice and no oblations or offerings except gold and silver, good clothing or other precious things. But when some time had passed, it became clear that Frey’s wife was pregnant. That was tak­ en to be excellent, and the Swedes were now delighted with this god of theirs; the weather too was mild and all the crops so promising that nobody could remember the like. This news of how powerful the heathen god of the Swedes was spread far and wide through the world. It also reached King Olaf Tryggvason, and he had his suspicions about what it meant. And one day in the spring King Olaf summoned Sigurd, brother of Gunnar Half and Half, to talk with him. The king asked if he had heard any news of his brother Gunnar. Sigurd said he had heard nothing of him. The king said, “It’s my belief that this heathen god of the Swedes about whom so many stories are going round and whom they call Frey must in fact be your brother Gunnar, because the strongest heathen cults are when living men are worshipped. Now I want to send you east to fetch him, for it’s a shameful thing to know of a Christian man’s soul going so sorely astray. I will give up my anger against him if he is prepared to come into my presence of his own free will, because I know now that it was Ogmund Bash who killed Hallvard, and not Gunnar.” Sigurd took prompt action and went to find this Frey, and recognised in him his brother Gunnar. He conveyed King O lafs message to him and told him what he had said. Gunnar replied, “I would be glad to go and make my peace with King Olaf, but if the Swedes realise what’s going on they’ll want to put me to death.”

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Sigurd said, “We’ll steal away from here secretly and have faith that the luck and goodwill of King Olaf will with God’s mercy be able to do more than the malice and pursuit of the Swedes, as it surely will.” Gunnar made ready himself and his wife, and they took with them such moveable property as they could travel with, and after that set out secretly by night. When the Swedes found out about this they were able to see all that must have hap­ pened, and they immediately sent men after them. But when they had travelled a short distance the Swedes lost their way and so did not find them; with that they went back. Sigurd and the other two did not break their journey before they came to King Olaf. He took Gunnar back into friendship with him and had his wife bap­ tised, and after that they kept to the true faith. Translated by JOHN McKINNELL

THE TALE OF THORVALD TASALDI (Þorvalds þáttur tasalda)1 In this same summer which has just been described12 Thorvald Tasaldi, the neph­ ew of Killer-Glum, came to Norway from out in Iceland. He was a handsome man, big and strong and generous with money. Thorvald made landfall in Trondheim province and put in to Nidaros. King Olaf was present in the town, having just ar­ rived from the south of the country; and when the king heard that some heathen merchants had arrived from Iceland he invited Thorvald to meet him and asked him to allow himself to be baptised. Thorvald agreed, in order to gain the king’s friendship, to be baptised and accept Christianity. The king said that he should win his friendship all the more completely for having so readily agreed to his words and preaching. Thorvald and his shipmates were then baptised, and he stayed with the king in an honoured position throughout the winter. There was a king's man called Sigurd and another called Helgi; both were worthy men in themselves and dear to the king, yet they were very different in character. Sigurd was popular with everyone, but Helgi was overbearing and secretive. It was arranged for Thorvald Tasaldi to sit between them in the hall throughout the win­ ter. Helgi envied Thorvald and tried to discredit him at every opportunity, but Sig­ urd was kind to him - and Helgi abandoned the bench and would not sit beside Thorvald and Sigurd. Then he began to slander Thorvald to the king as much as he could, to the point where the king told him to stop. “There’s no need for you,” said the king, “to slander Thorvald either to me or to other people who are with me, because I would rather make my own judgements about my men.”

1 From

F la te y ja r b ó k , where

this forms Ch. 201 of the G r e a t S a g a o f O la f T r y g g v a s o n . Translated from IX. On the nickname “Tasaldi”, see note in Ch. 5 in K ille r -G lu m * s S aga, 2 i.e. in the G r e a t S a g a o f O l a f T ry g g v a so n . The reference is to the summer of 998. le n s k f o r n r it

Is -

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Then Helgi tried to see if Sigurd could be estranged from Thorvald, and slan­ dered his name in front of him. Sigurd replied, ‘T shan’t fall out with Thorvald as a result of your words, because he has been proved to be a good fellow, but you’re malicious.” Now because Helgi still did not stop but rather was intent on persisting with the slander, it came about at last that the king became distant towards Thorvald. One day Helgi said to Thorvald, “Ask the king why he is so silent.” Thorvald replied, “I’m not going to do it just because of your word or urging, and I don’t expect the king believes your slander, even if something is making him displeased with me.” Helgi said, “So the country bumpkin’s still full of his own importance.” Some time later Thorvald said one day, when he came before the king, “My lord, I must make so bold as to ask about your unhappiness. If it’s caused by illness then the remedy is hard to see; if some other anxiety or some event due to human be­ haviour is the cause, then perhaps it may be put right with the help of your good luck and personal spirit."' The king replied, “I’m not sick.” Thorvald said, “Then we’re further on at once, since the worst is ruled out. Has anyone offended you?” The king said that was it - “and it can be avenged, but you have an obligation to solve this difficulty, since you asked about it first.” Thorvald said, “All your men are bound to do whatever you command, but I ought to know what is involved in this, even though I may be ill-equipped to put it right.” The king said, “There’s a man called Bard the Stout, whose family comes from Oppland and who has plenty of money. He has an only child, a daughter called Thora. Bard has become rather old - he lives in Oppland at a place called Ulfarsdalir and has a large and splendid farm. His daughter Thora is with him, but people don’t know of any large numbers of people there. Now I’m not best pleased that Bard will neither accept the faith nor come to see me. Twice I have sent parties of twelve men to him, and none of them has come back.” Thorvald said, “Is this Bard a great one for heathen sacrifices?” The king replied, “Not as far as is known, because there’s no temple on his farm, but he is regarded as very strange, and his customs and behaviour are unknown.” Thorvald said, “I’d be glad to bring you happiness, my lord. Now I’ll go to visit Bard if you wish, whatever else comes of it.” The king said that was what he wanted. Helgi was pleased at that, because he ex­ pected that Thorvald would not come back, any more than the others who had gone on this journey.1

1 gipt (translated as “good luck”) appears to be the same concept as gœfa> used in Killer-Glum's Saga> Ch. 4.

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After that Thorvald got ready, and the king told him to take as many men as he wanted. Thorvald answered, “I’ve found by experience that Sigurd, my companion at table, is a reliable and good man; I’d like him to go with me, but no one else, be­ cause your good luck and personal spirit, my lord, can do more for us than any number of men.” The king replied, “Certainly I shall send my good will with you. But I want to send you to a farmer called Bjorn who lives not far from Bard - he seems to me the likeliest man to be able to tell you something of Bard’s habits and to show you the way to him.” Then they set off and came to Bjorn, and he received them well as soon as he knew that they were the king’s messengers. They asked him about Bard’s household and customs. Bjorn said his affairs were managed in a remarkable way - “There’s no sign of any men when one gets there, but all the jobs are done properly and well.” During the night, when they had gone to sleep, Thorvald dreamed that King Olaf appeared to him and said, “You’ll find a napkin by your head when you wake up, and wrapped up in it is a letter in which are written the names of God. In the morning you must place that letter on your chest and wind the napkin over it and round your body as far as it will stretch. Then you’ll be able to go boldly to meet Bard.” Thorvald woke, found the napkin and arranged it as he had been instructed. In the morning Bjorn the farmer accompanied them away from the farmstead and showed them the way to Bard’s farm. There were some woods to go through, but when they came out of the woods they saw a large farm with a high wattle fence around it; they went to the farm. The five-barred gate in the fence was open, as were the doors to the buildings. They saw nobody outside. They went into the porch and looked round. There were spacious rooms and newly-planed planking for the internal partitions. On one side was a hath all hung with tapestries and well furnished. Bard sat on the high seat - he was bald, dressed in scarlet clothes and holding deer-skin gloves, and a tall handsome woman sat embroidering on a frame; they saw nobody else. Bard said, “What’s come into the porch?” They gave their names and said they were the king's men. Bard said, “What errand have you here, just the two of you together?” Thorvald answered, “Our force outside the door is quite big enough to bring you to see the king by force if you won’t go of your own free will.” Bard then twisted the gloves between his hands and recited this: Now I thought that I’d fought enough to have taught that alone I can master this runt o f a boaster.

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Thorvald said, “Let’s try now and see, then, and set to.” Then Thorvald set upon Bard and they wrestled fiercely; much of the day had then passed. They struggled for a time, and Thorvald became very exhausted. Then he silently prayed to God to give him some strength against him, but Bard went on attacking as hard as ever; yet when their chests came together it was as if someone had gone up to Bard and snatched his feet from under him, so that he fell over the threshold. He and Thorvald were then both so weary that they could not go on. Then Bard said, “Now you show your worth, Thora.” She answered, “I can’t help you father, because Sigurd and I have been wrestling, and it’s been a very good contest, with the two of us equally strong.” Bard said, “Then it’s necessary now to resort to something I haven’t needed to do before, to ask for help against a single individual. Let those who live in the under­ croft now come forth and help me.” At that forty men leapt out; Thorvald and Sigurd were seized. Bard said, “Those who live under the hall have helped me well, Thora, and so they will again if I need anything, so it seems sensible to me that Sigurd and his friend should not be bound. But all the same I don’t want you rushing at me again, you troll, even if you do call yourself Thorvald, because you’re not lacking in cour­ age and skill. Yet perhaps you may be called a man, in which case you must be rath­ er skilled in witchcraft, for I had no lack of strength against you earlier. But I think you must have called up such mighty spirits against me that I fell before them, for it has never happened before that I’ve been thrown by a single man. But you’ll have to stay here tonight, even though you may be afraid about what’s going to be done to you.” Then a well-laid table was set before them - neither food nor good drink was lacking there. But when they had eaten their fill, Bard said, “I don’t begrudge you the food, but I would have thought the two of you had fed pretty splendidly even if you had been men with nothing to fear whatever and were among friends.” Then they were escorted to bed, and they slept well that night. In the morning, when they were ready to leave, Bard told his men to escort them away from the farmstead. But when they had come away Thorvald looked round and saw nobody beside them. Then he said, “Bard, now, would like us to go away and have nothing more to do with him, but that’s not to be. We’ll go back to see him again before we go.” Then they went in. Bard said, “You’re pretty odd characters, walking out but not going away. Why are you incapable of being afraid like other people - are you abso­ lutely determined to die?” Thorvald answered, “We have returned again because I wasn’t willing to give up my own good idea or your advancement. We’re certainly not so frightened as not to dare carry out the king’s mission to its conclusion. Now I want to ask you to go voluntarily with me to meet the king.” Bard said, “Why don’t you ask first what faith I hold?”

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“Because I’m not curious about it,” said Thorvald. Bard said, “I’ll make it known to you all the same, that I don’t trust in any idol or devil. I’ve gone from one country to another and met both giants and black men, and they none of them got the better of me; so I have long trusted in my own strength and ability. But now I have been deceived in that belief for the first time, and I can see that you wouldn’t have overcome me if you had been using nothing but your own powers; so what was on your chest when our breast-bones met? I have a suspicion that the being who caused that result must be able to do much.” Thorvald answered, “You’re right to consider Him powerful, because that was the names of the God we Christians believe in.” Bard said, “I can’t but imagine that he must be able to do anything if he sets about it in person, when the thing that completely overcame me was only his names; and I’ll go with you to meet the king for this reason, that I can see that it must be a good thing to trust in such a powerful god if one must trust in any at all. But the reason why I had the undercroft built and put my men in it was because I intended, if a body of men was sent against me, to make use of them and take ad­ vantage of my superior numbers. But if only two or three came to me, I wasn’t worried, because I thought I wouldn’t find myself at their mercy. And here are King O laf s twenty-four men that he sent to me; they’ve all been well looked after here, and not killed as the king must have thought.” After that Bard got ready and went with Thorvald and all his men to see the king. But when they got near the town of Nidaros, Bard said, “You go to the king now, Thorvald, and tell him we want to be baptised here where we’ve got to now, because I don’t want the mob to laugh when I’m undressed at such a great age.” Thorvald went to the king and told him all about his journey and what the out­ come had been. King Olaf was pleased at that and went at once with his clerics to meet Bard. Bard greeted the king warmly and said, “You control a mighty god, my lord king, and because I’ve proved the truth of that I’m now willing to trust in him and let myself be baptised.” The king replied, “You speak well Bard, according to your understanding, but the true way of putting it is that He is a mighty God who rules me and all things, visible and invisible, and calls to Him, albeit in various ways, all those who are worthy of His service.” Then Bard and all his men were baptised. Bard said, “Tell me, king, whether I’m saved now.” The king said he was. Bard said, “I’ve thought myself very self-sufficient up to now and served neither kings nor other leaders, but now I want to become your supporter, king, and follow you as long as I live. That seems to me the best hope of not losing the salvation I’ve now got. But I want you to take charge of my daughter Thora and all her property and marry her to Thorvald the Icelander, because we have much to repay him for.” Thorvald replied, “That can’t happen, because I’m already married in Iceland.”

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The king said, “Then you must give this woman to your friend Sigurd; they’ll make a good match, being equally strong.” Thorvald replied, “I’ll gladly do that. But I’d like to be assured by you, my lord, that you’ll turn Helgi out of your service - and even at that the difference shown between him and Sigurd will be too little. But for your sake I won’t do anything else against Helgi if you grant me this.” The king said that so it should be. Afterwards Sigurd married Thora and settled on the farm in Oppland that Bard the Stout had had. Bard took ill shortly after he was baptised and died in the white robes of a convert. But Thorvald went to Iceland covered with honour by King Olaf and was considered a fine man and very brave. T ra n s la te d b y J O H N M c K IN N E L L

THE SAGA OF THE SWORN BROTHERS W ritten late 13th century

Fóstbræðra saga

This translation exactly follows the text published in Islendinga sögur, apart from an ap­ parently incongruous insert there from Konungsbók. The translated text uses all three ex­ tant vellums: Möðruvallabók (the first twenty chapters), Hauksbók (most of the remain­ ing chapters), and Flateyjarbók, which accounts for seven sections of varying lengthy in smaller font and indented. One of the verses (no. 35) is taken from Hólmsbók. Several verses are repeated almost exactly in the two main manuscript sources, and are also found in Snorri Sturluson's Heimskringla. Two verses (nos. 1 and 6) occur in the Saga of Grettir the Strong as well. The Saga of the Sworn Brothers was once thought to have been one of the oldest of the sagas (c. 1200 AD) but recent research has convincingly argued that it was written approxi­ mately seventy to one hundred years later (c. 1270-1300). It may be divided into three main plot areas: the adventures of the sworn brothers Thorgeir and Thormod (in which the former slays 15 men); the love affairs of Thormod; and the revenge exacted by Thormod for Thorgeir s death. Though supposedly entirely fearless, Thorgeir is far from being an endear­ ing hero. This saga is also unusual in that while it has its share of magic, it generally de­ pends only marginally on a belief in fate, forebodings and omens. ln the days when Saint Olaf was king he had many chieftains under his rule, not only in Norway but in all the other lands over which he reigned, and God gave honour to all those whom the king favoured most. At that time there was a most excellent chieftain, named Vermund, in the Isaijord district of Iceland. Vermund, who was the son of Thorgrim and the brother of Killer-Styr, lived on his farm at Vatnsfjord and was a wise and well-liked man. He was married to a woman named Thorbjorg - known as Thorbjorg the Stout - the daughter of Olaf Peacock. She was a wise and magnanimous woman. Whenever her husband was away from home she governed the district and its people, and each and every man was satisfied that his matters were handled well under her charge. It so happened that on one occasion when Vermund was not at home, Grettir Asmundarson came to Isafjord. He was an outlaw at the time, and wherever he went he managed to have people give him what he wanted. However, what Grettir

Í

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called gifts would not have been regarded as such, or so readily given away, had people not felt that they had a troll on their doorstep. It was this that eventually led to the farmers gathering their forces, capturing Grettir, condemning him to death, and building a gallows on which they intended to hang him. When Thorbjorg heard about this she set out with her men to the place where Grettir had been tried. When she arrived, the gallows had been raised, the noose at­ tached to it and Grettir already placed in position. The sight of Thorbjorg’s ap­ proach was the only thing that stood between Grettir and his death. As she reached the gathering, she asked the farmers what they meant to do. They told her what they had planned. She said, “I would advise you not to kill him. Despite his general lack of good fortune, he comes from a high-ranking family and is greatly respected for his many physical accomplishments. His kinsmen will take his death badly, even though he is regarded as overbearing by many.” They said, “We feel he is rightly condemned to death. He is an outlaw and a proven thief.” Thorbjorg said, “His life will not be forfeit on this occasion if I have any say in the matter.” They said, “Right or wrong, you have the power to prevent him from being exe­ cuted.” Then Thorbjorg had Grettir released, gave him his life and told him to go wher­ ever he wished. Grettir marked the occasion with this short verse: 1. I would have stuck my own head in the baited snare before its time, if Thorbjorg, woman so fair, had not saved this poet’s life.

It can be seen from this incident that Thorbjorg was a woman of firm character. There was a man named Havar, the son of Klepp, who lived at a farm called Jokulskelda. Havar originally came from Akranes in the south but had left there on account of some killings. He loved fighting, and was a boisterous and over­ bearing man. He had a wife named Thorelf, from the Breidafjord area, who was the daughter of Alf of Dalir - an excellent and well-respected man. Havar and Thorelf had a son named Thorgeir, who developed early into a large and powerful man with a fighting temperament. He learned at a young age to defend himself with a shield, and was skilled in the use of arms. There was a man named Bersi who lived in Isafjord, on the farmstead known as Dyrdilsmyri. He was married to a woman named Thorgerd and they had a son

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named Thormod. The lad was of average build with black, curly hair and was a man of vigour and courage. At that time, Thorgils Arason lived at Reykjaholar in Reykjanes. He was a great chieftain - powerful, honest, wise and well-liked. He had a brother named Illugi, who was a follower of King Olaf the holy. Illugi was a great merchant, who usually spent alternate winters at Olaf s court and Reykjaholar. He brought back timber to build a church and a hall The brothers Thorgils and Illugi were the sons of Ari, the son of Mar, the son of Ulf the Squinter who settled Reykjanes, the son of Hogni White, son of Otrygg, son of Oblaud, son of King Hjorleif. Their mother was Thorgerd, the daughter of Alf of Dalir. Alf s mother was Thorhild, daughter of Thorstein the Red, son of Oleif White, son of Ingjald, son of Frodi. Ingjald’s mother was Thora, the daughter of Sigurd Snake-in-the-eye. Sigurd’s mother was Aslaug, the daughter of Sigurd Fafnisbani (Slayer of the serpent Fafnir). Thorgeir Havarsson was the cousin of Thorgils Arason. Thorgeir and Thormod grew up together in Isafjord, and since they were so alike in temperament they quickly became fast friends. Both also felt early on - and it later turned out to be true - that they would die fighting, since neither was the kind of man to back off from or give in to anyone he came up against. They were more concerned with success in this life than glory in the life to come. They thus swore that whoever survived the other would avenge his death. Though people called themselves Christians in those days, Christianity was a new and very undeveloped religion and many of the sparks of heathendom still flick­ ered, manifesting themselves as undesirable customs. It had been a tradition among men of renown to become bound to each other by a law which stated that whoever outlived the other would undertake to avenge his death. They had to walk under­ neath a triple arch of raised turf, and this signified their oath. The arch was made by scoring out three lengths of turf and leaving them attached to the ground at both ends, then raising them to a height whereby it was possible to walk underneath them. Thormod and Thorgeir undertook this rite as part of their sworn agreement. Thormod was a little older than Thorgeir, but Thorgeir was the stronger of the two. Their rise to fame was fast. They roamed far and wide about the land but were far from being popular. Many deemed them not to be fair-minded men but, as one might expect, they had the support and trust of their fathers - and many believed it was they who were actually encouraging the lads to do wrong. Those who felt they had been cheated by the sworn brothers went to see Vermund and asked him to rid them of this trouble. Vermund invited Havar and Bersi to meet with him and told them that people were little enamoured of their sons. “You, Havar, are not from this district,” he said, “and have settled here without leave from anyone. So far, we have made no complaint about your dwelling here but now it seems that your son, Thorgeir, is unruly and aggressive and we want you to move your home and your goods away from Isatjord. Bersi and his son may stay

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because they are from this area, and it is our hope that Thormod will be less unruly if he parts company with Thorgeir.” Havar said, “Vermund, you have the power to make me leave Isaijord with all my belongings, but I expect Thorgeir will want to decide for himself where he stays.” As a result of this decision, Havar moved south to Borgarfjord and lived on an estate now known as Havarstoftir. Thorgeir stayed either with his father or in the west at Isaijord with Thormod. Yet, despite his youth, he was an unwelcome guest at most places he visited. He was at Reykjaholar for a long time with his cousin Thorgils, who favoured him greatly. Thorgils’ son, Ari, and Thorgeir were close friends from a young age and remained so for the rest of their lives. There was a man called Jod who lived at the farmstead of Skeljabrekka. He was a chieftain and a great champion, but he was difficult to get along with and had a reputation for being generally unfair in his dealings with others. He had authority in the district, but was ambitious and slew many man while rarely paying compen­ sation for the lives he took. One winter, it happened that Jod and his men went out to Akranes to buy some flour, and on the way Jod stopped at Havar’s farmstead and asked him to lend him a horse for that purpose. Havar lent him the horse and said, “But I’d like you to return the horse to me on your way back and take it no farther.” Jod agreed to this. Then he went out to Akranes and bought the flour as he in­ tended and left for home as soon as he had dealt with what was most pressing. As he rode along Grunnafjord, past Havar’s farm, his companions mentioned that they had to stop off at the farmhouse to return the horse. Jod said, “I won’t trouble with that now. I’ll use the horse to carry back its load and return it to him when it’s served my purpose.” They said, “You can do that if you wish, but Havar has never looked kindly on broken agreements.” “There’s nothing to be done about that now,” said Jod. Havar saw the men riding along and recognised them. He went out to meet them, and greeted them, saying, “This is as far as you may take my horse.” Jod said, “Surely you’ll lend me the horse to get home to Skeljabrekka?” Havar said, ‘T don’t want the horse to go any farther.” Jod said, “We shall have the horse with or without your consent.” Havar said, “That remains to be seen.” Then he ran at the horse, pulled off its load, took it by the reins and led it back home. Jod had a barbed spear in his hand and he turned suddenly to Havar and drove the spear through him, wounding him mortally. Jod then took the horse and journeyed on until he reached home. Havar’s men thought he was late coming home so they went out to look for him. They found him dead where he had been slain. They thought these ill tidings indeed. Thorgeir was staying in the west at Isaijord at that time. News of Havar’s death

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spread quickly, yet when Thorgeir learned that his father had been slain he showed no reaction. His face did not redden because no anger ran through his skin. Nor did he grow pale because his breast stored no rage. Nor did he become blue because no an­ ger flowed through his bones. In fact, he showed no response whatsoever to the news - for his heart was not like the crop of a bird, nor was it so full of blood that it shook with fear. It had been hardened in the Almighty Maker’s forge to dare anything. it is said that Thorgeir was not much of a ladies’ man. He said it was demean­ ing to his strength to stoop to women. He seldom laughed and was harsh and rough in his daily dealings with other people. He was a large man, brave in appear­ ance, and of enormous physical strength. He had a broad axe, a mighty weapon, keen-edged and sharp, with which he had sent many a man to dine in Valhalla. He also had a barbed spear with a hard point, a large socket and thick shaft. In those days, very few men were armed with swords. When Thorgeir learned of his father’s death, he went to Thorgils at Reykjaholar, told him that he wished to travel south to Borgarfjord to meet his mother and asked him for some means of crossing the fjord. Thorgils did as he was asked, and Thorgeir went south to Borgarfjord, though there is no mention of where he spent the nights. Travelling was easy since there was no snow in the district, and/all the rivers, lakes and streams were frozen over. After crossing south over the Hvita river, he made his way to Skeljabrekka. The weather was mild, but fog made the night even darker than usual. Thorgeir reached Skeljabrekka late in the evening and the farm doors were closed. The people in the house had just finished feeding the live­ stock and gone into the main room, where a light was burning. Thorgeir knocked on the door. Jod spoke, “Someone’s knocking on the door. One of you go and attend to it.” Then one of the farmhands opened the door. He saw an armed man standing there and asked him who he was. The man answered, “My name is Vigfus.”1 The farmhand said, “Come in. You may stay the night if you are so disposed.” Thorgeir said, “I accept no offer of lodging from a slave. Go tell Jod to come out.” The farmhand went back in while Thorgeir stood outside. When the farmhand came back into the main room, Jod asked him, “What man is out there?” The servant replied, “I have no idea who he is, and I suspect he doesn’t know himself, either.” Jod said, “Did you offer him lodging?” He answered, “I did.”

S

1 Vigfus is a common name which literally means “eager to kill.*' Thormod also uses this name as an alias in Chapter 23.

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Jod said, “And how did he answer?” “He would not accept an offer of lodging here from a slave, and asked you to come out.” Jod picked up a spear, put his helmet on his head and went to the door with two of his men, where he saw a man standing in the doorway. He turned his spear down and stuck the point into the threshold. Then he asked who the man was. The man said, “My name is Thorgeir.” Jod said, “Thorgeir who?” “The son of Havar,” he replied. Jod said, “Why have you come here?” The man replied, “1 don’t know what the outcome will be but I’ve come to find out whether you will compensate me for slaying my father.” Jod said, “I don’t know whether you are aware that I have killed many a man and never once paid compensation.” “I did not know that,” said Thorgeir, “but whatever the case, it is my duty to seek compensation from you now since I stand closest to the man you have slain.” Jod said, “I’m not averse to giving you some pittance, but I will not pay you com­ pensation for this slaying, Thorgeir, or others will think they can make similar claims on me.” Thorgeir answered, “It’s for you to decide how much you pay, and it’s for me to decide whether I accept or not.” They continued to discuss the matter while Thorgeir stood some distance from the doorway. He had a spear in his right hand and turned the point forward. In his left hand was an axe. Having come from the brightness inside, Jod and his men had some trouble seeing out into the dark, whereas it was easier for Thorgeir to see them from where he stood in the doorway. When they least expected it, Thorgeir moved forward and drove his spear straight through Jod’s middle, so that he fell into the arms of his servants. Thorgeir turned away into the darkness of the night while Jod’s men tried to ad­ minister to him. Thorgeir was fifteen years old at this time as Thormod says in a long memorial drapa he composed after Thorgeir’s death. 2. The slayings started when the wealth-giver brought doom to Jod, Klaeng’s son and heir; the wave-horse’s launcher was brave. Havar’s vengeance was won when the sea-steed’s god was fifteen years o f age; resolute, he wrought that deed.

wealth-giver, generous person, i.e. Thorgeir

wave-horse: ship; its launcher, seafarer, Thorgeir sea-steed: ship; its god: seafarer

Thorgeir walked the whole night, not halting until he came to his father’s farm­ stead. He knocked on the door, and a long time passed before someone came to

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open up. His mother, Thorelf, called out to one of the farmhands to answer. The man woke up, rubbed his eyes, and was evidently displeased at being roused. “I don’t see the need to get up just because men choose to travel by night,” he said. Then Thorelf said, "Only a man in great need would have to travel by night in such great darkness.” “I don’t know about that,” said the farmhand. He rose to his feet slowly and went to the door where he saw a man standing outside, but offered him no greeting. Instead, he returned to his bed, lay down and drew the bed clothes over him. Thorgeir came in, closed the door behind him and walked into the main room. Thorelf asked, “Who is it?” The servant replied, “I don’t know who he is, and I don’t care.” She said, “You show a distinct lack of curiosity.” Then she called out to one of the servant women: “Get up, go into the main room and see who is in there.” The woman got up, went into the main room, opened the door a little and asked whether there was anyone in there. “There most certainly is,” was the reply. She asked who he was, and he answered, “My name is Thorgeir.” Then she closed the door again and went back to the hall. Thorelf said, “Who is it?” The servant woman answered, “I believe it’s your son, Thorgeir.” Thorelf got up, lit a lamp and went into the main room where she greeted her son warmly. She asked if there was any news. Thorgeir said, “A man has been wounded this evening at Skeljabrekka.” “Who was responsible?” she asked. “I cannot deny my part in this,” he answered. Then Thorelf asked, “How bad was the wound?” And Thorgeir replied, “I don’t think the wound he suffered at my hands will need binding. I saw my spear pierce him through and he fell back into the arms of his men.” Then Thorelf said joyfully, “This was no child’s deed. May your hands always serve you this well, my son. But why didn’t his men pursue you?” Thorgeir answered, “They had other, more immediate, matters to attend to - and soon afterwards they lost sight of me in the dark.” Thorelf answered, “That may be so.” Then Thorgeir was brought some supper, and when he had his fill Thorelf said, “I think you should get some sleep now, but be on your feet again before daybreak, then get on your horse and ride west to Breidafjord. My farmhands will accompany you as far as you wish. Tomorrow, men will come here looking for you and we don’t have the strength to protect you against a large party. If this thaw continues, the rivers and lakes will unfreeze and it will be harder to travel. You have done what

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was required. Take word to your cousin Thorgils that he must find me somewhere to live close to him in the west. I will sell my lands here and return to my birthplace.” Thorgeir did as his mother advised. He went to sleep, arose before daybreak and then rode off. There is no other report of his journey until he reached Breidafjord in the west, where he got a boat and set sail west to Reykjanes. It was there that he announced that he had slain Jod. Everyone who heard these tidings thought it remarkable that one young man on his own should have slain such an experienced fighter and chieftain as Jod. And yet it was no great wonder since the Almighty Creator had forged in Thorgeir’s breast such a strong and sturdy heart that he was as fearless and brave as a lion in what­ ever trials or tribulations befell him. And as all good things come from God, so too does steadfastness, and it is given unto all bold men together with a free will that they may themselves choose whether they do good or evil. Thus Jesus Christ has made Christians his sons and not his slaves, so that he might reward all according to their deeds. Thorgeir spent his time either at Reykjaholar or at Isafjord in the west country. In the spring following these events, Thorelf rode west to Reykjanes with all her livestock and goods. That summer a settlement was concluded regarding the slay­ ings of Havar and Jod, and after that Thorgeir spent a long time with Bersi. Thor­ geir and Thormod were the best of friends. They obtained a small ferry boat and took seven other men along with them. They moved from place to place that sum­ mer, but were welcomed nowhere. There was a man named Ingolf, who lived in Jokulsfirdir at a farm called Svidinsstadir, and was known as Ingolf Svidin. He had a son named Thorbrand, a great champion, but overbearing and generally unpopular. Both he and his father were aggressive trouble makers, obtaining money and goods from others by bullying and stealing. They were both thingmen of Vermund the chieftain, and he took great pains to protect them because they always gave him valuable gifts. They were safe from reprisals for riding roughshod over so many men by virtue of their oath of allegiance to Vermund. There was a widow named Sigurfljod, who lived in Jokulsfirdir. She was wise and well-liked and had proven to be an invaluable friend to many. Her farm and Ing­ olf s lay on opposite sides of the fjord, and Ingolf and his son caused her consid­ erable trouble. Thorgeir and Thormod prepared to set sail to hunt and fish at Strandir in the north, but just as they were ready to start out the wind turned against them and made it impossible for them to leave the fjord. For the rest of the summer they caused considerable trouble among the people there. When winter arrived, a fair breeze allowed them to set sail out of Isafjord in good weather. However, it was too calm for them to make much headway, and when they had sailed for a while the weather first began to thicken and then it started to snow. By the time they were out of the fjord, the weather turned against them. They were so beset with squalls that blustered and blew around them in the freezing cold that

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they could no longer see their course and great darkness surrounded them, made thicker by the night and the storm. Then the wind was behind them and great waves broke over the ship, drenching them and making their clothes freeze to their bodies. The daughters of the sea-goddess, Ran, tried to embrace them, but they managed to make their way into a fjord and then along the coast to the bottom of the fjord where they found a boathouse with a boat inside. There they tied their vessel down and went ashore to look for a farmstead. They found a small farm dwelling and knocked on the door. A man came out and greeted them, then invited them in out of the storm, and they went into the main room where a lamp was burning. There they seated themselves on one of the two benches and were welcomed by the people on the farm. Then a woman asked them who was the leader of their party. She was told that it was Thorgeir and Thormod who had arrived. “But who wants to know?” they said. They were told that it was Sigurfljod, the mistress of the house, who asked. “I have heard of you,” she said, “but I have never seen you before. What has brought you here today, fair weather or fair friends?” They replied, “Many would say that there’s not much difference between the two, but there again that depends on who’s talking.” Sigurfljod answered, “That may well be true.”

She had them take off their garments and a fire was kindled to warm up the men and thaw out whatever clothes were frozen. Then they were given some food, accompanied to their beds and covered up well. They soon fell asleep. The storm blustered through the freezing night. The wind, like a wild cur, howled con­ stantly and with relentless force the whole night long, and gnawed at the ground with its cold and savage jaws. When daylight came, someone was sent to look out­ side, and when he returned Thorgeir asked him what the weather was like. He re­ plied that there was no change from the previous evening. Sigurfljod said, “You need not fear the storm. You are welcome to remain here and accept whatever we have. You don’t have to leave until the weather improves.” Thorgeir answered, “Thank you for your offer, mistress, but the storm does not alarm us. We have no women, children or livestock to take care of.” Then the storm began to die down and the bays and fjords became covered with thick ice. One morning, Sigurfljod rose early, looked outside, and then hurried back in. Thorgeir asked how the weather was out there. She said, “Much improved. The sky is clear and there’s no wind.” Thormod said, “Then let’s be up and away, men.” Sigurfljod said, “What are your plans?” Thormod replied, “We’ll go north to Strandir and see what we can catch. We’ll leave our boat behind here.”

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Sigurfljod said, “What strange men you are. You’re ready to go whaling at Strandir while there’s a much better and braver catch to be made close by.” Thormod asked, “Where is this catch to be found?” She said, “I think it would be a greater deed to kill the bad men who steal around here than to go whaling.” Thormod said, “Of what men do you speak?” She said, “I’m talking about Ingolf and Thorbrand who have brought harm and destruction to so many. You would be avenging many a man if you killed them, and many a man would reward you handsomely for the deed.” Thormod said, “I don’t know whether you are giving us good counsel. They are friends of Vermund and there will be consequences if any harm comes to them.” She said, “‘Best to know bad company by report alone’, as the saying has it. You think yourselves great fighting men while you bully crofters, but you grow fearful when a real test of manhood is before you.” Then Thorgeir sprang to his feet and said, “Stand up, lads. Let’s pay the woman for our stay.” So they stood up and armed themselves, and when they were ready they travelled across the ice-laden fjord, reaching Ingolfs farm before anyone there had arisen. Ingolf awoke and heard men walking around outside by the houses. There were quite a few of them and their shoes were frozen. Thorgeir and the others went up to the door and knocked on it. The men in the hall woke up at the sound and jumped to their feet. Ingolf and his son, Thorbrand, always slept in their clothes because they had many enemies. They had two farmhands with them. All four men armed themselves. Each took his spear, then they went to the door and opened it up. There they saw eight men, all armed, and they asked who was their leader. Thorgeir spoke up, “You may have heard report of Thorgeir Havarsson or Thor­ mod Bersason - now you can see them for yourselves.” Thorbrand replied, “Of course we have heard of you both, but rarely anything good. Why have you come here?” Thorgeir answered, “We come to lay down conditions and redress an imbalance. We will give you a choice. Either you hand over all the property you have wrong­ fully taken, and thus buy your lives, or defend that property like men to the death.” Thorbrand replied, “What we have taken we took like men, and bravely too, and we would not part with it in any other manner. As for you, Thorgeir, 1 think you’ll sooner be breakfasting on my spear than on my property.” Thorgeir said, “Like others in my family, I can prophesy from my dreams and I have dreamt a good deal about myself, but very little about you. But what I have dreamt will happen - your Lady Hel will embrace you and all your property will be­ come forfeit. Ill-begotten gains never come to any good.” When these words had been spoken, Thorgeir and Thormod attacked Ingolf and Thorbrand, and forbade their companions from doing the same since they wanted to defeat them alone. The house was dimly lit, and it was therefore difficult

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for Thorgeir and Thormod to see inside. Outside, however, it was much lighter and that gave the defending party an advantage over their attackers. Ingolf s men rushed out occasionally and exchanged blows with Thorgeir’s party, but ultimately Thorbrand fell at Thorgeir’s hand and Ingolf was slain by Thormod. Ingolfs men were badly, but not mortally wounded. As Thormod said in his drapa composed on Thorgeir’s death: 3.

I tell how the master o f the awning-horse took the life o f Ingolfs son word o f his death spread wide. At the hand o f the famed mover o f mast-stallions Thorbrand fell, others lost their lives there actions speak louder than words.

awning-horse: ship; its master: seafarer, Thorgeir

mast-stallions: ships; their master: seafarer

Thorgeir and his men took two horses and loaded them up with food, and then herded off three of the fattest bulls and drove them back with them across the fjord. Sigurfljod was outside when they arrived. She greeted them and asked what news there was. They told her what happened. She said, “You have done well since you left here and cut a good piece of flesh from the whale, and by this action taken reprisal for many a man’s harm, disgrace and dishonour. I will now go to Vatnsfjord and meet with Vermund to tell him the news, but you must remain here and wait for me.” They told her to go, and she set out with some of her farmhands. They took a six-oared boat that she owned and rowed along Isafjord, not stopping before they reached Vatnsfjord late in the evening. She said to her men, “Now you keep silent. Not a word from you about what has happened. Let me do the talking.” They consented to this. Then they went to the farmhouse to speak to the people there. Vermund greeted them warmly and when he asked what news they had, they replied that they had none. They stayed the night and were well looked after. When morning came, Sigurfljod said that she would return home. Vermund tried hard to dissuade her. “You come here so rarely,” he said. “Why rush off again so quickly?” She said, “I don’t get away from home too often, but the weather is so good for travelling right now that it would be unwise not to set out while it lasts. I hope, though, that you will accompany me as far as my boat.” He replied, “Let us go then.” So they went off to the boat. Then Sigurfljod said, “Have you heard about the slayings at Jokulsfirdir?” “What slayings?” replied Vermund. She said, “Thorgeir Havarsson and Thormod Bersason slew Ingolf and his son Thorbrand.”

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Then Vermund said, “They go too far, these sworn brothers, killing our men like this. I will not have them killing any more of our people.” She said, “It was to be expected that you would react like this, though some would say that they have not killed your men but done this slaying for you. Who else should punish crimes such as plundering and robbery if you, as chieftain of this district, choose not to? It seems to me that Thorgeir and Thormod have carried out a task that you should either have carried out yourself or employed someone to do, and you would understand what I mean if you weren’t blind. I came to see you in order to purchase immunity for those responsible for the slayings, though not as compensation for the slain - they have long since forfeited their property and their lives - but because I wish to show you respect in all matters, as is my duty. I want to give you these three hundred pieces of silver as a settlement price for Thorgeir and Thormod.” Then she took the money from her belt and poured it into Vermund’s lap. It was good silver and Vermund opened his eyes wide at the sight of it. Then his anger was assuaged and he promised to grant Thorgeir and Thormod a degree of security, though he added that he did not want Thorgeir to stay long in Isafjord. Then they parted. Sigurfljod returned home to her farm and told Thorgeir and Thormod what had been settled between herself and Vermund. They thanked her, too, for the counsel she had given them and stayed on there for the winter. When spring came and the weather began to improve, they launched their boat and made ready to sail. Just before they departed they thanked her for her hospitality, for all the good things she had done for them, and for the superior integrity she had dis­ played. They parted as friends. Thorgeir and Thormod travelled north to Strandir and stayed there for the sum­ mer. The fishing was good and so was the quarry. They had whatever they desired of the locals, all of whom were as frightened as lambs are of the lion when it prowls among them. Bersi moved to Laugabol in Laugardal since Vermund did not wish to have Thor­ geir and Thormod sheltered so close to him. That autumn, they travelled south to Isafjord, brought their vessel ashore in a good spot and covered it over. Thormod went to his father while Thorgeir intended to go south to his cousin at Reykjanes. Their companions also returned to their respective homesteads. They decided on parting that all would meet at the boat when spring came and go north to Strandir again to hunt and fish. Having agreed on that, they said their farewells and took leave of each other. There was a man named Thorkel who lived at Gervidal. He was wealthy but not generous, preferred his own company and was rather faint-hearted. He had a wife and three servants, one of whom was a woman. There was a man named Butraldi, a loner of no fixed abode. He was a large, powerfully-built man with an ugly face, quick-tempered and vengeful, and he was a great slayer of men. He worked as a hired hand during the summers and wandered

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about during the winter-time with two other men, staying at various farms for a few nights at a time. He was a distant relative of Vermund at Vatnsijord and thus escaped the payment he so richly deserved. Butraldi came to Thorkel’s farm in Gervidal with his two companions one eve­ ning and wanted to stay there. Even though Thorkel was miserly about his food, he dared not refuse them lodging and so he led them into the main room and lit a lamp. There they sat, armed, while the house-servants were in the hall. There were scattered snow drifts in the mountains, but lower down the ground was bare. The rivers, streams and lakes had frozen over as a result of the great cold, and small snow-storms came and went. Thorkel came into the main room to ask them a number of things that excited his curiosity. He asked Butraldi where he was headed and the latter replied that he was going south across Breidafjord. Thorkel said he was not certain that the weath­ er would allow such a journey over the moors the following day. Here his courage failed him; for he did not want them to stay but did not have the strength of char­ acter to stand up to them. At that moment he heard a knock on the door, and that certainly did not im­ prove matters for him. He left the room, went to the door, opened it up and saw an armed man standing out there. Thorkel asked the man’s name. It was Thorgeir. Thorkel asked whose son he was, and the man told him he was the son of Havar. This put great fear in his breast, and his heart began to beat faster. Then Thorkel said, uButraldi is here with two other men and I don’t know how warmly he feels towards you, though I expect he wishes you ill since he is a friend of your enemy Vermund. But I cannot bear the sight of bloodshed and I will surely faint if you two start fighting.” Thorgeir said, “Rest assured, farmer, my presence here will bring you no harm.” Thorgeir went into the main room, followed by Thorkel and his wife. He took a table and placed it in front of Butraldi. “I don’t have much to offer,” said Thorkel, “but come, Thorgeir, sit here beside Butraldi.” Thorgeir did so. He walked across the room and sat down at the table beside Butraldi. There is a detailed report of what they ate: two platters were brought in; on one of them was some old short-rib mutton and on the other a large quantity of old cheese. Butraldi made a brief sign of the cross, then picked up the mutton ribs, carved off the meat and continued to eat until the bones were picked clean. Thor­ geir took the cheese and cut off as much as he wanted, though it was hard and diffi­ cult to pare. Neither of them would share either the knife or the food with the oth­ er. Though the meal was not good, they did not bring out their own provisions for fear that it would be seen as a sign of weakness. Food was also brought to Thorkel and his wife, where they sat by the fire. Occasionally, they went to the main room, opened up the door and timidly looked in. When the guests had eaten their fill, Thorkel came into the main room with his wife and she cleared the table.

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Thorkel said, “In return for my hospitality, I only ask that you show each other no aggression while you stay in my house. It would cause me great trouble if you were to start fighting here. I think it best that Thorgeir rest with us in the hall while Butraldi and his companions sleep here in the main room” This is what they did, and they slept through the night. When it started to get light, Butraldi and Thorkel rose early, and so did Thorgeir. A lamp was lit in the main room, and a table placed there with food just like the evening before. This time, Thorgeir took the mutton ribs and began to carve off the meat, while Butraldi ate away at the cheese. When they were full, Butraldi left with his companions and followed the trodden path up the valley. A little later, Thorgeir left and took the same route. A river flows through Gervidal Valley and the steep heath ridge leads up from the valley to the highroad. There was a good deal of hard, frozen snow on the ridge at the time. Thorgeir watched where Butraldi and his companions went and saw that it was a difficult route and that they were going to have a hard time ascending the ridge, so he turned and crossed the river and made his ascent from the other side, reaching the highroad while the others were still on the ridge. Butraldi reached the patch of hard snow and used his axe to cut footholds in it. Thorgeir could see all this since he was now on higher ground. Then Butraldi said, “So the hero ran off, did he?” Thorgeir said, “I didn’t run off. I simply took a different route so as not to have to cut my way through the snow. There’ll be no running away from you now, though.” Thorgeir stood at the edge of the ridge while Butraldi continued to cut his way through the snow. When Butraldi was about halfway up, Thorgeir placed his spear underneath him, with the spearhead facing forwards, raised his axe to shoulder height and slid down the snow towards Butraldi. He heard the sound of Thorgeir whizzing down and looked up, but before he knew what was happening Thorgeir struck him full on the chest with his axe and cut right through him and he fell back down the slope. Thorgeir continued down past him until he reached flat ground, and moved with such speed that the other two men rushed off. A verse commemo­ rates this incident: 4. Fitting work to tell how flashing weapons showered down and silenced Butraldi the grey eagle often flies from battle, but there is no denying that the reddener of the sword-strap’s path will earn thanks all the fewer for spilling this man’s blood.

sword-strap’s path sheath, scabbard; its reddener (with blood): warrior

Butraldi’s companions did not dare take revenge, nor even confront Thorgeir

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since they had no desire to be sent off to rest for the night by his weapons. They fussed around Butraldi’s body while Thorgeir climbed up onto the moorland and continued his way south until he reached Reykjaholar. He received a warm wel­ come, stayed there for the winter and was well looked after. The winter was exceedingly harsh far and wide across the country. Livestock died and farming conditions were difficult. Many men went north to Strandir to hunt whales. The following spring, Thorgeir went to Isafjord where their boat was laid up. Thormod and their shipmates arrived, and they set out north to Strandir as soon as the wind was favourable. There was a man named Thorgils who lived at Laekjarmot in Vididal. He was a big, strong man, skilful in the use of weapons and a good farmer. He was a kinsman of Asmund Grey-locks, the father of Grettir, and related to Thorstein Kuggason. Thorgils’ father’s name was Mar. Thorgils also went off to Strandir with some companions to where a whale had been washed ashore on common ground. The hunting was poor where Thorgeir had landed, and there was neither whalemeat nor any other food to be had there. He inquired as to where Thorgils was engaged in cutting up the stranded whale and then went there with Thormod. When they arrived, Thorgeir said, “You’ve already cut quite a lot from that whale. It would be best now to allow others a chance at it while there’s still some­ thing worth having. We’re all equally entitled here.” Thorgils replied, “Well said! Then, let each keep what he has already cut.” Thorgeir said, “You have cut away a large portion of the meat and may keep what you have cut. Now we want you either to leave the rest of the whale to us and take with you the meat you have cut or divide equally with us both what is taken and what remains.” Thorgils replied, “I’m not inclined to leave the carcass, nor do I plan to give you the meat I have already cut from it - not while we’ve still got the whale.” Thorgeir said, “Then you will have to see how long you can hold us away from it.” Thorgils answered, “That seems like a good solution.” Then both sides armed themselves and prepared to fight. And when they were ready, Thorgeir said, “It is best, Thorgils, that you and I fight only each other since you’re a seasoned, hardy and experienced fighter and I’d like to see how I fare against you. Let the others stay out of our fray.” Thorgils answered, “I fully approve of that.” Their parties were of even strength, and they attacked each other and fought. Thorgeir and Thorgils exchanged a few quick blows. They were both skilled fight­ ers, but Thorgeir was the deadlier of the two and he therefore prevailed over his opponent. Three of Thorgils’ party and three of Thorgeir’s were also slain in this fight.

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After the fight, the remainder of Thorgils’ men returned north from where they had come, overwhelmed with grief. Thorgeir took the whole whale, both the por­ tions that had been cut and the carcass. He was outlawed for slaying Thorgils - a judgement brought into effect by Thorstein Kuggason and Asmund Grey-locks. Thorgeir and Thormod spent the summer at Strandir. All the men there were frightened of them, and they prevailed over all things like weeds overtaking a field. People say that at the height of their tyranny, Thorgeir spoke these words to Thormod: “Do you know of any other two men as eager as we or as brave, or in­ deed anyone who has stood the test of his valour so often?” Thormod replied, “Such men could be found if they were looked for who are no lesser men than us.” Thorgeir said, “Which of us do you think would win if we confronted each oth­ er?” Thormod answered, “I don’t know, but I do know that this question of yours will divide us and end our companionship. We cannot stay together.” Thorgeir said, “I wasn’t really speaking my mind - saying that I wanted us to fight each other.” Thormod said, “It came into your mind as you spoke it and we shall go our sepa­ rate ways.” And that is what they did. Thorgeir took the boat and Thormod took the larger portion of the movable goods and left for Laugabol. Thorgeir stayed on at Strandir for the summer and remained a threat to many. When autumn came he brought his boat ashore there in the north, covered it over and made arrangements for his goods. Then he went to Thorgils at Reykjaholar and spent the winter with him. Thormod refers to this division between them in the following verse from his memorial drapa to Thorgeir: 5.

People have heard we had many slanderers who tried to come between us - but I enjoyed advice from the wound-snake’s reddener. Though men’s hatred I have felt, I will remember nothing but good between me and him, the steerer o f wave-beasts.

wound-snake: sword; its reddener. warrior, Thorgeir

wave-beasts: ships; their steerer. Thorgeir8

There was a ship laid up in the river Nordura near Floi, a common place for putting ashore. Thorgils and his brother, Illugi, had secretly bought a share in this vessel for Thorgeir and had goods brought aboard to the same value as that share. Thorgils and Illugi did not ride to the opening of the Althing that summer since they did not want to cross the Breidafjord valleys before Thorstein Kuggason had left the district to attend it. The reason for this was that they meant to accom­ pany Thorgeir, the man Thorstein had had outlawed, to the ship.

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[From Flateyjarbók] Thorgils and Illugi learned that Thorstein had ridden off to the Althing, and they set off from home with sixty men. Among them were the sworn brothers, Thorgeir and Thormod. The party rode on ahead of them, and when these two reached the river Drifandi in Gilsfjord, Thorgeir said, “Do you know of two other sworn brothers who are our equals in ex­ ploits and valour?” Thormod said, “I expect they could be found if one looked far enough.” Thorgeir said, “I don't think you will find any in Iceland. But which o f us do you think would prevail if we fought each other?” “I don't know," said Thormod, “but I do know that this question of yours will break up our companionship and our share.” At that moment Thorgeir rode out past the cliff face. The tide was so high that his horse was almost forced to swim. When he reached the shoal water in front o f the cliff, he dis­ mounted and saw that Thormod had turned his horse around farther up the fjord. He called out to him to come back and ride past the cliff. Thormod replied, wWe will part ways for a while. I bid you farewell.” Then Thormod rode back along Gilsfjord and did not stop until he came home to his father, Bersi, at Laugabol. When he had gone, Thorgeir remounted his horse and rode after the others, but when he reached Saurbaer the party had already ridden off to Svinadal. Thorgeir rode on at great pace. There was a man named Hlenni, who lived at Maskelda and he had a man lodging with him, known as Torfi Bundle. Torfi had gone up to the stream to cut some faggots and carry them home. He had just put a load on his back when Thorgeir rode by below him along the river bank, and as Thorgeir came towards him he called out and asked the man his name. But because the wind was rustling through his burden of fagots, Torfi did not hear him call out. Thorgeir wanted to inquire about his party and he called out to the man several times, but Torfi never heard him call. Thorgeir grew tired of calling out and his already bad mood turned to anger. He rode across the stream at Torfi and plunged his spear through him, killing him instantly. Since then the stream has been called Boggullaek (Bundle stream). Thorgeir rode on his way until he reached Illugi and the rest of the party at Mjosund, where he told them he had slain Torfi. They were not pleased with this deed.

There was a man named Skuf who lived at Hundadal in Dalir. He was a good farmer and helpful to others. He had a son named Bjarni who lived at home with him, and a man who looked after the sheep in Hundadal who was also named Skuf. People began to leave for the Althing, including Thorgils and Illugi who left Reykjaholar in the west, having sent some men ahead of them to hang their booths with cloth. They had an evening meal at Saurbaer then rode east through the night from Dalir, intending to stop for breakfast in Hundadal. By morning they had come as far as Middalir, just beyond the woods at Thykkvaskog, and it was there that they ate and then slept. Thorgeir had a beautiful large russet horse, good for riding. Towards late morn­ ing, the men were asked to get the horses and they got up and went off to gather them. Thorgeir’s horse was not among the others, so they went onto the heavily wooded slopes to look for it - but to no avail. The horse was nowhere to be found. So they took one of the pack-horses, after dividing its load among the others, and gave it to Thorgeir. Then they noticed a man mounted on a fine-looking russet

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horse, coming along the gravel banks from Saudafell, driving some sheep ahead of him. He was driving them hard because he had a swift horse, and it seemed to Thorgeir that the animal was very much like his own. He showed no reaction, but nevertheless kept an eye on where the man rode and saw him chase the sheep up to a farm in Hundadal. Some ewes from Laxardal in the west had been given to Skuf in payment for a debt, but they had run off, and it was Skuf s son, Bjarni, who had taken Thorgeir’s horse to go off and look for them. Illugi, Thorgils and the rest of the party rode up to the farm at Hundadal and the two brothers told their men to unload their horses before they reached the farm and to make sure they did not graze on the hayfield. Then the brothers rode up to the farmhouse with a few men. Thorgeir rode off to the sheep pens where he thought he recognised his horse. Bjarni was mounted on the horse after having driven the ewes he had found into the pens. Thorgeir asked, “Who is it that sits on this horse?” “His name is Bjarni,” was the reply. Thorgeir said, “That’s a fine-looking horse. Who does it belong to?” Bjarni replied, “Quite true, it is a fine-looking horse, but 1 don’t know who it be­ longs to.” Thorgeir said, “Why did you take the horse?” Bjarni answered, “I took the horse because I preferred to ride rather than walk.” Thorgeir said, “I think it would be a good idea for you to get down off that horse and give it back to its owner.” Bjarni said, “I won’t be riding it much longer because I have no farther to go than the front door of my house.” Thorgeir said, “I want you to get down from the horse immediately.” Bjarni said, “It’s not going to hurt the horse if I ride up to the house.” Thorgeir said, “I must insist that you ride it no farther at this present time.” Bjarni tried to turn the horse towards the gate and rode back to the house. Thor­ geir struck at him with his spear and it pierced him clean through, so that he was already dead when he fell from the horse. Skuf the shepherd was closing the gates to the sheep pens when he saw Bjarni fall from the horse. He ran out, grabbed his axe, held it with both hands and lunged at Thorgeir. Thorgeir used the shaft of his spear to divert the blow and then, wielding his axe in his right hand, he struck Skuf on the head and split him to the shoulders. He died instantly. Thorgeir’s companions returned home with great speed and told the chieftains what had happened, and they regarded it as bad news indeed. They sent some men at once to escort Thorgeir from the place before the dead man’s father or any of the rest of his family saw him, and after that they related the news to Skuf themselves. He saw no better alternative than to accept their suggestion that he name the com­ pensation price himself for the slayings, especially since the brothers were men of such standing, but even more importantly because the man responsible for them had already been outlawed. A settlement was thus reached.

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These slayings are referred to by Thormod in his drapa on Thorgeir: 6. Fate favoured the warrior when the swords rained down: Mar’s son paid for his pride, ravens tore at raw flesh. Then the rider of the waves, the skilled battle-worker, gladly lent his hand to kill Skuf and Bjarni.

rider of the waves: seafarer, i.e. Thorgeir

Thorgils and Illugi breakfasted at Hundadal and then rode south to Borgarfjord where they put Thorgeir aboard a ship. [From Flateyjarbók] Thorgeir had ridden south ahead of the others and when he came to Hvassafell there were some men there standing outside. The shepherd had just come home from the herd and he stood in the hayfield, leaning forwards on his staff, talking to the other men. It was a short staff and the shepherd was tired. Thus he was rather hunched over, with his tired legs bent and his neck sticking out. When Thorgeir saw this he drew his axe in the air and let it fall on the man’s neck. The axe bit well and the head went flying off and landed some distance away. Then Thorgeir rode off and the rest of the men in the field stood there helpless and amazed. Shortly afterwards, Illugi and Thorgils came by. They were told what happened and were not pleased. It is said that they provided compensation for Thorgeir’s deed and then rode on to meet him. He greeted them warmly. They asked him why he had slain the man and what possible fault he had found with him. Thorgeir replied, “He had committed no wrong against me. If you want the truth I couldn’t resist the temptation - he stood so well poised for the blow.” “One can see from this,” said Thorgils, “that your hands will never be idle. We have already paid compensation for the man’s life.” After that they all rode together to the ship.

A man named Gaut came down to the ship. He was the son of Sleita and a close relative of Thorgils Masson, whom Thorgeir had slain. Gaut was a large, powerful and overbearing man and a hard fighter. He had been taken aboard by the skipper and had no idea that Thorgeir was along for the journey. He grimaced with anger when he saw Thorgeir arrive, and both men saw that being aboard the same vessel was bound to be difficult on account of their temperaments. The ship was ready and the hold secured, with Gaut’s goods inside it. When Thorgeir heard the Norwegians grumbling about having both him and Gaut aboard, he said, “Travelling along with Gaut might well come in useful to me no matter how angry he gets about it.” But despite what Thorgeir said about himself and Gaut, they decided to open up the hold and put Gaut’s goods ashore, after which he rode off in a northerly direc­ tion. The Norwegians sailed along the river up to Seleyri, but Illugi and Thorgils did12 12

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not leave the area until the ship was out at sea. Then they rode to the Althing with a large group of men and made a settlement, on Thorgeir’s behalf, for the slaying of Thorgils Masson, and pleaded for him to be acquitted. Thorgeir and his shipmates were tossed about on the open sea for a while, then finally sighted land ahead. The Norwegians recognised it as being Ireland and felt that putting ashore there was likely to mean trouble. Thorgeir said, “I think if we put up a stand that we can send a number of them to dine in Valhalla before we ourselves are slain. That’s the best defence we have.” So they cast anchor some distance from shore, took their weapons from the hold and made themselves ready to fight if need be. Then they saw a great host of men ashore with so many spears that it looked like a forest. But though the Irish had long-shafted spears, they could not reach them. In this way they managed to hold on to their lives and their goods, and they sailed off as soon as a favourable wind arose. From there they went to England, where they stayed for a while and, as Thormod has said in his verses on Thorgeir, he received good gifts from the chieftains there. After that Thorgeir went to Denmark and, according to Thormod’s verses, he was held in such high esteem that the Danes revered him almost as a king. From there, Thorgeir went to Norway to see King Olaf. He went before the king and greeted him warmly. This pleased Olaf, and he asked who he was. He replied, “I am an Icelander and my name is Thorgeir.” The king said, “Are you Thorgeir Havarsson?” Thorgeir answered, “The very same man.” The king said, “I have heard of you. You are a big man and have the look of a champion, but are not endowed with great luck.” The king invited Thorgeir to stay and become one of his followers. He held Thorgeir in high esteem since he proved himself to be a brave and hardy champion wherever he went. Thorgeir went south to the land of the Wends to trade at a time when northern merchants had little hope of a peaceful reception. He proved his ex­ cellence on this journey and obtained all he asked for. From that time on, he spent alternate winters with King Olaf in Norway and at Reykjaholar in Iceland. He usu­ ally sailed into Borgarfjord and then proceeded up to Floi on the river Nordura, where he laid up his ship for the winter on the west bank of the river. That place is now called Thorgeirshrof, south of the height known as Smidjuholt. Thorgeir set sail seven times from Iceland, and as Thormod says: 7. Six' times he set forth on his sea-charger hence, tree o f the Valkyrie’s gusts, bold to deliver the wound-snake;

sea-charger, ship Valkyrie’s gusts: battle; their tree: warrior wound-snake: sword

1 T h e in c o n s is te n c y b e tw e e n six a n d se v en is in th e o rig in a l.

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hurtful to wealth, he led his black ship to the sea, and wrought great deeds. This I learned at home.

hurtful to wealth: generous

Now the time has come to tell of what Thormod was doing while Thorgeir was travelling abroad. When the two of them parted ways, Thormod went to his father Bersi at Laugabol and stayed there for quite a few years, but he found the place dull because there were so few people there. There was a woman named Grima who lived at the farm known as Ogur. She was a widow of some considerable wealth, and it was said of her that she had dabbled in many things and people believed she was skilled in the ancient arts. Since Christian­ ity was new to the country and had not fully taken hold, many considered such skills quite an advantage. Grima had a daughter named Thordis, who lived at home with her. She was a good-looking girl, and skilled in many tasks but was rather loud-mouthed. Grima had a slave named Kolbak. He was a large, strong man with a pleasing appearance. He was also a good fighter. Thormod visited their farm often and sat there for long periods of time, talking to Grima’s daughter, Thordis, and as a result of these frequent visits and long conversations a rumour grew up that he was seducing her. When Grima heard word of this she went to talk to Thormod and said, “A lot of people are saying that you are seducing my daughter, Thordis, and I am not at all pleased about the effect you are having on her reputation. I’m not saying that you would be a bad choice, it’s just that any man who might be thinking about propos­ ing marriage to her will regard you as a troll on his doorstep .1But if you ask to marry her I will give her to you.” Thormod replied, “You put the matter very well and I shall take due notice of what you say, but marriage does not suit my temperament. If it did, I would look no fur­ ther than to ask for your daughter’s hand. But even so, this will not come to pass.” Having spoken thus they parted. Thormod went home and stayed there for the rest of the summer. When winter came, the lakes, rivers and streams were covered with thick ice, which made it easy to travel. The lake at Ogur was also frozen. Thor­ mod once again found life at Laugabol dull since there was so little there in the way of amusement, so he renewed his visits to Thordis at Ogur. The same problem arose and rumours arose again concerning the friendship between Thordis and Thormod. Thormod armed himself with shield and sword whenever he made his way to Ogur because he expected trouble from some quarters. Grima discussed the matter again with Thormod, telling him to stop coming, “so that my daughter will not be scorned,” she said. Thormod answered her eloquently but did not stop visiting. One day while Thormod was at Ogur, Grima spoke to Kolbak, “I want to send you to a farm with some weft for some cloth that is being woven there.”

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i.e. a dangerous, if not insurmountable, obstacle.

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As Kolbak started to leave, Grima opened a large trunk, took out some coils of yarn and an old short-sword with a sharp cutting edge, and placed the sword in his hand, saying, “Keep hold of this and you’ll not lack a weapon.” Kolbak took the short-sword. Then Grima stuffed the coils of yarn inside his long coat, and passed her hands first over his body and then over his clothes. After that Kolbak went on his way. The weather began to thicken then thaw, thus dispersing what snow had fallen. Later that same day, Thordis spoke to Thormod, ‘T want you to take another route to the one you usually take. Go to the near side of Ogur bay and then make your way from there along the slope to Laugabol.” Thormod replied, “What makes you desire me to take this particular route?” Thordis said, “It’s likely that the ice in the bay has worsened since the thaw start­ ed and I don’t want you to have an accident.” Thormod said, “The ice is solid enough.” Thordis said, “I’m not in the habit of making requests, Thormod, and 1 shall take it badly if you don’t do as I ask.” Now Thormod saw that what she asked mattered to her and he promised to take the route she suggested. Late that night Thormod left Ogur, but as soon as he was a short distance from the house it occurred to him that it would not make any differ­ ence to Thordis what route he took. So he changed his mind and took the quickest route across the bay over the ice. There was a sheep-house in a hayfield down by the bay, and just as Thormod walked past the door of the house, a man ran out wielding a short-sword and struck at Thormod. The blow caught him on the arm, just above the elbow, wound­ ing him badly. Thormod threw down his shield, drew his sword with his left hand then held it with both and dealt Kolbak a few quick blows, but his sword had no bite. Kolbak was made so powerful by the charms that Grima had poured over him that no weapon could harm him. Kolbak had only struck Thormod once. He said, “I can do whatever I choose with you, Thormod, but I shall refrain from doing anything now.” Then Kolbak returned home and told what had happened. Grima felt that Kolbak had been too gentle with Thormod, yet she acted as if it were not she who had be­ trayed him. Thormod tore a strip from his breeches, bandaged up his wound and then walked home. One of his servant-women was waiting for him in the main room and there was a lamp burning there, but the rest of the household had gone to bed. When Thormod came into the main room, a table was set before him and food brought in, but he had little appetite. The woman saw that he was bleeding so she left the room and told Bersi that Thormod had come home and that his clothes were covered in blood. Bersi rose from his bed and went into the main room, where he greeted his son and asked him what had happened. Thormod told him how he had met with Kol­ bak and of the bloody wounds he had been dealt.

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Bersi said, “Your weapons had no effect on Kolbak, then?” Thormod replied, “I struck at him often enough with my sword but it had no greater effect than my striking him with a piece of whalebone.” Bersi said, “Grima’s sorcery was at work there.” Thormod composed a verse: 8. I parried the furies’ blows, the furious assault, but cast my shield away, suffered wounds from the war-king’s song. When will I see a chance, giver of wave’s beacon, o f vengeance on that clumsy launcher o f wave-riding ravens?

fu rie s: i.e. v a lk y rie s

w a r -k in g ’s song: b a ttle

w a v e ’s beacon: g o ld w a v e -r id in g ravens: sh ip s; th e ir launcher, se afa rer, i.e. K o lb a k

Bersi said, “It is as I thought, but it’s not clear how this outrage is to be avenged if we have to deal with sorcery.” Y B e r s i bandaged Thormod’s wound again for he was skilled in the art of healing, and the following morning he set out for Ogur with a large number of men. But before he reached the farm, Grima said to her men-servants, “Now, all of you go into the main room and sit on the lower bench while Bersi is here.” They did as she asked, went into the main room and sat on the lower of the two benches. They were fully armed. Grima told Kolbak to sit in the middle of the bench and she made a gesture with her hands above his head. Then Bersi came to the house and knocked on the door. Grima went to the door and greeted them. Bersi said, “You greet us warmly but we suspect you have little concern how we fare. Well then, know this - finding that you fare badly would hardly upset us.” Grima said, “What you say surprises me greatly. I thought you were our friends as we are yours. Do you bring any news?” Bersi replied, “What news we have you already know.” Grima said, “But we haven't heard any news lately. What is it you have to tell us?” Bersi said, “We have come to tell you of the bloody wound that your slave, Kol­ bak, inflicted on my son Thormod.” Grima replied, “That is bad news indeed, but even worse if it's true since it was I who sent Kolbak off with some weft and he didn't return last night. I expect he didn't dare face me because he knows how I value Thormod as my friend. I have long suspected Kolbak of having pretensions towards Thordis and now he has shown great folly in attacking Thormod - that excellent man - out of jealousy. This deed has heaped scorn on my daughter and brought shame and dishonour upon us. It is my responsibility to do what is in my power to put this right.”

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Bersi said, “Some people say, Grima, that you’re quite capable of feigning on oc­ casion, but we’ll find out how close this is to the truth.” “I should be grateful, and it would give me great satisfaction, if you came into my house and searched all the rooms, thus quashing any suspicion that I have been party to the malicious deed Kolbak has done.” So Bersi went into the main room with his companions and sat down on the up­ per bench. He remained seated there for a while, but he did not see Kolbak who was sitting directly opposite him because Grima had hidden him with a magic helmet, making him invisible to the sight of men. Bersi left the room and searched the farmhouse, but he did not find Kolbak. After that, he formally accused Kolbak of grievously wounding his son, Thormod, and so left. Thormod’s wound healed badly and he had to rest for a long time. For the remainder of his life he was left-handed. Kolbak stayed at Ogur that winter where Grima secretly looked after him. The following spring a case was brought against him at the assembly and he was declared an outlaw for life. A ship was moored at Vadil, and its skipper was a Norwegian named Ingolf. It was ready to set sail at about the same time as the Althing began, but the weather prevented them from setting out. When men all over the country had ridden off to the Althing, Grima spoke to Kolbak: “I expect you will be found guilty and outlawed for life for giving Thormod a bloody wound, but because I am responsible for this 1 want to give you your free­ dom - you are no longer a slave. Now, go and get four horses without anyone see­ ing you, two for riding and two others to carry some goods and provisions that I will give you. I will secretly accompany you to the ship at Vadil and see if I can ar­ range a passage for you aboard it.” Kolbak was pleased to obtain both his liberty and the goods that Grima gave him. He secretly prepared to leave Ogur that night without anyone noticing. Then he and Grima rode across the Glamuheidi moorland to Arnarf)ord and took the mountain route to Bardastrond until they reached Vadil. The merchants were asleep on board ship, but the skipper was ashore in a tent. Grima opened the tent while Kolbak looked after the horses, and then went inside to wake Ingolf the skipper, whom she knew by sight. Ingolf greeted her and asked what errand she had there. She told him, “I have come to see you because I want you to take a man aboard. He is here now.” Ingolf said, “Who is the man?” Grima replied, “His name is Kolbak.” Ingolf said, “The one who attacked Thormod Bersason?” Grima said, “The very same man.” Ingolf said, “It would mean quite some trouble taking aboard a man who is bound to be outlawed this summer, or having to deal with fighting men as tena­ cious as Thormod and his father, Bersi. We’ve been moored here for quite a while with our load and Bersi might well return before we are able to set sail, in which

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case it would be unlikely that we could keep Kolbak’s presence here a secret from him.” Seeing that Ingolf was reluctant to comply with her request, Grima pulled a purse out from under her cloak and poured two hundred pieces of silver into his lap, saying, “I will give you this money if you take Kolbak aboard and look after him.” Ingolf said, "That money’s a fine sight, but too dearly earned if Bersi and Thormod discover us with the man they had outlawed before we are able to leave.” Then Grima said, “I can see terms we’ll agree to. You will take Kolbak and this money that I’ve offered you and get him out of Iceland and look after him - but only if you set sail today.” Ingolf said, “It shall be as you wish.” So Ingolf took the money, stood up, and accompanied Kolbak to the ship with his goods. Grima stayed ashore and recited some old chants that she had learned in her childhood. At that very moment, the wind that had been blowing inland for so long suddenly dropped. Ingolf had their leather sleeping sacks taken onto the ship and all of them hurried aboard. By dawn everything was ready to set sail. As the sun stood in the south-east and a good breeze began to blow, Ingolf and Kolbak went ashore to bid Grima farewell. She made ready to return home and had someone ac­ company her, but there is no other report of her journey until she reached Ogur, well before people had returned from the Althing. As soon as she had left, Ingolf went aboard his ship and had the sail hoisted. A good breeze sped them on their way across the ocean and they arrived in Norway. Kolbak was taken in by a group of vikings and proved to be a hardy man in all tests of strength. Thormod returned to Laugabol from the Althing and stayed with his father for several winters. There is no report of Thormod having had any other recompense for the bloody wound than to have Kolbak outlawed. Í Í Thormod felt that living at home with his father was dull. After the Althing AA that summer, he set out with some of his father’s farmhands to collect a cargo of stock-fish that Bersi had out in Bolungarvik. They took a small ferry boat that belonged to Bersi and sailed out along Isafjord on a good breeze. Just past Arnardalir, the wind turned against them and they were swept off course. They cast an­ chor, went ashore and set up a tent. They were forced to stay there for some time since the weather prevented them from continuing on course. In Arnardalir was a woman named Katla, the widow of a man named Glum. She had a daughter named Thorbjorg, who lived at home with her. Thorbjorg was a courteous woman, but hardly a beauty. She had black hair and dark eyebrows and was therefore nicknamed Kolbrun (Dark-brow). She had an intelligent look about her, a good complexion, and was of medium height with a slim and well-propor­ tioned figure, but she was a little splay-footed. It so happened that Thormod left his tent one day and went up to the farmhouse. He went into the main room and saw some women there, but no men. Katla greet­

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ed him and asked him his name, which Thormod told her. Then she asked whose son he was, and he told her that, too. Katla said, “I have heard of you, but never seen you until now.” Thormod stayed there for the rest of the day and the women were well pleased to have his company. He glanced occasionally at Katla’s daughter and liked what he saw. She looked him over, too, and he was pleasing to her. When night came, Thor­ mod returned to his tent. He then made regular visits to Katla’s house and recited occasional love songs, which the women there liked very much. One day, Katla said, “Thormod, what made you decide to go along to Bolungarvik with your father’s farmhands?” He replied, “No other reason than to amuse myself. It is so dull at home.” “And what would amuse you more, going with them to pick up the stock-fish at Bolungarvik or staying here and enjoying yourself. You have full leave to remain here if you wish since we take much pleasure in your company.” Thormod answered, “Thank you for those kind words. I shall accept your offer because I would much prefer to stay here with you.” Then Thormod went off to see his companions and told them that he would be staying behind in the valley while they went off to Bolungarvik for the stock-fish, and that he would rejoin the crew on its way back. They parted, Thormod going to the farm while they waited for a good breeze to set sail again. Thormod remained in Arnardalir for two weeks, composing poems of praise to Thorbjorg Kolbrun, and he called them the Dark-brow Verses. When he had com­ pleted them, he recited them where many a man could hear. Katla took a large and beautiful ring from her finger and said, “I would like to give you this ring, Thormod, as a reward for those verses and in token rename you Thormod, Kolbrun’s Poet.” Thormod thanked her for the gift, and he became known by the title that Katla gave him. His father’s farmhands returned to meet him and he went aboard ship, after thanking Katla for the hospitality she afforded him. Katla said he should not pass by her house without visiting if he came that way again, and they parted with those words. Then Thormod went home to Laugabol and remained there for the rest of the summer. When winter arrived and the lakes, rivers and streams were covered again with ice, Thormod remembered his relationship with Grima’s daughter, Thordis, and he set out for the farm at Ogur. Grima received him joyfully, but Thordis was stiff and haughty and held him at a distance, as women do with men whom they dislike. Thormod quickly saw how she looked away and treated him coldly, so he thought he might try to draw her in a little by reminding her of how close they had once been. Thordis said, “I’ve heard that you have a new love and that you have composed a poem of praise for her.” Thormod replied, “Who is this love of mine for whom you say 1 have composed poems?”

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Thordis answered, “Thorbjorg at Arnardalir.” Thormod said, “It’s a lie that I wrote poetry about Thorbjorg. The truth is that I composed a poem in praise of you while I was staying in Arnardalir because I real­ ised how much more beautiful and courteous you are than she. And that’s why I came here - to present those verses to you.” Thormod recited the Dark-brow verses, turning most of what he had written to Thorbjorg into praise for Thordis. Then he gave the poem to Thordis so that they might be fully reconciled and that her affection and love for him be re-established. And like the dark mists that are drawn up out of the ocean, dispersing slowly to sunshine and gentle weather, so did these verses draw all reserve and darkness from Thordis’ mind and Thormod was once again bathed in all the brightness of her warm and gentle love. Thormod visited Ogur often from that time on and was made very welcome. One night, some while after this, Thormod was at home at Laugabol and he dreamt that Thorbjorg Kolbrun came to him and asked him whether he was awake or asleep. He said he was awake. She said, “You are asleep, but what appears to you now will take place when you are awake. What have you done? Have you given another woman the poem you wrote about me?” Thormod replied, “It isn’t true.” Thorbjorg said, “It is true that you gave the poem in praise of me to Thordis, daughter of Grima, and altered what you composed about me because you’re a cowardly little man and dared not tell the truth about which woman you had wrought them for. Now I shall repay you for your treachery and lies. You will expe­ rience such great and terrible pain in your eyes that it will seem as if they are about to burst out of their sockets - unless you publicly admit that you betrayed me and gave the poem you had composed for me to another woman. You will never be well again unless you remove those verses you have now turned to Thordis’ praise and replace them with what you once wrote to me. And you shall not dedicate them to anyone except the person for whom they were originally intended.” Thorbjorg appeared fierce and angry to him, and he was almost sure he saw her face as she left. He awoke with such a great pain in his eyes that he could hardly re­ frain from crying out, and he could not sleep for the rest of the night. The next morn­ ing, he stayed for some time in his bed. Bersi rose at his usual hour, and the rest of the men were all on their feet before Thormod. Then Bersi went to his son and asked him whether he was ill since he had not risen from his bed as he would have usually. Thormod recited a verse:9 9. Grievously I erred when on Thordis, maiden o f the ring o f islands, I bestowed all the Dark-brow Verses in a dream doom's goddess came to me.

rin g o f islands: se a, fjo rd ( th e p la c e n a m e O g u r a ls o m e a n s fjo rd ) d o o m 's goddess: T h o r b jo r g

356 I took the punishment she dealt — Thor’s splendid daughter is versed in those wily arts, and I would rather make amends with that goddess.

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Thor’s daughter. i.e. Thorbjorg

Bersi said, “What has come to you in your dream?” Thormod told him his dream and the whole story concerning the poem. Bersi said, “These women of yours are no good for you. One has given you such a bad wound that you will never recover from it, and now you can fully expect to have your eyes burst from their sockets. My advice is that you alter the poem back to its original state and rededicate to Thorbjorg Kolbrun the poem you composed for her.” Thormod said, “I submit to your judgement.” Then Thormod publicly confessed how he had changed the poem, and in front of many witnesses he gave them back to Thorbjorg. His eyes improved quickly and he fully recovered from the pain. Now we shall leave for a while the account of Thormod Kolbrun’s Poet and say a little about Thorgeir.

IQ

Now the story turns to Thorgeir Havarsson, now a follower of King Olaf. One summer Thorgeir took his ship up the river Hvita, sailed from there to the river Nordura and then stowed it for the autumn at the place now called Thorgeir’s Shed. He spent the winter in the west at Reykjaholar with his cousins, sold his goods there and then early in the following spring he went south to Borgarfjord and made ready to sail out again. Just before the assembly, he went back west to Reykjaholar to fetch some goods he had bought with the proceeds of what he had sold the previous winter. He moved these goods to Skogarstrond, got some horses and then went south to Borgarfjord. He had a man with him who rode in front, leading a spare horse, while he made up the rear behind the pack-horses. He rode armed with shield, spear and axe. And that is how they proceeded. There was a man named Snorri, known as Haekils-Snorri, who lived at Hvitstadir. He was a large, strongly-built, fine figure of a man but had a cruel face. He was not well-liked, lost his temper easily and was of a vengeful nature. He had a son named Helgi, who was quite young at the time. The living quarters of the farm were farther down on the spit than now and the farm was called Mel. A large sheephouse stood in a hayfield to the west, now known as Snorratoftir. Thorgeir and his companion passed by the place. But as the latter rode by the farmhouse, the pack-horses that Thorgeir was driving ran off into the hay-field. Snorri came out of the house at the moment that Thorgeir was chasing the packhorses and trying to get them out of the hayfield. But they obviously liked grazing there, and one of them stopped to do so as Thorgeir pursued the other.

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Snorri went indoors, took a large barbed spear, and came out again swearing and cursing at the horses and then at Thorgeir. Then he struck out at the horses and wounded them. Thorgeir, seriously concerned that Snorri might kill the animals, jumped down from his mount, holding his shield in front of him and an axe in his left hand. In the other hand, he had a spear with which he attacked Snorri, forcing him back towards the sheep-house where the fellow tried to defend himself with his spear. Two of Snorri's farmhands had seen their master run out angrily, clutching his spear, and each picked up an axe and went out to help him. Thorgeir defended himself deftly and then attacked with the strength and sureness of a lion. They were soon wounded because they had only short-shafted axes while Thorgeir had a spear with which he lunged at them fiercely again and again. Snorri and his two men re­ treated back into the sheep-house. The doorway was low and narrow and it was therefore harder to attack them there. Thorgeir ran up onto the roof and began to tear off some of the turf, but Snorri’s spear met him where he made an opening and he was wounded, though not seriously. Then Thorgeir threw down his spear and took up his axe in his right hand. Snorri attacked him fiercely through the opening in the roof. Thorgeir deflected the blows with his shield and axe, seeking only to cut the shaft from Snorri’s spear and he did not stop until he had succeed­ ed. As soon as he had broken Snorri’s spear, he jumped in through the opening with both axe and shield and struck him such a hard blow to the head that he cleaved it right through and killed him instantly. Then Thorgeir turned to Snorri’s farmhands and attacked them with great agility, defending himself with his shield and striking at them with the axe that had bid many a man goodnight. By the time he was done, he had slain both of them. After that he returned, remounted his horse, and rode up to the farmhouse to talk to the people there. He told them that Haekils-Snorri wanted to meet them and was waiting down at the sheep-house. Then he rode off to meet up with his com­ panion, who had driven the pack-horses out of the hayfield while Thorgeir was fighting, and the two of them went to the ship. Thorgeir made ready to sail and then set out for Seleyri. There he waited for a fair breeze and then sailed out into the ocean. He was not long at sea. Good winds brought him swiftly to Norway, where he immediately went off to meet King Olaf and was well received by him. This event was mentioned by Thormod in this verse from his drapa about Thorgeir:10 10. Warrior o f the bloodied sword, who repays in kind the harm he suffers, made all haste to Snorri, son of Haekil and there did battle. Three men he slew outright, aspiring to an even braver show. O f this seafarer’s deeds I have heard the proven truth.

warrior, i.e. Thorgeir

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Snorri’s son, Helgi, lived at Hvitstadir for a long time. He was unlike his father and his family both in appearance and temperament. It was he who moved to where the farmhouse now stands. He was nicknamed Helgi Hviti (the White), not to belittle him 1but because he was a handsome man with plenty of white hair. That is why the farmhouse is called Hvitstadir. Helgi was a good farmer, and he was wellliked and helpful to his neighbours. He was involved in a dispute with Thorstein Egilsson over the marshlands known as Gufufitjar which Thorstein wanted to buy but which Helgi did not wish to sell. One winter, Helgi went with his men out to Gufufitjar, driving his oxen laden with hay south through the marshes as usual. Thorstein pursued him with some of his farmhands and came upon Helgi by some islands, south of Hvitstadir, known as Langeyjar. Helgi and Thorstein fought, and Helgi was badly wounded. Knowing where both parties had gone, some other men arrived on the spot. They had good intentions towards both men and after they had separated them, they had them agree that Thorstein purchase the marshlands and compensate Helgi, as the law dic­ tated, for the bloody wound he had dealt him. *4£

There was a man named Thorir who lived at Hrofa in Steingrimsfjord. He was a loud and overbearing man and much disliked. He fell out with one of King O lafs men at the market in Steingrimsfjord and wounded the man badly. There was no settlement, and when the king heard news of what had happened he was not pleased. He spoke to Thorgeir Havarsson: “I want you, Thorgeir, to avenge the wounding of one of my men out in Iceland, so that the people there will think twice before at­ tacking my men.” Thorgeir answered, “I expect I will be able to avenge this offence done against you.” The king said, “I am asking you because I believe you will do my will in this mat­ ter.” Thorgeir replied, “I am obliged to do as you bid me.” Thorgeir prepared his ship to sail to Iceland early that summer, and good winds brought him to Vadil. From there, he went west to Reykjaholar and began to build a hall. There was a man named Veglag engaged in building the hall with Thorgeir, and each of them took one side of the construction. The hall was panelled through­ out and floored with boards, but there were no divisions or chambers. The interior was intact right up to the time when Bishop Magnus Gizurarson lived at Skalholt. Early in the following winter, Thorgeir went north to Hrofa in Steingrimsfjord, and Veglag the carpenter went with him. They came to the farm late in the evening and knocked on the door. A woman came to answer, and she greeted them and asked them their names. Thorgeir told her their true identities, then asked whether Thorir, the farmer, was at home. She said he was. i

The nickname “the White” was often used to denote a lack of courage.

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Thorgeir said, “Ask him to come outside.” She went in and told Thorir that some men were outside and “want to meet you.” He said, “Who are they?” She answered, “I believe Thorgeir Havarsson is here.” Thorir stood up, picked up his spear and went to the door. He rested the point of his spear on the threshold and greeted the two men. Thorgeir ignored the greeting and said, “The reason I am here is to find out what you intend to do to repay King Olaf honourably for the shameful deed you have committed on his follower.” Thorir replied, “Are you party to this matter?” Thorgeir answered, “I have become party to this matter on the king’s behalf.” Thorir said, “It may well be that you are here as the king’s representative, but I seriously doubt that these are the king’s words you speak.” Thorgeir replied, “It is true that you do not hear him speak personally, but it may well be that you feel his power.” Then, without warning, Thorgeir thrust his spear at Thorir’s chest and it pierced right through him. Thorir fell backwards into the house, dead. Shortly afterwards, Thorgeir and his companion left and there is no further report of his journey until he reached home at Reykjaholar. Thormod composed the following verse about this incident: 11.

Long I remember how Thorgeir, skilful thane of the board’s raven, speared Thorir’s worthy son so beautifully to death. This steerer of the board’s stallion, avenged the wounds of Odd and left the eagles sated. Glory and dignity in this deed.

b o a rd 's raven : sh ip T horir's son: ( th e v ic tim is n a m e d T h o r ir in th e sa g a)

b oard's stallion: sh ip O dd: ( in t h e sag a h e is n a m e d e ith e r T h o r f in n o r B e rg fin n )

That winter there were a great number of thefts at Reykjaholar. Numerous arti­ cles disappeared from people’s trunks, and it was so widespread that almost every­ one had something taken no matter how strong the locks placed on them. And yet none of the locks was broken. Illugi Arason was at home at Holar that winter. Then, after Yule, he and his brother Thorgils gathered together all their servants. It was then that Thorgils spoke: “Everyone knows that a great many items have been stolen here this winter, and much of what went missing was under lock and key. We intend to make a thorough search, and it shall begin by going through my and Illugi’s trunks and then everyone else’s. If nothing is found at home then we shall go to other farms and search there.” Then they searched through each man’s trunk, but nothing they looked for was found.

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Veglag, the carpenter, had a large trunk that had not been searched, and Thorgils said that it must be opened up so that they might see what it contained. Veglag said, “I have never been subjected to being searched like a thief and 1 will not open the trunk.” Thorgils said, “You’re not the only one in this. Our chests have been searched. You’ll have to comply like everyone else.” Then Veglag said, “I don’t care whether you have searched all the others, I’m not opening up my trunk.” Illugi jumped to his feet. He was holding a hand-axe. He went over to the trunk and said, “I have here a master-key that opens all chests and locks, and I’m going to use it to open this one if you don’t give up your key.” Veglag saw that Illugi would hack open the trunk if it was not opened, and he handed over the key. Then Illugi opened it up and found a whole number of keys that fit all the locks at Reykjaholar, as well as many of the items that had gone miss­ ing. Everyone now knew that it was Veglag who had stolen the missing valuables and he was forced to speak. He admitted to many thefts and then showed them where he had hidden the stolen goods in various places about the farm. Then Illugi said, “I reckon Veglag deserves to die for this, and I suggest that he be hanged.” Thorgeir said, “You wouldn’t dispose of your own farmhand in this manner.” Illugi replied, “In my opinion it would be wrong to let such a great thief get away with this.” Then Thorgeir said, “Despite what you think is the right course of action, in this instance the man’s price will be too costly for you. He will not be executed if I have any say in the matter.” Illugi said, “You’re a great defender of thieves, but this one will cause you grief and your pledge will not always save him even if he escapes justice this time. He will leave Reykjanes now and never return.” Thorgeir said, “Let it be as you say.” Then Thorgeir went with Veglag west to Laugabol in Laugadal to Bersi and Thormod and asked them to put him up until they sailed out during the Moving Days. “Then put him aboard at Vadil,” said Thorgeir and promised them he would get the man out of the country. Bersi and Thormod took Veglag in for Thorgeir’s sake and he stayed there for the winter. Thorgeir returned to Reykjaholar and remained there for the same period of time. [From Flateyjarbók] The following spring Thorgeir and Thormod set out north for Strandir as far as Horn. One day they went to the cliffs to gather angelica, and on one grassy ledge, known since as Thor­ geir’s Ledge, they cut a large bundle. Thormod carried it up to the top while Thorgeir re­ mained where he was. Suddenly the loose ground began to give way under Thorgeir’s feet and

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he grabbed at the base of one of the angelica plants close to the roots to prevent himself from falling. It was some sixty fathoms down to the rocky beach below. He could not make his way back up, so he hung there and refused to make any attempt to call out to Thormod even at the risk of falling to certain death below. Thormod waited up on the cliff top, thinking that Thorgeir was bound to get himself back onto the ledge. When he saw Thorgeir hanging there much longer than he expected he went down onto the ledge and called out to him, asking him if he had enough angelica now and when, if ever, he was coming back up. Thorgeir replied, his voice unwavering and no trace of fear in his heart. “I reckon,” he said, “Til have enough once I’ve uprooted this piece Tm holding.” It then occurred to Thormod that Thorgeir could not make it up alone and he stepped down onto the ledge and saw that Thorgeir was in grave peril of falling. So he grabbed hold of him and pulled him up sharply, by which time the angelica plant was almost completely up­ rooted. After that they returned to their hoard. One may conclude from this incident that Thorgeir was unafraid as far as his own life was concerned, and that he proved his courage in whatever dangers he encountered, either to his body or his mind. People say that all three men - Thorgeir, Thormod and Grettir Asmundarson the Strong - had stayed at Reykjaholar at the same time, and that the combined strength of the two sworn brothers almost equalled that of Grettir. People also say that Thorgils was asked one time at the Althing whether the men he had taken in for the winter were not the bravest in all Iceland, men who hardly knew the meaning of fear. He replied that it was not true, “because Grettir was afraid of the dark and Thormod feared God.” Of Thorgeir, however, he said that he feared absolutely nothing, and least of all sudden catastrophe. The sworn brothers went south from Strandir with the hoard they had gathered, Thorgeir returning to Reykjaholar while Thormod went back to Laugabol.

That spring, Thorgeir made ready to sail, took Veglag aboard when he arrived, and then set out to sea with him. They stopped at the Orkneys, where Rognvald Brusason had made ready for battle. There were viking raiders all over the islands, stealing from farmers and traders, and Rognvald wanted to punish them for their evil deeds. Thorgeir sold his ship and joined forces with Rognvald. Veglag went to Scotland, where he became a notorious thief and was later killed. Rognvald and his companions liked Thorgeir because the more his courage was put to the test the greater it proved to be. As Thormod said:12 12.

The god of sword-play, I shall tell, fearless in battle, went on the wave-horse with Rognvald, when he wanted to do battle: the son of Havar, dauntless warrior, spared little the lives of men, threw himself into the fray eagerly his deeds will live all the longer.

g o d o f sw o rd -p la y,

w ave-h orse,

ship

warrior

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In fighting, Thorgeir proved to be an excellent man, brave, skilful in the use of arms and in every test of courage. Earl Rognvald also won fame in this battle against the vikings both because he was victorious wherever he fought that summer and also because he brought peace to the farmers and merchants in the Ork­ neys. Later that autumn, Thorgeir went to Norway and spent the winter with King K T Olaf where he was shown great respect. The king thanked him for redressing the wrong that Thorir had committed against him. Illugi Arason was also at court that winter. When spring came, Illugi made ready to sail to Iceland and Thorgeir said that he wanted to go with him. Illugi answered him thus: “I don’t think it wise that you come to Iceland. You have been very busy in many parts of the country and can expect plenty of trouble there. Here you have the respect of the king himself and no man wishes you harm. I will not take you away from the peace you enjoy here to where there is none to be had. You will not find in Iceland the great honour you are shown here daily at court.” “It might be,” said Thorgeir, “that I make my way to Iceland even though you do not take me there.” Illugi prepared his ship to leave and set out to sea as soon as a good breeze was blowing. One day, some time after Illugi had left, Thorgeir went to the king and asked his permission to leave. King Olaf said, “It seems to me that you enjoy less good fortune in Iceland than you do here with us. Therefore staying here, where you are in favour, seems the wiser choice.” Thorgeir pressed the king hard on this matter, and when the king saw how much this request meant to him he said, “What I said to you the first time we met will now come to pass - you will not be fortunate in all you do. I shall grant you leave to go to Iceland, but we will not meet again if we part company now.” Thorgeir answered, “I thank you for granting me leave to go, and I fully intend to return to meet you next summer.” The king said, “You may well intend it, but it will come to pass.” They parted after these words. Thorgeir obtained passage to Iceland with a Nor­ wegian named Jokul. The ship put ashore at Vadil and Thorgeir went from there to stay at Reykjaholar. Illugi was at sea for a long time that summer, and he finally put ashore in late autumn in the north at Hraunhofn in Melrakkasletta. He brought his ship in, cov­ ered it over and employed some men to guard it for the winter, then went south in­ to the country on his way home to Reykjaholar. Gaut Sleituson, who was men­ tioned earlier, came to meet Illugi before he left and obtained a place aboard his ship for the following summer. One day, while Illugi and his companions were resting their horses, a man wear­

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ing a white hooded cape came riding over to where they had stopped. He greeted Illugi, who acknowledged the greeting and then asked who he was. He said, “My name is Helgi.” Illugi said, “Of what family are you and where do you live?” Helgi answered, “My family are spread all over the land, though mostly in the north. I have no home nor the good fortune to be employed all year round, but I usually find work during the summer, as I have this year. Many people recognise me when they hear my nickname.” Illugi asked, “What is it?” Helgi answered, “I am known as Helgi Selseista1.” Illugi said, “A highly unusual nickname that, but I have heard you mentioned.” Helgi said, “I have come here to see whether you will take me aboard next summer. Illugi said, “Are you in trouble, and can you pay for your passage?” Helgi replied, “I am not in any trouble and I have no money or goods, but I might lighten your work because Vm quick on my feet.” Illugi said, “Are you highly accomplished?” Helgi replied, “I never compete but I have great faith in my legs and I have good lungs - no one can outrun me.” Illugi said, “That's useful for people who are greatly prone to fear.” Helgi said, “I've never had the experience of being prone to fear. But will you take me aboard or not? I need to know.” Illugi said, “Come and see me next spring, help me load my goods onto the ship, and I’ll give you passage abroad.” “I’m very happy with that arrangement,” said Helgi. They parted after this. Illugi went west to Reykjaholar and remained there for the winter. >5

H Two brothers lived in Garpsdal. One was named Kalf and the other Steinolf. A w They were young, wealthy and well-liked. There was a woman named Thordis, who lived in Olafsdal. She was a widow, a good housewife, and generally helpful. Her son, Eyjolf, lived with her. He was a promising and popular man. Thordis had a relative named Thorgeir, whom she had fostered and raised. He was an energetic man and was known as Thorgeir Hofleysa (Boundless). He was given this nickname because whenever he had any money he always extravagantly exceeded his needs. The two foster-brothers, Eyjolf and Thorgeir, were great friends from an early age. Both were loud, full of energy, and always up to something. They often upset an old woman whom Thordis had taken in with their rowdiness and wrestling, and the more distraught she became the more they taunted her. 1 'S e a l's t e s tic le ', w h ic h w o u ld e x p la in ll l u g i ’s t a u n t s a b o u t h i m b e i n g f r i g h t e n e d a n d la c k in g c o u r a g e .

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One day, they were wrestling on the floor and making a great row, and they kept bumping into the woman and trampling on the work she was doing. She said to them, “You’ll get nowhere by spoiling my work or taunting me. I shall predict what will become of you - as well as you get on with each other now, thus badly will your friendship come to an end.” They said, “You don’t seem much of a seer to us.” The woman said, “No matter what you think of me, what I have spoken will come to pass.” That spring, after Illugi and Thorgeir Havarsson had spent the winter at Reykjaholar, Thorgeir asked Illugi if he would take him aboard when he sailed from Ice­ land. Illugi did as he asked. Kalf and Steinolf from Garpsdal were also aboard 111ugi’s ship. As they made their way to the ship that spring, Illugi said to Thorgeir, “Cousin, I want you to go north to the ship with my men and get it ready while the Althing is in session. I have to go there to meet some friends of mine, and I’ll ride north from there to join you. I want the ship fully prepared to sail when I arrive.” Thorgeir said he would do as he was bidden. Then he rode north to the ship at Melrakkasletta while Illugi made ready to go to the Althing. Steinolf, Kalf and Helgi Selseista accompanied Thorgeir, having sent their things on ahead of them. Thorgils Arason, his son Ari, and his brother Illugi rode to the Althing with a group of men from Breidafjord. When Thorgeir came north to the harbour, he set the ship afloat and made it ready to sail. Gaut Sleituson had already arrived and mucked in and ate with a dif­ ferent group of men to Thorgeir. There was very little firewood in the area, and each party went out daily to collect what kindling they could - Thorgeir with his companions and Gaut with his. One day Thorgeir went out to get some firewood while Gaut remained at camp. Gaut’s cooks had set up a pot and just as the contents were about to boil, they ran out of firewood. They reported the problem to Gaut and he went over to Thorgeir’s tent, took out his spear, cut off the spearhead and tossed it into his bed. He kept the shaft. Then he took Thorgeir’s shield as well and went back to the fire, where he hacked up both shield and spear-shaft and burned them to heat the pot. It proved sufficient to cook the meal. Thorgeir returned that evening and quickly noticed that his weapons were miss­ ing. He asked who had taken “my shield and spear.” Gaut said, “I took your shield and your spear-shaft and broke them up to heat our pot. We’d run out of firewood so we couldn’t finish cooking - and we didn’t like the idea of eating our food raw.” There was no indication from Thorgeir that he was upset by what Gaut had done. The following day, Gaut and his companions went out to gather some firewood and Thorgeir stayed behind to see to the ship. Thorgeir’s cooks did not have

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enough firewood, and when they were ready to prepare the meal they told Thorgeir about the shortage. He went to Gaut's tent, took his spear and shield, hacked off the spearhead, broke up the shield and put them both under the pot. There was no longer a shortage of fuel to cook the food. Gaut came home that evening and asked whether anyone knew the whereabouts of his spear-shaft and shield. Thorgeir answered, “I broke up your shield and spear-shaft today to put under our pot - my cooks were running low on firewood.” Gaut said, “You never tire of testing our patience.” Thorgeir replied, “The run of the game is decided by the first move.” Then Gaut struck out at Thorgeir, who deflected the blow with his axe and in the process took a slight wound on the leg. Some men ran between them, grabbed hold of them and held them fast. Thorgeir said, “You don't need to hold me back. I have no intention of making a fight of this.” Then they were separated, and each returned to his own tent, had his supper and lay down to rest for the night. As soon as everyone was asleep, Thorgeir rose to. his feet and picked up his axe and went over to the tent where Gaut lay. He opened up the tent-flaps, then went over to his bed and roused him. Gaut awoke, sprang to his feet and tried to grab for a weapon, and in the very same moment Thorgeir struck at him and split him to the shoulders, wounding him mortally. Thorgeir left and went back to his own tent. The rest of the men in Gaut’s tent were woken by sound of the death blow and they huddled round the body and covered it over. Thormod composed this verse about the incident: 13.

Gaut, the sword-brave son of Sleita, I know from life he banished the bold-minded man with his troops in the fray. The fated man was paid with groans in the howling of battle-swords he who does such deeds often reaps a just reward.

One day after this event Thorgeir saw a ship sailing across the water and into A W the harbour, where it docked and cast anchor some distance from his own vessel. He boarded a small boat with his companions and went out to the merchant ship to ask who owned it. He was told that a Greenlander named Thorgrim Einarsson, known as Thorgrim Troll, owned it along with a northern Icelander, Thorarin Thorvaldsson the Overbearing. They asked who owned the other ship in the har­ bour and were told it belonged to Illugi Arason, but that it was in Thorgeir’s charge at present. Thorgeir asked how many men they had on board and was told that

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they had a crew of forty. Thorgeir saw that they would be ill matched if there was any trouble since he had only thirty fighting men of his own. Thorgeir said, “I want to bring this to your attention, skippers. Many people say that both parties here are trouble-makers and not slow to take the offensive. So I’m going to ask you that our valour and our courage turn not to foolishness and fight­ ing, and that we make a peace pact between us to that end.” Thorgrim and Thorarin took this well and they made a pact between them. As Thormod says in a verse: 14.

Seeing he had no choice with fewer men, Thorgeir in his wisdom demanded a truce of the gold-trees. That brave man was quick to believe all the words of those who gave their pledges of peace - just while they plotted against him.

gold-trees:

men

Now that the truce was agreed upon, Thorgeir went back to his ship. He had everyone’s goods and valuables loaded up and let the vessel lie anchored some dis­ tance from the shore with the whole crew aboard, for he did not believe that Thor­ grim and Thorarin would keep to the pact they had agreed on. Some men came across country to Thorgrim and told him of the slaying of Gaut Sleituson, which had taken place in the harbour there but which Thorgeir had not mentioned to him. And when Thorarin heard this news, he demanded that Thorgrim speak to him privately and said, “I would not have made any pact with Thorgeir if I’d known about the slaying of my kinsman, Gaut. Now, I want to know what support I can expect from you if I were to avenge Gaut’s death.” Thorgrim answered, “1 will not let you stand alone in this, but I think that Thor­ geir is going to be a difficult man to take on.” Thorarin said, “We’ll choose a day to carry all our fine clothes, linen and other valuables ashore and spread them out to dry there. Perhaps some of Thorgeir’s men will come to admire them and then we’ll kill them and so reduce the opposition.” Thorgrim said, “You can try that if you wish.” Thorgrim and Thorarin, who were partners in both ship and crew, were on their way to Greenland and had therefore not brought their goods ashore. One day when the weather was fine, Thorarin and Thorgrim carried their cargo of fine clothes, linens and valuables ashore and spread them out to dry. On the same day, Kalf and Steinolf went ashore with ten other men to get some water and when they saw the goods laid out there, three of the men ran off to take a closer look. They were killed as soon as they arrived. Then Thorgrim and Thorarin and their men pursued Kalf, captured him and Steinolf and bound them in fetters. After

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that they killed three other men by the water. At the outset, Helgi Selseista dealt one of the attackers a death blow, then ran off. Some of them ran after him but they did not manage to catch him. He ran day and night across the highlands and did not stop until he came to the Althing at Thingvellir, where he told Thorgils and Illugi of what had happened at the harbour at Hraun at the time of his escape. After the events related here, Thorgrim and his men took the trading vessel A / on which Kalf and the others had come ashore and rowed out to their own ship. Thorgeir was aboard his ship with eight men and had no knowledge of what had taken place on land since their view was barred by a hill that lay between them and the watering place. Before Thorgeir knew it, Thorarin and his men had arrived alongside his ship in their main trading vessel and two smaller boats, all armed for battle. Thorgeir and his men took to their weapons and set up a strong defence. Then ThorgrinTs men moved their ship up against Thorgeir’s ship and a hard battle en­ sued. The attacking party boarded Thorgeir’s ship quickly and exchanged a few quick blows. Thorgeir wielded his axe with both hands. For a long time no one managed to strike back at him since none desired to be laid to rest for the night by his axe - yet that was the fate that many of them suffered. All of Thorgeir’s men were soon slain, while Thorgeir himself ran back to the prow and defended himself from there, for he was greatly outnumbered. As Thormod says in his drapa: 15. This hardy ruler of riches made his stand on the stream-deer’s prow and fought two score men, mightily - famed for his strength since a youth before the battle-tree was laid low on his ship with no small show of valour wounds were dealt, for sure. 16. Thorgeir taught how a fighter must stand fast by his kinsmen’s side boisterous though it be to follow such a man. From the north came news of the spreader of hand-rock, I heard how Thorgeir’s heart was brave beyond compare.

strea m -deer,

ship

b a ttle-tree, w a r r io r

gold; its spreader, generous man (i.e. Thorgeir)

hand-rock:

All who knew how valiantly he had fought praised the stand he made, and they all said the same of his brave defence. None thought his equal had ever been found. Thorgeir struck hard and fast with great power, his courage never wavering - and this courage was both his shield and his armour. No man was known to have put

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up such a fight as he. It was the Almighty who touched Thorgeir’s heart and put such fearlessness into his breast, and thus his courage was neither inborn nor of humankind but came from the Creator on high. Now Thorgrim and his party's attack upon Thorgeir proved to require greater manhood than patting their wives' bellies. Indeed, they could hardly get near him and his demise cost them dearly. As Thormod said in his poem Thorgeir's Drapa, Thorgeir slew fourteen men before he fell, two of whom are named in those verses. One was a Norwegian named Mar, the first to inflict a wound upon Thorgeir. He struck at Thorgeir's hand, and as he wounded him, Thorgeir struck him his death blow. The other man named was also a Norwegian, called Thorir, who plunged his spear into Thorgeir. But Thorgeir, though wounded, closed in on him and slew him, too. Thormod wrought the following verses on this event: 17.

I heard how he who gave the hawk its prey was never dismayed by the bandiers of bickering swords. Mar was one, and Thorir, whom the nimble-tongued one slew. I learned that this came about after their truce was broken.

h e i.e. T h o rg e ir h a w k i.e. ra v e n ; its prey: c a rn a g e

18.

Unflinching, the warrior dealt death by sword, before he fell, to thirteen men - himself a mighty guardian of ships. Here I end the tally of foes that he slew with bold deeds. Now my tripping verse draws to its close.

Though Thorir had fallen and his spear remained in Thorgeir’s flesh, piercing him clean through, Thorgeir did not fall. Instead, he exchanged a few quick blows with Thorarin and Thorgrim, who bore down on him and overcame him so that he was finally cut down and lost his life. Thorarin the Overbearing cut off Thorgeir's head and took it away with him. Some people say that he had shown such courage that they cut him open to see what kind of heart lay there, and that it had been very small. Some hold it true that a brave man’s heart is smaller than that of a coward, for a small heart has less blood than a large one and is therefore less prone to fear. If a man’s heart sinks in his breast and fails him, they say it is because his heart’s blood and his heart have be­ come afraid.

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After that battle, Thorgrim and Thorarin broke up their partnership, for A O Thorarin thought he had won a great victory and expected it to bring him honour here in Iceland. Thorgrim took the ship and Thorarin the valuables. Thor­ grim went to Greenland and prospered there. Thorarin obtained some horses and men and rode south from the harbour with a party of eleven. He had Thorgeir’s head in a leather bag tied to his saddle straps to show off his great victory. Whenever they stopped to rest, they would amuse themselves by taking the head out of the bag, putting it on a mound and laughing at it. When they came to Eyjafjord, they stopped close to Naust and, as usual, they took out Thorgeir's head and set it on a mound there. But now the head seemed ghastly with its eyes and mouth open and its tongue hanging out, and the sight of it appalled and terrified them. So they dug a hole beside the head with their axes and pushed the head into it and covered it over with turf. The people at Sletta carried ashore the bodies of all the men who had been killed on Thorgeir’s ship, and buried them in the harbour. It would have been too great an effort for them to bring the bodies to a church because in those days there was no church anywhere near the harbour. Kalf and Steinolf were released from their fetters after the battle and they helped the men at Sletta to bury the bodies, and stood guard over the goods that were aboard until Illugi arrived. Even though Christianity was still young in Iceland at that time, it was not common practice to take goods and valuables of those who had been slain. Illugi sailed north to Sletta that summer. Thormod Kolbrun's Poet grieved for a long time after Thorgeir’s death, and that summer he went abroad from Vadil. Eyjolf from Olafsdal and Thorgeir Boundless, his foster-brother, sailed out from the Grimsa estuary and came to one of the is­ lands at Lofoten in Norway. Thormod Kolbrun’s Poet went to see King Olaf to pay his respects and was well received. The king inquired from which family he came and whose son he was. Thormod replied, “I am an Icelander. My name is Thormod, son of Bersi.” The king said, “Are you the man they call Kolbrun’s Poet, sworn brother of Thorgeir Havarsson?” “Yes,” said Thormod, “that’s exactly who I am.” The king said, “Then you shall enjoy our favour for his sake and are welcome here. And you shall know that I account myself deeply offended at the slaying of my follower, Thorgeir, and would be grateful to have him avenged.” Then Thormod spoke this verse:19 19.

King, he who long shall dwell at your knee needs take heart and the king weighs word for word with his careful answer. Few of my kin have dared address a king, though never reproached

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with lack of courage - I’d rather discuss my other task. The king said, “I think we shall enjoy your poetry.” Thus Thormod became one of King Olafs men. A ship sailed to Norway that summer from Greenland, captained by a man named Skuf, who was a Greenlander by origin. Skuf was a great merchant, and a wise and well-liked man. He was a friend to King Olaf and in his paid employ. Skuf went to court and remained there for the winter. Illugi Arason, Steinolf, Eyjolf, Kalf and Thorgeir Hofleysa were also there for the same period of time. The following spring, when one year had passed since Thorgeir Havarsson was slain, Thorgils Arason and his son, Ari, started a case against Thorarin and the oth­ ers in his party for the killing of Thorgeir, and they made much of the deed that had been done there. The matter was settled at the assembly, and Thorgils demand­ ed that the compensation for slaying Thorgeir be two hundred pieces of silver and that it be paid there on the spot. Thorgils also determined that Gudmund the Powerful be paid one hundred pieces of silver. That summer, Thorarin was slain at a gathering in Eyjafjord. That same summer, Kalf and Steinolf sailed to Iceland and arrived at Vadil on Bardastrond. From there they went home to their farm in Garpsdal. Eyjolf and Thorgeir Hofleysa bought a ship in Norway and set out for Iceland as soon as they were ready to sail. They were tossed about at sea for quite some time and finally arrived at Borgarfjord late that autumn, but were divided in opinion as to where to put ashore. Eyjolf wanted to sail to Straumfjord because the winds fa­ voured it, while Thorgeir Hofleysa wanted to let the ship drift and see whether the winds might carry them past the glacier and on to Dagverdarnes. They went to the mast and asked how many of the crew were in favour of sailing towards land and how many wanted to let the ship drift, and since the men were tired of being at sea the majority elected to sail towards land. The foster-brothers were so angry that they went for their weapons, but the crew made sure that they did not fight. Then they sailed towards Straumfjord. When the ship put ashore, Thorgeir Boundless obtained a horse and rode until he reached Garpsdal in the west, where he stayed with the two brothers, Steinolf and Kalf. Eyjolf stayed with the ship until it was put up and covered over and then went home to his mother in Olafsdal and stayed there for the winter. The old fortune teller, mentioned earlier, fell ill that winter and was laid up A 7 for a long time before she finally passed away the night after Palm Sunday. Her body was moved by boat to Reykjanes since there was no church near Olafsdal. The closest was at Holar, and it was there that Eyjolf and his farmhands took her. After the burial, the weather worsened. It became very cold and snow started to fall. Ice covered a large part of the fjord and no ship could approach Olafsdal. Thorgils said to Eyjolf, “My advice is that you do not return home until Easter has passed. Then I will lend you some men for your ship to get there, if you can get

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past the ice. If you cannot make your way through I will lend you a horse to ride there. If the need arises, your farmhands may return earlier.” Eyjolf answered, “I will accept your offer.” Eyjolf s farmhands returned home by land, making their way around Kroksfjord. Eyjolf himself stayed at Holar almost till the end of the week after Easter, and on the fifth day of that week he told Thorgils that he wanted to leave. Thorgils said that the choice was his, and he had a horse shod for him and offered to send a man with him if he needed one. Eyjolf said that he preferred to ride alone, and he left Reykjanes, making his way around Berufjord and Kroksfjord. As he approached Garpsdal, Kalf and Steinolf were standing outside by one of the walls talking when they thought they saw some men making their way across the fields. It appeared to them that it was Thorgeir Havarsson and the nine men who were slain on the ship with him. All the men were covered in blood, as they walked in along the fields and away from the farm, disappearing again as they came to where the river flowed past the farm. The brothers were amazed at this sight and they went back into the house. There was a man named Onund who looked after the cattle at Garpsdal. He came out of the cattle shed after the brothers went into the farmhouse and saw a man riding at the outer edge of the fields, mounted on a fine horse. The man was armed with a sword and a spear and had a helmet on his head, and as he came clos­ er to the farmhouse, he recognised the man to be Eyjolf. Onund went into the main room, and there was hardly anyone in there - only Thorgeir Hofleysa and a few women. Onund spoke, “Eyjolf is riding through here.” When Thorgeir heard this he ran outside with a spear in his hand. By this time, Eyjolf was riding past the house. Thorgeir ran after him, but Eyjolf rode on, not seeing that a man was chasing him. Eventually, he came to the river at Garpsdal, saw that it was in spate and looked for the best place to cross. Thorgeir called out to him and told him to hold up if he dared. Eyjolf heard him call out, looked round and saw Thorgeir running towards him. He jumped down from his horse and ran towards him. The two men clashed swords and ran each other through, and both died in the same instant. Thus the old woman’s prophecy came true. Kalf and Steinolf came into the main room of the farmhouse, after the faintness they felt had left them. “Where is Thorgeir?” they asked. And they were told that he had left armed with a spear after Onund the cattle minder had said he had seen Eyjolf passing by. The brothers left quickly and made their way across the farm to the river where they found the two men. Both were doomed but still breathing. Steinolf and Kalf sat by them until they breathed their last and then took their bodies to the church. When Thormod Kolbrun’s Poet had been with King Olaf for one winter, Skuf made his ship ready to leave for Greenland.

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Thormod went to see the king and said, “I would like your permission to go to Greenland this summer with Skuf.” The king replied, “What business have you in Greenland. Do you intend to avenge the death of your sworn brother, Thorgeir?” Thormod answered, “I don’t know what fate awaits me in that matter.” The king said, “I will not forbid your leaving because 1 believe I know what you want.” After these words, they parted company and Thormod obtained passage with Skuf. When they were almost ready to leave, they went to see the king to thank him for all the friendship he had shown them. The king wished them well and gave Thormod a gold ring and a sword at their parting. Then Thormod and Skuf went off to the ship. As they reached the ship, a man walked out onto the gangplank. He was a big strong man with broad shoulders and was wearing a hood that prevented them from seeing his face. He called out his greetings to Skuf, who accepted them and then asked the man his name. He said he was called Gest. Skuf asked, “From where do you hail?” Gest replied, “My folk are spread far and wide. But the reason I’ve come to see you is to find out whether you will take me aboard to Greenland this summer.” Skuf said, “I don’t know you, so I’ll have to ask my crew whether they accept you as one of their number or not.” Gest said, “I thought it was the skipper who gave the orders, not the crew. You can count on me to do what is required of me - I’ll not be a burden to the others.” At the end of this exchange Skuf promised the man passage. Then Gest went up to the settlement and returned shortly afterwards with baggage so large and heavy that two men would have had difficulty lifting it. He took a place behind the hold, had little to do with the other men, and kept himself to himself. Then Skuf put out to sea, and met with such winds that the ship was in dire peril from the crashing waves. But when trouble came, Gest proved his real worth, and it seemed to many of the crew that he had the strength of two men. Despite this, Thormod and Gest were at odds with each other in all they did. Then, one day, Gest and Thormod happened to be baling water together - in those times they used buckets rather than bilge-gutters. Thormod was down in the keel filling buckets while Gest was up on deck emptying them overboard. Thormod was not a strong man and often he did not lift the buckets high enough. Gest told him to hold them up higher, but Thormod made no answer and continued as be­ fore. Then, when it was least expected, Gest let a bucket of sea water fall back into Thormod’s arms. Thoroughly drenched, Thormod leapt up from his baling and reached for his weapons. Gest did the same. They wanted to fight. Skuf spoke: “On board a trading vessel in the middle of the ocean is not the right place for men to have differences. Indeed, it may cause much harm, for seldom will a voyage go well if the men are at odds. Now, I’m going to require both of you to refrain from fighting while you are still at sea.”

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They both complied. The ship was tossed about on the ocean for a long time and encountered con­ stant bad weather. One storm sundered the sail-yard and the sail was thrown over­ board. The men grabbed it and dragged it back aboard, and here Gesfs effort was by far the most effective. Skuf knew that the men he had brought from Greenland were not very skilled at crafts, but he had noticed that both Thormod and Gest had some ability in carving wood, so he spoke to Thormod and asked, “Will you put our sail-yard back togeth­ er?” Thormod answered, “I don't have the skill. Ask Gest to repair the sail-yard. He’s so strong that he could simply ram the two ends together.” Then Skuf went to Gest and asked him to repair the sail-yard. Gest answered, “ I don’t have the skill. Ask Thormod to do it. He has such a way with words he could charm them together with verse. That should hold them tight. But since necessity calls, I will shape one end if Thormod takes the other.” Then each was given his axe and each carved one of the ends. Gest glanced over his shoulder at Thormod, who had finished his end of the sail-yard and was sitting on the hold. Gest carved his piece of wood a little longer, and when he was done he placed the two pieces together and saw that neither piece needed any more work. So, he put them together and then fastened the sail, and they were able to sail again. They reached Greenland late in the autumn, and sailed into Eiriksfjord. At that time Thorkel, the son of Leif Eiriksson, was head of the Eiriksfjord settlement. He was a great chieftain, both powerful and well-liked, and a good friend of King Olaf. Thorkel quickly came down to the ship as soon as it had pulled ashore and bought what goods he needed from the skipper and the crew. Skuf informed Thorkel that one of King Olaf s followers was aboard, a man named Thormod, and told him that the king had sent him there to provide assistance if the need arose. These words re­ sulted in Thormod staying at Thorkel’s farm, Brattahlid. Skuf lived at Stokkanes, on the opposite side of Eiriksfjord to Brattahlid. A man named Bjarni lived at Skufs farm, a wise and well-liked fellow who was an ac­ complished and skilled worker. He looked after the farm while Skuf was away trav­ elling. They owned the farm jointly and did well together. While Thormod went to stay at Brattahlid, Gest stayed at a farm called Vik in Einarsfjord, which belonged to a man named Thorgrim.

O \

Thorgrim Troll, the son of Einar, lived in Einarsfjord on Longunes. He was a godi, a great and powerful chieftain and excellent champion who had many men under his command. With him lived his sister, named Thordis, who had been married to a man named Hamund. Thordis’ four sons also lived at Thorgrim’s farm: the first was named Bodvar; the second, Falgeir; the third, Thorkel; and the fourth, Thord. All of them were good and agile warriors. Thorgrim Troll had an­ other sister, Thorunn, who also lived in Einarsfjord at a farm called Langanes. She

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had a son named Ljot, who was a large man. All of Thorgrim’s nephews were ag­ gressive and overbearing. A woman named Sigrid lived at a farm called Hamar, which was a good and profitable homestead. Her son, named Sigurd, lived with her. He was an agile man and well-liked, but though he was not loud and unruly he did not show the same friendliness to all. There was a slave named Lodin at Brattahlid, a good worker, and he shared his bed with a woman named Sigrid who was assigned to work for Thormod. There was a separate building at Brattahlid, quite close to the farmhouse, where Thorkel and his men slept and where a lantern burned each and every night. All the other folk slept at the farm. Now Lodin felt that Sigrid spent far too long in the men’s building at night and that she was paying him less attention than she once had. Then he remembered the short verse that had been composed about loose women: 20. On a turning wheel were their hearts shaped, and filled with treachery.

He spoke to Sigrid and told her that he did not want her to stay long in the men’s building during the night, and she answered him in her own way. [From Flateyjarbók] He felt that she did not twine her fingers around his neck as she used to and that made him angry. A man’s anger resides in his gall, his life-blood in his heart, his memory in his brains, his ambition in his lungs, his laughter in his spleen and his desire in his hver.

One evening, Thorkel and Thormod were about to go out to where they were housed, and Sigrid was with them. Lodin grabbed hold of her and she tried to pull herself loose. When Thormod saw this, he took Sigrid’s hand and attempted to tug her free from Lodin’s grasp, but it was not to be done so quickly. Thorkel watched them struggle, and then said, “Let Sigrid go where she wishes. She has nothing to hide about staying on late in where we are put up, and I shall see to it that no shame befalls either one of you. You can watch over her while she’s not in my charge.” C O

As Yule drew near, Thorkel had some ale especially brewed for the occasion. It was also to show his generosity, for such festivities were a rare occurrence in Greenland. He invited all of his friends to his home and the place was full of people. Skuf and Bjarni from Stokkanes were there at Yule and they brought furni­ ture, tapestries and goblets with them. And everyone drank and celebrated Yule with great gladness and enjoyment.

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On the last day of Yule they all got ready to leave, and Lodin handed them their garments, as well as the swords and gloves he had been looking after. Then he brought out Skuf and Bjarni’s boat and the farmhands loaded the goblets and tap­ estries into it. Lodin was wearing a sealskin coat and sealskin breeches. When he and three other men went into the main room, only Thormod and Bjarni were there. Thormod lay on a bench at the front end of the raised platform, and as they came in Lodin grabbed hold of Thormod’s feet, tugged him down to the floor and dragged him across it. Bjarni leapt up, took hold of Lodin round the waist and threw him down hard. Then he cursed the others, who were still dragging Thormod and told them to let him go, and they obeyed him. Then Thormod stood up and said to Bjarni, “We Icelanders think nothing of such pranks. We’re used to doing such things in skin-throwing games.” Then the men left as if nothing had happened. When Skuf and Bjarni were ready to set off, Thorkel came out to the boat with them along with his men. They had a ferry boat and a plank led from it to the shore. Bjarni stood by the ferry and waited for Skuf while the latter spoke to Thor­ kel. Lodin was quite close to the ferry boat and handed over their garments. Thor­ mod was also close by. And when it was least expected, Thormod drew out an axe from under his cloak and struck at Lodin’s head so that he fell to the ground, dead. Thorkel heard the noise and turned around to see Lodin lying there. He ordered his men to go and kill Thormod, but they were too taken aback. Bjarni said that Thormod should go aboard the boat - which is what he did - then Bjarni and Skuf followed him. Once they were aboard, they drew in the gangplank. Thorkel urged his men to attack them, and was ready to fight Skuf and Bjarni if they did not hand Thormod over to him. But they would not surrender him. Then Skuf said, “Wanting Thormod killed is a grave mistake, Thorkel. He is your guest and the king’s follower and poet. His life would cost you dearly if King Olaf heard that you had him killed, especially since he was sent to you to help if the need arose. This proves, as so often before, that anger is blind to the truth. We are pre­ pared to offer you compensation for the man Thormod has slain and the loss it has caused you.” Thorkel was calmed by these words. A good many people helped them come to an agreement, but in the end it was Skuf who awarded Thorkel the right to decide on the sum. After that Thormod went to stay at Stokkanes. Skuf and Bjarni had a farmhand named Egil. He was a large, strong man with an ugly face, and he was clumsy and stupid. He was nicknamed Egil the Fool. Thormod was unhappy for long periods of time. Skuf and Bjarni asked him if there was anything they could do to relieve his sadness. Thormod answered, “1 would like you to give me a man who could accompany me wherever I wanted to go.”

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They said they would do this, and asked him to choose whichever of the farm­ hands he wanted. Thormod replied, “Then I choose Egil the Fool. He’s a big, strong fellow and stupid enough to do what he’s told.” They agreed, but were very surprised at his choice. [From Flateyjarbók] So Egil became Thormod’s companion and the daughters o f Stupidity - Conceit and FalseReckoning - tricked him so often that he hardly knew who he was.

Thormod had Bjarni make him a special broad axe and told him how he wanted it to be. It was hammered right down to the cutting edge, had no weal to obstruct it, and was thus extremely sharp. The summer after these events, people gathered at the Gardar Assembly in Einarsfjord. Those who came from Eiriksfjord had covered their booths, and they were separated from the place where the Einarsfjord people had their camp by the higher ground that lay between them. Most of the people had their booths ready, but Thorgrim had still not arrived. Then, a little later, he was sighted. He sailed in on a splendid ship, with a fully armed crew of fighting men. Thorgrim was so over­ bearing that no one even dared to exchange words with him. As always, the Green­ landers had their hunting and fishing gear aboard. When Thorgrim’s ship reached land, people went down to the shore to look at the magnificent vessel and its well-armed crew. Thormod was there, and he picked up a seal-hunting spear that they had cast ashore to look at it. Then, one of Thorgrim’s crew grabbed at the spear and said, “Let go of that spear, man! Holding on to it won’t do you any good, and besides I don’t expect you know how to use it.” Thormod replied, “I’m not sure you can use it with more skill than I.” “There is no doubt about the matter,” said the man. Then Thormod spoke this verse: 21. He thinks he knows better than I how to wield this seal-spear - the shield of Balder boasts the sea-steed’s tree races over rocks. I remember more clearly whom the brave-hearted king placed first in his wall of shields; upon me he who had gold bestowed it.

sh ield o f B alder, w a r r io r sea-steed: sh ip ; its tree, se a fa re r

Then Thormod went to Thorgrim’s booth, which was being covered and fur­ nished magnificently. It happened that one fine day at the assembly all the people at Skuf and Bjarni’s booth had left except Thormod, who remained behind and slept. He had covered

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himself over with a double-layered fur cloak, black on one side and white on the other. He had been asleep for some time, and when he awoke he saw that everyone had gone. This surprised him since there were so many there when he fell asleep. At that moment, Egil came running into the booth and said, “You’re too far away here. There’s some excellent entertainment going on.” Thormod asked, “Where have you come from? And what entertainment are you talking about?” Egil answered, “1 was at Thorgrim Einarsson’s booth. That’s where most of the others at the assembly are too.” Thormod said, “And what kind of entertainment is taking place there?” Egil said, “Thorgrim’s telling a story.” Thormod said, “This story he’s telling, who is it about?” Egil answered, “I couldn’t tell you who it’s about, but I can tell you one thing he certainly knows how to tell a good, entertaining tale. He’s sitting on a chair out­ side his booth and people are sitting all around, listening to him.” Thormod said, “Surely you can name someone in the story, especially since you say it’s so enjoyable.” Egil said, “There’s a man called Thorgeir in the story, a great warrior. And it seemed to me that Thorgrim himself was in it quite a lot and did quite a bit of the attacking, as you might imagine. I wish you’d go over there and listen to the enter­ tainment.” “Perhaps I shall,” said Thormod, and he stood up and put on his fur cloak with the black side turned outwards. Then he picked up his axe, put on his hood and walked over to Thorgrim’s booth, taking Egil with him. They stopped by the wall of the booth and listened from there but they could hardly hear what was being said from that distance. It had been a bright day with a good deal of sunshine, but as Thormod reached the booth the weather began to thicken. Thormod looked by turns up at the sky and then down at the ground in front of him. Egil said, “What are you doing that for?” Thormod answered, “Because both the sky and the earth indicate that a great blow is imminent.” Egil said, “And what does such a great blow usually mean?” Thormod replied, “Such blows always portend important tidings. Now, should you hear such a sound then you must do what you can to keep out of harm’s way. Run back to the booth as fast as you can and take refuge there.” As they were speaking, there was a great shower of rain, a downpour that no one had expected, so that they all ran off to their booths. Some of them went into Thor­ grim’s booth and crowded the entrance. Thorgrim stayed in his chair and waited for the throng to disperse. Then Thormod said to Egil, “You wait here while I go to the front of the booth and find out what’s happening. But if you hear that great blow, then you run back to our booth as fast as you can.”

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Then Thormod went to the front of the booth, to where Thorgrim was sitting and said, “What story were you telling earlier?” Thorgrim answered, “It can’t be told in a few words. It’s a story of great import. But what is your name?” Thormod replied, “My name is Otrygg (Unreliable).” “Whose son are you?” asked Thorgrim. “The son of Tortrygg (Untrustworthy).” That made Thorgrim rise from his seat, and then Thormod struck him on the head, splitting him to the shoulders. Then he hid his axe under his fur cloak and sat down and held up Thorgrim’s back and shouted, “Come out here! Someone has cut Thorgrim down!” A great many people came over and saw the wound, and they asked Thormod if he knew who had wounded Thorgrim. Thormod answered, “I saw him here just a moment ago, and I rushed over to hold him up after he was wounded, but I didn’t see where his killer went. Now, some of you come and hold him while the rest go and look for the man who slew him.” So some of them supported Thorgrim’s body while Thormod went off. Then he walked along the coast until he passed a small headland, and there he turned his cloak inside out so that the white fur was showing. When Egil heard the great blow that Thormod dealt Thorgrim, he ran back to Skuf s booth. Some people saw him running and believed him to be the man who had wounded Thorgrim. Egil was terrified when he saw them chasing after him, armed, and when they caught him, he shook from head to foot with fear. [From Flateyjarbók] Every bone in his body shook, all two hundred and fourteen o f them. All his teeth chat­ tered, and there were thirty of them. And all the veins in his skin trembled with fear, and there were four hundred and fifteen o f them.

As soon as they saw Egil they realised that he could not be the man who had slain Thorgrim, and the fear left him like heat from iron. Then they went off to the booths to search for the man, but they did not find him. They went down to the sea and round the headland that jutted out into the water, where they met a man wearing a white fur cloak. They asked him his name. He said it was Vigfus (Eager-to-kill). Then they asked him where he was going. He answered them, “I’m looking for the man who struck Thorgrim.” And since they were moving at quite a pace in opposite directions, they were soon past each other. Skuf and Bjarni found that Thormod was missing, and thought it not unlikely that he had made the attack since they had heard what the King of Norway said about avenging Thorgeir Havarsson. And when the fuss had died down a little, they stole away into a boat, filled it with provisions and rowed out past the headland where the man named Vigfus had been spotted in his white fur cloak. When they

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reached the place, they saw that the man was Thormod and they put ashore and told him to get into the boat. He did so. Then they asked him whether he had struck Thorgrim, and he told them he had. They asked him to tell them what hap­ pened and how great a wound he had dealt him. Thormod spoke this verse: 22. My left hand is no hindrance. Many instances I recall: the poet’s fame would have been dashed to the ground had I dealt a soft blow to the black head o f that bringer o f piercing storms, for I aimed death at the god o f the life-benighting sword.

p ie rc in g storm s:

showers of arrows or spears, battle warrior

g o d o f th e sw ord:

“It probably wasn't such a great blow,” said Thormod, “since it was struck by a left-handed man, but I thought it was enough to finish the job so I left it at that.” Then Skuf said, “You were fortunate they didn’t recognise you while you held his head or when they ran into you on the headland.” Then Thormod spoke a verse: 23. Great wonder that the trees o f steel-hail knew me not, nor my full crop o f black hair; much marks my speech too. But I escaped far, for a longer lease of life was fated for the god o f sweeping sword-storms, but death for those gold-trees.

steel-hail:

battle; its

trees:

warriors

g o d o f sw eep in g sw ord-storm s: gold-trees:

warrior

men

“I'm an easy man to recognise,” said Thormod “with my dark, curly hair and my stammer, but it was not my time to die. Perhaps there was some reason for my be­ ing spared. Perhaps some of Thorgrim's kinsmen are fated to be laid low before I am.” Then Bjarni said, “You should let this suffice as revenge for Thorgeir. You have done what was required of you.” Then Thormod spoke a verse: 24. I did not vie for vengeance with the many but fed the raven’s maw through clash o f steel. I slew the god of sword-beds. I, the swarthy man, made my axe sing out and fulfilled my duty.13 13

The Complete Sagas of Icelanders II

sw ord-beds:

shields; their god: swordsman, Thorgrim

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May more o f Thorgeir’s friends avenge him further still.

“I don’t think,” said Bjarni, “that you need go any further in avenging Thorgeir. You have already done a great deed in slaying the second most important chieftain in the whole of Greenland. You’re a foreigner here and alone, and it’s not certain that you’ll be able to escape. Thorgrim leaves many able kinsmen behind him, and they’re good fighting men, too.” So they took Thormod to Eiriksfjord and went with him to a cave, which now bears his name, in the sea cliffs on the opposite side of the fjord to Stokkanes. With the cliff both below and above it, the cave is hard to approach from either direction. Skuf and Bjarni said to Thormod, “Now stay here in this cave and we’ll return here when the assembly is over.” So they left and went back to the assembly. Thormod’s absence there led people to suspect that it was he who had slain Thorgrim. Bodvar and Falgeir initiated a case against him and he was deemed guilty and made an outlaw. When the assem­ bly was over, all returned home. Skuf and Bjarni went back to Thormod and gave him some food and other pro­ visions that he needed. They told him he had been outlawed, and that he would have no peace at all if anyone knew of his whereabouts. Then they said they would come back every once in a while to see him. There was a large grass ledge in front of the cave onto which a man, if he were nimble enough, could jump down to from the top of the cliff. Thormod found the cave dull for there was little for him to do to pass the time, and one fine day he left. He climbed up the cliff face, taking his axe with him, and when he had come a short distance from the cave he met a man journeying there. He was a large man with an unpleasant and off-putting appearance, one who would have been hard-pressed to find a companion. He wore a cloak sewn from all sorts of rags and tatters, which overlapped each other like the folds in a sheep’s stomach. On his head, he wore a hood made in the same way, and it was covered with lice. [From Flateyjarbók] Since the sun shone down hotly, the fully-fed lice kept their distance from him and nested not in his skin. Instead, they bedded down in the reaches o f his tatters and baked themselves there in the sunshine.

Thormod asked the man his name. He answered, “My name is Oddi.” Thormod asked, “Of what kin?” He replied, “I’m a vagabond, though bound to this district, and they call me Oddi Louse. I wander about mostly. But I’m not dishonest and I know a thing or two - and good people deal fairly with me. And what is your name?” Thormod answered, “My name is Torrad (Abstruse).” Oddi asked, “And what do you do, Torrad?”

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Thormod replied, “I am a merchant. Would you like to trade with me?” Oddi said, “I have little to trade. What would you have of me?” “I want to buy that coat of yours.” Oddi answered, “There’s no need for you to poke fun at me.” Thormod said, ttI am not poking fun. I will trade you the cloak I’m wearing for yours if you can get a message to Stokkanes for me by this evening. Tell Skuf and Bjarni that you have met a man today named Torrad and swapped clothes with him. That’s all I ask of you. Do this and you may keep the coat.” Oddi replied, “Getting across the fjord is no easy task. You need a ship for that. But perhaps there’s some chance that I can board one and reach Stokkanes by evening.” So they exchanged cloaks. Oddi took the black cloak and Torrad put on the rag cloak. Then Thormod went to Einarsfjord where he met a shepherd who worked for Thordis at Longunes. He asked him whether Thordis’ sons were at home. The shepherd answered, “Bodvar is not at home. His brothers were here last night, but they’ve gone off to fish now.” Thormod answered, “I see.” The shepherd assumed Thormod was Oddi Louse. They parted ways and Thor­ mod went to Thordis’ boat house and stayed there, and at dusk he saw the three brothers row into land. Thorkel was at the prow, Thord amidships and Falgeir at the stern. As they put ashore, Thorkel stood by the prow and was about to fasten the boat. Then Thormod came out of the boat house, and they thought he was Oddi Louse. Suddenly, Thormod turned to Thorkel and dealt him a double-handed blow to the head, and cleft him through. He died on the spot. Then Thormod turned and ran, throwing off the rag cloak as he went. Thord and Falgeir chased after him, but he ran at great pace to the cliff edge above the cave, then jumped down onto the grass ledge that lay in front of it. As Thormod landed on the grass, Thord was right at his heels and leapt after him, but he twisted his knee and fell forward. Then Thormod struck him so hard between the shoulder blades that the axe sunk in up to the shaft. Before he could remove the axe from the wound, Falgeir leapt down onto the ledge and struck out at him, catching him between the shoulder blades and wound­ ing him badly. Having no weapon, Thormod grabbed hold of Falgeir and wrestled with him, but he could feel that his opponent was stronger than he. Things did not look well. He was sorely wounded and weaponless. Then his thoughts turned to King Olaf and he hoped that the king’s good fortune would assist him. At that mo­ ment, the axe fell from Falgeir’s hand down over the rocks and into the sea. Thor­ mod was encouraged since neither of them had a weapon now. Then both fell from the cliff into the sea below, and tried to swim and push each other under. Thormod felt his strength waning. He was badly wounded and had lost a good deal blood, but he was not fated to die then. Suddenly, Falgeir’s belt snapped and Thormod pulled at his breeches, making it difficult for him to swim.

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Falgeir kept going under and swallowed a good deal of water. His buttocks and back rose up out of the water, and then his face suddenly turned upward. He was dead. His mouth and eyes were open and from the look on his face it seemed as if he was grinning at something. Thus their struggle ended with Falgeir drowning. By this time, Thormod’s strength was much depleted. He made for some rocks that stood up out of the water, crawled up onto them and lay down. He had no other expectations than to die there, since he was wounded and weary and a long way from the shore. Now, to return to Oddi Louse. He did as Thormod instructed him and told Skuf and Bjarni that he had met a man called Torrad on his travels that day, and that the man had swapped cloaks with him and asked him to come to them at Stokkanes and tell them about this. They recognised Thormod’s cloak and suspected that he had sent Oddi Louse to them because he had planned something momentous. That evening, they secretly took a boat and rowed across the fjord through the night. As they approached the cave, they saw something moving on one of the sker­ ries and tried to determine whether it was a seal or something else. Then they rowed out to the skerry, went up onto it and saw a man lying there whom they rec­ ognised as Thormod. They asked him what had happened and he told them what had taken place during the night. Skuf said, “It wasn’t for nothing that you left the assembly at Gardar. You’ve slain three warriors in one night, and all of them from a prominent family.” Thormod said, “Before you arrived, the only thought that passed through my mind was that I would die here on these rocks. But now it seems there is hope that I will recover, and therefore my escape will have been worthwhile.” When they asked him about his fight with Falgeir, Thormod spoke this verse: 25. I dodged and darted in the salty brine, and strangely Falgeir’s arse bobbed up and down, and gaped at me. The fool died a shameful death. I saw the depths o f depravity on that base god o f sword-storms, then he swung his eyes on me and grinned.

d e p th s o f d epravity: i.e. b a c k s id e g o d o f sw ord-storm s: w a r r io r

Since Thormod could not walk, Skuf and Bjarni carried him to their boat in a piece of cloth that they held at the corners. Then they went up to the cave to fetch his clothes and provisions, for they realised that he could not stay there now, and they rowed into Eiriksfjord with him. There was a man named Gamli who lived at the end of Eiriksfjord, just beneath the glacier. He was rather poor and kept himself to himself. He was an excellent hunter and fisherman, and was married to a woman named Grima, an ill-tempered woman but one with many talents. She was a good healer and quite well versed in

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the ancient arts. Just the two of them lived there. They rarely went to see other peo­ ple and other people just as rarely came to them. Skuf and Bjarni landed their boat a short way from Gamlfs farmhouse, then Skuf went up to the house while Bjarni waited in the boat with Thormod. Skuf received a warm welcome and he was offered refreshment. “We have a wounded man travelling with us,” he said, “whom we would like you to heal.” Grima said, “Who is the man?” Skuf replied, “Thormod the poet, follower of King Olaf, is the wounded man.” “Who wounded him?” she inquired. Skuf told her what had taken place. “This is no small matter, and he has brought considerable trouble upon himself. Taking in a man brought to justice by Thorgrim’s family is quite a responsibility especially since he did all this after he was outlawed.” Skuf said, “I will pay the full price should you be accused of any complicity in this matter and 1will make sure that you lose nothing by helping him in any way you can.” After they had talked, Grima took Thormod in. He was moved up to the farm­ house where he was attended to and his wounds bandaged. After that, his pain eased somewhat. Skuf and Bjarni returned home to Stokkanes. Everyone regarded the news of the slayings as very serious, but what actually took place could not be confirmed. Many believed that Thormod had drowned where Falgeir’s body had been found. Thormod wounds were slow to heal and he was laid up with them for twelve months. At the end of that time, he was able to move between the fire-room and the main room but was not completely recovered. One night it happened that Thordis at Longunes tossed and turned and called out in her sleep, and the household wondered whether they should wake her. Then, her son Bodvar said, “Let my mother finish her dream. Perhaps it contains something she wishes to know.” So they did not rouse her, but when she did wake up she was breathing quickly. Then her son Bodvar said, “You have slept badly, mother. Has your dream told you anything?” Thordis answered, “I have ridden my staff far and wide this night, and learned of matters I did not know before.” Bodvar said, “What matters?” Thordis answered, “Thormod, who slew my sons and your brothers, is still alive and is staying with Gamli and Grima at the far end of Eiriksfjord. 1 want to go there and capture Thormod and repay him with a cruel death for the great harm he has done to us. We will go first to Brattahlid and ask Thorkel to come with us, for he has extended his protection to Gamli and Grima for a long time and will take it badly if any harm comes to them.” Bodvar said he was ready to leave as soon as they wished. So they arose in the

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night and took out one of their boats, went aboard with fifteen men and rowed out to Eiriksfjord. It was at that time of year when it is light enough to travel by night. It is said that on the same night that Thordis set out with her party, Grima slept badly. Thormod told Gamli to wake her. Gamli answered, “Grima will not want to be woken. She usually discovers some­ thing important in such dreams.” They stopped talking, and soon after that Grima awoke. Then Gamli said, “You have been tossing and turning in your sleep, Grima. What have you seen?” Grima answered, “What came to me was this - I know that Thordis from Longunes has set out with fifteen of her farmhands, and she’s on her way here because her witchcraft has told her that Thormod is staying with us and because she intends to kill him. Now, I want you to stay in the house today and not go hunting or fishing. Two of you are hardly too many if fifteen men turn up here, especially since Thor­ mod is in no condition to fight. And I don’t want to send you up onto the glacier. It’s best you stay here.” Thordis travelled through the night until she came to Brattahlid, where Thorkel welcomed her party warmly and offered them refreshment. Thordis said, “This is how the matter stands. I’m on my way to two of your thingmen, Gamli and Grima, because I have reason to believe that Thormod whom we had outlawed, and whom many believe to have drowned, is staying there. I want you to come with us and make sure that we bring them to justice. You will know what is spoken if you witness our conversation.” Thorkel answered, “It seems unlikely to me that Grima would shelter a man you have had outlawed, but I’ll go with you if you wish.” While Thordis and her party breakfasted, Thorkel gathered some of his own men because he did not want to have to be ruled by Bodvar and Thordis if any dis­ agreement arose between them. When everyone had eaten his fill, Thorkel went aboard his own ship with twenty men and both parties set out. Gamli’s wife, Grima, had a large chair with a figure of Thor carved into the arms - a sizeable effigy - and the following morning, she said, “Now, this is what I want done today. I will place my chair in the main room, and I want you, Thormod, to sit in it when they arrive. On no account must you stand up while Thordis is here. No matter what strange events you think you see, nor whether you think you are being attacked, you must not rise up from this chair. If it is time for you to die, there will be no escape wherever you run. Gamli will set up a pot and boil some seal meat, and he will put sweepings from the floor on the fire so that the house fills with smoke. I shall sit in the doorway and spin yarn, and receive them when they arrive.” Grima’s instructions were followed, and when Thorkel and Thordis’ ships were seen putting ashore Thormod went and sat in the chair. Gamli hung up a pot and threw sweepings onto the fire, and the house filled with smoke so dark and dense that it obscured everything. Grima sat on the threshold, span some yarn and hummed something that the others did not understand.

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The ships were brought ashore and the party walked up to farmhouse. When Thorkel arrived there, Grima greeted him and invited him to stay. Thorkel said, “Thordis from Longunes is with us and she is convinced that the outlaw, Thormod, is here with you. If you know where he is, hand him over. You’d have no hope of keeping such an outlaw away from Thordis and her son, Bodvar.” Grima replied, “I’m astonished that Thordis thinks me capable of harbouring an outlaw from people as powerful as those at Longunes when there’s only the two of us here.” “It is astonishing,” said Thorkel, “but, even so, we’re going to have to search the house.” Grima said, “There would be nothing wrong with your searching the house if there were not so many men with you. I always take great pleasure in your coming here, but I don’t want these people from Einarsfjord trampling all over the place and damaging things.” Thorkel said, “Only Thordis and I will come in and search.” That is what they did. They went inside and searched and they were not long at it because the place was so small. They opened the door to the main room, but the place was filled with smoke and they saw nothing remarkable. Moreover, the stench was everywhere, so they did not stay as long as they might have done if there had been no smoke. Then they came outside and the rest of the farm was searched. Thordis said, “I couldn’t see whether there was anything in the main room for all that smoke. We’ll go up onto the roof and take off the screens1to let the smoke out. Then we’ll be able to see what’s in the main room.” So Bodvar and Thordis went up onto the roof and removed the screens, and the smoke poured out. That made everything in the room visible. They saw Grima’s chair in the middle of the floor with the figure of Thor and his hammer carved into the arms, but they did not see Thormod, so they came down and went to the front door. Then Thordis said, “Grima still keeps to some of the old ways. She has a figure of Thor carved on the arms of her chair.” Grima answered, “I seldom go to church to hear the lessons of the wise because it is so far away and there’s just the two of us here. What actually runs through my mind when I see the wooden figure of Thor is the thought that I can break it and burn it whenever I please. I also know that the Creator of heaven and earth and all things visible and invisible, who gives life to all things, is far superior to Thor, and that no man may vanquish His power.” Thordis answered, “Perhaps that is what runs through your mind, but I’m sure we’d make you say more if Thorkel wasn’t here with all his men, for I suspect you know something of Thormod’s whereabouts.” Grima replied, “It’s just as the saying has it - ‘guessing often leads to error.’ And there’s another saying, ‘if a man’s time has not come, something will save him.’

i

Transparent frames that could be removed in order to let in light and let smoke escape.

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What you sorely lack is a holy guardian so that the devil lead you not into the evil you are contemplating. It’s excusable when people guess and are mistaken, but there’s no excusing the man who rejects the truth once it’s proven.” After these words, they parted company. Thorkel went home to Brattahlid and Thordis to her own house. Skuf and Bjarni came in secret to Gamli and Grima. They brought them what provisions they needed and paid many times what it cost them for Thormod’s keep. {>4

When Thormod had fully recovered from the wound that Falgeir had inflicted, Skuf and Bjarni brought him back to Stokkanes and secretly shel­ tered him in one of the storehouses. That was Thormod’s third winter in Green­ land. The same year Skuf and Bjarni sold their farm at Stokkanes along with their other lands and livestock and intended to leave the country, and when spring came they made their ship ready to sail. Thormod was glad to leave the storehouse, and said that he had something to take care of in the north. So, he got a boat and had Egil the Fool go with him, and he sat at the oars while Thormod steered. Egil was a good oarsman and a good swimmer. The weather was fair. It was a bright day, the sun shone and there was little wind, as they made their way into Einarsfjord. When they arrived in the fjord, Thormod became very agitated and rocked backwards and forwards so much that he began to tilt the boat. Egil said, “Why are you acting so foolishly? Are you mad? Do you want to capsize the boat?” Thormod replied, “I’m worried.” Egil said, “I can’t row if you behave like a madman. If you don’t stop you’ll turn us over.” But despite Egil’s protests, Thormod finally tipped the boat over. Thormod dived away from the boat and swam in a series of plunges until he reached land. He had his axe with him. Egil got up onto the keel of the boat, rested there and looked around for Thor­ mod, but he could not see him anywhere. Then Egil righted the boat, sat down at the oars and rowed out of the fjord until he came home to Stokkanes. There he told Skuf and Bjarni what had happened, and added that he believed Thormod was dead. They were astonished at this news and doubted whether all of it was true. They were not convinced that Thormod had drowned. Now our story turns to Thormod and what he did when he reached the shore. After wringing out his clothes, he began to walk and he continued on his way until he came to Sigrid’s farm at Hamar late in the day. He knocked on the door and a woman came out to greet him, then she turned and went back into the main room. Thormod followed her in and sat down on the guests’ bench near the door. Sigrid began to speak, saying, “Who are you?” He answered, “My name is Osvif (Bold).” Sigrid said, “A man is as he’s named. Will you be staying the night?” Thormod answered that he would like to.

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The following morning, Sigrid spoke to him and asked the purpose of his journey. Thormod said, “It was true what 1 told you yesterday, my name is Osvif.” She replied, “I thought I knew who you were even though I've never seen you be­ fore. You are Thormod Kolbrun’s Poet.” He answered, “There's no point in denying that you have guessed who I really am, so I'll tell you that I'm on my way to Longunes to Thorunn Einarsdottir to meet her son, Ljot. They have often spoken badly of me.” Sigrid said, “Then my son, Sigurd, shall go with you. Ljot and Thorunn have long caused us trouble.” Thormod said, “I don't think it's a good idea for Sigurd to come with me since you wouldn't be able to continue to support yourselves here if anything happens when we confront Ljot.” “I would happily lose the farm,” said Sigrid, “if Ljot was brought down.” Then Sigurd went with Thormod to Thorunn at Langanes. They knocked on the door, and a woman came out and greeted them. Sigurd asked whether Ljot was at home. She replied, “He’s in the main room.” Sigurd said, “Ask him to come out.” So the servant went back inside and told Ljot to come to the door. He said, “Who’s asking for me?” “Sigurd from Hamar,” she said, “and another man I didn't recognise.” “This man you didn’t recognise, what does he look like?” She answered, “He has dark, curly hair.” Ljot said, “That sounds like Thormod, our enemy.” So Ljot left the main room, and the women in the house went with him. Then he took his spear and went to the door. He recognised Thormod and struck at his chest with his spear. Thormod deflected the blow with his axe, but the spear caught him on the calf of his leg and wounded him badly. Ljot thrust forward as he at­ tacked Thormod, and as he did, Sigurd struck him full between the shoulder blades and made a great wound. Ljot ran inside and Thormod struck out at him, catching him on the thigh and scoring him down the length of his leg, before the axe fell out of his hand and lodged itself in the threshold. Ljot fell in the doorway and the women ran past him and closed the door. Thormod and Sigurd left. Then Thormod told Sigurd to go home to Hamar. “Tell your mother what has happened,” said Thormod. “I'll make my own way.” So they parted company, and Sigurd went home to Hamar and told his mother what had taken place. Sigrid said, “My advice is that you go to see Skuf and demand that he harbour you. Tell him that 1want to sell my land and leave Greenland with him.” So Sigurd went to meet Skuf and told him what he wanted. Skuf took him in, sold Sigrid’s land and brought her belongings to his ship. Thormod bound up his wound and went down to Thorunn’s boathouse. He saw that a ship had been dragged out of the boathouse and assumed that Thorunn's

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men were out rowing. Then he went down to the shore and made himself a bed in some seaweed and lay there for the day. When evening came, he heard the sound of oars and eventually Thorunn’s farmhands came ashore. They said, “There will be fine weather tomorrow, and we'll set out to row again. So, instead of putting the ship away, we'll moor it here in the harbour tonight." Having done that, they went home. By that time it was night. When they had gone, Thormod stood up and went to where the ship was moored, untied it and sat down at the oars. Then he rowed across the fjord to the farm at Vik. That same evening, Thordis lay down to sleep at Longunes and she slept badly. When she awoke, she said, “Where is my son, Bodvar?” He answered, “Here I am, mother. What do you want?” She replied, “I want us to row out into the fjord. There’s prey out there.” Bodvar said, “What kind of prey is that?” Thordis answered, “Thormod the outlaw is out in the fjord, alone in a boat. We're going out there to meet him.” [From Flateyjarbók] Sigurd went on his way and was not too far from home when he met Thormod, who had been waiting for him. The two of them went together to see Skuf and Bjarni and told them what had happened. Then Skuf sold Sigrids land and moved her and all her belongings onto his ship. One evening, Thormod left the house. He took a boat and rowed across Eiriksfjord through the night. Then he left the boat moored and walked from the ship until he came to Longunes. Then he went down to Thordis1 boathouse and bedded down there in the expectation that Bodvar would row out to sea the following day, as he usually did. When morning came he saw three men walk from the farmhouse to the boat. They were discussing whether Bodvar would return that day since he had gone to Ljot’s house at Langanes to bind his wounds. Thormod lay where he was, for his wound made walking difficult. The farmhands rowed out to the catch that was waiting in the nets, and later that day Thor­ mod saw them row back to land. He was in much pain from the wound on his leg. There was a man named Kar, overseer o f Thordis1 farm, who had gone off fishing with the rest o f the men. He was Bodvar’s cousin. The men gutted the catch, then put the boat away and covered it over and went home when they had finished. The weather was becoming foggy and a fine rain began to fall. Thormod overheard them say that Bodvar had returned home. Thormod wanted to take the ship and row across the fjord to Vik. When Kar and the others reached the farm, Kar said, “I left my wood-axe behind. Tm go­ ing back to get it.” They offered to go with him but he did not want them to, and he walked off briskly. Thor­ mod had com e down to the boat by then and set it afloat. Kar saw Thormod and recognised him, then turned back intending to tell Bodvar about it. Thormod saw that Kar had turned back and was about to pursue him, but his leg was so stiff that he could hardly move it. In­ stead, he threw his axe at Kar. It caught him just below the knee and cut a piece o f flesh from his calf. Kar limped home, and it took him quite some time. Thormod picked up his axe, ran to the boat and rowed out away from the shore in the direction o f the farm at Vik. Thordis had been asleep that night and when she awoke, she was breathing heavily. She said, “Has Bodvar returned or not?” He answered, “I am here, mother. What do you want o f me?”

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She replied, “The fish would bite on the hook now if we had the strength to drag it in. Thormod the outlaw has been in our boathouse all day long and he has wounded your cousin, Kar, taken your boat and rowed across the fjord. I think he is in pain from the wound that Ljot dealt him, and he’ll have difficulty getting across the fjord because o f the fog. I think it would be a good idea for us to go out and meet him.” Bodvar sprang to his feet and said, “I am ready to make this journey.” As they left the house they saw Kar limping, for he had reached the farm by then. But they could not see Thormod anywhere because the fog was so dense.

Five of Thordis’ farmhands went with her and they rowed across the fjord through the night. Thormod heard the sound of the oars and people talking, and he guessed that it was Thordis and her farmhands. He knew he would not have much hope if they found him. There was a small, low-lying island close by which flooded over if there was a very strong current, but not at other times. Thormod capsized his boat and made his way to the island. It was covered all over with seaweed. Thor­ mod dug himself in between two rocks and spread seaweed over himself. Thordis and her party rowed through the darkness and saw a black shape in the water which they could not identify. So they rowed towards it and saw that it was an overturned boat with the oars in the rowlocks. Then Thordis’ men said, ‘Thorm od must have hit a rock while he was rowing. It’s more than likely that he’s drowned.” Thordis said, “Thormod has not drowned. Rather, he heard our approach and cap­ sized the boat himself in order to have us believe that he is dead. He must have swum out to the island and hidden himself there. So we’ll row there and search for him. Make sure you stab around the entire area with your spearheads, and more than once.” They did as she instructed them, but they did not find him and did not believe there was much hope of doing so. Thordis said, “I still think he’s here on the island even though you have not dis­ covered him. Now, if Thormod can hear what I’m saying then he ought to answer me - that is, if he has a man’s heart and not a mare’s.” Thormod heard what Thordis said and wanted to reply but he could not speak. He felt as if his mouth had been held closed. Then Thordis and her men left, taking with them the boat that Thormod had rowed out on. When they had gone, he stood up from the pile of seaweed, and then swam for the nearest part of the coast. He stopped at a number of skerries on the way to rest, but when there was only a short distance left to the shore he climbed up onto a skerry and was so exhausted that he could go no farther. That night, Grim, the farmer at Vik, dreamed that a man came to him. He was a handsome, dignified man of medium height, thick set and broad-shouldered. He asked Grim whether he woke or slept. Grim answered, “I’m awake. Who are you?” The man in the dream said, “I am King Olaf Haraldsson, and I have to come to you because I want you to go to Thormod, my follower and poet, and assist him so that he may escape from where he lies on a skerry close to the shore. To prove what

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I say is true, I will tell you that Gest, the foreigner who has been staying with you this winter, is actually Steinar, known as Helgu-Steinar. He is an Icelander who came to Greenland to avenge the death of Thorgeir Havarsson. Yet, though Steinar is a great champion and an excellent warrior, he is not ordained to take much part in avenging Thorgeir. His courage will be evident elsewhere.” When King Olaf had spoken these words, Grim awoke. Then he roused Gest from his sleep and asked him to get up. Gest did so, then picked up his axe and left with Grim. They sat down outside and Grim said, “What did you say your name was?” Gest said, “You remember what I told you it was.” Grim said, “O f course I remember what you said your name was. That’s why I’m asking whether it’s your real name.” Gest said, “Why shouldn’t it be?” Grim said, “Because your name is Steinar and you are known as Helgu-Steinar in your country.” Gest said, “Who said this was so?” Grim replied, “King Olaf.” Gest said, “When did you meet with King Olaf?” Then Grim answered him and told him what he had dreamt. Gest replied, “What your dream told you of me is true.” Then Steinar and Grim went to look for Thormod and found him where King Olaf had said he would be. They took him back to Vik, watched over him there in secret and healed his wounds. And when Thormod had recovered from the wounds that Ljot had inflicted, Steinar took him to their ship. Skuf was not on board. Stein­ ar was ready to set sail from Vik, but waited on the ship with Thormod. Skuf was greatly delayed at the assembly, and had to stay there until it was over. Thordis’ son, Bodvar, had had Sigurd, the son of Sigrid, outlawed for wounding Ljot. After the assembly, Skuf was ready to leave. But on the morning he was about to set sail, Thormod and Gest left the ship without asking him and went down into Einarsfjord to Thorunn’s farm. There, they saw four men sitting in a boat, fishing, and recog­ nised one of them as Thorunn’s son, Ljot. They confronted and fought with him, and the encounter ended with Ljot and the three other men on the boat being slain. Thormod and Gest returned to their ship, where Skuf was ready to set sail. Thor­ mod and Skuf stepped aboard, but Steinar remained behind and went to stay with Thorkel at Brattahlid. Skuf and Bjarni set off to sea and because the winds were fa­ vourable they were not long reaching Norway. After mooring their ship they divided their wealth so that Bjarni took the ship and Skuf took the moveable goods. Then Bjarni went south to Denmark and then to Rome on a pilgrimage to the tombs of Saint Peter and Saint Paul the Apostles. It was on that pilgrimage that Bjarni died. Sigrid and her son Sigurd bought some land in Norway and lived there for the rest of their lives, and Skuf and Thormod went to see the king and remained with him till their dying day. The king paid Thormod little attention at first, for an Icelander named Grim had

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come to him, claiming to have avenged Thorgeir Havarsson before Thormod, and the king honoured him and gave him gifts. Thormod had heard that Grim was an evil man, who had secretly murdered someone in Iceland. Thus Thormod went before the king and spoke this verse: 26. Great bounty of wealth you have given to Grim, king, but to me much less than I deserve many scathing verses are made. He has done a dog’s work only a thief does that. Yet I, king, have doubled both my honour and your own.

The king said, “Do you believe, Thormod, that you have won greater fame in Greenland than Grim in Iceland?” Thormod answered, “I’m afraid I have.” Then King Olaf said, “What great deeds did you accomplish in Greenland?” Thormod answered: 27.

I slew Thorgrim Troll - a mighty man fell there before that, warrior, undaunted, I dealt Lodin his death. Thorkel’s life I took, and Thord was the fourth to give up the ghost. Falgeir, their famous champion, I laid low on the ground.

King Olaf said, “In terms of numbers slain, you have done more in Greenland than the fisherman does as penance for his catch. He regards himself absolved if he pulls in one fish for himself, a second for his ship, a third for his hook and a fourth for his tackle. You have gone further than that. Why did you slay so many?” Thormod answered, “I did not take kindly to their likening me to a mare. They said I was among men like a mare among stallions.” The king said, “It’s understandable that you took displeasure at what they said. Your great deeds have spoken for you.” Then Thormod spoke a verse:28 28. A great mark I have branded on the dwellers in Greenland, brought harm to the sea-king’s hail-makers, those who had me outlawed.

sea-king's hail: battle

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That mark will be slow to fade from the backs o f those warlike sword-wielders unless they do me to death.

“I doubt it not,” said the king. “It will be a long time before the ground you have scorched begins to grow again.” Now Thormod was greatly honoured by the king and proved himself more than equal to all tests of strength. He left the country with King Olaf and remained with him the whole time the king was in exile. When Olaf returned to Norway, so too did Thormod, for he thought it better to die at the king’s side than to outlive him. When the king came to a valley named Veradal in the district of Trondheim, he knew that the people there were planning to besiege him. So he asked Thormod, for the sake of amusement, “What would be your in­ structions if you commanded our party?” Thormod answered with a verse: 29. Put flame to every house we find in from Hverborg. Up swords to defend the land for king's sake. In Trondheim may they all find their homes as cold ashes. If my advice you follow, light yew’s harm in the forest.

yew's harm: fire

King Olaf said, “There’s some chance that your plan may work, but we shall find some other means than setting fire to our own lands. I do not doubt, though, that you would do as you have said.” That day, at the Battle of Stiklestad, King Olaf requested some entertainment of Thormod, and he responded by reciting the old poem, Bjarkamal. The king said, “A fitting poem for what is about to take place today. I shall re­ name it Huskarlahvot (That which spurs on the soldiers).” It is said that Thormod was in low spirits the day before the battle, and the king sensed this and asked, “Why are you so quiet, Thormod?” He answered, “Because, my lord, I am not certain that we shall be resting in the same place tonight. Promise me now that we shall be and I will be glad.” King Olaf said, “I don’t know whether it is within my power to decide, but if it is, then tonight you shall go where I go.” Then Thormod was glad again, and he spoke a verse: 30. Sprayer o f arrows, now the sea-king’s hail approaches. We must not tread warily, the age o f swords draws near.

sea-king's hail: battle age of swords: (decisive) battle

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Tree o f the cove-steed, either we escape or lie slain here but it will not fail that we will feed the greedy ravens.

cove-steed: ship; its tree, seafarer

The king replied, “It may well be as you say, poet. The men who have come here will either leave or be left lying here.” Then Thormod spoke a verse: 31.

At your knee I shall stoop, brave lord and true king, until you procure other poets. But when do you expect them? By your side I wish to live and die Wise and mighty groomer o f the shield’s serpent, we stand ready on the plank o f the sea.

shield’s serpent, sword; its groomer, warrior, king plank of the sea: ship

King Olaf said, “Poet, your remarks about Sighvat are cutting and unnecessary, for he would be here if he knew what was happening - and he may yet prove of great use to us .”1 Thormod replied, “That may be so, but there would be few gathered around the royal standard today if many had elected to go with him.” Thormod won great acclaim for his bravery in battle at Stiklestad, where King Olaf fell, because he had neither shield nor armour. Always holding his broad-axe double-handed, he hacked his way through the ranks of the enemy, and no one in his path had the least desire to be dispatched for the night with its blade. It is said that, when the battle was over, Thormod had no wounds. This he regretted bitterly, saying, “Since I shall not be resting in the same place as the king tonight, living seems worse than dying.” And as he said that, an arrow flew towards him and struck him in the chest. He knew not whence it came but he was glad of the wound because he knew it would prove fatal. He made his way to a barley barn where many of the king’s men lay in­ jured. A woman there was heating some water in a pot to cleanse their wounds. Thormod went over to a wicker wall and leaned against it for support. The woman said to him, “Are you one of the king’s men, or from Trondheim?” Thormod spoke a verse: 32.

It is plain to see that I was battle-keen with Olaf. I, at least, was wounded sorely by sword’s edge and saw little peace.

1 Sighvat Thordarson, King Olaf s chief poet, was on a pilgrimage to Rome at the time of the battle.

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This poet suffered a cold blast signs of it show on my shield. The spear-wielders have almost rendered me left-handed.

The woman said, “Why don't you have your wounds bound if you're hurt badly?” Thormod answered, “The only wounds I have need no binding.” The woman said, “Who fought best alongside the king today?” Thormod said: 33.

Battle-glad Harald fought fiercely alongside Olaf. Hring and Dag, too, made hard play with their swords. Those four kings stood with courage bearing their red shields. Then the carrion fowl had dark beer to drink.

d a rk been

blood

Then the woman questioned him once more, “How did the king himself fare?” Thormod spoke a verse: 34.

Olaf was stout of heart. Steeped in blood, this king surged forward at Stiklestad, urging his men to war. Damascened swords bit hard. Save the king, I saw all the trees of Odin’s hailstones seek shelter; most grew battle-seasoned.

O d in 's hailstones: b a ttle ; its trees: w a r r io r s

The barn was filled with men, many of whom were gravely hurt, and from their gaping wounds issued that terrible sound that comes with such deep cuts to the flesh. When Thormod had spoken these verses, one of the men from Trondheim came into the barn, and when he heard this howling of wounds, he said, “It’s no surprise that the king has not fared better against us if his men are as feeble as this. As far as I can see, the men in here can hardly bear their wounds without screaming.” Thormod said, “So you think the men in here have no courage?” He answered, “This is a great gathering of weaklings, if ever I saw one.” Thormod said, “It may well be that someone in here lacks courage. Perhaps my wound doesn’t seem too bad to you?” As the man went up to Thormod to look at his wound, Thormod swung his axe at him and wounded him badly. He let out a scream, then a loud groan.

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Then Thormod said, “I knew that someone in here was spineless. You’re a hypo­ crite, looking for courage in other men when you lack such courage yourself. Here are many who are severely wounded and not one of them groans. They cannot help the sound their wounds make. But you moan and wail over one small injury.” Thormod said this as he stood by the wicker wall in the barley barn, and when the two men had finished talking, the woman who was heating the water said to him: [From Hólmsbók] “Why are you so pale?” Thormod spoke this verse: 35.

The oak of the hawk’s perch wonders why we were so pale and wan. Few are made fair by wounds. Woman, I felt the rain of arrows, their dark metal drove through my body with great force. Sharp and dangerous iron bit close to my heart, I expect.

h a w k 's p erch :

arm, wrist; its o a h woman

The woman said, “I thought you were wounded because you look so pale. Now have your wounds bound if you want to be helped.”

Thormod spoke a verse: 36.

My cheeks are not red, yet she, the slim woman, has a hale man. That ancient iron stands fast in my marsh of wounds and makes me look pale, wearer of golden wave-fire. Deep marks from Danish swords at Dagshrid are full sore.

a n c ie n t iron: a r ro w h e a d

w ave-fire. : g o ld ;

its w earer,

w om an

And when he spoken these words standing by the wicker wall, he expired and fell down to the ground, dead. Harald the Stern completed the verse that Thormod composed by adding: “‘are full sore’ - that’s what he would wanted to have said: ‘at Dagshrid are full sore’.” Thus ended the life of Thormod Kolbrun’s Poet, and here too ends all we know of Thormod, the champion of Saint Olaf. * * *

[ The following is a variant ending to the saga, found in Flateyjarbók} As mentioned earlier, on the night that Olaf lay resting with his army, he re­ mained awake for a long time and prayed to Ciod both for his own sake and the

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sake of his men. He had little sleep, except just before daybreak when weariness overcame him - and when he awoke it was dawn. The king thought it was too early to wake his men, so he asked Thormod the poet, who was close by, whether he was awake. Thormod asked the king what he wanted of him. The king said, “Let us hear some poetry.” Thormod sat up and spoke so loudly that the whole army heard him, and it was the old poem, Bjarkamal, that he recited. But before he began, he asked why Sighvat the poet did not provide entertain­ ment and thus pay for the gold-hilted sword “that the king gave him last Christmas as a gift.” The king said, “Don’t you know that Sighvat is not here? No one will be more important to us now than he, for he is praying for us on his way to Rome.” Thormod answered, “To each as befits him. I’ll be putting my manhood to the test and providing entertainment while he’s enjoying himself in Rome.” This is the beginning of the poem: 37.

Day has risen up, the cockerel beats its wings. Now it is time for Vikings to awaken and set to work. Awaken, awaken, lift your heads, friends and all the chieftains of Adils and the Swedes. 38.

High, the hard-handed man, Hrolf, shoots. Men of high blood who do not flee. I wake you neither from wine nor from women’s whispers. Instead I wake you to play at Hild’s hard game.

H ild ’s (v a lk y rie ’s) gam e, b a ttle

Then the king’s men awoke, and when Thormod had finished reciting the poem they thanked him. They said how much they enjoyed it, told him how fitting it was for the occasion, and named it Huskarlahvot (That which spurs on the men). The king also thanked Thormod for the entertainment, and then he took a gold ring and gave it to him. Thormod thanked the king for the gift and said, “We have a good king, but it re­ mains to be seen how long his life will be. It is my prayer, king, that you let neither life nor death divide us. I would like to be sharing the same sleeping place as you tonight.”

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“And so it shall be,” said the king, “if we both leave Stiklestad alive.” “If so, I would not think it so pressing a matter,” said Thormod. “The truth is that I do not wish to outlive you. I have searched my mind and it seems to me that ever since I was seven years old the only thing that has been of any help in my life has been following you and being your companion - I believe I have not proven unworthy.” “I know you do not desire to outlive me,” said the king, “but I do not know whether we are equally prepared to share the same sleeping place. How old are you, and how many men have you slain in single combat?” Thormod answered, “I am just a little over thirty-five, and 1 believe I have slain fourteen men.” “That doesn't seem very old to me,” said the king, “but 1 promise that you will find rest after your seven days' wake. That means you will have to spend one day or one night in the fires of purification for each man you have slain.” “But I requested, my lord, never to part company with you.” The king answered, “If I have any say in the matter - and because you do not wish to part with me - then we shall all go together.” Then Thormod said, “My lord, it is my hope, whether there be peace or war, and no matter who emerges victorious, that I may stand by your side as long as it is within my power.” Then Thormod spoke a verse: 39.

At your knee I shall stoop, brave lord and true king, until you procure other poets. When do you expect them? Tree of the cove-steed, either we escape or lie slain there but it will not fail that we will feed the greedy ravens.

cove-steed:

ship; its tree, seafarer

[. . .] It is said that Thormod Kolbrun's Poet was wearing a red tunic the day he went to battle, and that he folded up the front of his tunic under his belt and let it hang low behind. One of the king's men asked why he had done that. Thormod answered, “Because I intend to go farther forwards than backwards.” He was girded with a sword that King Olaf had given him and carried his axe in his hand, but he had no shield. The king asked him why he was not dressed for battle like the other men and why he carried no shield. “Do you think the men of Trondheim don't know how to fight?” asked the king. Thormod answered, “They shall discover today that my axe is both my shield and my armour.” Ever will it be remembered and praised how bravely Thormod fought that day. He hacked away with his axe in both hands in the first fray and then, when the head

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flew from the shaft, he fought with his sword for the whole of the final assault known as Dagshrid.1 So many men fell at Thormod’s hand that naming them all would take far too long. [. . .]. Thormod Kolbrun’s Poet was hardly wounded, but so weary he could not fight on. Even so, he chose to stand fast by his companions. That he was unhurt, or barely so, was not due to him protecting himself more than the others. It was because the enemy found it easier to attack anywhere else than where he stood. One man asked Thormod, “Have you seen the shield that I cast away earlier?” “What need have you of a shield, you coward?” said Thormod. “I could have such a shield if I wanted one, but not the generous friend I have lost.” [ . . . ] It is said that when the battle was over, Thormod went to where Dag Hringsson and his men were positioned. Night had fallen and there was not enough light to continue fighting. The people from Trondheim had surrounded Dag and his men to prevent them from escaping during the night and intended to attack them by first light. Dag said, “Is there any man among my company who can suggest how we might escape, and thus prevent these people from Trondheim from attacking us? If we stay here, I know they will come at us as soon as it grows light.” No man answered him, and when Thormod saw that none of them had a plan to offer, he said, “Why can no plan be found?” Dag asked, “Which man speaks so boldly?” He answered, “His name is Thormod.” Dag said, “Are you Thormod Kolbrun’s Poet?” “The very same,” said Thormod. Dag said, “And what way can you see to get us out of here with all our men?” Thormod answered, “You shall cut down the woods and use the branches to build several large fires, then place as many of the trunks as possible in front of them. Four men will position themselves by each fire - three to keep walking around it while the fourth keeps the fire going. When you have done that for a while, douse all the fires at once, then be on your way and do not stop - neither to­ day nor tomorrow. When the people from Trondheim see all those fires, they will think that many more men have arrived. By tomorrow they will realise that they have been tricked, and I fully expect them to give chase, but by then you will be so far ahead of them it will be of no avail.” Dag said, “Are you wounded at all, Thormod?” He answered, “Far from it.” Dag said, “Come east to Sweden with me and I will treat you well. There is noth­ ing to be gained by staying here.” Thormod answered, “It is not my fate to serve any other ruler now that King Olaf has fallen.” 1Dagshrid was the filial stage of the Battle of Stiklestad, its name (Dag’s shower) deriving from Dag Hringsson, a cousin to King Olaf, who continued the fight after the king had fallen.

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Then Thormod left while Dag and his men employed his plan and escaped. [. . .] Now Thormod was sorely disappointed that he was hardly wounded, and he was steeped in regret - for he believed that the evil he had done had prevented him from dying alongside the king. So he prayed eagerly to King Olaf to take pity on him, and he spoke out loud on his own, “Will you not, King Olaf, grant me the end you promised? You said you would not forsake me, if it were within your power.” And the next thing he heard was the sound of a bow-string being plucked, and an arrow flew and pierced him deep under his left arm. He was greatly pleased at being wounded thus and said, “This man has drawn a more auspicious bow than any other and struck where it was most deserved.” Then Thormod went over to the king’s body, sat down beside it and broke the shaft from his axe. [. . .] Naturally, Thormod was in great pain from his injury. He walked towards the camp, coming to a barley barn where the wounded among King O lafs party had been placed. He had his sword drawn, and as he walked inside a man came to­ wards him. Thormod asked him his name. He said it was Kimbi. Thormod asked, “Were you at the battle?” “I was,” said the man, “with the better side, the people from Trondheim.” “Are you wounded?” asked Thormod. “Scarcely,” said Kimbi. “Were you at the battle?” Thormod replied, “I was on the victors’ side.” Kimbi saw that Thormod had a gold ring on his hand and said, “You must be one of the king’s men. Give me the ring and I will hide you. The people from Trondheim will make you pay dearly if you run into them. Are you wound­ ed?” Thormod answered, “My wounds are such as need no healing. You may have the ring if you wish. I have lost so much now that I have begun to take less pleasure in gold than before.” Kimbi stretched out his hand and, as he was about to take the ring, Thormod lashed out with his sword and cut off Kimbi’s hand, saying that it would never steal again. Kimbi bore the pain badly. Thormod said that now he knew what it was like to suffer being wounded. Then Kimbi left while Thormod remained. Then a man ran out of the barn to fetch some firewood. A woman heated some water in a pot to cleanse the men’s wounds. Thormod went over to a wicker wall and leaned against it for support. The woman then said to him, “Who are you? Are you one of the king’s men, or from Trondheim?” Then Thormod spoke this verse:40 40. It is plain to see that I was battle-keen with Olaf.

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I, at least, was wounded sorely by sword’s edge and saw little peace. This poet suffered a cold blast signs of it show on my shield. The spear-wielders have almost rendered me breathless.

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breathless:

i.e. dead

The woman said, “Why don’t you have your wounds bound up if you are hurt so badly?” Thormod answered, “The wounds I have need no binding.” The woman said, “Then you can resolve for me a matter that we have been dis­ cussing all night - which side has fared better in this battle and which has proven braver?” Then Thormod spoke a verse: 41. Olaf was stout of heart. Steeped in blood, this king surged forward at Stiklestad, urging his men to war. Damascened swords bit hard. Save the king, I saw all the trees of bow-storm’s hailstones seek shelter; most grew battle-seasoned.

b o w -sto rm 's hailstones:

battle; its trees:

w a r rio r s

Then one of the Trondheim yeomen came into the barn as Thormod and the woman spoke together. He was curious to learn about the king’s men. Many of them were sorely wounded, and from those wounds to the inwards or the head is­ sued that terrible sound that comes from such deep cuts to the flesh. The yeoman stopped at the entrance to the barn and listened to them from there, and when he heard the groaning wounds, he said, “Considering the weaklings he has as followers, it’s no wonder that the king hasn’t fared better in this battle against the people from Trondheim. As far as I can see they can hardly bear their wounds without screaming. They’re not brave men - they’re spineless.” Thormod answered, “So, my friend, you think the men in here lack courage?” “Yes,” said the man, “a great gathering of weaklings, if ever I saw one.” Thormod answered, “If one were to search, perhaps one might find a coward. You probably wouldn’t consider my wound too serious if you thought about it.” The yeoman answered, “It would be better if you had larger wounds and more of them.” Then the yeoman turned and was about to leave the barn, and as he did, Thormod struck at him. The blow caught him on the back and cut off both of his buttocks. “Let’s hear no groaning from you now.” The man screamed out loudly and felt for his buttocks with both hands. Then Thormod said, “I knew I could find a man in here who would prove to lack courage. You are a hypocrite, looking for courage in other men when you lack such

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courage yourself. Here are many who are severely wounded, and not one of them complains. But you bleat like a she-goat in heat and whinny like a mare over one small flesh wound.” After this event, a woman came into the barn with two pails of milk to give the wounded men a drink. She said to Thormod, “Who is this who stands by the wick­ er wall?” He answered, “My name is Thormod.” She said, “Have you been at the battle today?” Thormod answered, “I would like some of these yeomen to go home to their wives tonight and tell them that Thormod Kolbrun’s Poet had been at the battle to­ day, but I doubt that many of them will be able to.” The woman said, “Who was bravest among the king’s men?” Thormod spoke a verse: 42.

Battle-glad Harald fought fiercely alongside Olaf. Hring and Dag, too, made hard play with their swords. Those four kings stood with courage bearing their red shields. Then the carrion fowl had dark ale to drink.

d a rk ale.

blood

The woman said, “You must be badly wounded. Will you have some milk to drink? It gives strength to the wounded.” Thormod answered, “I don’t need to drink milk; I am as full as if I had just eaten some Icelandic curds, and I’m not badly wounded.” The woman said, “If you’re so little hurt, then why are you so pale?” Thormod spoke a verse: 43.

The oak of the hawk’s perch wonders why we were so pale and wan. Few are made fair by wounds. Woman, I felt the rain of arrows, their dark metal drove through my body with great force. Sharp and dangerous iron bit close to my heart, I expect.

h aw k's perch:

arm, wrist; its oak: woman

The woman said, “I thought you were wounded because you look so pale. Now have your wounds bound like the other men, and let me attend to them.” Then he sat down and took off his tunic. When the healing-woman saw the wound in his side she suspected that he had been struck by an arrow, but she could not see which way the iron head of the arrow was turned in the wound. She had

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been boiling some onions and herbs together in a stone pot, which she gave the wounded men - if their wounds were deep they emitted the smell of the onions. She brought some gruel to Thormod and asked him to eat. He answered, “Take it away, I have nothing that herbs will cure.” Then she took a pair of tongs and tried to pull out the arrowhead, but it was stuck fast and she could not move it. Only part of it showed because the wound was so swollen. Then Thormod said, “Cut to the arrowhead so that it is easier to reach with the tongs, then give them to me and let me pull it out.” She did so. Then Thormod took the gold ring from his hand and gave it to the healing woman, and bade her do as she wished with it. “The gift is good,” said Thormod. “King Olaf gave me the ring this morning.” Then Thormod took the tongs and pulled at the arrowhead, but it was barbed and the barbs lay on the nerves of his heart, some of which were red and others white, yellow and green. And when Thormod saw this, he said, “The king has nourished us well. The roots of this man’s heart are white.” Then he spoke a verse: 44.

My cheeks are not red, yet she, the hawk’s rest bright and slim, has a hale man; few tend to my wounds. Something else makes me look pale, foe to the troll’s beaten gold: deep marks from Danish swords at Dagshrid are -

h a w k 's r e s t w o m a n

fo e to gold: g e n e r o u s m a n

When he had thus spoken, he breathed his last standing by the wicker wall and fell not to the ground until he was dead. King Harald Sigurdsson completed the verse that Thormod had composed. “'At Dagshrid are full sore’,” he said; “that’s how the poet would have wanted it to end.” And the life of Thormod ended with these events, as they have been told here. Translated by MARTIN S. REGAL

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THORMOD’S TALE (Þormóðar þáttur)1 Thormod Kolbrun's Poet was a man of great distinction and many skills, a good poet, medium in build, and the most vigorous of men. He took no pleasure in anything after the death of his sworn brother Thorgeir. And the same summer that he was killed, Thormod sailed from Vadil in the west, and nothing is told of their journey before they reached Denmark. At that time King Canute the Great was ruling there, and he was told about Thormod, that he was far superior to other men both on account of his courage and drive and because of his poetry. So the king sent a message to him asking him to come and see him. Thormod responded quickly and went to meet the king. He came before him, greeting him with great style. And the king received Thormod gladly and at once invited him to stay with him, “For the word is,” said the king, “that you are well suited to be among the king’s men and serve men of rank.” Thormod replied, “That doesn’t fit me, my lord, for I am not capable of taking the place of chief poets such as you have had with you, and I am untried in com­ posing for rulers as great as you.” The king said, “It is my wish that you should choose to stay with me.” Then Thormod replied, “My lord, I am hardly suited for this, because I am bad at self-restraint, and it could happen that I wouldn’t behave well; and it would seem bad to me if I should fall into some trouble because of my temperament, for I am often reluctant to go against my own inclination. But I want to ask you not to blame me for what I am going to say. It’s sometimes said by some people that the men who have been with you haven’t always had their full reward.” The king said, “Thorarin Praise-tongue was with me.” Thormod replied, “That is true, my lord, and yet there was a time when it didn’t seem unlikely that Thorarin wouldn’t get away in one piece; but you will discover that I am a much worse poet than Thorarin.” The king said, “I am having to press you hard, Thormod, and that can only go on so long, but still it will be clear that I wish to have you in my service.” “God thank you for that, my lord,” said Thormod, “but I will have to be modest in my plans, even though I know it is a great privilege to serve you.” “Now,” said the king, “I will demonstrate what I mentioned before, and rather than you not entering my service, I will give you the same fee as Thorarin had, which was a mark of gold.” “My lord,” said Thormod, “if I accept that offer, I will have great need of your guidance and protection, for I am truly poor at self-restraint, as 1 told you.” Thormod now accepted a position among King Canute’s men, and he stayed

Í

1 F r o m F lateyjarbók . T r a n s la te d f r o m Islendin ga sögur.

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there a while in high honour. He often entertained the king, and it is said that he of all men entertained him the best, and often composed verses about things that hap­ pened. The king was well pleased with him, though it was no more than he had ex­ pected. The summer now advanced. in the winter, it is told, a man called Harek came to the king. His nature was such that he was a great viking and a felon, and yet he was a friend of King Ca­ nute. He always brought him great spoils from raiding, and plentiful treasures, and the king valued him highly. It is said that the king now asked Harek how it had gone with him in the summer. He said that it had not gone well recently - that he had lost his prowsman, “and I want to ask you, my lord, to find me another one, though he will be difficult to re­ place, it seems to me, because he was often resourceful with words when a reply was needed, whether abuse or compliments.” The king considered the matter, though he said he would like to invite him to stay with him, if he wished to and would leave off raiding, and added that to do this seemed the most promising course to him. But Harek said he wanted to keep on with the same occupation. Harek stayed there through the winter with the king. He was friendly towards Thormod and paid him a lot of attention. Time and again, Harek mentioned the prowsman to the king, asking him to find him one, but the king did not settle the matter so quickly. Thormod did not come in for jealousy from the men, as can oft­ en happen with newcomers to a king’s following who are held in great honour. And then Harek’s situation reached the point where he told the king that he was choos­ ing Thormod for his prowsman. The king did not oppose this, if Thormod was willing, and it was now put to him. He was not over-quick to accept, and finally the king himself spoke to him, saying that he wanted Thormod to join up with Harek. Thormod answered, “It would please me most to stay with you, my lord, while this Harek is an unknown quantity to me.” The king now appealed to Thormod, saying that he would have his friendship in return, if he would do this for the summer as he asked. Thormod answered, “I would rather be with you, my lord. However, since you ask this, I won’t entirely refuse, though I will make some conditions. If I join Harek in this venture, I want to decide where to lay up in harbour and when to move off.” The king agreed to this, and said it should be as he asked. Now when the time came for Harek and Thormod to leave the king’s company, the gifts which Thormod thought had been promised him were not forthcoming from the king. He and the king were together in the same place. Then Thormod thought it would be reasonable to give the king a reminder of some kind, so he spoke this verse:

S

1

.

On Praise-tongue you lavished long the rich lair that Fafnir owned.

Praise-tongue: the poet Thorarin Fafnir: serpent slain by Sigurd; its lair: gold

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You gave me hope, glorious one, of the land o f the glittering fish. I deserve, wide-domained slayer o f rogues, such rights from you, or else I shall launch out to sea, expecting little.

glittering fish: dragon; its land: gold

The king straight away drew a gold ring, worth half a mark, from his arm, and gave it to Thormod. “I thank you heartily for this, my lord,” said Thormod, “but don't blame me for my impertinence if I say something more about this. You said, my lord, that I was to receive a mark of gold from you as my pay.” The king answered, “What you say is true, poet, and it shall not be withheld.” The king now took another ring and gave it to him. And as he received these rings he spoke this verse: 2. All can see how I have both arms beauteously adorned with the flame of the prow’s meadow, drawn from the hoard o f the mighty king. For the fire of the deep, I, young, must repay the prince who quells the greedy eagle’s hunger; I wear gold on both wrists.

prow’s meadow: sea; its flame: gold fire of the deep: gold quells the eagle’s hunger: i.e. by slaying men, providing carrion

Thormod now joined Harek’s ship and became his prowsman, and they trav­

3 elled through the summer. Thormod was thought very resourceful both in

speaking and attacking, and they were extremely pleased with him. It is told that, one time at the end of the summer, they were anchoring their ships in a berth near a certain island late in the afternoon when they saw some ships speeding past them, and it was a dragon-ship that went first, a most splendid vessel. And as the dragon-ship sailed past the ship Thormod was on, a man shouted from it: “Out of the king’s harbour, sharp!” he said. The others wanted to take down the tents and move out of the harbour straight away, but when Thormod saw that he told them not to move off, “and remember now,” he said, “our agreement that I should decide these things.” His companions answered, begging him not to get into such a frenzy, “and you’ve been able to make these decisions up to now, and it may still be the case.” The dragon-ship now bore down on the ship of Thormod and the others, com­ ing close, and it seemed to the crew of the dragon-ship that they were slow to start leaving the harbour. It is said that the prowsman on the dragon-ship stood up, drew his sword and struck at Thormod, but he did not let it be one-sided, and struck back at this man, with the result that the man perished, but Thormod was unhurt. Straight after this, Thormod leapt from his ship up onto the dragon-ship, holding his shield in front of him, and made his way right along the ship to the steering

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deck. And with all this there was a clamour on the ship, and news of what had hap­ pened spread. Next, Thormod was captured, but the vikings made straight off, not caring what became of him. Now the dragon-ship was commanded by King Olaf, and he was told what had happened, and also that the killer had been captured; and the king ordered him to be put to death, saying he deserved this. But when Finn Arnason heard what the king said, he went up, wanting to know who the man was who had killed the prowsman, and when they met, he said, “Why were you so bold as to dare to jump onto the king’s ship, given what you had done?” Thormod gave his answer. “The reason was,” he said, “that I didn’t care about my life, so long as I came into the king’s power.” Now Finn told Bishop Sigurd of this and asked his support in petitioning the king for safe conduct for the man, and they discussed it between them, and it seemed to them that he had acted entirely on impulse, and now they asked the king to grant him quarter, and expended many words on this. The king asked why he had put himself in his power, when he had been on another ship, and had put himself so much in the wrong. Thormod heard this himself, and answered the king with this verse: 3. I would feel I had won the whole world if you, who daring and fortunate steer the reindeer o f prows, took me into your protection. Wise and mighty wielder of shield-snakes, I want to live and die with you; let us carry shields aboard the skis of the isle-encompassing sea.

reindeer of prows: ship shield-snakes: swords

skis of the sea: ships

“Yes,” said the king, “it’s plain to see from your tricks that you don’t care much about your life, if you achieve what you want, and I expect you would defend the position assigned to you. But what is your name?” Thormod said who he was, “and I am the sworn brother of Thorgeir Havarsson.” The king said, “You must be a man of better luck than Thorgeir was, but it is clear to me that you are destined for misfortune, because you seem young, but how many men have you killed?” Thormod spoke this verse: 4. Six challengers to steel-rain have I slain, since hatred rose against this Tyr o f sword-hilts. I am sometimes known for strife. I have reached thirty, though hardly to the joy o f the men o f slaughter; I let their skulls be split all the same.

steel-rain: battle Tyr (god) of sword-hilts: warrior, Thormod

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The king said, “It would be better if you did not live another thirty years, though it is a shame for such a man as you, for you are said to be a great poet.” Thormod replied, “It is mainly in your control, how old I become, but I expect good treatment from you for the sake of your friend, my sworn brother Thorgeir Havarsson. And I travelled from Iceland above all because 1 felt sure that you would want your follower and friend Thorgeir Havarsson to be avenged, and I knew I was the one most bound to avenge him with your support.” The king said, “You may keep your head, since you have come to seek me out. I will not hinder you from making your way wherever you wish.” Thormod answered, “This gift of life means little to me, since Norway is un­ known to me, and I've no wish to seek out other kings than you. Now, do one of two things: accept me into your service or have me put to death.” And now with the urging of the bishop and Finn, and also because the king had taken to Thormod, the king said, “Stand up, Thormod. Now you will have to com­ pensate me for the man you killed by serving me yourself. You are well suited to go on missions for me.” Then Thormod spoke a verse: 5.

He who has to linger long before your knee, my lord, needs mettle. King, answer mildly every word. We kinsmen, bold with kings, are few, but not accused o f cowardice; I shall say no more o f my second occupation.

second occupation: poetry

The king answered, “Your poetry will give great pleasure, and I don't believe that you will be a man of ill luck in the end.” Thormod stayed with the king now, and he treated him better the longer he stayed, for the king found him to be a most valiant man in every venture. T ra n s la te d b y D IA N A W H A L E Y

THE TALE OF THORARIN THE OVERBEARING (Þórarins þáttur ofsa)1 A man named Thorarin, nicknamed the Overbearing, lived at Stokkahlada in Eyjafjord. He made much of himself and was loud-mouthed. He was the son of Thord, of whom much is told in the saga of the people of Espihol; his mother was Hild, the daughter of Gaut Armodsson. Thorarin was a great merchant. F r o m L jósvetninga saga. T r a n s la te d f r o m íslen din ga sögur.

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One day Thorarin sailed into Hraunhofh, returning from an ocean journey where he had looked for wood for house building. Before them lay the ship of Thorgeir Havarsson who had been sentenced to outlawry that summer for the killing of Thorgils, the kinsman of Grettir Asmundarson, and secretly slaying Thorir at Hrofa. Thorarin called his men together and said, “Things have turned out so that here, already berthed, are the men who are known to many for troublemaking and who have killed our kinsmen. Now it is time to look into this matter. Thorgeir is the worst of men.” Then they prepared to attack the knorr. There was one man called Mar and an­ other called Thorir, who were with him. However, when Thorgeir realised what was happening, he told his men to show courage and defend themselves. Then a great fight took place with forty men attacking, but there was a huge difference in num ­ bers. Thorgeir defended the prow very courageously. And when fighting diminished along the sides, the attack increased around the prow and at that moment Thorgeir killed Mar and Thorir as well as two other men before he himself fell there. By that time, he had slain fourteen men in all. Thorarin killed seven men there and he hacked the head off Thorgeir and took it with him to Eyjafjord where, when he ar­ rived home, he preserved it in salt. This news was widely reported. Many praised that deed and thought it to be a dashing feat. But Eyjolf Gudmundarson from Modruvellir commented that as a rule few of King O lafs farmhands had been killed without compensation, adding - “It's not certain how long they’ll all be able to boast of their victory. I’ve also been told that Thorgeir had to fight against heavy odds. And, unpopular though he might have been, he was nonetheless dear to the king.” Eyjolf, like Gudmund his father, was a king's man. However, when men were getting ready for the Althing, Thorarin had the head brought out and when Thorarin arrived at the Law Rock, a huge crowd had gath­ ered. He then spoke: “All men here must know of what happened last autumn, when Thorgeir Havarsson was killed. There are men who have offered money in return for his head and have had reasons to avenge the grief they suffered. I expect them to learn that I committed this deed, as it seems to me that I am the rightful owner of the money which men offered to have this deed done. If anyone doubts my story, then here you have his head to look upon.” Then he had it lifted up. Next, Eyjolf Gudmundarson spoke. “I think that Thorgeir will be much lamented if all the circumstances are carefully considered, because we know that King Olaf was well-disposed towards Thorgeir Havarsson who was his follower. However, you, Thorarin, are pursuing this case far too eagerly. A sovereign suffers great injury and a king has many means [of revenge].” Then they parted and Thorarin returned north, taking Thorgeir Havarsson’s head with him.

THE TALE OF THORARIN THE OVERBEARING

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When he reached Eyjatjord, Thorarin said, “The killing of Thorgeir will be brought to more people’s attention if we put his head in a mound on Vadil’s Horn.” And so it was. However, as ships journeyed between the countries, the news travelled to King Olaf of Norway about the killing of Thorgeir Havarsson and his companions. The king asked who had committed the deed; they told him that Thorarin the Over­ bearing had done it and about how monstrously he had behaved, salting Thorgeir’s head over the winter and then taking it to the Althing the following summer. The king was extremely angry at the news and said, “Men have often been killed, but we know of no example of them being treated so. It is certainly our wish that it be a doomed hand that has done this.” At this time Thormod Kolbrun’s Poet had gone to kill Thorgrim the Troll in Greenland and avenge Thorgeir Havarsson. He also composed a drapa which bears witness to all these happenings. The king summoned a man called Sigurd for an interview. He was then ready to sail to Iceland. The king said to Sigurd, “When you get to Iceland, seek out Eyjolf Gudmundarson, my friend and follower, and give him this money, which weighs eight marks. He is to have it, and with it my friendship, but in return I want him to make an end of Thorarin the Overbearing.” Sigurd accepted the money and proceeded on his way. He put out to sea and sailed into Eyjafjord. There people soon held a market. Eyjolf rode to the ship and met the skipper. They talked about provisions and bargaining and Eyjolf invited him home, but the crew were found lodgings in Eyja­ fjord. When Sigurd got home to Modruvellir, he told Eyjolf the king’s message and produced the money, saying, “but in return for this he wishes you to kill Thorarin the Overbearing for slaying Thorgeir Havarsson.” Eyjolf asked him to thank the king for his gift and words of friendship, “and that task which he set me I shall carry out with the help of the king’s good fortune.” That autumn, when men were riding to the Autumn Meetingy Eyjolf rode with a group of his men. Thorarin the Overbearing also travelled with a large group. His slavey by the name of Greip, a big, strong man, also made the journey with him. Men rode hard all through the day and the slave galloped his horse past Thorarin so that his clothes got dirty. Thorarin said, “You are the most wretched of slaves, doing such a thing to me,” and struck him on the backbone with the hilt of his sword. But the slave turned round at this and asked if he intended to offer anything in compensation . . . [Here the tale breaks off.] T ra n s la te d b y S C IL L A B R U M F IT

VIGLUND’S SAGA W ritten c .

1400

VíGLUNDAR SAGA

Viglund’s Saga is translated from the text given in íslenzk fornrit XXIV. It has been preserved in two vellum manuscripts, AM 551, 4to (c. 1500) and AM 510, 4to (c. 1550). A love story relating the parallel adventures of successive generations of a family, it commences with the elopement of two lovers in Norway, Olof the Radiant, an earls daughter, and Thorgrim, the foster-son of King Harald Fair-hair, to Iceland. Their son Viglund falls in love with Ketilrid, only to have her mother and brothers object to their relationship. Although both the subject matter and style of the saga are strongly influenced by the Legendary Sagas (especially Fridthjofs Saga,) and medieval romances, its location, characters and time of action, plus the use of skaldic verse, place it firmly among the Family Sagas. The intriguing blend of courtly fantasy and Icelandic realism gives a particular elegance and attractiveness to the saga, and leaves the reader wondering just how it all will end: like the sagas of the poets who never manage to get the woman they love, or like the romantic tales of the later Middle Ages, where the heroes' firmness of character secures them a happy ending?1 Harald Fair-hair, the son of Halfdan the Black, was absolute ruler of Norway at the time when this story took place. He was young when he inherited the king­ dom. Harald was the wisest of men and well endowed with all those skills appropri­ ate to his royal dignity. The king maintained a large court and chose for it men of excellent family who had proven themselves in prowess and many celebrated deeds. Since the king desired to have the choicest men about him, these were also better provided for than any other men in this realm, for the king was sparing with nei­ ther money nor necessities, provided his men knew how to manage them. But it was no less the case that those who acted against his will did not thrive. Some were banished from the country, others were killed. The king then seized everything they left behind, and many men of high station fled from Norway, for those who came from great families did not tolerate the king's taxes. They preferred to leave their in­ herited lands as well as relatives and friends rather than be subjected to slavery and the king’s yoke of oppression, and so they emigrated to many lands.

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The Com plete Sagas of Icelanders II

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It was in those days that Iceland became extensively settled, since many who did not tolerate the power of the king found their way there. Thorir was the name of an earl who ruled a portion of Norway. He was an ex­ cellent man and was married. He had married an excellent woman. The earl and his wife had a daughter whose name was Olof. When she was still very young she was already very gracious. Among the women who were then in Norway she was the most beautiful, and for this reason she acquired a nickname and she was called Olof the Radiant. The earl loved his daughter very much and was so protective of her that no man was allowed to talk to her. The earl had a private dwelling built for her, constructed with every artistry. The dwelling was decorated all over with carvings inlaid with gold. It had a roof of lead and all the inside was painted. A high fence surrounded it and the gate was locked with strong iron locks. This dwelling was no less decorated on the outside than within. In this private dwelling the earl’s daughter lived with her serving women. The earl also sent for those women whom he knew to be the most gracious, and he had them teach his daughter all those feminine skills suitable for noble women, for the earl wanted his daughter to surpass all other women in handicrafts just as she surpassed each of them in beauty, and indeed this is what happened. And when she reached the appropriate age, many excellent men came to ask for her hand, but the earl was so exacting in his expectations for her that there was no one he wanted her to marry. He turned them all away with cordial words, while she did not show disdain in either her words or deeds. Thus it happened that the earl’s daughter was praised by everyone.

S

Now other persons must be mentioned. There was a man called Ketil who ruled over Raumarike. He was a very honourable man, with great wealth, wise and popular. Ketil was married and his wife’s name was Ingibjorg; she came from a noble fam­ ily. They had two sons, one named Gunnlaug and the other Sigurd. The two broth­ ers had nicknames: Gunnlaug was called “the Boisterous,” but Sigurd “the Wise.” Ketil had his sons taught all the skills common in those days, for Ketil was more adept in these skills than most other men. The brothers had companions to whom they gave gold and other valuables. The brothers used to go riding with their men to hunt animals and birds, and they were most accomplished. Ketil was a great warrior. He had fought in duels twenty-four times and had been victorious each time. He and King Harald were good friends. Ketil was such a suc­ cessful lawyer that, no matter with whom he dealt, he was never involved in a mat­ ter where he did not prevail, for when he began to speak, others came to think as he did. The king asked Ketil to assume a higher position and told him that this was ap­ propriate both for the realm and many other reasons, but Ketil did not want that;

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he said that he preferred to remain a simple farmer but nonetheless equal to those in a higher position. Ketil loved his wife so much that he could not bear to see any harm come to her. Some time passed. It happened one time that King Harald levied men and ships for war and in­ tended to head south along the coast, and he carefully prepared both ships and men for the expedition. Ketil got his sons and a large, handsome following to ac­ company the king, but he himself stayed home because by then he was quite old. When the king was ready, he sailed south along the coast. And when he came south to Rogaland, an earl named Eirik was ruling at that time. He was a great lead­ er and popular among his men. When he learned about the king’s arrival, he or­ dered a fine feast to be prepared and invited the king to the feast with his entire en­ tourage; the king accepted the invitation and proceeded on land with his entourage. The earl brought the king with all his men to his hall, to the accompaniment of all kinds of music, with songs and stringed instruments, and every kind of entertain­ ment that was available. In this manner the earl welcomed the king into his hall, placing him on the high seat. There was a splendid feast, and the king was in very good spirits, as were his men, for the earl spared nothing in entertaining the king very warmly. The best of drinks were served and the men quickly became drunk. The king always seated Ketil’s sons close to him, and showed them great honour. The earl himself stood in front of the king and served at the king’s table. Through­ out the hall there was great merriment. The king then assigned the brothers to serve as cupbearers, and he seated the earl on the high seat next to him. The brothers did as the king asked them and earned much honour for their noble bearing. And when the tables were removed, the earl had precious objects brought out which he chose for the king and all his men. He gave away quite a few precious ob­ jects. And when the gifts had been distributed, the earl asked for a harp to be brought out. Its strings were alternately of gold and silver. It was a most remarkable piece of workmanship. The king reached for it and began to pluck the strings, and the harp emitted such a strong sound that everyone was astounded, for they did not think they had ever heard anything like it before. Then the earl spoke: 441 would like you to amuse yourself by taking a walk with me, my lord. I want to show you all my possessions, both inside and outside, the fields and the orchards.” The king did as the earl asked, and went along and was quite impressed. They then went to an apple orchard. A lovely grove stood there and under the trees three boys were playing. They were very good-looking, but one of them surpassed the others. They were playing a board game and two were playing against one. The two thought that the third was getting the advantage and upset the board. The one who was winning became annoyed and gave each of them a box on the ear. They then came to blows and two went against one, but he got the upper hand no less in wrestling than in the board game. The earl then asked them to stop and make

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peace, which is what they did, and then they went back to playing the board game as before. The king and his entourage returned to the hall and sat down at their places. It was obvious that the king was quite taken by the youth, and he asked the earl who the boys were. “They are my sons,” said the earl. “Do they have the same mother?” asked the king. “No, they don’t,” said the earl. Then the king asked, “What are the names of the boys?” The earl answered, “Sigmund and Helgi, and Thorgrim is the name of the third. He was born out of wedlock.” A little later the boys all came into the hall. Thorgrim came last because in other areas of repute he was the least respected. The earl called the boys over and asked them to step before the king. They did so and greeted the king. When they stood before him, Thorgrim took each of his brothers by the hand and pushed them away from each other, and stepped between them and climbed up onto the king’s footstool and greeted the king and hugged him. Laughing, the king took the boy and sat him down next to him and asked him about his mother’s family. He said that he was the nephew of the hersir Thorir of Sognefjord. The king removed a gold ring from his arm and gave it to Thorgrim. Thorgrim then went back to his brothers. The feasting went on with great magnificence until the king said that he wanted to depart, “but on account of the munificence you have shown me, you may choose a reward for yourself.” The earl was pleased by this and asked the king to take his son Thorgrim with him, and said that he thought this better than money, “for what you will do for him seems to me much better than all the things you do for me. Moreover, I would also like him to go with you because I love him most of all my sons.” The king agreed to this. Then the king left, and Thorgrim went with him. He quickly became most skilled at serving the king, and soon many of the king’s men envied him. One time, it is told, the king went to a feast arranged by a man named Sigurd. This feast was quite elaborate with regard to provisions. The king told Thor­ grim to serve as cupbearer to him and his friends that day. Many of the king’s men thought it excessive that the king promoted Thorgrim so obviously by showing him every honour. Sigurd had a relative named Grim. He was a powerful man because of his wealth. He was such an arrogant man that he thought everyone else quite beneath him. He was present at the feast and had his place in the high seat on the higher bench. Thorgrim served that day, and when he carried a large goblet to Grim, some of the contents spilled out of the goblet and spattered on Grim’s clothing because Thorgrim stumbled. Grim got angry at this and jumped up, exclaiming loudly, and

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said that it was obvious that the whore’s son was more accustomed to herding swine and giving them slop to drink than to serving respectable men. Thorgrim was furious at these words, drew his sword, and ran Grim through. Men pulled him out dead from under the table. Sigurd called upon his men and told them to get up and seize Thorgrim. The king said, “Don’t do this, Sigurd. Grim brought this on himself with his words, and, if you are willing to let me do as 1please, 1intend to compensate the man fully, for that is how we can best preserve our friendship.” The king had his way, and he paid all the money, so Sigurd was very pleased. The feasting now came to an end, and nothing else of note happened. The king headed home. The king invited many great men to his court. He first invited Earl Thorir, and Ketil the farmer from Raumarike. He had lost his wife when she died in childbirth, but she had given birth to a daughter who was named Ingibjorg after her mother. Thereafter, the king invited all and sundry, because there was no shortage of neces­ sary provisions. People came to the feast as soon as they were invited. Olof the Ra­ diant attended the feast with her father. People were now assigned their places and excellent drink was brought out. Thorgrim went around serving, and people were impressed by what a worthy and honourable man he was. He was fittingly attired, since the king bestowed much honour on him, but many of the kings men thought this excessive, and for this reason they disliked Thorgrim intensely. He received a nickname and was called Thorgrim the Elegant. When Thorgrim saw Olof, he immediately fell in love with her and she in turn fell in love with him, but other people were not aware of this. As soon as they had an opportunity, they met, and each was attracted to the other. Thorgrim asked how she would answer if he were to ask for her hand. She replied that she would not ob­ ject if her father gave his approval. And when the feasting came to an end, Thor­ grim proposed marriage, and asked for the hand of Olof the Radiant. Earl Thorir was not quick to respond, and they parted without settling the matter. Some time later Thorgrim came to talk with the king and asked him for leave to seek out Earl Thorir, and the king granted him that. And when Thorgrim ar­ rived at Earl Thorir’s he was well received. Thorgrim once again proposed marriage and wanted to know the earl’s response on the spot. However, the earl said that he would not give him his daughter in marriage. Thorgrim stayed there for three nights and he and Olof were on good terms, and some people said that they had promised to marry each other. Thorgrim then returned to the king’s court for the time being. Thorgrim now went harrying; by this time he had come of age. He harried all summer long and was considered braver than anyone else no matter how great the danger. On this expedition he built up both wealth and prestige. The next thing that happened was that Ketil of Raumarike rode over to Earl Thorir’s with thirty men. King Harald was also present at the feasting. Ketil then

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proposed marriage and asked for the hand of Olof the Radiant, and, given the sup­ port of the king, Earl Thorir betrothed his daughter Olof to Ketil. Olof gave neither her approval nor her consent to this. And when the marriage contract was to be ratified, Olof spoke this verse: 1.

To wit, the glad gold-warden wields better words than others. The sound o f those words will wound me in this world. Here dwells no handsome man who’ll draw my love to him. But one received my oath, and ever that bright man I’ll love.

gold-warden man

Most people were convinced that Olof would rather have had Thorgrim but things were the way they were. The date was now set for when the wedding would take place. It was going to be held during the Winter Nights at the home of Earl Thorir. The summer now drew to a close. In the autumn Thorgrim returned from harrying. He learned that Olof had been promised to another. He immediately sought out the king to ask for his support in obtaining the woman, whether Earl Thorir - and Ketil - liked this or not. The king refused all support to Thorgrim, however, saying that Ketil was his best friend. “I’ll give you some advice,” said the king. “Don’t quarrel with Ketil. I intend to ask for the hand of his daughter Ingibjorg on your behalf, and thus the two of you will be fully reconciled.” Thorgrim said that he did not want to do that. “I want to keep my word and the vows with which Olof and I have pledged ourselves to each other. I intend to marry her and no one else. And if you do not want to support me, then I will no longer serve you.” The king said that Thorgrim could decide as he pleased, “but most likely your reputation will not be greater anywhere else than with me.” Thorgrim then took leave of the king. At their parting the king gave Thorgrim a gold arm ring weighing a mark. Thorgrim then returned to his men. Three nights remained before the wedding was to take place. Thorgrim then went on land, alone and without his men, and headed for Earl Thorir’s dwelling. By that time the bride was sitting on the bench and the drinking hall was full of men; the king was in the high seat and the feasting was in full swing. Thorgrim went into the drinking hall, into the middle of the floor, and stood there. There were so many lights in the room that not a single shadow was cast. Everyone recognised Thorgrim, but many did not consider him a welcome guest. Thorgrim said, “Has Olof been betrothed to you, Ketil?” Ketil said that was the case. “Was this done with her consent?” asked Thorgrim.

V IG L U N D ’S SAGA

417

“I thought that Earl Thorir himself had the right to make decisions for his daughter,” said Ketil, “and that the contract he made was legal.” Thorgrim said, “I declare that Olof and I have sworn to each other that she would marry no one but me. Let her say whether this is so.” Olof said that it was the truth. “In that case I consider the woman mine,” said Thorgrim. “You will never get her,” said Ketil. “1 have contended with men who are superior to you, and yet have maintained my own against them.” Thorgrim said, “Then I suspect that you are doing this with the king’s approval, and for that reason I challenge you to a duel. Let us fight and let him who defeats the other in the duel win the woman.” “I intend to benefit from having more men than you,” said Ketil. And as they were talking, it happened that all the lights were extinguished in the room. There was much pushing and shoving. When the lights came back on, the bride had disappeared, as had Thorgrim. Everyone now realised that he must have been responsible. As a matter of fact, Thorgrim had made off with the bride and taken her to his ship. His men had made the preparations he had ordered, so that they were ready to cast off to sea. They now raised their sails as soon as Thorgrim was ready to sail, since the wind was blowing off shore. At that time the period of the settlement of Iceland was at its height. Thorgrim realised that he could not stay in Norway after what he had done, and he wanted to go to Iceland. They headed out to sea and got a good wind, so that they were only a short time at sea. They arrived at the Snaefellsnes peninsula and made land in the harbour Hraunhofn. The king and the earl learned that Thorgrim had sailed off, and Ketil thought that he had suffered an enormous dishonour: he had lost the woman, and it was uncertain whether he would be able to receive redress from Thorgrim. The king, under pressure from Ketil, outlawed Thorgrim for this deed. For the time being we leave Norway. There was a man called Holmkel who lived at Foss by the river Holmkelsa on the Snaefellsnes peninsula. He was married to a woman called Thorbjorg. He had two sons by her, one of whom was called Jokul and the other Einar. Holmkel was the son of Alfarinn, who was the son of Vali. His brothers were Ingjald at Ingjaldshvol, Hoskuld at Hoskuldsstadir, and Goti at Gotalaek. Thorgrim the Elegant bought land at Ingjaldshvol, but Ingjald bought a place to live elsewhere, and he does not play any role in this saga. Thorgrim quickly became a great leader and a most munificent man. He and Holmkel of Foss became great friends. It is told that Thorgrim held his wedding with Olof. The following winter, when they were living at Ingjaldshvol, Olof gave birth to a child and it was a boy; he was named Trausti. A winter later Olof gave birth to another boy, and he was named Viglund. Early on he was already big and good looking. During this same year

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Thorbjorg at Foss gave birth to a baby girl who received the name Ketilrid. She and Viglund were the same age, but Trausti was a year older. They grew up in the dis­ trict and everyone said that there was no man or woman from those parts who was in any way fairer or more gracious than Viglund and Ketilrid. Holmkel loved his daughter so much that he was incapable of opposing her in anything, but Thor­ bjorg loved her somewhat less. When Viglund was ten years old and Trausti eleven, there was no one in the dis­ trict as strong as they, but Viglund was the stronger of the two. They started to learn all kinds of skills and Thorgrim spared no efforts to teach his sons. Thorbjorg did not want to teach her daughter any handicrafts. Her husband Holmkel considered that a great shame, and therefore he decided to ride over to Ingjaldshvol with his daughter. Thorgrim received him warmly, since there was great friendship between them. Holmkel wanted his daughter to be fostered by Olof so that she would instruct her in handicrafts, for Olof was considered the most cul­ tivated of women in Iceland. She was delighted to do this and she loved her fosterchild greatly. Olof herself had a young daughter named Helga, who was a year younger than Ketilrid. These young people passed the time together in fun and merriment, and in every game where they ended up partners, it always turned out that Viglund and Ketilrid ended up together, and then Trausti and his sister Helga. Viglund and Ketilrid came to love each other deeply. Many said that they would make a great pair for any number of reasons. Whenever they were together, Vig­ lund and Ketilrid had eyes only for each other. One time Viglund said that he wanted them to pledge their love, but Ketilrid was not much interested. “There are many things speaking against this,” she said. “First of all, you may not be so inclined when you have grown up. You men are always fickle in such matters. Furthermore, it is not appropriate for me to go against my father’s wishes - nor do I desire it. The third reason, which settles the matter, is that I cannot do as 1 choose, and 1 know that most things go as my mother dictates. She has little love for me. Nonetheless, I know of no one whom 1would rather marry than you if 1myself could decide, but my heart tells me that we’ll encounter great obstacles no matter how things turn out.” Viglund kept bringing up the matter to Ketilrid, but she kept answering in the same way. Nevertheless, people said that they must have vowed to marry each other. Turning now to the brothers Jokul and Einar, who had become very unruly in the district: they very much followed in their mother’s footsteps in this respect, and Holmkel was displeased, but there was nothing he could do. The brothers be­ came very unpopular because of their behaviour. The brothers had a stallion, black in colour, and it was very savage. It put to flight every horse against which it was pitted. It had such large incisors that they were unlike those of any other horse.

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Viglund too had a stallion, a yellow dun, the best and most beautiful of horses. He prized the horse greatly. Thorgrim, his father, had two oxen, brindled-brown in colour and with cross markings on their foreheads. Their horns were the colour of bone. He set great store by them. One time it happened that Einar got into a conversation with his mother. “I’m not pleased that Thorgrim is so highly respected here in the district. I think that if 1 could seduce his wife Olof, he would have to try to avenge the deed, otherwise his reputation would suffer; and if he were to avenge himself, it is not certain that he would come out ahead.” She said that this was a good idea and in tune with her own thoughts. One day, when Thorgrim had left home on his errands, Einar rode over to Ingjaldshvol, and his brother Jokul went along. Olof, the mistress of the house, had told one of her maids that she should lock the door each morning when the men went off to work, and this is what she did. On this morning, when Einar and Jokul came to the farm, the servant woman noticed them and went to O lofs bedroom to tell her that the men from Foss had come. She stood up quickly, got dressed, and went to her sewing room, where she sat her servant woman down and laid her own cloak over her and said, “Don’t be startled if Einar thinks you are me. I’ll see to it that he does not disgrace you.” She sent another servant woman to the door, because none of the men was at home. Einar asked where Olof was, and the servant woman said that she was in her sewing room. Einar and his brother headed there. When they entered the room, they saw Olof sitting on the cross-bench. Einar sat down beside her and talked to her. At this moment a man dressed in black walked into the room; he was holding a drawn sword. The man was not particularly tall, but he was extremely angry. They asked him who he was and he said his name was Ottar. They did not know the man, yet they were somewhat afraid of him. He began to speak: “It’s time to go out and welcome Thorgrim, for he’s riding toward his farm.” Both of them jumped up and went out, and they saw that the farmer was ap­ proaching with a large group of men. They jumped on their horses and rode off home. What really happened is that the cattle were being driven in, and the man in black was Olof herself. When the people from Foss found this out, they realised that their errand had ended most disgracefully. Once more great animosity arose toward the people at Ingjaldshvol. When her husband Thorgrim came home, Olof told him everything that had happened. Thorgrim said, “We should not bring charges against my friend Holmkel for this, since Einar was not able to have his way.” It happened one day that the brothers Jokul and Einar rode over to Ingj­ aldshvol. They were all at home, the father and his sons, and were standing outside. Jokul asked whether Viglund wanted to give him his yellow dun horse.

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Viglund said that he did not intend to do so. Jokul said he had pursued the matter as men of old would have done, but Viglund again said he was not inclined to give in. “Would you then be willing to have our horses pitted against each other?” “It seems to me that we could do that,” said Viglund. “I think that is even better than the gift of your horse,” said Jokul. “Why shouldn’t the matter run its course?” said Viglund. They agreed on the date when the horse fight should take place. When the time came for the horses to fight against each other, the Foss brothers’ horse Blackie was led out, and it carried on frightfully. The brothers got ready to ac­ company it. Viglund’s stallion Yellow Dun then came out and as soon as it came in­ to the paddock, it kept circling, finally raising both front legs and ramming them into Blackie’s muzzle with such force that all its incisors were knocked out. Yellow Dun then made for Blackie’s haunches with its teeth and ripped a gaping hole in the body. Blackie fell down dead and when Jokul and Einar saw that, they ran for their weapons, as did the others, and they fought until Thorgrim and Holmkel were able to separate them. One of Viglund’s men had then been slain, and two of the Foss brothers’ men. And this is how they parted. Still, the friendship between Thorgrim and Holmkel was kept as before. Holmkel now discovered that Viglund and Ketilrid loved each other, but he did not forbid it. Thorbjorg and her sons, however, were most displeased. With the passing of time, everyone began to say that in Iceland at that time there was no one as good-looking as Viglund or Ketilrid, or as talented and gracious. -f/N One time, it is told, the brothers Jokul and Einar left Foss at night. It was a bright night and they headed for the common pasture where Viglund’s stal­ lion Yellow Dun was with the stud mares. They approached the horses and wanted to drive them home with them but they were unable to do so. The stallion guarded them so well that they could not drive off the horses in single file, as they had in­ tended, together with the stallion. When they were unable to do this, they got very angry and attacked the stallion with weapons, intending to kill it, but the stallion defended itself so fiercely with both teeth and hooves that the night wore on and they achieved nothing. At last they struck the horse down with their spears and thus killed it. After they had done this, they no longer cared to drive the horses away with them, because they thought it would then be obvious that they had killed the stallion. They wanted to hide the fact that they had killed the horse and dragged the body to a cliff and pushed it off so that people would think that the stallion had fallen off by itself. Then they went home and pretended that nothing had happened. Some time later the brothers Jokul and Einar went to the common pasture be­ longing to Thorgrim the Elegant in which his oxen were kept. In all there were fifty oxen in the herd belonging to Thorgrim. They recognised the two prized crossmarked oxen, seized and haltered them, and took them home to Foss. There they killed the two beasts and hung them up in a storage shed. This happened one night,

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and they had finished their work before the farmhands got up. Their mother knew all about this, and in fact enthusiastically supported what her sons had done. Now to turn to the other brothers, Viglund and Trausti: one day when they went to their horses in the pasture, the stallion was missing. They looked far and wide and finally found the horse dead at the foot of a high crag. They dis­ covered many deep wounds on the body; the stallion had suffered internal wounds. Viglund and Trausti suspected that the people from Foss had done this. They went home and reported that their stallion was dead, and that Jokul and Einar must have done it. Thorgrim asked them not to do anything: “Remember, they lost their own stal­ lion earlier, and you'll be able to take some other action, even if you ignore this, if things turn out as I think they will.” They let the matter rest for the time being. Not long afterward Thorgrim was told that his prize oxen, the cross-marked ones, which he valued above the others, had disappeared and that people thought some men were responsible for this. Thorgrim commented little about the matter except that he said it was likely that thieves hiding out in the mountains would have done such a thing. He did not have his men search for the oxen. This became widely known and people thought that the family at Ingjaldshvol had suffered great damage. Thorbjorg over at Foss made great sport of this and had the slaughtered oxen served at meals. When Holmkel found out where the oxen be­ longing to Thorgrim had ended up, he got on his horse one day and rode to Ingj­ aldshvol. When he found Thorgrim, Holmkel told him that he thought the prize oxen had found their way over to his own place and that his sons must have been responsible for this. “I want to settle on a sum for the oxen as high as you want, provided you do not bring charges against them.” Thorgrim agreed to this and took as much money as he wanted. Holmkel and Thorgrim parted in great friendship.

AA

A O Kjolvor was the name of a woman who lived at Hraunskard. She was very A s k i l l e d in magic and was completely given to evil, so that she was quite un­ popular with people everywhere. She and Thorbjorg at Foss were great friends. Thorbjorg and her two sons Jokul and Einar negotiated with Kjolvor and gave her a hundred pieces of silver to destroy the brothers Viglund and Trausti by any magic she chose. They did this because they were extremely envious of Viglund and Trausti and, moreover, had found out that Viglund and Ketilrid loved each other. They begrudged them their love, as they demonstrated later. Viglund and Ketilrid loved each other even more ardently now than they had while growing up. They had such a secret love concealed in their hearts that their deeply entrenched love and the fruit of their affection could never be uprooted from their hearts, since this is the nature of true love. For the fire of affection and the flames of love burn all the

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more intensely, and weld together the hearts and minds of lovers all the more tight­ ly, the greater the number of those who wish to injure them and the greater the ob­ stacles that families place in the path of those whom love and affection have brought together, as was the case with these two, Viglund and Ketilrid. They loved each other so ardently all their lives that, if they could do as their hearts told them, neither ever wanted to be without the other from the time they first laid eyes on each other. There was a man named Bjorn who was one of the farmhands of Thorgrim the Elegant. He was such a bold sailor that no matter how terrible the weather, he was not afraid to sail. He always said that he did not worry about the size of the swells. He had emigrated to Iceland with Thorgrim and had been put in charge of his boats, since there was good fishing in the bay. He never rowed out with more than two men, even though he had a seaworthy ten-oared boat. It happened in the autumn that both of Bjorn’s fishing companions got sick be­ cause of Kjolvor’s magic. All the men were employed at haymaking when Bjorn wanted to row out for fish and he asked the brothers Viglund and Trausti to row out with him for the day. They did so, since the weather was fine and they were good friends of his. Kjolvor knew all about this and climbed up on the house and waved her hood in an easterly direction, and all at once the weather turned bad. When the three had reached the fishing bank, there were quite a few fish, but then they saw a cloud rising in the east-north-east. Viglund said, “I think it advisable to head for land. I don’t like the look of the weather.” Bjorn said, “We’re not going to do that until the boat is full.” “You’re the one who’s in charge,” said Viglund. The cloud approached quickly, accompanied by wind and frost, and such heavy seas that the water was very rough and pelted them as though with grains of salt. Bjorn now said that they should head for land. Viglund said that they should have done so earlier, “but I’m not going to object now.” Bjorn and Trausti rowed but could make no headway; instead they were driven out to sea toward the south-west. The boat now began filling with water. Viglund asked Bjorn to bail and Trausti to steer, while he himself took to the oars and rowed so vigorously that they reached land at Dagverdarnes, the home of Thorkel Skinswathed, who had immigrated with Bard Snaefell’s As, and who was now quite old. When Ketilrid learned that they had been driven out to sea by the storm and that they were dead, she fainted. When she came to, she spoke this stanza while looking out to sea. 2. I cannot gaze to sea without grief-filled weeping, since dear friends drowned deep below the bay.

V IG L U N D ’S SAGA

I loathe the swarthy sea, the soughing of the waves. Dire distress befell me from the billows’ burden.

423

billows* burden: drowned men

Thorkel welcomed the brothers, and they went home the next day. There was a joyful reunion between Viglund and Ketilrid. \ ^ Now we must return to Norway where we left off earlier. Ketil the Large was A ^ displeased with the way things had turned out between him and Thorgrim the Elegant. He was rapidly ageing and did not think it would be easy to pursue action in the matter. His sons Sigurd and Gunnlaug had become valiant and good-looking men, while his daughter Ingibjorg had turned out to be a most beautiful woman. There was a man called Hakon whose family came from Vik; he was wealthy and headstrong. He set out to see Ketil in Raumarike in order to ask for the hand of his daughter. Ketil answered the suit as follows: “I shall give you my daughter in marriage pro­ vided vou first go to Iceland to kill Thorgrim the Elegant and bring me back his head.”' Hakon said that he did not consider this a great matter and they agreed on this. Hakon went to Iceland that summer, and his ship sailed into the mouth of the river Froda. The people from Foss, Jokul and Einar, arrived at the ship first. The skipper welcomed them and inquired about all kinds of things. They were generous with information. He asked what prospects there were for lodging. They told him that there was no place better than their father’s at Foss: “We have a sister who is so beautiful and gracious that no one can compare with her. We’ll see to it that you either win her in marriage or enjoy her as your mistress. We would like to invite you to take lodging with us.” The skipper thought this was an attractive offer, and told them that he would go with them. He told them about his mission in Iceland, and they thought this was a great plan; they all agreed to carry out the plot together. Some time later the skipper went to Foss. This was not at all to Holmkel’s liking, but that is the way things turned out. In time the skipper became friendly with Thorbjorg and he gave her many a precious object. On one occasion Hakon took up a conversation with Thorbjorg and her two sons. He inquired where the young woman the brothers had told him about lived: “I want to see her.” They said that she was being fostered by Olof at Ingjaldshvol. Hakon asked that she be brought home, “and I trust that you, Thorbjorg, and your sons will assist me for the sake of our friendship, so that I can have my way with her.” Shortly afterwards Thorbjorg got into a conversation with her husband Holmkel.

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“I want my daughter Ketilrid to come home to me,” she said. “I think it advisable for her to stay where she is,” said her husband. “That won’t do,” she said, “for I would sooner fetch her myself than for her to stay there any longer, subject to likely gossip because of Viglund. I would rather marry her to Hakon, since that seems to me an honourable match.” With this their conversation ended. Holmkel now realised that Thorbjorg would have Ketilrid fetched, and he pre­ ferred to get her himself. Subsequently he rode to Ingjaldshvol, where he was warmly welcomed. After he had arrived, Viglund went to Ketilrid and said, “Your father has come here. I realise that he intends to fetch you and take you home with him. He has the power to decide in this matter, but I want you, Ketilrid, to remember all we have said to each other. I know that I shall never stop loving you.” Ketilrid wept copiously and said, “I’ve known for a long time that we would nev­ er be able to enjoy our love in peace. I now think that it would have been better if we had talked less about this, for I am not at all sure that you love me more than I love you, even though I talk less about it than you. Now I realise that my mother’s plotting is at the bottom of this. For a long time now I have received little love from her, and if she is in charge, it is most likely that our joyous time together has come to an end. In spite of everything, I would be satisfied if I knew that things were go­ ing well for you. Either we shall never be able to enjoy our love, or my father will have to find a way to help us, but he has his hands full if my brothers and mother are involved, since they will do anything to oppose me. But don’t let on how you are taking this.” Viglund then approached her and kissed her. It was obvious that she, and in fact both of them, took the parting at this time much to heart. Viglund spoke this verse: 3.

I’ll never love on earth a young valkyrie o f silk - men will not observe this other than you, woman. Fair maiden, mind the oaths and vows made long ago; though an arrogant woman is eager to destroy us.

valkyrie of silk woman

Ketilrid then went inside to look for her father. He informed her that she was to go home with him. Ketilrid said that he was the one to decide, “but I think it’s good to be here.” “I know that,” he said, “but that’s the way it will have to be.” Everyone was unhappy at having to part with Ketilrid, because they were all fond of her. Father and daughter now rode home to Foss, and when Ketilrid arrived, the

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skipper was pleased and happy. Her mother Thorbjorg ordered her to serve Hakon, but she did not want to do this at all. She told her father about it in tears, but he said, “You don't have to wait on Hakon unless you want to, and you only have to do what you yourself want. Just stay close to me night and day.” She said that she would gladly do so. This went on for a time, and Hakon never got a chance to talk to her. The games now started up on Esjutjorn and the people from Foss headed A V there to have some fun. When the men came home from the games on the first day, Ketilrid asked whether people had not come from Ingjaldshvol. She was told that all of them had come, the father and his sons, as well as Olof and her daughter Helga. The next day Ketilrid asked her father for permission to go to the games. He granted it, and that day they all went together. Everyone was very happy because the sons of Thorgrim, Viglund and Trausti, had come, but nobody else from Ingj­ aldshvol. The two brothers went over to the slope where the women were sitting. Ketilrid stood up and greeted them warmly. Then they sat down, with Viglund and Trausti on either side of her. Ketilrid then said, uNow I'm going to act equally affectionately towards each of you and give everyone a show.” All this time Ketilrid was looking at Viglund, and she said, “I am now going to lengthen your name and call you Viglund the Handsome. Here is a ring I want to give you. My father gave it to me when I cut my first tooth, and 1 want to give it to you as a token of your new name.” Viglund accepted the ring and put it on his hand. In exchange he gave her the ring his father had received from King Harald, called Harald's-Gift, which his father had given him. They talked together for a long time, and when the men from Foss saw this, they were most displeased. Each group then went home. That evening Hakon went to talk to Thorbjorg. He asked her not to let her daughter go along to any social gatherings “considering the frame of mind she is in.” Thorbjorg agreed. She told her husband Holmkel not to let Ketilrid go along to any more games, but rather to have her stay at home. He did as she said, but as a result Ketilrid became very downcast. Her father told her that he would stay home with her if that would make her feel better, and she said that she wanted him to do so. The men now continued going to the games and each group, those from Foss and the sons of Thorgrim, were on opposing teams. On one occasion it happened that Viglund knocked the ball past Jokul. He got angry, and when he reached the ball, he struck Viglund’s face so hard with it that his eyebrow split open. Trausti tore a piece off his shirt and wound it around Viglund’s brow. When that occurred, the brothers from Foss had already gone home.

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Viglund and Trausti went home and when they walked into the main room Thorgrim was sitting on the cross-bench, and he said, “Welcome back, my son and daughter.” “Which one of us are you calling a woman, father?” asked Trausti. “It seems to me,” said Thorgrim, “that the one with the headgear must be the woman.” “I’m not a woman,” said Viglund, “even though it may seem that I’m not far from being one.” “Why didn’t you avenge yourself on Jokul when he struck you?” “They were gone,” said Trausti, “by the time I had bandaged Viglund’s fore­ head.” At this point their conversation died down. The next day the two brothers went to the game, and when it was least expected, Viglund struck Jokul’s eyebrow with the ball so that it split open. Jokul sought to strike Viglund with the bat, but he ducked, and instead knocked Jokul down onto the ice so that he lost consciousness. The men separated them and each side went home. Jokul was not able to get on a horse by himself and he was carried home on a make-shift litter. He recovered quickly. The games began again at Foss, and Thorgrim’s sons prepared to go. Thorgrim tried to dissuade them from going by saying that nothing but trouble would result, but they went nonetheless. When they walked into the main room at Foss, the game had already begun. Everyone was seated,, and Viglund went to the cross-bench where Holmkel and his daughter were sitting. Ketilrid greeted Viglund joyfully. He pulled her out of her seat, sat down himself, and then put her on his lap. When Holmkel saw this, he moved aside, making room, and Ketilrid sat down between them. They then started talking. Holmkel had a game board fetched for them and they played the entire day. Hakon hated the brothers, and he had often approached Holmkel that winter about giving him his daughter Ketilrid in marriage. But Holmkel always answered the same way - that he would not do so. The day passed until it was time for the broth­ ers to go home. When they had come out into the yard, Ketilrid was also there, and she asked the brothers not to go home that evening, “because I know,” she said, “that my broth­ ers will be waiting to ambush you.” Viglund said that they would nonetheless leave as he had planned, and that is what they did. Each brother was carrying his axe in his hand. When they came to one of the haystacks, they saw that twelve men from Foss had assembled there. Jokul then said, “It’s a good thing we have met, Viglund. You’ll now be repaid for having struck me with a ball and making me fall down.” “I can’t blame you for that,” said Viglund. The people from Foss then attacked the two brothers, but they defended them­ selves well. Viglund had not fought long before he killed one man, and then anoth­ er. In the meantime Trausti had killed the third.

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Jokul then said, “Let’s hold off now, but then blame the whole incident on the brothers.” That is what they did. Both sides then went home. Jokul told his father that Viglund and Trausti had killed three of his men, “but we did not want to take action against them until we had talked to you.” Holmkel was very angry when he heard the story. Jokul then egged his father on to marry Ketilrid to Hakon, and with the brothers’ insistence Holmkel gave Ketilrid in marriage to Hakon, but she did not give her consent to this. Hakon intended to settle down here in Iceland, since he realised that he had not managed to kill Thorgrim the Elegant. News of this now reached Ingjaldshvol, and Viglund was much taken aback at it. When Holmkel learned the truth about the brothers’ ambush, he realised that he had gone too far in marrying Ketilrid to Hakon. The sons of Thorgrim now frequented the games at Foss again, just as before, and Viglund got into conversation with Ketilrid and reproached her greatly for hav­ ing got married. When the brothers prepared to go home in the evening, Hakon and Holmkel’s sons had vanished and many men with them. Holmkel approached Viglund. “I don’t want the two of you to go home this evening,” he said, “because I don’t think Jokul and Einar’s doings are to be trusted.” Viglund said, however, that he would leave as he had intended. When Viglund and his brother came out of the door, Ketilrid was standing there, and she asked Viglund to go home by another way, one he had not taken before, rather than the usual one that he planned to take. “I’m not going to do something great just because you want me to,” he said, and he spoke this verse: 4. The spoiler o f battle trusted you, bearer of gold. I balked at believing you betrothed to another. No use to us now are our oaths and many kisses. Baffling is a woman’s mind. The woman broke her pledge

spoiler of battle: man bearer of gold: woman

“I don’t think that I have done that,” said Ketilrid, “and I don’t want you to leave now.” “That can’t be,” said Viglund, “for I am more inclined to meet up with Hakon so that the two of us can settle this between us, than for him to embrace you while 1 stand by watching,” and he spoke a verse:

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5. Like other men I must endure the Valkyrie’s fire - fate weighs heavy on me wielded by warriors.

Valkyrie’s fire: sword

It is better than to know another man, not I, can hold you, woman, clasped in his embrace.

They then went their way until they came to the haystacks where they had A w previously fought. Twelve men from Foss were there. Thorgrim’s sons climbed up onto the hay in the enclosure so that the others did not become aware of them until they had loosened a large, heavy piece of frozen turf. When the group from Foss saw Viglund and Trausti, they jumped up and attacked them, and a very fierce battle broke out. The people from Foss realised that as long as the two brothers were on top of the hay they could not attack them. Then Jokul said, “Now it’s advisable not to yield, Viglund, and we know as a matter of fact that you are not a real man unless you come down off the hay and fight till the end.” Egged on by Jokul, Viglund jumped down off the hay, as did his brother Trausti. A hard fight ensued and all of Hakon’s men were slain, so that only three men from Foss, Jokul, Einar, and Hakon, remained standing, and two other men, but they could no longer fight. Jokul said, “Now it’s time to fight manfully and win. Trausti will fight with Einar, and Viglund with Hakon, but Til sit and watch.” Trausti was both wounded and tired. They fought until each of them fell. Then Viglund and Hakon began to fight. Viglund was extremely tired but not wounded. Their struggle was hard and long because Hakon was both strong and courageous, while Viglund was strong and skilled with weapons and fierce. Their encounter ended when Hakon fell down dead, while Viglund was seriously wounded. Jokul then sprang to his feet. He was neither tired nor wounded, and he turned toward Viglund. They began to fight and their struggle was fierce and went on for a good part of the day, and it was impossible to guess who would win. Viglund real­ ised that he could not continue to fight against Jokul on account of his wounds and exhaustion. Therefore he threw up the shield and the axe, and since he could fight equally well with either hand he caught the shield with his right hand and the axe with the left. Jokul could not follow this manoeuvre and Viglund cut off his right arm all the way to the elbow. Jokul then got away. Viglund was not able to pursue him, and he reached for one of the many spears lying near him and hurled it after Jokul. The spear struck him between his shoulders and came out in front through the chest. Then Jokul fell down dead, but Viglund was by then so weakened by loss of blood that he fell down unconscious and lay there as though dead.

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The two men who were left of the men of Foss saw this. They mounted and rode back home to Foss and walked into the main room. Holmkel was sitting on the cross-bench with his daughter and wife on either side of him. They reported that Hakon, Jokul, and Einar, as well as seven others, were dead and that Viglund and Trausti had fallen as well. When Ketilrid heard this, she fell into a faint. When she came to, her mother Thorbjorg said, “Now you show what a loose woman you are and how much you loved Viglund. it’s a good thing that you had to part.” Holmkel said, “Why do you interpret Ketilrid’s fainting in this manner? She loved her brothers so much that she was no less affected when she heard that they had been slain.” “That may well be the case,” said Thorbjorg, “but that’s not what I think, and it’s time to round up the men and kill Thorgrim the Elegant and to avenge the deed as fiercely as possible.” “Is that really the best course of action?” said her husband. “It seems to me that he is innocent of the killing of our sons, while Viglund and Trausti could not do any more than lose their lives. What else could they do but defend them­ selves?” 4 * 7 While Viglund and Trausti were now lying among the slain, Viglund regained consciousness and looked for his brother and realised that he was still alive. He tried to help him right there because he did not trust his strength to carry him to shelter. Then he heard the sound of cracking ice; it was their father who had come by sled. He put Trausti on the sled and took him back to Ingjaldshvol, while Viglund rode alone. He put them into a cellar under the beds, and Olof was there to bind up their wounds. They stayed there in secret and recovered their health, but this took twelve months. Holmkel had a mound placed over his sons and the men who had been slain alongside them. That place has since then been called Kumlahaugar (Grave MoundJ. News of this travelled far, and everyone thought the news remarkable. Everyone believed it quite true that Viglund and Trausti had been killed. Holmkel and Thorgrim met, for this did not destroy their friendship. They agreed not to bring the case before the law courts. When Thorbjorg learned of this, she sent word to Einar from Lon, her father, to prosecute the case regarding the slaying of her sons and to seek full outlawry for Viglund and Trausti should they be alive. Even though Einar was old, he took on the case and prosecuted Thorgrim’s sons at the Thorsnes Assembly and had them sentenced to full outlawry. News of this now got back to the district. Hakon’s shipmates sailed away in the summer as soon as they were ready, and ar­ rived in Norway. They sought out Ketil and told him everything that had happened. He thought that it would be a while before there was an opportunity to take ven­ geance against Thorgrim and his sons. Ketil’s sons, Gunnlaug and Sigurd, had re­ cently returned from viking voyages. They were most renowned men. Gunnlaug the

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Boisterous had made a vow never to refuse a man passage if his life was at stake, while Sigurd the Wise, had vowed never to repay good with evil. Ketil now told his sons of the slaying of Hakon and asked them to go to Iceland to avenge his dishonour and to kill Thorgrim the Elegant. They were reluctant to do so, but finally went because of their father’s pleading. When they got out to sea, they encountered gales and tempestuous weather and they were tossed about at sea until the Winter Nights. They reached Snaefellsnes in a terrible fog and got ship­ wrecked off Ondvertnes. All the men made it to land, but they saved very few of their possessions. Thorgrim found out about the shipwreck and about the men involved. He rode to meet them and invited Gunnlaug and Sigurd and all their men to go home with him. They accepted the invitation and stayed there for the winter. Sigurd was quite taken by Helga even though he said little to her. They never realised that Viglund and Trausti were in hiding. One time Gunnlaug got into a conversation with his brother Sigurd, and this is what he said: “Should we not attempt to take vengeance on Thorgrim? I know that we have a very good chance to do so.” Sigurd said, “This would have been better left unsaid. I think it would be repay­ ing good with evil if I were to kill the man who has taken me in after the shipwreck and has treated me better with each passing day. I should rather defend him than do him evil if I had to choose.” They broke off their conversation and Gunnlaug never broached the matter again. The winter now passed and the brothers had their ship prepared, and when sum­ mer came they got ready to sail off. Some people said that things must have gone well between Helga and Sigurd, but the rumour did not really spread to the general populace. The story now returns to Earl Eirik. He grew elderly and died of old age. His son Sigmund inherited all his possessions, but King Harald did not bestow a title on him because the king nurtured ill-will against all of Thorgrinfs kinsmen on account of his friendship with Ketil. Helgi had married in Norway and his wife had died at this point in the story. He had only one daughter, whose name was Ragn­ hild, a most beautiful woman. Helgi was not happy in Norway and went to Iceland. He reached the East Fjords late in the period of the settlement of Iceland. He bought land in Gautavik from Gauti, who had settled on that land, and lived there until old age. Several persons will now be introduced. There was a man called Steinolf who lived in Hraunsdal. He had a son named Thorleif, a big and promising man. He asked for Ketilrid in marriage, but she did not want him. Thorleif talked a lot about this, saying that he was going to marry her even though she did not give her con­ sent. Thorbjorg was all in agreement with him.

B

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When the time came that Viglund and Trausti had quite recovered from their wounds, they asked their father Thorgrim what advice he might have for them. He answered: “I think it advisable for you to be taken on ship by the two broth­ ers, Gunnlaug and Sigurd. Ask Gunnlaug for passage to Norway and tell him that your lives are at stake, which is true, and keep your identity concealed. Gunnlaug will keep his oath and give you passage. Sigurd is quite a decent person and you will receive nothing but good from him. And you'll need it, because over there you're going to have to answer for me.” The matter was now settled. People say that Ketilrid was very depressed during the winter. Often she slept little and spent the nights awake in her sewing room. The very night before Viglund intended to board the ship the next day - Ketil's sons were now ready to sail - the two brothers went over to Foss and walked into the room where Ketilrid was sitting up awake, while her servant women were sleeping. She welcomed the two brothers warmly: “It's been a long time since we've met," she said, “and everything is all right again since you are well and in good shape.” The two brothers sat down beside her and talked with her for a long time. Vig­ lund now told her all his plans. She was pleased by this: “I think everything is fine,” she said, “if things are going well for you, no matter how things are going for me.” “Don't get married while I am away,” Viglund said. “My father will decide," said Ketilrid, “because 1 am not allowed to, and I do not want to go against his will. It may happen that I will be no happier than you if things turn out other than we want, but what will be, will be.” Viglund asked her to cut his hair and to wash it, and she did so. And when this had been done, Viglund spoke: “1 swear that no one but you will cut my hair or wash it as long as you are alive.” Then all of them went out together, and they parted in the hayfield. Viglund kissed Ketilrid, and she wept painfully; it was obvious that they took their parting much to heart, but that was the way it had to be. She then went back into her chamber, and the brothers went their way. However, Viglund spoke a verse before he and Ketilrid parted: 6. Pretty maiden, take my poem if it please you; delivered to delight you, brooch-bearer, now and then. When your eyes, Freyja, espy the islet garth, your mind will seek me, slender maid, each time.

brooch-bearer, woman islet garth: sea

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And when they had come a short distance from the farm, Viglund spoke this verse: 7.

We stood in the meadow. Then the noble maiden, blessed with beauteous hair, embraced me broken-hearted. Weeping tears, the woman expressed her grief and wishes; with a snow-white kerchief her fair white brow she wiped.

A little afterwards, when Ketilrid walked into her room, Holmkel came in and saw his daughter weeping copiously. He asked why she could not sleep, and she said, “Because I am remembering the slaying of my brothers.” “Do you want to have them avenged?” asked Holmkel. “That would be clear if I were a man with the power to act, but I am in fact a woman.” Her father said, “You may be sure, my daughter, that for your sake I have not moved against Viglund and Trausti even though I know that they are alive. Don’t conceal from me what you want done, since I intend to kill them when I can, if that is your will.” Then she responded: “They would no more be killed - if 1 had my way - than they would have been outlawed - if I had my way - and they would be given money for their journey - if I had it - and I would marry no man but Viglund - if I could choose.” At this Holmkel stood up and went out. He took his horse and rode after the brothers. When they saw him, Trausti said, “There goes Holmkel, and he is alone. There’s one way for you to get Ketilrid, but it is not advisable to kill Holmkel and carry off Ketilrid.” Viglund said, “Even if it were to happen that I should never see Ketilrid again, I would prefer that to doing Holmkel any harm, for I would be remembering but lit­ tle the loyalty he has shown me, considering the suffering for which he ought to re­ pay me; furthermore, Ketilrid is already suffering enough without having her father killed, someone who wants nothing but what is good for her.” “That’s the better thing,” said Trausti. “Now we are going to ride into the hayfield to make way for Holmkel,” said Vig­ lund. “That’s more respectful to him.” They did so. Holmkel now passed them but then turned around to go home. The brothers now returned to the path and saw a money pouch lying on the path and a golden ring along with a rune stick, on which the entire conversation between Ketilrid and Holmkel was inscribed and, furthermore, that she was giving Viglund this money.

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4 ^ The brothers then rode to the ship. Gunnlaug and his brother were ready to A y sail, and the wind was blowing off shore. Viglund called up to the ship and asked whether Gunnlaug was willing to give him passage to Norway. Gunnlaug asked who they were. One of them said that his name was Trouble-prone and the other one Problem-prone. Gunnlaug asked them the reason for their trip, and they said that their lives were at stake. He then told them to board the ship and they did so. They then hoisted the sails, and headed out to sea. When they had been sailing for a time, Gunnlaug asked the tall man why he was called Trouble-prone. “I call myself Trouble-prone," he said, “because I have more than enough troub­ les, but my real name is Viglund, and that is my brother Trausti; we are the sons of Thorgrim the Elegant.” At this Gunnlaug was silent, but then he said, “What should we do now, Sigurd, my brother; I think we now have to get ourselves out of a tight spot, since I know that our father Ketil will have them killed when they arrive in Norway.” Sigurd said, “You did not ask me about this when you let them come on board, but I recognised Viglund when I saw him, because of his sister. It seems to me that you are decisive enough not to let father have more power over them than you want. That way you can also best repay them for everything Thorgrim has done for us.” “Now that’s good advice,” said Gunnlaug. “We’ll do that.” They now got a good wind and reached Norway and went home to Romsdal. Ketil was not there. When he came home, his sons were in the main room, and the sons of Thorgrim sat between them. Altogether there were twenty-four people pres­ ent. They did not greet their father, and he sat down in his seat. He recognised his sons but not Thorgrim’s sons. He asked them why they had not greeted him, and who the strangers were. Sigurd said, “One of them is called Viglund, and the other Trausti; they are the sons of Thorgrim the Elegant.” Ketil spoke: “Stand up, men, and seize them. I only wish that Thorgrim the Ele­ gant were now here, and they could all share the same fate.” Sigurd the Wise answered: “There’s a great difference between Thorgrim the Ele­ gant and us, since he rescued us two brothers from a shipwreck, and he dealt with us all the better when we were completely at his mercy, but you now want to kill his sons without cause. We two and our companions would sooner wound you than have Thorgrim’s sons killed, because we are all going to meet the same fate.” Ketil said that it was unthinkable to attack one’s own sons. His anger then left him. Sigurd then spoke: “I suggest that my brother Gunnlaug arbitrate the whole af­ fair, since he has shown himself to be a just man.” Ketil said, “That is to be preferred rather than that we, father and sons, start quarrelling.” They agreed on this. Gunnlaug spoke: “I arbitrate that Thorgrim be given a legal right to Olof, but she

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will have to forgo her entire inheritance upon the death of her father Earl Thorir. My father will receive her inheritance instead, but my father will have to give his daughter Ingibjorg in marriage to Trausti Thorgrimsson, while Sigurd the Wise is to marry Helga, Thorgrim's daughter. This is my arbitration in the matter.” Everyone thought that this was well done and wise. Ketil was quite pleased with matters as they stood. They stayed there for the winter enjoying good hospitality. Trausti married Ingibjorg. In the summer the four foster-brothers went on warring expeditions. They were most renowned men, but Viglund was foremost by far. The next three winters they engaged in these warring expeditions. Viglund never looked as happy as formerly, however, because he could not get Ketilrid out of his thoughts. Now it is time to return to Holmkel who was at home at Foss. One day it happened that he rode over to Ingjaldshvol, and he and Thorgrim sat to­ gether all day in conversation, but no one knew what they were talking about. After that Holmkel went back home. Thorleif Steinolfsson continued wooing Ketilrid, but she was not quick to respond. A little while later Thorgrim sent three of his men on an errand, and they were gone for three weeks before they came home again. No one knew what mission they had undertaken. One day it happened that thirty men came to Foss. Holmkel asked their leader his name, and he responded that he was called Thord and had his home in the East Fjords. He said that he had come to ask for the hand of Ketilrid in marriage. The farmer went to discuss the matter with his daughter. She was asked what she thought and she reacted negatively to this. She thought the man was old and said that she did not have a mind to marry in any case. Thorbjorg was very anxious for the marriage contract to be made and the matter ended with Holmkel marrying his daughter to Thord, whether she liked it or not, and she left at once with Thord. The wedding was to take place in the East Fjords. Thord and Ketilrid did not stop until they arrived at his home in the East Fjords. Ketilrid took charge of everything, but people never saw her in a happy mood. Thord did not celebrate his wedding with her. The two lay together in one bed; one blanket covered them. This went on for a long time. Thorleif was displeased when Ketilrid was given away in marriage, but he did not think it possible to do anything about it, since she was so far away. Thord did everything he could for Ketilrid, but she did not appreciate it because of her love for Viglund, for in her breast she nourished the flames of a burning love for him. Viglund and the foster-brothers returned that summer from their warring exA peditions. Ketil welcomed them. One day when they were called together to get their hair washed, Viglund said, “Fm not going to have my hair washed nor have I had it washed since Ketilrid and I parted.”

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Then he spoke a verse: 8. The faithful linen-tree gently stroked my locks. Hence, I’m in no hurry to have another wash. Never shall another - though near to her in grace goddess of the bowl bathe me in my lifetime.

linen-tree, woman

goddess of the bowl: woman

Viglund refused to have his hair washed. They stayed there without stirring that winter, but in the summer they got ready to go to Iceland in their ships, and they set out to sea. Ketil’s sons arrived at the Hvita river and got lodging at Ingjaldshvol. They told Thorgrim about the settle­ ment of the case between him and Ketil, and also that Thorgrim’s sons were expect­ ed to arrive. Thorgrim was happy at the news. Viglund and Trausti sailed on until they saw the Snaefellsjokul glacier. Viglund then spoke a verse: 9.

Whenever with loving eyes I look upon the slope beneath which she dwells, my thoughts dart to her. Great is the mountain’s fame, the lace-goddess standing there endears to me the mount more than all the others.

lace-goddess: woman

And then he spoke another verse: 10. It’s light enough to look, bearer of herbs, on the heath. The sun sinks late over slopes, there where I seek to be. For her I love the slopes. Thus I am silent, woman. I must praise the fairest woman, who dwells beneath the hawk’s land.

bearer of herbs: woman

hawk's land: mountain

All at once such a strong wind blew from the headland that they were driven out to sea, where they got into a west wind. There was such a fierce storm that they had to keep baling water. One day Viglund was sitting on some cargo, and the weather was terribly stormy. He then spoke a verse:

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11. Ketilrid bade the young man not to cower in the deep, wildly though the waves crash, wash upon the ship’s prow. Take to heart the words - let’s be doughty, Trausti, though I am lashed by grief uttered by Ketilrid.

“That’s quite remarkable,” said Trausti, “the way you name Ketilrid both at the beginning and the end of your verse.” “You really think so, kinsman?” said Viglund. They were out at sea for fifty days and with difficulty made land at Gautavik in the East Fjords. Then Viglund said, “It seems best to me, brother, since we are in trouble with a number of people, that you call yourself Hrafn and I’ll say I’m Orn.” The farmer from Gautavik came to the ship. The two brothers welcomed him and asked him to take from the cargo whatever he wanted. The farmer said that he had a young wife - “She can come to the ship and choose from your wares whatever she wants.” The farmer then rode home, and the lady of the house came in the morning. She recognised Viglund as soon as she saw him, but reacted little. Viglund, however, was quite upset when he recognised her. She chose whatever she wanted from the wares; everything was at her disposal. The farmer had invited the two skippers to stay with him, and when they arrived, the farmer together with the lady of the house went to meet them. Then the farmer lost his footing because he was stiff with old age. The lady of the house said, but quite softly, “It’s a nuisance to be married to an old man.” “It was quite slippery,” said her husband. They were then taken into the house with great respect. Viglund did not think that Ketilrid would recognise him. Ketilrid then spoke a verse: 12. I see noble Viglund, decked in flood’s fire at evening, - strange that the seafarer should seek me - and Trausti. The slim perch of gold-lace is given to another. Older than her husband no man is here on earth.

flood’s fire: gold

perch of gold-lace, woman

They now stayed there for the winter, and Viglund was most unhappy, but

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Trausti was as cheerful as could be; the farmer, too, was most cheerful and treated his guests warmly. They say that Ketilrid wore a veil in front of her face, since she did not want Viglund to recognise her, for it would not have been advisable if he had done so. It happened one day that Ketilrid was outside. She was very warm. She had just taken the veil off her face when Viglund walked out and saw her face clearly. He was very upset and turned as red as blood. Thereupon he went back into the main room, where Trausti was, and his brother asked him what was the matter with him, or what it was he had seen that had made him so upset. In response Viglund spoke this verse: 13. Never have I looked into fairer eyes of dragon’s lair - I would not tell a lie since we two went our way. Til cut off the craven’s head who caresses the maid; - from him I earned harshness, but from the gold spangle, grief.

dragon 's lair,

gold; its eyes: beautiful eyes

g o ld spangle,

woman

From that time on Ketilrid never again wore the veil before her face, now that she knew that Viglund had recognised her. Trausti answered his brother: “It would be most inadvisable to harm her hus­ band, considering how well he has treated us. It will be our misfortune if you kill her husband without cause. You should forget it,” and he spoke a verse: 14. You’ll never, breaker of rings, win the maid in wedlock, if you harm the good ruler of Fafnir’s great realm. Dealing blows with weapons does not solve dilemmas. We two brothers must behave beyond blame and reproach.

brea k er o f rings:

Fafnir's realm :

man

gold; its ruler, generous man

The evening now passed and people went to bed. During the night Viglund got up and went to the bed where the farmer and his wife slept. There was a light high up in the hall so that one could see everything above, but below it was dark. Vig­ lund raised the bed-curtains and saw that Ketilrid was turned toward the wall but her husband toward the bed-board, and he had laid his head as best he could on the board. Viglund was going to draw his sword, but at this moment Trausti came up and said: “Take care not to carry out so heinous a deed as to kill a sleeping man,” said

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Trausti. “Don’t let anyone catch on that you yearn for this woman. Behave like a man.” Trausti then spoke a verse: 15. Recall, my friend, the maid who robs you of good cheer; mark here the man of honour, I say with happy mien. Don’t have it prattled - though a perch of splendid silk deprives you of your joy around to everyone.

perch o f sp le n d id s ilk

woman

Viglund then calmed down. He nonetheless wondered why there was such a big space between the two in bed. The brothers then went to bed, but Viglund slept lit­ tle that night. The next morning Viglund was most dejected, but the farmer was very cheerful and asked Viglund why he was so unhappy. Viglund, whose name everyone thought was Orn, then spoke a verse: 16. Bright with hand’s icy silver she has bereft me of my bliss, I’m cast into the currents of a cursed sea of woe. Never will the young maid, - no matter my resolve your wife, wounding me sore, depart from my thoughts.

b rig h t w ith: a d o r n e d w ith

“That may very well be,” said her husband. “I think it would be a good idea if we amused ourselves by playing a board game.” And that was what they did. Orn paid little attention to the board game, because his mind was only on the lady of the house, so that he was checkmated. At this the lady of the house came into the main room and looked at the board; she spoke this half-stanza: 17.

You, generous man, should merrily move your piece - a woman’s word to the wise to another square.

Her husband looked at her and said: 18. Still contrary to me is the necklace-goddess.

necklace-goddess:

woman

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Wealth-Balder needs repay you nothing save old age alone.

Wealth-Balder (god): man

Orn then played as he was told to do, and the game was a draw. The lady of the house and Orn spoke little to each other. One time the two of them found themselves outside alone. They exchanged a few words but did not speak long. Orn then went to see the farmer. He was glad to see the skipper. Orn then spoke a verse: 19. Won’t you keep a watch, friend, on your fair young wife; do not let the goddess o f the fire cause me grief. If often we meet outside, who knows to which o f us the valkyrie o f gold will prove to be disposed?

goddess of the fire, woman

valkyrie of gold: woman

And then he spoke another: 20 . Never, war-like Viglund, do I want to bear the blame o f yearning so for a woman as to steal another’s wife. Though should the maiden meet me by cover of dark, I will not swear to you I’ll not seek that sweet embrace.

war-like, a play on the literal meaning of Vig-lund

The farmer said that things would turn out well, even though she was in charge. They broke off their conversation. The farmer outdid himself in doing kind things for the skipper, but it was of no avail. He was such an unhappy man that he never spoke a cheerful word. His broth­ er Trausti thought that was a great shame, and he often spoke to him about this, and said that he should stop thinking about it and get himself a wife. But Orn said that it would not happen - “I will never love another one like her. 1 can’t keep on like this.” He then spoke a verse: 21. I love another’s lady, though on a fair oaken keel I seek the distant seas; some won’t think me manly.

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I can not imagine another woman ever would be to me so dear. The winds bear me from peril.

“That may well be,” said Hrafn. They then went into the main room. The farmer was sitting there with his wife on his lap. He had his arms around her. Orn saw that she was not very happy about this. She then slid off his lap and sat down on the bench and cried. Orn went over and sat down beside her, and they talked for a while in a rather low tone of voice. Then he spoke a verse: 22. I wouldn’t ever want, radiant bride, to see you, linen-decked, a dotard’s doddering paws around you. It’s I should stretch my arms, woman, as I would wish, bright source of arm’s fire, on shore around you.

arm’s fire, gold; its bright source, bejewelled woman

“We have no certainty that this will ever be,” said the lady of the house. She got up then and went away. The farmer was again most cheerful and spoke: “Skipper Orn, I would now like you to take care of my farm and whatever else concerns me, because I have decided to take a trip. At the shortest, I’ll be gone for a month. I trust you more than any­ one else with everything that is of greatest concern to me.” Orn did not react to this. The farmer then departed together with fourteen men. Orn spoke to his brother: “I think that we should leave, so that we are not here while the farmer is away, because otherwise people will think that I am seduc­ ing his wife, Ketilrid. Besides, there’s quite a difference in character between the farmer and me.” They then rode off and stayed with some of their customers until the farmer re­ turned at the appointed time. Now he had an even larger company of men. Thorgrim the Elegant and his wife Olof had come with him, as had their daughter Helga and Sigurd the Wise, and the latter’s brother Gunnlaug as well as Holmkel from Foss. There were fifty of them altogether, and now the skippers Viglund and Trausti also returned. Ketilrid had prepared everything as her husband had asked her to. He now intended to celebrate his wedding. When they were all sitting in the main room, the farmer stood up and said, “It has now turned out that you, Skipper Orn, as well as your brother Trausti, have been here all winter. I know that your real name is Viglund and your brother is Trausti,

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and you are the sons of Thorgrim the Elegant. I also know how much you love Ketilrid. I have given you many tests of character and you have passed them all; at the same time your brother has made sure that you did not do anything dishon­ ourable, but the whole time I really was the one controlling things. I shall not con­ ceal from you any longer that I am Helgi; I am the son of Earl Eirik and I am your father’s brother. I asked for Ketilrid in marriage in order to be able to save her for you, and 1 have not taken advantage of her. Ketilrid has borne all this well and in womanly fashion, for 1 and your father kept her completely in the dark. Further­ more, we have never slept together in the sheets because a bed-board separated us, even though we shared one coverlet. I hardly think that she considered it an ordeal or a punishment not to have relations with anyone as long as she knew you were alive. All of this was Holmkel’s plan and now I think it advisable for you to make peace with him and to ask for the hand of his daughter in marriage. He will reach a settlement with you, since he has dealt with you even better and more nobly in the past.” Viglund then walked over to Holmkel; he knelt down and placed his head on Holmkel’s knees, and asked him to do with him as he wished. Holmkel answered as follows: “Better that your head stay on your neck, for that would please my daughter Ketilrid more. You and I shall certainly make peace.” Then Holmkel bestowed his daughter Ketilrid on Viglund, and Thorgrim gave his daughter Helga to Sigurd the Wise, while Helgi gave his daughter Ragnhild to Gunnlaug the Boisterous. The weddings were celebrated together, and then every­ one went to his own home. Viglund and Ketilrid were very content with their lot, and they lived at Foss after the death of Ketilrid’s father Holmkel, while Trausti stayed on at Ingjaldshvol after the death of his father Thorgrim; but Gunnlaug and Sigurd went abroad and settled in Norway. Here ends this saga. If the story has been a pleasure, it’s God who has sent us this treasure. The tale has now come to an end, into the world God will us send. And if others with these stories you wish to regale, you must not too long hold back with the tale.

Thanks be to the one who composed the stories and wrote them down. Amen. T ra n s la te d b y M A R IA N N E K A L IN K E

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THE TALE OF THE CAIRN-DWELLER (Kumlbúa þáttur)1 Thorstein Thorvardsson, the brother-in-law of Abbot Thorfmn, was married to Helga Thorgeirsdottir, Abbot Thorfinn’s sister. He seduced Steinvor, Hoskuld Magsefni’s wife, and she had a child by him. While Thorstein was in the middle of these difficulties, it happened once that he saw something strange while he was walking home late in the evening. He went into a small valley, and there he found a cairn containing a man’s grave. He felt down inside it underneath his feet and discovered a skeleton and a sword lying next to it. Thorstein took the sword with him, intending to come back in the morning. After night mass, Thorstein went to bed together with his wife, who slept next to him; he soon fell asleep. Then he dreamt that a big man came to him with a large, inlaid axe in his hand. The man was handsome. This man threatened Thorstein in no uncertain terms, warning him to return his sword, and said that such an act was unacceptable. Thorstein was rather frightened by the man’s threats, and he began to toss and turn in his sleep. His wife woke him and asked what the matter was, but he did not want to tell her, and he immediately went back to sleep. The same man came to him and spoke this verse: 1.

With a spear-board’s wielder blades I used to bloody, and test them in the tempest o f swords and shields for keenness. The tally o f the fallen grew then. I’m still ready, even now, my namesake, to play this game with you, too.

spear-board: shield

tempest of swords and shields: battle

Then Thorstein answered the dream-man by speaking this verse: 2. Wherever scabbard-serpents surface in a skirmish, blood I’ll dare to draw, redden deadly weapons. Bravely I have carved up bloody eagle-fodder. Raider, I’ll repay you blow for blow in battle.

scabbard-serpents: swords

Then the cairn-dweller answered and said, “Thorstein, you have done just the right thing; nothing else would have been appropriate.” 1 Translated from Islendinga sögur. 15 The Com plete Sagas o f Icelanders II

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Then Helga woke Thorstein and asked why he was tossing and turning, but he did not want to tell her. Soon afterwards it began to get light. Later Thorstein got out of bed and set out for the place where he thought the cairn was; but he never found it again, though he often looked for it. When he came home, he told his wife and other people what had happened. This was at Hamarland, east of Stad on Reykjanes, out in Breidafjord. Translated by MARVIN TAYLOR

THE TALE OF THE MOUNTAIN-DWELLER (Bergbúa þáttur)1 There is a fjord called Djupifjord, which branches out from Kollafjord. A man called Thord lived in this fjord to the west of Hallsteinsnes, which is named after the Hallstein who owned the slaves called the Hallstein slaves. Thord was at that time in the prime of his life and a man of some means. It happened one winter that Thord wanted to go to mass on a certain holiday, and he told his farmhand to accompany him. The church was far away, the greater part of a day’s journey, so they set out early. They continued until the sun started to go down; then a heavy snowstorm began. Thord said that they had lost their way and that he did not want to travel by night; moreover, he said, they had only cov­ ered a small part of the distance so far. “In the dark I think we would run the risk of going over a cliff.” Then they looked for shelter and went under a steep bluff where no snow lay. Finally they found the mouth of a cave there, which Thord had not expected. In the entrance to the cave Thord traced the mark of the cross with a steel point that he had in his hand. Then they went in and sat down on two stones near the cave en­ trance, for they did not want to go further inside. But during the first third of the night they heard something moving inside along the cave passage and coming out toward them. Thord’s farmhand was frightened and ran out, but Thord told him to sit still “and we ought to pray, because if you run out during the night things can appear different from the way they really are, and then it is possible to lose your way.” Then they crossed themselves and prayed to God for help, because they thought that whatever was making the noise would be something to be reckoned with, and then they happened to glance into the darkness. They saw something that looked to them like two full moons or large round shields, and the space between them was none too small. They had to draw the conclusion that those were two eyes; whoever was carrying those “lamps” cannot have had a very narrow face. Suddenly they heard a frightening recitation in a loud voice. A poem began, a flokk of twelve stan­ zas, and the speaker always repeated the last line. 1 Translated from Islendinga sögur.

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1. Stones fly at the giant’s step, steep cliffs tilt and teeter; little peace is to be found in the tall heath-Fenrir’s hall. Round the high crags hastens the hoary one; echoes roar: Hallmund, through the rocks resounding, treads loudly, resounding, treads loudly.1

heath-F enrir.

giant

2. Dark flames drive and spit, split the mountain ridge, harshly rumble round the swarthy treasure-strewer. Embers shoot, I say, rushing, black, straight upward. Round Hrungnir’s hall is heard the roaring o f the spark-storm, the roaring o f the spark-storm.

treasu re-strew er.

man (i.e. giant)

H ru n g n ir’s hall:

mountain

3. Then the arm-blaze bearers bathe in scathing water; none too cool, the currents that come upon the people. They know that river rises in the clay-folk’s nation; flames could do no worse hurt to unsuspecting men, to unsuspecting men.

arm-blaze, gold; its bearers: men

clay-folk giants

4. Crags and boulders burst, bringing death to many; tremors rack the rockscape, resounding in the mountains. Thund’s hall echoes also: I’ve stamped across a stream bed, but others, too, are helping, quickening the quaking, quickening the quaking.

T hu n d's

(god’s)

hall:

valley

5. The Earth-neck’s raging streams rush in heavy rubble.

E arth-neck,

1 An echo of verse 46 in the Saga o f Grettir the Strong.

mountains

446

One marvel more for men: to learn o f glaciers burning. But the oak of battle knows an older wonder; greater far, its traces will always stand in Snow-land, always stand in Snow-land.

T H E C O M P L E T E SAGAS O F IC ELA N D ER S

o a k o f battle: m a n

S n o w -la n d : Ic e la n d

6. Dim cliffs break; the flame-tongues blaze at faster paces. From the ground begins a strange new clay to flow. The heavens crack and split; giants come to life. Twilight comes from torrents, till the world’s extinguished, till the world’s extinguished. 7. Peak to peak I stride between first light and sunset. Northwards I go farthest, down along the Hel-road. I’ll fight any giant. Let him fear my coming, the swarthy mountain-warden, in Elivogar’s waters, in Elivogar’s waters!

m o u n ta in -w a r d e n : g ia n t

8.

In the world o f darkness we gathered, all together. I made sure the cave held, gave us sanctuary. This fire would have hurt me, heated me completely, though I can withstand a fair amount o f fir-bane, a fair amount of fir-bane.

fir-b a n e , fire

9. They brought him from the slaughter, the hoary-bearded giant, chief o f Hrimnir’s kin; eagles are arriving. And I sent to Aurnir a sturdy boat of stone. Iron-braced it was,

H r im n ir ’s kin: g ia n ts

A u rn ir. a g ia n t

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with ornamented bowsprit, with ornamented bowsprit. 10. Harm is done by Thor. A warning often heard is: vex him, you regret it. The glacier-kindler’s killed. Fewer are the rock-folk. My spirits sink - with reason on my way earth-inward to black Surfs conflagration, to black Surfs conflagration.

rock-folk: giants

Surt god of fire

11. World to world, like snowfall I fly, the air is ashen. Thick rocks crack. Thor’s moving; only he could cause this. Sorrow’s broadly written beneath the stone-elf s brow, my brow, when I travel; my sturdy eye-shields tremble, my sturdy eye-shields tremble.

stone-elf. giant eye-shields: eyelids

12.

Alone in stony home I live, without a visit. I never was adept at entertaining humans. Learn by heart this flokk, fighters! If you fail, punishment you’ll suffer. Aumir’s well is dry now, Aumir’s well is dry now.

Aurnirs well: source of the “mead of poetry”

This happened to them three times, and the poem was recited in each third of the night, and they always saw the moons during the recitations, but not at other times. But when the poem ended the third time, everything disappeared from them deeper into the cave, for they saw that daylight had come; and they hurried out of the cave. But before they went away, Thord drew his foot over the cross mark that he had made in the cave entrance. Then they set out and came to the church, and mass was over. Then they set out for home, and came across the place where they thought they had spent the night, and they found no cave there; this seemed very strange to them. Then they went home. Thord remembered all of the flokk, but the farmhand did not remember a word of it. In the following year Thord moved his farm closer to the church, and exactly one year later the farmhand who had accompanied Thord died. But Thord lived for a

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long time after that, and nothing more peculiar ever happened to him; though this event was peculiar enough. Translated by MARVIN TAYLOR

STAR-ODDI’S DREAM (Stjörnu-Odda draumur)1 There was a man called Thord, who lived on the farm Muli in the North, in Reykjadal. A man named Oddi Helgason, who was called Star-Oddi, was part of the household there. Oddi was so skilled in calendar calculation that in his day no one else in all of Iceland was his equal, and he was knowledgeable about many oth­ er things as well. He was not a poet, nor did he recite much poetry. About his ad­ vice it was said that he never lied if he knew the truth, and in general he was held to be honest, upright, and very trustworthy. He was a man of small means and not a particularly good worker. There is a strange story to tell about what happened to this man, Oddi, when his master Thord sent him on a fishing expedition to the island of Flatey. The men’s journey out was uneventful, and they received a hospitable welcome on the island, though it is not recorded who lived there. In the evening, when everyone went to bed, Oddi was treated courteously and made comfortable. Since Oddi was travel weary and comfortably settled, he fell asleep quickly, and he began immediately to dream that he was home at Muli. He dreamt that a guest had arrived, that it was evening, and that people were going to bed. The guest was asked to entertain the others, and he started to tell a saga, which began like this.

1

Hrodbjart was the name of a king who ruled Gotland in the East. He was mar­ ried, and his wife’s name was Hildigunn. Their only child was a son, Geirvid. He was promising, intelligent, and more mature than other boys of his age, but he was still a child at the time of this story. King Hrodbjart had appointed a certain Earl Hjorvard as governor over onethird of his kingdom. Hjorvard was married, too, and Hjorgunn was the name of his wife. Their only child was a daughter, Hlegunn. It is said that she was a difficult child, and her disposition only grew worse as she grew older. It is also said that she had no intention of cultivating ladylike pastimes. It was her habit always to wear battle clothes and carry weapons, and those who crossed her path ended up seri­ ously wounded or dead if she was displeased. Earl Hjorvard, her father, thought that her difficult disposition was unseemly enough without such acts of belligerence, and he told her clearly that hé would not put up with any more of it. He said it would not do unless her behaviour improved - ‘‘Otherwise, leave my followers at once!”

S

1 F ro m A M 555h 4to. T ranslated fro m tslendinga sögur.

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When Hlegunn heard this, that her father wanted to expel her from his follow­ ing, she answered that she would not remain there any longer, and asked her father to give her three longships fully equipped with men and battle gear; everything should be of high quality, and there should be as many troops as she thought ap­ propriate. If this was done as requested, she said, then she would be happy to leave home. Earl Hjorvard was willing to grant her wish so that she would leave as soon as possible, for he thought, correctly, that her conduct was to be the cause of great trouble. He then had three longships outfitted with the best men and equipment. And when they were ready, Hlegunn sailed away with her men, began to carry out viking raids on land and sea, and won fame and fortune. It is said that she did not return as long as her father lived. Now the story continues at another place. When Geirvid, King Hrodbjart’s son, was eight years old, King Hrodbjart took ill. There is little to tell, for the upshot of the illness was that the king died. It seemed to his friends and companions a great loss, which it was, to lose such a ruler, and all their countrymen agreed. Then a banquet was prepared, to which the most powerful men and the noblest princes in the land were invited. In addition, an invitation was extended to anyone, inside or outside the country, who wanted to attend, so that no one should come uninvited. When the banquet was held, with this multitude of guests in attendance, a toast was drunk to King Hrodbjarf s memory with great reverence and honour, as befitted his rank and worth. After the toast, the king was interred in a mound according to the old tradition then current among the nobility. After this momentous event which had taken place in the land, all the wisest men and closest friends of the king decided to take another man as king and re­ gent in place of the ruler they had lost. But the affection felt towards King Hrod­ bjart by all his countrymen while he lived had been so strong that people now wanted to have none other than Geirvid, his son, as king, so as not to let the kingship go out of his lineage. Although Geirvid was young and seemed unsuited to ruling a country as yet, the populace was ready to take the risk under the super­ vision of the queen, his mother, for she was a very wise woman and capable in all things. But after this plan had been followed for a while, that such a young man as Geirvid should be king and rule a great people, the government quickly weakened, as could be expected. The court grew smaller as well, because there were many of the king’s followers who sought other occupations. Some went on viking raids, oth­ ers travelled to different countries to trade. Now although the things mentioned here seemed a great misfortune, many further difficulties were to arise in the realm of this young king. It is told in the saga that two outlaws had their camp in the forest Joruskog (Strifewood), which was in the young king’s realm. These vikings killed men for their money and were practically berserks. One of them was named Garp, the other Gny. It is said that people were careful never to travel except in large numbers.

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Again and again, expeditions were organised to enter the forest, find the outlaws, and do away with them, but they were never found, no matter how large the search party. So it went until King Geirvid was twelve. When he reached this age, he had attained the bodily stature and physical strength of many of the best and most capable men of full age and achievement. It happened once, as King Geirvid was sitting at table with all his men, that he spoke as follows: “It is well known to you, all my subjects, that I have been a boy up to now. I have had little strength and have provided the land with little governance. I have often heard this said, as one might expect. And it is no great surprise that I have provided the land with little governance, because of my age. But now I am old enough that it is time to try myself and find out whether my rule is going to grow and prosper, now that I am twelve years of age. Few people are more mature at my age than I am now. I wish to make known to you all, my subjects and friends, that I intend to go and fight the berserks Garp and Gny, who are lying out in Joruskog and committing so many misdeeds there. My intention is also not to return as long as they remain alive; either I shall destroy them, or they me.” When King Geirvid had finished speaking, the first to respond to his speech was his mother the queen, and with her all his best men. They spoke almost with one voice and asked the king to ride against the robbers with a large party and well equipped, if he wanted to go. King Geirvid answered, “I had thought this matter over to myself for some time before announcing it, and it seems to me that there would be no honour to be gained by the expedition - even if 1 defeated the berserks - if I searched for them with a large, well-armed troop. And it would be dishonourable if they were not found and I returned empty-handed; it would be a disgrace on my part if that hap­ pened. I plan to ride against the outlaws with one other man, so that fate will de­ cide how the four of us part company; it may be that the expedition will prove an honourable one. This is the plan that shall be followed, however it turns out. The reason I have laid this matter before you is that I want to know who is the most willing to undertake this journey with me. Whoever wants to take the chance, now is the time for him to be alert and to answer me, for you should know that for me the matter is settled: I shall go on this expedition even if no one accompanies me and I must go alone.” After this response of the king’s, it is said that the queen herself was the first to advise him in no uncertain terms against the expedition, which she said was very poorly planned (which it was), since the outlaws were very dangerous characters; and especially considering how much was at stake in the person of the king, since everyone thought it certain that he would end up with the short end of the stick, if things happened as one might expect given the king’s tender age and the toughness of the berserks. All the king’s friends tried vehemently to discourage him from the trip; they thought him as good as dead if he should take only one other man. The king answered that it was no use trying to dissuade him. And when everyone had

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understood that the king would not let himself be swayed, a man named Dagfinn spoke up; he was one of the king’s followers and the king’s poet. “My lord,” he said, “I know of no man who has more honour to repay you than I have. And the more danger you are in, the more I am bound never to leave your side, if you are willing to accept my company and service. I am ready for the trip whenever you wish.” Now when this man, Dagfinn, was named in the saga, something very strange happened in Oddi’s dream: Oddi himself seemed to be Dagfinn, while the guest, the man who told the saga, is now out of the saga and out of the dream, and it seemed to Oddi that he himself saw and heard everything that came afterward in the dream. From here on, the dream must be told in the way that Oddi experienced it; he thought he was Dagfinn preparing to go on the trip with King Geirvid. When they were ready, they rode together with their weapons until they came to Joruskog, where they expected to find the outlaws. A wide road led through it, and when they had come deep into the forest on this road, it is said that they came to a very high hill, steep on all sides. They scaled the hill in order to look around and see whether they might spot anything. There was a great deal of gravel on the hill; from its vantage point, they could see far and wide. Then they noticed two men walking. They were both of great stature and were coming directly toward the hill on which the king and Dagfinn stood. Both of them were well armed. When the king and Dagfinn saw these men, they realised that they could be none other than Garp and Gny. Then Dagfinn said, “My lord, I want to let you know that I am not much used to fighting with weapons, nor am I very confident in either my valour or my fighting skills. Now I should like you to choose between two things: do you wish me to at­ tack the berserks with you, or shall I watch your encounter from the hill, so as to be able to tell others about it later?” The king answered, “If the answer is not obvious to you, then it is clearly best that you remain here on the hill, observe our encounter from here, and come no closer to the fighting than that.” Dagfinn took the advice that the king gave, stayed on the hill and came no closer, which seemed to him good advice indeed, while the king went down from the hill toward the robbers. It is not possible to report exactly how they traded blows, and I will make a long story short, for the outcome of the fight was that the outlaws’ luck ran out; the king was granted life and happiness, for he defeated both of them, and they died of the great wounds he inflicted on them. After the robbers had fallen, the king and Dagfinn went further along the road and came to a place where a small path led off from the main road into the forest. They had gone a short while along this path when suddenly a very large clearing appeared in the forest, and in it stood a house. It was a tall house, sturdily built, and tightly locked up; the key was concealed in the door-frame. They unlocked the door and went inside. The house was well furnished and full of all kinds of riches.

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They spent the night there, lacking neither good drink nor fine food, and in the morning they set out for home, having buried the outlaws. When the king returned to his kingdom, his fame spread far and wide on ac­ count of this feat of prowess and glorious triumph, and all the king’s friends and family rejoiced to see him when he arrived home after such a noble victory. People thought, correctly, that he had been more or less snatched from the jaws of death. After all this, the king ordered a meeting convened, and a multitude of people assembled for it. When the meeting was opened, the king reported the mo­ mentous news, and everyone thought it was a great honour, which it was, that King Geirvid had single-handedly defeated such formidable warriors. Then King Geirvid asked that people visit the house in which the robbers had stored their great booty and that each man take what he had lost. But all of them gave their money over to the king, saying that it was best taken care of in his hands and that he had fully earned it. The king then had the money removed from the house and took it into his possession. After this, the king ordered construction work to begin; workers built a mound for the king to sit on. Then the king was seated on the throne that stood on the mound, and people respected him even more than before and gave him valuable presents once again and honoured him, as far as they could afford to do so. It is mentioned that the idea came to Dagfinn the poet that no one was more obliged to honour the king with a poem than he was. Then Dagfinn went up to the king on the mound, fell on his knees before him, bowed and greeted him respect­ fully and told him that he had composed a poem about him and asked that he lis­ ten to it. The king was happy to do so. Then Dagfinn began to recite the poem, which was a flokk. When the poem was finished the king thanked him kindly, as did all others who had been present; they said that it was well composed and befitting the rank and worth of their king. And when the king heard that everyone praised the poem highly, he wanted to act magnanimously and give the poet a princely re­ ward, a heavy gold ring that he had on his arm. But Dagfinn did not want to accept the arm ring, and said that he was very eager to have the king’s honour and respect, but that there was no need for him to accept wealth from the king; he lacked nothing as long as the king himself was safe and sound - “but there are many others who look for wealth when they look to you.” The king was pleased with this.

5

The next thing to tell is that Hjorgunn, the wife of Earl Hjorvard, became dan­ gerously ill, and there is no need to waste words on the matter: the illness led to her death. Her funeral banquet was held, and she was borne out and honoured as was customary at that time for powerful women. The earl felt the death of his queen a great loss, as was to be expected, and he grieved greatly over her, as did many others.

Ó

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It was not long before his friends urged him to take another wife. He asked where they saw a match that would bring him honour. They advised him to ask for the hand of Queen Hildigunn; there would be great advancement for him in this mar­ riage, should his proposal be accepted. And after this idea had been presented to the earl repeatedly, he saw things the same way, for he was a wise man. Then he began his suit and asked for the hand of Queen Hildigunn in marriage. She was then no more than forty years of age and seemed to be an excellent match in every respect. And however long the matter was discussed, the result was that the queen was given to Earl Hjorvard in marriage with the blessing of the king, her son. Then a worthy banquet was held and the wedding of Earl Hjorvard and Queen Hildigunn was cele­ brated with great pomp and honour. After the banquet was over, everyone returned home. Soon, a great love blossomed between the two of them, and their married life was happy, and before long they had a daughter; she was named Hladreid. It is said that not long after Hladreid was born, the married life of the earl and the queen was interrupted by an illness which struck the earl, and the outcome of this illness was that he died. This seemed a great loss, as he had been a worthy ruler. After this, King Geirvid placed his own men over the kingdom that the earl had ruled, and took possession of it. This news travelled far and wide, as could be ex­ pected with the death of such a ruler. It so happened that Hlegunn, Earl Hjorvard’s daughter, heard the news that her father had died as she was on a raiding expedition making short work of a group of vikings. Her reaction to the news was that she directed her troop to Gotland and began to raid there, with the result that she soon conquered the kingdom her father had ruled. She then sent messengers to King Geirvid and asked them to tell him that either he should grant her half of his kingdom and of his authority to rule, or else prepare himself and his men to meet her in battle in the sound called Sildasund, and fate would determine on whose side victory and its spoils would fall. Now the messengers that Hlegunn had sent arrived; they were shield-maidens. They came to the king and presented their message to him. And when he heard Hlegunn’s ultimatum, he answered quickly, “The less equalthe choices, the easier the decision; 1 would much rather fight with her than give up my realm in the face of her aggression.” The messengers returned to Hlegunn and told her what they had learned, and she was extremely pleased with the results of their trip. Then Geirvid called up troops throughout his kingdom; every man was expected to go to battle who could bear a shield or wield a spear. It should be mentioned that along one side of the sound there was a promontory called Hofshofdi, and there all the king’s army was to assemble. When King Geirvid was ready, the people led him on board ship. Dagfinn the poet was with him. But as they were going down to the ships, something happened which is noteworthy, even though it might seem un­ important: Dagfinn’s shoelace loosened. He retied it, but then he awoke and was Oddi again, as could be expected, not Dagfinn.

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After this, Oddi went out and observed the stars, which he always had a habit of doing when they were visible, Then he thought of the dream and remembered everything in it except the poem that he seemed to have composed. He could re­ member only the verses written here: 1. In the East, in Joruskog, two brothers lived; they brimmed with hate. Many a time with murderous mind they ambushed travellers for their treasure. 2.

But the gloryready ruler’s heart was firm, wolves he fed. Battle-eager, both he killed, Garp and Gny, King Geirvid did.

3. Seeking justice, Hrodbjart’s son split the hoard, honoured the people, sons of men, with the money that the outlaws had amassed. 4.

Gift-rings gave the prince of Gauts, war-courageous, to kin of man, so his followers all acquired silver hangings for the hawk-seat. 5.

Dagfinn will in well-turned speech with words of praise now end his poem.

Gauts: i.e. people of Gotland

hawk-seat arm

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Wisely wield your land and honour, noble ruler of the race of Gauts!

After Oddi had been outside for as long as he wished to be, he went back to bed and fell asleep immediately, and he dreamt the same situation as before, the one he had awakened from. He seemed to have tied his shoelace and to be Dagfinn once again, hurrying to the ships. Then it seemed to him in the dream that he was to be helmsman of the ship. When they were ready, they sailed with the fleet until they came to the promontory, and there all King Geirvid’s army came togeth­ er and they put out into the Sildasund. It is said that the shield-maiden Hlegunn had also come and lay at anchor in the sound with her fleet of ships; she had a vast army ready for battle. Then each side drew its ships into position and attacked the other; the clashes were fierce, and there was soon the thickest of battles. Casualties were soon heavy on both sides, but it was not long before the losses began to eat into the king’s troop strength and his ships became much emptier. It is also mentioned that Hlegunn was not seen in the battle during the day, even though the kings men made every effort to find her, and this seemed strange. After this had gone on for the greater part of the day, Dagfinn drew on his skills for a special search, and then he saw Hlegunn; she had reached the king’s ship, and a great change had come over her. She seemed to have a huge, trollish she-wolfs head, with which she was biting the heads off the king’s men. When Dagfinn saw this monstrosity, he disembarked from the ship he was steer­ ing, which was far from King Geirvid’s flagship. Then he ran from one ship to the next until he came to the king’s, and when he came before the king, he told him the news, that amazing things were afoot. Then Dagfinn showed the king the place where Hlegunn was, so that he could see her; for her sorcery had made her in­ visible, and all that the king had been able to see was that his men were falling by the dozens. Dagfinn told the king to look under his left hand, and when he did this he was able to see Hlegunn. Then they both went afuto the sail. The king charged forth with drawn sword, and when he came in striking distance of Hlegunn, he hewed at her with the sword; the blow struck the neck and took off her head, which fell overboard. When Hlegunn had fallen, the king offered her men the choice of continuing battle with him or surrendering. They quickly chose to deliver themselves into the king’s power. And when King Geirvid departed from this battle, he placed all the land under his control and set governors over it, and in this way brought peace to the entire kingdom. Then the king returned home, and a sumptuous banquet was prepared in his honour. Then a meeting was convened, and it was very well attended. At the meet­ ing, King Geirvid was enthroned anew, elevated onto the same mound as before,

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and invested as king and regent of all Gotland. One prince after the other went up onto the mound to pay honour and tribute to the king, each according to his means. The idea came to Dagfinn the Poet that no one else had more honour to repay the king in all respects than he himself. He then went up onto the mound and greeted the king well and courteously. The king accepted his greeting gladly. Dagfinn let it be known to the king that he had composed a further poem in his hon­ our and asked him to listen to it, as he wanted to take this opportunity to recite the poem. The king answered that he should be pleased to listen to it. Then Dagfinn began to recite the poem that he seemed in the dream to have composed, which was a drapa of thirty stanzas. When the poem was finished, the king thanked Dagfinn very warmly and took a massive gold ring from his arm and gave it to him as re­ ward for his poetry. But Dagfinn did not want to accept the ring, saying that he had everything in abundance as long as the king was safe and sound, but King Geirvid gave Dagfinn to understand that he wanted to increase his honour more than that of anyone else in the kingdom. He offered to arrange a marriage for him, and said that whoever Dagfinn most wanted to marry of all the women in the land, the king would secure her hand as Dagfinn’s bride. Dagfinn was pleased with this offer, as could be expected, since the king was in­ tending to do him such great honour, and he answered, “If the promise you have made is truly to be fulfilled on your part, then there is no concealing the fact that what I most desire is that which it lies most of all in your power to grant.” The king asked, “Who is the woman you are speaking of?” Dagfinn answered, “It is Hladreid, your sister. She is the one woman whose hand I am most interested in winning; otherwise I do not think there will be any mar­ riage to arrange.” The king said that nothing should be withheld from Dagfinn which could in­ crease his honour. Princess Hladreid was then of marriageable age, though still very young, but the fairest and most beautiful of women and very capable in all things. However long the matter was discussed, the result was that Hladreid and Dagfinn were betrothed. Then the celebration was prepared, and the most elegant banquet was held with all the best appointments; nothing was lacking that one could have wished for. And the guests included the most prominent people in the land. There, the wedding was celebrated with great honour and elegance. And when the banquet was over, the guests returned home. Soon, a great love blossomed between Dagfinn and Hladreid, and their life together was very happy indeed. But after this prestigious marriage of Dagfinn’s, which was just described, the dream was finished, and Dagfinn, who was really Oddi, woke up. Oddi thought about his dream and remembered everything in it exactly, both the first part and the second part, and then he thought of the drapa that he seemed to have recited later in the dream. But he could not remember more of it than the eleven stanzas which are written here; this is the beginning:

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6.

Geirvid in the gale-wind urged through briny surges straight his ocean-chargers seaweed-draped and close-hauled. The doughty sailors headed in storm-force seas to Hofdi; over them groaned the sail-wall pressed hard against the yard-arm.

ocean-charger:

H o fd i :

ship

i.e. Hofshofdi

7.

Faster sped the foam-horse, furrowed lowering billows; hardy was the crew of comrades on that longship. There I saw them sailing on the splendid voyage. Glorious is their ruler, Geirvid, king of Gotland!

fo a m -h o rse:

ship

8.

We cruised off Hofshofdi, hardeners of battle, steered the royal fleet there, a good thing for the king’s men; until the first attack-step we took in Sildasund: victory-bound, the valiant vexed the enemy with spears.

hardeners o f battle:

warriors

9.

The warriors had waited, inpatient, at their stations, the breakers of the shining swords of shield-maids in the bay. The soldiers saw that here broad fleet-ranks lay at anchor. The king’s men donned their helmets, not deigning to defend. 10.

Soon the raiders rose up, rallied to the challenge, when Hlegunn’s anchor-stallions were spurred in battle-fury, and the prince’s friends went fierce into the foray. Glorious is their ruler, Geirvid, king of Gotland.

an chor-stallion:

ship

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11. And the high-born fighter, the helmeted commander, sped then with his strength the storm o f Hogni’s sunset. The sea turned dark with blood when bold the king's men batded; red mist sprayed to every side, it splashed in weapon-clashes.

HognVs (sea-king’s, or legendary hero’s) sunset shield; its storm: battle

12. Swords swooped there together in the offshore warring, when the king convened a parliament o f battle. Geirvid, the spear-wielder, spared none with his spear-throws; bloody was the blood-oar, jets of blood shot from it.

blood-oar. spear

13. The ruler’s army’s mettle made it take offensives; just such kings rejoice when joined by worthy nobles. Never I’ve heard spoken of braver war-manoeuvres. Glorious is their ruler, Geirvid, king of Gotland.

14. Here to crimes of Hlegunn gruesome I was witness; with a rabid wolf-snout raging, fierce, she rampaged. Churn I saw that troll-jaw, chewing human charnel; grim such mouth-knives’ biting, bitter those teeth’s slitting!

mouth-knives: teeth

15. One sea-ski to the next one over the water I waded till I trod the wave-horse with the king's war-mates, reported to the ruler how the sea-gleam's goddess scattered men in battle, how barbarous her warfare.

sea-ski: s h ip

wave-horse, ship

sea-gleam: gold; its goddess: woman

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16. The king looked at the lady, goddess o f the sea-light; I’d told that on her shoulders she bore a she-w olf s visage. The fierce and famous ruler found no mercy for her, but swept her from the sea-trunk, straight down to the flood-ground.

sea-light: gold; its goddess: woman

sea-trunk ship

This is the end of the dream that Star-Oddi dreamt, according to what he himself said. The story may seem strange or unusual, but most people think that Oddi must have told only what he actually seemed to experience in the dream, because he was considered both wise and truthful. Nor need it surprise anyone if the poetry is somewhat wooden, since it was composed in Oddi’s sleep. T ra n s la te d b y M A R V IN TAY LO R

THE TALE OF THIDRANDI AND THORHALL (Þiðranda þáttur og Þórhalls)1 There was a Norse man named Thorhall. He came to Iceland at the time of Earl Hakon Sigurdarson. He landed at the mouth of Syrlaek and lived at Horgsland. Thorhall was a wise man with great powers of being able to see into the future, and he was called Thorhall the Prophet. Thorhall the Prophet lived at Horgsland while Hall of Sida was living at Hof in Alftafjord, and the best of friendship existed be­ tween them. Hall stayed at Horgsland every summer when he rode to the Thing. Thorhall also often followed invitations to stay in the east, and stayed there for long periods. Hall’s oldest son was called Thidrandi. He was the handsomest and most promis­ ing of men. Hall loved him most of all his sons. When he was old enough, Thidr­ andi went travelling between countries. He was most popular wherever he went be­ cause he was the most accomplished of men, humble and gentle with all human­ kind. One summer, when he was riding home from the Thing, Hall invited his friend to come east. Thorhall went east a little later than Hall, and, as usual, Hall received him with the greatest of friendship. Thorhall stayed there for the summer and Hall said that he should not go home until the autumn feast was over. That summer, Thidrandi landed in Iceland in Berufjord. He was then eighteen. He went home to his father. People admired him as so often before, and praised his accomplishments, but when people were praising him the most, Thorhall the Prophet remained silent.

1

1 From Flateyjarbók Translated from Islendinga sögur. 16

The Com plete Sagas of Icelanders II

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Then Hall asked what brought this about, “because I think it noteworthy when you speak, Thorhall,” he said. Thorhall answered, “It is not because I dislike anything about him or you, or that I am any less aware than other people that he is the most remarkable of men. It is rather that there are quite enough people to praise him, and he has many qualities that deserve this, even though he places little value on himself. It might be that his presence will not be enjoyed for long, and you will then have sufficient grief for this son of yours who is such a fine figure of a man, even though not everybody has praised his accomplishments for you.” But as the summer wore on, Thorhall grew very unhappy. Hall asked what brought this about. Thorhall answered, “I have a bad feeling about the autumn feast that will be held here, because I have a foreboding that a prophet will be slain at this gathering.” “I can explain that,” said the farmer. “I have a ten-year-old ox that I call Prophet because he is wiser than most other bulls, and he is going to be slain at the autumn feast. There is no need for you to feel any unhappiness, because I think that this feast of mine, just like the others, will be an honour for you and my other friends.” Thorhall answered, “I did not feel that because I had any reason to fear for my life. I have a foreboding of greater and stranger events which I will not recount for the time being.” Hall said, “There is good reason for not holding the feast, then.” Thorhall answered, “There is no point in talking like that. What is intended will come to pass.” The feast was prepared for the Winter Nights. Few of those invited came because the weather was very stormy and troublesome. When people sat down at table in the evening, Thorhall said, “I would like to ask people to take my advice in that nobody should go out tonight, because great harm will come about if this is not followed. Whatever portentous things occur, take no notice of them. If anyone reacts to them, something bad will come of it.” Hall asked people to follow Thorhall’s words, “because they never fail,” he said, “and it is best to protect what is still healthy.” Thidrandi waited on the guests. In this, as in other things, he was meek and humble. And when people went to sleep, Thidrandi put guests in his bed while he cast himself down on the outer bench by the partition. When most people were asleep, there was a summons at the door, but everyone acted as if they knew nothing about it. This happened three times. Then Thidrandi leapt up, and said, “It’s a great shame that all the people here act as if they are asleep when guests seem to have arrived.” He took a sword in his hand, and went out. He could see no one. It struck him that some guests might have ridden ahead to the farm, and then ridden back to those who were riding more slowly. He then went under the wood pile, and heard the sound of riding coming into the field from the north. He saw that there were

S

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nine women, all of them in black clothes and with drawn swords in their hands. He also heard the sound of riding into the field from the south. There were another nine women, all of them in light clothes, and on white horses. Then Thidrandi wanted to go back in and tell people about the sight, but the women, those dressed in black, got to him first and they attacked him. He defended himself bravely. A long time later, Thorhall woke up and asked whether Thidrandi was awake, but he got no answer. Thorhall then said that it must be too late. Then they went out. There was moonlight and frost. They found Thidrandi lying wounded, and he was carried in. And when people talked to him, he told them everything that had happened to him. He died that same morning at daybreak and was placed in a burial mound in accordance with heathen tradition. Later, questions were asked about people’s movements, but people had no knowledge of Thidrandi hav­ ing any enemies. Hall asked Thorhall what the meaning of this strange occurrence might be. Thorhall answered, “I don’t know, but 1 can guess that they were not women but the fetches that follow your family. I guess that there will soon be a change in reli­ gion, and that better traditions will then come to Iceland. I expect that these disir of yours, who have accompanied this present faith, knew about this change in religion, and that your family would cease to be in their hands. Now, they would not have been content to receive no tribute from you before, and they will have this for their portion. The other better disir would have wanted to help him, but with things as they are they were incapable of doing so. Now those of your family who share in the delight that they presage and follow will benefit from their support.” As Thorhall said, this event and many other such things presaged the joyful time that was to come, when God in His Omnipotence chose to view with merciful eyes the people that had settled Iceland and, through His representatives, freed these people from the long thralldom of the Devil, and then, as He had promised, led all those who wished to serve Him truly with the confirmation of good deeds to share in the eternal inheritance of His desired sons. In the same way, and no less, did the enemy of humankind manifestly demonstrate in such things, and many others that have been spoken of, how unwilling he was to release his stolen hoard, and those people whom he had previously held captive throughout all time in the bonds of confusion of his accursed graven images. With such incursions, he sharpened the edge of his cruel rage upon those over whom he maintained power when he knew that his own shame and the just harm of his captivity were approaching. Hall took the death of his son Thidrandi so badly that he could not bear to live at Hof any longer. He then moved his settlement to Thvotta. Once when Thorhall the Prophet was staying as a guest at Thvotta with Hall, Hall was lying in a bed closet and Thorhall in another bed. There was a window in the bed closet. And one morning when they were both awake, Thorhall gave a smile. Hall asked, “Why are you smiling now?” Thorhall answered, “I am smiling because many hills have opened and every liv­

3

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ing creature, both great and small, is preparing its burden, and making ready to change its abode.” And a little later, those events which shall now be related came to pass.1 Translated by TERRY GUNNELL

THE TALE OF THORHALL KNAPP (Þórhalls þáttur knapps)*2 There was a man called Thorhall, nicknamed Knapp (Knob). He lived at Knappsstadir in Fljot. He was from a good family. His parents had lived there before him. He led a clean life, but he was a heathen, like most of the people in the district at that time. He became severely ill and suffered from leprosy. Thorhall sacrificed to idols, like his kinsmen. Not far from his farm there was a rich temple which the people of Fljot owned in common and held sacrificial feasts there every year. One night, when Thorhall was asleep in his bed, he dreamed that he was standing outside. He saw a shining man on a white horse riding to his farm. He was dressed majestically and was holding a gold-adorned spear. When Thorhall saw the man ap­ proach, he was overcome with fear and wanted to run in to the house. The rider was too quick for him, however. He dismounted and stood in front of the door, saying: “Do not be afraid, because no harm will come to you from my visit. On the con­ trary, if you obey my instructions you will gain health and happiness from this meeting. I don’t need to ask you if your sickness grieves you, because I know that you are grieving. Follow me now, and I shall show you a certain cure.” The visitor led him to a place out by the fence which was built round the farm, and said to him: “On this spot you are to have a house built in honour of the one true god, and in the manner which I shall show you. This god will be made known to you at the Al­ thing this year, for you will surely ride to the Thing in the summer. Now, if you worship with a pure heart the god who is revealed to you there, you will recover your health, and with a healthy body you will rejoice in the peace and happiness of this world. In the world to come you will enjoy everlasting honour and bliss.” Then with the butt-end of his spear he marked out the ground plan of the build­ ing for Thorhall and said to him: “This is the design for the house. You are to use the wood from the temple which lies close by your farm, where the people of the district are in the habit of gathering each year to hold sacrificial feasts. You must have that temple dismantled as soon as you get up in the morning, and from now on you shall never again worship the i.e. the arrival of Bishop Thangbrand’s mission to Iceland and the baptism of Hall and other chief­ tains in Iceland which are described in the section of the Great Saga of Olaf Tryggvason that follows this tale in Flateyjarbók. 2 Translated from íslendinga sögur.

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false gods whom you have honoured up to now. If you believe my words and take care to carry out my instructions without question, you will soon get better and gain strength day by day.” Then the dream man vanished from sight, and Thorhall woke up and believed the vision. As soon as day came, he ordered all his workers to go quickly and demolish the temple and bring back the wood to the house. Although they muttered in protest and told each other it was madness, even so they did not dare to disobey him and they fully carried out his orders. Thorhall set to work immediately to build the house in the style and size which had been revealed to him in the dream. In those days a woman named Thorhild was living close by at the neighbouring farm. She was a powerful woman and skilled in magic. On the same night that Thorhall had the aforesaid dream, Thorhild woke up her men before dawn and spoke: “You are to go quickly and round up all our livestock from the pastures and drive them home, cattle and sheep and horses, and shut them up in the sheds and pens, because any that are out here in our fields today will lose their lives. My neighbour Thorhall at Knappstadir has gone mad and lost his mind. He is sending his men to destroy the splendid temple there, and so the great gods who have been worshipped there previously are forced to flee in a fierce temper and they intend to seek shelter and a home all the way north to Siglunes. I don’t want my cattle to be in their path, because they are so angry and bitter that they will spare nothing that gets in their way.” All her livestock were driven home as she ordered and put into shelter, except for one old nag that was left behind in a pasture. It was later found dead. For Thorhall at Knappstadir everything which had been revealed to him came true. His sickness improved day by day and his strength increased. He rode to the Thing in the summer and met there those men who were preaching the Christian message, as will shortly be told. Thorhall accepted the true faith there, and as soon as he was baptised his body was completely cured. After that he went home rejoic­ ing to his farm, and all the days of his life he worshipped almighty God with pure devotion in the church which he had dedicated to him, and which was the first one built in Fljot, in the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Ghost, one Trin­ ity, to whom is honour and glory eternally. Amen. T ra n s la te d b y J O H N P O R T E R

CONTENTS OF VOLUMES I-V I Foreword By the President of Iceland ...................... By the Icelandic Minister of Education, Science and Culture ................................... By the Former Director of the Manuscript Institute of Iceland............... P r e f a c e ..................................................................................

vii ix xi x iii

C r e d i t s .................................................................................... x x iv

Publishers Acknowledgements ...................... xxvi

Tales o f Poets The Tale o f Amor, the Poet o f Earls............. Einar Skulasons Tale ..................................... The Tale o f Mani the P oet............................. The Tale o f Ottar the Black ........................... The Tale o f Sarcastic Halli ............................ Stufs Tale ........................................................ The Tale o f Thorarin Short-Cloak................. The Tale of Thorleif, the EarVs P o e t.............

335 337 339 340 342 357 360 362

Anecdotes The Tale of Audun from the West Fjords .... The Tale of Brand the Generous ................... Hreidar's Tale ................................................. The Tale of the Story-Wise Icelander ........... Ivar Ingimundarson's T a le............................. Thorarin Nefjolfssonys Tale ............................ The Tale of Thorstein from the East Fjords .... The Tale of Thorstein the Curious................. The Tale of Thorstein Shiver......................... The Tale o f Thorvard Crow’s-Beak...............

369 374 375 384 385 387 390 393 394 397

I n t r o d u c t i o n .......................................................................x x ix

Vinland and Greenland Eirik the Red’s Saga........................................ The Saga of the Greenlanders ......................

1 19

Warriors and Poets E g il’s S a g a ..........................................................................

33

K o r m a k ’s S a g a ................................................................

179

The Saga of Hallffed the Troublesome Poet 225 The Saga of Bjorn, Champion of the Hitardal People .......................................... 255 The Saga of Gunnlaug Serpent-Tongue....... 305

II Outlaws and Nature Spirits Gisli Sursson’s Saga ....................................... 1 The Saga of Grettir the Strong ..................... 49 The Saga of Hord and the People of Holm .. 193 Bard’s Saga ....................................................... 237 Warriors and Poets Killer-Glum’s Saga.......................................... The Tale of Ogmund B ash............................. The Tale of Thorvald Tasaldi........................ The Saga of the Sworn Brothers ..................

267 314 322 329

Thormod’s Tale ............................................... 403 The Tale o f Thorarin the Overbearing ......... 407 Viglund’s Saga ................................................ 411 Tales of the Supernatural The Tale o f the Cairn-Dweller....................... The Tale o f the Mountain-Dweller............... Star-Oddi's Dream .......................................... The Tale o f Thidrandi and Thorhall............. The Tale o f Thorhall Knapp .........................

443 444 448 459 462

T H E C O M P L E T E SAGAS O F IC ELA N D ER S

466

Ill An Epic Njal’s Saga .......................................................

1

Champions and Rogues The Saga of Finnbogi the Mighty ............... The Saga of the People of Floi ..................... The Saga of the People of Kjalames ............ Jokul Buason’s T a le ......................................... Gold-Thorir’s Saga ......................................... The Saga of Thord M enace........................... The Saga of Ref the S ly .................................

221 271 305 328 335 361 397

The Saga of Gunnar, the Fool of Keldugnup ................................................... 421 Tales o f Champions and Adventures Gisl Illugason’s Tale ........................................ The Tale o f Gold-Asa’s Thord ....................... Hrafn Gudrunarson*s T a le.............................. Orm Storolfsson’s T a le .................................... Thorgrim Hallason’s T a le ...............................

437 442 446 455 467

IV Regional Feuds The Saga of the People of Vatnsdal ............. The Saga of the Slayings on the Heath ...... V a lla - L jo t’s S a g a ............................................................

1 67 131

The Saga of the People of Svarfadardal...... 149 The Saga of the People of Ljosavatn............ 193 The Saga of the People of Reykjadal and of K ille r -S k u ta ................................................................. 2 5 7

The Saga of Thorstein the White ................. 303 The Saga of the People of Vopnafjord ........ 313 The Tale o f Thorstein Staff-Struck ............... 335

The Tale o f Thorstein Bu\Vs-Leg................... The Saga of Droplaug’s Sons ....................... The Saga of the People of Fljotsdal ............. The Tale o f Gunnar, the Slayer o f Thidrandi .................................................... Brandkrossi’s T a le ............................................ Thorstein Sidu-Hallsson’s Saga..................... Thorstein Sidu-Hallsson’s Tale ...................... Thorstein Sidu-Hallsson’s Dream .................. Egil Sidu-Hallsson’s Tale ................................

340 355 379 433 442 447 460 463 465

Religion and Conflict in Iceland and Greenland The Tale o f Hromund the Lame ................... The Tale o f Svadi and Am or Crone’s-Nose .. The Tale o f Thorvald the Far-Travelled ...... The Tale o f Thorstein Tent-Pitcher............... The Tale o f the Greenlanders ........................

349 354 357 369 372

V An Epic The Saga of the People of Laxardal............. 1 Bolli Bollasoris Tale ....................................... 120 Wealth and Power The Saga of the People of Eyri .................... The Tale of Halldor Snorrason / ................... The Tale o f Halldor Snorrason I I .................. Olkoffi’s Saga ................................................. Hen-Thorir’s Saga .......................................... The Saga of Hrafnkel Frey’s Godi ............... The Saga of the Confederates....................... Odd Ofeigsson’s Tale ...................................... The Saga of Havard of Isafjord ...................

131 219 223 231 239 261 283 308 313

Reference Section: Maps, Tables, Illustrations and Diagrams, Glossary and Cross-Reference Index of Characters.................................... 383