Gisli Sursson's Saga and The Saga of the People of Eyri

by Martin Regal

  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 else 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.’

  ‘That must have been Gisli,’ said Helgi, ‘and he must know we’re here. You must surely realize, 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 will 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 will not be present when we take his life. In addition, I will arrange 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.

  32 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 sea-elk riders claim sea-elk (ship) riders: seafarers

  the mead-goddess has sold mead-goddess: Gisli’s wife

  her man, with a mind

  deep and treacherous as the sea.

  But I know the land

  of gold sits and weeps. land of gold: woman

  I do not think this true

  of the proud sea-flame’s wearer. 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 Eyjolf 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 my husband into your hands, you evil 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 disgraceful 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.

  33 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 dreamed.

  He told her that the bad dream-woman had come to him and said, ‘Now I will 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:

  28.

  ‘Never shall the two of you

  abide together. Your great love

  will slowly turn to poison

  and become sorrow,’

  said the 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 dreamed a dream of her,

  goddess of riches. goddess of riches: woman

  She washed my hair in foam of Odin’s fires foam of Odin’s fires (swords): blood

  spilled from the well of swords. well of swords: wound

  And it seemed to me that

  the bearer of hand-flame bearer of hand-flame (gold)

  was blood-red from the wound-blizzard

  of the fire-breaker of wrists. fire-breaker of wrists: warrior

  Then he spoke another verse:

  30.

  I thought I felt how

  the valkyrie’s hands,

  dripping with sword-rain, sword-rain: blood

  placed a bloody cap

  upon my thickly grown,

  straight-cut locks of hair.

  That is how the thread-goddess thread-goddess: woman

  woke me from my dream.

  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 bad
ly and Aud asked him what happened to him in his dream.

  ‘I dreamed,’ 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.’

  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. fed the raven’s maw: killed men

  But your white bosom

  was reddened and steeped

  in my crimson blood.

  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 raven-feeders wounded me, raven-feeders: warriors

  I fed his corpse to the blood-hawk. blood-hawk: raven

  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.

  Now autumn drew near, but Gisli’s dreams did not ease; 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 must bear this wound-flood 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

  And then he spoke another:

  35.

  I felt my blood spilled

  over my arched shoulders

  by a corpse-net’s wielder corpse-net: shield

  with his sharp sword.

  Wearer of golden rings, wearer of golden rings: woman,

  my hopes of life were meagre Gisli’s wife

  from that raven-feeder’s fury; raven-feeder: warrior

  herb-goddess, such was my solace. herb-goddess: woman

  And then another:

  36.

  I felt the shakers of shield-trolls shakers of shield-trolls:

  shear off both my hands warriors

  with their weapons.

  I was mortally wounded.

  Then I felt the edge slice

  my helmet-stump and split it. helmet-stump: head

  Thread-goddess, weapons hovered

  above my head, threateningly.

  And yet again:

  37.

  I felt, as I slept, that above me

  stood silver-banded Sjöfn. silver-banded Sjöfn: woman

  Her brow was wet, the eyes

  of that bonnet-goddess were weeping. bonnet-goddess: woman

  And that fire-goddess of wave fire-goddess of wave: woman

  soon bound up my wounds.

  What message, think you,

  has this dream for me?

  34 Gisli stayed home that summer, and all was quiet. Then, on the last night of 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 dreamed that some 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 dreamed.

  ‘Yet again, my dreams were not good,’ said Gisli, and he spoke a verse:

  38.

  When we parted, flax-goddess, flax-goddess: woman (Gisli’s wife)

  my ears rang with a sound

  from my blood-hall’s realm blood-hall: heart; its realm: the mind

  – and I poured the dwarves’ brew. poured the dwarves’ brew: composed a verse (about this)

  I, tree of the sword’s din, tree of the sword’s din: warrior

  heard two loon birds fighting

  and I knew that soon the dew

  of bows would be descending. dew of bows: showers of arrows, battle

  At 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, ‘I 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 remembered.’

  ‘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.

  Then Gisli said, ‘I knew long ago that I had married well, but never realized till now that the match was as good as this. Yet the help you gave me now was less than you wished or than you intended, even though the blow was good, for I might have dispatched them both in the same way.’

  35 Then two men went to grab hold of Aud and Gudrid, but found the task was 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 – neither 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 rewarded for our efforts.’

  Then, when it was least expected, Gisli turned around and ran from the ridge up on to 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 considerably. 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, promising them substantial reward if they defeated Gisli. Eyjolf had with him a group of men of outstanding strength and hardiness.

  36 A man named Svein was the first to attack Gisli, but Gisli struck at him, cleft him through the shoulder-blades and threw him off the edge of the crag. The others 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 hundred 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 defended himself with great courage and strength, and they faced such an onslaught of 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 honour 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.