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

by Martin Regal

  His sister, Gudny, took her place on the floor and asked, ‘Did you clear yourself of their taunts out there?’

  Thorarin replied:

  8.

  I had to defend myself

  against the valkyrie’s derision:

  the dart-of-wounds was driven, dart-of-wounds: spear

  and the raven delighted in gore.

  When the sword of my father’s son

  rang against helmets in the field,

  gashes spurted blood

  and wound-streams ran.

  ‘It seems to me you dealt with them swiftly,’ Vermund said.

  Thorarin replied:

  9.

  Sinister darts of prophecy darts of prophecy: arrows

  sang against my shield

  from the valkyrie’s dire battle-plain,

  when the bent beam of Frodi’s arm Frodi: a sea king; the bent beam

  was splattered with gore. of his arm: shield

  There, before the ghost land of the shield-rings: shield;

  of the land of the shield-rings, its ghost: dead warrior

  weapons’ lake lapped on the field. weapons’ lake: blood

  ‘Have they found out yet whether you are a man or a woman?’ asked Vermund.

  Thorarin replied:

  10.

  I consider myself cleared

  of the cutting warrior’s calumny,

  the steerer of the famous

  horse of planks sank there. horse of planks: ship

  The raven tore into flesh

  no matter what the warrior

  – gladdened by the fish of armour – fish of armour: sword

  tells his girlfriend.

  After that, Thorarin told all the news.

  Then Vermund asked, ‘Why did you go after them? Didn’t you think you’d done enough the first time?’

  Thorarin replied:

  11.

  It will be said, wielder Odin’s fire: sword; its wielder: warrior

  of Odin’s fire, that I waged

  she-wolf’s joy out of spite she-wolf’s joy: battle

  – I used to master the ship off Enni.

  When the traitors, entanglers

  of truth, pretended

  I had hurt Hlin of the fine raiments, Hlin (goddess) of the fine

  I made fit retaliation. raiments: woman

  ‘It’s understandable that you didn’t put up with that,’ said Vermund. ‘But how well did the foreigners serve you?’

  Thorarin replied:

  12.

  Most of the corpse-geese corpse-geese: ravens

  got a poor feed from Nagli;

  faint-hearted, the one familiar the one familiar with the sea’s sun (gold): man

  with the sea’s sun fled into the hills;

  With rather more spirit, Alfgeir

  advanced into the song of weapons, song of weapons: battle

  hidden by his helmet. Fire fire of the battle: spears

  of battle whistled overhead.

  ‘Didn’t Nagli acquit himself well?’ asked Vermund.

  Thorarin replied:

  13.

  Crying, the keeper of the swords’ path swords’ path: shield; its

  ran away from combat. keeper: warrior

  There didn’t seem much chance of peace

  to the guardian of the helmet, guardian of the helmet: warrior

  so the mare-driver mare-driver: man

  preferred to dive into the sea;

  cowardice was on the mind

  of the cup-bearer, wreck of a man. cup-bearer: man

  After Thorarin had spent the night at Bjarnarhofn, Vermund said, ‘You won’t find my offer of support very generous, kinsman. I’m reluctant to help you out of your difficulties without the support of other men, so let’s ride over to Bolstad today to talk to your kinsman, Arnkel, and find out what help he’ll give us. I expect Snorri the Godi will be severe in this action.’

  ‘It’s up to you to judge,’ replied Thorarin.

  Once they were on their way, Thorarin spoke:

  14.

  Vermund and I will remember

  how once we were cheerful together,

  before I, fir-tree of riches, fir-tree of riches: man

  caused a man to fall.

  Now I fear, linen-goddess, linen-goddess: woman

  we will have to flee

  the proud thane. The rain rain of red shields: battle

  of red shields is repugnant to me.

  This was directed towards Snorri the Godi. Vermund and Thorarin rode into Bolstad where Arnkel welcomed them and asked their news.

  Thorarin replied:

  15.

  It was frightening to think

  of the storm of ravens’ wine ravens’ wine: blood; its storm: battle

  at my farm – fire of Munin’s meal Munin: one of Odin’s ravens; the

  swept through men – fire of its meal (corpses): weapons

  when the shimmering linden shimmering linden: spear

  sheared the vikings’ moon; vikings’ moon: shield

  at the meeting of warriors

  swords passed through shields.

  Arnkel enquired further about the events in the report Thorarin had given.

  And when he had retold the events as they happened, Arnkel said, ‘You really must have been angry, kinsman, since you are usually such a moderate man.’

  Thorarin replied:

  16.

  Those who enjoy the snow-drift hawks’ spur: hand; snow-drift: silver;

  of the hawks’ spur those who enjoy its silver: men

  accused me of easy living

  – until now I have frustrated feuds.

  A cloudburst, furious torrent,

  often comes in still weather.

  Now the land of the wrist’s lightning wrist’s lightning: gold; its

  will learn of my words. land: woman

  ‘That may be,’ said Arnkel, ‘but I want to propose that you stay with me, kinsman Thorarin, until the case is settled, one way or another. And although I am assuming leadership in this matter, I’d still like you, Vermund, not to abandon the case, even though I’m taking responsibility for Thorarin.’

  ‘I am obliged to help Thorarin in any way I can,’ said Vermund, ‘no less so now that you have taken charge of the action.’

  ‘It’s my view that we all should spend the winter together here, close to Snorri the Godi,’ said Arnkel. And so they did, so that Arnkel had a full house that winter. Vermund divided his time between Bjarnarhofn and Arnkel’s farm. Thorarin remained in his usual mood and was quiet for long periods of time. Arnkel was a very houseproud and cheerful host, taking it badly if others were not as happy as he was. He often mentioned to Thorarin that he should cheer up and not be concerned about the future, saying he had heard that the widow at Froda was bearing her sorrows well, ‘and she would think it ridiculous if you didn’t cope well.’

  Thorarin answered:

  17.

  The fine-dancing widow,

  ale-drunk, won’t deride me

  – I know the raven feasted on

  pieces of corpse flesh –

  because I shudder at the thought sword-dew:

  of sword-dew; the hawk of corpses blood; hawk of corpses: raven

  enjoys the hard play of grief; hard play of grief: battle

  hatred has come among men.

  Then one of Arnkel’s men replied, ‘You won’t know until spring, when the Thorsnes Assembly is over, whether you can do without support in this affair.’

  Thorarin replied:

  18.

  Men say that the shield-holders shield-holders: warriors

  might face shouting brawls

  at court; we will seek

  the support of a powerful man,

  unless tactful Arnkel conducts

  our case to great acclaim.

  I put my trust in the keeper

  of helmet-song completely. helmet-song: battle; its keeper: warrior

  20 The
mistress of the house at Mavahlid, Geirrid, sent word to Bolstad that she had found out that it was Odd Kotluson who had chopped off Aud’s hand. She claimed to have Aud’s own word on this, and she also said that Odd had boasted about it to his friends. When Thorarin and Arnkel heard this news they rode from home out to Mavahlid with ten men, and stayed the night there. The following morning they rode towards Holt where their approach could be seen from the farmstead. There was not a man on the farm except Odd.

  Katla sat on the cross-bench spinning yarn. She told Odd to sit beside her, ‘and be quiet and still.’

  She told the women to stay in their places, ‘and be quiet. I will speak for us all.’

  When Arnkel and the others arrived, they went straight inside. As they came into the main room Katla greeted Arnkel and asked him the news. Arnkel said he did not have any, and asked where Odd was.

  Katla said he had gone south to Breidavik bay, ‘but he wouldn’t have avoided seeing you if he were at home, because we believe you to be honourable men.’

  ‘That may well be,’ said Arnkel, ‘but we want to search your house.’

  ‘Do as you please,’ said Katla, and asked the cook to carry a light for them, and to unlock the storeroom, ‘that is the only locked room on the farm.’

  They noticed that Katla was spinning yarn on her distaff. They searched the buildings but could not find Odd and after that they left.

  When they had ridden a little distance from the farm buildings, Arnkel stopped and said: ‘Is it possible that Katla could have pulled the wool over our eyes? Could that have been her son Odd who appeared to us to be her distaff?’

  ‘She’d be quite capable of that,’ said Thorarin, ‘so let’s go back.’

  And they did. When the people at Holt saw that men were returning, Katla said to the women, ‘You should still stay in your places, but Odd and I are going outside.’

  When they reached the front door, Katla went into the hallway directly opposite the door and started combing her son’s hair and cutting it. Arnkel and the others ran through the door and saw Katla playing with a goat there, trimming its forelock and beard and grooming its coat. Arnkel and his men went into the main room but could not see Odd. Katla’s distaff was lying there on the bench. They were now convinced that Odd had not been there, and so they went out and rode away.

  But when they reached the spot where they had turned back before, Arnkel said, ‘Don’t you suspect that Odd could have been disguised as a goat?’

  ‘Who knows,’ said Thorarin, ‘but if we go back now we should take hold of Katla.’

  ‘Let’s try once more,’ said Arnkel, ‘and see what happens.’

  Once again, they turned back.

  When Katla saw them returning, she asked Odd to come with her for a walk.

  Once they were outside, she went to the rubbish-pile and told Odd to lie down under the pile ‘and stay there whatever happens.’

  When Arnkel and his men arrived, they ran into the main room where Katla was sitting spinning. She greeted them and said they were becoming regular visitors. Arnkel said that was quite true. His companions took Katla’s distaff and broke it in two.

  ‘Tonight at home,’ said Katla, ‘you won’t be able to say you had no purpose here at Holt since you have broken my distaff.’

  Then Arnkel and his men searched for Odd inside and out but saw no living creature except a domestic boar that Katla owned, which was lying under the rubbish-pile. They went away after that, but when they were half-way to Mavahlid, Geirrid came to meet them with one of her farmhands and asked them how it had gone. Thorarin told her.

  She said they had not made a proper search for Odd, ‘and so I want you to go back again, but I will come with you this time. Where Katla is concerned, you won’t make any headway using frail sail-cloth.’

  And so they turned back again. Geirrid had a black cloak on. When the party was seen returning to Holt, Katla was told that there were now fourteen men and one of them was wearing coloured clothing.

  ‘That will be the troll, Geirrid, coming with them,’ said Katla, ‘and simple illusions will not be enough now.’

  She got up from her cross-bench and took away the cushions from under her. Underneath them was a trap-door with a storage space beneath it. She made Odd get in there and rearranged the cross-bench as before. She sat down again and said that she felt rather strange. When they came into the main room there were no greetings between them. Geirrid threw off her cloak and walked toward Katla with a sealskin bag she had brought with her which she pulled over Katla’s head. Her companions tied it tightly around her neck. Then Geirrid told them to open up the cross-bench. Odd was discovered underneath it and then he was tied up.

  After that they were taken to Bulandshofdi and Odd was hanged there.

  While he was kicking on the gallows, Arnkel said to him, ‘You got an evil end because of your mother. It might also be said that you have an evil mother.’

  ‘Maybe he doesn’t have a good mother,’ said Katla, ‘but I never wished him to get such an evil end because of me. It’s my will that you all get an evil end because of me, and I expect that will be the case. I’ll no longer hide the fact that I was responsible for Gunnlaug Thorbjarnarson’s injuries which were the cause of all this trouble. And you Arnkel,’ she said, ‘cannot get an evil end from your own mother because she’s no longer alive, but I want my curse to work on you so that you come off worse because of your father than Odd has because of me, because you stand to lose more than he has. I expect it will be said before long that you have an evil father.’

  After that they stoned Katla to death under the promontory. Then they went to Mavahlid and spent the night there, and rode back home the following day. The news quickly travelled everywhere, but no one thought it was sad. And so the winter passed by.

  21 One day in spring, Arnkel called over his kinsman, Thorarin, as well as Vermund and Alfgeir, for a talk and asked them what kind of support they would like the most, whether they should go to the assembly, ‘and try out all our friends on this matter. There seem to be two possible outcomes if we do that,’ said Arnkel. ‘A settlement could be reached, in which case you would have to pay a high price for all the men who were killed or wounded. But riding to the assembly might also be a dangerous option if, by pressing our case too forcefully, our situation becomes more difficult. The other option is to put all our energy into helping you get away with your money, and then to deal with whatever land we cannot sell as luck allows us.’

  Alfgeir was most enthusiastic about this course of action. Thorarin said he would not be able to afford to pay compensation to all those involved in the case, and Vermund declared he would not desert Thorarin, whether he wanted him to travel abroad with him or to help him fight here in Iceland. But Thorarin chose Arnkel’s offer to help them travel abroad. Afterwards a man was sent out to Eyri to tell Bjorn, the ship’s skipper, that he should make every effort to prepare their ship to sail as soon as possible.

  22 Now to turn back to Snorri the Godi, who took charge of the action over the killing of his kinsman, Thorbjorn. He had his sister, Thurid, move back to Helgafell because it was being said that Bjorn, the son of Asbrand of Kamb, was making frequent visits to her home to seduce her. Snorri thought he could see through Arnkel’s plans when he heard about the ship being made ready, realizing that they were not planning to pay compensation for the killings since no offer of settlement had been made by them. None the less, all was quiet right up until the Summons Days.

  When that time came, Snorri assembled men and rode to Alftafjord with a force of eighty men, because it was then the law that the summons for a killing had to made where the killers could hear it, or at their home, but neighbours were not summoned until the assembly itself. When Snorri and his party were seen approaching Bolstad, the men there discussed whether they should attack them since they had the numbers.

  Arnkel said that was not the way, adding that ‘we shall allow Snorri to use legal means.’ He said that the
only thing to do now was whatever was necessary.

  When Snorri arrived at Bolstad there was no violence between the men. Snorri summonsed Thorarin to the Thorsnes Assembly along with all those who had taken part in the killings. Arnkel listened carefully to the summons. After that Snorri and his men rode away in the direction of Ulfarsfell.

  When they had gone, Thorarin spoke this verse:

  19.

  It is not because of my crime

  that I, caster of the bright hail’s fire, bright hail’s (i.e. battle’s) fire:

  have been robbed of my rights weapons

  if experts in the gleaming roof gleaming roof of Valhalla: shields;

  of Valhalla make me an outlaw. their experts: warriors

  I see they outnumber us.

  May the gods enforce our victory, hand’s beautiful fire: gold or ring;

  field of the hand’s beautiful fire. its field: woman

  Snorri the Godi rode across the ridge to Hrisar and then on to Drapuhlid that morning, riding from there out to Svinavatn lake and on to Hraunsfjord, and from there he followed the path out to Trollahals, never breaking his journey until he reached the Salteyraros estuary. When they arrived, some of his men captured the Norwegians while others burned the ship. With all this done, Snorri the Godi and his men rode back home.

  Arnkel heard the news that Snorri had burnt the ship. He, Vermund, Thorarin and a few other men then boarded a ship and rowed north through the fjords to Dagverdarnes, where a ship belonging to some Norwegians was beached. Arnkel and Vermund bought the ship and Arnkel gave his half to Thorarin while Vermund kept his own half. They sailed the ship out to Dimun and fitted it out there. Arnkel stayed with them until they were ready and then accompanied them out to Ellidaey island where they parted the best of friends. Thorarin and his companions sailed out to sea and Arnkel went home to his farm. It was generally acknowledged that the support he had given had been splendid.

  Snorri the Godi went to the Thorsnes Assembly and prosecuted the case. Thorarin and all those who had participated in the killings were sentenced to lesser outlawry, and after the assembly, Snorri collected whatever property he could as compensation, and that was the end of the case.

  23 Vigfus, the son of Bjorn Ottarsson, lived at Drapuhlid, as was told earlier. He married Thorgerd Thorbeinisdottir. Vigfus was a respected farmer but very difficult to get on with. His sister’s son, Bjorn, was staying with him, and he was a quick-tongued and useless sort of boy.