The Story of Rolf and the Viking's Bow

by Allen French

  CHAPTER II

  OF THE SOURSOPS, AND THE CURSE WHICH HUNG ON THEM

  Of those things which had been said, Rolf heard all, yet he had notspoken. Now he drew near to his father, and said to him: "Explain tome, father, the things of which the woman spoke. What is the curseupon us, and can such a thing be true?"

  Then Hiarandi answered: "Thou knowest we are of the Soursops, who gottheir name when they sopped with sour whey the fire which was kindledto burn them in their house. Now Gisli, the first of us, slew Kol, hiswife's foster-father, for the sake of his sword Graysteel, and Kollaid the curse of misfortune on us. Slayings arose by means of thatsword; there came the outlawing of Gisli, the grandson of the firstGisli, and death fell in most branches of the house. Fourteen yearsGisli was outlaw, even as has been, to this year, Grettir the Strong,who is the great outlaw of our day. But Gisli was slain, and hisbrother, while his sister died. Son of that sister is Snorri thePriest, who alone of us has prospered; for though no slayings haveever happened in our branch, unlucky are we all, as is plain to see."

  "I have often wondered," said Rolf, "how it is that we live here inthis great hall and have but us three and the servants to fill it.There are places for seven fires down the middle of the hall, yet weuse but one. And all the benches were once used, since they are worn:seats for fifty men, and the women's seats besides."

  "Once," said Hiarandi, "my father had so many on his farm that nightlythe hall was full. But those serving-men are Einar's now, and all ourriches have passed away to him. Yet this house is the finest in allthese parts. I was at the building of it in my youth, and" (here hemade sure that the thrall was not listening) "I myself made the secretpanels by which we can escape in case of burning. For since thatburning so long ago, no Soursop builds himself a house in which menmay trap him."

  "But thou hast no enemies, father?" asked the lad.

  "No enemies, I hope," answered Hiarandi, "but few friends, I am sure,since only Frodi the Smith, my mother's cousin, is of our kin; for Icount not Snorri the Priest."

  "But why not Snorri the Priest?" asked Rolf.

  "My father," answered Hiarandi, "quarrelled with him and called himcoward. For Snorri would not take up at arms a suit my father lost atlaw."

  Then Rolf thought awhile. All men knew of Snorri the Priest, who wasno temple priest at all but a priest of the law. For the title hadcome down from heathen times, when leaders had sway over all matters,both in religion and law, and to be priest was to be chieftain. Butusage and the new religion changed that by degrees; so that to bepriest now meant to be a giver of the law, with a seat at the QuarterCourts and at the Althing, the great yearly gathering to which fromall Iceland men went to settle suits. And Snorri the Priest was wellknown as the richest man in Broadfirth dales, the shrewdest and wisestin all things worldly, and a master at the law.

  "It would be well," said the lad, "to have Snorri on our side."

  "It is better," said Asdis, "never to go to the law. Lawsuits andquarrels are bad things, and they bring a man's fortune to naught."

  And Hiarandi added, "By law we have ever suffered."

  Then Rolf was silent, and thought of what had been said: how the oldwoman had prophesied trouble at the law, and by what man that troubleshould come. And as he thought upon the words she and his father hadspoken, he thought that they had spoken with knowledge, though ofdifferent kinds: for while the woman prophesied vaguely, his fatherhad seemed to know who the man should be.

  "Father," asked Rolf, "knowest thou who the man is that came upon theship?"

  "I know," answered Hiarandi.

  Asdis asked: "Who then is he?"

  Hiarandi said: "Saw ye upon the ship, as it lay below us, the faces ofany of the men?"

  "Aye," answered they both, "for it was as clear as day."

  "Saw ye then," asked Hiarandi, "one who stood by the mast, a tall manwith a great beard?"

  "I saw him," answered Rolf. "He stood and held by a rope and the mast,and I thought he should be the captain; but he gave no commands, nordid any man heed him, for all worked of themselves."

  "Yet, as I guess," said Hiarandi, "the captain was he, and he was theman of whom the carline spoke."

  "Who is he, then?" asked the boy.

  "Listen," said Hiarandi, "and I will tell thee of one in my family ofwhom I have never yet spoken. There were two of us when I was a lad,brothers; and the other was named Kiartan. He was younger than I by ayear, and different in all his ways; yet I have often thought that myfather had not enough patience with him. For he sent him to badcompanions rather than weaned him from them, and at last he drove himfrom the house altogether. Then Kiartan took to the sea--he was notbad, remember, but weak perhaps and foolish--took to the sea, and wesaw him not for years. Once only he came back, out at elbow, and askedmy father for money. Money he got, but gave the promise to ask nothingfrom the inheritance; and this was handselled before witnesses, myfather giving much, the rest to come to me. Then Kiartan went awayagain, and not until this night have I seen him. But if that was hisship, then he has prospered."

  "Yet it was he the woman meant?" asked Rolf.

  "Who else?" returned his father.

  "How should he," asked the boy, "bring trouble on thee?"

  "I see not," answered Hiarandi, "how he should bring either evil orgood."

  Then he closed his mouth and became thoughtful, in a manner he had.Asdis motioned Rolf to be silent, and nothing more was said in thematter.