The Story of Rolf and the Viking's Bow

by Allen French

  CHAPTER VIII

  OF SCHEMINGS

  Until the time when the Althing must rise, Hiarandi set his affairs inorder, and was busy thereat. He arranged who should buy his hay, andwho should supply him with this matter and that, although it was clearthat many things must be done by the hands of Rolf. Also Frodi theSmith, kinsman of the Cragness-dwellers, was to come to Cragnesswhenever he might. Thus it was all settled; and when the Althing rose,then Hiarandi withdrew upon his farm for the space of one year.

  But Rolf had to see to the sheep-shearing, since the washing was bestdone beyond the farm, upon common land. Also the selling of the woolcame to Rolf's lot, and he travelled to the market therewith. Throughthe autumn he was much busied with his father's matters; and itrejoiced his parents that the lad, who had come now into his fifteenthyear, was wise and foreseeing, and looked well to all that was trustedto his hand. Then the winter drew nigh; and the hay was stored, andthe time came when the sheep must be gathered from their summerpastures, when the frosts drove them down from the uplands. All menmet at the great sheep-fold which the father of Hiarandi had built;but Hiarandi might not be there, because the fold was now on Einar'sland, full five bowshots from the boundaries of Cragness. Rolf wentwith the thralls to the separating of the sheep by means of theirmarks; but Hiarandi sat at home, looking out at the gathering ofpeople, and might not be at any of the doings.

  Now Ondott Crafty had oversight of Einar's sheep, and he examined thesheep's ear-marks, and said whose they were. Rolf gave to the thrallsthe sheep to drive home; but Frodi the Smith, who was the mildest ofmen, took the sheep from the hands of Ondott. This task Rolf gave toFrodi, because he would not himself have speech with Ondott, who wasnow well of his broken arm, but whose temper was not improved by hishurt. Now Ondott came to a sheep which had torn its ear, so that themark was scarred. Then said Ondott:

  "This sheep is Einar's."

  "Nay," said Frodi, "I remember the wether, and he is Hiarandi's."

  "Looks not the mark," asked Ondott, "like the mark of Einar?"

  "Yes," said Frodi, "but the mark is scarred, and is changed."

  "Now," quoth Ondott, "call Hiarandi hither, and let him decide."

  This he said with a sneer: but Frodi answered gravely: "My cousinshall not break his outlawry for a sheep. But call Rolf hither."

  "I call no boys to my counsel," answered Ondott. "The matter isbetween thee and me."

  Then Frodi was perplexed, for in disputes and bargains he mixedlittle. "But," said he, "meseems this is best. Drive the sheep toCragness, and let Hiarandi see it."

  "Now," said Ondott, "I have no time for that. But draw thy whittle,and we can settle the matter here."

  Then Frodi looked upon his long knife, and said nothing.

  "Why carriest thou the whittle, then," asked Ondott, "if thou art notready to use it?"

  "My whittle," answered Frodi, "is to cut my bread and cheese, and tomend my shoes on a journey."

  Then all the men who stood about hooted at the simple answer. Ondottsaid: "Betake thyself then to bread and cheese, but the sheep isours." And he sent the sheep away to join Einar's flock.

  Now Frodi was puzzled, and he said: "I will not follow up the matter,but will pay for the sheep out of mine own savings." But when heoffered to pay, Rolf and Hiarandi were angered, for the wether was agood one. Yet they could get no satisfaction from Einar, although theymight not blame Frodi, knowing his peaceful nature.

  Now, as the winter approached, came chapmen, traders, into theneighborhood, and laid up their ship near Cragness; and all men wentto chaffer with them. But Hiarandi must stay at home. Then forcompany's sake he sent and bade the shipmaster dwell with him for thewinter; but Ondott Crafty, learning of it, won the shipmaster, bygifts, to stay with Einar. And that pleased Hiarandi not at all. Thenthe winter came, and men had little to do, so they held ball-play onthe ponds; yet Hiarandi could not go thither. And the life began toirk him much. When spring drew near, Frodi went back to his smithy,and the household was small.

  One day Ondott said to Einar: "Still we sit here, and gaze at thehouse where we should live."

  "What is there to do?" asked Einar. "Nothing brings Hiarandi from hisfarm, not even the loss of his wether. I have set spies to watch him,but he never comes beyond the brook which marks his boundary."

  "Yet there is something to be done," answered Ondott. "Wait awhile."

  And the winter passed, and the chapmen began to dight their ship forthe outward voyage. Now Malcolm the Scot, the thrall of Hiarandi,stood often on the crag when his day's work was done, and gazed at theship of the chapmen. One evening Ondott went thither to him, seeingthat he was out of sight of the hall.

  "Why gazest thou," asked Ondott, "so much at the ship? Wouldst thou goin her?"

  "Aye," answered the thrall, "for she goes to my home. But I have notthe money to purchase my freedom, though Hiarandi has promised inanother year to set me free."

  "Wilt thou wait another year when thou mightest slip away now?" criedOndott. "But perhaps thou fearest that the shipmaster would give theeup."

  "That also," said the thrall, "was in my mind."

  Then Ondott said: "The shipmaster has dwelt with us the winterthrough, and I know well what sort of man he is. Now I promise that ifthou comest to him three nights hence, he will keep thee hidden, andno one shall see thee when they sail in the morning."

  The thrall hesitated, but in the end he did as Ondott desired, and hegained his freedom by the trick. Thus was the work at Cragnessrendered harder for those who remained, and Frodi could not come tohelp.

  "Hiarandi," said Ondott to Einar, "is at last coming into thosestraits where I wished him. Now be thou guided by me, and I promisethat in the end thy wishes will be fulfilled. Come, we will go toCragness as before, and make offer to Hiarandi to buy his land." Andhe persuaded Einar to go. They went as before, with Hallvard andHallmund.

  "Shall we go armed?" asked the men.

  "Nay," answered Ondott, "only witnesses do I desire."

  Now when Hiarandi was called forth by Einar, Rolf also was by, but hesaw that they of Fellstead bore no arms. Again Ondott spoke in theplace of Einar.

  "Hiarandi," said he, "all men can see what fortune is thine, since thythrall has left thee and thy work is harder. Truly thou art calledunlucky. But Einar pities thy condition, and he offers thus: Take fromhim a smaller farm, and the difference in silver. And since thisoutlawry is from us, from the time ye two handsel the bargain thou artfree to go where thou wilt, without fear of thy life."

  But Hiarandi spoke to Einar, and not to Ondott. "Why comest thouhither," he said, "like a small man to chaffer over little things?This outlawry irks me not, and in two months I am free to go where Iwish. Go home; and when thou comest again, find thy tongue and speakfor thyself!"

  Then he went indoors and left them.

  So Einar and those others rode homeward, and he thought his journeyshameful. "See," said he to Ondott, "where thy counsels have broughtme. I am mocked and sent away."

  "Now," Ondott replied, "that has happened which I desired, and Ibrought men to hear. For thou hast made a fair offer to Hiarandi, andhast shown a good heart. Now what happens to him is his own fault, andno man can blame us." Then he commanded the two men that they shouldtell everyone what had been said, showing how Einar had been generous,but Hiarandi insulting. And when they reached the house, Ondott saidto Einar in private:

  "Thou shalt see that Hiarandi hath sown the seeds of his owndestruction. Leave all to me."

  Not many evenings thereafter, Ondott put himself in the way of thesecond thrall of Hiarandi, and spoke with him. "How goes all atCragness?" asked Ondott.

  "Hard," said the thrall, "for we are at the spring work; and Hiarandispares not himself, nor me either, and the work is heavy since myfellow is gone."

  "Now, why not make thy lot lighter," asked Ondott, "by taking serviceelsewhere?"

  "I am a slave," said the man, "and not a servant." He did not tellthat his freedom had been promised
him, for he thought that time faraway, since it was three years. For Hiarandi had the custom that athrall should serve with him not for life, but for only seven years,and this man had been with him a less time than Malcolm.

  "The life of a thrall," said Ondott, "is very hard."

  "Aye," said the man.

  "Yet thy fellow went away," quoth Ondott.

  "Aye," answered the thrall, "but he fled over the sea. No ship is nowoutward bound, nor is there anyone to hide me. Else might I alsoflee."

  "Come to Einar," said Ondott. "There shalt thou be safe."

  "If thou sayest true," answered the thrall, "then it shall be done."

  "But thou must come," said Ondott, "in the way I shall name. Thus onlyshalt thou be of service to Einar; but thou shalt be well rewarded ifthou showest thyself a man of courage."

  "Who will not dare much for his freedom?" replied the thrall. "But isharm meant to Hiarandi?"

  "That is not thine affair," quoth Ondott. Then for a time they spoketogether, and certain matters were agreed upon between them.