Chapter 32

Bardi Puts Away His Wife.

"The stem of the battle-craft here was upbearing His spear-shaft with eight and with ten of the ash-trees That bear about ever the moon of the ocean; With us five less than thirty men were they a-fighting. But nine of the flingers of hail of the bow, Yea, nine of our folk unto field there have fallen, And surely meseemeth that dead they are lying, Those staves of the flame by the lathe that is fashioned.

"Of the North the two cravers of heirship from Eid In the field are they fallen as seen is full clearly, And Gudbrand's two sons they fell there moreover, Where the din of the spear-play was mighty mid men. But never henceforward for boot are we biding; Unless as time weareth the vengeance befall. Now shall true folk be holding a mind of these matters, As of sword-motes the greatest ere fought amongst men."

Next the story has told how Bardi sought aid from friends and neighhours in household needs, that he might maintain a bodyguard at Asbiorn's-ness against the Southerners gathering men to beset him in his house. In this matter his wife Gudrun sought to prevail with her father to come bounteously to Bardi's aid, but he hung back, and the unbroken tale begins again when Bardi has gone himself to his father-in-law to urge the matter.] "Biorn," says he, "how much wilt thou add to my store of slaughtered meat, if I eke my household in some way?"

Spake Thorbiorn: "Nought will I add thereto, because nought is due from me." So other folk busied themselves about the matter with Biorn, but could get nothing good out of him.

Bardi said: "Then neither will have aught good of the matter, and they will have to pay on whom the worser lot falleth; but I shall do that whereby thou shalt be most dishonoured." And therewithal Bardi nameth witnesses, and gives forth that he putteth from him Gudrun, Biorn's daughter "and for this cause," says Bardi, "that thou art by a great deal too much of a miser for any doughty man to put up with having thee for a father-in-law; nor shalt thou ever have back from me either dower or jointure."

Chapter 33

The Speaking Out Of Truce.

Then said Bardi: "Let us drop our visors, (1) and ride we into their band, but never more than one at a time, and then they will find out nothing, seeing that it is dark."

So Bardi rideth up to Snorri the Priest, having a mask over his face, and hath talk with him while they cross the ford, and tells him the tidings. And as they ride out of the river Snorri the Priest took up the word, and said:

"Here let us bait, Thorgisl, and tarry and talk together, before we betake ourselves to quarters for the night." Bardi and his were riding beside the company, and folk heeded it not. Thorgisl was minded in the evening for Broadlairstead.

Now when they had sat down, spake Snorri: "I am told, Thorgisl," says he, "that no man can set forth as well as thou the speech of truce and other in law matters." (2)

"That is a tale that goeth not for much," says Thorgisl.

"Nay," says Snorri, "there must be much therein, since all men speak in one way thereof."

Thorgisl answers: "Truly there is nothing in it that I deliver the speech of truce better than other men, though it may be good in law notwithstanding."

Says Snorri: "I would that thou wouldst let me hear it."

He answers: "What need is there thereof? Are any men here at enmity together?"

He said he knew nought thereof, "but this can never be a misdoing; so do as I will."

So Thorgisl said it should be so, and therewithal he fell to speaking:

"This is the beginning of our speech of truce, that God may be at peace with us all; so also shall we be men at peace between ourselves and of good accord, at ale and at eating, at meets and at man-motes, at church-goings and in king's house; and wherever the meetings of men befall, we shall be so at one as if enmity had never been between us. Knife we shall share and shorn meat, yea, and all other things between us, even as friends and not foes. Should henceforth any trespass happen amongst us, let boot be done, but no blade be reddened. But he of us who tramples on truce settled, or fights after full troth given, he shall be so far wolf-driven and chased, as men furthest follow up wolves, Christian men churches seek, heathen men their temples tend, fires flare up, earth grows green, son names a mother's name, ships sail, shields glitter, sun shines, snow wanes, Fin skates, fir groweth, a falcon flieth the springlong day with wind abaft under both his wings standing, as heaven dwindles, the world is peopled, wind waxeth, water sheds to sea, and carles sow corn.

"He shall shun churches and Christian men, God's houses and men's, and every home but hell.

"Each one of us taketh troth from the other for himself and his heirs born and unborn, begotten and not begotten, named and not named, and each one giveth in turn troth, life troth, dear troth, yea, main troth, such as ever shall hold good while mold and men be alive.

"Now are we at one, and at peace wheresoever we meet on land or on water, on ship or on snowshoe, on high seas or horseback:

"Oars to share, Or bailing-butt, Thoft or thole plank If that be needful."

Chapter 34

Snorri Tells The Whole Tale.

In that band there were many friends and close kindred of the men of the South; moreover, Thorgisl had aforetime had for wife Grima, the daughter of Halkel, and sister of Illugi the Black.

Then said Thorgisl: "For this once we might well have done without thee, Snorri."

He answers: "Say not so, good friend; troubles between men have now grown full great, though here they be stayed."

So now Thorgisl would not go against the truce which he himself had bespoken, and so folk parted asunder.

Snorri rode away with a company of twenty men to Lechmote, and Bardi and his folk were with him, and Thorarin received them well, and cheery of mood they were and bespoke their counsels.

[Here a lacuna of one leaf in the old MS. interrupts the story, which begins again when, apparently at the Althing, the affairs of Bardi were settled at law.]


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