Eyrbyggja Saga
Page 7
Chapter 14
Snorri Gets Holyfell.
At the Spring Thing the next
summer Snorri claimed his father's heritage from Bork. Bork answered that
he would yield him his heritage. "But I am loth," said he, "to share Holyfell
asunder, though I see that it is meet for us not to dwell in one stead together.
So I will redeem my share of the land." Snorri answered: "It is most fair
that thou shouldst lay the land at as dear a price as thou wilt, but fair
also that I choose which of us shall redeem it."
Bork thought over that matter,
and so deemed that Snorri would not have loose money to give for the land
if he should have to redeem it speedily, and he laid the worth of half
the land at sixty hundreds of silver, having first set aside the islands,
because he thought that he should get them at but little price when Snorri
should have set up house and home otherwhere.
There followed therewith
that the money should be straightway paid up, and nought of the money
should be borrowed from other folk. (1)
"And choose thou now, Snorri, here on the spot which thou wilt take,"
said Bork.
Snorri answered: "This know
I now, kinsman Bork, that thou deemest me sick of purse when thou layest
down the land of Holyfell so good cheap; yet I choose to take to me my
father's land at that price, so reach me out thine hand, and handsel me
now the land."
"That shall not be," said
Bork, "before every penny is first yolden."
Then said Snorri to Thorbrand
his foster-father: "Did I hand over to thee any money last autumn?" "Yea,"
said Thorbrand, and therewith drew a purse from under his cape. Then was
the silver told, and every penny paid for the land, and after that was
left in the purse sixty hundreds of silver.
Bork took the money, and
gave handsel to Snorri of the land.
Then said Bork: "More of
silver hast thou got, kinsman, than we wotted; now I will that we give
up the ill-will which was between us; and I will add this to thy well-doing,
that we keep house both together at Holyfell these seasons, since thou
hast little of live-stock."
Snorri answered: "Well then,
thou shalt make the most of thy live-stock; but yet from Holyfell shalt
thou get thee gone." And so must it be even as Snorri would.
But when Bork was ready
to depart from Holyfell, Thordis went forth and named witnesses to this
for herself, that she gave out that she was parted from Bork her husband,
and gave that for the cause that he had smitten her, and she would not
lie under his hand. Then were their goods divided, and Snorri stood forth
for his mother because he was her heir. Then Bork took the lot which he
had minded for another, that he got but a little price for the islands.
Thereafter Bork fared away
from Holyfell, and west to Midfell- strand, and dwelt first at Borkstead
between Orris-knoll and Tongue.
Chapter 15
Of Snorri The Priest, Of
The Mewlithe-Folk.
Snorri Thorgrimsom set up house
at Holyfell, and his mother was over the housekeeping. Mar Hallwardson,
his father's brother, betook himself thither with much live-stock, and was
head over Snorri's household and husbandry. There Snorri held a thronged
house of the greatest largesse.
Snorri was middling in height
and somewhat slender, fair to look on, straight-faced and of light hue;
of yellow hair and red beard; he was meek of mood in his daily ways; little
men knew of his thought for good or ill; he was a wise man, and foreseeing
in many things, enduring in wrath and deep in hatred; of good rede was
he for his friends, but his unfriends deemed his counsels but cold.
He was now Warden of the
Temple there; therefore was he called Snorri the Priest, and a great chief
he became; but for his rule he was much envied, because there were many
who for the sake of their kin thought they were of no less worth than
he, but had more to fall back upon, because of their strength and proven
hardihood.
Now Bork the Thick and Thordis
Sur's daughter, had a daughter who was called Thurid, and was at this
time wedded to Thorbiorn the Thick, who dwelt at Frodis-water. He was
the son of Worm the Slender, who had dwelt there and had settled the land
of Frodis- water; he had before had to wife Thurid of Broadwick, daughter
of Asbrand of Combe; she was sister to Biorn, the Champion of the Broadwickers,
who hereafter cometh again into this tale, and to Arnbiorn the Strong.
These were the sons of Thorbiorn and Thurid: Ketil the Champion, Gunnlaug,
and Hallstein.
But Thorbiorn of Frodis-water
was overbearing and reckless with men lesser than he.
In those days dwelt at Mewlithe,
Geirrid, daughter of Thorolf Halt-foot, with Thorarin the Swart, her son.
He was a big man and a strong; ugly he was, and moody and quiet in his
daily guise: he was called the Peace-maker. He had not much wealth to
boast of, yet was his housekeeping gainful. So little of a meddler was
he, that his foes said that he had no less the heart of a woman than a
man. He was a married man, and his wife was called Aud; Gudny was his
sister, whom Vermund the Slender had to wife.
At Holt, west of Mewlithe,
dwelt a widow who was called Katla. She was fair to look upon, but yet
not to all men's minds. Her son was called Odd; he was a big man and of
good pith, a mighty brawler, and babbling, slippery, and slanderous.
Now Gunnlaug, the son of
Thorbiorn the Thick, was eager to learn; he often stayed at Mewlithe,
and learned cunning from Geirrid, Thorolt's daughter, because she knew
much wizard lore. But on a day Gunnlaug came to Holt on his way to Mewlithe,
and talked much with Katla; but she asked if he were minded once more
for Mewlithe to pat the old carline's belly there. Gunnlaug said that
was not his errand, "but thou art not so young, Katla, that it befits
thee to cast Geirrid's eld in her teeth."
Katla answered: "I did not
deem that we were so like herein; but it matters not," said she; "ye men
deem that there is no woman beside Geirrid, but more women know somewhat
than she alone."
Odd Katlason fared often
to Mewlithe with Gunnlaug; but when they happened to go back late, Katla
would often bid Gunnlaug to abide there at Holt, but he went home ever.
Chapter 16
Gunnlaug Is Witch-Ridden,
Geirrid Summoned, Of Thorarin.
On a day at the beginning of
that winter wherein Snorri first kept house at Holyfell, it befell that
Gunnlaug Thorbiornson fared to Mewlithe, and Odd Katlason with him. Gunnlaug
and Geirrid talked long together that day, and when the evening was far
spent Geirrid said to Gunnlaug: "I would that thou go not
home this evening, for there will be many ride-by-nights (2)
about, and oft is a fiend in a fair skin; but methinks that now thou seemest
not over-lucky to look upon."
Gunnlaug answered: "No risk
may there be to me," says he, "since we are two together."
She said: "No gain will
Odd's help be to thee, and withal thou wilt thyself have to pay for thine
own wilfulness."
Thereafter they went out,
Gunnlaug and Odd, and fared till they came to Holt. Katla was by then
in her bed; she bade Odd pray Gunnlaug to abide there. He said he had
so done, "and he must needs fare home," said he. "Let him fare then as
his fate he shapes," says she.
Gunnlaug came not home in
the evening, and folk talked it over that he should be searched for; but
the search came not off. But in the night, when Thorbiorn looked out,
he found Gunnlaug his son before the door; and there he lay witless withal.
Then was he borne in and his clothes pulled off; he was all black and
blue about the shoulders, and the flesh was falling from the bones. He
lay all the winter sick of his hurts, and great talk there was over that
sickness of his. Odd Katlason spread that about that Geirrid must have
ridden him; for he said that they had parted with short words that evening.
And most men deemed that it was even thus.
This was about the summoning
days. So Thorbiorn rode to Mewlithe and summoned Geirrid for this cause,
that she was a ride-by-night and had brought about Gunnlaug's trouble.
The case went to the Thorsness Thing, and Snorri the Priest took up the
case for Thorbiorn his brother-in-law; but Arnkel the Priest defended
the case for Geirrid his sister: a jury of twelve should give a
verdict thereon. (3) But neither of the two, Snorri
or Arnkel, were deemed fit to bear witness, (4)
because of their kinship to the plaintiff and defendant.
Then was Helgi, the Priest
of Templegarth, the father of Biorn, the father of Gest, the father of
Shald-Ref, called to give out the twelve men's finding. Arnkel the Priest
went to the doom and made oath on the stall-ring that Geirrid had not
wrought the hurt of Gunnlaug; Thorarin made oath with him and ten other
men, and then Helgi gave the verdict for Geirrid. And the case of Thorbiorn
and Snorri came to nought, and thereof gat they shame.
Chapter 17
Strife At The Thorsness
Thing;
Snorri Goes Between.
At this Thing Thorgrim Kiallakson
and his sons strove with Illugi the Black about the jointure and dowry of
Ingibiorg, Asbiorn's daughter, the wife of Illugi, which TiI1forni had had
in wardship.
At the Thing great storms
befell, so that no man could come to the Thing from Midfell-strand, and
a great drawback to Thorgrim's strength it was that his kin might not
come.
Illugi had a hundred men
and those a chosen band, and he pushed the case forward; but the Kiallekings
went to the court, and would fain break it up.
Then there was a mighty
throng, and men made it their business there to part them; but so the
matter went, that Tinforni had to give up the money according to Illugi's
claim. So says Odd the Skald in Illugi's lay:
"It was west at
the Thorsness Thing fray was there foughten, And there was the man by
hap ever upholden; The staff of the song from the helm that upriseth Was
a-claiming the dowry amidst of the Mote. So the fair load of Fornir's
scrip fell in the ending To the keen-witted wight one, the warrior that
feedeth The swart swallow's brother that flits o'er the fight. But no
easy matter was peace unto menfolk."
Thereafter the storm abated,
and the Kiallekings came west from the Strand. Then would Thorgrim Kiallakson
not hold to the peace, but fell on Illugi, and battle befell there. Then
Snorri the Priest bade to him men to go between them, and thus brought them
to a truce. There fell three men of the Kiallekings, and four of Illugi's
folk. Stir Thorgrimson slew there two men; so says Odd in Illugi's lay:
"Barefaced the folk
brake it, the peace well awarded; There were three fellows fallen amidst
of the field Of those that be urging the opener of war-shield; (Before
the great fir of the ice-ridge they fell;) Ere unto them Snorri, the Chief
that upreareth The kin of the storm-queans, from out of the cumber, Could
bring aback peace to the band of the menfolk. Far-famed was that mastership
over the men."
Illugi thanked Snorri the Priest
for his help, and offered him pay for his aid, but he said he would have
no reward for his first help. Then Illugi bade him to his house; and that
Snorri took, and had many good gifts, and then Snorri and Illugi were friends
for a while.
ENDNOTES:
(1)
"And nought of the money should be borrowed from other folk." This irrational
and unmeaning condition we take to be a later interpolation. Back
(2) "Ride-by-night" (kveld-ritha), a possessed female
wight, who after the fashion of troll-women riding wolves with snakes
for reins in the dusk and dark of night, boding evil (cf. Lay of Helgi
Hiorvardson, 35, and the prose piece after v. 30), were supposed to flit
about at night in order to inflict grievous bodily harm on man and beast.
Back
(3) "A jury of twelve should give the verdict thereon." The jury (kvithar),
in this case, was the so-called "tylftar-" or "to1ftar-kvithr", which
was called in in cases where evidence, not of palpable facts, but of probability,
was to be given. In this case the kind of twelve-men's jury delivering
the verdict was the so-called "gotha-kvithr", priest's jury, which was
empannelled by the gothi himself out of his Thingmen without any reference
to neighbourship. -- Gragas, i, a, 66-67. Back
(4) "Bear witness"; read: give out the verdict; cf. 1. 30, "give out the
twelve men's finding," which is the same function that kinship was considered
to prevent Snorri and Arnkel from undertaking. Back
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