Chapter 39

Of Thorleif Kimbi And His Dealings With Arnbiorn.

Now when they were nigh ready there came one forth upon the ledge of rock by the booths. This man was great of growth, and had a bundle on his back, and seemed to men somewhat uncouth. He asked for the ship-master, and he was shown to his booth. So he laid down his bag at the booth-door and went into the booth, and asked if the skipper would give him a passage over the sea.

They asked him of his name, and he called himself Arnbiorn, the son of Asbrand of Combe, and said he fain would fare out and seek Biorn his brother, who had gone out some winters before, and had not been heard of since he went to Denmark.

The Eastmen said that the bulk was bound down, and they deemed it might not be undone. He said he had not more faring goods than might lie on the top of the bulk. But whereas they deemed him to have great need of faring, they took him to them, but he found himself in victual, and abode on the forecastle.

In his bag were three hundreds in wadmal, (2) and twelve skins for sale, (3) and his victual.

Now Arnbiorn was of good help and a brisk man, and the chapmen held him of good account.

They had a fair passage out and made Hordaland, and took land at an outskerry, and dight their victuals on land.

Thorleif Kimbi was the allotted mess-ward, and had to make porridge. Arnbiorn was aland and made porridge for himself, and had the mess-kettle which Thorleif was to have afterwards. Then went Thorleif aland and bade Arnbiorn give him his kettle, but he had not yet made his own porridge, but stirred the kettle while Thorleif stood over him. Now the Eastmen called aland from the ship and bade Thorleif get ready the meat, and said that he was just an Icelander because of his laziness. Then Thorleif lost his temper, and caught up the kettle and cast out Arnbiorn's porridge, and then turned away.

Arnbiorn had the stirring-stick in his hand, and therewith he smote at Thorleif and caught him on the neck, and the blow was not great, but whereas the porridge was hot, Thorleif was scalded on his neck. Then Thorleif said:

"These Northmen shall not mock us, since we be here two fellow- countrymen together, that they must needs drag us apart like dogs; but I shall mind me of this when we are together in Iceland."

Arnbiorn answered nought. So they lay there three nights before they had a wind for land; then they brought their goods ashore.

Thorleif guested there, but Arnbiorn took ship with certain traders east to Wick, and thence to Denmark to seek for his brother Biorn.

Chapter 40

Of Biorn, The Champion
Of The Broadwickers, And
His Dealings With Thurid Of Frodis-Water.

That same summer came out to Lavahaven-mouth those brothers Biorn and Arnbiorn, and Biorn was afterwards called the Champion of the Broadwickers. Arnbiorn had by then brought home a pretty penny; and as soon as he came aland that summer he bought him land at Bank in Lavahaven, and set up house there the next spring. That winter he spent at Cnear with Thord Walleye, his brother-in-law. Arnbiorn was not a man for show, and was of few words in most matters, yet the stoutest and manliest of men in every wise. But Biorn his brother was a very stately man when he came out, and fair was his mien, for that he had shaped himself after the customs of outland chiefs. A far goodlier man was he than Arnbiorn, and in nothing of less skill than he, and in hardihood far more proven, for thereby he had gained renown in the outlands.

Now in the summer, when these were new come out, was appointed a great meeting of men north of the heath under Howebrent, in from Frodismouth. So those chapmen rode thither all of them, in coloured raiment, and when they came to the assembly, there were many there before them, and Thurid withal the goodwife of Frodis-water, and Biorn went to talk with her; and no man laid a word on them therefor, for they deemed that it was to be looked for that they should have much to say to each other, so long as it was since they met last.

Now that day men gave and took wounds, and one man from the Northcountry-men was brought to his death, and he was borne into a copse that was on the ere, and much blood ran from his wounds, and there stood a pool of blood in the copse. There was the youngling Kiartan, the son of Thurid of Frodis-water, with a little axe in his hand; he ran to the copse, and dipped the axe in the blood.

But when the folk from the south side of the heath rode south from the meeting, Thord Walleye asked Biorn how things had gone in the talk betwixt him and Thurid of Frodis-water. Biorn seemed well pleased thereabout. Then Thord asked Biorn if he had seen that day the youngling Kiartan, the son of Thurid and Thorod and them all together.

"Yea, I saw him," cried Biorn.

"In what wise didst thou deem of him?" said Thord.

Then sang Biorn this stave:

"The young tree I saw there, the eager-eyed sapling, The youngling, the very own image of her, That gem-bestrewn table; he ran to the tree-grove, Whence the brook of the Wolf, even Fenrir, was welling. They who waste wide the flame of Morn's river, meseemeth Have been hitherto heedful to hide from the stripling The name of the father who erewhile begat him, He who speedeth the steeds of the streams of the Ocean."

Then sang Biorn yet again:

"Then the slender-sweet fir-tree of Thorod, that beareth The fells goodly-fashioned shall find of my guessing, That truly I guessed it -- Ah, surely the coif-field, The snow-white of women, erewhile well hath loved me -- If so it befell that the kin-famous woman, The table of jewels, bore son like my body Now, whatso betideth I weary in longing For that Valkyr of flame of the sea-flood a-roaring."

"Good rede," said Biorn; "yet far is it from my mind, though I have to do with somewhat over-mighty a man whereas her brother Snorri is."

"See to that thyself," said Thord; and therewithal they dropped their talk. And now Biorn went home to Combe, and there took on him the ruling of the house, because his father was by then dead. He betook himself anew to a journey north over the heath to meet Thurid that winter, and though Thorod misliked it, yet he deemed it no easy thing for him to better matters; for his mind told him how hardly he had fared whenas he had made trouble of their ways aforetime, and he saw that Biorn was now far mightier than heretofore.

But Thorod made a bargain that winter with Thorgrima Witch-face that she should bring a storm on Biorn as he went over the heath; and on a day Biorn fared to Frodis-water, and in the evening when he was ready to go home the weather waxed thick, and somewhat it rained, and he withal was rather late ready; but when he came upon the heath cold grew the weather, and the snow drave down, and so dark it was that he might not see the road before him. Then came on a storm, with such hail that he might scarce keep his feet, and his clothes, which before had got wet through, took to freezing on him, and he was so wildered withal that he knew not which way he turned; but in the night he found a cave in the rocks and went therein and abode there that night, and cold harbour he had. There sang Biorn:

"The Goddess of sea-flame, the weed-wearer, surely Heavy-hearted would wax if of me she were wotting; If she heard of my plight here, and how I am lying All amidst of ill weather, the woe of the woodland. If the Goddess of wildfire of waves did but know it, How the heeder, the herder of yoke-beasts that labour The field of the sea-flood, is lying alone All starven with cold in the cave of the stone-heaps!"

"With the boards was I shearing the icy cold swan-field; From the East in the laden keel fared I erewhile; So hard and so hard there the dear bride she drew me; So fast and so fast in her love was I bounden. Weary wet-worn I was as we wended thereover The highway of waves; and now all heart-heavy The grove of the battle in cave hath abiding Instead of the fair woman's bolster beneath him."

"Time was when my deeds neath the banner well warded That Styrbiorn was bearing, were blazoned abroad, Whenas Eric the Iron-coat fared in the field, And smote down the host in the din of the spear-flight. Now wandering, bewildered I trod the heath over, And wended my ways in the teeth of the sleet-drift, That was wrought but for me by the spell-working wife; For the wide way, the waste, was o'er ill for the tracking."

6 ells making 1 eyrir = ounce (8 ounces = mark),
48 ells making 1 mork = mark (*) (2 ´ marks = hundred),
120 ells making 1 hundred.

(*) Mark and ounce were also measures of weight: 8 ounces = 1 mark, 20 marks making 1 farthing, "fjorthungr", 8 farthings making 1 weight, "vaett". Back

(3) For "twelve skins for sale", read twelve cloaks of marketable russet or wadmal. Back