Northvegr - Viga-Glum's Saga

Home | Site Index | Heithinn Idea Contest |

Viga-Glum's Saga

CHAPTER XIV

THERE was a man named Thorkel, who lived at Hamar. Ingolf went thither, and met this man’s daughter, who was a handsome woman. Her father was well enough off, but he was not a person of much consideration in the country. Ingolf, however, attended properly to his duties as over-looker, but he did not work as a craftsman so much as he had done, and Márr spoke to him once about it saying, “I see that my father is not pleased at your being often away from home.” Ingolf gave a fair answer, but it came to the same thing again, and Márr warned him again a second and third time, but it was no use.
        One evening it happened that he came home late, and when the men had had their supper Glum said, “Now let us amuse ourselves, and let each of us say what or whom he most relies on, and I will have first choice. Well, I choose three things on which I most rely; the first is my purse, the second is my axe, and the third is my larder.” Then one man after another made his choice, and Glum called out, “whom do you chose, Ingolf?” His answer was, “Thorkel, of Hamar.” Glum jumped up, held up a the hilt of his sword, and going up to him said, “A pretty sort of patron you have chosen.” All men saw that Glum was wroth. He went out, and Ingolf went with him, and then Glum said to him, “Go now to your patron and tell him you have killed Kálf.” “Why,” replied he, “how can I tell him this lie?” “You shall do as I please,” answered Glum, so they both went together, and Glum turned into the barn, where he saw a calf before him. “Cut it’s head off,” he cried, “and then go southward across the river and tell Thorkel that you look to him alone for protection, and show him your bloody sword as the token of the deed you have done.” Ingolf did this; went to Thorkel, and told him as news how he had not forgooten the blow Kálf had given him, and how he had killed him. The answer was, “You are a fool, and you have killed a good man; get you gone as quick as you can, I do not choose that you should be slain on my premises.” Then Ingolf came back again to meet Glum, who asked him “Well, how did your patron turn out?” “Not over well,” said he. ”You will have trouble on your hands,” remarked Glum, “if Kálf, of Stockahlad should really be killed.”
        Now Glum himself had killed Kálf, at Stöckahlad, whilst Ingolf was away, and had thus taken vengeance for him, (1) and the following day Kálf’s death was publicly known. Thorkel said at once that a fellow had come thither who had taken the death on himself, so that everybody thought it was really so. The winter passed on, and Glum sent Ingolf northward, to the house of Einar, the son of Konál, and gave him nine hundred ells of cloth. “You have had no wages,” he said, “from me,” but with your saving habits you may turn this to good account, and as regards this matter which is laid to your charge I will take care of that. It shall not hurt you; I paid you off for your perverseness in this way, and when you come home you may come and pay me a visit.” Ingolf answered, “One thing I beg of you, do not let the woman be married to any one else.” “This, I promise you,” said Glum. Ingolf’s horses were left where they were. Einar, the son of Konál, got Ingolf conveyed abroad, but Thorvald began a suit at the Hegranes Thing for the slaughter of Kálf, and it looked as if Ingolf would be found guilty. Glum was at the Thing, and some of Ingolf’s kinsmen came to him, and asked him to look after the case, professing their readiness to contribute to pay the fine for him. Glum told them, “I will se to the suit without any fine being paid.”
        When the court went out to sit, and the defendant was called on for his defence, Glum stated that the suit was null and void, “for you have proceeded against the wrong man; I did the deed.” Then he named his witnesses, who were to certify that the suit was void; “for though Ingolf did kill the ’calf’ in the barn, I did not make any charge against him for that. Now, I will offer an atonement more according to the worth of the man killed, ant according to the pride of you men of Espihole.” So he did, and the people left the Thing.
        Ingolf was abroad that winter, and could stand it no longer, but turned his cash into goods, and purchased valuable articles, and tapestry hangings of rare quality. Glum had given him a good cloak, and he exchanged that for a scarlet kirtle. The summer that he had sailed there came out to Iceland the man called Thiodolf, whose mother lived at Æsustad. He visited Hamar, and fell in with Helga. One day Glum was riding up to Hole, and a he went down the hill at Saurbæ, Thiodolf met him. Glum said to him, “I do not like your visits to Hamar; I mean myself to provide for Helga’s marriage, and if you do not give this up I shall challenge you to the ‘Holmgang.’” He answered that he was not going to math himself with Glum, and so he left off going thither.

<< Previous Page Next Page >>

© 2004-2007 Northvegr.
Most of the material on this site is in the public domain. However, many people have worked very hard to bring these texts to you so if you do use the work, we would appreciate it if you could give credit to both the Northvegr site and to the individuals who worked to bring you these texts. A small number of texts are copyrighted and cannot be used without the author's permission. Any text that is copyrighted will have a clear notation of such on the main index page for that text. Inquiries can be sent to info@northvegr.org. Northvegr™ and the Northvegr symbol are trademarks and service marks of the Northvegr Foundation.