Three Northern Love Stories and Other Tales
So it was settled that this was to be done. Men say that Ketilrid was weighed down with sorrow that winter; that oft she slept little, and sat awake in her sewing-bower nightlong. But that same night before the day whenas Viglund should fare to the ship, for now Ketil's sons were all ready for sea, Viglund and Trusty went to Foss, and into the chamber whereas sat Ketilrid awake, while her handmaids slept.
Sweetly she welcomed the brethren. “It is long since we met,” said she; “but right good it is that ye are whole and about on your feet again.”
So the two brethren sat down beside her, and talked a long while; and Viglund told her all he was minded to do, and she was glad thereat.
“All is right well,” she said, “so long as thou art well, howsoever it fare with me.”
“Let thyself not be wedded whiles I am away,” said Viglund.
“My father must rule that,” she said, “for I have no might herein; moreover, I will not be against him: but belike it will be no happier for me than for thee, if things go otherwise: yet all must needs go its own ways.”
Then Viglund bade her cut his hair and wash his head, and she did so; and when it was done, Viglund said: “This I swear, that none shall cut my hair or wash my head but thou only while thou art alive.”
Then they all went out together, and parted without in the home-mead: and Viglund kissed Ketilrid weeping sore; and it was well seen of them, that their hearts were sore to part thus: but so must it be: and she went into her bower, but they went on their way.
And Viglund, or ever he parted from Ketilrid, sang this stave:----
“Maiden, my songs remember,
Fair mouth, if thou mayst learn them;
For, clasp-mead, they may gain thee
At whiles some times beguiling.
Most precious, when thou wendest
Abroad, where folk are gathered,
Me, O thou slender isle-may,
Each time shalt thou remember.”
But when they were come a little way from the garth Viglund sang another stave:----
“Amid the town we twain stood,
And there she wound around me
Her hands, the hawk-eyed woman,
The fair-haired, greeting sorely.
Fast fell tears from the maiden,
And sorrow told of longing;
Her cloth the drift-white dear one
Over bright brows was drawing.”
A little after, when Ketilrid came into her bower, thither came the goodman Holmkel, and saw his daughter weeping sorely: then he asked her why she was so sleepless: but for all answer she sang:---
“A little way I led him,
The lord of sheen, from green garth;
But farther than all faring,
My heart it followeth after.
Yea, longer had I led him,
If land lay off the haven,
And all the waste of Ægir
Were into green meads waxen.”
Then spake Ketilrid and answered her father: “My brothers' death was in my mind.”
“Wilt thou have them avenged?” said he.
“That should be soon seen,” she said, “if I were as much a man and of might in matters, as I am now but a woman.”
The goodman said: “Daughter, know in good sooth, that it is for thy sake that I have done nought against those brethren; for I wot well that they are alive: so come now, hide not from me how thou wouldst have the matter go; for I will get them slain if that is thy will.”
“So far from having them slain,” said she, “if I might rule, I would never have made them outlaws if I might have ruled; and, moreover, I would have given them money for their journey if I had had it; and never would I have any other but Viglund, if I might choose.”
Then Holmkel arose and went forth, and took his horse and rode after the brethren. But when they saw him, then said Trusty, “There rideth Holmkel alone; and if thou wilt get Ketilrid, there is one thing to be done----nought good though it be----to slay Holmkel and carry off Ketilrid.”
Said Viglund: “Though it were on the board that I should never see Ketilrid from this time henceforward, yet rather would I have it so than that I do Holmkel any hurt, and forget the trustiness he hath dealt me withal, when he hath had such sorrow to pay me back for: yea, moreover, Ketilrid hath grief enow to bear though she see not her father slain, who hath ever wished all things good for her.”
“Yea, so it is best,” said Trusty.
“Now shall we,” said Viglund, “ride into our home-mead to meet him, for the increasing of his honour.”
They did so; but Holmkel rode on past them and then turned back: so the brethren went back to the road, and found money there, and a gold ring, and a rune-staff: and on the rune-staff were cut all those words of Ketilrid and Holmkel, and this withal, that she gave that money to Viglund.
The sons of Thorgrim fare out from Iceland
“Well,” said he, “I am called Troubleman, because I have troubles enough and to spare of my own; but I am also called Viglund, and my brother here is Trusty, and we are the sons of Thorgrim the Proud.”
Then Gunnlaug was silent, but spake at last: “What do we, brother Sigurd?” said he; “for now have we a hard matter to get out of, seeing that I wot well that Ketil our father will let slay them as soon as they come to Norway.”
Said Sigurd: “Thou didst not ask me this when thou tookest them in; but I knew Viglund when I saw him, by Helga his sister. But meseems thou hast might to bring it about that our father Ketil have no more power over them than thou wilt; and a most meet reward will that be for that wherein Thorgrim has done well to us.”
“It is well spoken,” said Gunnlaug: “let us do so.”
Now they had a fair wind and made Norway, and fared home to Raumsdale, and Ketil was from home; and when he came home, there were his sons in the hall, with Thorgrim's sons sitting in their midst; and they were a company of four-and-twenty.
Now they greeted not their father when he set him down in the high seat; but he knew his sons, but not the sons of Thorgrim: so he asked why they greeted him not, or who the stranger men were.
And Sigurd said, “One is called Viglund, and the other Trusty, the sons of Thorgrim the Proud.”
Said Ketil: “Stand up, all ye my men, and take them! And I would that Thorgrim the Proud also were come hither; and then should they all fare by one road.”
Sigurd the Sage answered and said: “Great is the difference between us here and Thorgrim the Proud; for he took us brethren from shipwreck, and did to us ever better and better, when he had us utterly at his will: but thou wilt slay his sons sackless: and belike, good fellows, we may do you a mischief before Thorgrim'' sons be slain: and one fate shall be over us all.”
Then Ketil says that it is unmeet for him to fight against his own sons, and the wrath runs off him.
Then spake Sigurd: “This is my counsel, that my brother Gunnlaug take the whole matter in hand, for he is well proven in rightfulness.”
“Well, it must be so,” said Ketil, “rather than that we, father and sons, begin an ill strife together.”
So this was settled to be; and Gunnlaug spake: “This is my doom: Thorgrim shall keep the woman himself; but withal she shall forego the heritage of Earl Thorir her father, and my father shall duly take the said heritage; and my father shall give his daughter Ingibiorg to Trusty, Thorgrim's son; and Sigurd the Sage shall wed Helga, Thorgrim's daughter. And this my doom I hold to firmly.”
All thought it done well and wisely, and Ketil was well pleased with matters having come hereto.
So there they abode in good entertainment, the winter through, and Trusty wedded Ingibiorg: but in the summer they went a-warring, all the foster-brethren together, and became the most renowned of men, but Viglund bare away the prize from them all: and they were close upon three winters in this warfare.
But Viglund was never in more joyous mood than at the first; for Ketilrid was never out of his mind.
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