Three Northern Love Stories and Other Tales
“Nay, it shall not be,” says she; “rather will I go fetch her msyelf, then that she should have such rumour from Viglund as now lieth on her: yea, I will rather wed her to Hakon; for that methinks were a seemly match.”
Therewith they make an end of talking; and Holmkel thought he could see, that Thorbiorg would send after Ketilrid, and he deems it better to go fetch her himself. So he rode to Ingialdsknoll, and had good welcome there.
But when he was come thither Viglund went to Ketilrid and spake thus with her: “Thy father is come hither; and methinks he is come after thee to bring thee home with him, and he must needs have his will. But now, Ketilrid, I am full fain that thou keep in memory all the privy talk we have had together, for indeed I know that thou wilt never be out of my mind.”
Then said Ketilrid, sore weeping: “Long have I seen that we might not long have this joy in peace; and now belike it were better that we had not said so much: but not all so sure it is that thou lovest me better than I love thee; though my words be less than thine. But now herein do I see the redes of my mother; because for a long while I have had but little love of her; and most like it is that the days of our bliss are over and done if she may have her will of me: nevertheless should I be well content if I wist that all went well with thee. But howsoever it be, we shall never come together in bliss, but if the will of my father prevail; and a heavy yoke he has to drive, whereas my mother and brothers are afield, for in all things will they be against me. But thou, let all these things slip from off thee!”
Then went Viglund to Ketilrid and kissed her; and it was easily seen of her, yea and of both of them, how hard it was for them to part as at that time.
Moreover, Viglund sang a stave:----
“Young now I shall not ever
Love any silken goddess,
That son of man shall say it,
Save thee alone, O Sweetling!
Therefore fair maid remember
The oath we swore aforetime,
Howso that women wilful
Would waste the love between us.”
Then Ketilrid went into the house to her father, who straightway told her that she must away home with him. Ketilrid says that he must have his will; “But good,” says she, “would I deem it to abide here ever: yet must it be even as it must.”
A great matter it was to all to part with Ketilrid, for she was a joy to the heart of every man.
But now they ride home to Foss: and the shipmaster was wondrous fain of her coming home: but Thorbiorg her mother appointed her to serve Hakon; which thing she would in nowise do, but told her father thereof weeping; and he said: “Thou shalt not serve Hakon but if thou wilt: yea that alone shalt thou do which thou willest, and thou shalt be by me both day and night.”
She said she was right glad of that: and so the time wore away a space, in such wise that Hakon got never a word with her.
Ball-play on Esja-tarn
So the brethren went up on to the bank whereas the women sat; and Ketilrid stood up to meet them, and greeted them lovingly, and they sat down on either hand of her, Viglund and Trusty.
Then spake Ketilrid: “Now will I be just as kind to one of you as the other, and hoodwink folk thereby.”
Therewith she gazed ever on Viglund and said: “Thy name will I lengthen this day, and call thee Viglund the Fair: and this ring I will give thee, which my father gave me as a toothing-token, and it shall be to thee a naming-token.”
So he took the ring and drew it on to his hand; and gave her again the ring Harald's-gift, for his father had given it to him. And so, long was their talk drawn out: but when the Foss-men saw that, they took it sore to heart.
So either fare home that evening; and Hakon fell to speech with Thorbiorg, and bade her forbid her daughter to go to any more such meetings of men-folk, in such a mood as she was. She assented thereto, and told Holmkel the goodman not to let his daughter go to any play; but let her abide at home in peace rather: and he did so and Ketilrid's gladness departed from her. Then her father said, she should be ever by him at home if she thought it better so; and she said it pleased her well.
But men go to the play as aforetime; and one had one side, one the other in the play, the Foss-folk and Thorgrim's sons. And on a time Viglund drave the ball out beyond Jokul. Jokul waxed wroth thereat, and when he got the ball, he took it and drave it into Viglund's face, so hard that the skin of his brow fell down over his eyes. Then Trusty ripped a rag from his shirt, and bound up his brother's brow, and when that was done the Foss-folk were departed.
So the brethren went home; and when they came into the hall, Thorgrim cried out as he sat on the dais, “Welcome, dear son and daughter!”
“Why dost thou make women of us, father?” said Trusty.
“Belike,” said Thorgrim, “a coif-wearer should be a woman.”
“No woman am I,” said Viglund. “Yet may happen I am not so far short of it.”
“Why didst thou not pay Jokul back?” said Thorgrim.
“They were gone,” said Trusty, “by then I had bound up his face.” And so the talk came to an end.
The next day both the brethren went to the play; and so when it was least to be looked for, Viglund drave the ball right into Jokul's face, so that the skin burst. Then Jokul went to smite Viglund with his bat, but Viglund ran in under the blow and cast Jokul down on the ice, so that he lay long swooning; and therewith were they parted, and either side went home. Jokul had no might to get a-horseback, and was borne home betwixt the four corners of a cloth: but he mended speedily, and the play was set up at Foss. So Thorgrim's sons arrayed them for the play. Thorgrim would have stayed them, saying that he deemed sore troubles would come of it; but they went none the less.
So when they came into the hall at Foss the play was begun, but folk were all in their seats in the hall. So Viglund went in and up to the dais, whereon sat the goodman and his daughter; and Ketilrid greeted him well.
He took her up from her seat, and sat himself down therein, and set her on his knee. But when the goodman saw that, he edged away and gave place, and then Ketilrid sat her down between them, and they fell to talk together.
Then let the goodman get them a pair of tables, and there they played daylong.
Hakon was ill at ease at that; and ever that winter had he been talking to goodman Holmkel and craving his daughter; but Holmkel answered ever in one wise, and said it might not be.
So wore the day till the brethren got them ready to go; but when they were on the causeway, lo, Ketilrid was in the path before them, and bade them not fare home that night. “Because,” quoth she, “I know that my brethren will waylay you.”
But Viglund said he would go as he had been minded afore, and they did so; and each of them had his axe in his hand. But when they came to a certain stackgarth, lo the Foss-folk, twelve in company.
Then said Jokul: “Good that we have met, Viglund; now shall I pay thee back for the stroke of ball and felling on the ice.”
“I have nought to blame my luck herein,” said Viglund.
So they fell on the two brethren, who defended themselves well and manly. Viglund fought no great while before he had slain a man, and then another, and Trusty slew a third.
Then said Jokul: “Now let us hold our hands, and lay all these feuds on those brethren.”
So did they, and either side went their ways home; and Jokul tells his father that Viglund and Trusty had slain three of his home-men. “But we,” quoth he, “would do nought against them till we had seen thee.”
Now Holmkel was exceeding wroth at this tale.
Ketilrid betrothed to Hakon
So this was heard of at Ingialdsknoll, and Viglund took it much to heart.
But when Holmkel knew the very sooth about the waylaying of the brethren, he deemed he had done overmuch in giving Ketilrid to Hakon.
Now still came the sons of Thorgrim to the games at Foss as heretofore; and Viglund had speech of Ketilrid, and blamed her much with hard words in that she was betrothed. But when they arrayed them to go that night, lo, Hakon had vanished, and the sons of Holmkel, and many others with them. Then spake the goodman with Viglund: “I would,” said he, “that ye went not home tonight: for meseemeth the departure of those brethren looks untrustworthy.”
But Viglund said he would go, as he had afore been minded: but when they came out a-doors, there was Ketilrid in the way before them, who prayed Viglund to go another road. “No great things will I do for thy word,” said he; and he sang withal:----
“Stem where the gathered gold meets,
All trust I gave unto thee:
Last thought of all thoughts was it
That thou couldst wed another.
But now no oaths avail us,
Nought are our many kisses;
Late learn we of women:----
Her word to me is broken.”
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