Færeyinga Saga
Part 10
[55.] Now this must be told, that Sigurd Thorlacsson began to egg on his brother Thord to marry. Thord asked him where he saw a wife that would do for him. "I will not pass over the woman," says Sigurd, "whom I think the best match in the Færeys, namely, Thurid the Mighty Widow." "I don't aim so high," says Thord. "Thou wilt never wed any one without asking," says Sigurd. "I will not try this, and she will be far enough from wishing to wed me," said Thord; "but thou shalt try it if thou wilt." So next day Sigurd fared over to Scufey, and told his tale to Thurid. She did not answer him at once, but he pleaded his cause, and it went so far that she promised she would talk it over with her friends and sons, and that she would send him word how things stood then. So Sigurd fared home with that, and said her answer was likely enough. "That is wonderful indeed," says Thord, "and I rather suspect she was not saying what she thought." Thurid went to Laf her son-in-law and Thora her daughter, and told them of her wooing. Thora asked what she had answered. She said she had spoken strongly against it, but less strongly than she thought. "But what dost thou think the best thing to do, daughter?" She answered, "Thou shalt not say no, if I am to have my way in the matter, if it is at all in your mind to work for revenge on them that have shamed us, and I do not see any other bait by which they are more likely to be caught than this. I need not put words into my mother's mouth, since she has before her many ways to bring it about that they do not have their will this time." Laf was of the same mind as Thora in this matter, and said that he would take thought how they might set about giving them what they deserved. Then they appointed a day for them to come and look after this business. Then Laf said, "Thrond foresaw this long ago when he offered to foster our son, and I hold thee guilty in this matter, Thora; and it will be death of our son Sigmund if he is with Thrond and anything falls out between us and Sigurd." "I don't mean him to be much longer there," said Thora, "and the thing is for us to go to Eastrey, where thou shalt see thy foster-father, Thrond." They all thought this the best thing.
Of the Cruise of Laf and his Wife.
[56.] Laf and they all set out together, seven of them, on board the boat, and got to Eastrey. They had the water coming into the boat all day, and Laf and his men were very wet, but Thora was dry. They went up to the homestead at Gate, and Thrond welcomed them, and bade kindle a fire for Laf and the men; but Thora was led into a room where the boy Sigmund, her son, should be with her. He was then nine years old, and very quick and big to look at. His mother asked him what Thrond had taught him, and he said that he had learned "how to bring all kinds of lawsuits, and to get my own rights and those of others." And all this he had clear in his head. Then she asked what his foster-father had taught him of Holy Faith. Sigmund said that he had learned the Pater Noster and Creed. She said she would like to hear them, and he did as she wished; and it seemed to her that he sang the Pater Noster through pretty well, but Thrond's creed was ---
"[God giveth angels]: I walk not alone;
These follow my feet: five of God's angels:
A prayer for myself I pray: they bear my prayer o Christ:
Psalms seven I sing: God see to my lot!"
While he was singing thus, Thrond came into the room and asked what they were talking about. Thora answered and said that Sigmund her son had been showing her the lore he had taught him. "And methinks the Creed is not of the right kind," says she. "It was so, as thou knowest," says Thrond, "that Christ had twelve disciples, or more, and each of them had his own creed: so also I have my creed, and thou hast the one that thou hast learnt. And there are creeds many, and they need not all be alike to be right." So their talk ended.
In the evening they were treated like guests in the best way, and there was hard drinking, and Thrond was very merry. Thrond told them that they would lodge them in the room, and make a bed for them on the floor. Laf said that would do very well. Thora said that she wished Sigmund to sleep with her that night, that he might tell her of all he had learnt. "That cannot be," says Thrond, "for then I should never sleep all night." "Thou wilt let this be to please me, my dear Thrond," she says. And so it came about that the boy slept with her and Laf.
Now Thrond had a little chamber for himself, and he always slept there and the boy by his side, and few beside. And Thrond went to his chamber, and it was then deep in the night. Laf made ready to sleep and lay down and turned from his wife. She stretched forth her hand to his back and bade him not sleep. "Stand up," says she, "and go round about Eastrey tonight, and scuttle every boat so that there be not one seaworthy. And so they did. Laf knew every creek there, and they scuttled every craft that could float, so that it was not seaworthy. They did not sleep that night, and early in the morning they rose, and Thora and Sigmund went down to the boat, but Laf walked over to the chamber and bade Thrond farewell, and thanked him for his good welcome, and told him that Thora wished Sigmund to go home with her. Thrond had slept little that night; he said that that might not be --- that Sigmund should go away. Then Laf walked hastily down to the boat, but now Thrond thought he could see Laf's whole plan. So he bade his house-carles take a row-boat he had and man her well. They did so, but in came the coal-black sea, and they were fain to get to land. There was not a seaworthy craft on the island, so that Thrond must need bide there whether he liked it or not. Laf went on till he reached home, and then he gathered men to him. This was the day before that on which Sigurd and Thord were to meet them.
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