Egil’s Saga (13 page)

Skallagrim bade Oleif home to lodge with him, him and all his company, and Oleif took that gladly, and he was with Skallagrim the first winter that Oleif was in Iceland. But afterward in the spring Skallagrim showed Oleif choice of land along the south of Whitewater, up from Grimswater to Flokadaleswater. Oleif took that gladly, and carried thither his home and household and set up house there where it is named Varmalech. He was a worshipful man: his sons were Ragi of Laugardale and Thorarin Ragi’s brother, that took the Speakership of the Law in Iceland next after Hrafn Haengson. Thorarin dwelt at Varmalech: he had to wife Thordis, daughter of Olaf Feilan and sister to Thord the Yeller.
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CHAPTER XXX. OF THE COMING OUT OF YNGVAR, THE FATHER-IN-LAW OF SKALLAGRIM.

K
ING HARALD HAIRFAIR laid his ban on all those lands which Kveldulf and Skallagrim had left behind in Norway, and on all their fee besides which he might seize upon. He sought much too after those men who had been in their redes or private counsels, or had been aught of help to Skallagrim and his in that work that they wrought before Skallagrim fared abroad out of the land: and to such a pitch came that enmity that the King bare toward that father and son, that he made himself hateful unto all kindred of theirs or other of their affinity, or such men as he wist of that they had been in dear friendship with them. Some were dealt punishment by him, and many fled away and sought their safety, some within the land, but some fled clean away out of the land abroad.

Yngvar, Skallagrim’s father-in-law, was one of those men aforesaid. He took that rede, that he laid out his fee so far as he might in loose goods and gat him a sea-going ship: manned her, and made ready to fare to Iceland, because he had heard that
Skallagrim had taken there his fixed abode and that there should be no lack of choice land with Skallagrim.

Now when they were ready and had wind at will, then sailed he into the deep and it sped him well of his journey: came he to Iceland southward of the land, and held west round Reekness and sailed into Burgfirth and held in up Longwater and so all up to the force: bare there their cargo off the ship.

But when Skallagrim heard of the coming of Yngvar, then fared he straightway to meet him and bade him to him with so many men as he would. Yngvar took that gladly; the ship was laid up, and Yngvar fared to Burg with many men and was that winter with Skallagrim. But at point of spring, Skallagrim bade him choice of land: he gave Yngvar that house which he had at Alptaness, and land inland as far as Leirulech and out as far as Streamfirth. Thereafter fared he to that out-farm, and took it unto him; and he was the ablest of men, and had a wealth of fee. Skallagrim made then a dwelling in Knarrarness and had a dwelling there long thereafter.

Skallagrim was a great iron-smith and had great smelting of ore in winter time. He let make a smithy beside the sea a long way out from Burg, there where it is called Raufarness: he thought the woods lay not over far away there. But when he found there no stone that was so hard and so smooth as might seem to him good to beat iron on (because there is there no sea-worn stone: it is there small sand all beside the sea), that was of an evening, when other men went to their sleep,
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that Skallagrim went down to the sea and dragged down an eight-oar ship that he had, and rowed out to Midfirthisles: then let drop his anchor-stone at the stem of the ship. And now stepped he overboard, and dived, and had up with him a stone, and brought it up into the ship. And now fared he himself up into the ship, and rowed to land, and bare the stone to his smithy and laid it down before the smithy door, and thenceforward beat his iron on it. That stone lieth there yet, and much burnt slag nigh; and that is seen of the stone, that it is hammered down, and that is surf-worn rock, and nought like to that other rock which is there, and now will not four men lift a greater.

Skallagrim wrought hard with his smith-work, but his house-carles grumbled, and thought ’twas early rising. Then made he this stave:
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Much betideth that iron-smith
Early to rise, who pennies
Will lay up. The wind’s weeds
Welcome Viddi’s brother.
Let the sledge-hammers yell on glowing
Gold of Beam-enjoyer,
While stirring cots that swallow
The storm-blast whistle.

CHAPTER XXXI. OF THE CHILDREN OF SKALLAGRIM.

S
KALLAGRIM and Bera had very many children, and so it was at first that all died. Then gat they a son, and was sprinkled with water
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and named Thorolf. But when he was waxen up, then was he early great of growth and the comeliest to look upon. That was the talk of all men, that he would be the likest to Thorolf Kveldulfson, whom he was named after. Thorolf was far beyond those of like age with him in strength: and when he waxed up, he became a master-man in most of those feats that it was then the wont of men to perform, of them that were men of doughty deeds. Thorolf was a very glad man. Early was he so far come to his full strength that he was deemed fit to accompany with other men of full age. Soon was he well loved of the folk. Right fond of him too were his father and mother.

Skallagrim and his wife had two daughters: the one was named Saeunn and the other Thorunn. They too were lasses of good make in their upgrowing.

Yet again had Skallagrim and his wife a son. That one was sprinkled with water and a name given him, and was called Egil. But when he waxed up, then might it soon be seen of him that he would be exceeding ugly and like his father, black of hair. And when he was three winters old, then was he great and strong, even as those other boys that were six winters old or seven. He was soon a chatterbox, and skilled in words. Something ill to deal with he was, when he was at play with other young folk.

That spring fared Yngvar to Burg, and this was his errand, that he-bade Skallagrim to a bidding, out there at his own place, and named for that journey Bera his daughter and Thorolf her son, and any men else that she and Skallagrim would have go. Skallagrim promised he would come. Fared Yngvar then home, and made ready against the feast and let brew ale then. But when it came to the day appointed, when Skallagrim should fare to the bidding and Bera with him, then Thorolf made him ready for the journey along with them, and housecarles, so that they were fifteen together.

Egil talked of this with his father, that he would go too: “I have as much to say to them there as Thorolf,” saith he.

“Thou shalt not go,” saith Skallagrim; “because thou knowest not how to behave thyself in a throng of folk, where there be great drinkings. They think thee not good to do with, though thou be not drunk.”

Then went Skallagrim a-horseback and rode away.

But Egil was ill content with his lot. He went out of the garth and found a certain draught-horse that Skallagrim had: fared a-back of him, and rode after Skallagrim and his. It was uneasy going for him through the marshes because he knew not the way, but yet he saw very often the riding of Skallagrim and his, when neither holt nor woodland blocked his sight.

There is that to tell of his journey, that late in the evening came he to Alptaness, then when men sate there a-drinking. Went he into the hall. But when Yngvar saw Egil, he took to him kindly, and asked why he was come so late. Egil said what Skallagrim and he had talked about. Yngvar sat Egil down by his side. Sat they over against Skallagrim and Thorolf. That was their way there at ale-quaffings that men quoth staves. Then quoth Egil a stave:
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Come am I hale to hearthstone
Of Yngvar, he that giveth
To lads the glittering ling-thong’s
Bed, (lief would I find him!)
Scarce shalt thou, O lavisher
Of the light-encircl’d worm-lands,
Find a three-year-old ode-smith
Better than me.

Yngvar made much of that stave, and thanked Egil well for the stave; and the day after, then brought Yngvar to Egil, for skaldship’s guerdon, three sea-snail shells and a duck’s egg. But the day after that, at their drinking, Egil quoth another stave upon his guerdon:
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Wise herdsman of the wound-fowl,
To wordy Egil gav’st thou
Three ever-silent surf-dogs
For song’s rewarding.
And, steerer of the sea-steed,
Still a fourth thing gav’st thou:
Bed of the beck-partridge—
Boon to gladden Egil!

Egil laid up for himself thanks for his skaldship with many men. There was nought else to tell of in their journey; fared Egil home with Skallagrim.

CHAPTER XXXII. OF BIORN BRYNIOLFSON AND THORA JEWEL-HAND.

B
IORN was named a mighty hersir in Sogn, who dwelt at Aurland. His son was Bryniolf, who took all the inheritance after his father. The sons of Bryniolf were Biorn and Thord: they were men in their youthful age when these things betided.
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Biorn was a great man in sea-faring: was whiles a-viking, and whiles in cheaping voyages. Biorn was the ablest of men. That befell one summer, that Biorn was abiding in the Firths at a certain feast thronged with men. There saw he a fair maid, and great joy he took to gaze upon her. He asked after her, of what kindred she was. That was said to him, that she was sister to Thorir the Hersir, Hroald’s son, and was named Thora Jewel-hand. Biorn set forth his wooing and bade Thora in marriage, but Thorir denied him his suit, and they parted with things in such case.

But that same autumn Biorn gathered him folk and fared with
a cutter all manned north into the Firths and came to Thorir’s at such time that he was not at, home. Biorn took Thora away and had her home with him to Aurland. They were there winter-long, and Biorn would fain make his wedding with her.

Bryniolf his father liked ill of that, that Biorn had done this shame unto Thorir, whereas before had long friendship been betwixt Thorir and Bryniolf: “So far shalt thou be, Biorn,” saith Bryniolf, “from wedding with Thora here in mine house without leave of Thorir her brother, that she shall here so well abide as if she were my very daughter, and sister of thine.”

And so must needs be everything, even as Bryniolf would bespeak it there in his household, whether Biorn liked well of it or ill.

Bryniolf sent men to Thorir to bid him atonement and redress for that journey Biorn had fared upon. Thorir bade Bryniolf send home Thora: said that no atonement might there be else. But Biorn would for no sake let her fare away, albeit Bryniolf bade this.

So wore the winter. But when it began to be spring, then talked they, Bryniolf and Biorn, one day concerning what rede they should take. Bryniolf asked what he was minded for. Biorn said that was likeliest, that he would fare away out of the land: “That is nearest to my mind”, said he, “that thou find me a long-ship and a following therewith, and I fare a-viking.”

“It is not to be thought of”, said Bryniolf, “that I should put in thine hands a war-ship and a great following, sith I know not but that thou’dst come down in that place of all places ’twould please me least to see thee in; and now, without that, stand we in more than enough unrest because of thee. A cheaping-ship will I put in thine hands, and therewith cheaping-wares. And fare thou then south to Dublin. That is now the best spoken of of voyages. I will find thee a good ship’s company.”

So saith Biorn, that he needs must take it as Bryniolf would. Then let Bryniolf make ready a good cheaping-ship and found men thereto. Biorn made him ready then for that journey, and was not early ready.

But when Biorn was all ready and a fair breeze set in, then stepped he aboard of a boat with twelve men and rowed in to
Aurland, and they went up to the farmstead and to that bower which was his mother’s. She sat within there, and very many women. There was Thora.

Biorn said that Thora must fare with him. They led her away, but his mother bade the women be not so bold as make them ware of this within-door in the hall: said that Bryniolf would take an ill thing in hand if he wist of this, and said that then would the way be cleared for great peril ’twixt that father and son. But Thora’s clothes and precious things were there all laid ready to hand, and Biorn and his had all that along with them. Fared they now by night out to their ship: hoisted sail forthwith, and sailed out down the Sogn-sea and thereafter into the main.

They had an ill wind and big seas, and wallowed long in the main, because they were fast set on this, to get them the furthest they might from Norway. That was on a day, that they sailed from the east toward Shetland in wild weather, and struck their ship coming aland on Mosey. There bare they off the cargo and fared to the burg that was there and bare thither all their wares, and laid up the ship and mended that which was broke.

CHAPTER XXXIII. OF BIORN’S FARING TO ICELAND.

A
LITTLE before winter, came a ship to Shetland from the south out of the Orkneys. They said there were these tidings, that a long-ship had come in the autumn to the isles; and that was messengers from Harald the King with this errand unto Earl Sigurd,
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that the King would let slay Biorn Bryniolfson, whereso he might be laid hand on, and the like word-sendings made he to the South-Isles, and all as far as Dublin.

Biorn heard these tidings, and this withal, that he was made outlaw in Norway. But straightway when he was come to Shetland he had made his wedding with Thora. Sat they that winter in Moseyburg.
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But straightway in the spring, when the sea began to abate, Biorn launched his ship and made her ready at his hastiest. But
when he was ready and had wind at will, sailed he into the main. They found a strong gale and were but a little while out: came from the south to Iceland.

The gale blew now on the land, and bare them west along the land and then out into the main. But when the breeze blew fair again for them, then sailed they toward the land. There was not a man of them ashipboard that had been before to Iceland. They sailed in into a certain firth wondrous great,
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and bare toward the western strand. There was nought seen to landward save breakers only and harbourless shores. They beat about then in the teeth of the wind, east along the land, till at last a firth was before them,
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and they sailed in up the firth till there was an end of all skerries and surf. Then they lay to at a certain ness.
⁵
An isle lay there on the outer side, and a deep sound between: made fast there the ship. A wick went up along the western side of the ness, and up from the wick stood a great burg.