Icelandic Sagas - Gisli The Outlaw, Part 3

Please enjoy this third part of the saga of Gisli the Outlaw! It is believed that the Icelandic Sagas were written down in the 13th and 14th centuries. They recount the family tales of Icelanders from the 10th and 11th centuries and give some fascinating insights into the lives, struggles and interests of the Nordic people of that era...

Transcript

Hello there.

Thank you so much for joining me for this recording of the third part of the story of the Icelandic saga of Gísli the Outlaw.

So the sagas were believed to have been written down in the 13th and 14th centuries and they recount the family tales of real Icelanders from the 10th and 11th centuries.

They give us many fascinating insights into the lives and struggles and interests and journeys of the Nordic people of that era.

So before we get into this final part of Gísli's story let's just take a moment here to have a nice deep exhale.

Letting go of the day.

Letting go of whichever baggage we might be bringing along with us into this moment.

For right now there's nowhere else that we have to be and nothing else for us to be doing.

So we can just relax,

Get ourselves comfortable and enjoy this part of the story of Gísli the Outlaw.

Chapter 11.

Gísli an Outlaw.

So Borg and his men rode on after that by the path over the sands till they got across the mouth of sand water.

There they get off their horses and bait.

Then Þorkell says he wishes to see his brother-in-law Þonand and that he will ride on hard before them.

But as soon as ever he was out of sight he rides straight for Hól and says what had happened and how Þordisa had given out that Gísli slew Þorkell.

Now he says the story is in every man's mouth.

Gísli was silent a while and then chanted my sister loves to tire her head but little thinks of Gudrun dead.

Gudrun that high sold Gyuki's child who saw her husband slain and smiled.

Another husband she might have but barren lies a brother's grave.

And so to venge her brother's fall she slew her husband sons and all.

And yet I never thought she would do this for I think I have often shown that her dishonor was not a wit less felt by me than my own.

Sometimes too I have had my life in peril for her sake but now she deals me this death blow.

But what am I to look for at thy hands kinsmen now that I have done such a deed?

This said Þorkell.

I will warn thee if I am myself aware that men are about to lie in wait for thy life but I will give thee no other help for which I may get into trouble.

Methinks too thou hast much misdone against me slain both my brother-in-law and partner and bosom friend.

Well says Ghisli was it not to be looked for for such a man as Vestane was that some revenge must be had for his loss.

I would not answer thee as thou answerest me nor would I do as thou doest.

So those brothers parted and now Þorkell rides back to meet Borg and they ride west.

Across the heath.

Borg does not draw a bridle till he comes south to Þorsnes and sets his house in order there.

As for Þorkell Saursop he buys him land at Barðastrand Barðastrand at a place called Becombe.

But when the summoning days are coming on Borg sets out with 60 men for the Westferths and means to summon Ghisli to take his trial at Þorsnes Ding and Þorkell went with him and Þorod and Quarrelsome Stain,

Borg's nephews,

The sons of Þordisa the daughter of Þorstein Codbiter.

There was an Easterling too named Þorgrim who went with them.

So they all fared till they came to Sandwater Mouth.

Then Þorkell says that he has some debts to call for at a farm called Höll farther on in their way.

I will ride on first he says and so he does but as soon as ever he reached the farm he bade the housewife change horses with him but let this horse of mine stand outside before the door saddled and bridled and when they come by my fellow travelers say I am indoors telling Silva.

She did as he bade her got him another horse and he rides might and main to Höll sees Ghisli and tells what was about to befall him.

Ghisli asks Þorkell again what counsel was best to take and what countenance he will give him but Þorkell answers as before that he will do not else but warn him if any danger is about to befall him.

Now Þorkell rides away and so shapes his course that he rode round behind Borg and his fellows mounts his own horse and overtakes them.

He delays them as much as he can and makes them lose much time but as soon as those brothers parted Þorkell and Ghisli,

Ghisli takes two sledges and drives off with them into the wood with all his goods and chattels.

He had already sold his land to Þorkell Erik's son and he takes Þorðr the Hareheart his thrall with him.

Then Ghisli said to Þorðr Oft hast thou been faithful and obedient to me and done my bidding and I am bound to repay thee well.

It was ever Ghisli's want to wear a blue cape and he was often well clad and now Ghisli goes on to say I will give thee this cape,

Friend.

Put it on at once and get up on the last sledge but I will lead the horses and wear thy cloak.

So they did that and Þorðr thanks him over and over again for the gift.

Again Ghisli said bear in mind though men may follow on our heels never to answer a word if they call out to thee.

But if the worst comes to the worst and they try to do thee harm jump down and run away into the wood and let it shield us.

So they changed clothes.

Þorðr was something like Ghisli in bearing and gait and a tall proper man but as to his courage and wit there was not a pin to choose between them.

He had not a spark of either.

Now Borg and his friends see Ghisli going off into the wood and run after them as hard as they can but when Þorðr sees that he jumps off the sledge in a trice and runs nimbly among the trees.

They all thought they knew Ghisli and press on after him and call out to him but he utters never a word.

Then Þorgrim the Easterling hurls his spear after him and hit the thrall between the shoulders and he fell flat on his face.

And needed no more.

Then Borg bawled out good luck to thee for thy shot thou happy man.

As for the brothers Þorðr and Quarrelsome Stain they spoke together and said we will in hold on after the thrall and see if he shows any sport.

So they turned after him but when Borg and his friends came to the man in the blue cape they stripped him of it and saw who it was and now they think the deed not so lucky as they weaned at first for they saw it was only Þorðr the Hareheart.

As for those brothers it is said they saw Ghisli near enough to know him among the trees.

Then one of them hurled a spear at him but he catches it in the air and hurls it back and it comes towards Þorðr's waist and flies right through him.

Then Stain turns back to meet his companions and tells them what had happened.

After that they all went into the wood to beat it for Ghisli and lo the Easterling sees that the twigs stirred in one place and he casts a spear at a venture thither and it hits Ghisli in the calf but he sends the spear back again to its owner and aims so that it struck the Easterling in the breast and slew him there and then.

Now Borg and his men beat about the wood and cannot find him.

Then they turn back to Ghisli's house and set the suit on foot against him for now the proofs were as plain as day and they had more than guesswork to go on.

They did not plunder anything there so Borg fares back home little pleased with his journey.

Now Ghisli goes up to the fell which stands by his farm and there he binds his wounds.

He stays there so long as Borg and his men are in his homestead and thence he sees all that passes.

As soon as they are gone he goes home and makes ready to leave Höll with all his household.

He takes a boat and so flits his goods and cattle.

Oida,

His wife,

Went with him and Gwydrida,

His foster child.

He sails out of Direfyrth as far as Húsinnes and there lands.

Ghisli goes up to the farm and meets a man who asks him what man he was.

Ghisli told him what he pleased but not the real truth.

With that Ghisli takes up a stone and throws it out onto the Holm which lies off the land there and bade the churl's son do the like when he got home and said perhaps he would then know what man had been there.

But there was never a man who could throw a stone so far and here again it came out that Ghisli was better than most others in feats of strength.

After that he went on board his boat and rose around the Ness and across Ardnaferth and across that firth that turns aside from Ardnaferth and is called Geyrthiofsfirth.

There he set up his abode and built a whole homestead and dwelt there that winter.

The next thing that happens is that Ghisli sends word to his brothers-in-law Helgi and Sigurð and Vestgeyr to go to the Thing and offer an atonement for him that he might not be outlawed.

So they set off for the Thing,

The sons of Gjartmar,

And could bring nothing to pass about the atonement.

And men go so far as to say that they behaved very ill so that they almost burst out into tears ere the suit was over.

They were then very young and Borg the stout was so wroth they could do nothing with him.

When the Thing was over they went west and saw Þorkell the wealthy of Alvidr and tell him all that had happened and begged him to see Ghisli and tell him.

But they said they did not dare to say to his face that he was an outlaw.

So Ghisli was outlawed.

That was the great news at that Thing and Þorkell the wealthy went and told Ghisli.

Then Ghisli chanted this stave.

At Thorsnes Thing my suit at law Had never failed for quirk or flaw Had Vestane's heart that never blenched In Bjartmar's babies burned unquenched They quailed,

Those kinsmen of my wife,

When all their souls should warm with strife To think that here was work to do And foes to foil and conquer too And so they fled,

The throng of men,

As when with addle egg of hen The base-borne thrall Is pelted down by all the riffraff of the town.

Of the town.

Evil tidings from the north.

An outlaw now.

I wander forth.

A forfeit life by land and sea None dares to speak a word for me.

But still,

O man in battle tried,

O bounteous man,

What e'er betide,

Know this,

That vengeance shall be mine.

Be mine.

On those two catiphs,

Bork and Steyn.

Both those namesakes,

The Thorkells,

Say they will give him all the shelter they can So that they run no risk of losing life or land.

After that,

They went home.

Chapter 12.

Ghisli begins to dream.

The next three years,

Ghisli was sometimes in his house.

At Gerthios Firth,

And sometimes with Thorkell the wealthy,

Harboured by stealth.

Other three years he spent in roaming over the land,

Going from house to house,

Asking help and countenance from great chiefs.

But something always tripped him up everywhere,

So that nought came of it.

So mighty was that spell that Thorgrim's witchcraft had thrown on him,

That it was fated no chief should shelter him.

And no one ever went heartily into his cause.

After those six years were over,

He spent his time,

For the most part,

In Gerthios Firth.

Sometimes in his house,

Over which Oeder ruled,

And sometimes in the hiding place,

Which he had hollowed out for himself.

That was on the north bank of the river.

But he had another lair on the south bank,

Among the crags,

And there he lurked,

For the most part.

Now,

When Borch hears this,

He sets off from home,

And seeks Eyulf the Grey,

Who then dwelt in Ardnerfirth,

In Otterdale,

And begs him to hunt for Gisli,

And slay him as an outlaw.

And if he slew him,

He said he would give him three hundreds in silver,

Of the very best,

And bade him leave no stone unturned,

To find him out.

He takes the money,

And gives his word to do his best.

There was a man with Eyulf,

Named Helgi.

Spy Helgi,

By nickname.

He was both swift of foot,

And sharp of eye,

And he knew every inch of the Firths.

This man is sent to Gerthios Firth,

To find out if Gisli be there.

He soon is aware of a man in hiding,

But he knows not whether it be Gisli or another,

So he goes back and tells Eyulf how things stand.

Eyulf says at once,

It must be Gisli.

And loses no time,

But sets off with six men for Gerthios Firth.

But he cannot find Gisli,

And goes bootless back.

Gisli was a foresighted man,

And a great dreamer.

And dreamt true.

All wise men are of one mind that Gisli lived an outlaw,

Longest of all men,

Save Gretir,

The son of Osmund.

Eighteen years was Gretir an outlaw.

It is told that one autumn night,

Gisli was very restless as he slept,

While he was in Oedda's house.

And when he wakes,

She asks him what he had dreamt.

I have two women who are with me in my dreams.

He answers,

One is good to me,

But the other tells me naught but evil.

And her tale is every day worse and worse.

And she spies me downright ruin.

But what I just dreamed was this.

Methought I came to a house or hall,

And into that hall I went,

And there I saw many of my friends and kinsfolk.

They sat by fires and drank.

They sat by fires and drank.

There were seven fires.

Some had burnt very low,

But some still burned as bright as bright could be.

Then in came my better dream wife and said,

These were tokens of my life.

How much of it was still to come?

And she counselled me,

So long as I lived to leave all old unbeliefs and witchcraft,

And to be good to the deaf and the halt and the poor and the weak.

Bear in mind,

She said,

Thou hast so many years yet to live as thou sawest fires alight.

My dream was no longer than that.

Then Gistley chaunted several staves.

Fires seven,

The bard remembers,

Lady blazed within that hall.

Men around those glowing embers sat and drank like brothers all.

One and all,

Those inmates gladly greeted Gistley as their guest.

Gistley hailed them soft and sadly.

Fitting words his thanks expressed.

Thus that weird wife,

Wise and witty,

Spoke and said to Norway's friend,

Soft her voice and full of pity,

To Norway's friend,

Soft her voice and full of pity,

Man,

Behold,

Thy journeys end.

Mark those seven fires burning.

Seven years to thee remain.

Then,

To this abode returning,

Make thee merry,

Free from pain.

Noble man,

The voice continues,

Shun the wizard's hateful lore.

Hero,

Bold of strongest sinews,

Seek the muse's golden store.

Bear in mind this precept,

Horry,

Not so much defileth hearts as wicked wit.

As idle story,

Vile is witchcraft,

Black her arts.

Stay thy hand,

Be slow to slaughter,

Rouse not men to seek thy life.

Come,

Thy word to wisdom's daughter,

Be not first in stirring strife.

Man of noble nature ever,

Help the weak,

The halt,

The blind.

Hard the hand that opens never,

Bright and blessed,

The generous mind.

Now,

Bork presses Aeolf hard and thinks he has not done so much as he said he would,

And that there had been small return for the silver he had given him.

He said he was quite sure Gisli was in Geir Theof's firth,

And if Aeolf did not send someone to take Gisli's life,

Bork said he must come and hunt him down himself.

For it is a shame that two such champions and chiefs as we think ourselves cannot get Gisli put out of the way.

Aeolf was all alive again,

And sends spy Helgi again round Geir Theof.

And now he takes food with him and is away a week and lies in wait to catch sight of Gisli.

At last,

One day,

He sees a man come out of a hiding place and knows Gisli at once.

As soon as he sees him,

He goes back and tells Aeolf what he had seen.

Now Aeolf sets off with eight men and makes for Oida's house in Geir Theof's firth,

But they do not find Gisli there.

And now they beat all the thickets thereabouts and still cannot find Gisli.

Then they go back to Oida's house and Aeolf offers her a great sum of money if she will betray Gisli.

But she would do nothing of the kind.

Then they threatened to maim her,

But it was all no good and they had to go back as wise as they came.

This was thought a most shameful journey for them,

And Aeolf stays at home all that autumn.

But though Gisli had not been hunted down,

He sees plain enough that he must be taken,

And that very soon,

If he stays there.

So he breaks up from home and goes along the coast to Strand and rides to see his brother,

Thorkell,

At the comb.

He knocks at the door of the sleeping house in which Thorkell is a bed,

And he gets up,

Goes out and greets Gisli.

I want to know now,

Said Gisli,

If thou wilt yield me any help.

I look to thee for comfort and countenance,

For now I am hard-pressed,

And I have forborn to do this for a long time.

For a long time.

But Thorkell gave him the old answer,

And said outright he would give him no help that might get himself into trouble.

Silver and horses he would give him,

If he needed them,

Or anything else,

As he said before,

But nothing besides.

Now I see,

Said Gisli,

That thou wilt not help me.

Give me now three hundred in Wadmell,

And make up your mind that henceforth I shall not often ask thy aid.

Thorkell does as he wishes,

And gives him the woolen and some silver.

Gisli said he would take what was given him,

But added he would not behave so meanly were he in Thorkell's place.

At their parting,

Gisli was very downhearted.

Now he goes out to Vavil,

To the mother of Ghest,

The son of Odlaith,

And reaches her house before dawn and knocks at the door.

The housewife goes to the door.

She was often wont to harbour outlaws,

And she had an underground room.

One end of it opened on the riverbank,

And the other below her hall.

One way,

See the ruins of it still,

Thorkell,

For that was her name,

Made Gisli welcome.

I am willing enough.

Thou shouldst stay here a while.

But I am sure I can't tell whether this is not mere old wife's talk.

Old wife's talk or not,

Gisli was willing to take it as it was meant,

And said he had not been so well treated by men that better things were not to be hoped for from women.

So Gisli stays there that winter,

And he was never better cared for in all his outlawry than there.

As soon as ever the spring came,

Gisli fares back to Geirtheosferth,

For he could not bear to be any longer away from Odlaith,

His wife,

So much as to they loved each other.

He is there that summer,

By stealth,

And up to autumn.

And now,

As the nights lengthen,

The dreams lengthen with them,

And that worse dream wife comes oftener and oftener to him.

And he has hard nights.

Once he says to Odlaith,

When she asked him what he had dreamt,

And his answer was in verse,

A weary wife now haunts my slumber.

If dreams be true,

As oft they be,

Not many winters shall I number.

No tongue shall grey-beard shout to me.

This dream wife bids me peak and pine,

Peak and pine,

Vain tis to try to break her spell.

But little care I,

Darling mine,

I dream but slumber soft and well.

And now,

He tells her that that worse dream wife was ever coming to him,

And wishing to sprinkle blood over him,

And to smear and bathe him in it,

In it,

And that she looked spitefully on him.

Then he chaunted,

Still my dreams are heavy-hearted,

Still my evil genius lowers,

All my mirth hath clean departed,

Mine no more are blithesome hours.

Sleep no sooner seals my eyelids,

Than a loathly wife appears,

Bathed in blood,

And gore bedabbled,

Drenching me with dew of spears.

And again,

He chaunted,

Darling wife,

I now have uttered all my mind about my dreams,

Nothing hidden,

Nothing muttered,

Words of truth,

Welled out in streams,

Welled out in streams.

Wrath now riseth hour by hour,

Worse my foes shall feel my hand.

High-born chiefs,

Whose haughty power marked me with an outlaw's brand.

Chapter 13.

Ghisli goes to Inkyart.

Now,

All is quiet.

And Ghisli goes again to Þorgerða,

And is with her another winter,

But the summer after,

He goes back to Geirðiðsfjörð,

And is there till autumn draws near.

Then he goes once more to his brother Þorkell,

And knocks at the door,

And knocks at the door,

But Þorkell will not go out of doors,

So Ghisli takes a staff,

And scores runes on it,

And throws it in through a slit.

Þorkell sees it,

And takes it up,

And looks at it.

After that,

He arose,

And went out,

And greeted Ghisli.

What news?

He asks,

But Ghisli says he has no news to tell.

Now,

I am come to see thee,

Kinsman,

For the last time,

And now,

Let me have some heartier help,

And I will repay thee by never asking any more at thy hand.

But Þorkell answers now,

As before,

Offers him horse or boat,

But withdraws from all other help.

Ghisli chooses the boat,

And bids Þorkell shove her down with him.

He does so,

And gives him six measures of food,

And a hundred ells of wadmell.

And so,

When Ghisli had got into the boat,

Þorkell stands on the shore.

Then Ghisli said,

Now thou think'st,

Thou stand'st,

With all four feet in the crib,

And that thou art the friend of many great chiefs,

And dreadest nothing at all,

But I am an outlaw.

And have the feud of many men,

And know not where to lay my head.

But for all that,

I can tell thee thou wilt be slain before I am slain.

And now,

We must part,

Worse friends than we ought,

And never see each other again.

But know this,

I would not deal so by thee.

Shoulder to shoulder,

We would both share the same doom.

I care not for thy ill-boding spydom,

Nor how much thou braggest of thy bravery,

Said Þorkell.

And so,

They parted.

Ghisli rose for Herkyl's Isle in Broad Firth.

There,

He takes out the tholls,

And thwarts,

And oars,

And all that was loose in the boat,

And then upsets,

And lets her drive with the tide in towards Ness.

And now men guess,

Who see the boat,

That Ghisli must be drowned,

Since the boat is shattered and driven on shore,

And they think he must have taken it from his brother Þorkell.

Now Ghisli goes up to the farm in Herkyl's Isle.

There dwells a man named Ingiallt,

And his wife's name was Þorgerðr.

Ingiallt is Ghisli's cousin by kinship,

And had come out to Iceland with him.

When they met,

He offered Ghisli all the help and aid which he could show him,

And Ghisli took it gladly,

And was quiet there for a time.

In Ingiallt's household were a thrall and a woman slave.

The man's name was Svart,

And the woman's Bothilda.

Ingiallt had a son called Helki,

And he was an idiot.

The biggest you ever saw,

And utterly witless.

He was so treated that a pierced stone was tied around his neck,

And he grazed out of doors like a sheep,

And he was called Ingiallt's idiot.

He was tall of growth,

Almost like a giant.

So,

Ghisli is there that winter,

And builds a boat for Ingiallt,

And many other things.

But all that he did was easy to ken,

For he was handier than almost any other man.

Men wondered and wondered how it was that everything was so well made,

That Ingiallt had for,

He was not a skillful carpenter himself.

Every summer,

Ghisli went to Geyrthiosfyrth,

And so things go on for three winters,

Since he had first began to dream.

And the help Ingiallt gave him stood him in the greatest stead.

At last,

Men began to lay their heads together about all this,

And made up their minds,

After all,

That Ghisli must be still alive,

And have lived with Ingiallt,

And not be drowned,

As had been said.

It strengthened what they said when they saw that Ingiallt had three boats,

All of them well built.

So,

This gossip comes to the ears of Eolf the Grey,

And it is again Spyhelgi's lot to set off,

And so he comes to Herkyl's Isle.

Ghisli is always in his earth house whenever strangers come to the Isle,

But Ingiallt is a good host,

And offers Helgi shelter,

So he stays there that night.

Ingiallt was a very busy man.

He rowed out to sea every day that a boat would swim.

So,

Next morning,

When he was ready to row away,

He asks whether Helgi is not eager to be forwarded on his way,

And why he lies abed.

He says he is not quite himself,

And puffs,

And blows,

And rubs his forehead.

Ingiallt bade him lie there as still as he could,

And goes off to sea while Helgi groans and moans.

Now,

It is said that Þorgerðr goes to the earth house and means to give Ghisli his breakfast,

But there was a panel between the larder and the room where Helgi lay.

As soon as Þorgerðr goes out of the larder,

Helgi climbs up to the top of the panel,

And sees that there is a meal of meat dished up for someone.

Just then Þorgerðr comes back,

And Helgi turns him round as fast as he can,

And topples down from the panel.

Þorgerðr asks why he behaves so,

And why he clambers up to the roof like a thief,

And cannot be still.

He said he was so mad with pain that he couldn't be still.

Be so good as to lead me to my bed.

So she led him back to bed,

And then she goes away with the dish of meat.

But Helgi rises up straight away and follows her,

And now he sees what is in the wind.

Then he goes back and lays him down again,

And sleeps in bed that day.

Þorgerðr comes home at even,

And goes to Helgi's bed,

And asks whether he were easier.

He said he was on the way to be well,

And begged to be put over from the aisle next morning.

So he is put across to flat aisle,

And thence he fares south to Þorsnes,

And says he has found out that Kistli is harboured by Ingjald.

After that,

Bork sets out from home,

And there are fifteen of them in all,

And they get on board a sailing boat,

And sail from the south over Broad Firth.

That day,

Ingjald had rowed out to the deep sea fishing,

And Kistli with him,

But his thrall and his maid were in another boat,

And they lay near some islands called Skötil Isles.

Now Ingjald sees a boat sailing from the south,

And said,

I see something to my mind.

Yonder sails a boat,

And I think in that ship must be Bork the stout,

For her sails are striped with red.

What's to be done now?

Asks Kistli.

I want to know whether thou art so deep-thoughted as thou art brave and manly.

My plan is soon made,

Said Ingjald,

Though I am no long-headed fellow.

Let us row as hard as we can to the isle,

And then go up to the top of Vatsteinberg,

And stand at bay so long as we can keep our feet.

Just as I thought,

Said Kistli,

I knew thou wouldst choose what would show thy bravery.

But I shall be paying thee a worse mead for all thy help than I mean if,

For my sake,

Thou art to lose thy life.

That shall never be.

We must think of something else.

Thou shalt row to the island,

And the thrall with thee,

And ye too shall climb the hill and make ready to hold your own,

And then they who are sailing round the nest from the south will think I am the second man,

But I will change clothes with the thrall,

As I did once before,

And I as I did once before,

And I will get into the boat with Bothilda.

Then Ingjald did as Kistli advised,

And he showed plainly enough that he was very wroth.

And when they part,

Bothilda asked,

What's to be done next?

And Kistli sang a stave,

Maiden mine,

What plan to take,

Since we,

Ingjald,

Must forsake.

Now my tongue bursts forth in song,

Made in black,

Of muscle strong,

My heart is set to skim the seas,

To ply the oar,

To hug the breeze,

But no,

Whatever be my doom,

I care not,

Whensoe'er it come.

Now they row south,

To meet Bork and his men,

And show no token of being in any strait.

Then Kistli laid it down,

How they were to behave,

Thou shalt say,

That here on board the boat that here on board the boat is the idiot,

But I will sit in the stern,

And mock what thou sayest,

And wrap me up in the nets,

And every now and then almost throw myself overboard,

And behave as madly as I can,

And as soon as ever they have got a little way from us,

I will row with all my might,

And try to put as much water between us as I can.

So now she rows to meet Bork and his men,

And yet gave them a wide berth and made as though she were seeking a fishing bank,

Now Bork calls out to her and asks if Kistli were on the isle.

I don't know,

She said,

But this I know,

There is a man yonder who bears away the bell from all other men on the isle,

Both in height and handicraft.

Say you so,

Said Bork.

Is he there now?

He was when I left home,

She says.

Pray,

Is Master Engjald at home?

Asked Bork.

He rowed back to land long since,

She said,

And his thrall with him,

As I thought.

That cannot have been,

Said Bork.

It must have been Kistli.

Let us row after them,

As fast as we can.

We think it fine fun,

They answered,

To look at the idiot and all his mad pranks.

The men said she was in a sad plight when she had to lead such a fool about.

I think so too,

Said she,

But I feel hurt that you laugh at him and give me little pity.

Little pity?

Have done with this stuff,

Said Bork.

Let us get on our course,

For the prey is almost in our hands.

Chapter 14.

Kistli slips through Bork's fingers.

So they parted.

And Bork and his men rowed to the isle and land and see the men on the Fathsteinberg and make thither,

And think they have done a good stroke of business,

But all the while it was only Engjald and his thrall who were up there.

Bork was the first to know the men and said to Engjald,

The best way is to give up Kistli,

Or tell where he is.

Thou art a hound and nothing else,

When thou hast hidden away my brother's murderer,

And all the while art my tenant.

Twere well if thou gottest some harm,

And it were best that thou wert slain.

Well,

Says Engjald,

I wear workaday clothes,

And I don't care a button if they are torn to bits.

I will sooner lose my life than not do Kistli all the good in my power,

And keep him and keep him out of harm's way.

Men say that Engjald gave most help to Kistli,

And was the greatest gain to him.

And it is also said that when Thorgrim Bottlenose worked his spells,

He used the words that nought should help Kistli,

Though men tried to shelter him here on land,

But he forgot to add the out aisles,

And so his charm was only partly fulfilled.

Though it was fated to be fulfilled at last.

Bork thinks it not seemly to fall on his tenant,

Engjald,

So he turns away to the homestead,

And there seeks for Kistli,

And cannot find him,

As was likely.

Then they roam over the aisle,

And come at last to a spot where the idiot lay and grazed in a hollow,

With the stone tied round his neck.

Then Bork says,

Well,

I always heard strange stories about Engjald's idiot,

But I never thought he could be in two places at once.

There's no use hunting here.

There's no use hunting here.

And we have been so heedless,

I never knew the like,

Nor do I know how we shall ever set it right,

Why that must have been Kistli in the boat alongside us,

And he must have passed himself off as the idiot,

For he is ready at everything,

And is the biggest mockbird.

Tis a shame to so many men if he slipped through our fingers this time.

Let us hasten after him,

And let him not escape our clutches.

Then they jump into their boat,

And row after them,

And ply the oars fast.

They soon see that Kistli and the maid,

With a fair tide,

Have got a good way across the sound,

And each boat rowed smartly.

But that boat goes faster through the water,

Which has most men to pull,

And they overhauled them so much that Bork and his men were just a spear's throw behind them when they got to land.

Then Kistli spoke to the maid,

And said,

Now we must part,

And here is a ring which thou shalt carry to Engjald and another to his wife,

And tell them,

I say,

Thou must have thy freedom,

And send them these as tokens.

My wish also is that Svat should be set free.

Thou mayest well be called my deliverer,

And I wish thee to profit by it.

Now they part.

Kistli leaps on shore,

And enters some crags.

It was at Hjörðanes that he landed.

The maid rowed off,

All dripping and reeking with her hard pull.

Bork and his men had no time to had no time to waste on her,

Alone in her boat,

But rowed straight to shore,

And quarrelsome stain was first out of the boat,

And runs off to seek for Kistli.

But as he climbed the crags,

Kistli stood in his path with his sword drawn,

And smote him on the head,

And cleft him to the chine,

And down he toppled,

A dead man.

Bork and his men land on the isle also,

For it was an island just off the mainland,

But Kistli plunges into the strait,

And tries to swim to the main.

Just then Bork hurled a spear at him,

And smote him on the calf,

And cut a piece out of it,

And that was a great wound.

And Kistli gets rid of the spear,

But loses his sword,

For he was so weary he could not hold it.

It was then dark and night.

As soon as he came to land,

He runs into the wood,

For then the land thereabouts was overgrown with trees.

Now Bork and his men row to land,

And hunt for Kistli,

And pen him up in the wood,

For the wood was not deep,

And he is so weary and stiff he can scarce walk a step,

And is now wear of men on all sides of him.

Now he takes a plan,

And goes down to the shore,

And so comes along the water's edge in the dark to a farm called the Howe,

Howe,

And there seeks a farmer named Ref,

The fox,

Who was the craftiest of men.

Ref greets him,

And asks the news.

Kistli told him the whole truth,

And all that had happened between him and Bork.

Now,

Ref had a wife whose name was Elfdisa,

Fair of face,

But the greatest shrew,

And altogether a downright scold.

That was her want with others,

But she and Ref hit it off very well together.

So when he had told Ref how things stood,

Kistli asks him for help.

They will be here,

In the twinkling of an eye,

Said Kistli.

Now I am hard-pressed,

And there are few to stand by me.

I will only help thee,

Says Ref,

If I may settle how thou art to be helped.

Thou shalt have no share in it,

With all my heart,

Says Kistli,

For I can't stir a step farther.

Go indoors,

Then,

Says Ref,

And so they did.

Then Ref said to Elfdisa,

I must be so free as to send a man into thy bed.

And with that,

He takes all the clothes off the box-bed,

And says that Kistli must crouch down in the straw at the bottom.

Then he heaps the clothes and bedding on him,

And,

Last of all,

Elfdisa lies down atop of him.

Stay where thou art,

Whatever happens,

Says Ref.

At the same time,

He bids Elfdisa be as cross and snappish as ever she could be.

Don't spare,

But pour out all the bad words thou knowest,

Curses and oaths,

But I will take the lead in talking with them,

And turn my words as I think best.

Next time he goes out of doors,

He sees men coming.

They were eight of Bork's band,

But Bork himself stayed at Forcewater.

But these were to come and seek for Kistli,

And seize him if he had come thither.

So,

Ref stays out of doors and asks,

What tidings?

None,

But what thou must already know.

Knowest thou aught of Kistli,

Or if he has passed this way?

He hasn't passed by here,

Says Ref.

If he had tried it,

He would not have lived long.

I don't know now why you should think me less ready to slay Kistli than any other man.

But I have just wit enough to see that the favour and friendship of such a man as Bork would be well worth winning.

Well,

They answered,

Will it be against thy will if we search the house with all my heart?

Why not,

Says Ref,

For I know ye will hunt all the more steadily in other places if ye know of a truth that he is not here.

Pray,

Step in,

And search for him as narrowly as ye can.

So they go indoors,

But when Elftisa heard their stamping,

She bawled out.

What band of blackguards that might be,

And what pack of fools it could be that knocked men up at night.

Ref begged her to keep a smooth tongue in her mouth,

But she did not spare them one of her foul words,

And she yelled and hooted at them so that they might be less able to hunt.

Still,

They searched and searched,

But still less than they would otherwise have done if the goody had not pelted them with so much slang.

After that,

They go away and find nothing,

And bid the farmer farewell,

And he wished them a safe journey home.

So they go back to Bork,

And are sore grieved at their journey,

And think they have got both harm and shame,

And after all done nothing.

Now all this was noised about the countryside,

And men thought it was still the same story,

And that Bork had still the same ill luck at Gistli's hand.

Now Bork goes home,

And tells Eyolf what ought to be done.

Gistli stays with Ref half a month,

And after that he goes away.

They parted good friends,

And Gistli gives him a knife and belt,

And they were great treasures,

Though he had nothing else with him.

After this,

Gistli goes to his wife in Geirtheosferth,

And his fame waxed much after these deeds,

And truth to say,

There never has been a man of readier hand,

Or more daring heart,

Than Gistli,

But he was not a lucky man,

As was proved from the very first.