THE SOURSOPS IN ICELAND.

Well, they had a long and hard passage, and are ont more than a hundred days : they made the north of the island, and coasted it westward along the Strand, and so on west o£f the firths. At last they ran their ship into Dyrafirth, at the mouth of the Hawkdale river. Then they unlade their ship and set up tents, and it was soon noised abroad that a ship had come. There was a man named Thorkel who dwelt at Alvidra, on the north side of Dyrafirth : he was a wealthy man of good birth. In Springdale, on the south side of the firth, dwelt another Thorkel, the son of Eric. At that time all the land round the west firths was settled. This Thorkel, Eric's son, sold land in Hawkdale to Thorbjom Soursop, for he was so called after he quenched the fire with the sour whey ; the inner bight of the stream was already settled, and Thorgrim Bottlenose was the name of the man who lived there. Far up the dale dwelt another Thorkel, and his nickname was " Faulty." He had a wife, and her name was Thorhalla ; she was a sister of Thorgrim Bottlenose. Thorkel the Faulty was just what his nickname called him, but it could not be said that Thorhalla made any of his faults better, for she was worse than her husband Thoy hail a son called

20 GISLI THE OUTLAW.

Thorstein: he was tall and strong. In Tweendale, that turns aside from Hawkdale, dwelt a man whose name was Aunund : he was well to do, and a trustworthy man. So there, at Sæbol in Hawkdale, Thorbjom, and Gisli, and Thorkel took up their abode, and GisU built their house.

In the same neighbourhood dwelt Vestein, the son of Vestein. He was a seafaring man, but he had a house under Hest, a hill in Aunundarfirth. His sister's name was Auda. Just about this time Thorbjom Soursop and Isgerda his wife died, and were buried in a howe in Hawkdala Thorkel and Gisli took the homestead at Sæbol after him. A little after, Thorkel looked out for a wife. There was a man named Thorbjom Sealnip. He dwelt at Talknafirth. His wife's name was Thordisa, and Asgerda was their daughter. Thorkel Soursop asked Asgerda to wife, and got her ; but his brother Gisli wooed Auda, the sister of Vestein, and got her. So both of them went on living under the same roof at Sæbol in Hawkdale, and did not part their goods though they were married. The story goes on to say that one spring Thorkel of Alvidra had to make a journey south to Thorsness Thing, and Gisli and Thorkel, the Soursops, went with him. At that time Tliorsteiu Codbiter dwelt on Thorsness. He was the son of Thorolf Mosttrai-skegg. Thorgrim and Bork the Stout were the sons of Thorstein, and his daughter's name was Thordisa. When Thorkel had got through his business at the Thing, Thorstein Codbiter asked him and the Soursops to come to his house, and gave thcni good gifts, and ere they paited they asked Thorstein's sons to

THE SOURSOPS IN ICELAND. 21

come and see them the spring after, west at the Dyrafirth Thing. So the "winter passed over, and there were no tidings. Now the next spring comes, and the sons of Thorstein fared from home — Thorgrim and Bork and fourteen men more. When they came west to the Valsere Thing they met the Soursops there, and they asked the sons of Thorstein to come home with them after the Thing, for up to that time they had been guests of Thorkel of Alvidra. So they accepted the bidding, and fared home with the Soursops. But Thordisa, the sister of those brothers, seemed fair in the eyes of Thorgrim, and he lifted up his voice and asked for her, and she was then and there betrothed to Thorgrim, and the wedding-feast took place at once, and it was settled that she should have Sæbol for her dower, the farm where these brothers had dwelt before. Then Gisli and Thorkel went to Hoi and set up their abode there ; but Thorgrim took up his abode there in the west, and dwelt at SæboL Bork, his brother, had the management in Thorsness when his father Thorstein died, and there with him dwelt his nephews Quarrelsome Stein and Thorodi

So those brothers-in-law dwell hard by as neighbours in Hawkdale, and are great friends. Thorkel and Gisli built a fine house at Hoi, so that it was soon no less a homestead than Sæbol : their lands touched, and their friendship seemed likely to last. Thorgrim had the priesthood, and he was a great stiiy to those brothers. Now they fare in spring-time to the leet, forty men of them together, and they were all in holiday clothes. There, too, was Vestein, Gisli's brother-in-law, and every man of the Soursops

22 OISLI THE OUTLAW.

following. Gest, the son of Oddleif, the wisest man in Iceland, had also come to that leet, and he turned into the booth of Thorkel the Wealthy of Alvidra. The Hawkdalemen sit at drink, while the rest of the freemen were at the coui-t, for it was a Thing for trying siiita All at once there came into the Hawkdale booth a great oaf, Amor by name, who spoke and said : "You Hawkdalemen are strange fellows, who take heed for naught but drink, and never go near the court where your followers have suits to settle. This is what all think, though I alone utter it*'

Then Gisli said : *' Let us go to the courts as soon as ever we can ; maybe that others than Amor utter this."

Now they go to the courts, and Thorgrim asks if there were any there who stood in need of their help, " for we will leave nothing undone to help our men, and they shall never be shorn of their rights so long as we stand straight"

Then Thorkel the Wealthy spoke and said : " Tliis business that we have in hand is little worth. We will send and tell you as soon as we need your help."

Now men fell to talking about their band, how brave it was in attire, and about Thorgrim's haughty speech, and about his gallant bearing ; and when men went home to their booths Thorkel the Wealthy said to Gest the Wise : " How long thinkest thou that the spirit of these Hawkdalemen will last? How lon^r will they bear all before them ?"

"They will not," said Gest, "be all of one and the same mind as they are now three sj)ring.s hence.''

TUE SOURSOPS IN ICELAND. 23

But Amor the oaf was by when Gest said this, and ran at once to the Hawkdale booth, and told these words which had passed between Thorkel and Gest.

Then Gisli answered : " He must have said this because all feel it ; but let us beware that it does not turn out true, for Gest says sooth about many things ; and now methinks I see a plan by which we may well guard against it."

"What is that?"

" We shaU bind ourselves by more lasting utterances than ever. Let us four take the oath of foster-brothers."

WeU, they all thought that good counsel ; and after that they went out of their booth to the point of the " ere,"* and there cut up a sod of turf in such wise that both its ends were still fast to the earth, and propped it up by a spear scored with runes, so tall that a man might lay his hand on the socket of the spear-head. Under tliis yoke they were all four to pass — Thorgrim, Gisli, Thorkel, and Vestein. Now they breathe each a vein, and let their blood fall together on the mould whence the turf had been cut up, and aU touch it ; and afterwards they all fall on their knees, and were to take hands, and swear to avenge each the other as though he were his brother, and to call all the gods to witness.

But now, just as they were going to take hands, Thorgrim said : " I shall have quite enough on my hands if I do this towards Thorkel and Gisli, my brothers-in-law ; but towards Vestein I have no tie to bind me to so great a charge.'' As he said this he drew back his hand.

* '* En*," olil Eiigliili fur a samly hpit of land ; from the Icelandic fi/n.

24 GISLI THE OUTLAW.

** Then more will do the like," says Gisli, and drew back his hand. " I will be bound by no tie to the man who will not be bound by the same tie to my brother-in-law Vestein."

Now men began to think there was some weight in Gest's spaedom. But Gisli said to Thorkel : *^ All tliis happened as I foreboded, and this which we have done is of no good, for 1 guess that fate rules in this too."

Now men fare home from the leet, and all is still and tidinglesa

CHAPTEK V.

THE SOURSOPS ABROAD.

That summer there came a ship from the sea into Dyrafirth, owned by two brothers, Norsemen, One's name was Thorir, and the other's Thorarinn. They were men from " the Bay," in South Norway. The story runs that Thorgrim the Priest rides to the ship, and buys of the captains wood worth four hundreds in woollen, and pays some of the price down, and promises to pay the rest. So the Easterlings made their ship snug at Sandwater-mouth and got winter-quarters for themselves and their men at the house of a man called Oddi, who lived in Skutikfirth. Now Thorgrim sends his son Thorodd to fetch home the wood, and bade him reckon it and know well every plank as he took it So he comes up to the ship, and thought the terms of the bargain were not so clear as Thorgrim had told him ; for now the Easterlings were unwilling to keep to what they had agreed at first, and the end was that Thorodd spake ill words to the Easterlings. That they would not stand, and fell on him, and slew him there and then. After that the Easterlings left the ship, and took horse, and went to ride to their quarters in Skutilsfirth. They rode all that day and the night after, till they came to the dale which turns off from Skutilsfirth. Here they break their fast, and afterwards

26 GISLI THE OUTLAW.

rode on again. Meanwhile Thorgrim had heard what had happened ; how his son was slain, and the wood not handed over. Then he busked him for a journey, and had himself put across the firth. After the Easterlings he goes, all alone, and comes upon them as they lay and slept on a bit of mead. Thorgrim wakes Thorarinn, and prods him with the butt of his spear. He springs up, and was about to draw his sword, for he knows Thorgrim, but Thorgrim thrusts his spear through him. Now Thorir wakes and would avenge his brother, but Tliorgrim slew him too with his spear. So that is called Breakfastdale, where they broke their fast, and the Easterlingsfall, where they lost their lives. Now Thorgrim goes home, and is famous for this deed. All that winter he stayed at home ; but next spring the two brothers-in-law, Thorgrim and Thorkel, fitted out the ship which the Easterlings had owned for a foreign cruise, and they lade her with their goods, and were to sail for Norway. As for those Easterlings, they had been ill-doers in Norway, and were under a ban there. So they set sail the same summer, and Gisli also went aboard with his brother-in-law Vestein, and they sailed from Skeljawick in Steingrimsfirth. Aunuud of Tweendale had care of Thorkel's and Gisli's farm while they were away, and Quarrelsome Stein took charge of Thorgrim's farm at Sæbol, along with his wife Thordisa.

At that time Harold Grayfell ruled over Norway. Tliorgrim and Thorkel went north to Drontheim, and met the king thera They went in before him, and hailed him, and he was gracious to thenL TIk^v became his thanes. Tlicy were veil olf both

THE SOURSOPS ABROAD. 27

for goods and honour. As for Gisli and Vestein they were more than a hundred days out, and about the first day of winter came upon the coast of Hordaland in Norway, in a great fog and storm, at dead of night Their ship was dashed to pieces, but they saved their goods and crew. There was a man off the coast called Beard-Bjalf. He owned a ship, and was on his way to Denmark. So Gisli and Vestein dealt with him for half the ship. He heard they were brave fellows, and gave them half the ship, and they repaid him at once by giving him more than half her worth in goods. So they held on their course for Denmark to that mart called Viborg. They stayed there that winter with a man called Sigrhadd. There they were all three in good fellowship — Gisli, Vestein, and Bjalf. They were great friends, and many gifts passed between them. At that time Christianity had come into Denmark, and Gisli and his companions were marked with the cross, for it was much the wont in those days of all who went on trading voyages ; for so they entered into full fellowship with Christian men. Early the spring after, Bjalf fitted out his ship for Iceland. Now there was a man named Sigurd, a Norseman : he was a trading partner of Vestein's, and was then away west in England. He sent word to Vestein, and said he wished to cease partnership with him, for he thought he needed his goods no longer. So Vestein asked leave of Gisli to go to meet him ; "for," he said, "I have money and goods to seek in that country." " Thou shalt pledge me thy word first," said Gisli, '* never to leave Iceland again, if thou comest safe back, unless I give thee leave."

28 GISLI THE OUTLAW.

To that Vestein agreed

Next morning Gisli rises up early and goes to the smithy. He was the handiest of men, and had the quickest wit So Gisli smithies a silver coin which weighed an ounce. He bent back the coin and broke it in two, and foiled it with twenty teeth. When it was in two pieces there were ten teeth on one bit and ten on the other, but when they were put together it looked as though it were one whole ; yet it might be taken asunder at once. Now Gisli takes the coin in two, and gives one half into Yestein's hand, and the other he keeps himself. He bids him keep that as a token if anything befell them which they thought of weight "And," says Gisli, ''we will only send these tokens between us if our life is at stake ; and in truth my heart tells me we shall need to send them, though we do not see each other face to face."

With that they parted, and Vestein sails to England, but Gisli and Bjalf to Norway. That summer they set sail for Iceland, and had thriven well in goods and honour, and they ceased their partnership, and Bjalf bought back the half of the ship that Gisli owned. So Gisli goes home to his house in Dyrafirth with twelve men. That same spring Thorgrim and Thorkel fitted out their ship and came to Dyrafirth in the summer ; and the veiy same day that Gisli had sailed into the mouth of the Hawkdale river Thorgrim and Thorkel sailed into it after him. So those brothers, Gisli and Thorkel, met ; and that was a very joyful meeting.

So each of them went to his own home.