THORKEL*S SLAYIHG.

Now the story goes on that next spring Bork fares to Thorskafirth Thing with a great company, and means to meet his friends there. Gest sails from the west from his house at Bedsand on Bardastrand, and Thorkel Soursop comes too, each in his own ship. But just as Gest was ready to start two lads came to him ill-clad, with beggars staves in their hands. Men know this, that these two lads had a talk aside with Gest, that they beg a passage over the firth, and that he grants it. So they sail with him, and he takes them as far as Hallsteinsness. They landed just beyond the farm where Hallstein offered up his son, that a tree of sixty feet might be thrown up by the sea, and there are still to be seen the pillars of his high seat which he had made out of that tree. Thence the lads go up into Teigwood, and so go through the wood till they come to Thorskafii-th Thing.

There was a man named Hallbjom : he was a vagabond who roamed over the country, and not fewer men with him than ten or twelva But when he came to the Thing he built himself a bootL Thither to the Beggar's Booth the lads go ai^ ask for a

í** OL-U THE OlTLAir.

Wi^ííjg, and say thf-y are beir^ars and runagates. He said he will find room fur every one who asks him prettily.

•* Here have I been,* he sai-i, " every year fur many a spring, and I know all the chiefs and priestá.'^

The ladá said thev would be verv í'lad if he would take them under his wing and teach them wis^lom.

** We are very curious to see mighty folk about whom great tales are told.**

So Hallbjom says if they will go down with him to the seastrand, tliat then he would know everj' ship as it ran in, and tell them all about it. Tliey thanked him nmch for his gentleness.

Now they go down to the strand and look out at sea, and they soon see ships sailing up to the land Then the elder lad liegan to ask :

" Who owns yon ship which now sails up nearest to us ?"

** Gest the WLse," he answers, ** of Hagi on Bardastrand."

'* But who sail next, and run their ship up at the horn of the firth r

" That is Thorkel Soursop."

They see now that Tliorkel lands and sits him down while his men bore the lading from the ship as the tide rose. But I5ork was busy setting up their booth ; for the two brothers-inlaw had one booth between them, and they were always good friends.

Thorkel had on a Greek hat and a gray cloak. He had a gold brooch on his shoulder, and a sword in his hand. Tn a little while Hallbjorn and the lads went up to where Thorkel

thorkel's slaying. 89

was sitting. Now one of the lads, the elder, began to speak, and said :

*' Pray who is this mighty man who sits here ? Never have I seen a fairer or a nobler man.''

He answered : " Thy words fall fair. My name is Thorkel."

The lad went on : ** That sword which thou bearest in thy hand must be a treasure. Wilt thou let me look at it ?"

** A strange fellow thou art," answers Thorkel ; " but still I will let thee see it.^ And with that he handed him the sword.

The lad grasped the sword, drew ofif a step or two, snaps the peace-strings, and draws the sword.

But when Thorkel saw that he said :

" That I never gave thee leave to do. Why hast thou drawn the sword ?"

** Neither did I ask thy leave," said the lad ; and brandishes the sword, and smites Thorkel on the neck, and takes off his head at a stroke.

Now as soon as this happens up jumps Hallbjorn the Runagate ; but the lad threw down the sword all bloody as it was, seizes his staff, and so they all ran with Hallbjorn, and all the beggars ran too, for they were almost mad with fright. So they ran by the booth which Bork was setting up.

Now men flocked round Thorkel, and no man could tell who had done the deed. Bork just then asked what was all that stir or fuss down where Thorkel sate. He said this just as the fifteen beggars tore along by his booth ; and then the youngest lad, whose name was Helgi — Berg was he that did the deed — said :

90 GISU THE OUTLAW.

** I dou% know what they are mooting, but methinks they are striving whether Vestein left only daughters behind him, or whether he had ever a son,"

So Hallbjoni runs to his booth, but the lads take to the wood which was nigh to the spot, and no one can find them.

Now men run to Hallbjom's booth, and ask what it all meant ; but all the beggars could say was, that two young lads had joined their band, and that they were as much taken unawares as any one else, and hardly thought they should know them again. Yet they say something of their form and featun\ and of their speech and discourse, what like it had been. And now Bork thinks he knows from the woixLs which Helgi had uttered that it must have been Vestein's sons. After that he goes to G est and takes counsel with him as what was best to do.

** I am most bound of all men," says Bork, ** to take up the feud for my brother-in-law ThorkeL Methinks 'tis not unlikely that the sons of Vestein must have done this deed, for we know no other men than they who had any quarrel with ThorkeL Now it may well be they have got clear off for this time, but I will give much to have them outlawed at this very Thing ; so give us counsel how the suit is to be followed up."

'* I think,' says Gest, " it is no easy matter to take this suit in hand, for methinks had I done the deed I could so hamper the suit, if it were about to be brought against me, by naming another man instead of myself, that the suit would come to naught. Maybe, methinks, he that did the deed had the same thought running in his head, and so he has thrown the blame on the boys.**

thorkel's slaying. 91

And Gest was against bringing the suit against them, and threw cold water on it in every way.

Men thought it sooth that Gest had been in league with the lads all along, for he was their near kinsman. Then they cease talking, and the suit falls to the ground ; but Thorkel is laid in his howe, after the fashion of the olden time, and men go away home from the Thing, and nothing else happened at it.

Now Bork is very ill-pleased with his doings, and though he ought to have been used to it, still he got great dishonour and disgrace from this matter of ThorkeL

As for the lads, they fare till they get to Geirthiofsfirth and lie out ten days. They reach Auda's house, and Gisli is at that time there. It was night when they came, and they knock at the door. Auda goes to the door and greets them, and asks what news. But Gisli lay all the while in his earth-house in his bed, and she raised her voice at once if he had need to be warned. They tell her of Thorkel's slaying, and how things stood. They also say how long they had been without food.

•* I will send you on,'* says Auda, " over the ridge into Mossdale to the sons of Bjartmar, and I will give you food and tokens that they may take you under their wing, and I do this because I dare not ask Gisli to take you in."

So the lads go away into the wood, where they cannot be found, and eat their food, for it was long since they tasted any, and then they lay them down and sleep when they are full, for they were much worn with hunger and travel.

As for Auda she goes into Gisli and says :

92 GISLI THE OUTLAW

** Now I set great store upon knowing how thou wilt take something, and whether thou wilt honour me more than I am worth."

He caught her up at once and said : " I know thou art about to tell me the slaying of my brother Thorkel.''

** So it is as thou guessest,'' said Auda; " the lads have come hither and wished thee to harbour them here for good and all, for they thought they could find shelter nowhere else."

" No !* he answers, " I cannot bear the sight of my brother's slayers and live under the same roof with them;" and up he jumps, and wants to draw his sword, and burst out into song :

" Why should not Gisli draw the sword ? Ha ! soon shall vengeance be the word. What ! Thorkel slain, and Qisli cool ? Auda, thou tak'st me for a fool ! All o'er the Thing, with 'bated breath, Men mourn for Thorkel done to death. One stalwart blow before I die, A brother's blood aloud doth cry."

But now Auda told him they had gone away ; ** for I had wit enough not to let them run this risk."

And Giali said it was the best way that they never met^ and then he soon softened down ; and now all is quiet again.

CHAVTER XVI.

SrY-HEI.GI AND HAVARD.

It is said that now only two more years were left of those which the dream-wife had said he had to live. And as time goes on, and Gisli is in Geirthiofsfirth, all his dreams come back on him, and he has hard struggles in his sleep ; and now the worse dream-wife comes oftener and oftener to him, though the better visits him sometimes. So it fell one night, as GisU dreamed that the better dream-wife came to him, and she seemed to ride on .a gray horse, and bids him go with her to her abode, and he went gladly. So they came to a house which was almost as large as a hall, and she leads him into that house, and he thought there were pillows of down on the benches, and that it was well furnished in everything. She bade him stay there and be happy: " Hither shalt thou fare when thou diest, and pass thy time in bliss and ease.'*

And now he wakes and chaunted these verses on what he had dreamt :

*• Lo ! the goddess shows her power,

Sets me on her palfrey gray, Makes me ride unto her bower,

Bids nie welcome every day :

94 GISLI THE OUTLAW.

All her words some comfort bringiug,

Vowing ever to befriend ; In my ears soft sounds are ringing,

Still that music knows no end.

'' There was many a slumb'rous pillow,

Strewn on benches in that hall, Soft I sate as swan on billow,

Ah I my heart remembers all : More — that lovely woman laid me

On a bed of softest down : Grateful for the cheer she made me.

Straight my face forgot to frown.

" Then outspoke that bounteous woman —

' Mighty chief ! thy foeman's bane. Hither hasten, chased by no man ;

Death shall set thee free from pain : Then shalt thou* — her speech pursuing —

' All these treasures call thine own ; Me, too, shalt thou win for wooing ;

Happy we as birds new flown.' "

Now it is next to be said that Helgi the Spy was sent again round Geirthiofsfirth, and men deem it likely that Gisli is there. A man went with him whose name was Havard. He had come to Iceland from Norway the summer before, and was a kinsman of Gest the Wise. They gave out that they were sent into the wood to hew fuel for household use, but though this was the cloak of their journey, hidden under it was the design to Imnt out Gisli, and see if they could find out his lurking-place. After they had been three nights in the wood spying about, on the last evening they see a fire burning in the cliffs and crags south of the river. That was just after sundown, and it was as dark as

SPY-HEI.ai AND HAVARl). 95

pitch. Then Ilavard asks Helgi what was to be done, " for thou must be more wont to these things than I can be."

** There is but one thing to be done," said Helgi, *' and that is, to pile up a beacon on this hillock which we stand on, and then we shall find it when it is broad daylight, and then we shall see across from the beacon to the cliffs : 'tis but a short way to sea ^

So they take that plan, and when they had piled up the beacon Havard said he was worn out, and so tired he could scarce keep his eyes open. So he lay down to sleep. But Helgi keeps awake, and heaps up what yet failed to the beacon ; and when he had ended his work Havard wakes, and bids Helgi go to sleep and he would watcL So Helgi sleeps awhile, and while he sleeps Havard sets to work and carries off the whole beacon, so that he did not leave one stone upon another in the dark. When he had done that, he takes up a huge stone and ' dashes it down on the rock close to Helgi's head, so that the earth shook again. Then Helgi jumps up, and is all of a quake and faint-hearted, and asks what ever is the matter.

" Well," said Havard, *' there's a man in the wood, and verj' many such keepsakes have come hither during the night."

•• That must have been Gisli. He must have found us out ; and know, good fellow, we shall have every bone in our bodies broken if such grit falls on us. There is naught to be done but to be off as fast as possible."

Now Helgi runs off as fast as he can, but Havard follows him, and bids Helgi not to run away from him. But Helgi gave little heed, and ran as fast as he could lay legs to the ground.

96 GISLI THE OUTLAW.

At last they came to their boat, and jumped in, and dash the oars into the sea, and mw like mad, and do not stay their course till they get to Otterdale, and then Helgi says he has found out where Gisli had hidden himself.

Eyjolf was up and stirring in a trice, and sets ofif at once with thirteen men, and both Helgi and Havard go with him. So they fare till they come to Geirthiofsfirth, and go through all the woods to search for the beacon and Gisli's lair, and found them nowhere.

Now Eyjolf asks Havard whereabouts they had piled up the beacon.

** Tm sure I can't tell," he answers ; ** I was so dead tired that I can't call to mind anything. Besides, Helgi piled up the beacon while I slept. Methinks 'tis not unlikely that Gisli was ware of us, and has carried away the beacon when it got lights and we had gone away."

Then Eyjolf said : " Everything seems doomed to go against us in this quest. We may as well turn back ;" and so they did ; but before they went Eyjolf says he wishes to go and see Auda,

Now they come to the house, and go indoors, and Eyjolf sate him down to talk with Auda. And this was how he began :

** I will make a bargain with thee, Auda. Thou shalt tell me where Gisli is, and I will give thee three hundreds in silver ; those very pieces which I have taken as the price of his head. Thou shalt not be bound to stand by while we take his life. Besides all this, I will get thee a match which shall be far better in every way than this hath been. Thou must look

SPY-HELGI AND HAVARD. 97

also to this — how cheerless it is to be in this barren firth, and be cut ofif for ever from thy kinsmen and belongings, all because of Gisli's misdeeds."

**As for that," she says, **methinks it most unlikely we should ever agree upon a match which I should think as much worth as this ; but still the old saw says : * Fee is best for a * fey' maa' Let me see then whether this fee is so much and fine as thou sayest.**

So he pours out the silver into her lap, and she touches it with her hand, while he tells it over and presses her hard. Then her foster-daughter, Gudrida, fell a-weeping, and goes out and meets Gisli, and says :

" My foster-mother has now lost her wits, and will betray thee."

" Be of good heart," says Gisli ; " that will never be. My brave Auda will never betray me."

With that he chaunted :

" Wliat ! the folk, with wicked whisper.

Say that she will me deceive ? Auda faithless to her husband

Never can my heart believe. No ! her heart is staunch as ever ;

Auda plots no guile for me ; Auda wrongs her Gisli never ;

Vain the bribe of silver fee."

After that the lassie went home, and says never a word as to where she had been. By this time Eyjolf had told the silver, and then Auda said :

n

98 GISLI THE OUTLAW.

" This fee is no whit better or worse than thou hast said ; and now thou wilt no doubt let me do with it as I like."

Eyjolf jumped at that, and bade her do with it just as she chose.

So Auda takes the fee, and puts it into a big purse. After that she rises and runs to Eyjolf, and dashes the purse, silver and all, on Eyjolf s nose, so that the blood gushed out all over him ; and as she smote him she said :

" Take that for thy silliness, and bad luck go with it I Didst thou ween I would sell my husband into the hands of such a wretch as thee. Take that, I say, and shame and blame go with it. Thou shalt bear in mind, vile fellow, so long as thou livest, that a woman hath beaten thee, and know thou shalt never work thy will whatever happens."

"Lay hands on," called out Eyjolf, "and slay her, though uhe be but a weak woman."

Then Havard spoke out and said : " Our jouirney is about as bad as it can be already without our doing this dastai*d's deed. Up men, and do not let him work his will."

*' Sooth is the saw," said Eyjolf, " ' There are no foes like those of one's own house.' "

But Havard had many friends, and many a man was ready to stand by him in this matter, and at the same time to save Eyjolf from disgi-ace ; so he had to swallow his shame, and goes away home. But ere Havard leaves the house Auda said : " The debt that Gisli owes thee must not be long unpaid. Here is a ring which T wish thee to take."

SPV-IIELGI AND HAVARD. 99

" I would not have looked for this," says Havard.

" But for all that I will repay thee," says Auda. So she gave him the gold down on the nail for his help. So Havard takes horse and fares south to the Strand to Gest the Wise, for he will stay no longer with Eyjolf. As for Eyjolf, he fares home to Otterdale, and is ill-pleased with his journey ; and this last seemed to men the most shameful of all.