Aud then said, ‘See if you can’t run into the shepherd from Laugar today, then, and find out for me who is staying in their shieling and who is at home. Make sure you always speak of Thord in the friendliest of terms.’
The boy promised to do as she asked. When he returned that evening Aud asked what he had discovered.
The shepherd replied: ‘I learned such news as will be pleasing to your ears, that there is a great distance separating the beds of Thord and Gudrun these days, since she is in the shieling while he is working feverishly at building a hall; only he and Osvif are at home.’
‘You’ve done a fine job of spying,’ Aud said. ‘Have two horses saddled for me when the others go to bed.’
The shepherd did as she asked and shortly before sundown Aud mounted her horse, dressed in breeches, to be sure. The boy followed her on the second horse, but could hardly keep up with her flying pace. She rode southward over the Saelingsdal heath, not stopping until she reached the wall of the hayfield at Laugar. There she dismounted and told the shepherd to look after the horses while she proceeded to the house. She went up to the door, which was unlocked, into the fire-hall and found the bed closet where Thord lay sleeping. The door was closed but not latched. She entered the bed closet, where Thord slept on his back facing upwards. She woke Thord, but he only turned over on his side when he saw some man had come in. She drew her short-sword and struck him a great wound on his right arm which cut across both breasts. She struck with such force that the sword lodged in the wood of the bed. Aud then returned to her horse, sprang into the saddle and rode home. Roused by the attack, Thord tried to get to his feet, but was weakened by the wound and loss of blood. Osvif woke up at the disturbance and asked what was happening, and Thord replied that he had been wounded. While he dressed Thord’s wound, Osvif asked if he knew who had attacked him. Thord replied that he suspected it was Aud, and Osvif offered to ride after her, as she would have brought few followers and deserved punishment. Thord told him not to think of doing so, as what Aud had done was only evening the score.
It was sunrise when Aud returned home, and her brothers asked where she had gone. Aud told them she had gone to Laugar and the news of her visit there. They were pleased but said Thord deserved worse. Thord was a long time recuperating from the wounds; the ones on his chest healed well but he never regained much use of his right arm.
The winter passed without event, but in the spring Thord’s mother Ingunn came from her farm at Skalmarnes to visit him. Thord welcomed his mother warmly. She said she had come to him for help and protection, as Kotkel and his wife and sons were making her life miserable, stealing her livestock and practising sorcery under the protection of Hallstein the Godi. Thord responded at once and said he would not allow these thieves to get away with this even if Hallstein opposed him. He got ready to travel west immediately with Ingunn and nine others to accompany him. He took a ferry from Tjaldanes and they continued west to Skalmarnes.
Thord had all the property there which belonged to his mother loaded on the ferry and ordered men to herd the livestock overland. There were twelve of them aboard the boat, including Ingunn and one other woman. Thord rode to Kotkel’s farm with nine men. Kotkel’s two sons were not at home. Before witnesses, Thord charged Kotkel and his wife and sons with theft and sorcery, an offence punishable by full outlawry. They would have to answer the charges at the Althing. This accomplished he went back to the boat. Hallbjorn and Stigandi returned home just after Thord and the others had set sail, and were only a short distance from shore. Kotkel told his sons what had happened. The two brothers were furious and claimed none of their enemies had ever dared treat them like this. Kotkel then prepared a high platform for witchcraft which they all mounted. Then they chanted powerful incantations, which were sorcery. A great blizzard came up.
Thord Ingunnarson and his companions at sea felt how the force of the weather was directed at them and the ship was driven west beyond the headland at Skalmarnes. Thord struggled valiantly on board the ship. People on shore saw him throw everything overboard that could weigh the ship down except the travellers themselves. They expected that the ship would be able to make land after that, as they had passed the worst of the skerries, but all of a sudden a breaker rose where no one could ever recall having seen a skerry and rammed the ship so that it capsized at once. Thord and all his companions were drowned and the ship smashed into small pieces, the keel washing ashore on an island which has since been called Kjalarev (Keel Island). Thord’s shield drifted ashore on an island called Skjaldarev (Shield Island). His body and the bodies of his companions drifted ashore directly afterwards and are buried in a mound at Haugsnes (Mound point).
36 The news of these events spread and was condemned; men capable of such sorcery as Kotkel and his family had performed were considered truly evil. Gudrun, who was pregnant and had only a short time left before she gave birth, was stricken with grief at Thord’s death. She soon gave birth to a boy, who was sprinkled with water and named Thord.
At this time Snorri the Godi lived at Helgafell. He was Osvif’s kinsman and friend and a source of great support to both him and Gudrun. When he visited them Gudrun told him of her dilemma and he promised to help her in the way he thought best. To give Gudrun some consolation he offered to foster her son, which she accepted; she agreed to follow his advice. The boy Thord was later given the nickname ‘the Cat’ and was the father of the poet Stuf.
Gest Oddleifsson then approached Hallstein and offered him a choice: Hallstein would either have to get rid of these sorcerers or else Gest would kill them, ‘even though it’s already too late’.
Hallstein was not long in choosing and told the family they would have to find another dwelling place at least as far away as the other side of the highlands of the Dalir heath, though they did not deserve to escape with their lives. Kotkel and his family then left, taking no possessions except a stud of four horses with them. The stallion was black, large and powerful and had proven its fighting prowess. Nothing is mentioned of their journey until they arrived at the farm of Thorleik Hoskuldsson at Kambsnes. He expressed an interest in purchasing the horses, which he could see were prime animals.
Kotkel answered, ‘I’ll give you the chance to own them: you provide me with a place to live near you and the horses are yours.’
Thorleik replied, ‘I’ll end up paying a high price for the horses if I do that – aren’t you a wanted man in this district?’
Kotkel answered, ‘The men of Laugar have told you that.’
Thorleik admitted this to be true.
Kotkel then spoke: ‘The truth of our doings against Gudrun and her brothers is somewhat different from what you’ve been told. Accusations have been heaped on us of deeds we had no part in – accept the stallions in return for protecting us. If all the stories we hear of you are true, we won’t be helpless prey for the dwellers of this district if we have your backing.’
Thorleik decided to accept the offer, as he was drawn both by the fine horses and Kotkel’s cleverly convincing speech. He found the family a place to live at Leidolfsstadir in Laxardal, and supplied them with livestock, taking the horses into his charge in return.
When the men of Laugar learned of this, Osvif’s sons wanted to attack Kotkel and his family at once.
Their father, however, said, ‘We should take the advice of Snorri the Godi and leave this to others. It won’t be long until their neighbours will have new complaints against them, and it will be Thorleik who’ll suffer for it, which is so much the better. He’ll soon have enemies where he once had supporters. But I won’t try and dissuade you from doing whatever you like with Kotkel and his clan if three years pass without anyone driving them out of the district or putting an end to them once and for all.’
Gudrun and her brothers agreed to this.
Although Kotkel and his family were seldom seen working, they purchased neither hay nor food during the winter. They were anything but popular with the people of the district, but no o
ne dared to raise a hand against them because of Thorleik.
37 One summer when Thorleik was attending the Althing, a large man entered his booth and greeted him. Thorleik returned the greeting and asked the man his name or origin. He said his name was Eldgrim and he lived in the Borgarfjord district on the farm called Eldgrimsstadir, located in the valley now called Grimsdal which runs westward up the mountain between the farms of Muli and Grisartunga.
Thorleik said, ‘I’ve heard of you, and if the stories are true you’re a man to be reckoned with.’
Eldgrim responded: ‘My purpose in coming here is to purchase those fine horses which Kotkel made you a present of last summer.’
Thorleik answered, ‘The horses are not for sale.’
Eldgrim said, ‘I’m offering you an equal number of horses in exchange, plus a sizeable additional payment. Some people would say you’d be getting double the normal price.’
Thorleik answered, ‘I’m not much of a horse-dealer, and you’re not going to get those horses even if you offer me triple the price.’
Eldgrim said, ‘People who told me you were arrogant and headstrong were obviously not lying. If I had my way you’d end up losing the horses and getting considerably less than I’ve been offering you.’
Thorleik grew very red in the face at his words, and replied, ‘You’ll need more than threats, Eldgrim, if you intend to take the horses from me by force.’
Eldgrim responded, ‘You may think it unlikely that I should end up getting the better of you, but I’ll go and take a look at the horses this summer, and we’ll see which one of us ends up owning them after that.’
Thorleik answered, ‘You can make good your threat any time, so long as you don’t intend to outnumber me when you make your attack.’
The conversation ended on that note. People who overheard them said the two would end up with no more than they deserved. The Althing came to a close and everyone returned home without incident.
Early one morning a farmhand at Hrutsstadir returned from his morning chores and Hrut Herjolfsson asked him whether he had any news to tell.
The man replied that he had seen nothing except someone riding across the far side of the tidal flats towards where Thorleik’s horses were grazing, ‘then he dismounted and caught the horses’.
Hrut asked where the horses had been and the farmhand replied, ‘They kept to their usual grazing area; they were in your meadow below the hayfield wall.’
Hrut answered, ‘It’s true that my kinsman Thorleik is not one to be choosy about his pasture, and I don’t think those horses will have been herded off with his consent.’
With that Hrut sprang to his feet, dressed only in a shirt and linen breeches, pulled on a grey fur garment and took up a gold-inlaid halberd which King Harald had given him. He walked briskly out and saw a man driving several horses below the hayfield wall. He approached them and recognized the man as Eldgrim. When Hrut greeted him Eldgrim responded somewhat reluctantly, and Hrut then asked where he was taking the horses.
Eldgrim answered, ‘I won’t try to conceal from you, although I know you and Thorleik are close kin, that I intend to see to it that he won’t get his hands on these horses again. I am only carrying out what I told him at the Althing that I intended to do, and I’ve not sought the horses by means of superior forces either.’
Hrut replied, ‘There’s hardly much prestige in driving the horses off while Thorleik is in bed asleep. If you really intend to keep your word, as the two of you agreed, you should face him before you ride off with his horses.’
Eldgrim said, ‘Tell Thorleik if you wish; as you can see, I left home prepared to meet him,’ and brandished the barbed spear which he held in his hand.
He was also wearing a helmet and coat of mail, with a sword at his waist and a shield at his side.
‘I’m not about to make the journey to Kambsnes on my slow legs, but I don’t intend to stand by while Thorleik is robbed, if I can do anything about it, even if he’s no favourite relation of mine,’ said Hrut.
‘You don’t mean you intend to take the horses from me?’ asked Eldgrim.
‘I’ll offer you other horses instead, if you let these loose again, although they’re no match for them,’ said Hrut.
‘Good of you to make the offer, Hrut,’ Eldgrim replied, ‘but now that I’ve got my hands on these horses of Thorleik’s, neither bribes nor threats will make me let go of them again.’
Hrut then answered, ‘Then I’m afraid your choice will turn out badly for both of us.’
Eldgrim was about to leave and prodded his horse, but when Hrut saw this he raised his halberd and struck Eldgrim between his shoulder blades. The mail-coat split asunder at the blow and the halberd cut right through the body. Eldgrim fell from his horse dead, as might be expected. Hrut buried the corpse at the spot called Eldgrimsholt (Eldgrim’s rise), south of Kambsnes.
Afterwards Hrut rode to Kambsnes to tell Thorleik the news. Thorleik responded with anger and felt that he had been put to shame, while Hrut thought he had done him a real service. Thorleik said his actions were not only badly meant, they would also have serious consequences. Hrut said he could do as he chose, and the two parted on the worst of terms.
Hrut was over eighty when he killed Eldgrim, and gained a great deal of respect as a result of the deed. The fact that Hrut rose in esteem did not improve Thorleik’s feelings towards him. Thorleik was convinced that he himself would have had the best of Eldgrim, since Hrut had made short work of him.
Thorleik then approached his tenants, Kotkel and Grima, to ask them to take some action to discredit Hrut. They agreed readily and promised to get right to work. Thorleik returned home and shortly afterwards Kotkel, Grima and their sons set out at night for Hrut’s farm, where they began to practise strong magic rites. As the magic proceeded, the inhabitants of the farmhouse were puzzled by the sounds. The chants were sweet to the ear.
Only Hrut realized what the sounds meant and told his household that no one was to leave the house to see what was going on, ‘but everyone is to remain awake, if he possibly can, and if we manage to do so no harm will come to us’.
Eventually, however, they all fell asleep. Hrut managed to keep awake the longest, but finally even he fell asleep. Hrut’s son Kari was twelve years old at the time and the most promising of his children. He was a great favourite with his father. Kari slept lightly and uneasily, as the incantations were directed at him. Eventually he sprang to his feet and looked outside. He went outside into the magic and was struck dead immediately. The next morning Hrut awoke, along with the rest of his household, to find his son was missing. His dead body was found a short distance from the entrance to the house. It was a great blow to Hrut and he had a burial mound made for Kari.
He then paid a visit to Olaf Hoskuldsson to tell him what had happened. Olaf was furious at the news and said it showed great foolishness to have allowed such evildoers as Kotkel and his clan to settle so close by. He also said that Thorleik had repaid Hrut badly for his actions, and that things had doubtless turned out worse than Thorleik intended.
Olaf said that Kotkel and his sons should be put to death at once – ‘even though it’s already too late’.
Olaf and Hrut set out with fifteen others, but when Kotkel and his family saw riders approaching they fled towards the mountains. Hallbjorn Slickstone-eye was the first to be caught, and a sack was pulled over his head. Several men were left behind to guard him while the others went after Kotkel, Grima and Stigandi. Kotkel and Grima were taken on the ridge between Haukadal and Laxardal. They were stoned to death and their bodies placed in a shallow grave heaped with stones, the remains of which are still visible. It is called ‘Sorcerers’ Cairn’. Stigandi managed to make it through the pass and into Haukadal, where they lost sight of him. Hrut and his sons rowed out to sea with Hallbjorn. They removed the sack and tied a stone about his neck.
As they did so, Hallbjorn looked landwards with anything but a gentle gaze, saying, ‘It was no lucky
day for us, when my family approached Thorleik here on Kambsnes. I lay this curse that Thorleik will know little enjoyment here for the rest of his days, and that anyone who takes his place will know but ill fortune.’ Events are thought to have proved how effective was his curse. They then drowned him and rowed back to shore.
Shortly afterwards Hrut went to Olaf and told him that he did not feel he had settled his affairs with Thorleik, and asked Olaf to lend him men to accompany him in a foray to Kambsnes.
Olaf replied, ‘It’s not right that you kinsmen should come to blows, even though Thorleik’s actions have turned out very badly. I would rather try to negotiate a settlement between you. You have more than once had to wait to receive your due.’
Hrut answered, ‘There’s no question of that now; things will never be settled between us, and I don’t want both of us to live here in Laxardal in the future.’
Olaf answered, ‘It won’t do you any good to attack Thorleik against my wishes; if you do you may find you’ve bitten off more than you can chew.’
Hrut then realized there was little he could do in this situation, and returned home very dissatisfied with the results. The following years passed without event.
38 To return to Stigandi, he became an outlaw and difficult to deal with. A man named Thord lived in Hundadal, a rich man but hardly exceptional. One summer the number of sheep rounded up in Hundadal was lower than normal. People noticed that a slave-woman who looked after the sheep in Hundadal had acquired many new possessions, and had often disappeared for hours at a time without anyone knowing of her whereabouts. Thord had her threatened to try to find out the truth.
The Sagas of the Icelanders Page 49