The Sagas of the Icelanders

by Smilely, Jane

  The story has it that Thordis Sursdottir, who was Gisli’s sister and Bork’s wife, went part of the way with Bork.

  Bork spoke: ‘Now, tell me why you were so upset when we broke up the games in the autumn. You promised to tell me before I left here.’

  They had arrived at Thorgrim’s burial mound while they spoke. Suddenly, Thordis stopped and said she would venture no farther. Then she recited the verse that Gisli had composed when he looked at Thorgrim’s burial place.

  ‘And I suspect,’ she said, ‘that you need not look elsewhere concerning Thorgrim’s slaying. He will rightly be brought to justice.’

  Bork became enraged at this, and said, ‘I want to turn back right now and kill Gisli. On the other hand, I can’t be sure,’ he said, ‘how much truth there is in what Thordis says. It’s just as likely that there’s none. Women’s counsel is often cold.’

  Thorkel persuaded them to ride on until they reached Sandar estuary, where they stopped and rested their horses. Bork spoke very little. Thorkel said he wanted to meet his friend, Onund, and rode off so fast that he was soon out of sight.

  Then, he changed direction and rode to Hol, where he told Gisli what had happened, how Thordis had discovered the truth and solved the meaning of the verse: ‘You’ll have to regard the matter as out in the open now.’

  Gisli fell silent. Then he spoke a verse:

  11. My sister, too taken

  with her fine clothes,

  lacks the firm-rooted spirit Gudrun, Gjuki’s daughter: tragic heroine of The Saga of the Volsungs sea-fire: gold; its goddess: woman

  of Gudrun, Gjuki’s daughter,

  that sea-fire’s goddess,

  adorned with pearls, who killed

  her husband with undaunted courage

  to avenge her brave brothers.

  ‘I don’t think I deserved this from her,’ said Gisli. ‘I thought I made it clear several times that her honour meant no less to me than my own. There were even times when I put my life in danger for her sake, and she has pronounced my death sentence. But what I need to know now, brother, is what I can expect from you, considering what I have done.’

  ‘I can give you warning if there is an attempt on your life,’ said Thorkel, ‘but I can afford you no help that might lead to my being accused. I feel I have been greatly wronged by the slaying of Thorgrim, my brother-in-law, my partner and my close friend.’

  Gisli answered him, ‘It was unthinkable that a man such as Vestein should not be avenged. I would not have answered you as you now answer me, nor would I do what you propose to do.’

  Then they parted. Thorkel went to meet Bork and from there they went south to Thorsnes, where Bork put his house in order. Thorkel bought some land at Hvamm on Bardastrond.

  Then the Summons Days came round, and Bork travelled west with forty men to summon Gisli to the Thorsnes Assembly. Thorkel Sursson was in his party, as were Thorodd and Outlaw-Stein, Bork’s nephews. There was also a Norwegian with them, named Thorgrim. They rode out to the Sandar estuary.

  Then Thorkel said, ‘I have a debt to collect at a small farm down here, a little farther on’, and he named the farm. ‘So I’ll ride out there and pick up what’s due to me. Follow me at your own pace.’

  Thorkel then rode on ahead and when he reached the farmstead he had mentioned, he asked the farmer’s wife if he might take one of the horses there and let his own stand by the front door.

  ‘And throw some homespun cloth over the saddle of my horse,’ he said, ‘and when my companions arrive, tell them I’m sitting in the main room counting the silver.’

  She lent him a horse and he rode with great haste to the woods at Haukadal, where he met Gisli and told him what was happening – that Bork had come from the west.

  20 Now, to return to Bork. He prepared a case against Gisli for the slaying of Thorgrim to be presented at the Thorsnes Assembly. At the same time, Gisli had sold his land to Thorkel Eiriksson and received payment in cash, which was especially convenient for him.

  He asked his brother Thorkel for advice. In other words, he wanted to know what Thorkel was prepared to do for him and whether he would assist him. Thorkel’s answer was the same as before – he would keep Gisli informed of any planned assault, but stay clear himself of any possible accusations.

  Then Thorkel rode off and took a route that brought him up behind Bork and the others, thereby slowing down their pace a little.

  Gisli took two cart-horses and headed for the woods with his valuables. His slave, Thord the Coward, went with him.

  Gisli said, ‘You have often shown obedience to me and done what I wanted, and I owe you some reward.’

  As usual, Gisli was wearing his black cloak and was well dressed.

  He removed his cape and said, ‘I want to give you this cloak, my friend, and I want you to enjoy its use right away. Put it on and sit behind on the sled, and I’ll lead the horses and wear your cloak.’

  And that is what they did. Then Gisli said, ‘Should some men call out to you, make sure you do not answer. If they intend to do you harm, make for the woods.’

  Thord had as much wits as he had courage, for he had none of either. Gisli led the oxen and Thord, who was a big man, sat high up on the sled thinking he was very finely dressed and showing off. Now Bork and his men saw them as they made their way towards the woods, and they quickly pursued them. When Thord saw what was happening, he jumped down off the sled and made for the woods as fast as he could. They thought he was Gisli and chased him, calling out to him loudly as they ran. Thord made no reply. Instead, he ran as fast as his feet could carry him. The Norwegian, Thorgrim, threw his spear at Thord, catching him so hard between the shoulder blades that he fell face forward to the ground. That was his death blow.

  Then Bork said, ‘That was a perfect throw.’

  The brothers, Outlaw-Stein and Thorodd, agreed that they would pursue the slave and see whether he had any fight in him, and they turned off into the woods.

  To return to Bork and the others – they came up to the man in the black cloak and pulled back his hood to discover that they had been rather less lucky than they imagined. They had killed Thord the Coward when they had meant to kill Gisli.

  The story has it that the brothers, Outlaw-Stein and Thorodd, reached the woods and that Gisli was already there. He saw them and they saw him. Then one of them threw a spear at Gisli, which he caught in mid-flight and threw back at Thorodd. It struck the middle of his body and flew right through him. Outlaw-Stein returned to his companions and told them it was difficult to move around in the woods, but Bork wanted to go there anyway, so that is where they went. When they came to the woods, Thorgrim the Norwegian saw a branch move in one place and threw his spear directly at it, hitting Gisli in the calf of his leg. Gisli threw the spear back and it pierced right through Thorgrim and killed him.

  The rest of them searched the woods, but they could not find Gisli so they returned to Gisli’s farm and initiated a case against him for killing Thorgrim. They rode home, having taken no valuables from the house. Gisli went up the mountainside behind the farm and bound up his wound while Bork and the others were down at his farmstead. When they left, Gisli returned home. Gisli now prepared to leave. He got a boat and loaded it up with his valuables. His wife, Aud, and his foster-daughter, Gudrid, accompanied him to Husanes, where they all went ashore. Gisli went to the farm at Husanes and met a man there who asked him who he was. Gisli told the man as much as he thought he ought to know, but not the truth. Then he picked up a stone and threw it out to a small islet that lay offshore and asked the farmer to have his son do the same thing when he came home – then they would know who he was. But there was no man who could manage it, and thus it was proven once again that Gisli was more accomplished than most other men. After this, Gisli returned to the boat and rowed out around the headland and across to Arnarfjord, and from there across a smaller fjord that lies within it, known as Geirthjofsfjord. Here he prepared to settle down, and built himself a homeste
ad where he stayed for the whole winter.

  21 The next thing that happened was that Gisli sent word to Vestein’s uncles, Helgi, Sigurd and Vestgeir, the sons of Bjartmar, asking them to go to the assembly and offer a settlement for him so that he would not be outlawed.

  They went to the assembly, but they made no headway with a settlement. Indeed, it was said that they handled matters so badly that they were close to tears before it was over. They related the outcome to Thorkel the Wealthy, saying that they dared not face Gisli to tell him he had been outlawed. Aside from Gisli’s sentence nothing else of note took place at the assembly. Thorkel the Wealthy went to meet Gisli to tell him that he had been outlawed.

  Then Gisli spoke these verses:

  12. The trial at Thorsnes

  would not thus

  have gone against me

  if Vestein’s heart

  had beat

  in the breasts

  of the sons

  of Bjartmar.

  13.

  My wife’s uncles

  were downcast

  when they ought

  to have been glad.

  Gold-spenders! gold-spenders: generous men

  They behaved

  as if they had been

  pelted with rotten eggs.

  14.

  News comes from the north:

  the assembly is over,

  harsh sentence passed

  on me – no honour there.

  Giver of pure gold, giver of pure gold: generous man

  this blue-armoured warrior

  shall cruelly repay

  both Bork and Stein.

  Then Gisli asked the two Thorkels what he might expect of them, and they both replied that they would give him shelter provided it meant no material loss on their parts. Then Thorkel the Wealthy rode home. It is said that Gisli spent three winters at Geirthjofsfjord, staying some of the time with Thorkel Eiriksson. Then he spent another three winters journeying around Iceland, meeting with various chieftains and trying to elicit their support. As a result of Thorgrim Nef’s evil arts, and the magic rite and spells he had performed, Gisli had no success in persuading these chieftains to ally themselves with him; although their support sometimes seemed almost forthcoming, something always obstructed its course. Nevertheless, he spent lengthy periods with Thorkel Eiriksson. By this time he had been outlawed for six years.

  At the end of this period, he dwelt partly in Geirthjofsfjord, at Aud’s farm, and partly in a hut that he had built north of the river. He had another hideout by a ridge just south of the farm – and he also stayed there from time to time.

  22 Now when Bork heard of this, he left home and went to meet Eyjolf the Grey, who at that time was living at Otradal in Arnarfjord. Bork asked him to go and search for the outlaw Gisli and kill him, offering him sixty pieces of silver to do all in his power to find the man. Eyjolf took the money and promised to take care of the matter.

  There was a man with Eyjolf named Helgi, who was known as Helgi the Spy. He was sharp-sighted, a fast runner, and he knew all the fjords. He was sent to Geirthjofsfjord to find out whether Gisli was there and discovered that there was indeed a man there, but he did not know whether it was Gisli or someone else. He went back and told Eyjolf the situation. Eyjolf said he was sure it was Gisli, and he reacted quickly by going to Geirthjofsfjord with six men. But he did not find Gisli, so he returned home.

  Gisli was a wise man who dreamed a great deal and whose dreams were prophetic. All knowledgeable men agree that Gisli survived as an outlaw longer than any other man, except Grettir Asmundarson.

  It is said that one night, when Gisli was staying at Aud’s farm, he slept badly and when he awoke she asked him what he had dreamed.

  He answered her, ‘There are two women I dream of. One is good to me. The other always tells me something that makes matters worse than ever, and she only prophesies ill for me. Just now I dreamed that I appeared to be walking towards a certain house or hall, and it seemed that I walked into the house and recognized there many of my kinsmen and friends. They sat by fires and drank. And there were seven fires, some of them almost burned out and some burning very bright. Then my good dream-woman came in and said that this signified how many years I had left to live, and she advised me to stop following the old faith for the rest of my life, and to refrain from studying any charms or ancient lore. And she told me to be kind to the deaf and the lame and the poor and the helpless, and that is where my dream ended.’

  Then Gisli spoke some verses:

  15. Bright land of waves flame, waves flame: gold; its land: woman

  goddess of gold, I came goddess of gold: woman

  to a hall where seven fires,

  to my anguish, were burning.

  On both sides, men on benches

  greeted me kindly, while I,

  wringer of verses, wished each

  and every man there good health.

  16.

  ‘Consider, noble Norseman,’

  said the banded goddess, banded goddess: woman

  ‘how many fires burn

  brightly here in the hall –

  thus many winters are left

  unlived for him who bears

  the shield in battle’s storm.

  Better things soon await you.’

  17.

  ‘Bringer of death in battle,

  from words spoken by poets,

  take and learn only what is good,’

  said Nauma’s gold to me. Nauma’s (goddess’s) gold: woman

  ‘Almost nothing is worse,

  for the burner of shields, burner of shields: warrior

  the spender of sea-fire, sea-fire: gold; its spender: generous man

  than to be versed in evil.’

  18.

  ‘Do not be the first to kill,

  nor provoke into fight

  the gods who answer in battle. gods (Njord) who answer in battle: warriors

  Give me your word on this.

  Help the blind and handless,

  ring-giver, shield of Balder. shield of Balder: warrior

  Beware, evil resides in scorn

  shown to the lame and needy.’

  23 To return to Bork, he began to put considerable pressure on Eyjolf. He felt that Eyjolf had not done what was expected of him and that he had got less than he expected for his money. Bork said he knew for certain that Gisli was in Geirthjofsfjord, and he told Eyjolf’s men, who were acting as messengers between them, that either Eyjolf must go and search for Gisli or he would go and do it himself. Eyjolf responded quickly and sent Helgi the Spy back to Geirthjofsfjord. This time he had enough food with him and was away for a week, waiting for Gisli to appear. One day, he saw a man emerge from a hiding place and recognized him as Gisli. Helgi made off without delay and told Eyjolf what he had discovered.

  Eyjolf got ready to leave with eight men, and went off to Aud’s farm in Geirthjofsfjord. They did not find Gisli there, so they went and searched the woods, but they could not find him there either. They returned to the farm and Eyjolf offered Aud a large sum of money to disclose Gisli’s whereabouts. But that was the last thing she wanted to do. Then they threatened to hurt her, but that produced no result, and they were forced to return home. The whole expedition was considered humiliating, and Eyjolf stayed at home that autumn.

  Although he had eluded them this time, Gisli knew they would catch him eventually because the distance between them was so short.* So he left home and rode out to meet his brother, Thorkel, at Hvamm on Bardastrond. He knocked on the door of the chamber where his brother lay and Thorkel came out to greet him.

  ‘I need to know,’ said Gisli, ‘whether you will help me. I expect it of you. I’m in a tight spot and I have long refrained from asking your assistance.’

  Thorkel answered as before, and said that he would offer him no help that might lead to a case being brought against him. He was willing, however, to give him silver and some horses if Gisli needed them, or anything els
e he had mentioned earlier.

  ‘I can see now,’ said Gisli, ‘that you don’t want to give me any real help. Then let me have three hundreds of homespun cloth, and be comforted with the thought that from this time on I will ask very little of you.’

  Thorkel did as he was asked. He gave Gisli the cloth and, in addition, some silver. Gisli said he would accept these but that he would not have acted so ignobly if he had been in his brother’s position. Gisli was much affected when they parted. He headed out for Vadil, to Gest Oddleifsson’s mother, Thorgerd. He arrived there before dawn and knocked on the door. Thorgerd came to answer. She often used to take in outlaws, and had an underground passage. One end of this passage was by the river, and the other led into the fire-room of her farmhouse. Traces of this can still be seen.

  Thorgerd welcomed Gisli warmly: ‘I suggest you stay here for a while,’ she said, ‘but I don’t know that I can give you much more than a woman’s help.’

  Gisli accepted her offer, and added that, considering the kind of help he had had from men, he did not expect to be done any worse by women. He stayed there for the winter and was nowhere treated as well during his days as an outlaw.

  24 When spring came round again, Gisli went to Geirthjofsfjord because he could no longer be away from his wife, Aud – for they loved each other greatly. He stayed there in hiding until autumn and, as the nights lengthened, he dreamed the same dreams over and over again. The bad dream-woman appeared to him and his dreams grew ever more troubled. One time, when Aud asked him what he had dreamed, he told her. Then he spoke a verse:

  19. If old age awaits this battle-spear battle-spear: warrior

  then my dreams lead me astray.