Some farmhands were outside at Hof, and they went in and told Bjarni that Thorvald and Thorhall were home and that their journey had not been made in vain. Bjarni then went outside and saw what the situation was. He did not say any more about it, but had them buried. Then all remained quiet until Yule.
Rannveig spoke up one evening when she and Bjarni had gone to bed: ‘What do you think is being discussed most often these days around the district?’ she said.
‘I don’t know,’ said Bjarni. ‘Many people’s words sound like nonsense to me.’
‘These days, people say most often that they don’t know what Thorstein Staff-struck will have to do before you find it necessary to take revenge on him. He has now slain three of your farmhands. Your thingmen do not think they can count on you for support as long as this goes unavenged. You both do wrong and leave right undone.’
Bjarni answered, ‘Now the saying applies that no one learns from another’s mistakes. But I will heed what you are telling me, even though Thorstein has killed few innocent men.’
They ended their discussion and slept through the night.
In the morning, Rannveig awoke as Bjarni was taking down his shield. She asked where he was going.
He answered, ‘Now Thorstein from Sunnudal and I are going to settle this matter of honour.’
‘How many of you are going?’ she asked.
‘I am not going to lead an army against Thorstein,’ he said. ‘I will go alone.’
‘Don’t risk your life alone,’ she said, ‘against the weapons of that horrible man.’
Bjarni said, ‘Now, aren’t you being like those women who urge one moment what they regret the next? Well I have listened to enough taunting, both from you and from others, and it won’t do any good to try to stop me when I want to go.’
Bjarni then went to Sunnudal. Thorstein was standing in the doorway, and they exchanged a few words.
Bjarni said, ‘You are to fight me in single combat today, Thorstein, on the hill here in the hayfield.’
‘I am not at all prepared,’ said Thorstein, ‘to fight with you, but I will leave Iceland on the first ship, for I know that you will have the decency to provide my father with farm help if I go.’
‘You aren’t going to talk yourself out of this,’ said Bjarni.
‘You will permit me to see my father first?’ asked Thorstein.
‘Of course,’ said Bjarni.
Thorstein went inside and told his father that Bjarni had come and challenged him to single combat.
Old Thorarin answered, ‘Anybody who tangles with a more powerful man in his own district and has dishonoured him cannot expect to wear out too many shirts. I don’t feel sorry for you because I think you’ve brought this on yourself. Now take your weapons and defend yourself bravely, for I would never have stooped before a man like Bjarni in my day, even though he is a great champion. Still, I would rather lose you than have a coward for a son.’
Thorstein then went outside, and they went up on the hill and began to fight hard, badly damaging each other’s protective gear.
And when they had fought for a very long time, Bjarni said to Thorstein, ‘I’m thirsty now, for I am less used to hard work than you are.’
‘Then go to the brook,’ said Thorstein, ‘and drink.’
Bjarni did so, laying his sword down beside him.
Thorstein picked it up, looked at it and said, ‘You could not have had this sword with you in Bodvarsdal.’
Bjarni did not answer. They then went back up the hill and fought for a while. Bjarni found the man a skilled fighter, and the going seemed more difficult than he thought it would be.
‘A lot is going wrong for me today,’ said Bjarni; ‘Now my shoelace has come untied.’
‘Tie it then,’ said Thorstein.
Bjarni then bent over.
Thorstein went inside, took two shields and a sword, went back up the hill to Bjarni and said to him, ‘Here is a shield and sword from my father, and this one will not be blunted any more than the one you already have. I do not want to suffer your blows without a shield any more, but I would gladly have us end this game, for I am afraid that your good fortune will accomplish more than my bad luck, and everyone is eager to live through a struggle if he has the power to do so.’
‘It won’t do you any good to try and talk your way out of this,’ said Bjarni. ‘The fight’s not over.’
‘I will not strike eagerly,’ said Thorstein.
Then Bjarni chopped Thorstein’s entire shield away from him, and Thorstein chopped Bjarni’s away from him.
‘Now you’re swinging,’ said Bjarni.
Thorstein answered, ‘You did not deal a lighter blow.’
Bjarni said, ‘The same weapon you had earlier today is biting harder for you now.’
Thorstein said, ‘I would save myself from a mishap if I could, and I fight in fear of you. I am still willing to submit entirely to your judgement.’
It was then Bjarni’s turn to swing, and both of them were now shield-less.
Then Bjarni said, ‘It would be a poor bargain to choose a crime over good luck. I will consider myself fully compensated for my three farmhands if you will promise me your loyalty.’
Thorstein said, ‘I have had opportunities today to betray you, had my misfortune been stronger than your luck. I will not betray you.’
‘I see that you are an excellent man,’ said Bjarni. ‘You must allow me to go in and see your father,’ he said, ‘and tell him what I want to.’
‘Go as you like for my part,’ said Thorstein, ‘but be careful.’
Then Bjarni went up to the bed closet where old Thorarin was lying. Thorarin asked who was there, and Bjarni said it was he.
‘What’s the news, Bjarni my friend?’ asked Thorarin.
‘Your son Thorstein’s death,’ answered Bjarni.
‘Did he put up any defence?’ asked Thorarin.
‘I don’t think any man has been as keen in battle as your son Thorstein.’
‘It doesn’t seem strange to me,’ said the old man, ‘given that you’ve now defeated my son, that you were a tough opponent in Bodvarsdal.’
Then Bjarni said, ‘I want to invite you to Hof. You will hold one of the two seats of honour as long as you live, and I will be as a son to you.’
‘I’m in the position,’ said the old man, ‘of someone who has no power, and only a fool rejoices in promises. Besides, the promises of you chieftains are such, when you want to comfort a man after you’ve done something like this, that your relief lasts only a month; then we are treated like other paupers, and with that our injuries are not soon forgotten. Yet whoever makes a bargain with a man like you may nevertheless be pleased with his lot, no matter what people say, and I will accept your offer, so come here into the bed closet. You’ll have to come close, because this old man is shaky on his feet from age and poor health, and I’m not quite free from being affected by my son’s death.’
Bjarni stepped into the bed closet and took old Thorarin’s hand. Then he realized that Thorarin was groping for a short sword and wanted to stab him.
Bjarni pulled back his hand and said, ‘You miserable old fart! Now you’ll get what you deserve! Your son Thorstein is alive and he is going to live with me at Hof. You will be given slaves to do your farm work, and you will not lack anything as long as you live.’
Thorstein then went home to Hof with Bjarni and remained with him until the day he died, and no man was thought to be his equal in integrity and bravery.
Bjarni maintained his honour, and he became more popular and more even-keeled the older he grew. He dealt with difficulties better than anyone, and he turned strongly towards religion during the latter part of his life. Bjarni travelled abroad and made a pilgrimage to Rome. He died on that journey. He now rests in a city called Vateri, a great city not far this side of Rome.
Bjarni was blessed with many descendants. His son was Beard-Broddi, who appears frequently in sagas and was the most excellent man
of his day. Bjarni’s daughter was named Halla, the mother of Gudrid, whom Kolbein the Lawspeaker married. Another of Bjarni’s daughters was Yngvild, whom Thorstein Sidu-Hallsson married. Their son was Magnus, the father of Einar, the father of Bishop Magnus. Amundi was another of Thorstein and Yngvild’s sons. He married Sigrid, the daughter of Thorgrim the Blind. Amundi’s daughter was Hallfrid, the mother of Amundi, the father of Gudmund, the father of Magnus the Godi and of Thora, whom Thorvald Gizurarson married, and of another Thora, the mother of Orm of Svinafell. Another of Amundi’s daughters was Gudrun, the mother of Thordis, the mother of Helga, the mother of Gudny Bodvarsdottir, the mother of Thord, Sighvat and Snorri Sturluson. Another of Amundi’s daughters was Rannveig, the mother of Stein, the father of Gudrun, the mother of Arnfrid, whom Stout-Helgi married. Another daughter of Amundi’s was Thorkatla, the mother of Arnbjorg, the mother of Finn the Priest, Thorgeir and Thurid. And many leading men are descended from them.
There ends the story of Thorstein Staff-struck.
Translated by ANTHONY MAXWELL
THE TALE OF HALLDOR SNORRASON II
Halldórspdttur Snorrasonar hinn sidari*
I As has been told earlier, Halldor Snorrason had been in Constantinople with Harald, and had come west with him, from Russia to Norway. He had received much honour and respect from King Harald. He was with the king that winter while he was staying in Kaupang.
But as the winter passed and spring approached, people began preparing their trading voyages early because there had been little or no passage of ships from Norway recently, owing to the hostilities and unrest that had existed between Norway and Denmark. As the spring passed, King Harald became aware that Halldor Snorrason was growing ever more unhappy. One day, the king asked him what was on his mind.
Halldor answered, ‘I long to go to Iceland, my lord.’
The king said, ‘Many others would have shown greater longing to go home. What means of travel have you got? How are you spending your money?’
He answered, ‘I’m spending it quickly, because I have nothing but the clothes I am wearing.’
‘A long service and many perils have received little reward then. I will give you a ship and a crew. Your father will be able to see that you haven’t served me for nothing.’
Halldor thanked the king for the gift. Several days later, Halldor met the king and the king asked him how many crew members he had taken on.
He answered, ‘All those men available for service have already got themselves positions, so I can get no one. Therefore I expect that the ship that you gave me will have to be left behind.’
The king said, ‘Then the gift was not an act of friendship. We will wait and see what happens about oarsmen.’
The following day, horns announced a meeting in the town, and it was said that the king wished to talk with the townspeople and the merchants. The king arrived late at the meeting and looked troubled when he arrived.
He said, ‘We have heard it said that war has begun in the east of our kingdom, in Vik. Svein, the king of the Danes, is in charge of the Danish army, and means to do us harm, but we do not mean to give up our land in any way. For this reason, we are banning all ships from leaving the country until I have taken such things as I want from each ship, both men and provisions. Only one knorr of no great size, which Halldor Snorrason owns, will go to Iceland. Those of you who have already prepared your trips might find this a little hard, but we have found it necessary to make such an imposition. We would think it better if there were peace, so that everyone who wished could go.’
After that the meeting broke up. Shortly afterwards, Halldor came to an audience with the king. The king asked how things were going with the preparations, and whether he had enough oarsmen.
Halldor answered, ‘I have probably taken on far too many now, because many more came to me asking for passage than I could offer places to People are always pestering me. They are breaking my house down trying to reach me. I have no peace from begging men around here, day or night.’
The king answered, ‘Keep those oarsmen that you have taken on, and we will see what happens.’
The next day, another meeting was called, and it was said that the king wished to talk to the merchants again. This time the king did not arrive late, because he got there first. He now looked calm.
He stood up and said, ‘There is some good news to announce. What you heard said about war the day before yesterday was nothing but false rumours and lies. We will now permit each ship to leave the country and go wherever its owner wishes his ship to go. Come back in the autumn, and bring us treasures, and you, in return, will receive gifts of quality and friendship.’
All the merchants who were there were pleased about this, and wished the king good health.
Halldor went to Iceland in the summer and spent that winter with his father. He went abroad again in the summer and then, once again, joined Harald’s followers. However, it is said that Halldor was not as attached to the king as he had been before, and he stayed up in the evenings when the king went to sleep.
2 There was a man named Thorir the England-trader, who had been a great merchant. He had spent much time sailing to various countries, and had brought the king treasures. Thorir was one of King Harald’s followers, and was now very old.
Thorir came to speak to the king, saying, ‘As you know, I am an old man, and get tired quickly. I do not think I am capable of following the customs of the king’s men, such as drinking toasts and such related things. I am now going to look elsewhere, even though being with you is best and most agreeable to me.’
The king answered, ‘It is possible for us to find a solution, my friend. Stay here with my followers. You have my permission to drink no more than you wish.’
Bard was a man from Oppland, a good comrade, and not very old. He was an intimate friend of King Harald’s. These three men, Bard, Thorir and Halldor, shared a bench, and one evening, just as the king walked by where they were sitting and drinking, Halldor was passing over the horn. It was a great animal horn, and nearly transparent. It was possible to see quite well through it that he had drunk half as much as Thorir, who was a slow drinker.
Then the king spoke: ‘It takes a while before you see people in their true colours, Halldor,’ he said. ‘So you break faith in drinking with old men, and rush off to whores in the late evening instead of following your king.’
Halldor made no answer, but Bard could sense that he disliked the king’s comments. Bard went to meet the king early in the morning.
‘You are an early riser, Bard,’ said the king.
‘I have come to reproach you, my lord,’ said Bard. ‘You spoke badly and unjustly to your friend Halldor yesterday evening, when you accused him of not drinking his share. It was Thorir’s horn and he had already given up and would have returned it to the tray if Halldor had not drunk it for him. It was also a great lie when you said that he paid visits to loose women. People might wish that he followed you more closely, though.’
The king answered, and said that when he and Halldor met, they would settle the matter between themselves.
Bard met Halldor and told him of the king’s good words to him, and said it was obvious that he should take no notice of the king’s outburst. Bard had the main role in bringing them together again.
Yule was approaching, and there was little warmth between the king and Halldor. When Yule came, as is the custom there, forfeits were listed for breaches in etiquette. One morning at Yule, the bell-ringing was altered. The candle-bearers paid the bell-ringers to ring much earlier than usual. Halldor was ordered to pay the forfeit along with many other men. They had to sit in the straw all day long, and were supposed to drink the forfeit-cup. Halldor remained in his seat. In spite of this, they brought him the forfeit-cup, but he refused to drink it. They then told the king.
‘That cannot be true,’ said the king. ‘He will take it if I bring it to him.’
He then took the forfeit-horn and went to Halldor. Halldor
stood up for him, and the king asked him to drink the forfeit-cup.
Halldor answered, ‘I don’t see why I should have to pay a forfeit when you played a trick with the ringing in order to make people break the rules.’
The king answered, ‘But you will drink the forfeit-cup no less than other men.’
‘It may well be that you will bring it about that I drink, King,’ said Halldor. ‘But I can tell you that Sigurd Sow wouldn’t have managed to force Snorri the Godi to do so.’*
He reached out for the horn, and took it and drank it up, but the king was infuriated and went back to his seat.
When the eighth day of Yule arrived, men were given payment for their service. It was termed Harald’s Coinage. The main part of it was copper; at best it was only half silver. When Halldor received the payment, he put the silver in the skirt of his tunic and looked at it, and did not consider that the silver was pure. He hit the silver from below with one hand and it all went down into the straw.
Bard spoke, saying that he was mistreating it: ‘The king will feel insulted, and that his payment is being questioned.’
‘That doesn’t bother me,’ said Halldor. ‘I’ve got little to lose.’
3 It is now said that they were getting their ships ready after Yule because the king meant to go to the south. But when the king was more than prepared, Halldor still had not got ready.
Bard said, ‘Why aren’t you getting prepared, Halldor?’
‘I don’t want to,’ he said, ‘and I don’t mean to go. I can now see that the king doesn’t approve of me.’
Bard said, ‘He will still want you to go, though.’
Later on, Bard went to meet the king and told him that Halldor was not getting ready – ‘You can expect it to be difficult to find anyone to put in the prow in place of him.’
The king said, ‘Tell him that I expect him to accompany me. This present coldness that exists between us isn’t serious.’
Bard met Halldor and said that the king by no means wanted to lose his services. It ended up with Halldor going, and he and the king went southwards down the coast.
The Sagas of the Icelanders Page 91