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The Laxdæla Saga on Thorgerdr

Laxdaela > Saga > Chap. V

attestation: Thorgerd received all of Salmonriver-Dale as her dowry from Unn

"let Thorgerd have for her dowry all Salmonriver-Dale"

attestation: Thorgerd, daughter of Thorstein and mother of Hoskuld, wanted to leave Iceland after Koll's death

"Thorgerd, Thorstein's daughter, the mother of Hoskuld, was still a young woman and most goodly; she did not care for Iceland after the death of Koll."
attestation: Thorgerd sailed to Norway with a good voyage and was warmly received by her kinsmen there

"Thorgerd put to sea and had a very good voyage, and arrived in Norway. Thorgerd had much kindred and many noble kinsmen there. They greeted her warmly"
relationship: Thorgerd married Herjolf, a landed man who was tall, strong, and skilled at arms but not handsome

"His name was Herjolf; he was a "landed man" as to title, rich, and of much account. Herjolf was a tall and strong man, but he was not fair of feature; yet the most high-mettled of men, and was of all men the best skilled at arms."
attestation: Thorgerd proved herself a capable woman of great mettle, improving Herjolf's standing

"Thorgerd soon showed by her ways that she was a woman of the greatest mettle, and Herjolf's manner of life was deemed much better and more highly to be honoured now that he had got such an one as she was for his wife."

attestation: After Herjolf's death, Thorgerd returned to Iceland to be with her son Hoskuld

"Thorgerd wished to go to Iceland to visit Hoskuld her son, for she still loved him best of all men"
attestation: Thorgerd lived with Hoskuld at Salmonriver-Dale until her death

"Thorgerd arrayed her journey to Iceland, and went to find Hoskuld in his home in Salmonriver-Dale. He received his mother with honour."

attestation: Thorgerd initially resisted the marriage proposal but was convinced by her father Egil

"It is told how one day the father and son, Hoskuld and Olaf"

attestation: Thorgerd was a woman of high mettle who insisted on getting her way in whatever she undertook

"she was a woman of very high mettle, though she meddled little with every-day things, but whatever Thorgerd put her hand to must be carried through as she wished."

attestation: Thorgerd was reluctant to manage the household alone and did not approve of Olaf's voyage

"Thorgerd said she did not much care about doing that; but Olaf said he would have his way."

attestation: Thorgerd urged Hrefna to bring the coif to Laugar, overriding Hrefna's reluctance about having enemies there

""Goodwife," Thorgerd said, "whenever will you take out such a peerless keepsake if it is to lie down in chests when you go to feasts?""

attestation: Thorgerd went west to Saurby to visit her friend Aud, bringing Halldor along

"she wished to go up west to Saurby, and see her friend Aud. She told Halldor to come too."
attestation: Thorgerd urged her sons to avenge Kjartan by attacking Bolli

"Thorgerd goes to see Tongue"
attestation: Thorgerd's goading of her sons to revenge was a driving force in the feud's escalation

"Thorgerd's Egging, A.D. 1007"
attestation: Thorgerd was accompanied by five people on her journey to Saurby

"They were five together, and Halldor followed his moth"

attestation: The brothers were driven to revenge primarily by Thorgerd's persistent goading

"they could no longer withstand the taunts of their mother."

attestation: Thorgerd accompanied her sons on the killing expedition to ensure it was carried out

"Thorgerd making the tenth."
attestation: Nine men from Herdholt plus Thorgerd formed the party that attacked Bolli

"the nine of them together, Thorgerd making the tenth."