The The Story of Gunnlaug the Worm-Tongue and Raven the Skald on Helga

The Story Of Gunnlaug The Worm-Tongue And Raven The Skald. > CHAPTER III. Of the Birth and Fostering of Helga the Fair.

• attestation: Thorstein forgave Thorgerd and Jofrid for saving the child, named her Helga the Fair, took her home to Burg where she was raised with great love and honor.

  ""Helga she is called," says Thorgerd.

"Helga the Fair," says Thorstein. "But now shalt thou make her ready to come home with me."

She did so, and Thorstein was led out with good gifts, and Helga rode with him to his home, and was brought up there with much honour and great love from father and mother and all her kin."

The Story Of Gunnlaug The Worm-Tongue And Raven The Skald. > CHAPTER IV. Of Gunnlaug Worm-tongue and his Kin.

• attestation: Helga was said to be the fairest woman in Iceland then or since; her hair was as plenteous as gold and could cover her entire body.

  "Helga was so fair, that men of lore say that she was the fairest woman of Iceland, then or since; her hair was so plenteous and long that it could cover her all over, and it was as fair as a band of gold"

The Story Of Gunnlaug The Worm-Tongue And Raven The Skald. > CHAPTER X. How Raven came home to Iceland, and asked for Helga to Wife.

• attestation: Helga looked unfavorably upon the arrangements being made to wed her to Raven.

  "Gunnlaug's coming was long drawn out. But Helga thought evilly of all these redes."

The Story Of Gunnlaug The Worm-Tongue And Raven The Skald. > CHAPTER XIII. Of the Winter-Wedding at Skaney, and how Gunnlaug

• attestation: At Raven's wedding feast at Burg, the bride Helga was visibly drooping; the saga cites the proverb 'Long we remember what youth gained us' to explain her sorrow.

  "it was the talk of most men that the bride was but drooping; for true is the saw that saith, "Long we remember what youth gained us," and even so it was with her now."

• attestation: When Raven told Helga his dream of being hewn and bleeding in her arms, she coldly said she would not weep for it, accused him of beguiling her, and said Gunnlaug had surely come out.

  "Helga spake: "Never shall I weep therefor," quoth she; "ye have evilly beguiled me, and Gunnlaug has surely come out." And therewith she wept much."

• attestation: After news of Gunnlaug's arrival spread, Helga became so hostile to Raven that he could not keep her at Mossfell and they had to return to Burg; Raven got little of her company thereafter.

  "a little after, Gunnlaug's coming was bruited about, and Helga became so hard with Raven, that he could not keep her at home at Mossfell; so that back they had to go to Burg, and Raven got small share of her company."

• attestation: At the winter-wedding at Skaney, Gunnlaug attended in fine garments given by King Sigtrygg; Helga sat near the bride and was observed gazing at Gunnlaug, proving the saying 'Eyes will bewray if maid love man.'

  "The women sat on the dais, and Helga the Fair sat next to the bride. Oft she turned her eyes on Gunnlaug, thereby proving the saw, "Eyes will bewray if maid love man.""

The Story Of Gunnlaug The Worm-Tongue And Raven The Skald. > CHAPTER XIV. Of the Holmgang at the Althing.

• attestation: After Gunnlaug and Hermund recrossed the river, Helga stood gazing long after Gunnlaug; he looked back and sang of her gaze having undone her and made nought of him.

  "as the brothers crossed the river eastward back again, Helga stood and gazed long after Gunnlaug.

Then Gunnlaug looked back and sang"

The Story Of Gunnlaug The Worm-Tongue And Raven The Skald. > CHAPTER XVIII. The Death of Helga the Fair.

• attestation: Helga's greatest joy was gazing at the cloak Gunnlaug had given her; she would constantly pluck at its threads and gaze upon it.

  "But Helga's chief joy was to pluck at the threads of that cloak, Gunnlaug's gift, and she would be ever gazing at it."

• attestation: When a great sickness came to Thorkel's household, Helga fell ill; she had the cloak fetched, sat up gazing at it, then sank back against her husband's chest and died.

  "So one Saturday evening Helga sat in the fire-hall, and leaned her head upon her husband's knees, and had the cloak Gunnlaug's gift sent for; and when the cloak came to her she sat up and plucked at it, and gazed thereon awhile, and then sank back upon her husband's bosom, and was dead."

• attestation: Helga was buried at the church at Hraundale; her death was considered a great matter by all.

  "Helga was buried in the church there, but Thorke dwelt yet at Hraundale: but a great matter seemed the death of Helga to all, as was to be looked for."