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

The Story Of Gunnlaug The Worm-Tongue And Raven The Skald. > CHAPTER I. Of Thorstein Egilson and his Kin.

• attestation: Thorstein Egilson was the son of Egil Skallagrimsson, who was the son of Kveldulf the Hersir of Norway; his mother Asgerd was daughter of Biorn Hold.

  "There was a man called Thorstein, the son of Egil, the son of Skallagrim, the son of Kveldulf the Hersir of Norway. Asgerd was the mother of Thorstein; she was the daughter of Biorn Hold."

• attestation: Thorstein Egilson dwelt at Burg in Burg-firth; he was wealthy, a great chief, meek and wise, though not of the great physical strength of his father Egil.

  "Thorstein dwelt at Burg in Burg-firth; he was rich of fee, and a great chief, a wise man, meek and of measure in all wise. He was nought of such wondrous growth and strength as his father Egil had been; yet was he a right mighty man, and much beloved of all folk."

• attestation: Thorstein Egilson was fair to look on, flaxen-haired and best-eyed of men; the Mere-men kin of Egil produced many fine-looking folk but also some very ill-favoured men.

  "Thorstein was goodly to look on, flaxen-haired, and the best-eyed of men; and so say men of lore that many of the kin of the Mere-men, who are come of Egil, have been the goodliest folk; yet, for all that, this kindred have differed much herein"

• attestation: Thorstein Egilson married Jofrid, daughter of Gunnar son of Hlifar; Jofrid was eighteen when they wed and had previously been married to Thorodd son of Odd of Tongue.

  "Thorstein had to wife Jofrid, the daughter of Gunnar, the son of Hlifar. This Gunnar was the best skilled in weapons, and the lithest of limb of all bonderfolk who have been in Iceland"

The Story Of Gunnlaug The Worm-Tongue And Raven The Skald. > CHAPTER II. Of Thorsteins Dream.

• attestation: Thorstein had a prophetic dream at Hawkfell while accompanying Bergfinn: a swan on his roof was courted by two eagles who fought and died, then a falcon came and flew away with the swan.

  "for methought I was at home at Burg, standing outside the men's-door, and I looked up at the house-roof, and on the ridge I saw a swan, goodly and fair, and I thought it was mine own, and deemed it good beyond all things. Then I saw a great eagle sweep down from the mountains, and fly thitherward and alight beside the swan"

• attestation: In Thorstein's dream, two eagles fought over the swan, both died, and the swan sat drooping; then a falcon from the west came and flew away with her.

  "they fought fiercely and long, and this I saw that both bled, and such was the end of their play, that each tumbled either way down from the house-roof, and there they lay both dead.

"But the swan sat left alone, drooping much, and sad of semblance.

"Then I saw a fowl fly from the west; that was a falcon, and he sat beside the swan and made fondly towards her, and they flew away both together into one and the same quarter"

• attestation: The dream occasion took place at the Thing-stead below Hawkfell; they went there with Atli, a tenant of Thorstein at Foxholes, to repair the walls of Thorstein's booth.

  "Thorstein asked Bergfinn if he would ride with him up to Hawkfell, where at that time was the Thing-stead of the Burg-firthers; for Thorstein had been told that the walls of his booth had fallen in."

• attestation: Thorstein rejected Bergfinn's dream interpretation as unfriendly and evil, but the Eastman held that events would unfold as he had said.

  "Thorstein answered: "In evil and unfriendly wise is the dream interpreted, nor do I deem thee fit for the work of unriddling dreams."

Then Eastman said, "Thou shalt find how it will come to pass.""

• attestation: After the dream interpretation Thorstein estranged himself from Bergfinn, who departed that summer and plays no further role in the saga.

  "Thorstein estranged himself from the Eastman thenceforward, and he left that summer, and now he is out of the tale."

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

• attestation: Before departing for the Thing, Thorstein ordered that if his child was female it should be exposed, a practice the saga notes was common in heathen times among those with many children, though always deemed evil.

  ""So is it," he says, "that thou art with child now, but thy child shall be cast forth if thou bear a woman; but nourished if it be a man."

Now, at this time when all the land was heathen, it was somewhat the wont of such men as had little wealth, and were like to have many young children on their hands, to have them cast forth, but an evil deed it was always deemed to be."

• attestation: Jofrid told Thorstein on his return that the child had been exposed as ordered and the herdsman had fled stealing her horse; Thorstein accepted this account for six winters.

  "when Thorstein came home from the Thing, Jofrid told him that the child had been cast forth according to his word, but that the herdsman had fled away and stolen her horse. Thorstein said she had done well, and got himself another herdsman. So six winters passed, and this matter was nowise wotted of."

• attestation: Six years later, during a visit to Olaf Peacock at Herdholt, Thorgerd revealed to Thorstein that the fairest of three maidens was actually his own daughter, not Thorgerd's.

  "Thorstein rode to Herdholt, being bidden there as guest of his brother-in-law, Olaf Peacock, the son of Hoskuld, who was then deemed to be the chief highest of worth among all men west there."

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

• attestation: Thorstein declared the mock-wooing was to be treated as unspoken and no guile should follow; Gunnlaug nevertheless treated it as binding.

  ""Nay, grant me this though."

"Do as thou wilt, then," said Thorstein; "but be it known to all who are hereby that this shall be as if it had been unspoken, nor shall any guile follow herein.""

The Story Of Gunnlaug The Worm-Tongue And Raven The Skald. > CHAPTER VI. How Helga was vowed to Gunnlaug, and of Gunnlaug's

• attestation: Before departing, Gunnlaug accompanied Thorstein to his stud-horses in Long-water-dale and formally asked for Helga's hand; Thorstein dismissed this as vain talk and deflected it.

  "one day Thorstein asked Gunnlaug if he would ride to his horses with him up to Long-water-dale. Gunnlaug said he would."

• attestation: Thorstein argued that Gunnlaug was unsuitable because he was bound to travel abroad and unsettled; he said Gunnlaug was not an even match for Helga in that condition.

  ""Thou shouldst first know thine own will. Art thou not bound to fare abroad? and yet thou makest as if thou wouldst go marry. Neither art thou an even match for Helga while thou art so unsettled, and therefore this cannot so much as be looked at.""

• attestation: Thorstein agreed to vow but not betroth Helga to Gunnlaug, requiring Gunnlaug to return within three winters and prove himself; if he did not come or his ways were unsatisfactory, Thorstein would be free of all obligations.

  ""For thy words and our friendship then, Helga shall be vowed, but not betrothed, to Gunnlaug, and shall bide for him three winters: but Gunnlaug shall go abroad and shape himself to the ways of good men; but I shall be free from all these matters if he does not then come back, or if his ways are not to my liking.""

• attestation: Thorstein named Thorfin of Red-Mel's seven sons as alternative suitors for Helga; Gunnlaug retorted that neither Onund nor Thorfin were as good as his father.

  ""Hereabout are many good men to choose from. Thorfin of Red-Mel hath seven sons, and all of them men of good manners."

Gunnlaug answers, "Neither Onund nor Thorfin are men as good as my father.""

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: Thorstein initially refused to give Helga to Raven, saying the summer was not yet over and Gunnlaug might still come; he agreed only to revisit the matter the following summer.

  "Thorstein said, "She is already the vowed maiden of Gunnlaug, and with him shall I hold all words spoken."

Skapti said, "Are not the three winters worn now that were named between you?"

"Yes," said Thorstein; "but the summer is not yet worn, and he may still come out this summer.""

• attestation: The following summer Skapti pressed harder; Thorstein consulted Illugi the Black who said little since he did not know clearly what Gunnlaug was about; the wedding to Raven was then arranged for winter-nights at Burg.

  "Thorstein answered, "I have few daughters to see to, and fain am I that they should not be the cause of strife to any man. Now I will first see Illugi the Black." And so he did."

• attestation: The bargain struck was that the wedding should occur at Burg at winter-nights if Gunnlaug did not come out that summer, but Thorstein would be free of the troth to Raven if Gunnlaug arrived first.

  "a bargain was struck that the wedding should be at Burg, about winter-nights, if Gunnlaug did not come out that summer; but that Thorstein should be free from all troth with Raven if Gunnlaug should come and fetch his bride."

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

• attestation: After Raven's death, Thorstein Egilson married Helga to Thorkel son of Hallkel, who lived west in Hraundale; Helga went with him but loved him little, unable to cease thinking of Gunnlaug.

  "AS time went on, Thorstein Egilson married his daughter Helga to a man called Thorkel, son of Hallkel, who lived west in Hraundale. Helga went to his house with him, but loved him little, for she cannot cease to think of Gunnlaug, though he be dead."