The Sagas of the Icelanders (103 page)

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There was a man named Thorvald, the son of Asvald Ulfsson, son of Ox-Thorir. His son was named Eirik the Red. Father and son left Jaeren and sailed to Iceland because [they had been involved in] slayings. They claimed land on the coast of Hornstrandir and settled at Drangar. There Thorvald died.

As his wife Eirik took Thjodhild, the daughter of Jorund Atlason. Her mother, Thorbjorg Ship-breast, was married to Thorbjorn of Haukadal then. Eirik then moved south, cleared land in Haukadal and built a farm at Eiriksstadir by Vatnshorn.

Eirik’s slaves then caused a landslide to fall on the farm of Valthjof at Valthjofsstadir. His kinsman Filth-Eyjolfkilled the slaves near Skeidsbrekkur above Vatnshorn. For this, Eirik slew Filth-Eyjolf. He also killed Hrafn the Dueller at Leikskalar. Geirstein and Odd of Jorvi, Eyjolf’s kinsmen, sought redress for his killing.

After this Eirik was outlawed from Haukadal. He claimed the islands Brokey and Oxney and farmed at Tradir on Sudurey island the first winter. It was then Eirik lent Thorgest bedstead boards. Later he moved to Oxney where he farmed at Eiriksstadir. He then asked for the bedstead boards back without success. Eirik went to Breidabolstad and took the boards, and Thorgest came after him. They fought not far from the farm at Drangar, where two of Thorgest’s sons were killed, along with several other men.

After that both of them kept a large following. Eirik had the support of Styr and Eyjolf of Sviney, Thorbjorn Vifilsson and the sons of Thorbrand of Alftafjord, while Thord Bellower and Thorgeir of Hitardal, Aslak of Langadal and his son Illugi gave their support to Thorgest. Eirik and his companions were sentenced to outlawry at the Thorsnes Assembly. He made his ship ready in Eiriksvog and Eyjolf hid him in Dimunarvog while Thorgest and his men searched the islands for him. Thorbjorn, Eyjolf and Styr accompanied Eirik through the islands. Eirik said he intended to seek out the land that Gunnbjorn, the son of Ulf Crow, had seen when he was
driven off course westward and discovered Gunnbjarnarsker (Gunnbjorn’s skerry). If he found the land he promised to return to his friends and they parted with great warmth. Eirik promised to support them in any way he could if they should need his help.

Eirik sailed seaward from Snaefellsnes and approached land [in Greenland] under the glacier called Hvitserk (White shift). From there he sailed southwards, seeking suitable land for settlement.

He spent the first winter on Eiriksey island, near the middle of the eastern settlement.
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The following spring he travelled to Eiriksfjord where he settled. That summer he travelled around the [then] uninhabited western settlement, giving names to a number of sites. The second winter he spent in Eiriksholmar near Hvarfsgnipa, and the third summer he sailed as far north as Snaefell and into Hrafnsfjord. There he thought he had reached the head of Eiriksfjord. He then returned to spend the third winter in Eiriksey, at the mouth of Eiriksfjord.

The following summer he sailed to Iceland and made land in Breidafjord. He spent the winter with Ingolf at Holmlatur. The following spring he fought with Thorgest and lost, after which they made their peace.

In the summer Eirik left to settle in the country he had found, which he called Greenland, as he said people would be attracted there if it had a favourable name.

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Thorgeir Vifilsson took as his wife Arnora, the daughter of Einar of Laugarbrekka, the son of Sigmund, son of Ketil Thistle who had claimed land in Thistilfjord.

Einar had another daughter named Hallveig. She was married to Thorbjorn Vifilsson and was given land at Laugarbrekka, at Hellisvellir. Thorbjorn moved his household there and became a man of great worth. He ran a prosperous farm and lived in grand style. Gudrid was the name of Thorbjorn’s daughter. She was the most attractive of women and one to be reckoned with in all her dealings.

A man named Orm farmed at Arnarstapi. His wife was named Halldis. Orm was a good farmer and a great friend of Thorbjorn’s. The couple fostered Gudrid, who spent long periods of time there.

A man named Thorgeir farmed at Thorgeirsfell. He was very rich in livestock and was a freed slave. He had a son named Einar, a handsome and capable man, with a liking for fine dress. Einar went on trading voyages abroad, at which he was quite successful, and he usually spent the winters in Iceland and Norway by turn.

It is said that one autumn, when Einar was in Iceland, he travelled with his goods out to the Snaefellsnes peninsula, intending to sell them. He came to Arnarstapi and Orm invited him to stay with them, which Einar accepted, as friendship was included in the bargain. Einar’s goods were placed in a shed. He took them out to show to Orm and his household, and asked Orm to choose as much as he wished for himself. Orm accepted and praised Einar as both a merchant of good repute and man of great fortune. While they were occupied with the goods a woman passed in front of the shed doorway.

Einar asked Orm who this beautiful woman was who had passed in front of the doorway – ‘I haven’t seen her here before.’

Orm said, ‘That is Gudrid, my foster-daughter, the daughter of the farmer Thorbjorn of Laugarbrekka.’

Einar spoke: ‘She’d make a fine match. Or has anyone already turned up to ask for her hand?’

Orm answered, ‘She’s been asked for right enough, my friend, but is no easy prize. As it turns out, she is choosy about her husband, as is her father as well.’

‘Be that as it may,’ Einar spoke, ‘she’s the woman I intend to propose to, and I would like you to put my proposal to her father, and if you do your best to support my suit I’ll repay you with the truest of friendship. Farmer Thorbjorn should see that we’d be well connected, as he’s a man of high repute and has a good farm, but I’m told his means have been much depleted. My father and I lack neither land nor means, so we’d be a considerable support to Thorbjorn if the match were concluded.’

Orm answered, ‘Though I think of myself as your friend, I’m not eager to breach the question with him, for Thorbjorn is prone to take offence, and a man with no small sense of his own worth.’

Einar replied he would not be satisfied unless the proposal was made, and Orm said he would have his way. Einar headed south once more until he arrived back home.

Some time later Thorbjorn held an autumn feast, as was his custom, for he lived in high style. Orm from Arnarstapi attended and many other friends of Thorbjorn’s.

Orm managed to speak privately to Thorbjorn and told him of the recent visit by Einar of Thorgeirsfell, who was becoming a man of promise. Orm then put Einar’s proposal to Thorbjorn and said it would be suitable on a number of accounts – ‘it would be a considerable support to you as far as money is concerned’.

Thorbjorn answered, ‘I never expected to hear such words from you, telling me to marry my daughter to the son of a slave, as you suggest now, since you think I’m running short of money. She’ll not go back with you, since you think her worthy of such a lowly match.’

Orm then returned home and all the other guests went to their homes. Gudrid stayed behind with her father and spent that winter at home. When spring came Thorbjorn invited some friends to a feast. The provisions were plentiful, and it was attended by many people who enjoyed the finest of feasts.

During the feasting Thorbjorn called for silence, then spoke: ‘Here I have lived a life of some length. I have enjoyed the kindness and warmth of others, and to my mind our dealings have gone well. My financial situation, however, which has not up to now been considered an unworthy one, is on the decline. So I would rather leave my farm than live with this loss of honour, and rather leave the country than shame my family. I intend to take up the offer made to me by my friend Eirik the Red, when he took his leave of me in Breidafjord. I intend to head for Greenland this summer if things go as I wish.’

These plans caused a great stir, as Thorbjorn had long been popular, but it was generally felt that once he had spoken in this way there would be little point in trying to dissuade him. Thorbjorn gave people gifts and the feast came to an end after this, with everyone returning to their homes.

Thorbjorn sold his lands and bought a ship which had been beached at the Hraunhafnaros estuary. Thirty men accompanied him on his voyage. Among them were Orm of Arnarstapi and his wife, and other friends of Thorbjorn’s who did not want to part with him.

After this they set sail but the weather, which had been favourable when they set out, changed. The favourable wind dropped and they were beset by storms, so that they made little progress during the summer. Following this, illness plagued their company, and Orm and his wife and half the company died. The sea swelled and their boat took on much water but, despite many other hardships, they made land in Greenland at Herjolfsnes during the Winter Nights.

At Herjolfsnes lived a man named Thorkel. He was a capable man and the best of farmers. He gave Thorbjorn and all his companions shelter for the winter, treating them generously. Thorbjorn and all his companions were highly pleased.

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This was a very lean time in Greenland. Those who had gone hunting had had poor catches, and some of them had failed to return.

In the district there lived a woman named Thorbjorg, a seeress who was called the ‘Little Prophetess’. She was one of ten sisters, all of whom had the gift of prophecy, and was the only one of them still alive.

It was Thorbjorg’s custom to spend the winter visiting, one after another, farms to which she had been invited, mostly by people curious to learn of their own future or what was in store for the coming year. Since Thorkel was the leading farmer there, people felt it was up to him to try to find out when the hard times which had been oppressing them would let up. Thorkel invited the seeress to visit and preparations were made to entertain her well, as was the custom of the time when a woman of this type was received. A high seat was set for her, complete with cushion. This was to be stuffed with chicken feathers.

When she arrived one evening, along with the man who had been sent to fetch her, she was wearing a black mantle with a strap, which was adorned with precious stones right down to the hem. About her neck she wore a string of glass beads and on her head a hood of black lambskin lined with white catskin. She bore a staff with a knob at the top, adorned with brass set with stones on top. About her waist she had a linked charm belt with a large purse. In it she kept the charms which she needed for her predictions. She wore calfskin boots lined with fur, with long, sturdy laces and large pewter knobs on the ends. On her hands she wore gloves of catskin, white and lined with fur.

When she entered, everyone was supposed to offer her respectful greetings, and she responded according to how the person appealed to her. Farmer Thorkel took the wise woman by the hand and led her to the seat which had been prepared for her. He then asked her to survey his flock, servants and buildings. She had little to say about all of it.

That evening tables were set up and food prepared for the seeress. A porridge of kid’s milk was made for her and as meat she was given the hearts of all the animals available there. She had a spoon of brass and a knife with an ivory shaft, its two halves clasped with bronze bands, and the point of which had broken off.

Once the tables had been cleared away, Thorkel approached Thorbjorg and asked what she thought of the house there and the conduct of the household, and how soon he could expect an answer to what he had asked and everyone wished to know. She answered that she would not reveal this until the next day after having spent the night there.

Late the following day she was provided with things she required to carry out her magic rites. She asked for women who knew the chants required for carrying out magic rites, which are called ward songs.
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But such women were not to be found. Then the people of the household were asked if there was anyone with such knowledge.

Gudrid answered, ‘I have neither magical powers nor the gift of prophecy, but in Iceland my foster-mother, Halldis, taught me chants she called ward songs.’

Thorbjorg answered, ‘Then you know more than I expected.’

Gudrid said, ‘These are the sort of actions in which I intend to take no part, because I am a Christian woman.’

Thorbjorg answered: ‘It could be that you could help the people here by so doing, and you’d be no worse a woman for that. But I expect Thorkel to provide me with what I need.’

Thorkel then urged Gudrid, who said she would do as he wished. The women formed a warding ring around the platform raised for sorcery, with Thorbjorg perched atop it. Gudrid spoke the chant so well and so beautifully that people there said they had never heard anyone recite in a fairer voice.

The seeress thanked her for her chant. She said many spirits had been attracted who thought the chant fair to hear – ‘though earlier they wished to turn their backs on us and refused to do our bidding. Many things are now clear to me which were earlier concealed from both me and others. And I can tell you that this spell of hardship will last no longer, and times will improve as the spring advances. The bout of illness which has long plagued you will also improve sooner than you expect. And you, Gudrid, I will reward on the spot for the help we have received, since your fate is now very clear to me. You will make the most honourable of matches here in Greenland, though you won’t be putting down roots here, as your path leads to Iceland and from you will be descended a long and worthy line. Over all the branches of that family a bright ray will shine. May you fare well, now, my child.’

After that people approached the wise woman to learn what each of them was most curious to know. She made them good answer, and little that she predicted did not occur.

Following this an escort arrived from another farm and the seeress
departed. Thorbjorn was also sent for, as he had refused to remain at home on the farm while such heathen practices were going on.

With the arrival of spring the weather soon improved, as Thorbjorg had predicted. Thorbjorn made his ship ready and sailed until he reached Brattahlid. Eirik received him with open arms and declared how good it was that he had come. Thorbjorn and his family spent the winter with him.

The following spring Eirik gave Thorbjorn land at Stokkanes, where he built an impressive farmhouse and lived from then on.