The Sagas of the Icelanders (53 page)

17
Hrapp was becoming increasingly difficult to deal with. By now he was so aggressive that his neighbours could hardly stand up to his attacks. Hrapp could not touch Thord after Olaf came of age. As he grew older, Hrapp’s strength waned until he was confined to his bed, but his malicious nature remained the same. He summoned his wife Vigdis and spoke:

‘I’m not one to catch every passing disease,’ he said, ‘and this illness will likely send us our separate ways. When I’m dead I want to be buried in the kitchen doorway. Have me placed in the ground upright, so I’ll be able to keep a watchful eye over my home.’

He died soon afterwards.

Everything was done just as he had instructed, for she dared not go against his wishes. But if it had been difficult to deal with him when he was alive, he was much worse dead, for he haunted the area relentlessly. It is said that in his haunting he killed most of his servants. To most of the people living
in the vicinity he caused no end of difficulty and the farm at Hrappsstadir became deserted. Vigdis, Hrapp’s wife, fled to the west of Iceland to her brother Thorstein Surt, who offered her a home and took charge of her property.

Once again, the farmers called on Hoskuld to tell him of the difficulties Hrapp was causing and ask him to find some solution. This Hoskuld promised to do and, taking several men with him, went to Hrappsstadir to disinter Hrapp and move him somewhere far away from sheep and men alike. Hrapp’s haunting decreased considerably after this. Sumarlidi, Hrapp’s son, inherited his property, which was both of good quality and quantity. The following spring Sumarlidi set up a farm at Hrappsstadir, but went insane after having lived there only a brief while and died shortly afterwards. Vigdis, his mother, then inherited all the property, but she refused to live on the farm at Hrappsstadir so Thorstein Surt took charge of all the property He was an elderly man by this time, but still strong and in good health.

18
In the meantime, Thorstein’s kinsmen in the Thorsnes district, Bork the Stout and his brother Thorgrim, had become full-grown men. It was soon evident that the brothers intended to be the leading men of the district and enjoy the greatest respect. Thorstein saw this and, in order to avoid coming into conflict with them, declared his intention to move and set up house at Hrappsstadir in Laxardal. He made his preparations for the journey following the Spring Assembly and had his livestock herded along the coast.

Thorstein and eleven others boarded a ferry. Among them were his son-in-law Thorarin, his daughter Osk and Thorarin’s daughter, Hild, who was then three years old. A strong south-westerly wind bore Thorstein’s ship into a current known as Kolkistustraum (Coal-chest Current), the most dangerous of the Breidafjord currents. Their crossing was slow and difficult, mainly because the tide was ebbing and the wind against them. The rain came in showers, with strong winds gusting when the clouds broke and then calmer spells in between.

Thorarin was at the helm. He had the straps to control the rudder bound round his shoulders as there was little room to move about aboard ship. It was loaded with chests and cases, piled high, for they were not far from land. The boat made slow progress against the strong opposing current. They ran aground on a skerry but not hard enough to break through the hull of the ship. Thorstein told them to strike the sail quickly, take the long forks and
attempt to push the ship afloat again. They tried this but without success, because the water on both sides of the ship was so deep that the forks could not reach the bottom. The only course was to await the incoming tide.

While they waited, and the tide continued to ebb around them, they saw a seal, much larger than most, swimming in the water nearby. It swam round and round the ship, its flippers unusually long, and everyone aboard was struck by its eyes, which were like those of a human. Thorstein told them to spear the seal and they tried, but to no avail.

Finally, the tide began to come in. When it had reached the point where the ship was about to float free, a great storm struck which capsized the ship. Everyone aboard was drowned except one man who managed to make his way to shore holding on to a bit of wood. His name was Gudmund and the islands where he landed have since been called Gudmundareyjar (Gudmund’s Islands).

Thorstein’s daughter Gudrid, who was married to Thorkel Scarf, was to inherit her father’s property after his death. The news of the drowning of Thorstein Surt and the others who were with him spread quickly. Thorkel lost no time in sending for Gudmund, the survivor. When he arrived Thorkel made a secret bargain with him to have Gudmund describe according to his instructions how those aboard ship had died. Gudmund agreed to this. Thorkel then asked him, in the presence of many other people, to tell them what had happened. According to Gudmund’s story, Thorstein had drowned first, followed by his son-in-law Thorarin. At this point it was Hild, Thorarin’s daughter, who would have inherited everything. The next to drown, said Gudmund, was the child, which meant that the property fell to her mother Osk. Osk was the last to die, and thus the property came into the hands of Thorkel Scarf, as Osk’s sister, Gudrid, who inherited her sister’s property, was his wife.

Thorkel and his followers spread this story, but Gudmund had earlier given a slightly different version of the events. Thorarin’s kinsmen found the new version rather suspicious and said they were not convinced. They demanded that Thorkel split the property with them. Thorkel maintained that it was all his by right and offered to undergo an ordeal to prove it, according to the custom of the time.

The usual ordeal took the form of walking under an arch of raised turf. A long piece of sod was cut from a grassy field but the ends left uncut. It was raised up into an arch, under which the person carrying out the ordeal had to pass. Thorkel Scarf knew there was reason to doubt the truth of the
later version of the drownings which he and Gudmund had reported. Heathen men were no less conscious of their responsibility when they underwent ordeals than are Christian men who perform them nowadays. A person managing to pass under the arch of turf without its collapsing was absolved of guilt.

Thorkel arranged for two men to pretend to start a dispute, for some reason or other, near the place where the trial was to be held. They were to knock against the arch with enough force that the onlookers could plainly see that they had caused it to collapse. The trial began, and at the moment when Thorkel passed under the arch these accomplices charged at each other with their weapons in the air, collided near the arch of turf and naturally caused it to collapse. Other men ran up to separate the combatants, which was an easy enough matter as they were hardly fighting in earnest. Thorkel Scarf then appealed to the onlookers for their verdict. All of his followers were quick to say that the ordeal would have been successful if these others had not spoilt things. Thorkel then took possession of all the property, but the farm at Hrappsstadir remained deserted.

19
The story now turns to Hoskuld. His situation was such that he enjoyed great respect and was an important chieftain. He was in charge of considerable wealth that belonged to his brother, Hrut Herjolfsson. More than one man pointed out that it would make a sizeable dint in Hoskuld’s property if he had to pay out all of his mother’s portion of the inheritance.

Hrut had become one of the followers of King Harald Gunnhildarson. He was held in high esteem by the king, mainly because he had proved his fighting prowess in dangerous situations. He was such a favourite with Gunnhild, the queen mother, that she maintained that none of the king’s followers was his equal, either in word or deed. People might make comparisons of men, and praise men’s excellence, but it was obvious to everyone that Queen Gunnhild considered it nothing but lack of judgement, if not envy, if anyone was compared to Hrut.

As Hrut knew that in Iceland there awaited him both well-born kinsmen and a share in great wealth, he wanted very much to go and seek both out. In parting the king presented him with a ship and said Hrut had proved a stalwart fellow.

Gunnhild accompanied Hrut to his ship and said, ‘It’s no secret that I regard you as an exceptional man; you are as capable as the best of our men, and far exceed them in intelligence.’

She then gave him a gold arm ring in farewell, hid her face in her shawl and walked stiffly and rapidly towards town, while Hrut boarded his ship and sailed out to sea.

He had a good journey and made land in Breidafjord. He sailed to the islands [at the mouth of Hvammsfjord], then into Breidasund, and landed at Kambsnes, where he laid a gangway from ship to shore. News of a ship’s arrival, and the fact that Hrut Herjolfsson was at the helm, spread quickly. Hoskuld was little pleased by the news and did not go to meet and welcome him. Hrut had the ship drawn ashore and secured. He built a farmstead at Kambsnes, then approached Hoskuld to demand his mother’s share of the inheritance. Hoskuld said he was not obliged to pay him anything, as his mother had not left Iceland empty-handed when she returned to Norway and married Herjolf. Hrut was far from happy at his reply, but rode off. All of Hrut’s kinsmen, apart from Hoskuld, gave him a proper welcome.

Hrut lived at Kambsnes for three years and sought continually to press Hoskuld for his property at assemblies or other legal gatherings, where he put his case well. Most men said that Hrut was in the right, but Hoskuld maintained that Thorgerd had not obtained his consent to marry Herjolf, and that he was legally his mother’s guardian. On this note they parted.

The following autumn Hoskuld accepted an invitation to visit Thord Goddi. Hrut learned of it and rode to Hoskuldsstadir with eleven followers. He took twenty head of cattle, leaving behind an equal number, and sent a messenger to Hoskuld to tell him where the missing cattle could be found. Hoskuld’s farmhands lost no time in arming themselves and others nearby were summoned, until fifteen men had gathered. They rode after Hrut, each with as much speed as he could muster.

Hrut and his men did not notice the pursuers until they were only a short distance from the farm at Kambsnes. When they did, they dismounted, tethered their horses and went over to a gravelly stretch of land where Hrut said they would face their pursuers. He said that although he had made slow progress in regaining his property from Hoskuld he would not let it be said that he had fled from his lackeys. Hrut’s companions said they would be facing superior numbers. Hrut replied that this was nothing to worry about and said that the more they were, the worse they would fare.

The men of Laxardal jumped down from their horses and prepared to do battle. Hrut told his men to forget the difference in numbers, and led the way against the pursuers. He had a helmet on his head, his sword raised in one hand and a shield in his other. No man fought better. Hrut was so
aroused that few of his men could keep up with him. Both sides fought determinedly for a while, but after Hrut had killed two men in a single charge, the men of Laxardal realized that they were no match for him. They then surrendered, and Hrut said their lives should be spared. All of Hoskuld’s farmhands who were still alive had been wounded by this time and four of them had been killed. Hrut returned home with substantial wounds but his companions were hardly hurt at all, as he had borne the brunt of the fighting. The site has been called Orrustudal (Battle valley) ever since. Hrut then had all the cattle butchered.

As for Hoskuld, upon hearing of the theft he collected his men together quickly and rode home. They arrived at nearly the same time as the farmhands returned – with a sorry tale to tell. Hoskuld was furious and swore that he did not intend to be robbed by Hrut of livestock and men again. He spent the day gathering supporters. His wife Jorunn approached him and asked what he planned to do.

‘I haven’t decided on any plan yet, but I hope to give people more to talk about than the death of my farmhands.’

Jorunn answered, ‘Your intention is vile if it includes killing a man of your brother’s stature. Many people feel that Hrut is only taking what is his by right, and that he should have taken the livestock sooner. His actions show that he does not intend to be written off as a bastard with no claim to property which is rightly his. Nor would he have set out on this errand, and placed himself in open conflict with you, if he did not have reason to expect that powerful men would back him up. I’ve been told that Hrut has secretly exchanged messages with Thord Bellower, which I find very ominous. Thord Goddi will be more than interested in supporting such a case where so much is at stake. You know only too well, Hoskuld, that since the split between Thord and Vigdis there’s been no love lost between you and Thord Bellower and his kinsmen, though you managed to lessen their hostility towards you temporarily with gifts. And I think, Hoskuld,’ said Jorunn, ‘that they take offence at the way you and your son Olaf have been denying them their share.

‘I think you’d better do right by your brother Hrut, for a hungry wolf is bound to wage a hard battle. Hrut will, I’m sure, be more than ready to accept an offer of settlement, as I’m told he is no fool. He must see that it would do honour to both of you.’

Listening to Jorunn’s counsel, Hoskuld calmed down and saw the truth of her arguments. Mutual friends were then able to intervene and convey
to Hrut Hoskuld’s offer of settlement. Hrut responded positively, saying he was certainly willing to reach an agreement with Hoskuld; he had long since been ready to reach an agreement as brothers should, so long as Hoskuld granted him his rights. Hrut also said Hoskuld was entitled to compensation for the damage he had done him. The matters were discussed and an agreement reached between the two brothers, Hoskuld and Hrut. From that time onward the two got along as kinsmen should.

Hrut settled down to farm and became a powerful figure. He was not one to intervene often in other men’s affairs, but when he did get involved he was determined to have his way. Hrut moved his farm site a short distance to the south to where the farm Hrutsstadir is located and lived there into his old age. He erected a temple in the hayfield nearby, the remains of which can still be seen. The site is called Trollaskeid (Trolls’ path), and is now on the public road.

Hrut married and his wife was Unn, the daughter of Mord Gigja. She later divorced him and this became the beginning of a dispute between the people of Laxardal and of Fljotshlid. Hrut’s second wife was Thorbjorg Armodsdottir. He was married to a third woman, whose name is not recorded. With his two later wives Hrut had sixteen sons and ten daughters. It is said that one summer Hrut attended the Althing accompanied by fourteen of his sons. Mention is made of the fact because it was considered an indication of his wealth and power. All of his sons were accomplished men.