The Life and Death of Cormac the Skald [12]
Where Saurbae lies level and green."
Said Thord, "I have no wish for thy death; but I own it is no sorrow to see thee down for once."
To which Bersi answered in song: --
(40) "The friend that I trusted has failed me In the fight, and my hope is departed: I speak what I know of; and note it, Ye nobles, -- I tell ye no leasing. Lo, the raven is ready for carnage, But rare are the friends who should succour. Yet still let them scorn me and threaten, I shrink not, I am not dismayed."
After this, Bersi was taken home to Saurbae, and lay long in his wounds.
But when he was carried into the tent, at that very moment Steinar spoke thus to Cormac: --
(41) "Of the reapers in harvest of Hilda -- Thou hast heard of it -- four men and eight men With the edges of Skrymir to aid me I have urged to their flight from the battle. Now the singer, the steward of Odin, Hath smitten at last even Bersi With the flame of the weapon that feedeth The flocks of the carrion crows."
"I would have thee keep Skrymir now for thy own, Cormac," said he, "because I mean this fight to be my last."
After that, they parted in friendly wise: Steinar went home, and Cormac fared to Mel.
CHAPTER THIRTEEN Steingerd Leaves Bersi.
Next it is told of Bersi. His wound healed but slowly. Once on a time a many folk were met to talk about that meeting and what came of it, and Bersi made this song: --
(42) "Thou didst leave me forlorn to the sword-stroke, Strong lord of the field of the serpent! And needy and fallen ye find me, Since my foeman ye shielded from danger. Thus cunning and counsel are victors, When the craft of the spear-shaft avails not; But this, as I think, is the ending, O Thord, of our friendship for ever!"
A while later Thord came to his bedside and brought back the luck-stone; and with it he healed Bersi, and they took to their friendship again and held it unbroken ever after.
Because of these happenings, Steingerd fell into loathing of Bersi and made up her mind to part with him; and when she had got everything ready for going away she went to him and said: -- "First ye were called Eygla's-Bersi, and then Holmgang-Bersi, but now your right name will be Breech-Bersi!" and spoke her divorce from him.
She went north to her kinsfolk, and meeting with her brother Thorkel she bade him seek her goods again from Bersi -- her pin- money and her dowry, saying that she would not own him now that he was maimed. Thorkel Toothgnasher never blamed her for that, and agreed to undertake her errand; but the winter slipped by and his going was put off.
CHAPTER FOURTEEN The Bane Of Thorkel Toothgnasher.
Afterwards, in the spring, Thorkel Toothgnasher set out to find Bersi and to seek Steingerd's goods again. Bersi said that his burden was heavy enough to bear, even though both together underwent the weight of it. "And I shall not pay the money!" said he.
Said Thorkel, "I bid thee to the holmgang at Orrestholm beside Tjaldanes (Tentness)."
"That ye will think hardly worth while," said Bersi, "such a champion as you are; and yet I undertake for to come."
So they came to the holme and fell to the holmgang. Thord carried the shield before Bersi, and Vali was Thorkel's shield- bearer. When two shields had been hacked to splinters, Bersi bade Thorkel take the third; but he would not. Bersi still had a shield, and a sword that was long and sharp.
Said Thorkel, "The sword ye have, Bersi, is longer than lawful."
"That shall not be," cried Bersi; and took up his other sword, Whitting, two-handed, and smote Thorkel his deathblow. Then sang he:--
(43) "I have smitten Toothgnasher and slain him, And I smile at the pride of his boasting. One more to my thirty I muster, And, men! say ye this of the battle: -- In the world not a lustier liveth Among lords of the steed of the oar-bench;
Said Thord, "I have no wish for thy death; but I own it is no sorrow to see thee down for once."
To which Bersi answered in song: --
(40) "The friend that I trusted has failed me In the fight, and my hope is departed: I speak what I know of; and note it, Ye nobles, -- I tell ye no leasing. Lo, the raven is ready for carnage, But rare are the friends who should succour. Yet still let them scorn me and threaten, I shrink not, I am not dismayed."
After this, Bersi was taken home to Saurbae, and lay long in his wounds.
But when he was carried into the tent, at that very moment Steinar spoke thus to Cormac: --
(41) "Of the reapers in harvest of Hilda -- Thou hast heard of it -- four men and eight men With the edges of Skrymir to aid me I have urged to their flight from the battle. Now the singer, the steward of Odin, Hath smitten at last even Bersi With the flame of the weapon that feedeth The flocks of the carrion crows."
"I would have thee keep Skrymir now for thy own, Cormac," said he, "because I mean this fight to be my last."
After that, they parted in friendly wise: Steinar went home, and Cormac fared to Mel.
CHAPTER THIRTEEN Steingerd Leaves Bersi.
Next it is told of Bersi. His wound healed but slowly. Once on a time a many folk were met to talk about that meeting and what came of it, and Bersi made this song: --
(42) "Thou didst leave me forlorn to the sword-stroke, Strong lord of the field of the serpent! And needy and fallen ye find me, Since my foeman ye shielded from danger. Thus cunning and counsel are victors, When the craft of the spear-shaft avails not; But this, as I think, is the ending, O Thord, of our friendship for ever!"
A while later Thord came to his bedside and brought back the luck-stone; and with it he healed Bersi, and they took to their friendship again and held it unbroken ever after.
Because of these happenings, Steingerd fell into loathing of Bersi and made up her mind to part with him; and when she had got everything ready for going away she went to him and said: -- "First ye were called Eygla's-Bersi, and then Holmgang-Bersi, but now your right name will be Breech-Bersi!" and spoke her divorce from him.
She went north to her kinsfolk, and meeting with her brother Thorkel she bade him seek her goods again from Bersi -- her pin- money and her dowry, saying that she would not own him now that he was maimed. Thorkel Toothgnasher never blamed her for that, and agreed to undertake her errand; but the winter slipped by and his going was put off.
CHAPTER FOURTEEN The Bane Of Thorkel Toothgnasher.
Afterwards, in the spring, Thorkel Toothgnasher set out to find Bersi and to seek Steingerd's goods again. Bersi said that his burden was heavy enough to bear, even though both together underwent the weight of it. "And I shall not pay the money!" said he.
Said Thorkel, "I bid thee to the holmgang at Orrestholm beside Tjaldanes (Tentness)."
"That ye will think hardly worth while," said Bersi, "such a champion as you are; and yet I undertake for to come."
So they came to the holme and fell to the holmgang. Thord carried the shield before Bersi, and Vali was Thorkel's shield- bearer. When two shields had been hacked to splinters, Bersi bade Thorkel take the third; but he would not. Bersi still had a shield, and a sword that was long and sharp.
Said Thorkel, "The sword ye have, Bersi, is longer than lawful."
"That shall not be," cried Bersi; and took up his other sword, Whitting, two-handed, and smote Thorkel his deathblow. Then sang he:--
(43) "I have smitten Toothgnasher and slain him, And I smile at the pride of his boasting. One more to my thirty I muster, And, men! say ye this of the battle: -- In the world not a lustier liveth Among lords of the steed of the oar-bench;