The Life and Death of Cormac the Skald [14]
hidden spot he left his horse and Steinvor, bidding her await him. Then he went to a narrow gap through which the high-road ran, and there made ready to stand against his foes.
In Thambardal there was anything but peace. Thorleif ran to tell the sons of Thorarin that he lay dead in the doorway. They asked who had done the deed. He told them. Then they went after Bersi and steered the shortest way to the gap, meaning to get there first; but by that time he was already first at the gap.
When they came near him, Bersi hurled a spear at Alf, and it went right through him. Then Loft cast at Bersi, but he caught the spear on his target and it dropped off. Then Bersi threw at Loft and killed him, and so he did by Skofti.
When all was over, the house-carles of the brothers came up. Thorleif turned back to meet them, and they all went home together.
After that Bersi went to find Steinvor, and mounted his horse. He came home before men were out of bed. They asked him about his journey and he told them. When Odd met him he asked about the fight and how it had passed, and Bersi answered in this verse: --
(45) "There was one fed the wolves has encountered His weird in the dale of the Bowstring -- Thorarin the Strong, 'neath the slayer Lay slain by the might of my weapon. And loss of their lives men abided When Loft fell, and Alf fell, and Skofti. They were four, yonder kinsmen, and fated -- They were fey -- and I met them, alone!"
After that Odd went home, but Steinvor was with Bersi, though it misliked Thordis, his wife. By this time his stone wall was some-what broken down, but he had it built up again; and it is said that no blood-money was ever paid for Thorarin and his sons. So the time went on.
CHAPTER SIXTEEN How Vali Fell Before An Old Man And A Boy.
Once on a day when Thordis and Bersi were talking together, said he, "I have been thinking I might ask Olaf Peacock for a child of his to foster."
"Nay," said she, "I think little of that. It seems to me a great trouble, and I doubt if folk will reckon more of us for it."
"It means that I should have a sure friend," answered he. "I have many foes, and I am growing heavy with age."
So he went to see Olaf, and asked for a child to foster. Olaf took it with thanks, and Bersi carried Halldor home with him and got Steinvor to be nurse. This too misliked Thordis, and she laid hands on every penny she could get (for fear it should go to Steinvor and the foster-child).
At last Bersi took to ageing much. There was one time when men riding to the Thing stayed at his house. He sat all by himself, and his food was brought him before the rest were served. He had porridge while other folk had cheese and curds. Then he made this verse: --
(46) "To batten the black-feathered wound-bird With the blade of my axe have I stricken Full thirty and five of my foemen; I am famed for the slaughter of warriors. May the fiends have my soul if I stain not My sharp-edged falchion once over! And then let the breaker of broadswords Be borne -- and with speed -- to the grave!"
"What?" said Halldor; "hast thou a mind to kill another man, then?"
Answered Bersi, "I see the man it would rightly serve!"
Now Thordis let her brother Vali feed his herds on the land of Brekka. Bersi bade his house-carles work at home, and have no dealings with Vali; but still Halldor thought it a hardship that Bersi had not his own will with his own wealth. One day Bersi made this verse: --
(47) "Here we lie, Both on one settle -- Halldor and I, Men of no mettle. Youth ails thee, But thou'lt win through it; Age ails me, And I must rue it!"
"I do hate Vali," said Halldor; and Bersi answered thus in verse: --
(48) "Yon Vali, so wight as he would be, Well wot I our pasture he grazes; Right fain yonder fierce helmet-wearer Under
In Thambardal there was anything but peace. Thorleif ran to tell the sons of Thorarin that he lay dead in the doorway. They asked who had done the deed. He told them. Then they went after Bersi and steered the shortest way to the gap, meaning to get there first; but by that time he was already first at the gap.
When they came near him, Bersi hurled a spear at Alf, and it went right through him. Then Loft cast at Bersi, but he caught the spear on his target and it dropped off. Then Bersi threw at Loft and killed him, and so he did by Skofti.
When all was over, the house-carles of the brothers came up. Thorleif turned back to meet them, and they all went home together.
After that Bersi went to find Steinvor, and mounted his horse. He came home before men were out of bed. They asked him about his journey and he told them. When Odd met him he asked about the fight and how it had passed, and Bersi answered in this verse: --
(45) "There was one fed the wolves has encountered His weird in the dale of the Bowstring -- Thorarin the Strong, 'neath the slayer Lay slain by the might of my weapon. And loss of their lives men abided When Loft fell, and Alf fell, and Skofti. They were four, yonder kinsmen, and fated -- They were fey -- and I met them, alone!"
After that Odd went home, but Steinvor was with Bersi, though it misliked Thordis, his wife. By this time his stone wall was some-what broken down, but he had it built up again; and it is said that no blood-money was ever paid for Thorarin and his sons. So the time went on.
CHAPTER SIXTEEN How Vali Fell Before An Old Man And A Boy.
Once on a day when Thordis and Bersi were talking together, said he, "I have been thinking I might ask Olaf Peacock for a child of his to foster."
"Nay," said she, "I think little of that. It seems to me a great trouble, and I doubt if folk will reckon more of us for it."
"It means that I should have a sure friend," answered he. "I have many foes, and I am growing heavy with age."
So he went to see Olaf, and asked for a child to foster. Olaf took it with thanks, and Bersi carried Halldor home with him and got Steinvor to be nurse. This too misliked Thordis, and she laid hands on every penny she could get (for fear it should go to Steinvor and the foster-child).
At last Bersi took to ageing much. There was one time when men riding to the Thing stayed at his house. He sat all by himself, and his food was brought him before the rest were served. He had porridge while other folk had cheese and curds. Then he made this verse: --
(46) "To batten the black-feathered wound-bird With the blade of my axe have I stricken Full thirty and five of my foemen; I am famed for the slaughter of warriors. May the fiends have my soul if I stain not My sharp-edged falchion once over! And then let the breaker of broadswords Be borne -- and with speed -- to the grave!"
"What?" said Halldor; "hast thou a mind to kill another man, then?"
Answered Bersi, "I see the man it would rightly serve!"
Now Thordis let her brother Vali feed his herds on the land of Brekka. Bersi bade his house-carles work at home, and have no dealings with Vali; but still Halldor thought it a hardship that Bersi had not his own will with his own wealth. One day Bersi made this verse: --
(47) "Here we lie, Both on one settle -- Halldor and I, Men of no mettle. Youth ails thee, But thou'lt win through it; Age ails me, And I must rue it!"
"I do hate Vali," said Halldor; and Bersi answered thus in verse: --
(48) "Yon Vali, so wight as he would be, Well wot I our pasture he grazes; Right fain yonder fierce helmet-wearer Under