The Life and Death of Cormac the Skald [16]
parted with no blitheness, and Cormac went to his ship.
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN Cormac's Voyage To Norway.
The two brothers had but left the roadstead, when close beside their ship, uprose a walrus. Cormac hurled at it a pole-staff, which struck the beast, so that it sank again: but the men aboard thought that they knew its eyes for the eyes of Thorveig the witch. That walrus came up no more, but of Thorveig it was heard that she lay sick to death; and indeed folk say that this was the end of her.
Then they sailed out to sea, and at last came to Norway, where at that time Hakon, the foster-son of Athelstan, was king. He made them welcome, and so they stayed there the winter long with all honour.
Next summer they set out to the wars, and did many great deeds. Along with them went a man called Siegfried, a German of good birth; and they made raids both far and wide. One day as they were gone up the country eleven men together came against the two brothers, and set upon them; but this business ended in their overcoming the whole eleven, and so after a while back to their ship. The vikings had given them up for lost, and fain were their folk when they came back with victory and wealth.
In this voyage the brothers got great renown: and late in the summer, when winter was coming on, they made up their minds to steer for Norway. They met with cold winds; the sail was behung with icicles, but the brothers were always to the fore. It was on his voyage that Cormac made the song: --
(52) "O shake me yon rime from the awning; Your singer's a-cold in his berth; For the hills are all hooded, dear Skardi, In the hoary white veil of the firth. There's one they call Wielder of Thunder I would were as chill and as cold; But he leaves not the side of his lady As the lindworm forsakes not its gold."
"Always talking of her now!" said Thorgils; "and yet thou wouldst not have her when thou couldst."
"That was more the fault of witchcraft," answered Cormac, "that any want of faith in me."
Not long after they were sailing hard among crags, and shortened sail in great danger.
"It is a pity Thorvald Tinker is not with us here!" said Cormac.
Said Thorgils with a smile, "Most likely he is better off than we, to-day!"
But before long they came to land in Norway.
CHAPTER NINETEEN How Cormac Fought In Ireland, And Went Home To Iceland; And How He Met Steingerd Again.
While they were abroad there had been a change of kings; Hakon was dead, and Harald Greyfell reigned in his stead. They offered friendship to the king, and he took their suit kindly; so they went with him to Ireland, and fought battles there.
Once upon a time when they had gone ashore with the king, a great host came against him, and as the armies met, Cormac made this song: --
(53) "I dread not a death from the foemen, Though we dash at them, buckler to buckler, While our prince in the power of his warriors Is proud of me foremost in battle. But the glimpse of a glory comes o'er me Like the gleam of the moon on the skerry, And I faint and I fail for my longing, For the fair one at home in the North."
"Ye never get into danger," said Thorgils, "but ye think of Steingerd!"
"Nay," answered Cormac, "but it's not often I forget her."
Well: this was a great battle, and king Harald won a glorious victory. While his men drove the rout before him, the brothers were shoulder to shoulder; and they fell upon nine men at once and fought them. And while they were at it, Cormac sang: --
(54) "Fight on, arrow-driver, undaunted, And down with the foemen of Harald! What are nine? they are nought! Thou and I, lad, Are enough; -- they are ours! -- we have won them! But -- at home, -- in the arms of an outlaw That all the gods loathe for a monster, So white and so winsome she nestles -- Yet once she was loving to me!"
"It always comes down to that!" said Thorgils.
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN Cormac's Voyage To Norway.
The two brothers had but left the roadstead, when close beside their ship, uprose a walrus. Cormac hurled at it a pole-staff, which struck the beast, so that it sank again: but the men aboard thought that they knew its eyes for the eyes of Thorveig the witch. That walrus came up no more, but of Thorveig it was heard that she lay sick to death; and indeed folk say that this was the end of her.
Then they sailed out to sea, and at last came to Norway, where at that time Hakon, the foster-son of Athelstan, was king. He made them welcome, and so they stayed there the winter long with all honour.
Next summer they set out to the wars, and did many great deeds. Along with them went a man called Siegfried, a German of good birth; and they made raids both far and wide. One day as they were gone up the country eleven men together came against the two brothers, and set upon them; but this business ended in their overcoming the whole eleven, and so after a while back to their ship. The vikings had given them up for lost, and fain were their folk when they came back with victory and wealth.
In this voyage the brothers got great renown: and late in the summer, when winter was coming on, they made up their minds to steer for Norway. They met with cold winds; the sail was behung with icicles, but the brothers were always to the fore. It was on his voyage that Cormac made the song: --
(52) "O shake me yon rime from the awning; Your singer's a-cold in his berth; For the hills are all hooded, dear Skardi, In the hoary white veil of the firth. There's one they call Wielder of Thunder I would were as chill and as cold; But he leaves not the side of his lady As the lindworm forsakes not its gold."
"Always talking of her now!" said Thorgils; "and yet thou wouldst not have her when thou couldst."
"That was more the fault of witchcraft," answered Cormac, "that any want of faith in me."
Not long after they were sailing hard among crags, and shortened sail in great danger.
"It is a pity Thorvald Tinker is not with us here!" said Cormac.
Said Thorgils with a smile, "Most likely he is better off than we, to-day!"
But before long they came to land in Norway.
CHAPTER NINETEEN How Cormac Fought In Ireland, And Went Home To Iceland; And How He Met Steingerd Again.
While they were abroad there had been a change of kings; Hakon was dead, and Harald Greyfell reigned in his stead. They offered friendship to the king, and he took their suit kindly; so they went with him to Ireland, and fought battles there.
Once upon a time when they had gone ashore with the king, a great host came against him, and as the armies met, Cormac made this song: --
(53) "I dread not a death from the foemen, Though we dash at them, buckler to buckler, While our prince in the power of his warriors Is proud of me foremost in battle. But the glimpse of a glory comes o'er me Like the gleam of the moon on the skerry, And I faint and I fail for my longing, For the fair one at home in the North."
"Ye never get into danger," said Thorgils, "but ye think of Steingerd!"
"Nay," answered Cormac, "but it's not often I forget her."
Well: this was a great battle, and king Harald won a glorious victory. While his men drove the rout before him, the brothers were shoulder to shoulder; and they fell upon nine men at once and fought them. And while they were at it, Cormac sang: --
(54) "Fight on, arrow-driver, undaunted, And down with the foemen of Harald! What are nine? they are nought! Thou and I, lad, Are enough; -- they are ours! -- we have won them! But -- at home, -- in the arms of an outlaw That all the gods loathe for a monster, So white and so winsome she nestles -- Yet once she was loving to me!"
"It always comes down to that!" said Thorgils.