The Life and Death of Cormac the Skald [4]
you help if need be."
In the evening Cormac set out, and when he came to the dale, he saw three men, and said in verse: --
(17) "There sit they in hiding to stay me From the sight of my queen of the jewels: But rude will their task be to reave me From the roof of my bounteous lady. The fainer the hatred they harbour For him that is free of her doorway, The fainer my love and my longing For the lass that is sweeter than samphire."
Then leaped up Thorveig's sons, and fought Cormac for a time: Narfi the while skulked and dodged behind them. Thorkel saw from his house that they were getting but slowly forward, and he took his weapons. In that nick of time Steingerd came out and saw what her father meant. She laid hold on his hands, and he got no nearer to help the brothers. In the end Odd fell, and Gudmund was so wounded that he died afterwards. Thorkel saw to them, and Cormac went home.
A little after this Cormac went to Thorveig and said he would have her no longer live there at the firth. "Thou shalt flit and go thy way at such a time," said he, "and I will give no blood- money for thy sons."
Thorveig answered, "It is like enough ye can hunt me out of the countryside, and leave my sons unatoned. But this way I'll reward thee. Never shalt thou have Steingerd."
Said Cormac, "That's not for thee to make or to mar, thou wicked old hag!"
CHAPTER SIX Cormac Wins His Bride and Loses Her.
After this, Cormac went to see Steingerd the same as ever: and once when they talked over these doings she said no ill of them: whereupon he made this song: --
(18) "There sat they in hiding to slay me From the sight of my bride and my darling: But weak were the feet of my foemen When we fought on the island of weapons. And the rush of the mightiest rivers Shall race from the shore to the mountains Or ever I leave thee, my lady, And the love that I feast on to-day!"
"Say no such big words about it," answered she; "Many a thing may stand in the road."
Upon which he said: --
(19) "O sweet in the sheen of thy raiment, The sight of thy beauty is gladdening! What man that goes marching to battle, What mate wouldst thou choose to be thine?"
And she answered: --
(20) "O giver of gold, O ring-breaker, If the gods and the high fates befriend me, I'd pledge me to Frodi's blithe brother And bind him that he should be mine."
Then she told him to make friends with her father and get her in marriage. So for her sake Cormac gave Thorkel good gifts. Afterwards many people had their say in the matter; but in the end it came to this, -- that he asked for her, and she was pledged to him, and the wedding was fixed: and so all was quiet for a while.
Then they had words. There was some falling-out about settlements. It came to such a pass that after everything was ready, Cormac began to cool off. But the real reason was, that Thorveig had bewitched him so that they should never have one another.
Thorkel at Tunga had a grown-up son, called Thorkel and by-named Tooth-gnasher. He had been abroad some time, but this summer he came home and stayed with his father.
Cormac never came to the wedding at the time it was fixed, and the hour passed by. This the kinsfolk of Steingerd thought a slight, deeming that he had broken off the match; and they had much talk about it.
CHAPTER SEVEN How Steingerd Was Married To Somebody Else.
Bersi lived in the land of Saurbae, a rich man and a good fellow: he was well to the fore, a fighter, and a champion at the holmgang. He had been married to Finna the Fair: but she was dead: Asmund was their son, young in years and early ripe. Helga was the sister of Bersi: she was unmarried, but a fine woman and a pushing one, and she kept house for Bersi after Finna died.
At the farm called Muli (the Mull) lived Thord Arndisarson: he was wedded to Thordis, sister of Bork
In the evening Cormac set out, and when he came to the dale, he saw three men, and said in verse: --
(17) "There sit they in hiding to stay me From the sight of my queen of the jewels: But rude will their task be to reave me From the roof of my bounteous lady. The fainer the hatred they harbour For him that is free of her doorway, The fainer my love and my longing For the lass that is sweeter than samphire."
Then leaped up Thorveig's sons, and fought Cormac for a time: Narfi the while skulked and dodged behind them. Thorkel saw from his house that they were getting but slowly forward, and he took his weapons. In that nick of time Steingerd came out and saw what her father meant. She laid hold on his hands, and he got no nearer to help the brothers. In the end Odd fell, and Gudmund was so wounded that he died afterwards. Thorkel saw to them, and Cormac went home.
A little after this Cormac went to Thorveig and said he would have her no longer live there at the firth. "Thou shalt flit and go thy way at such a time," said he, "and I will give no blood- money for thy sons."
Thorveig answered, "It is like enough ye can hunt me out of the countryside, and leave my sons unatoned. But this way I'll reward thee. Never shalt thou have Steingerd."
Said Cormac, "That's not for thee to make or to mar, thou wicked old hag!"
CHAPTER SIX Cormac Wins His Bride and Loses Her.
After this, Cormac went to see Steingerd the same as ever: and once when they talked over these doings she said no ill of them: whereupon he made this song: --
(18) "There sat they in hiding to slay me From the sight of my bride and my darling: But weak were the feet of my foemen When we fought on the island of weapons. And the rush of the mightiest rivers Shall race from the shore to the mountains Or ever I leave thee, my lady, And the love that I feast on to-day!"
"Say no such big words about it," answered she; "Many a thing may stand in the road."
Upon which he said: --
(19) "O sweet in the sheen of thy raiment, The sight of thy beauty is gladdening! What man that goes marching to battle, What mate wouldst thou choose to be thine?"
And she answered: --
(20) "O giver of gold, O ring-breaker, If the gods and the high fates befriend me, I'd pledge me to Frodi's blithe brother And bind him that he should be mine."
Then she told him to make friends with her father and get her in marriage. So for her sake Cormac gave Thorkel good gifts. Afterwards many people had their say in the matter; but in the end it came to this, -- that he asked for her, and she was pledged to him, and the wedding was fixed: and so all was quiet for a while.
Then they had words. There was some falling-out about settlements. It came to such a pass that after everything was ready, Cormac began to cool off. But the real reason was, that Thorveig had bewitched him so that they should never have one another.
Thorkel at Tunga had a grown-up son, called Thorkel and by-named Tooth-gnasher. He had been abroad some time, but this summer he came home and stayed with his father.
Cormac never came to the wedding at the time it was fixed, and the hour passed by. This the kinsfolk of Steingerd thought a slight, deeming that he had broken off the match; and they had much talk about it.
CHAPTER SEVEN How Steingerd Was Married To Somebody Else.
Bersi lived in the land of Saurbae, a rich man and a good fellow: he was well to the fore, a fighter, and a champion at the holmgang. He had been married to Finna the Fair: but she was dead: Asmund was their son, young in years and early ripe. Helga was the sister of Bersi: she was unmarried, but a fine woman and a pushing one, and she kept house for Bersi after Finna died.
At the farm called Muli (the Mull) lived Thord Arndisarson: he was wedded to Thordis, sister of Bork