Literature · Fantasy

The Story of Grettir the Strong 96

How Thorstein Dromund and Spes fared to Rome and died there

MagnússonEnglish

Now they went their ways till they came to Rome-town; and so when they came before him, who was appointed to hear the shrifts of men, they told him well and truly all things even as they had happed, and with what cunning and craft they had joined together in wedlock; therewithal they gave themselves up with great humility to such penance for the amending of their lives as he should lay on them; but because that they themselves had turned their minds to the atoning of their faults, without any urging or anger from the rulers of the church, they were eased of all fines as much as might be, but were bidden gently that they should now and henceforth concern themselves reasonably for their souls' health, and from this time forward live in chastity, since they had gotten them release from all their guilt; and herewith they were deemed to have fared well and wisely.

Then said Spes, "Now, meseems, our matters have gone well and are come to an end, and no unlucky life have we had together; yet maybe fools will do after the pattern of our former life; now therefore let us make such an end to all, that good men also may follow after us and do the like: so let us go bargain with those who are deft in stone-craft; that they make for each of us a cell of stone, that we may thereby atone for what we have done against God."

So Thorstein laid down money for the making of a stone cell for each of them, and for such-like other things as they might need, and might not be without for the keeping of their lives; and then, when the stone work was done, and the time was meet therefor and all things were ready, they departed their worldly fellowship of their own free will, that they might the more enjoy a holy fellowship in another world. And there they abode both in their stone cells, and lived as long as God would have it, and so ended their lives. And most men say that Thorstein Dromund and Spes his wife may be deemed to be folk of the greatest good luck, all things being accounted of; but neither his children or any of his issue have come to Iceland for a tale to be made of them.

Now Sturla the Lawman says so much as that he deems no outlawed man ever to have been so mighty as Grettir the Strong; and thereto he puts forth three reasons--

And first in that he was the wisest of them all; for the longest in outlawry he was of any man, and was never won whiles he was hale.

And again, in that he was the strongest in all the land among men of a like age; and more fitted to lay ghosts and do away with hauntings than any other.

And thirdly, in that he was avenged out in Micklegarth, even as no other man of Iceland has been; and this withal, that Thorstein Dromund, who avenged him, was so lucky a man in his last days.

So here ends the story of Grettir Asmundson, our fellow-countryman. Thank have they who listened thereto; but thank little enow to him who scribbled out the tale.

GOOD PEOPLE, HERE THE WORK HATH END: MAY ALL FOLK TO THE GOOD GOD WEND!

NOTES AND CORRECTIONS.

P. 29. The genealogy of Gamli of Meals, as here recorded, seems to be peculiar to Grettir's saga. Yet its statements are inconsistent in the matter, for it gives this twofold genealogy of the man. See Ed. Kaupmannahöfn: 1853.

P. 22. Ranveig was the wife of Gamli, the son of Thorald, the son of the Vendlander.

P. 70. And (Thorir of the Pass) sold the land at Meals to Thorhalli, son of Gamli the Widelander. His son was Gamli, who had to wife Ranveig, the daughter of Asmund Greyhaired.

According to 'Landnáma,' this Gamli of Meals, Asmund's son-in-law, was son of Thord, and great-great-grandson of Thorhrolf or Thorolf Fasthaldi (Fastholding), who settled lands on the north coast of Icefirth-deep (Isafjartðardjúp), and farmed at Snowfells (Snaefjöll). We have given Thorhall in our translation in both places as the man's name. Perhaps Thoraldr is nothing but a corruption of Thorólfr fasthaldi; and Thorhalli again a corruption of the first. But Gamli the Vendlander or Widelander, we have no means of identifying.

P. 30. 'Now in those times there were wont to be large fire-halls at the homesteads.' The hall, holl, skáli, stofa, was the principal room in every home. Elda-skáli, or fire-hall, as the one alluded to at Biarg, was so called from its serving as a cooking-hall and a sitting-hall at once. The main features in the construction of a hall were the following: it was generally built from east to west, in an oblong form, having doors either at one or both ends through the south-side wall, where it met the gable end. These two entrances were called carles'-door and queens'-door (karldyrr, kvenndyrr), being respectively for the ingress and egress of men and women. Sometimes the men's-door was adorned with the beaks (brandar) of a hewn-up ship, as was the case with the hall of Thorir of Garth, standing as door-posts on either side. The door led to a front-hall (forkáli, fortofa, and-dyri, framhús), which, sometimes at least, seems to have been portioned off into an inner room (klefi), or bay, and the vestibule proper. In the bay were kept victuals, such as dried fish, flour, and sometimes, no doubt, beer. Within, the hall fell into three main portions: the main hall, or the nave, and the aisles on either side thereof (skot): The plan of the hall was much like that of one of our regular-built churches without chancel, say like a Suffolk church of the fifteenth century, the nave being lighted by a clerestory, and the aisles running the whole way along the nave, and communicating behind the dais. These aisles were used for sleeping-places; so that along the whole length of the hall, and behind the dais, all was partitioned into bedsteads, open or locked,--open, that is to say, communicating with the nave by a doorless aperture,--locked, that is, shut out of view from the nave (lok-rekkja, lok-hvila).

On the wall between nave and aisles, which was covered with a panelling on its inside at least, were hung the shields and weapons of the chief and his retainers, or home-men. Sometimes it was painted with mythic subjects, and adorned with fantastic carvings; on great occasions it was covered with hangings. Along both side-walls ran a row of seats, called benches (bekkr), the north-most of which, or the one which faced the sun, was called the nobler bench (aeðri bekkr), the south-most one, the less noble bench, (úoeðri bekkr). In the middle of either bench was a seat, called the high seat (öndvegi); that of the nobler bench being occupied by the chief or head of the house, unless he had for his guest a man nobler than himself, in which case the latter took it; that of the less noble bench being allotted to the noblest among the guests. The nobler bench was on ordinary occasions the bench for the chief and the household. The less noble for the guests. In front of the chiefs high-seat were the high-seat-poles which in the early ages of Paganism in the North were objects of much veneration, and must always accompany the chief if he moved his abode, and point out his new homestead, if he fared for it over sea, by the spot where they drifted ashore, as, when land was sighted, they were thrown overboard. In front of the seat-rows just described were placed the tables whereon the meals were put forth. And when the number of people exceeded the capacity of the ordinary benches, a new row of benches was placed in front of the tables, so that there were two rows of benches down along either side of the hall with the tables between them. The last-named rows of benches were called forsoeti; and their occupiers, when seated at table, faced those of the upper and lower bench. In the centre of the hall, if of the fashion, as it probably was in early times, of a fire-hall, was a narrow oblong stone-pavement, probably as long as the rows of the benches, whereon fires were lit for heating of the room, for cooking of food in some cases, and for the purpose of lighting up the hall. The smoke that rose from the burning fuel found its way out through the luffer or louvre, in the middle of the ridge of the roof (ljóri); the reyk-beri, reek-bearer, seems to have been a contrivance for creating draught to carry the smoke out through the ljóri. In that end of the hall which was opposite to the entrance was the cross-bench, dais (pallr), occupied by the women. Here was also a high seat (öndvegi á palli), which was generally taken by the mistress of the house. In our saga it seems that the hall of Sand-heaps made an exception to this general rule, as it apparently had the dais immediately within the doorway.

P. 77 (cpr. 110). It is worth observing here, that Thorvald, son of Asgeir Madpate the younger, dwells at As in Waterdale, about 1013, when Thorgils Makson was slain. When Grettir played, as a youth, on Midfirth-water (or cca. 1010), he dwelt at Asgeirsriver. We mention this because there has been some confusion about the matter. On the slight authority of the Þáttr af Isleifi biskupi', Biskupa Sögur I. 54, it has been maintained that he dwelt at Asgeirsriver even as late as cca. 1035, when his daughter Dalla was wooed by Isleif the Bishop. G. Vigfússon, Safn til Sögu Islands, I. 337. On the other hand, the statement of Hungrvaka that he farmed at As (i.e., at the Ridge), at the time aforesaid, has given rise to the conjecture that thereby must be meant Valdar-As, a farm in Willowdale, near Asgeirsriver, the manor of the Madpate family. G. Vigfússon, in Biskupa Sögur, I. 61, note 2. It seems there is no need of setting aside the clear statement of our saga, that the As was As in Waterdale (see Index), and not Valdarás in Willowdale at all, or that Thorvald had, by 1013, moved up to the neighbouring country-side of Waterdale, and settled among the kin of his great-grandmother.

P. 114, 1. 1. 'The men of Meals,' is a close translation of the original, which, however, is incorrect; for the men of Meals were Grettir's kin-in-law, and natural allies. The saga means the men of Meal, Kormak and his followers, and the original should be either, þeir Mel-menn, or Mels-menn, or þeir Kormakr frá Mel.

P. 129, 1. 10, 11. We have purposely altered the text from: en þú öruggr í einangri, i.e., 'but thou stout in danger,' into: en þó, i.e., 'but stout in danger none-the-less.' The former reading seems barely to give any sense, the last a natural and the required one.

P. 169. Hallmund. Our saga is one among the historic sagas of Iceland which deals with traditions of ancient belief in the spirits of the unknown regions of the land that are interested in the well-being of the mere men who dwell near them. Hallmund and the giant Thorir are the representatives of these powers in our saga. Of these Hallmund is the more interesting of the two, both for his human sympathies, his tragic end, and the poetry ascribed to him. At one time or other he has had a great name in the Icelandic folk-lore among the spirits of the land, the so-called land wights (land-voetir), and there is still existing a poem of ancient type, the refrain of which is closely similar to that of Grettir's song on Hallmund, but which is stated to be by some cave-wight that lived in a deep and gloomy cavern somewhere in Deepfirth, on the north side of Broadfirth. In the so-called Bergbúaþáttr or cave-dweller's tale (Edited by G. Vigfússon in Nordiske Old-skrifter, xxvii., pp. 123-128, and 140-143, Copenhagen, 1860), this song is said to have been heard by two men, who, on their way to church, had lost their road, and were overtaken by the darkness of night, and, in order to escape straying too far out of their way, sought shelter under the lee of a sheer rock which chanced to be on their way. They soon found a mouth of a cave where they knew not that any cave was to be looked for, whereupon one of the wayfarers set up a cross-mark in the door of the cave, and then with his fellow-traveller sat down on two stones at the mouth of the cave, as they did not dare to risk themselves too far in the gloomy abode away from the cross. When the first third part of the night was spent they heard something come along from within the cave doorwards out to them. They signed themselves with the sign of the cross, and prayed God's mercy to be on them, for they thought the doings within the deep of the cavern now grew big enough. On looking into the darkness they saw a sight like unto two full-moons, or huge targets, with some monstrous figure (unreadable in the MS.) between them. They thought this was nothing but two eyes, and that nowise narrow of face might he be who bore such torches. Next they heard a chanting of a monstrous kind and in a big voice. A lay there was sung of twelve staves, with the final refrain of each twice repeated.

The poem seems to be a death-song over the cave-kin of the country by the new change of thought brought in by Christianity.

P. 189. 'Grettir lay out that summer on Madderdale-heath, and in sundry places, and at whiles he was at Reek-heath.' A corroboration of the saga has been clearly set forth by the discovery of a Grettir's-lair, in Axefirth-peak, in 1862. True the saga passes over Grettir's doings on these vast eastern wildernesses, but tradition has preserved the name for the place, and it shows by its construction and position that it must have been constructed by one skilled in choosing a good fighting stand, and a good and wide view at the same time. An Icelandic farmer has thus given an accurate and reliable description of Grettir's lair:

'In the summer of 1850, when I came north to Axefirth, I heard talk of a Grettir's lair upon Axefirth-peak.... Many who had seen it made a slight matter of it, which brought me to think it must have few peculiarities of antiquarian interest to show. But on the 7th of September, this summer (1862), I went with the rape-ruler Arni Jónsson of Wood-stead to inspect the lair. Walking up to it from the level ground below took us three minutes. The lair stands in the lower part of a slip of stones beneath some sheer rocks between a sandstone rock, called the carline, and the stone slip from the peak. It is built up of stones, straight as a line, and runs, 4-3/4 ells in length, 10 inches broad, and is, within walls, 7/8 of an ell deep. The half of it is deftly covered in with flat stones, the longest of which are 2 ells 9 inches long, and about half an ell in thickness, and a little more in breadth. Small thin fragments of stone are wedged in between these where their junctures do not close tight, and so firmly are they fixed, that without instruments they may not be removed. One stone in the south wall is so large that we deemed it fully the task of from four to six men to move it when loose. The north side wall is beginning to give way, where the room is covered in. On the outside it is overgrown with black scurf and grey moss. The head end we deemed was the one which is turned to the rock and is not covered in, and evidently has been open from the beginning. Here the floor is overgrown with moss, grass, thyme, ferns, crow-foot, and lady's-mantle. In all likelihood the inmate has closed that part of the room in with hides, when needful. On sitting up, all who went to and fro on the road below, must have been within view; not only those who came from the north of Foxplain (Melrakkaslètta) and Nupa-sveit, but also far toward the north he had a view even unto the open sea, nay, even unto Budlunga-haven. Looking southwards, he must have seen all who came up from the outer firth; for from the lair there is a clear view even unto Burn-river, past which the high-road goes. A popular tradition says, too, that all who must needs pass this way, when Grettir was in the Peak, had taken at last to going over the top of the Peak, where there was no road, but the sheep-wilds of the Axefirthers. The lair-bider, even if he was set on by an overwhelming force, was not easily won, and least of all a man of such prowess as Grettir, except by shot; for he might at a moment's notice take his stand in the rock above his head, where one side only gives the chance of an onset, and where there is an ample supply of loose stones, large and small, on the Peak side of the rock to defend oneself; on three sides sheer rocks hem in the position, and those overhead are many times the height of a man's.'

P. 208. Knave-game. Perhaps the truer rendering would have been 'nut-game,' if indeed 'hnet tafl' here stands not for 'hnef-tafl,' as we at first supposed. It is undoubtedly true that among the early games of Iceland the 'hettafl,' 'hnottafl,' was a distinct kind of game, as was also the 'hneftafl,' 'hnefatafl,' knave-game. If we follow the text as it stands, the game that Thorbiorn played is supposed to have borne some resemblance to what is now called in Iceland 'refskák,' fox-play, anglice 'fox and geese,' the aim of which is, by twelve pieces, called lambs, to bring the fox into such a position as to leave him no place to move, whichso way he turns.

P. 240. Pied-belly we call the Ram, although the saga seems to mean that he was called Autumn-belly, which is a name of little, if of any, sense at all. We suppose that haus-mögóttr, p. 169, and haust-magi, p. 184, is one and the same thing, the t having spuriously crept into the text from a scribe's inadvertence.

P. 243 (cpr. 207, 225, 272). 'In such wise Grettir lost his life, &c.' The hardest thing to account for, or to bring to an intelligible issue in Grettir's saga, is the incongruity between the statements as to his age at his death and the number of years of his outlawry, as compared with the truthful account of the events told in the saga itself. From the time when Grettir slew his first man, all the events of the saga may be traced clearly year for year up to his death, and their truthfulness is borne out whensoever they chance to run parallel to events mentioned in other trustworthy sagas, and they fall in with the right time nearly without an exception. But the statement on the page referred to above, that he was fourteen years old when he slew Skeggi, that he was twenty when he dealt with Glam; twenty-five when he fell into outlawry, and forty-four when he was slain, is utterly confuted by the chronology of the saga itself.

These numbers given above are obviously made to fall in with the story in page 225 about the talk of the time of his outlawry at the Thing. The question is stated to have been this: whether he had been a fraction of the twentieth year an outlaw, his friends hoping that in such case a part might count pro toto. But the truth of the matter was that he had neither been an outlaw for a fraction of the twentieth year, nor even for anything like nineteen years. He was outlawed at the Thing held in 1016, his year of outlawry dated from Thing to Thing; this talk befell in 1031, consequently he had been full fifteen years and no fraction of a year in outlawry. The story, therefore, of the twenty years, or nineteen years and a fraction, of outlawry falls utterly to the ground when brought to the test of the actual facts as recorded in the saga.

But, despite of this, it is not to be supposed that this episode at the Thing in 1031 is brought in at random and without any cause. There are two obvious reasons for assigning twenty years to the length of Grettir's outlawry, and for bringing into the tale a discussion on that subject just where it is done. The one we may call the reason of traditional belief, the other the reason of dramatic effect. Grettir was indisputably for all reasons the greatest of Icelandic outlaws, and the fond imagination of his biographers at all times urged them to give the longest endurance to the time of his outlawry above all outlaws, without inquiring closely as to whether it agreed with the saga itself or not. The other, or the dramatic motive, lies in bringing in the discussion on this long outlawry just at this particular Thing of 1031; for it was obviously the teller's object to suggest to the reader the hope of the great outlaw's legal restoration to the cherished society of man just before the falling of the crushing blow, in order to give an enhanced tragic interest to his end, and he undoubtedly succeeds in doing this. To these reasons, besides others less obvious, we imagine this main inconsistency in Grettir's saga is to be ascribed.

Nevertheless, it is worth observing that blunders of scribes may have in a measure been at work here. If we are not mistaken most of the existing MSS. of our saga state that when he fell (p. 243) 'he was one winter short of--var hánum vetri fátt á'--whatever number of years they give as his age. And we venture the suggestion that originally the passage ran thus: var hánum vetri fátt á hálf iv{tugum}, i.e., he lacked one winter of thirty-five years, when he was slain. If a subsequent scribe committed the easy blunder of dropping I before V, the reading of our original (Edition, 53) would be the natural result, and an offspring of that same blunder would also as easily be the other reading, common to one class of the Grettir MSS.: var hánum vetri fátt í v{tugum} or í hinum v. tug, by dropping the syllable 'hálf.'

If the whole passage on page 243, beginning with the words quoted in the commencement of this note, be not indeed a later interpolation, we believe that all that follows the words, 'till the time when he dealt with Glam, the Thrall,' must, indeed, be taken as an interpolation of later commentators.

Our suggestion recommends itself in this at least, that it brings about full harmony between the statements, here treated of, and the saga itself, for when Grettir left the land in 1011 he was fourteen years of age, and twenty years later, or 1031, he fell. How far his age thus given agrees or not with the decrepitude of his father, who died in 1015, having been apparently already a bedridden man for some time, is a matter of itself, and need not affect the accuracy of our suggestion, which, however, we only put forth as a conjecture, not having within reach the MSS. of Grettir's saga. A critical examination of these might, perhaps, allow of a more positive discourse on this vexed point, which to all commentators on Grettir has hitherto remained an insoluble riddle.

P. 251, 1. 12. The original makes Asdis daughter of Skeggi the Short-handed. This is here corrected agreeably to Landnáma, and other records of her family.

INDICES.

INDEX I.

PERSONAL NAMES.

Air (Loptr), alias Hallmund, the mountain sprite, 160, 161, 162 Aldis Konal's-daughter, called A. from Barra, 5, 18, 19 Aldis, Ufeigh Grettir's daughter, 5, 27 Alf a-Dales, 5, 27 Ali, an house-carle of Thorbiorn Oxmain's, 130, 131, 132 Alof Ingolf's-daughter, wife of Eric Snare, 20 Angle. See Thorbiorn Angle. Ari Marson, 80 Arinbiorn. See Arnbiorn. Arnbiorn, kinsman of Thorfinn of Haramsey, Grettir's companion, 70, 71 Arngeir Berseson, father of Biorn Hitdale-champion, 170 Arni Jónsson, 277 Arnor Thorbiornson, 140-143 Arnor Thordson, called Earls' skald (Jarlaskáld), 178, 179, 180 Arnor Thorodson, called Hay-nose (heynef, or hýnef, Landnáma), 89 Arnora, Thord Yeller's daughter, 225 Asa, Ufeigh Grettir's daughter, first wife of Onund Treefoot, 5, 6, 18, 19 Asbiorn, Ufeigh Grettir's son, 5 Asbrand Thorbrandson, 129 Asdis, Bard Jokulson's daughter, the mother of Grettir Asmundson,27, 28, 30, 33, 36, 40, 112, 133, 139, 142, 143, 204, 205, 246, 247, 251 Asdis Gamli's-daughter, 251 Asgeir Audunson the older, called Madpate (son of Audun Skokul, al. Onund Treefoot), 20, 79, 83 Asgeir Audunson the younger, grandson of the preceding, called Madpate 34, 77, 83, 151 Asgrim Ellida-Grimson, 16, 159 Asgrim Ondottson, 13, 14, 15, 16 Asmund from Asmund's-peak, 25 Asmund Ondottson, 13, 14, 15, 16 Asmund Thorgrimson, called the Greyhaired (haerulángr), the father of Grettir the Strong, 25-27, 28-33, 35-36, 39, 40, 77-79, 81, 82, 90, 112, 113, 125, 126, 273 Asmund Ufeigh's-son, called the Beardless (skegglauss), 5 Asny Vestar's-daughter, wife of Ufeigh Grettir, 5 Asta Gudbrand's-daughter, mother of Olaf the Saint, King of Norway, 1 Asvor, Ufeigh Grettir's daughter, 5 Atli Asmundson, Grettir's brother, 28, 29, 30, 36, 83, 87, 88, 89, 90, 91, 92, 111, 112, 125, 127, 128, 129, 130-133, 135, 139, 140, 143, 144, 150, 162 Atli Ulfson, called the Red (hinn rauði), 80 Aud (alias Unnr) the Deeply Wealthy,18, 19, 79 Audun, Asgeir Madpate's son, 83 Audun Asgeir's-son, of Audunstead, 34, 35, 38, 83, 84, 85, 86, 104 Audun Goaty (geit), an Earl in Norway, 13, 14 Audun Skokul (skökull), 20 Audun, goodman of Windham in Haramsey, 46, 47, 48

Crow-Hreidar. See Hreida.

Dalla Thorvald's-daughter, wife of Bishop Isleif, 77 Dromund. See Thorstein Dromund.

Egil Audunson, 104 Eid Skeggison, from the Ridge,184 Eilif Ketilson, 5 Einar, a bonder in Jadar, 122 Einar of Combe, 22 Einar Olvirson, 5 Ellida-Grim Asgrimson, 16, 159 Eric Alefain (ölfúss), of Sorreldale, 14, 15 Eric Hakonson, Earl of Norway, 50, 51 Eric Hroaldson, of God-dales, 208, 237 Eric Snare (snara), 17, 20, 23 Eric Starrison, 208 Eyulf, brother-in-law of Slaying-Bardi, 94 Eyolf of Fairwood, 179, 181 Eyulf Egilson, 104 Eyulf Gudmundson, 104 Eyvind Biornson, called the Eastman (austmaðr), 3, 5, 6, 7, 8, 10 Eyvind (Herraudson), settler of Eyvind's-firth, 20

Gamli Skeggison, 251 Gamli, the Vendlander or Widelander (Viðlendingr, Vindlendingr) 29, 90, 273 Gamli Thorhallson, of Meals, 29, 90, 126, 128, 143, 144, 151, 246, 248, 250, 273 Gaut Sleitason, 82, 83 Geirlaug, goodwife of Broadlair-stead, 202 Geirmund Helskin (heljarskinn), king of Hordaland, 2, 4 Geirmund Hiuka-timber, 25 Gerd Bodvar's-daughter, 89 Gerpir, 25 Gisli Thorsteinson, 172, 174, 175, 176, 177 Glam from Sylgsdales, afterwards a ghost, 96-110, 243 Glum Uspakson, 29, 128, 246 Grettir Asmundson, called the Strong, 28-33, 34-35, 36-39, 40-45, 46-59, 60-62, 63-76, 83-87, 88-89, 90-91, 92-94, 95, 104-110, 112-114, 116-121, 122-123, 124-125, 133-134, 135-140, 141-143, 144, 145-148, 149, 150, 151, 152-157, 158-159, 159-162, 163-164, 165-167, 168-170, 171, 173-178, 179-180, 181-183, 187, 189-191, 192-199, 200, 201, 202-203, 204-207, 209-210, 210-212, 213-217, 218, 219-220, 220-222, 223, 224, 225, 226, 228-229, 230, 231, 232, 233-235, 238-243, 244, 245, 246, 247, 248, 249, 250, 251, 252, 253, 254, 272 Grim Gamlison, 29 Grim Kolbiornson, a hersir in Norway, 5, 11, 12, 13, 14 Grim the Northlander, an outlaw and hired assassin, 163, 164 Grim Thorhallson, of Thorhall-stead in Shady-vale, 95 Grim Thorhallson, grandson of the preceding, 95 Grim Thorhallson of Meals, afterwards of Gilsbank, 90, 126, 128, 129, 130, 138, 139, 159, 162, 163, 168, 182 Grim, son of the Widow of Kropp, 184, 185, 188, 200, 201 Grimulf, 25 Gudbiorg Ufeigh's-daughter, 1 Gudbrand Ball (kúla), 1 Gudbrandr Vigfússon, 275, 276 Gudmund the Rich (hinn ríki), of Maddervales, 200, 204 Gudmund Solmundson, 85, 92 Gudrun, wife of Thorhall Grimson of Shady-vale, 95 Guest (= Grettir Asmundson), 192, 193, 194, 212-214 Gunnar, Court-owner in Tunsberg, 71, 72, 73 Gunnar Thorirson, of the Pass, 90, 91, 126, 127, 128 Gyda, wife of Ingiald the Trusty, 13 Gyrid Einar's-daughter, 122

Leif Kolbeinson, 22, 23

Narfi, kinsman of Kormak and Thorgils of Meal, 90 Noise. See Thorbiorn Noise.

INDEX II.

LOCAL NAMES.

Acres (Akrar), 178, 179, 182 Agdir, now Nedenes-Lister-og Mandals-Fogderi, in Norway, 5, 13 Armansfell, 97 Arness in the Strands, 17, 20, 21 Asbiornsness (Asbjarnarnes) in Willowdale, 85, 92 Asgeir's-River (Asgeirsá), a farm in Willowdale, 20, 34, 275 Aslaugs-lithe (Aslaugarhlið), 176 Audunstead in Willowdale (Auðunarstaðir), 34, 83, 84, 104 Axefirth (Axarfjörðr), 25, 277 Axefirth-peak (Axarfjardar-nupr), 277

Balkstead (Bálkastaðir), two farm-steads in Ramfirth, 10 Ball-jokull, 161, 169 Bank (Bakki), a farmstead in Ramfirth, 89 Bank (Bakki), a farmstead above Thingness, in Bugfirth, 135, 136 Bard-dale (Bárðardalr), north of Islefirth, 191, 192, 196, 200 Barra (Barrey), one of the Hebrides, 1, 5, 7, 9 Bathstead (Laugaból), a farmhouse in Icefirth, 152, 153 Berg-Ridge (Bjarga-ás), in Waterness, in Hunawater Thing, 129 Bergs (Björg), ibid. 129 Biarg, a farmstead in Midfirth, Grettir's birthplace, 25, 27, 28, 29, 35, 39-77, 83, 87, 88, 90, 92, 93, 95, 104, 111, 113, 126, 127, 128, 130, 131, 132, 139, 142, 144, 200, 204, 246, 247, 251 Bitra, 128, 151 Biornfirth (Bjarnarfjörðr), in the Strands, 23 Boardere (Borðeyri), a farmstead in Ramfirth, 90 Bodvar's-knolls (Böðvarshólar), in Westhope, in Hunawaterthing, 89 Bondmaid's-River (Ambáttará), 129 Bowerfell (Búrfell), a farmstead on Ramfirth-neck, 90, 91 Brakeisle (Hrísey), in Islefirth, 16 Brakelithe, see Kraeklingslithe. Broadfirth (Breiðifjörðr),276 Broadfirth-dales (Breiðafjarðardalir), 170, 201 Broadlair-stead (Breiðibólstaðr), in Sokkolfsdale, 202 Broad-river (Breiðá), a farmstead in Flat-lithe, in Skagafirth, 209 Brooks-meet (Laekjamót), a farmstead in Willowdale, 27, 77 Brook-bow (Laekjarbugr), a farmstead in the Marshes, 178, 179 Burgfirth (Borgarfjörðr), 81, 93, 130, 135, 159, 161, 162, 170, 182 Burglava (Borgarhraun), 176 Burn-river (Brunná), 278 Bute (Bótz, or Bót), isle of, 7 Byrgirs-Creek (Byrgisvík), 18, 22 Bye (Baer), a farmstead in Burgfirth, 136

Dales = Broadfirth-dales, 202 Deepfirth (Djúpifjördr), 276 Deildar-Tongue (D-Túnga), 137 Dinby (Glaumbaerr), a farmstead in Skagafirth, 206 Dog-dale (Hundadalr), 81 Door-holm (Dyrhólmr), the southeastmost point of Iceland, 234 Doveness-path (Dúfuness-skeiði), a portion of the way over the Keel, 160 Drangar, a farmstead in the Strands, 16, 20, 22 Drangey, an island in Skagafirth, 200, 204, 207, 209, 210, 217, 218, 219, 222, 223, 224, 227, 228, 231, 237, 238, 250, 251 Drontheim (Þrándheimr), now Trondhiem, in Norway, 69, 114, 118 Drontheimfirth (Þrándheimsfjörðr), 67

Eastfirths (Austfirðir), 184 Eastriver (Austrá), 202 Eastriverdale (Austrárdalr), one of the Broadfirth-dales, 201 England, 50, 115 Ere (Eyri, al. Uspakseyri), in Bitra, 128, 151 Ere (Eyri), in Icefirth, 152, 154 Eres (Eyrar, now Eyrabakki), on the south coast of Iceland, 11 Eyjafirth, 112 = Islefirth. Eyvindsfirth (Eyvindarfjörðr), 20 Ernelakeheath, 186 = Ernewaterheath. Ernewaterheath (Arnarvatnsheitði), 163, 165, 184, 188

Jadar, now Jaederen, in Norway, 121

Icefirth (Isafjörðar), 155 Icefirth-deep (Isafjarðar-djúp), 273 Iceland (Island), 10, 11, 12, 15, 16, 19, 27, 75,77, 115, 116, 121, 243, 250, 253, 272 Ingolfs-firth (Ingóilfafjördr), 17, 20, 22

Jorvi (Jorvi) in Flysia-wharf, 179

Kalf-river (Káifá), in Gnup-Wards'-rape, 18 Kalfness (Kalfanes), 136, 137

Keel (Kjölr), a mountain between the North and South quarter of, Iceland, over which a main road led from Biskupstúngur to Islefirth, 159, 162, 169 Kialarnes, 19 Knobstead (Knappstaðir), a farmstead in the Fleets, 212 Knoll (Hóll), in the Strands, the farm of Swan, 23 Kolbeins-Creek (Kolbeinsvik) in the Strands, 18 Kolbeinstead (Kolbeinsstaðir), a farmstead in the Marshes, 176 Kraeklings-lithe, a country side in Islefirth, 16, 277 Kropp, 137

Lavadale (Hraundalr), in the Marshlands, 179, 180, 182 Laxdale-heath (Laxárdalsheiði), a mountain road between Laxardale and Ramfirth, 143 Liarskogar (Ljárskógar), a farmstead in Hvamsveit, 79, 81, 143, 144, 145, 158 Longdale (Langidalr), in Icefirth, 152 Longfit (Langafit), below Reeks in Midfirth, 87 Longholt (Langholt), in Skagafirth, 206 Longness (Langanes), the north-eastmost promontory of Iceland, 16

Olaf's-isles (Olafseyjar) in Broadfirth, 146 Oyce-land (Osland) in Skagafirth, 245

Pass (Skarð) the, a farm in Hawkdale, 90, 126, 127, 129, 273

Ramfirth (Hrútafjöðr), in Hunawaterthing, 10, 29, 89, 90, 126 Ramfirth-neck (Hrútafjarðarháls), 91, 113, 127, 130, 143 Raun (Hraun), a farmstead in the Marshes, 174 Reekfirth (Reykjafjörðr), a bay in the Strands, 18, 25 Reekfirth, a farmstead in the last-named bay, 18, 20 Reek-heath (Reykjaheiði), in the North-East of Iceland, 189 Reek-knolls (Reykhólar), a farmstead on Reekness in Broadfirth, 80, 144, 145 Reekness (Reykjanes), a promontory in the Strands, 18, 22 Reekness, a farmstead on the last-named ness, 22 Reekness, south-westmost point of Iceland, 40 Reekness, east side of Codfirth, in Broadfirth, 80, 145, 146 Reekpass (Reykjaskarð) in Skagafirth, 205 Reeks (Reykir), a farmstead in Midfirth below Biarg, 87 Reeks, a farmstead nigh to Thorodstead in Ramfirth, 140, 142, 143 Reeks, a farmstead in Reek-strand in Skagafirth, 207, 220, 250, 251 Reek-strand (Reykjaströnd), in Skagafirth, 250 Reydarfell in Whiteriverside, in Burgfirth, 39 Rib-skerries (Rifsker) in Reekfirth, 22, 24 Ridge, the, (As, al. Oddsás) in Waterdale, the farm of Thorvald Asgeirson, 37, 77, 110 Ridge, the, (As, al. Stóriás), in Burgfirth, 184 Ridge (As, al. Valdarás), in Willowdale, 275 Rogaland, now Stavanger Amt, in Norvay, 1, 2, 3, 12 Rome, 271 Rosmwhale-ness (Rosmhvalanes), 24

Saemund's-lithe (Saemundarhlíð) in Skagafirth, 206 Salft (prop. Sálpti or Sálfti), now Salten in Salten-Fjord, in Halogafand, 62 Samstead (Sámsstaðir), 145 Sand, a wilderness between the North and the South Country, crossed by a road from Skagafirth south to Burgfirth and Thingvellir, 249 Sand-heaps (Sandhaugar), 191, 192, 195, 199. 201, 273 Scarf-stead (Skarfsstaðir), 158, 251 Scotland, 2, 5, 7 Shady-vale (Forsaeludalr), inland of Waterdale, 95 Slaftholt (Skaptaholt), in Gnup-Wards'-rape, 11 Shieldbroadfell (Skjaldbreið), a volcano north-east of Thingvellir, 183 Skagafirth, 83, 200, 205, 207, 217, 250 Skagi, a mountain promontory between Strandbay and Skagafirth, 16 Skalholt (Skálaholt), in Biskupstúngur, 77, 250 Skridinsenni, a farmstead in Bitra, 29 Sledgehill (Sleðaás), north of Thingvellir, 39, 97 Slysfirth (Slysfjörðr, prop. Slygsfjörðr), now Storfjorden in Söndmöres Fogderi, in Norway, 51 Snowfells (Snaefjöll), 275 Snowfellsness (Snaefellsnes), the West-most promontory of Iceland, 126, 173 Sokkolfsdale (Sökkolfsdalr), in the Broadfirth-dales, 202 Soknadale (Sóknadalr, or Sóknardalr), now Sognedalen, in Norway, 13 Sorbness (Reynines), in Skagafirth, 206 Sorreldale (Súrnadalr), now Surendalen, in Norway, 14 Sotanes, in Norway, 1 South-Glass-river (Glerá en syðri), a farmstead in Islefirth, 16 South-Mere (Summaeri), now Söndmöres Fogderi, in Norway, 45, cpr. 69 South-Isles (Suðr-eyjar), the Hebrides, 1, 4, 6, 7, 10, 11 South-Strands (Suðr-strandir), 16 Spear-mead (Spjótsmýrr), in Ramfirth, 144 Stair (Stigi), a foreland peak east of Sweepingsfirth, 10 Stead (Staðr), now Stadtland, promontory in Norway, 115, 116, 117 Steep-brent (Brattabrekka), 201 Steersriver (þiórsá), 12 Steinker, an Earl's seat in Drontheim, 69 Stone-holt (Steinsholt), in Gnup-Wards'-rape, 11 Stonestead (Steinstaðir), in Skagafirth, 208 Strandbay (Strandaflói), 16 Strands (Strandir), north-westmost part of Iceland, 16, 77, 80 Sweepingsfirth (Súgandafjörðr), 10 Sylgdale (Sylgsdalir), in Sweden, 96 Thingere-lands (þíngeyrasveit), in Hunawaterthing, 25 Thingness (þíngnes), in Burghfirth, 135, 136 Thoreys-peak (þóreyjar-núpr) a farm in Willowdale, 93, 94, 104 Thorhall-stead (þórhallsstaðir) in Shady-vale, 95, 97, 98, 102, 103, 105 Thorodstead (þóroddsstadir) in Ramfirth, 89, 140 Thorir's-dale (þórir's-vale, 184, Thorisdalr), 183, 184, 201 Thrandsholt (þrándarholt), in Gnup-Ward's-rape, 11 Thwart-river (þverá), a stream in Gnup-Ward's-rape, 11 Titling-stead (Titlíngastaðir), on Reekness, 147 Tongue (Túnga, Saelíngsdalstúnga), Snorri Godi's home, 144, 145, 203 Tongue (Túnga), a farmstead in Waterdale, 90 Tongue (Túnga, now Núpsdalstúnga(?)), a farmstead in Midfirth, 90 Tongue (Túnga), the home of Asgrim Ellida Grimson, in Arnesthing, 159 Tongue-river (Túnguá), a stream in the Fleets, 212 Torfa's-stead (Torfustaþir), a homestead in Midfirth, 34 Treetub-creek, the Creek, the Wick, (Trèkyllisvík), in the Strands, 20, 22, 23, 24, 25 Tunsberg, a market-place in Norway, now Tönsberg, 71, 75, 121, 123, 251, 252 Twodays-way (Twodays-ride, Tvídaegra), a mountain-road from Northriverdale to the Midfirth-dales and Willowdale, 93, 139

Vogar a fish-fair in Halogaland, in Norway, now Vaagen, 62, 67

INDEX III.

THINGS.

A nithing's deed, setting on a dying man with weapons, 250 Arson, 2, 5, 13 Assassins (hired), 163, 167

Barrow of Karr the Old of Haramsey, 47, 49 of Onund Treefoot, called "Treefoot's-barrow," 19 Battles and Fights. Battle of Barra, between Onund Treefoot, and King Kiarval, 1, 2 of Bute, between Onund Treefoot and the Vikings, Vigbiod and Vestmar, 7, 9 of Ernewaterheath, between Grettir and Hallmund on one side, and Thorir of Garth with eighty men on the other, 168, 170 of Grettirsoddi by Hitriver, between Grettir and the Marshmen, 179, 180 of Hafrsfirth, between Harald Fairhair and several Norwegian petty kings, 3, 4 of Nesjar, between St. Olaf and Earl Svein, 112 of the Pass, between Ath Asmundson and the Sons of Thorir of the Pass, 127, 128 at Bowerfell, between Grettir and the men of Meal, 91

Fight in Drangey, between the Brothers Grettir and Illugi, on one side, and Thorbiorn Angle and his band on the other, 240, 241

Fight on Ernewaterheath, with the Assassins Grim and Thorir Redbeard, 163, 164 at Fairwoodfell with Gish, 176,177 at Fleet-tongue with Skeggi, 38 in Gartar, with Biorn, 68 at Goosere, with Thorbiorn Tardy, 144 in Grettir's-Gill, between Ufeigh Grettir and Thorbiorn Earls' Champion, 18, 19 in Haramsey, with Karr the Old, in his harrow, 48, 49 in Haramsey, with twelve Bearserks, 56, 58 on Midfit, with Thorbiorn Oxmain, 141 on Reekness, between the men of the Creek and those of Coldback, over a whale, 23 on a common driftland in the Strands over a whale, between the foster-brothers Þorgeir Havarson and Thormod Coalbrowskald on one side, and Thorgils Makson on the other, 77,78 at Sand-heaps, with a troll-wife, 194, 195 nigh to Sand-heaps, in a cave, with a giant, 197 at Steinker, with Hiarandi, 70, 71 Fight at Thorhall-stead with Glam the Thrall, 107, 109 in Tunsberg, with Gunnar, the brother of Hiarandi, 72, 73 with Snaekoll the bearserk, 122, 123

Bridge of Liarskogar, a work of great art, hung with rings and 'din-bells,' 158

Dowry, 7

Feasts. (There were three principal festals in the year: at Winter-nights, Yule, and Midsummer.)

Autumn-feast (= winter nights' feast, Oct. 14), at Thorbiorn Oxmain's, III "Drinking turn and turn about," is probably the same that elsewhere is called "SamburðSarol," an ale-club or rotation drinking by common subscription, 14 Yule-ale, 51 Yule-biddings, 51, 52

Fights, see Battles and Fights.

Landwights.

Amongst these are to be numbered Hallmund and Thorir the half-troll of Thorir's-dale, and the wights told of in Hallmund's Song, 187

Atonement. See Weregild.

Law, Suits, Penalties.

Boot for insulting language, 66 Banishment, 129 Declaring manslaughter as having been done by one's own hand, 133, 142 District-outlawry, 129 Execution (féránsdómr), 247-248 Fine, 39, and passim. Handselling of a lawsuit, 39 Handselling of lawful truce, 212, 214

Lawsuits, 18, 19, 24, 39, 79, 129, 130, 149, 151, 238, 249, 250

Manners and Customs, Civil and Religious.

Bathing, 148, 220 Burial of misdoers in cairns and tidewashed heap of stones, 59, 241 Burial in barrows. See Barrows. --at churches, 126, 142

Fasting on Yule-eve, 98 --to iron birth, 119

Hallowing of a vessel by a bishop, 115

Iron-birth, 119

Meal-times, 49

Riding, to the Althing, 36, 79 Rubbing of one's back by the fire, 30

Sailors' duties have to be per-formed on board ship by the passengers, 41, sqq. Sitting at table in the evening, 48 Sleeping in fire-halls, 30

Thing-men have to provide themselves, each one with fare at his own cost, 38

Varangian weapon-show, 253

Washing of hands ere going to table, 113

Money.

Hundred in silver, 151

Mark in silver, 151, 173

Names of folk derived from their country or dwelling-stead.

Occupations.

Pet Animals.

Keingala, a mare, 31 Pied-belly, a ram, 240 Saddle-fair, a mare, 135

Runes.

Songs cut on staffs, in runes, 186, 198 Baneful runes cut on a bewitched log of wood, 230, 231

Sagas Quoted.

The saga of the Bandamenn, 29 of Bodmod, Grimulf, and Gerpir, 25 of Eric the Earl, 51 of Grim who slew Hallmund, 188 of the heath-slayings, 86 The saga of the Laxdale-men, 19

Settlings of land in Iceland, 10, 11, 12, 16, 17

Ships and their outfit.

Skalds named in the Saga.

Social Stations.

Bonder, 14, and passim Chapmen, passim Court-owner, an owner of all such houses in a town as form the surrounding of a court, 71 Earl, a man next after the king in dignity, 14, 50 sqq., 69 sqq., 112 Free-men, 53 Godi, a chief combining in his person the religious and administrative authority of the district over which he ruled, 11, 26 Hand-maid, 220, 221 Herdsman. See Occupations. Hersir, a man next to an earl in dignity, 14 Home-folk, 54 Home-women, 54 House-carle, passim.

Sports and Games.

Things, or Public Law-assemblages.

Trolls and Evil Wights.

Weapons and War-gear.

Witchcraft and Sorcery.

Gale of wind brought on by evil craft, 236-237 Witchcraft, an illegal means for overcoming an enemy, 244, 250 Witchcraft wrought into a log of wood, the manner thereof, 230, 231 Wound growing deadly through the effect of evil and witchcrafty runes, 244, 250 Wooing, 6, 7, 19

PERIPHRASTIC EXPRESSIONS IN THE SONGS.

PROVERBS AND PROVERBIAL SAYINGS THAT OCCUR IN THE STORY.

PAGE

A friend should warn a friend of ill ............................. 30 Ale is another man ............................................... 55 All must fare when they are fetched............................... 188 All things bide their day......................................... 218 All will come to an end .......................................... 233 Bare is the back of the brotherless .............................. 241 Best to bairn is mother still .................................... 41 Bewail he, who brought the woe ................................... 175 Broad spears are about now ....................................... 133 Deeds done will be told of ....................................... 224 Even so shall bale be bettered by biding greater bale ............ 140 For one thing alone will I not be known .......................... 192 From ill cometh ill .............................................. 105 Good luck and goodliness are twain ............................... 105 Hand for wont doth yearn ......................................... 226 Hottest is the fire that lies on oneself ......................... 176 Ill deed gains ill hap .......................................... 188 Ill heed still to ill doth lead ................................. 121 Ill if a thrall is thine only friend ............................. 240 Ill it is ill to be .............................................. 165 Ill it is to goad the foolhardy .................................. 30 Let one oak have what from the other it shaves ................... 67 Little can cope with cunning of eld .............................. 205 Long it takes to try a man ....................................... 61 Many a man lies hid within himself ............................... 203 Many a man stretches round the door to the lock .................. 86 More one knows the more one tries ................................ 30 No man makes himself ............................................. 125 Now this, now that has strokes in his garth ...................... 125 Odd haps are worst haps .......................................... 37 Oft a listening ear in the holt is anear ......................... 173 Oft fail in wisdom folk of better trust .......................... 32 Old friends are the last to sever ................................ 240 One may be apaid of a man's aid .................................. 44 Overpraised, and first to fail ................................... 132 Sooth is the sage's guess ........................................ 92 Swear loud and say little ........................................ 266 The lower must lowt .............................................. 267 The nigher the call, the further the man ......................... 211 Things boded will happen, so will things unboded ................. 32 Though the spoon has taken it up, yet the mouth has had no sup ... 168 Thralls wreak themselves at once, dastards never ................. 35 Thrice of yore have all things happed ............................ 262 To the goat-house for wool ....................................... 226 With hell's man are dealings ill ................................. 176 Woe is before one's own door when it is inside one's neighbour's ................................................ 105

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The Story of Grettir the Strong 96<i>How Thorstein Dromund and Spes fared to Rome and died there</i>

The Story of Grettir the Strong 96

The Story of Grettir the Strong 96<i>How Thorstein Dromund and Spes fared to Rome and died there</i>

The Story of Grettir the Strong 96