Icelandic Sagas - Gisli The Outlaw, Part 4 | Final Part!

Hello there.

Thank you so much for joining me for this continued reading of Gisli the Outlaw,

One of the Icelandic sagas.

This is the fourth and final part of this story.

I know if you've been listening along it's been a minute.

It's taken me a while to get back to this recording and I'm very glad to be here to try to finish off this tale.

If you haven't heard the preceding parts of Gisli the Outlaw you can certainly look for the playlist for Icelandic sagas and you'll find the rest of this story there and also the saga of Erik the Red.

It's believed that the Icelandic sagas were written down in the 13th and 14th centuries and they recount the family tales,

True family tales,

Of Icelanders from the 10th and 11th centuries,

Especially when Iceland was kind of being settled by people from Norway especially.

So these are real stories and they're not necessarily very easygoing for modern listeners but they are kind of fascinating insights into life back then.

Also,

A bonus fun fact,

I used to actually be engaged to an Icelander called Gisli and he was a bit of a wild one so Gisli if you happen to be listening this one's for you.

I'm originally from England but I lived for about three and a half years in Iceland and still feel a very strong tie to the place.

So for now let's just take a moment here to have a nice deep exhale letting go of the day,

Letting go of whichever baggage we might be bringing along with us into this moment.

For right now there's nowhere else we have to go,

Nothing else we have to be doing so we can just relax,

Get ourselves comfortable and enjoy the final part of Gisli,

The outlaw.

Chapter 15,

Þorgel's slaying.

Now the story goes on that next spring Borg fares to Þorskefirðið thing with a great company and means to meet his friends there.

Ghest sails from the west from his house at Red Sand on Barathastrand and Þorgel Saursop comes too,

Each in his own ship.

But just as Ghest was ready to start,

Two lads came to him,

Ill-clad with beggars' staves in their hands.

Men know this,

That these two lads had a talk aside with Ghest,

That they beg a passage over the Firth and that he grants it.

So they sail with him and he takes them as far as Hallstein's nest.

They landed just beyond the farm where Hallstein offered up his son that a tree of 60 feet might be thrown up by the sea and there are still to be seen the pillars of his high seat which he had made out of that tree.

Thence the lads go up into Teignwood and so through the wood till they come to Þorskefirðið thing.

There was a man named Halpjörð.

He was a vagabond who roamed over the country and not fewer men with him than 10 or 12.

But when he came to the thing he built himself a booth.

Thither to the beggars' booth the lads go and ask for a lodging and say they are beggars and renegades.

He said he will find room for everyone who asks him prettily.

Here have I been,

He said,

Every year for many a spring and I know all the chiefs and priests.

The lads said they would be very glad if he would take them under his wing and teach them wisdom.

Wisdom?

We are very curious to see mighty folk about whom great tales are told.

So Halpjörð says if they will go down with him to the sea strand that then he would know every ship as it ran in and tell them all about it.

They thanked him much for his gentleness.

Now they go down to the strand and look out at sea and they soon see ships sailing up to the land.

Then the elder lad began to ask who owns Jón's ship which now sails up nearest to us?

Guest the wise,

He answers,

Of Haggi on Bardastrand.

But who sail next and run their ship up at the horn of the fyrth?

That is Þorkell Sowersop.

They see now that Þorkell lands and sits him down while his men bore the lading from the ship as the tide rose.

But Borg was busy setting up their booth for the two brothers-in-law had one booth between them and they were always good friends.

Þorkell had on a Greek hat and a grey cloak.

He had a gold brooch on his shoulder and a sword in his hand.

In a little while Halpjörð and the lads went up to where Þorkell was sitting.

Now one of the lads,

The elder,

Began to speak and said,

Pray,

Who is this mighty man who sits here?

Never have I seen a fairer or a nobler man.

He answered,

Thy words fall fair.

My name is Þorkell.

The lad went on.

That sword which thou bearest in thy hand must be a treasure.

Wilt thou let me look at it?

Strange fellow thou art,

Answers Þorkell.

But still I will let thee see it.

And with that he banded him the sword.

The lad grasped the sword,

Drew off a step or two,

Snaps the pea-strings and draws the sword.

But when Þorkell saw that he said,

That I never gave thee leave to do.

Why hast thou drawn the sword?

Neither did I ask thy leave,

Said the lad,

And brandishes the sword and smites Þorkell on the neck and takes off his head at a stroke.

Now as soon as this happens,

Up jumps Halpjörð,

The runagate.

But the lad threw down the sword,

All bloody as it was,

Seizes his scarf and so they all ran with Halpjörð.

And all the beggars ran too,

For they were almost mad with fright.

So they ran by the booth which Borg was setting up.

Now men flocked round Þorkell and no man could tell who had done the deed.

Borg just then asked what was all that stir or fuss down where Þorkell sat.

He said this just as the fifteen beggars tore along by his booth.

And then the youngest lad,

Whose name was Helgi,

Borg was he that did the deed,

Said,

I don't know what they are mooting,

But me thinks they are striving whether Vestane left only daughters behind him or whether he had ever a son.

So Halpjörð runs to his booth but the lads take to the wood which was nigh to the spot and no one can find them.

Now men run to Halpjörð's booth and ask what it all meant.

But all the beggars could say was that two young lads had joined their band and that they were as much taken unawares as anyone else and hardly thought they should know them again.

Yet they say something of their form and feature and of their speech and discourse,

What like it had been.

And now Borg thinks he knows from the takes counsel with him as what was best to do.

I am most bound of all men,

Says Borg,

To take up the feud for my brother-in-law Þorkell.

Me thinks tis not unlikely that the sons of Vestane must have done this deed,

For we know no other men than they who had any quarrel with Þorkell.

Now it may well be they have got clear off for this time,

But I will give much to have them outlawed at this very thing.

So give us counsel how the suit is to be followed up.

I think,

Says Guest,

It is no easy matter to take this suit in hand,

For,

Me thinks,

Had I done the deed,

I could so hamper the suit,

If it were about to be brought against me,

By naming another man instead of myself,

That the suit would come to naught.

Maybe,

Me thinks,

He that did the deed had the same thought running in his head,

And so he has thrown the blame on the boys.

And Guest was against bringing the suit against them,

And threw cold water on it in every way.

Men thought it sooth that Guest had been in league with the lads all along,

For he was their near kinsman.

Then they cease talking,

And the suit falls to the ground,

But Þorkell is laid in his hoe,

After the fashion of the old time,

And men go away home from the thing,

And nothing else happened at it.

Now Borg is very ill-pleased with his doings,

And though he ought to have been used to it,

Still he got great dishonour and disgrace from this matter of Þorkell.

As for the lads,

They fare till they get to Geirðiðsfirð,

And lie out ten days.

They reach Oida's house,

And Gisli is at that time there.

It was night when they came,

And they knock at the door.

Oida goes to the door and greets them,

And asks what news,

But Gisli lay all the while in his earth-house,

In his bed,

And she raised her voice at once,

If he had need to be warned.

They tell her of Þorkell's slaying,

And how things stood.

They also say how long they had been without food.

Food?

I will send you on,

Says Oida,

Over the ridge,

Into Mossdale,

To the sons of Bjartmar,

And I will give you food and tokens,

That they may take you under their wing.

And I do this because I dare not ask Gisli to take you in.

So the lads go away into the wood,

Where they cannot be found,

And eat their food,

For it was long since they tasted any,

And then they lay them down and sleep when they are full,

For they were much worn with hunger and travel.

As for Oida,

She goes in to Gisli and says,

Now I set great store upon knowing how thou wilt take something,

And whether thou wilt honour me more than I am worth.

He caught her up at once,

And said,

I know thou art about to tell me the slaying of my brother Þorkell.

So it is,

As thou guessest,

Said Oida.

The lads have come hither and wished thee to harbour them here,

For good and all,

For they thought they could find shelter nowhere else.

No,

He answers,

I cannot bear the sight of my brother's slayers,

And live under the same roof with them.

And up he jumps,

And wants to draw his sword and burst out into song.

Why should not Gisli draw the sword?

Ha,

Soon shall vengeance be the word.

What?

Þorkell slain,

And Gisli cool.

Oida,

Thou tak'st me for a fool.

All o'er the thing with bated breath,

Men mourn for Þorkell done to death.

One stalwart blow before I die,

A brother's blood aloud doth cry.

But now Oida told him they had gone away,

For I had wit enough not to let them run this risk.

And Gisli said it was the best way,

That they never met.

And then he soon softened down,

And now all is quiet again.

Chapter 16 Spæhelgi and Havard It is said that now only two more years were left of those which the dream wife had said he had to live.

And as time goes on,

And Gisli is in Geirðiarsfyrð,

All his dreams come back on him,

And he has hard struggles in his sleep.

And now the worse dream wife comes oftener and oftener to him,

Though the better visits him sometimes.

So it fell one night,

As Gisli dreamed,

That the better dream wife came to him,

And she seemed to ride on a grey horse,

And bid him go with her to her abode,

And he went gladly.

So they came to a house which was almost as large as a hall,

And she lead him into that house,

And he thought there were pillows down on the benches,

And that it was well furnished in everything.

She bade him stay there and be happy.

Hither shalt thou fare when thou diest,

And pass thy time in bliss and ease.

And now he wakes,

And chanted these verses on what he had dreamt.

Lo,

The goddess shows her power,

Sets me on her palfrey grey,

Makes me ride unto her bower,

Bids me welcome every day.

All her words,

Some comfort bringing,

Vowing ever to befriend,

In my ears soft sounds are ringing.

Still,

That music knows no end.

There was many a slumbrous pillow strewn on benches in that hall,

Soft I sate as swan on billow.

Ah,

My heart remembers all.

More,

That lovely woman laid me on a bed of softest down.

Grateful for the cheer she made me,

Straight my face forgot to frown.

Then outspoke that bounteous woman,

Mighty chief,

Thy foeman's bane.

Hither,

Hasten,

Chaste by no man,

Death shall set thee free from pain.

Then shalt thou,

Her speech pursuing,

All these treasures call thine own.

Me,

Too,

Shalt thou win for wooing.

Happy we,

As birds new flown.

Now,

It is next to be said that Helgi the spy was sent again round Geirtheosfyrd,

And men deem it likely that Gisli is there.

A man went with him whose name was Havard.

He had come to Iceland from Norway the summer before and was a kinsman of Ghest the wise.

They gave out that they were sent into the wood to hew fuel for household use,

But though this was the cloak of their journey,

Hidden under it was the design to hunt out Gisli and see if they could find out his lurking place.

After they had been three nights in the wood spying about,

On the last evening they see a fire burning in the cliffs and crags south of the river.

That was just after sundown,

And it was as dark as pitch.

Then Havard asks Helgi what was to be done,

For thou must be more want to these things than I can be.

There is but one thing to be done,

Said Helgi,

And that is to pile up a beacon on this hillock which we stand on,

And then we shall find it when it is broad daylight,

And then we shall see across from the beacon to the cliffs.

Tis but a short way to see.

So they take that plan,

And when they had piled up the beacon,

Havard said he was worn out and so tired he could scarce keep his eyes open.

So he lay down to sleep,

But Helgi keeps awake,

And heaps up what yet failed to the beacon.

And when he had ended his work,

Havard wakes and bids Helgi go to sleep,

And he would watch.

So Helgi sleeps a while,

And while he sleeps,

Havard sets to work and carries off the whole beacon,

So that he did not leave one stone upon another in the dark.

When he had done that,

He takes up a huge stone and dashes it down on the rock close to Helgi's head,

So that the earth shook again.

Then Helgi jumps up and is all of a quake and faint-hearted,

And asks whatever is the matter.

Well,

Said Havard,

There's a man in the wood,

And very many such keepsakes have come hither during the night.

That must have been Ghisli.

He must have found us out.

And no,

Good fellow,

We shall have every bone in our bodies broken.

If such grit falls on us,

There is naught to be done,

But to be off as fast as possible.

Now Helgi runs off as fast as he can,

But Havard follows him and bids Helgi not to run away from him.

But Helgi gave little heed and ran as fast as he could,

Laying legs to the ground.

At last they came to their boat and jumped in and dashed the oars into the sea and rowed like mad,

And do not stay their course till they get to Utterdale.

And then Helgi says he has found out where Ghisli had hidden himself.

Eyjolf was up and stirring in a trice and sets off at once with thirteen men,

And both Helgi and Havard go with him.

So they fare till they come to Geirthiosfyrd and go through all the woods to search for the beacon and Ghisli's lair,

And found them nowhere.

Now Eyjolf asks Havard whereabouts they had piled up the beacon.

I'm sure I can't tell,

He answers.

I was so dead tired that I can't call to mind anything.

Besides,

Helgi piled up the beacon while I slept.

Methinks it is not unlikely that Ghisli was aware of us and has carried away the beacon when it got light,

And we had gone away.

Then Eyjolf said everything seems doomed to go against us in this quest.

We may as well turn back,

And so they did.

But before they went,

Eyjolf says he wishes to go and see Oda.

Now they come to the house and go indoors,

And Eyjolf sate him down to talk with Oda,

And this was how he began.

I will make a bargain with thee,

Oda.

Thou shalt tell me where Ghisli is,

And I will give thee three hundreds in silver,

Those very pieces which I have taken as the price of his head.

Thou shalt not be bound to stand by while we take his life.

Besides all this,

I will get thee a match which shall be far better in every way than this hath been.

Thou must look also to this,

How cheerless it is to be in this barren firth,

And be cut off forever from thy kinsmen and belongings,

All because of Ghisli's misdeeds.

As for that,

She says,

Methinks it most unlikely we should ever agree upon a match which I should think as much worth as this.

But still the old sore says fee is best for a fey man.

Let me see then whether this fee is so much and fine as thou say'st.

So he pours out the silver into her lap,

And she touches it with her hand while he tells it over and presses her hard.

Then her foster daughter,

Gudrida,

Fell a-weeping,

And goes out and meets Ghisli and says,

My foster mother has now lost her wits,

And will betray thee.

Be of good heart,

Says Ghisli,

That will never be,

My brave Oda,

Will never betray me.

With that he chaunted,

What,

The folk with wicked whisper say that she will me deceive?

Oda,

Faithless to her husband,

Never can my heart believe.

No,

Her heart is staunch as ever.

Oda plots no guile for me.

Oda wrongs her Ghisli never.

Vain the bribe of silver fee.

After that,

The lassie went home and says never a word as to where she had been.

By this time,

Eivh had told the silver,

And then Oda said,

This fee is no wit better or worse than thou hast said,

And now thou wilt no doubt let me do with it as I like.

Eivh jumped at that,

And bade her do with it just as she chose.

So Oda takes the fee and puts it into a big purse.

After that,

She rises and runs to Eivh and dashes the purse,

Silver and all,

On Eivh's nose so that the blood gushed out all over him,

And as she smote him,

She said,

Take that for thy silliness,

And bad luck go with it.

Tidst thou wean,

I would sell my husband into the hands of such a wretch as thee.

Take that,

I say,

And shame and blame go with it.

Thou shalt bear in mind,

Vile fellow,

So long as thou livest that a woman hath beaten thee,

And no,

Thou shalt never work thy will,

Whatever happens.

Lay hands on,

Called out Eivh,

And slay her,

Though she be but a weak woman.

Then Havarth spoke out and said,

Our journey is about as bad as it can be already without our doing this dastard's deed.

Up,

Men,

Do not let him work his will.

Sooth is the sore,

Said Eivh,

There are no foes like those of one's own house.

But Havarth had many friends,

And many a man was ready to stand by him in this matter,

And at the same time to save Eil from disgrace.

So he had to swallow his shame and goes away,

Home.

But ere Havarth leaves the house,

Eivh said,

The debt that Gisli owes thee must not be long unpaid.

Here is a ring which I wish thee to take.

I would not have looked for this,

Says Havarth,

But for all that I will repay thee,

Says Eivh.

So she gave him the gold down on an Eil for his help.

So Havarth takes horse and fares south to the strand to guest the wise,

For he will stay no longer with Eivh.

As for Eivh,

He fares home to Otterdale and is ill-pleased with his journey.

And this last seemed to men the most shameful of all.

Chapter 17.

Gisli's evil dreams.

So now that summer glides by and Gisli abides in his earth house and is wary of himself and does not mean to go away anymore,

For he thinks that the earths are stopped all round about him,

And now the years of his dreaming are all spent.

It chanced one night that summer that Gisli suffered much in his sleep,

But when he wakes up,

Other asks what he had dreamt.

He says that worse dream wife had come to him again and said thus,

Now will I utterly crush all that the better dream wife hath said to thee,

And if I may have my way,

None of those things that she hath spoken shall be of any good to thee.

Then Gisli,

Chaunted,

Spoke the Valkyr,

Stern beholding,

Ne'er shall ye twain woo and kiss.

Day by day,

Your love unfolding,

All the gods forbid your bliss.

Woden,

Lord of worlds and ages,

Me hath sent to speak his will,

Far from where the battle rages,

Lo,

His bidding I fulfill.

Again I dreamed,

Says Gisli,

That yon wife came to me,

And bound round my brow a bloody hood,

And washed my head first in blood,

And poured blood over me,

So that I was all over,

Gore,

And he chaunted a song.

She,

Methought,

Her face all flashing,

Bathed my locks in reddest blood,

Flames of light so rosy blushing,

Woden's balm so bright and good,

Still I see her fingers glowing,

Bright with gems and blazing rings,

Steeped in blood,

So freely flowing,

Welling from the wounds of kings.

Again Gisli chaunted,

Yes,

That lady,

Dark as raven,

Bound my brow with gory hood,

All my hair was shorn and shaven,

Sad the plight in which I stood,

Still her fingers were gore bedabbled,

Still her fingers dropped with blood,

Something in my ear she babbled.

Then I woke to find thee good.

At last,

Gisli was so sore-pressed with dreams,

That he grew quite afraid to be alone in the dark.

He could not bear to be left by himself,

For as soon as ever he shut his eyes,

The same wife appeared to him.

One night it happened that Gisli struggled just a little in his sleep,

And Oda asked what had happened.

I dreamt,

Says Gisli,

That men came on us,

And Eof was along with them,

And many others beside,

And we met,

And I knew that there was merry work between us.

One of their band came first,

Grinning and gaping,

And we thought,

I cut him asunder in the middle,

And we thought too,

He bore a wolf's head.

Then many more fell on me,

And we thought I had my shield in my hand,

And held my own a long while.

Then,

Gisli chanted,

We thought that early on a morning my foes within my dwelling stood.

Alone I met them,

Craven,

Scorning.

Alone I carved the raven's food.

Fast and thick they fell around me.

Woe is me!

I was aware,

Though chains of death not yet had bound me.

My blood bedewed,

Thy bosom fair.

And again he chanted,

Well,

My trusty shield stood by me.

Bold my heart with peril played.

Not a man of them came nigh me.

Blithely sang my tuneful blade.

Till at last my doom was spoken.

Ten to one beat down my shield.

Well,

My death was then awoken.

Loud clashed swords on fated field.

And again he jaunted,

Thick I spread the raven's table.

One I swept like wind away.

Ere those bitter foes were able once to wound me in the fray.

Nay,

My sword,

With temper eager,

Shore a leg from Offa White.

Off he limped,

So wan and meagre.

Mine the pledge he lost in fight.

Now the autumn comes on,

And the dreams do not minish.

But they rather go on waxing more and more.

One night,

When Ghistly struggled in his sleep,

Otha asked,

As was her want,

What had happened?

Ghistly chaunted these verses.

Methought,

O wife,

The blood was flowing down my sides in crimson rill.

Tis but the debt of suffering owing.

The toilsome task I must fulfil.

Fairly won my wounds,

No snarling.

Others' wives for me must weep.

Such my visions,

Otha darling,

When my eyelids close in sleep.

Methought,

O wife,

With weapons bloody,

Both my close-set lips were scored.

Those twin sisters,

Fair and ruddy,

Deeper blushed at kiss of sword.

Still,

Fond hope was ever smiling,

Blooming like the fairest flower.

Thou shalt escape.

Such words,

Beguiling,

Cheered me in that darksome hour.

Methought,

My foeman,

Axes wielding,

Both my arms at once lopped off.

Wound on wound,

No buckler shielding.

Woe on woe,

And bitter scoff.

Worse,

I dreamt,

My forehead splitting,

Cleft in twain by force of hand.

O my brow,

Like goblin flitting,

Gaped and grinned,

The grisly brand.

Methought,

That lady,

Wise and witty,

Wearing crown of silver sheen,

O'er me bowed her head in pity.

Fast the pearls fell from her eam.

Mistress she,

Of hordes unbroken,

Bound my wounds with gentle skill.

What,

My love,

Doth this betoken?

Bodes it good,

Or bodes it ill?

Chapter 18.

Ghisli's Slaying Now,

Ghisli had stayed at home all that summer,

And all had been quiet.

At length,

The very last night of summer came.

Then,

We are told,

Ghisli could not sleep.

Nor could any of these three,

Ghisli,

Oida,

Or Gudrida,

Sleep.

The weather was,

In that wise that it was,

Very still,

And much rain-frost had fallen.

Then Ghisli says he will up and away from his house,

To his lurking place,

South under the crags,

And see if he can get rest there.

So they all three set out,

And clad in long loose kirtles,

And the skirts of the kirtles swept the grass,

And left a track in the dew and rime.

Ghisli had a staff in his hand,

And scored it with runes as he went,

And the chips fell down.

So they came to the lurking place.

He lays him down and tries to sleep.

But the two women watched.

Then,

Slumber steals over him,

And he dreams that foul came into the house,

Called Nighthawks.

They are larger than ptarmigan,

And they looked evil,

And had been wallowing in gore and blood.

Then Oida asked what he had dreamt.

Still my dreams were not good,

Said Ghisli,

And chaunted a song.

Wife,

What time I rose,

And hasted forth I wandered on the hills.

O'er these regions wild and wasted,

Streams of song I poured in rills.

Then I heard the Nighthawk shrieking.

Then I heard his mournful strain.

Soon the dew of Woden reeking,

Shall this outlaw shed like rain.

And when this had happened,

They hear the voices of men,

And there is Eoth.

Come,

And fourteen men with him.

They had already gone to the house,

And seen the trail in the dew,

Which pointed them out.

But when they were aware of those men,

They cloned the crags hard by,

Where there was good vantage ground,

And each of the women had in her hand a great club.

Now Eoth and his men tried to come up to them from below,

And he called out to Ghisli,

Thy best plan is not to fare farther away,

And not to let thyself be hunted down like hair-hearted men,

For thou art called a brave fellow.

We have often met before,

And we now wish this to be the last time.

Come on,

Like men,

Answered Ghisli,

For I am not going to fare farther away.

Besides,

It is thy bounden duty to be the first to fall on me,

For thou hast greater ground for quarrel with me than these others who come along with thee.

I'm not going,

Says Eoth,

To leave it in your hands to place my men,

But I will draw them up as I choose.

Well,

Says Ghisli,

It was likeliest that such a hound as thou would not dare to cross swords with me.

Then Eoth said to spy Helgi,

T'would be great fame for thee.

Now,

Were thou to be first in leading the way up the crags to Ghisli,

Such a deed of daring do would long be borne in mind.

I have often proved,

Says Helgi,

That thou likest to have others before thee when there is any trial of courage.

But now,

Since thou eggest me on so hotly,

Well,

I will do my best.

But,

Mind,

Thou backest me like a man,

And keep as close to me as thou canst,

If thou art not altogether a milksop.

Now,

Helgi busks him to the work where he saw the likeliest place,

And holds in his hand a big axe.

Ghisli was armed thus.

He had in his hand his axe,

And he was girt with a sword,

And his shield was at his side.

He had on the grey cloak,

And had bound it round with a rope.

Now Helgi takes a run and rushes up the crags at Ghisli.

He hurried to meet him,

And brandished his sword,

And smote him on the loins,

And exit him in two at the waist.

And each half of the man fell down from the crags,

Each on its own side.

Eolf got up in another place,

And there Oda met him,

And smites him on the arm with her club,

So that it lost all strength,

And down he topples back again.

Then Ghisli spoke,

And said,

Long ago I knew I was well wedded,

Though I never knew I was so well wedded as I am.

But now thou hast yielded me less help than thou thoughtest,

Though thy meaning was good,

For had I got at him,

They would both have gone the same path.

Then two men go to hold Oda and Gudrida,

And think they have quite enough to do,

And now twelve men rush at once on Ghisli,

And try to get up the crags,

But he defends himself both with stones and weapons,

So that great glory followed his deeds.

And now one of Eolf's band runs up and calls out to Ghisli,

Lay down thy good arms that thou bearest,

And give up at the same time Oda thy wife.

Come and take them then.

Like a man,

Answers Ghisli,

For neither the arms I bear,

Nor the wife I love,

Are fit for anyone else.

That man thrusts at Ghisli with a spear,

But Ghisli smote off the spearhead from the shaft with his axe,

And the blow was so stout that the axe passed onto the rock,

And one horn of the edge broke off.

Then he throws away the axe,

And clutches his sword,

And fights with it,

And shields himself with his shield.

They attack him bravely,

But he kept them off like a man,

And now they are hard upon each other.

In that bout Ghisli slew two men,

And now four in all have fallen.

Still Eolf bade them fall on like men.

We are getting the worst of it,

But that would be worth little thought if we could only make a good end of our business.

Just then,

When they were least aware,

Ghisli whisked about,

And leaps up on a crag that stands alone there,

And is called One Man's Crag.

So he got away from the cliffs,

And then he turned at bay,

And fought.

This took them quite by surprise,

And now they think that affairs are in a worse way than ever.

Four men dead,

And all the rest weary and wounded,

And now there is a break in the onslaught.

When they had taken breath,

Eolf eggs on his men warmly,

And gives his word to get them many fair things,

If they will only get at Ghisli.

It must be owned that Eolf had with him picked men both in valour and hardyhood.

It was a man named Svein who first was ready to attack Ghisli,

But Ghisli smites at him,

And cleaves him to the chine,

And hurls him down from the crag.

And now they think they can never tell when this man's manslayings will stop.

Then Ghisli called out to Eolf,

I wish to make those three hundreds in silver which thou has taken as the price of my head,

As dear bought as I can.

And I rather think thou wouldst give other three hundreds in silver that we had never met,

For thou wilt only take disgrace in return for your loss of life.

Now they take counsel,

And no one is willing to turn back for his life's sake.

So they fall on him from two sides,

And two men are foremost in following Eolf,

Whose names are Thorir and Thorð,

Kinsmen of Eolf.

They were very great swordsmen,

And their onslaught was both hard and hot.

And now they gave him some wounds with spear thrusts,

But he still fought on with great stoutness and bravery,

And they got such knocks from him,

Both with stones and strokes,

That there was not one of them without a wound who came nigh him.

For Ghisli was not a man to miss his mark.

Now Eolf and his kinsmen press on hard,

For they felt that their fame and honour lay on it.

Then they thrust at him with spears,

So that his entrails fall out.

But he swept up the entrails with his shirt,

And bound the rope round the wound.

Then Ghisli called out,

And said they had better wait a while.

Thou,

Wife so fair,

So never failing,

So truly loved,

So sorely crossed,

Thou wilt often miss me wailing,

Thou wilt weep thy hero lost.

But my soul is stout as ever,

Swords may bite,

I feel no smart.

Father,

Better heirloom never owned thy son than hardy heart.

That was Ghisli's last song,

And as soon as ever he had sung it,

He rushes down from the crag and smites Thorth,

Eolf's kinsman,

On the head,

And cleaves him down to the belt.

But Ghisli fell down on his body,

And breathed his last.

But they were all much wounded,

Eolf's companions.

Ghisli there lost his life,

With so many great and sore wounds,

That it was a wonder to see.

They say that he never turned his heel,

And none of them saw that his strokes were lighter the last than the first.

There now ends Ghisli's life.

And it has always been said,

He was the greatest champion,

Though he was not lucky in all things.

Now they drag him down to the flat ground,

And take away his sword,

And bury him there in the gravel,

And so go down to the sea.

There,

On the seashore,

The sick man breathed his last.

Eolf offered Oedda to take her with him,

But she would not.

After that,

Eolf fares home to Otterdale,

And there,

That same night,

The seventh man breathes his last.

An eighth lies bedridden from wounds twelve months,

And then dies.

As for the rest,

They were healed,

And got nothing but shame for their pains.

It has been said,

In short,

By one and all,

That there never was a more famous defence made by one man,

In times of which the truth is known.

Chapter 19.

Thordis's welcome to Eolf.

Now Eolf fares from home,

With eleven men,

To see Borg the Stout.

And then he told him these tidings,

And the whole story.

Borg was merry at that,

And bade Thordisa make Eolf welcome.

Bear in mind now all thy old love for my brother Thordgrim,

And be good to Eolf.

I will weep for my brother Ghisli,

Says Thordisa.

But will it not be welcome enough for Ghisli's bane man,

If I make him some brose and serve it up?

And that evening,

When she brought in the food,

She let fall the tray of spoons.

Now Eolf had laid the sword that Ghisli had borne between the table and his legs.

Thordisa knows the sword,

And as she stoops after the spoons,

She caught hold of the sword by the hilt,

And makes a stab at Eolf,

And wished to run him through the middle.

But she did not reckon that the hilt pointed up and caught the table,

So she thrust lower than she would and bit him on the thigh.

It gave him a great wound.

Borg seizes Thordisa and twists the sword out of her hand.

All jump up and push away the board with the meat on it.

Borg offered to let Eolf make his own award,

And he laid it at the full price of a man,

And said he would have laid it higher had not Borg behaved so well.

As for Thordisa,

She took witness at once and says she will be parted from Borg,

For she will never come into his bed again.

And she kept her word.

After that,

She went and dwelt at Thordisa's stead,

Out on the air.

But Borg stays behind at Helgefjell till Snorri,

The priest,

Turned him out.

And then Borg went to dwell at Glasswater Wood.

As for Eolf,

He goes back home and is ill-pleased with all he has done.

The sons of Vestane fear to guest their kinsmen,

And call on him to send them at his cast abroad with their mother Gunnhilde and Oida,

Gisli's wife,

And Gudrida,

The daughter of Ingjald,

And Germund,

Her brother.

So they all sail for Norway from Whitewater in Borgafjord.

It was Guest who sent them away.

At his cost.

They had a short passage and came safe to Norway.

There,

Berg walks along the street and is looking out to hire them a booth room in the town.

Two men were with him,

And they meet two other men.

One was clad in scarlet and was a tall young man,

And he asked Berg for his name.

Berg told him at once the truth of himself and his kindred,

For he thought it rather likely that he should gain good for his father than smart for him,

For Vestane had made many friends on his voyages.

But that man,

Clad in scarlet,

Drew his sword straightway and dealt Berg his death blow.

That man was Auri the Soursop,

The brother of Gisli and Thorkell.

Berg's companions go to the ship and tell what had happened.

The captain got them all out of the way,

And Helgi took ship for Greenland.

He got thither and throve,

And was thought a brave fellow.

Men were sent out to take his life,

But it was not doomed that he should die so.

Helgi was drowned out fishing,

And that was thought great scathe.

Oida and Gunnhilde go to Denmark,

To Heathby.

There they changed their faith and went south to Rome,

And did not come back.

Geirmund stayed in Norway and married,

And was well to do.

His sister Gudrida was given away to a man,

And she was thought a wise woman,

And many men have come from her.

Auri the Soursop sailed to Iceland,

And landed in Whitewater,

And sold his ship,

And bought him land at Hamer,

And there he dwelt some winters.

Later on he lived on the moors,

And men have come from him too.

Here we end the saga of Gisli the Outlaw.