Автор литература - Njal's Saga

yourselves.”

“Lay down the terms of the match,” answered Thorwald, “for I will

not let her temper stand in the way of our bargain.”

Then they talked over the terms of the bargain, and Hauskuld

never asked his daughter what she thought of it, for his heart

was set on giving her away and so they came to an understanding

as to the terms of the match. After that Thorwald betrothed

himself to Hallgerda, and rode away home when the matter was

settled.

ENDNOTES:

(1) That is, he came from what we call the Western Isles or

Hebrides. The old appellation still lingers in “Sodor (i.e.

the South Isles) and Man.”

10. HALLGERDA’S WEDDING

Hauskuld told Hallgerda of the bargain he had made, and she said,

“Now that has been put to the proof which I have all along been

afraid of, that thou lovest me not so much as thou art always

saying, when thou hast not thought it worth while to tell me a

word of all this matter. Besides, I do not think this match so

good a one as thou hast always promised me.”

So she went on, and let them know in every way that she thought

she was thrown away.

Then Hauskuld said, “I do not set so much store by thy pride as

to let it stand in the way of my bargains; and my will, not

thine, shall carry the day if we fall out on any point.”

“The pride of all you kinsfolk is great,” she said, “and so it is

not wonderful if I have some of it.”

With that she went away, and found her foster-father Thiostolf,

and told him what was in store for her, and was very heavy-hearted. Then Thiostolf said, “Be of good cheer, for thou wilt

be married a second time, and then they will ask thee what thou

thinkest of the match; for I will do in all things as thou

wishest, except in what touches thy father or Hrut.”

After that they spoke no more of the matter, and Hauskuld made

ready the bridal feast, and rode off to ask men to it. So he

came to Hrutstede and called Hrut out to speak with him. Hrut

went out, and they began to talk, and Hauskuld told him the whole

story of the bargain, and bade him to the feast, saying, “I

should be glad to know that thou dost not feel hurt though I did

not tell thee when the bargain was being made.

“I should be better pleased,” said Hrut “to have nothing at all

to do with it; for this match will bring luck neither to him nor

to her; but still I will come to the feast if thou thinkest it

will add any honour to thee.”

“Of course I think so,” said Hauskuld, and rode off home.

Oswif and Thorwald also asked men to come, so that no fewer than

one hundred guests were asked.

There was a man named Swan, who dwelt in Bearfirth, which lies

north from Steingrimsfirth. This Swan was a great wizard, and he

was Hallgerda’s mother’s brother. He was quarrelsome, and hard

to deal with, but Hallgerda asked him to the feast, and sends

Thiostolf to him; so he went, and it soon got to friendship

between him and Swan.

Now men come to the feast, and Hallgerda sat upon the crossbench, and she was a very merry bride. Thiostolf was always

talking to her, though he sometimes found time to speak to Swan,

and men thought their talking strange. The feast went off well,

and Hauskuld paid down Hallgerda’s portion with the greatest

readiness. After he had done that, he said to Hrut, “Shall I

bring out any gifts beside?”

“The day will come,” answered Hrut, “when thou wilt have to waste

thy goods for Hallgerda’s sake, so hold thy hand now.”

11. THORWALD’S SLAYING

Throwald rode home from the bridal feast, and his wife with him,

and Thiostolf, who rode by her horse’s side, and still talked to

her in a low voice. Oswif turned to his son and said, “Art thou

pleased with thy match? and how went it when ye talked

together.”

“Well,” said he, “she showed all kindness to me. Thou mightst

see that by the way she laughs at every word I say.”

“I don’t think her laughter so hearty as thou dost,” answered

Oswif, “but this will be put to the proof by and by.”

So they ride on till they come home, and at night she took her

seat by her husband’s side, and made room for Thiostolf next

herself on the inside. Thiostolf and Thorwald had little to do

with each other, and few words were thrown away between them that

winter, and so time went on. Hallgerda was prodigal and

grasping, and there was nothing that any of their neighbours had

that she must not have too, and all that she had, no matter

whether it were her own or belonged to others she wasted. But

when the spring came there was a scarcity in the house, both of

meal and stock fish, so Hallgerda went up to Thorwald and said,

“Thou must not be sitting indoors any longer, for we want for

the house both meal and fish.

“Well,” said Thorwald, “I did not lay in less for the house this

year than I laid in before, and then it used to last till

summer.”

“What care I,” said Hallgerda, “if thou and thy father have made

your money by starving yourselves.”

Then Thorwald got angry and gave her a blow on the face and drew

blood, and went away and called his men and ran the skiff down to

the shore. Then six of them jumped into her and rowed out to the

Bearisles, and began to load her with meal and fish.

Meantime it is said that Hallgerda sat out of doors heavy at

heart. Thiostolf went up to her and saw the wound on her face,

and said, “Who has been playing thee this sorry trick?”

“My husband, Thorwald,” she said, “and thou stoodst aloof, though

thou wouldst not if thou hadst cared at all for me.”

“Because I knew nothing about it,” said Thiostolf, “but I will

avenge it.”

Then he went away down to the shore and ran out a six-oared boat,

and held in his hand a great axe that he had with a haft overlaid

with iron. He steps into the boat and rows out to the

Bearisles, and when he got there all the men had rowed away but

Thorwald and his followers, and he stayed by the skiff to load

her, while they brought the goods down to him. So Thiostolf came

up just then and jumped into the skiff, and began to load with

him, and after a while he said, “Thou canst do but little at this

work, and that little thou dost badly.”

“Thinkst thou thou canst do it better,” said Thorwald.

“There’s one thing to be done which I can do better than thou,”

said Thiostolf, and then he went on, “The woman who is thy wife

has made a bad match, and you shall not live much longer

together.”

Then Thorwald snatched up a fishing-knife that lay by him, and

made a stab at Thiostolf; he had lifted his axe to his shoulder

and dashed it down. It came on Thorwald’s arm and crushed the

wrist, but down fell the knife. Then Thiostolf lifted up his axe

a second time and gave Thorwald a blow on the head, and he fell

dead on the spot.

12. THIOSTOLF’S FLIGHT

While this was going on, Thorwald’s men came down with their

load, but Thiostolf was not slow in his plans. He hewed with

both hands at the gunwale of the skiff and cut it down about two

planks; then he leapt into his boat, but the dark blue sea poured

into the skiff, and down she went with all her freight. Down too

sank Thorwald’s body, so that his men could not see what had been

done to him, but they knew well enough that he was dead.