Reading from the sagas volume I: Hrafnkels saga chapter 5

Þorgeirr valði lið sitt ok lét sér fylgja fjóra tigu manna. Sámr hafði ok fjóra tigu manna. Var þat lið vel búit at vápnum ok hestum.
   Eftir þat ríða þeir alla ina sömu leið, þar til er þeir koma í nætrelding í Jökulsdal, fara yfir brú á ánni, ok var þetta þann morgin, er féránsdóm átti at heyja. Þá spyrr Þorgeirr, hversu mætti helzt á óvart koma. Sámr kvaðst mundu kunna ráð til þess. Hann snýr þegar af leiðinni ok upp á múlann ok svá eftir hálsinum milli Hrafnkelsdals ok Jökulsdals, þar til er þeir koma útan undir fjallit, er bærinn stendr undir niðri á Aðalbóli. Þar gengu grasgeilar í heiðina upp, en þar var brekka brött ofan í dalinn, ok stóð þar bærinn undir niðri.
   Þar stígr Sámr af baki ok mælti: "Látum lausa hesta vára, ok geymi tuttugu menn, en vér sex tigir saman hlaupum at bænum, ok get ek, at fátt muni manna á fótum."
   Þeir gerðu nú svá, ok heita þar síðan Hrossageilar. Þá bar skjótt at bænum. Váru þá liðin rismál. Eigi var fólk upp staðit. Þeir skutu stokki á hurð ok hlupu inn. Hrafnkell hvíldi í rekkju sinni. Taka þeir hann þaðan ok alla hans heimamenn, þá er vápnfærir váru. Konur ok börn var rekit í eitt hús. Í túninu stóð útibúr. Af því ok heim á skálavegginn var skotit váðási einum. Þeir leiða Hrafnkel þar til ok hans menn.
   Hann bauð mörg boð fyrir sik ok sína menn. En er þat tjáði eigi, þá bað hann mönnum sínum lífs, -- "því at þeir hafa ekki til sakar gert við yðr, en þat er mér engi ósæmð, þótt þér drepið mik. Mun ek ekki undan því mælast. Undan hrakningum mælumst ek. Er yðr engi sæmð í því."
   Þorkell mælti: "Þat höfum vér heyrt, at þú hafir lítt verit leiðitamr þínum óvinum, ok er vel nú, at þú kennir þess í dag á þér."
   Þá taka þeir Hrafnkel ok hans menn ok bundu hendr þeira á bak aftr. Eftir þat brutu þeir upp útibúrit ok tóku reip ofan ór krókum, taka síðan knífa sína ok stinga raufar á hásinum þeira ok draga þar í reipin ok kasta þeim svá upp yfir ásinn ok binda þá svá átta saman.
   Þá mælti Þorgeirr: "Svá er komit nú kosti yðrum, Hrafnkell, sem makligt er, ok myndi þér þykkja þetta ólíkligt, at þú mundir slíka skömm fá af nökkurum manni, sem nú er orðit. Eða hvárt viltu, Þorkell, nú gera, at sitja hér hjá Hrafnkeli ok gæta þeira, eða viltu fara með Sámi ór garði á brott í örskotshelgi við bæinn ok heyja féránsdóm á grjóthól nökkurum, þar sem hvárki er akr né eng?"
   Þetta skyldi í þann tíma gera, er sól væri í fullu suðri.
   Þorkell sagði: "Ek vil hér sitja hjá Hrafnkeli. Sýnist mér þetta starfaminna."
   Þeir Þorgeirr ok Sámr fóru þá ok háðu féránsdóm, ganga heim eftir þat ok tóku Hrafnkel ofan ok hans menn ok settu þá niðr í túninu, ok var sigit blóð fyrir augu þeim.
   Þá mælti Þorgeirr til Sáms, at hann skyldi gera við Hrafnkel slíkt, sem hann vildi, -- "því at mér sýnist nú óvandleikit við hann."
   Sámr svarar: "Tvá kosti geri ek þér, Hrafnkell, sá annarr, at þik skal leiða ór garði brott ok þá menn, sem mér líkar, ok vera drepinn. En með því at þú átt ómegð mikla fyrir at sjá, þá vil ek þess unna þér, at þú sjáir þar fyrir. Ok ef þú villt líf þiggja, þá far þú af Aðalbóli með allt lið þitt ok haf þá eina fémuni, er ek skep þér, ok mun þat harðla lítit, en ek skal taka staðfestu þína ok mannaforráð allt. Skaltu aldri tilkall veita né þínir erfingjar. Hvergi skaltu nær vera en fyrir austan Fljótsdalsherað, ok máttu nú eiga handsöl við mik, ef þú villt þenna upp taka."
   Hrafnkell mælti: "Mörgum myndi betr þykkja skjótr dauði en slíkar hrakningar, en mér mun fara sem mörgum öðrum, at lífit mun ek kjósa, ef kostr er. Geri ek þat mest sökum sona minna, því at lítil mun vera uppreist þeira, ef ek dey frá."
   Þá er Hrafnkell leystr, ok seldi hann Sámi sjálfdæmi. Sámr skipti Hrafnkeli af fé slíkt, er hann vildi, ok var þat raunar lítit. Spjót sitt hafði Hrafnkell með sér, en ekki fleira vápna. Þenna dag færði Hrafnkell sik burt af Aðalbóli ok allt sitt fólk.
   Þorkell mælti þá við Sám: "Eigi veit ek, hví þú gerir þetta. Muntu þessa mest iðrast sjálfr, er þú gefr honum líf."
   Sámr kvað þá svá vera verða.

14. Frá athöfnum Hrafnkels.
Hrafnkell færði nú bú sitt austr yfir Fljótsdalsherað ok um þveran Fljótsdal fyrir austan Lagarfljót. Við vatnsbotninn stóð einn lítill bær, sem hét at Lokhillu. Þetta land keypti Hrafnkell í skuld, því at eigi var kostrinn meiri en þurfti til búshluta at hafa.
   Á þetta lögðu menn mikla umræðu, hversu hans ofsi hafði niðr fallit, ok minnist nú margr á fornan orðskvið, at skömm er óhófs ævi.
   Þetta var skógland mikit ok mikit merkjum, vánt at húsum, ok fyrir þat efni keypti hann landit litlu verði. En Hrafnkell sá ekki mjök í kostnað ok felldi mörkina, því at hon var stór, ok reisti þar reisiligan bæ, þann er síðan hét á Hrafnkelsstöðum. Hefir þat síðan verit kallaðr jafnan góðr bær. Bjó Hrafnkell þar við mikil óhægindi in fyrstu misseri. Hann hafði mikinn atdrátt af fiskinum. Hrafnkell gekk mjök at verkum, meðan bær var í smíði. Hrafnkell dró á vetr kálf ok kið in fyrstu misseri, ok hann helt vel, svá at nær lifði hvatvetna þat, er til ábyrgðar var. Mátti svá at kveða, at náliga væri tvau höfuð á hverju kvikindi.
   Á því sama sumri lagðist veiðr mikil í Lagarfljót. Af slíku gerðist mönnum búshægindi í heraðinu, ok þat helst vel hvert sumar.

 Thorgeir gathered his host and ordered forty men to follow him. That host was well provided with weapons and horses.

After that they ride all the same road, until they come at the first light of dawn to Jokulsdal, fare over the bridge on the river, and this was that morning, on which the court of confiscation was to be held. Then asks Thorgeir, how they might best come on undetected. Sam said that he would give counsel regarding this. He turns immediately from the road and up onto a ridge and so along the crest of the hill between Hrafnkelsdal and Jokulsdal, until they come out under the fell, where the manor stands underneath on Adhalbol. There run grassy lanes up into the heath, and there was a broad slope extending from above into the dale, and the manor stood there beneath.

There steps Sam from the back of the horse and said: “Let us release our horses, and let twenty men stand guard, and we sixty together rush the manor, and I suppose that few men will be afoot.”

They did so now, and that place was later called Hrossageilar. From there was but little way to the manor. The time to rise had passed. The folk of the house were not about. They rammed a log against the door and broke in. Hrafnkel lay in his bed. They take him from their and all his men of the household, those who were able to bear weapons. The women and children were driven into a separate room. Within the fenced enclosure stood an outbuilding. From this and from the home on a wall of the hall was run a wooden pole. They lead Hrafnkel there and his men.

He offered many things in exchange for himself and his men. And when that availed not, he asked for the life of his men;-- “For they have done nothing against you, and that is to me no disgrace, though you kill me. I will not plead against this. Only against humiliation do I speak. There is for you no honor in this.”

Thorkell: “that have we heard, that you have been little gentle with your enemies, and it is now well, that you know the same on this day for yourself.”

Then they take Hrafnkel and his men and bound their hands to their backs. After this they broke up the outbuilding and took rope out of the hooks, take afterwards their knives and cut holes in their tendons and cast them so up over the pole and bind them so eight together.

Then said Thorgeir: “so is come your choice, Hrafnkel, as is fitting, and it may seem to you unlikely, that you will have borne such shame from such a man, as now has occurred. What wish you, Thorkell, now to do, to sit here with Hrafnkel and guard them, or will you fare with Sam out of the enclosure onto the road within arrow shot of the manor and hold the court of confiscation on that rocky mound, where there is neither field nor meadow?”

This should be done in that time, when the sun is fully in the south.

Thorkell said: “I will remain here with Hrafnkel. That seems to me less work.”

Thorgeir and Sam went and held the court of confiscation, come back afterward and took Hrafnkel down and his men and set them down in the enclosure, and then was the blood sunken from their eyes.

Then said Thorgeir to Sam, that he should do with Hrafnkel such as he would-- “because it seems to me now less than difficult to deal with him.”

Sam answers: “Two choices I give to you, Hrafnkel, the one, that I shall lead you from this place quickly and those men, as pleases me, and you will be slain. And because you have many dependents for whom to care, this will I then grant you, that you might continue to oversee them. And if you will receive life, then when you fare from Adhalbol with all of your retinue and have those valuables alone, which I will divide with you, and that will be painfully little, and I shall take up your homestead and your chiefdom. You shall never make claim over it, nor your heirs. Never shall you be near her than Fljotsdalsheradh, and you may now shake hands with me, if you will take up this offer.”

Hrafnkel said: “To many would better seem a swift death than such humiliation, and yet for me it will fare as with many others, that I would choose life, if such a choice there is. I do this most for the sake of my sons, because poor would be their upbringing, if I were to die.”

Then is Hrafnkel unbound, and he gives up to Sam his freedom. Sam divided with Hrafnkel those valuables, which he would, and those were pitiful remnants. His spear Hrafnkel had with him, and no weapons more. That day made Hrafnkel his way from Adhalbol and all his people.

Thorkell said then with Sam: “I know not, why you do this. You will most strongly come to regret this, that you have given him life.”

Sam said that what would be would be.

Hrafnkel moved his home east over Fljotsdalsheradh and over against Fljotsdal east of Lagarfljot. Against the head of the lake stood a little farmstead, called Lokhill. That land Hrafnkel bought through debt, because the cost was no more than was necessary to maintain farming.

Regarding this man made much discussion, how his pride had fallen low, and many a man remembered the old saying, that shame is ever the result of pride.

That was a great forest land and much covered with forests, devoid of houses, and for that reason he bought the house at little cost. And Hrafnkel so not much in its cost and felled the forest, because he was strong, and raised a magnificent home, that which is called Hrafnkelsstadhir. It has ever since been called a fine home. Hrafnkel dwelt there with great discomfort in the first season. He had much provision of fish. Hrafnkel went often to work, while the home was in development. Hrafnkel maintained through the winter calf and kid in the first season, and he held well, so that nearly all lived, for which he was responsible. It might thus be said that it was as if two heads were on each creature.

In this same summer great hunting and fishing was to be had in Lagarfljot. For this reason men were hired on to help run the household throughout the district, and that held well through each summer.

Reading from the Sagas volume I: Hrafnkels saga chapter 4, part one

Þat var einn morgin snemma, at Þorbjörn karl vaknar. Hann vekr Sám ok bað hann upp standa. "Má ek ekki sofa."
   Sámr stendr upp ok ferr í klæði sín. Þeir ganga út ok ofan at Öxará, fyrir neðan brúna. Þar þvá þeir sér.
   Þorbjörn mælti við Sám: "Þat er ráð mitt, at þú látir reka at hesta vára, ok búumst heim. Er nú sét, at oss vill ekki annat en svívirðing.
   Sámr svarar: "Þat er vel, af því at þú vildir ekki annat en deila við Hrafnkel ok vildir eigi þá kosti þiggja, er margr myndi gjarna þegit hafa, sá er eftir sinn náunga átti at sjá. Frýðir þú oss mjök hugar ok öllum þeim, er í þetta mál vildu eigi ganga með þér. Skal ek nú ok aldri fyrr af láta en mér þykkir fyrir ván komit, at ek geta nökkut at gert."
   Þá fær Þorbirni svá mjök, at hann grætr.
   Þá sjá þeir vestan at ánni, hóti neðar en þeir sátu, hvar fimm menn gengu saman frá einni búð. Sá var hár maðr ok ekki þrekligr, er fyrstr gekk, í laufgrænum kyrtli ok hafði búit sverð í hendi, réttleitr maðr ok rauðlitaðr ok vel í yfirbragði, ljósjarpr á hár ok mjök hærðr. Sá maðr var auðkenniligr, því at hann hafði ljósan lepp í hári sínu inum vinstra megin.
   Sámr mælti: "Stöndum upp ok göngum vestr yfir ána til móts við þessa menn."
   Þeir ganga nú ofan með ánni, ok sá maðr, sem fyrir gekk, heilsar þeim fyrri ok spyrr, hverir þeir væri. Þeir sögðu til sín. Sámr spurði þenna mann at nafni, en hann nefndist Þorkell ok kvaðst vera Þjóstarsson. Sámr spurði, hvar hann væri ættaðr eða hvar hann ætti heima. Hann kvaðst vera vestfirzkr at kyni ok uppruna, en eiga heima í Þorskafirði.
   Sámr mælti: "Hvárt ertu goðorðsmaðr?"
   Hann kvað þat fjarri fara.
   "Ertu þá bóndi?" sagði Sámr.
   Hann kvaðst eigi þat vera.
   Sámr mælti: "Hvat manna ertu þá?"
   Hann svarar: "Ek em einn einhleypingr. Kom ek út í fyrra vetr. Hefi ek verit útan sjau vetr ok farit út í Miklagarð, en em handgenginn Garðskonunginum, en nú em ek á vist með bróður mínum, þeim er Þorgeirr heitir.
   "Er hann goðorðsmaðr?" segir Sámr.
   Þorkell svarar: "Goðorðsmaðr er hann víst um Þorskafjörð ok víðara um Vestfjörðu."
   "Er hann hér á þinginu?" segir Sámr.
   "Hér er hann víst."
   "Hversu margmennr er hann?"
   "Hann er við sjau tigu manna," segir Þorkell.
   "Eru þér fleiri bræðrnir?" segir Sámr.
   "Er inn þriði", segir Þorkell.
   Hverr er sá?" segir Sámr.
   "Hann heitir Þormóðr", segir Þorkell, "ok býr í Görðum á Álftanesi. Hann á Þórdísi, dóttur Þórólfs Skalla-Grímssonar frá Borg."
   "Villtu nökkut liðsinni okkr veita?" segir Sámr.
   "Hvers þurfið þit við?" segir Þorkell.
   "Liðsinnis ok afla höfðingja", segir Sámr, "því at vit eigum málum at skipta við Hrafnkel goða um víg Einars Þorbjarnarsonar, en vit megum vel hlíta okkrum flutningi með þínu fulltingi."
   Þorkell svarar: "Svá er sem ek sagða, at ek em engi goðorðsmaðr."
   "Hví ertu svá afskipta gerr, þar sem þú ert höfðingjason sem aðrir bræðr þínir?"
   Þorkell sagði: "Eigi sagða ek þér þat, at ek ætta þat eigi, en ek selda þat í hendr Þorgeiri, bróður mínum, mannaforráð mitt, áðr en ek fór útan. Síðan hefi ek eigi við tekit, fyrir því at mér þykkir vel komit, meðan hann varðveitir. Gangið þit á fund hans, biðið hann ásjá. Hann er skörungr í skapi ok drengr góðr ok í alla staði vel menntr, ungr maðr ok metnaðargjarn. Eru slíkir menn vænstir til at veita ykkr liðsinni.
   Sámr segir: "Af honum munum vit ekki fá, nema þú sért í flutningi með okkr."
   Þorkell segir: "Því mun ek heita at vera heldr með ykkr en móti, með því at mér þykkir ærin nauðsyn til at mæla eftir náskyldan mann. Farið þit nú fyrir til búðarinnar ok gangið inn í búðina. Er mannfólk í svefni. Þit munuð sjá, hvar standa innar um þvera búðina tvau húðföt, ok reis ek upp ór öðru, en í öðru hvílir Þorgeirr, bróðir minn. Hann hefir haft kveisu mikla í fætinum, síðan hann kom á þingit, ok því hefir hann lítit sofit um nætr. En nú sprakk fótrinn í nótt, ok er ór kveisunaglinn, en nú hefir hann sofnat síðan ok hefir réttan fótinn út undan fötunum fram á fótafjölina sakar ofrhita, er á er á fætinum. Gangi sá inn gamli maðr fyrir ok svá innar eftir búðinni. Mér sýnist hann mjök hrymðr bæði at sýn ok elli. Þá er þú, maðr", segir Þorkell, "kemr at húðfatinu, skaltu rasa mjök ok fall á fótafjölina ok tak í tána þá, er um er bundit, ok hnykk at þér ok vit, hversu hann verðr við."
   Sámr mælti: "Heilráðr muntu okkr vera, en eigi sýnist mér þetta ráðligt."
   Þorkell svarar: "Annathvárt verði þit at gera, at hafa þat, sem ek legg til, eða leita ekki ráða til mín."
   Sámr mælti ok segir: "Svá skal gera sem hann gefr ráð til."
   Þorkell kvaðst mundu ganga síðar, -- "því at ek bíð manna minna."

10. Þjóstarssynir hétu Sámi liðveizlu.
Ok nú gengu þeir Sámr ok Þorbjörn ok koma í búðina. Sváfu þar menn allir. Þeir sjá brátt, hvar Þorgeirr lá. Þorbjörn karl gekk fyrir ok fór mjök rasandi. En er hann kom at húðfatinu, þá fell hann á fótafjölina ok þrífr í tána, þá er vanmátta var, ok hnykkir at sér, en Þorgeirr vaknar við ok hljóp upp í húðfatinu ok spurði, hverr þar færi svá hrapalliga, at hlypi á fætr mönnum, er áðr váru vanmátta. En þeim Sámi varð ekki at orði.
   Þá snaraði Þorkell inn í búðina ok mælti til Þorgeirs, bróður síns: "Ver eigi svá bráðr né óðr, frændi, um þetta, því at þik mun ekki saka. En mörgum tekst verr en vill, ok verðr þat mörgum, at þá fá eigi alls gætt jafnvel, er honum er mikit í skapi. En þat er várkunn, frændi, at þér sé sárr fótr þinn, er mikit mein hefir í verit. Muntu þess mest á þér kenna. Nú má ok þat vera, at gömlum manni sé eigi ósárari sonardauði sinn, en fá engar bætr ok skorti hvetvetna sjálfr. Mun hann þess gerst kenna á sér, ok er þat at vánum, at sá maðr gæti eigi alls vel, er mikit býr í skapi."
   Þorgeirr segir: "Ekki hugða ek, at hann mætti mik þessa kunna, því at eigi drap ek son hans, ok má hann af því eigi á mér þessu hefna."
   "Eigi vildi hann á þér þessu hefna", segir Þorkell, "en fór hann at þér harðara en hann vildi, ok galt hann óskygnleika síns, en vænti sér af þér nökkurs trausts. Er þat nú drengskapr at veita gömlum manni ok þurftugum. Er honum þetta nauðsyn, en eigi seiling, þó at hann mæli eftir son sinn, en nú ganga allir höfðingjar undan liðveizlu við þessa menn ok sýna í því mikinn ódrengskap."
   Þorgeirr mælti: "Við hvern eiga þessir menn at kæra?"
   Þorkell svaraði: "Hrafnkell goði hefir vegit son hans Þorbjarnar saklausan. Vinnr hann hvert óverk at öðru, en vill engum manni sóma vinna fyrir."
   Þorgeirr mælti: "Svá mun mér fara sem öðrum, at ek veit eigi mik þessum mönnum svá gott eiga upp at inna, at ek vilja ganga í deilur við Hrafnkel. Þykkir mér hann einn veg fara hvert sumar við þá menn, sem málum eigu at skipta við hann, at flestir menn fá litla virðing eða enga, áðr lúki, ok sé ek þar fara einn veg öllum. Get ek af því flesta menn ófúsa til, þá sem engi nauðsyn dregr til."
   Þorkell segir: "Þat má vera, at svá færi mér at, ef ek væri höfðingi, at mér þætti illt at deila við Hrafnkel. En eigi sýnist mér svá, fyrir því at mér þætti við þann bezt at eiga, er allir hrekjast fyrir áðr, ok þætti mér mikit vaxa mín virðing eða þess höfðingja, er á Hrafnkel gæti nökkura vík róit, en minnkast ekki, þó at mér færi sem öðrum, fyrir því at má mér þat, sem yfir margan gengr. Hefir sá ok jafnan, er hættir."
   "Sé ek", segir Þorgeirr, "hversu þér er gefit, at þú villt veita þessum mönnum. Nú mun ek selja þér í hendr goðorð mitt ok mannaforráð, ok haf þú þat, sem ek hefi haft áðr, en þaðan af höfum vit jöfnuð af báðir, ok veittu þá þeim, er þú villt."
   "Svá sýnist mér", segir Þorkell, "sem þá muni goðorð várt bezt komit, er þú hafir sem lengst. Ann ek engum svá vel sem þér at hafa, því at þú hefir marga hluti til menntar um fram alla oss bræðr, en ek óráðinn, hvat er ek vil af mér gera at bragði. En þú veizt, frændi, at ek hefi til fás hlutazt, síðan ek kom til Íslands. Má ek nú sjá, hvat mín ráð eru. Nú hefi ek flutt sem ek mun at sinni. Kann vera, at Þorkell leppr komi þar, at hans orð verði meir metin."
   Þorgeirr segir: "Sé ek nú, hversu horfir, frændi, at þér mislíkar, en ek má þat eigi vita, ok munum vit fylgja þessum mönnum, hversu sem ferr, ef þú villt."
   Þorkell mælti: "Þessa eins bið ek, at mér þykkir betr, at veitt sé."
   "Til hvers þykkjast þessir menn færir", segir Þorgeirr, "svá at framkvæmð verði at þeira máli?"
   "Svá er sem ek sagða í dag, at styrk þurfum vit af höfðingjum, en málaflutning á ek undir mér."
   Þorgeirr kvað honum þá gott at duga, -- "ok er nú þat til, at búa mál til sem réttligast. En mér þykkir sem Þorkell vili, at þit vitið hans, áðr dómar fara út. Munuð þit þá hafa annathvárt fyrir ykkart þrá nökkura hugan eða læging enn meir en áðr ok hrelling ok skapraun. Gengið nú heim ok verið kátir, af því at þess munu þit við þurfa, ef þit skuluð deila við Hrafnkel, at þit berið ykkr vel upp um hríð, en segi þit engum manni, at vit höfum liðveizlu heitit ykkr."
  Þá gengu þeir heim til búðar sinnar, váru þá einteitir. Menn undruðust þetta allir, hví þeir hefði svá skjótt skapskipti tekit, þar sem þeir váru óglaðir, er þeir fóru heiman.

11. Sámr gerði Hrafnkel sekan.
Nú sitja þeir, þar til er dómar fara út. Þá kveðr Sámr upp menn sína ok gengr til lögbergs. Var þar þá dómr settr. Sámr gekk djarfliga at dóminum. Hann hefr þegar upp váttnefnu ok sótti mál sitt at réttum landslögum á hendr Hrafnkeli goða, miskviðalaust með sköruligum flutningi. Þessu næst koma þeir Þjóstarssynir með mikla sveit manna. Allir menn vestan af landi veittu þeim lið, ok sýndist þat, at Þjóstarssynir váru menn vinsælir.
   Sámr sótti málit í dóm, þangat til, er Hrafnkeli var boðit til varnar, nema sá maðr væri þar við staddr, er lögvörn vildi frammi hafa fyrir hann at réttu lögmáli. Rómr varð mikill at máli Sáms. Kvaðst engi vilja lögvörn fram bera fyrir Hrafnkel.
   Menn hlupu til búðar Hrafnkels ok sögðu honum, hvat um var at vera. Hann veikst við skjótt ok kvaddi upp menn sína ok gekk til dóma, hugði, at þar myndi lítil vörn fyrir landi. Hafði hann þat í hug sér at leiða smámönnum at sækja mál á hendr honum. Ætlaði hann at hleypa upp dóminum fyrir Sámi ok hrekja hann af málinu. En þess var nú eigi kostr. Þar var fyrir sá mannfjölði, at Hrafnkell komst hvergi nær. Var honum þröngt frá í burtu með miklu ofríki, svá at hann náði eigi at heyra mál þeira, er hann sóttu. Var honum því óhægt at færa lögvörn fram fyrir sik. En Sámr sótti málit til fullra laga, til þess er Hrafnkell var alsekr á þessu þingi.
   Hrafnkell gengr þegar til búðar ok lætr taka hesta sína ok ríðr á brott af þingi ok unði illa við sínar málalykðir, því at hann átti aldri fyrr slíkar. Ríðr hann þá austr Lyngdalsheiði ok svá austr á Síðu, ok eigi léttir hann fyrr en heima í Hrafnkelsdal ok sezt á Aðalból ok lét sem ekki hefði í orðit.
   En Sámr var á þingi ok gekk mjök uppstertr. Mörgum mönnum þykkir vel, þó at þann veg hafi at borist, at Hrafnkell hafi hneykju farit, ok minnast nú, at hann hefir mörgum ójafnað sýnt.

12. Ráðagerð Þjóstarssona.
Sámr bíðr til þess, at slitit er þinginu. Búast menn þá heim. Þakkar hann þeim bræðrum sína liðveizlu, en Þorgeirr spurði Sám hlæjandi, hversu honum þætti at fara. Hann lét vel yfirþví.
   Þorgeirr mælti: "Þykkist þú nú nökkuru nær en áðr?"
   Sámr mælti: "Beðit þykki mér Hrafnkell hafa sneypu, er lengi mun uppi vera þessi hans sneypa, ok er þetta við mikla fémuni."
   "Eigi er maðrinn alsekr, meðan eigi er háðr féránsdómr, ok hlýtr þat at hans heimili at gera. Þat skal vera fjórtán náttum eftir vápnatak."
   En þat heitir vápnatak er alþýða ríðr af þingi.
   "En ek get", segir Þorgeirr, "at Hrafnkell mun heim kominn ok ætli at sitja á Aðalbóli. Get ek, at hann mun halda mannaforráð fyrir yðr. En þú munt ætla at ríða heim ok setjast í bú þitt, ef þú náir, at bezta kosti. Get ek, at þú hafir þat svá þinna mála, at þú kallar hann skógarmann, en slíkan ægishjálm, get ek, at hann beri yfir flestum sem áðr, nema þú hljótir at fara nökkuru lægra."
   "Aldri hirði ek þat", segir Sámr.
   "Hraustr maðr ertu", segir Þorgeirr, "ok þykki mér sem Þorkell frændi vili eigi gera endamjótt við þik. Hann vill nú fylgja þér, þar til er ór slítr með ykkr Hrafnkeli, ok megir þú þá sitja um kyrrt. Mun yðr þykkja nú vit skyldastir at fylgja þér, er vér höfum áðr mest í fengizt. Skulum vit nú fylgja þér um sinnsakar í Austfjörðu, eða kanntu nökkura þá leið til Austfjarða, at eigi sé almannavegr?"
   Sámr kveðst fara mundu ina sömu leið, sem hann fór austan. Sámr varð þessu feginn.

It was one morning early, that Thorbjorn the old man awakes. He wakes Sam and bade him stand up. “I cannot sleep.”

Sam stands up and gets into his clothes. They go out and over to Oxara, below the bridges. There they washed themselves.

Thorbjorn spoke with Sam: “That is my counsel, that you have our horses brought out, and we prepare to go home. It can be seen now that for us there will be nothing other than disgrace.”

Sam answers: “That is well, because you wanted nothing other than to deal with Hrafnkel and would not accept those terms, which many a man would gladly have taken, he who after his kinsman was obliged to see. You have brought into question our character and all those who would enter into this suit with you. Never again shall I agree to anything save that it seems to me likely that I can accomplish it.”

Then Thorbjorn was so overwrought, that he wept.

Then they see from the west on the river, a little lower than they sat, where five men walked together from one booth. That was a tall man and yet not stout, who walked foremost, in a leaf green shirt and girt with sword in hand, a smoothly featured man and ruddy faced and distinguished of appearance, of light chestnut hair and well-haired. This man was easily recognized, for he had a light lock of hair on the left side.

Sam said: “Let us stand up and go west over the river to meet with these men.”

They go now over the river, and that man, who walked first, hails them from afar and asks who they might be. They introduced themselves. Sam asked the man for his name, and he named himself Thorkell and said himself to be the son of Thjost. Sam asked from where he was descended or were he made his home. He declared himself to be of the west firth by lineage and upbringing, and to have his home in Thorskafjordh.

Sam said: “Are you then a chieftain?”

He said that was far from the case.

“Are you then a yeoman?” said Sam.

He said that was not the case.

Sam said: “What manner of man are you then?”

He answers: “I am a land loper. I came out in the last winter. I have been abroad seven winters and fared into Constantinople, chosen as retainer to the Byzantine Emperor, and now I have lodgings with my brother, who is called Thorgeir.”

“Is he a chieftain?” says Sam.

Thorkell answers: “Chieftain is he certainly throughout Thorskafjordh and more widely about Vestfjordh.”

“Is he at the Thing?” says Sam.

“Certainly he is here.”

“With how many men is he?”

“He is with seventy men,” says Thorkell.

“Are there more brothers?” says Sam.

“There is the third,” says Thorkell.

“Who is that?” says Sam.

“He is called Thormod,” says Thorkell, “and he dwells in Gardhar on Alptanes. He has as wife Thordis, daughter of Thorolf Skalla-Grimsson from Borg.”

“Will you give us any help?” says Sam.

“What sort of help do you need?” says Thorkell.

“The help and the power of chieftains,” says Sam, “because we have a lawsuit to settle with Hrafnkel godhi concerning the slaying of Einar Thorbjarnarson, and we might well rely on your aid in our case.”

Thorkell: “it is just as I have said, that I am not a chieftain.”

“Why are you cut off from your inheritance so, when you are a chieftain’s son just as your other brothers?”

Thorkell said: “I did not say  to you that I had it not, but that I gave my authority into the hands of Thorgeir, my brother, before I went abroad. I have not taken with it since, because it seems to me to have been in good hands while he has kept it. Go you and meet with him, bid him his aid. He is a noble man in spirit and a brave fellow and well bred in all things, a young man and eager after renown. Such men are most likely to give you aid.”

Sam says: “From him we will get nothing, save that you are with us in pleading.”

Thorkell says: “in this I will how to be more with you than against you, because there seems to me to be sufficient need to speak after a closely related man. Go you now to the booths and walk inside them. The men are asleep. You will see where two leather hammocks stand athwart the booths, and one rises above another, and in the other sleeps Thorgeir, my brother. He has had a tremendous boil on his foot, since he came to the Thing, and for this reason he has slept little in the night. And now his foot has burst in the night, and the pus in the boil is out, and now he is slept since and kept his foot raised on a footboard due to the excessive heat on the foot. Let the old man walk on and so into the booth. He seems to me greatly stricken both in sight and age. Then when you, man,” says Thorkell, “come to the hammock, you shall rush forward and fall on the foot rest and take hold on that toe, which is bound, and jerk it toward you, and we shall see how he responds.”

Sam said: “Wise of counsel you might be, but that does not seem to me advisable.”

Thorkell answers: “Either you do what I suggest, or seek not my counsel.”

Sam spoke and says: “So it shall be done as he counsels.”

Thorkell said he would come later-- “For I await my men.”

And now go Sam and Thorbjorn and come into the tent. All the men sleep there. They see quickly where Thorgeir lay. Thorbjorn the old man goes forward and rushes on. And when he came to the hammock, then fell he onto the foot rest and takes the toe, the one which is sore, and pulls it violently, and Thorgeir awakens and leapt up in the hammock and asked who would come there so headlong as to leap onto the feet of a man which were clearly sore. And to this Sam and his friend had no answer.

Then came Thorkell quickly into the booth and said to Thorgeir, his brother: “Be not so hasty nor so angry, kinsman, over this, because it will not harm you. And for many a man things go not so well as he wishes, so that he is not mindful, so great a trouble is in his heart. And it is to be excused, kinsman, that your foot is sore, in which so much pain has been suffered. Of all things you must be most aware of this. Now that might also be, that to an old man no less a pain is the death of his son, when he gets no compensation and is destitute in all ways himself. He will always be made mindful of this, and it is to be expected that this man will not be much aware, in whom so great a sorrow is borne.”

Thorgeir says: “I wouldn’t think that he could blame me, because I didn’t kill his son, and for that reason he can’t avenge himself on me.”

“He would not avenge himself on you,” says Thorkell, “and he came on you harder than he intended, for which he has his poor sight to blame, and he hoped for some help from you. It is noble to give to a man old and needy. It is to him a great need, and not greed, that he speak after his son, and now all of the chieftains withdraw from aiding these men and display in this a great lack of nobility.”

Thorgeir said: “With whom do these men lay charge?”

Thorkell answered: “Hrafnkel godhi has slain the son of Thorbjorn without cause. He commits injustices against any whom he pleases, and will compensate no man for the same.”

Thorgeir said: “So it will go with me as with others, that I know of no reason to do such a thing for these men that I will go into a dispute with Hrafnkel. It seems to me that it has gone one way with him each summer against those men who carry cases against him, that most of these men receive but small compensation or nothing, before the end, and I see it fare one way for them all. For this reason I believe most men to be uneager in this, when no need draws them.”

Thorkell says: “That may be, that were it in my power and I were chieftain, that it would seem to me ill to deal with Hrafnkel. But it does not seem to me so, because it seems to me the best thing to do, when all men are driven away in defeat, and I would think that my fame would grow, or whatsoever chieftain who got a row over Hrafnkel, and would not lessen, though it fared for me as for others, because the same might befall me as it has many others. He prospers ever, who dares.”

“See I,” says Thorgeir, “how your thought is given you, that you will give aid to these men. Now I will give to you in hand my position as chieftain and my authority, and have you that, as I have had it before, and from here on we show each have it equally; and grant you then them, as you will.”

“So it seems to me,” says Thorkell, “that our chieftaindom will be best served, just as you have held it so long. I desire no man so well as you to have it, because you have many natural qualities in further abundance above all of us brothers, and I am undecided, as to what I will do at the moment. And you know, kinsman, that I have taken part in little, since I came to Iceland. I may now see, what my counsel is. Now have I done as I will do for the time. Let it be, that Thorkell of the lock of hair come there, that his word be more highly esteemed.”

Thorgeir says: “See I now, how it turns, kinsman, that it displeases you, and though I do not understand it we will follow these men, howsoever it fares, if it is your will.”

Thorkell said: “This one thing I ask, which seems to me better, that it be granted.”

“In what way do these men think themselves capable,” says Thorgeir, “that the case might be met with prosperity?”

“So it is as I said earlier in the day, that we need the strength of the chieftains, but I will carry the argument myself.”

Thorgeir said to him that this was good-- “and it is now time to prepare the case as best you may. And to me it seems as Thorkell wills, that you go to him, before the judgments are doled out. You will then have for your stubbornness either some consolation or disgrace still more than before, as well as affliction and vexation. Go home now and be merry, because you will have need of this, if you shall deal with Hrafnkel, that you bear yourselves well for a while, and say to no man, that we have given you aid.”

Then went they home to their booth, and were then much merry with ale. All men wondered at this, why they had so quickly taken a change of spirits, when they had been so unhappy when they had left from home.

Now they sit and wait, until the courts go out. Then calls Sam up his men and goes to the law rock. There was the court set. Sam walked boldly to the court. He delivers up immediately the calling of witnesses and sought his case by the right laws of the land against Hrafnkel godhi, without flaw in procedure, with distinguished performance. Immediately after come the sons of Thjostr with a great company of men. All men from the west of the land granted them aid, and it seemed that the sons of Thjostr were much blessed with friends.

Sam sought the suit until Hrafnkel was summoned to defense, save that that man there stood, who would carry forth the legal defense according to the right law of the court. A great roar of applause rose at the speech of Sam. None step forward who would agree to deliver the legal defense on behalf of Hrafnkel.

Men ran to the booth of Hrafnkel and said to him what had happened. He rose quickly and called up his men and went to the courts, and thought that they would be small defense on behalf of the land. He had that in his thought to lead unimportant men to pursue the case on his behalf. He thought to overrun the court before Sam and drive him from the case. But in this there was no choice. There was before him such a great gathering of men that Hrafnkel came nowhere near. Barred to him was the road with a great show of force, so that he could not hear the case which they sought against him. In this it was difficult for him to carry forth a legal defense for himself. And Sam sought the case to the fullest extent of the law, with the result that Hrafnkel was fully outlawed in this Thing.

Hrafnkel goes immediately to his booth and has a horse prepared and rides on his way from the Thing and little enjoys the result of the case, because he had never suffered so before. Rides he then east onto Lyngdalsheidhr and so east to Sidha, and does not let up until he comes home to Hrafnkelsdal and sits in Adhalbol and behaves as if nothing has happened.

And Sam was at the Thing and walked most arrogantly. To many men it seems well, though it had occurred in this way, that disgrace I come upon Hrafnkel, and they remember now, that he has shown to them much injustice.