Reading from the Sagas volume I: Hrafnkels saga chapter 8

Þess er getit, at skip kom af hafi í Reyðarfjörð, ok var stýrimaðr Eyvindr Bjarnason. Hann hafði útan verit sjau vetr. Eyvindr hafði míkit við gengizt um menntir ok var orðinn inn vaskasti maðr. Eru honum sögð brátt þau tíðendi, er gerzt höfðu, ok lét hann sér um þat fátt finnast. Hann var fáskiptinn maðr.
   Ok þegar Sámr spyrr þetta, þá ríðr hann til skips. Verðr nú mikill fagnafundr með þeim bræðrum. Sámr býðr honum vestr þangat, en Eyvindr tekr því vel ok biðr Sám ríða heim fyrir, en senda hesta á móti varningi hans. Hann setr upp skip sitt ok býr um. Sámr gerir svá, ferr heim ok lætr reka hesta á móti Eyvindi.
   Ok er hann hefir búit um varnað sinn, býr hann ferð sína til Hrafnkelsdals, ferr upp eftir Reyðarfirði. Þeir váru fimm saman. Inn sétti var skósveinn Eyvindar. Sá var íslenzkr at kyni, skyldr honum. Þenna svein hafði Eyvindr tekit af válaði ok flutt útan með sér ok haldit sem sjálfan sik. Þetta bragð Eyvindar var uppi haft, ok var þat alþýðu rómr, at færi væri hans líkar.
   Þeir ríða upp Þórisdalsheiði ok ráku fyrir sér sextán klyfjaða hesta. Váru þar húskarlar Sáms tveir, en þrír farmenn. Váru þeir ok allir í litklæðum ok riðu við fagra skjöldu. Þeir riðu um þveran Skriðudal ok yfir háls yfir til Fljótsdals, þar sem heita Bulungarvellir, ok ofan á Gilsáreyri. Hon gengr austan at fljótinu milli Hallormsstaða ok Hrafnkelsstaða. Ríða þeir upp með Lagarfljóti fyrir neðan völl á Hrafnkelsstöðum ok svá fyrir vatnsbotninn ok yfir Jökulsá at Skálavaði. Þá var jafnnær rismálum ok dagmálum.
   Kona ein var við vatnit ok þó léreft sín. Hon sér ferð manna. Griðkona sjá sópar saman léreftunum ok hleypr heim. Hon kastar þeim niðr úti hjá viðarkesti, en hleypr inn. Hrafnkell var þá eigi upp staðinn, ok nökkurir vildarmenn lágu í skálanum, en verkmenn váru til iðnar farnir. Þetta var um heyjaannir.
   Konan tók til orða, er hon kom inn: "Satt er flest þat, er fornkveðit er, at svá ergist hverr sem eldist. Verðr sú lítil virðing, sem snemma leggst á, ef maðr lætr síðan sjálfr af með ósóma ok hefir eigi traust til at reka þess réttar nökkurt sinni, ok eru slík mikil undr um þann mann, sem hraustr hefir verit. Nú er annan veg þeira lífi, er upp vaxa með föður sínum, ok þykkja yðr einskis háttar hjá yðr, en þá er þeir eru frumvaxta, fara land af landi ok þykkja þar mestháttar, sem þá koma þeir, koma við þat út ok þykkjast þá höfðingjum meiri. Eyvindr Bjarnason reið hér yfir á á Skálavaði með svá fagran skjöld, at ljómaði af. Er hann svá menntr, at hefnd væri í honum.
   Lætr griðkonan ganga af kappi.
   Hrafnkell ríss upp ok svarar henni, "Kann vera, at þú mælir helzti margt satt, eigi fyrir því, at þér gangi gott til. Er nú vel, at þér aukist erfiði. Far þú hart suðr á Víðuvöllu eftir Hallsteinssonum, Sighvati ok Snorra. Bið þá skjótt til mín koma með þá menn, sem þar eru vápnfærir."
   Aðra griðkonu sendir hann út á Hrólfsstaði eftir þeim Hrólfssonum, Þórði ok Halla, ok þeim, sem þar váru vápnfærir. Þessir hvárirtveggju váru gildir menn ok allvel menntir. Hrafnkell sendi ok eftir húskörlum sínum. Þeir urðu alls átján saman. Þeir vápnuðust harðfengiliga, ríða þar yfir á sem hinir fyrri.

18. Hrafnkell felldi Eyvind ok bar undan.
Þá váru þeir Eyvindr komnir upp á heiðina. Eyvindr ríðr, þar til er hann kom vestr á miðja heiðina. Þar heita Bersagötur. Þar er svarðlaus mýrr, ok er sem ríði í efju eina fram, ok tók jafnan í kné eða í miðjan legg, stundum í kvið, þá er undir svá hart sem hölkn. Þá er hraun stórt fyrir vestan.
   Ok er þeir koma á hraunit, þá lítr sveinninn aftr ok mælti til Eyvindar: "Menn ríða þar eftir oss", segir hann, "eigi færi en átján. Er þar mikill maðr á baki í blám klæðum, ok sýnist mér líkt Hrafnkeli goða. Þó hefi ek nú lengi eigi sét hann."
   Eyvindr svarar: "Hvat mun oss skipta? Veit ek mér einskis ótta ván af reið Hrafnkels. Ek hefi honum eigi í móti gert. Mun hann eiga erendi vestr til dals at hitta vini sína."
   Sveinninn svarar: "Þat býðr mér í hug, at hann muni þik hitta vilja."
   "Ekki veit ek", segir Eyvindr, "til hafa orðit með þeim Sámi, bróður mínum, síðan þeir sættust."
   Sveinninn svarar: "Þat vilda ek, at þú riðir undan vestr til dals. Muntu þá geymðr. Ek kann skapi Hrafnkels, at hann mun ekki gera oss, ef hann náir þér eigi. Er þá alls gætt, ef þín er, en þá er eigi dýr í festi, ok er vel, hvat sem af oss verðr."
   Eyvindr sagðist eigi mundu brátt undan ríða, -- "því at ek veit eigi, hverir þessir eru. Myndi þat mörgum manni hlægiligt þykkja, ef ek renn at öllu óreyndu."
   Þeir ríða nú vestr af hrauninu. Þá er fyrir þeim önnur mýrr,er heitir Oxamýrr. Hon er grösug mjök. Þar eru bleytur, svá at náliga er ófært yfir. Af því lagði Hallfreðr karl inar efri götur, þó at þær væri lengri. Eyvindr ríðr vestr á mýrina. Lá þá drjúgum í fyrir þeim. Dvalðist þá mjök fyrir þeim. Hina bar skjótt eftir, er lausir riðu. Ríða þeir Hrafnkell nú leið sína á mýrina. Þeir Eyvindr eru þá komnir af mýrinni. Sjá þeir þá Hrafnkel ok sonu hans báða.
   Þeir báðu Eyvind þá undan at ríða. "Eru nú af allar torfærur. Muntu ná til Aðalbóls, meðan mýrrin er á millum.
   Eyvindr svarar: "Eigi mun ek flýja undan þeim mönnum, er ek hefi ekki til miska gert."
   Þeir ríða þá upp á hálsinn. Þar standa fjöll lítil á hálsinum. Útan í fjallinu er meltorfa ein, blásin mjök. Bakkar hávir váru umhverfis. Eyvindr ríðr at torfunni. Þar stígr hann af baki ok bíðr þeira.
   Eyvindr segir: "Nú munum vér skjótt vita þeira erendi."
   Eftir þat gengu þeir upp á torfuna ok brjóta þar upp grjót nökkurt. Hrafnkell snýr þá af götunni ok suðr at torfunni. Hann hafði engi orð við Eyvind ok veitti þegar atgöngu. Eyvindr varðist vel ok drengiliga.
   Skósveinn Eyvindar þóttist ekki kröftugr til orrustu ok tók hest sinn ok ríðr vestr yfir háls til Aðalbóls ok segir Sámi, hvat leika er. Sámr brá skjótt við ok sendi eftir mönnum. Urðu þeir saman tuttugu. Var þetta lið vel búit. Ríðr Sámr austr á heiðina ok at þar, er vættfangit hafði verit.
   Þá er umskipti á orðit með þeim. Reið Hrafnkell þá austr frá verkunum. Eyvindr var þá fallinn ok allir hans menn. Sámr gerði þat fyrst, at hann leitaði lífs með bróður sínum. Var þat trúliga gert. Þeir váru allir líflátnir, fimm saman. Þar váru ok fallnir af Hrafnkeli tólf menn, en sex riðu burt. Sámr átti þar litla dvöl, bað menn ríða þegar eftir. Þeir Hrafnkell ríða undan sem máttu ok hafa þó mædda hesta.
   Þá mælti Sámr: "Ná megum vér þeim, því at þeir hafa mædda hesta, en vér höfum alla hraða, ok mun nálægt verða, hvárt vér nám þeim eða eigi, áðr en þeir komast af heiðinni."
   Þá var Hrafnkell kominn austr yfir Oxamýri. Ríða nú hvárirtveggju allt til þess, at Sámr kemr á heiðarbrúnina. Sá hann þá, at Hrafnkell var kominn lengra ofan í brekkurnar. Sér Sámr, at hann mun undan taka ofan í heraðit.
   Hann mælti þá: "Hér munum vér aftr snúa, því at Hrafnkeli mun gott til manna verða."
   Snýr Sámr þá aftr við svá búit, kemr þar til, er Eyvindr lá, tekr til ok verpr haug eftir hann ok félaga hans. Er þar ok kölluð Eyvindartorfa ok Eyvindarfjöll ok Eyvindardalr.
 

Sámr ferr þá með allan varnaðinn heim á Aðalból. Ok er hann kemr heim, sendir Sámr eftir þingmönnum sínum, at þeir skyldi koma þar um morguninn fyrir dagmál. Ætlar hann þá austr yfir heiði. "Verðr ferð vár slík sem má."
   Um kveldit ferr Sámr í hvílu, ok var þar drjúgt komit manna.

It is told that a ship came from the sea into Reydharfjord, and the captain was Eyvind Bjarnason. He had been away seven winters. Eyvind had accomplished much and was become the boldest of men. Those tidings are soon told to him, which had occurred, and he regarded that little. He was a reserved man.

And as soon as Sam his this he rides to the ship. A great joy is meeting is held between the brothers. Sam bids him, and Eyvind takes this well and ask Sam to write home before, and to send horses for his wares. He arranges his ship and prepares accordingly. Sam does so, rides home and has horses prepared to meet Eyvind.

And when he has prepared his wares, he prepares his journey to Hrafnkelsdal, fares up after Reydharfjord. They were five together. The sixth was the servant of Eyvind. He was Icelandic by heritage, related to him.’s this boy Eyvind had taken from poverty and borne with him abroad and kept as Delius himself. This conduct of Eyvind became well-known, and it was the talk of the people, that few were his like.

They ride up Thorisdalheidh and drive before them sixteen loaded horses. Two domestic servants of Sam’s were there, and three sailors. They were also all in colored clothes and rode with fair shields. They rode across Skridhudal and over the ridge to Fljotsdal, as is called Bulungarvellir, and over onto Gilsareyrir. It extends from the east to the river between Hallormstadhir and Hrafnkelsstadhir. They ride up along Lagarfljot down the valley at Hrafnkelsstadhir and so before the head of the lake and over Jokulsa at Skalavadhi. It was then equally between morning and noon.

A woman was at the water and washed her linens. She sees a group of men. That woman gathers together her clothes and hurries home. She casts them down outside near pile of wood, and rushes inside. Hrafnkel was then not yet risen, and certain of his favorite retainers lay in the sleeping hall, and the workmen were gone to their work. That was then in the haying season.

The woman took to words, when she came in: “That is most true, which is said of old, that he grows cowardly who grows old. It amounts to little honor, as is quickly seen, if a man tolerates dishonor and has not the faith to redress these wrongs at some point, and it is a great wonder regarding this man, who has until now been so valiant. Now that is another way of life for those who grow up with their father, and think you of no importance, and then when they are fully grown, fare in land after land and are accorded great prestige, when they arrived there, and come with that same prestige away and think themselves then greater than chieftains. Eyvind Bjarnason Road here over the river onto Skalavadh with so fair a shield, that the sun shone upon it. He is so well bred, that vengeance might be exacted upon him.”

The serving woman let yield her argument.

Hrafnkel rises up and answers her, “It may be, that you speak most true, and not because any good will come to you. It is now well, that your toil is increased. Fare you hard south onto Vidhuvoll after the sons of Hallstein, Sighvat and Snorri. Bid them come to me quickly with those men who are able to bear arms.”

Other serving women he sends out onto Hrolfsstadh after the sons of Hrolf, Thordh and Hall, and for them who were able to their weapons. These were both men who were worthy and well bred. Hrafnkel sent also after his house servants. They amounted together to eighteen. They armed themselves in rough fashion, ride out over the river as those who have gone before.

Then were Eyvind and the others come onto the heath. Eyvind rides until he comes west onto the middle of the heath. That is called Bersagotur. There is a grassless moor, and it is as if riding into a mire, and it took ever into the knee up into the middle leg, sometimes up to the trunk, and it is beneath as hard as hard rock. There is the rocky ground vast from the west.

And when they come onto the rocky ground, then looks the boy behind and says to Eyvind: “Men ride there after us,” says he, “no fewer than eighteen. There is a great man on horseback in dark clothes, and it seems to me like Hrafnkel godhi. Though have I now long not seen him.”

Eyvind answers: “What has that to do with us? I know of no reason to fear the riding of Hrafnkel. I have done nothing untoward against him. He must have an errand west in the dale to meet his friends.”

The boy answers: “It comes to my mind that he will wish to meet you.”

“I do not know,” says Eyvind, “what has occurred between him and Sam, my brother, since they were reconciled.”

The boy answers “This I would wish, that you ride west to the dale. You would be then mindful. I know the mood of Hrafnkel, that he will do nothing to us, if he reach you not. All is then well, if you are, and the deer is not in the trap, and it is well, whatsoever comes of us.”

Eyvind said that he would not so rashly ride forth-- “Because I know not, who these men are. That would seem to many a man laughable, if I run without purpose.”

They ride now west from the rocky ground. There was before them then another mire, which is called Oxamyrr. It is quite grassy. There are swampy patches of ground, so that it is nearly unpassable. Because of this Hallfredh the upper paths, though they were longer. Eyvind rides west onto the mire. It lay then for a long while before them. They were delayed greatly. He was borne more quickly who rode free of cargo. Hrafnkel and his men ride now their way onto the mire. Eyvind and his men are then come from the mire. See they then Hrafnkel and both his sons.

They bade Eyvind to ride away from there. “All of the difficult roads now are behind. You must go now to Adhalbol, while the mire is between us.”

Eyvind answers: “I will not fly in the face of those men, to whom I have done no wrong.”

They ride now up onto the ridge. There stand little fells on the ridge. On the outer edge of the fell is a little turf knoll, much worn by the wind. High banks were around. Eyvind rides to the knoll. There he steps from his horse and awaits them.

Eyvind says: “Now we will shortly know their errand.”

After that they went up onto the knoll and broke up some stones. Hrafnkel turns then from the path and south towards the knoll. He has no words with Eyvind and they immediately commences attack. Eyvind defends himself well and admirably.

The servant of Eyvind was deemed of no use in battle and took his horse and rides west over the ridge to Adhalbol and says to Sam what has occurred. Sam stirs quickly and sends after men. They amounted to twenty together. That band was well prepared. Rides Sam east onto the heath and to that place where the battlefield had been.

There a momentous thing had happened between them. Hrafnkel rode then east from the stoneworks. Eyvind was fallen and all of his men. Sam did that first, that he sought for life in his brother. That was faithfully done. They were all devoid of life, five together. There were also fallen from Hrafnkel twelve men, and six rode away. Sam made then little delay, bade his men ride immediately after them. Hrafnkel and his men ride away as they can and yet had weary horses.

Then said Sam: “We may reach them, because they have tired horses, and ours are all fresh, but it will be a close thing, whether we reach them or not, before they come from the heath.”

Then was Hrafnkel come east before Oxamyrr. Each of them ride until Sam comes onto the edge of the heath. Saw he then, that Hrafnkel was come long above into the hillsides. Sees Sam, that he will escape into the district above.

He said then: “Here will we turn back, because Hrafnkel will gather many men.”

Sam turns back then so decided, comes to that point, where Eyvind lay, takes him and raises a grave mound over him and his fellows. And that is called Eyvindartorfa and Eyvindarfjoll and Eyvindardal.

Sam fares then with all the goods home on to Adhalbol. And when he is come home, sends Sam after his followers, that they should come there in the morning before breakfast. Reckons he then east over the heath. “Our journey will be such as it may.”

In the evening Sam goes to bed, and was then come a good number of men.