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CHAPTER XIX
WHILST Bárd was away Halli took care of his property,
and got some timber cut in a wood in Midárdal which belonged to him, and
Bárd brought out a good deal of timber with him. Sometimes he stayed at
his own home, and sometimes with his father. Bárd said he would go and
fetch his timber home, when Halli remarked, "I would not have you go yourself,
for it is not good to trust that father and son." "Oh," said Bárd, "nobody
will know that I am going." So he went, and a servant with him, to fetch
the timber, and they took a good many horses with them, but his wife Una
had gone to Vidines to see her sister Oddkatla, and Bárd went thither
on his way. Hlenni begged him to send some one else into the wood, and
to stay where he was himself; it seemed more prudent to do so, but Bárd
answered there was no need of it.
The two sisters went with
him out of the homestead, but when they were returning Una looked back
at him over her shoulder, and fell down in a swoon. Her sister asked her
what she had seen? "I saw dead men coming to meet Bárd," said she; "he
must be fey. We shall never see one another again." Bárd and his men made
their way into the wood, and when they were there, they got their loads
of timber together, and tied up their horses, but a great mist had come
on. Very early that morning the shepherd from Thverŕ had been a-foot,
and Vigfuss met him and asked him for tidings, as he often did. "It is
wonderful to me," he said, "that you never fail to find your sheep in
such a fog as there is now." The shepherd answered, "It is a small matter
for me to find my flock, but those men whom I saw in the wood in the morning
had more trouble to find their horses, which were really standing close
to them. They were fine looking fellows; one was in a green kirtle, and
they had shields by their sides." Vigfuss asked him if he knew the man?
He said he thought it was Bárd, for he was the owner of the wood where
they were. "Get my three horses," said Vigfuss. There were two Easterlings
staying there whom Vigfuss asked to ride with him, saying that he was
going to the warm spring; but when he got out of the homestead he made
as if he would ride southward over Laugardal. The Easterlings asked him,
"Whither are you riding now?" "On some business of my own first," said
he, so he rode a good way in front of them, and they went southward above
the enclosures, until they saw Bárd coming out of the wood with his loaded
horses. Bárd’s servant saw some one riding after them, and remarked, "These
men are riding sharp after us." "Who is that?" said Bárd. "It is Vigfuss,"
he replied, "and I think we had better get away from him. There is no
disgrace in doing so, whilst we know nothing of their intentions." Bárd
said, "He will not set on me with three men, if you are not with me."
"I would sooner go with the horses," answered the man, "and do you ride
to Vidines. You cannot be blamed for going where you have business, and
you do not know for a certainty what they who are riding after us want,
thought Hlenni told you not to trust them." Bárd told him then, "You shall
ride on forward and, if I am delayed, tell our men what is going on, for
it is likely that I and Vigfuss shall be some time about it, if we look
one another fairly in the face; and he is too good a man to set on me
with three against one. If, on the other hand, we are two and they are
three, they will take the benefit of the difference in strength."
The servant did what Bárd
told him, and Bárd himself unstrapped his shield, and got ready in the
best way he could. When they came up he asked what they wanted? Vigfuss
said that both of them would not quit the meeting-place alive. Bárd replied
that he was ready, if they two only were to play the game out; "but there
is no manhood in it if three are to set on one." The Easterlings then
said they would have staid at home if they had known their errand, but
that they could not take part unless, in consequence of Bárds companion
having ridden off, men should come to his assistance. Vigfuss told them
to see first how matters went. So he and Bárd fought for some time without
either being wounded, but it looked worse for Vigfuss, inasmuch as he
had to give ground every time without being able to make a single blow
tell. Bárd had his sword, and defended himself admirable without being
touched. In the mean time the Easterlings thought it would be a bad business
if Vigfuss should be slain, while they stood by doing nothing, and if
men should come up to help Bárd. They they rushed at him, so that he was
dying when Hlenni and his men got there. Vigfuss and his friends rode
home, but Glum was ill pleased with what they had done, and said that
the difficulties in the district would be greatly increased. Halli went
to his foster-son Einar, at Saurbć, and asked him to take the case in
hand, and he admitted that he was bound to avenge his kinsman and foster-brother.
Then they rode to Thorarin, and asked for his support; he replied that
he knew no man he would rather have to deal with than Vigfuss, and they
confirmed with oaths their alliance with reference to that and all other
matters. The cause went to the Thing, and attempts were made to compound
it, but there was so much in the way that it was difficult to effect a
compromise, as both the men of Mödrufell and those of Espihole, who resisted
it, were bold in spirit, and well versed in the law. The case was closed
by a verdict against the Easterlings, and by money being given to allow
Vigfuss a safe conduct. He was to have three summers to get a passage
out, and to have three places of refuge in each year, but he was an outlaw
on peril of his life elsewhere, and not allowed to be at home on account
of the sacredness of the place. However, he stayed long at Upsal, though
people thought he was in other quarters of the island, and he would not
go abroad within the period fixed. Then he became completely outlawed,
and Glum kept him concealed, but outlawed men were not allowed to live
there because Frey, who owned the temple, did not permit it. So matters
went on for six winters.
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Chapter XIX
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