The Sagas of the Icelanders (62 page)

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Kjartan and Kalf set sail and had favourable winds and a speedy passage. They cast anchor at the mouth of the river Hvita in Borgarfjord. The news of Kjartan’s arrival was quick to spread, and his father Olaf and other kinsmen were very glad to learn of it. Olaf rode south to Borgarfjord from the Dalir district at once and the meeting of father and son was a joyous one. Olaf invited Kjartan to come home with him and bring as many men as he wished. Kjartan gladly accepted and said that was the only place in Iceland he wanted to stay. Olaf and his men then returned home to Hjardarholt, while Kjartan stayed with the ship during the summer. He learned of Gudrun’s marriage and showed no sign of response, although many people had been dreading his reaction.

Kjartan’s brother-in-law Gudmund Solmundarson and his sister Thurid came to see them at the ship, and Kjartan welcomed them well. Asgeir Scatter-brain came to welcome home his son Kalf, accompanied by his daughter Hrefna, a lovely woman. Kjartan offered his sister Thurid the pick of the wares. Kalf said the same to Hrefna, opened up a large chest and told them to look over the contents.

That same day the winds grew strong and both Kjartan and Kalf had to hurry out to moor the ship better; when they returned to the booths, Kalf entered ahead of him. Thurid and Hrefna had gone through most of the contents of the chest. Hrefna snatched up the head-dress and began to unwind it, and both of them admiringly said what a beautiful object it was. Hrefna said she would like to try it on, and after Thurid advised her to go ahead, she did so.

Kalf noticed them and said she should not have done that, and told her to take it off at once: ‘That’s the only thing that’s not both of ours to give.’

As he was saying this Kjartan entered. He had heard what they said and said at once that there was no harm done. Hrefna sat there still wearing the head-dress.

Kjartan looked her over closely and said, ‘To my mind the head-dress suits you very well, Hrefna. I expect the best thing for me would be to own both the head-dress and the comely head it rests upon.’

Hrefna replied, ‘People would expect you to take your time choosing a wife, and get the wife you choose.’

Kjartan said it mattered little what woman he married, but implied that he would not remain a suitor for long. Hrefna then removed the head-dress and handed it to Kjartan who put it away.

Gudmund and Thurid invited Kjartan to pay them a visit where they
lived in north Iceland during the coming winter, and he promised to do so. Kalf Asgeirsson decided to head north with his father, so he and Kjartan each took their share of their common fund and parted the best of friends. Kjartan left the booths to ride to Dalir with eleven others, and everyone was pleased to see him when they arrived home at Hjardarholt. Kjartan had his property brought north from the ship in the autumn. They all spent the winter in Hjardarholt. Olaf and Osvif continued their usual custom of taking turns inviting each other to feasts in the autumn. This autumn Olaf and his family were to visit Laugar.

Gudrun now told Bolli that she felt not everything he had told her about Kjartan’s return was true, but Bolli maintained he had told her what he knew as the truth. Although Gudrun hardly spoke of the matter, it was obvious that she was anything but happy, and most people assumed that she regretted having lost Kjartan, though she tried to conceal it.

Eventually the date of the feast at Laugar came. Olaf made ready for the journey and asked Kjartan to come along, but he said he intended to stay at home and look after the farm.

Olaf asked him to avoid hard feelings where kinsmen were concerned. ‘Remember, Kjartan, that no one was as close to you as your foster-brother, Bolli. I want you to come and I’m sure you two will sort out your differences once you sit down together.’

Kjartan did as his father wished, and took out the suit of scarlet that King Olaf had given him in parting and other finery. He put on his sword, King’s Gift, and on his head had a helmet with gold plating, and a shield with a red front and a gold cross marked on it. He also held a spear, the socket of which was inlaid with gold. All of his followers wore brightly coloured clothes. They made a party of more than twenty in all, who rode from Hjardarholt to Laugar, where a large number of people had already gathered.

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Bolli and the Osvifssons went to meet Olaf and his party and welcomed them warmly. Bolli went up to Kjartan and welcomed him with a kiss, and Kjartan responded in like fashion. They then accompanied the party indoors. Bolli was in high spirits and Olaf was very pleased, although Kjartan seemed less enthused, and the feast was a success.

Bolli had a stud of horses regarded as the finest of animals. The stallion was large and handsome and had never been known to give way in a fight. It was white with red ears and forelock. Bolli said he wished to give the
horse, along with three mares which were the same colour, to Kjartan, but Kjartan said he was no man for horses and refused to accept them.

Olaf asked him to accept the horses, saying ‘They’re a fine gift’, but Kjartan absolutely refused.

They parted without warmth, and the people of Hjardarholt returned home. The winter proceeded without event. Kjartan was more withdrawn than usual; the others had scant pleasure conversing with him, and Olaf was concerned about the change in him.

After Christmas Kjartan made preparations to journey to the north of Iceland with eleven followers. They travelled as far as Vididal, to the farm at Asbjarnarnes, where Kjartan was given a warm welcome. The farm buildings there were very imposing. Hall, the son of Gudmund the Powerful, was then in his teens, and much resembled the men of Laxardal. It was said that a stauncher man was not to be found in all of the northern quarter. Hall gave Kjartan a very warm welcome, and organized games at Asbjarnarnes to which people from many parts of the surrounding region were invited. People came from Midfjord in the west, Vatnsnes and Vatnsdal and all the way from Langadal. A great number of people gathered, and everyone commented on how outstanding a man Kjartan was. Players were to be divided into teams under Hall’s direction.

He invited Kjartan to take part. ‘We hope you’ll be gracious enough to join us, kinsman.’

Kjartan replied, ‘I haven’t had much practice at games recently, as in the service of King Olaf we had other things to keep us occupied, but I don’t want to refuse your request in this instance.’

Kjartan then got ready to take part, and the men placed against him on the opposing team were those who were considered the strongest players. The game lasted all day, and no man could match Kjartan in strength or agility. In the evening, when the game was over, Hall Gudmundarson stood up and spoke: ‘It is the wish of myself and my father that all of those people who have travelled a long distance should stay the night so that we may continue our entertainment tomorrow.’

His offer was well received and considered a handsome one indeed. Among the guests was Kalf Asgeirsson, and he and Kjartan enjoyed each other’s company especially. Also there was his sister Hrefna, dressed in the finest of clothes. There were over a hundred people who stayed the night. The following day teams were formed again. This time Kjartan sat and watched the game.

His sister Thurid approached him and said, ‘I’ve been told, brother, that you have been rather quiet this winter, and that people say it’s because you regret the loss of Gudrun. They also say you and Bolli have little to do with each other, although the two of you were always inseparable friends. Do the right and fitting thing and try to put any malice behind you. Don’t begrudge your foster-brother a good match. I think it would be best if you got married, as you yourself suggested last summer, even if Hrefna is not quite your equal, because in this country you won’t find a woman who is. Her father, Asgeir, is a worthy man and of very good family, and has enough wealth to make the match an appealing prospect; his other daughter is already married to a powerful man. You yourself have told me what a capable man Kalf Asgeirsson is, and their situation is generally a fine one. I want you to have a talk with Hrefna. I’m sure you’ll find her as clever as she is lovely.’

Kjartan concurred, saying that what she said made good sense, and it was arranged for him to meet Hrefna. They conferred together all that day. In the evening Thurid asked Kjartan what he thought of his conversation with Hrefna. He was very pleased and said that, as far as he could tell, she was the finest of women in all respects. The following morning messengers were sent to invite Asgeir to Asbjarnarnes, and discussions of a marriage settlement began, with Kjartan asking for the hand of Asgeir’s daughter Hrefna in marriage. Asgeir responded positively to the proposal as he was no fool and realized what an honour the match was.

Kalf supported the proposal energetically, saying, ‘I’ll spare nothing to help bring it about.’

Hrefna, for her part, did not refuse but said her father should decide. Eventually an agreement was reached and witnessed. Kjartan would not hear of holding the wedding anywhere else but in Hjardarholt, and, as Asgeir and Kalf raised no objection, it was decided that the feast should take place there in the sixth week of summer. Kjartan then rode home bearing worthy parting gifts.

Olaf brightened at the news, for Kjartan was now in much better spirits than when he had left home. Kjartan fasted on dry foods alone during Lent, the first man known to have done so in Iceland. People found it so incredible that Kjartan could live for such a long time on such food, that they came from far and wide to witness it. In this, as in other ways, Kjartan’s conduct surpassed that of other men. When Easter had passed, Kjartan and Olaf organized the wedding feast. Asgeir and Kalf rode down from the north at
the appointed time, accompanied by Gudmund and Hall, and all together they made a party of sixty. Many other guests awaited them. The feast was a grand one and lasted a week.

Kjartan gave Hrefna the head-dress as a wedding present, and the gift was renowned throughout the country, as no Icelander was so cultured that he had seen, or so wealthy that he had possessed, such a treasure. According to reliable reports, there were eight ounces of gold woven into the head-dress.

Kjartan was in such high spirits at the wedding feast that he entertained everyone with his conversation and stories of his travels abroad. People were very impressed by how much he had to tell, after serving under that most worthy of rulers, King Olaf Tryggvason. When the feast came to an end Kjartan chose suitable gifts for Gudmund and Hall and the other men of distinction. Both Kjartan and Olaf gained much respect from the feast, and Kjartan and Hrefna’s marriage was one of great affection.

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Despite the ill-feelings between the younger members of their families, Olaf and Osvif remained good friends. Olaf held a feast two weeks before the beginning of winter and Osvif had organized a similar feast for the Winter Nights. Each of them invited the other to attend with as large a following as he felt did him the greatest honour.

It was Osvif’s turn first to visit Olaf and he arrived at the appointed time in Hjardarholt. Among his company were Gudrun and Bolli and Osvif’s sons. The following morning, as they walked towards the outer end of the hall, one of the women was discussing the women’s seating plan. The discussion took place at just the moment when Gudrun had reached a point opposite the bed where Kjartan usually slept. Kjartan was dressing at that moment, and drew on a tunic of red scarlet.

To the woman who had mentioned the women’s seating plan he called out – as no one was quicker to respond than he – ‘As long as I’m alive, Hrefna will have the seat of honour and be treated in every way with the greatest respect.’

Previously it had always been Gudrun who had enjoyed the privilege of sitting in the seat of honour at Hjardarholt as elsewhere. Gudrun heard his words, looked at Kjartan and changed colour but said nothing.

The following day Gudrun asked Hrefna to put on the head-dress so everyone would be able to see one of the greatest treasures ever brought to Iceland.

Kjartan was not far off and, hearing Gudrun’s words, was quicker to
respond than Hrefna: ‘She won’t be wearing the head-dress at this feast, as it’s more important to me that Hrefna should possess this treasure than to provide our guests at this time with a moment’s diversion.’

Olaf’s feast that autumn was to last a week. The following day Gudrun spoke to Hrefna privately and asked to see the head-dress, and Hrefna agreed. Later that day the two went to the outbuilding used for the storage of fine possessions. Hrefna opened a chest and took up a case made of costly woven material, out of which she took the head-dress and showed it to Gudrun. Gudrun unwound the head-dress and looked at it awhile, without either praising or criticizing it, until Hrefna took it and put it away. They then returned to their places in the hall for the evening’s entertainment.

When the day came for the guests to depart, Kjartan was busy helping people who had come a long way to exchange their horses for fresh ones and assisting others in whatever way they needed. He was not carrying his sword, King’s Gift, while he was doing this, despite the fact that he seldom let it out of his reach. When he finally returned to the place where he had left it, it was gone. Kjartan went directly to his father to tell him of its disappearance.

Olaf said, ‘We must keep this as quiet as possible. I’ll send men with each group which leaves to spy on their actions.’

This he did, sending An the White with Osvif’s company to note whether anyone left the group or tarried on the way. They rode past Ljarskogar and the farm called Skogar and stopped at another farmstead called Skogai, where they dismounted. Thorolf Osvifsson and several other men left the farmhouse and disappeared into some bushes while the group stopped at Skogar.

An accompanied them when they continued their journey, riding as far as the Laxa river, where it runs out of Saelingsdal. There he said he would turn back, and Thorolf said it would not have done much harm if An had not come with them at all. The preceding night a light snow had fallen, so that it was possible to follow men’s tracks. An rode back to Skogar, where he traced Thorolf’s footsteps to a bog or marsh. Feeling around under the surface, he managed to grasp the hilt of a sword. He wanted to have other people witness what he did and rode to Saelingsdalstunga, to have the farmer Thorarin accompany him to recover the sword.

An presented the sword to Kjartan, who wrapped it in cloth and placed it in a chest. The spot where Thorolf and his companions had hidden King’s Gift has been called Sverdskelda (Sword bog) ever since. The sheath was
never recovered. Nothing was done about the theft but Kjartan valued the sword much less highly than before.

He was upset and did not want to let things go unanswered, but Olaf said, ‘Don’t let it disturb you. It’s a poor trick they’ve played, but you’ve come to no real harm. Let’s not give others something to laugh at by starting an argument with friends and kinsmen over a thing like this.’

Kjartan let himself be persuaded by Olaf’s words and took no action.

Soon afterwards Olaf was preparing to make the journey to Laugar for the feast at the Winter Nights and asked Kjartan to come as well. Kjartan was reluctant to go but eventually agreed at his father’s urging.

Hrefna was to go as well, and had planned to leave her head-dress behind, but her mother-in-law, Thorgerd, asked, ‘When do you plan on using this treasure if it is to lie at home in a chest whenever you attend a feast?’

Hrefna answered, ‘Many people say that I could well choose a place to visit where fewer people envy me than at Laugar.’

To this Thorgerd answered, ‘I don’t pay much heed to people who spread such gossip in the neighbourhood.’

As Thorgerd was so determined, Hrefna agreed to take the head-dress, and Kjartan did not oppose it when he saw it was what his mother wanted.

They set out soon afterwards and reached Laugar in the evening where they were given a hearty welcome. Thorgerd and Hrefna turned over their clothing to be put away but the following morning, when the women dressed and Hrefna looked for the head-dress where she had placed it, it had disappeared and was nowhere to be found although a search was made. Gudrun said it was most likely that she had either left the head-dress at home or failed to pack it carefully enough and lost it on the journey. Hrefna then told Kjartan that the head-dress had disappeared. He responded by saying that this time it would not be easy to keep an eye on their movements, told her to do nothing more for the moment and then told his father what had happened.

Olaf answered, ‘As before, I want to ask you to take no action; try to ignore what has happened, and let me see what I can do privately. I will do everything I can to prevent a split between you and Bolli. Least said, soonest mended,’ he added.

Kjartan replied, ‘Of course you only want to do well by everyone here, but I’m not sure whether I’m prepared to let the people of Laugar ride roughshod over me.’

The day they were to leave Kjartan addressed his hosts and said, ‘I warn
you, Bolli, as my kinsman, to treat us more honourably in the future than you have up to now. This time I won’t keep silent, because everyone already knows about the things which have disappeared here, and we suspect will have found their way into your possession. This autumn, when we hosted the feast at Hjardarholt, my sword was taken; I managed to recover it, but without the sheath. Once more property which could be described as valuable has disappeared. I want them both returned.’

Bolli answered, ‘Neither of these things you accuse us of, Kjartan, are we guilty of, and least of all would I have expected you to accuse us of stealing.’

Kjartan said, ‘In that case I imagine you might have offered those people here who were involved better advice, had you wanted to. You are going out of your way to insult us, and we’ve tried to ignore your enmity towards us for long enough. From now on, I warn you, I will suffer it no longer.’

Then Gudrun responded, saying, ‘You’re stirring up embers that would be better left to die out. And even if it were true someone here was involved in the disappearance of the head-dress, in my opinion they’ve done nothing but take what rightfully belonged to them. Believe what you like as to the whereabouts of the head-dress. I won’t shed any tears if the result is that Hrefna will have little ornament from the head-dress from now on.’

After this exchange they parted rather stiffly, and the people of Hjardarholt rode homeward. The paying of visits ceased, but nothing else of event happened. Nothing more was ever heard of the head-dress, although people said Thorolf had burned it on his sister Gudrun’s orders. Early in the winter Asgeir Scatter-brain died, and his sons took over his farm and wealth.