Egil’s Saga - E. Eddison R.

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by Gufa, and to Thord Beigaldi. Krumm dwelt at Krummsknolls and Thord at Beigaldi.

      To Thorir the Giant, him and his brother, gave he land up from Einkunnir and to the outer side along Longwater. Thorir the Giant dwelt at Giantstead; his daughter was Thordis Stang that dwelt at Stangarholt thereafter. Thorgeir dwelt at Jardlangstead.

      Skallagrim kenned the land up about the countryside: fared first in along Burgfirth till the firth ended, and after that along the river on the western side, that he called Whitewater7 because he and his fellows had never before seen those waters that were fallen out of the jokulls: it seemed to them that river was of a wondrous look. They fared up along Whitewater, till that river was before them that fell out of the north from the fells: that called they Northwater, and fared up along that river till there was yet again a river before them, and therein was but little fall of water. Fared they over that river and still up along Northwater: saw then soon where the little river fell out of gorges, and called that Gorgewater. And now fared they over Northwater and fared back again to Whitewater and up along it; it was then but a short way to that river that was athwart their way before them and fell into Whitewater; that called they Thwartwater; they were ware of this, that there was every water full of fishes.

      And now fared they out again, back to Burg.

      SKALLAGRIM was a great workman. He had with him always a mort of men: let fetch in much those takings that were at hand and were needful for the keep of men: because at first had they little livestock as against that which was needed for that throng of men there was; and what there was of livestock went then every winter self-feeding in the woods.

      Skallagrim was a great ship-builder, and there was no lack of driftwood west along the Myres. He let make a farmstead at Alptaness and had there a second dwelling: let work from there out-rowings and seal fisheries and egg-takings, seeing there was then enough of all those takings, and so too of driftwood to let flit home to him. Then also were there great comings of whales ashore, and a man might shoot as he would: all was then quiet in the fishing-steads, for the wild things were without knowledge of man.

      A third dwelling had he by the sea-side in the westward Myres. It was there yet better for sitting for drifts, and there he let sow the land and call the place Acres. Isles lay there out from the land that whale was found in, and they called these Whale-isles.

      Skallagrim had men of his also up by the salmon rivers for fishing. Odd Live-alone he set by Gorgewater to mind the salmon fisheries there. Odd dwelt under Live-alone Brents. After him is named Live-aloneness. Sigmund was a man named, whom Skallagrim set by Northwater. He dwelt there where it was called Sigmundstead: there it is now called the Howes. After him is called Sigmundness. Afterwards he moved his homestead in to Munodsness: that seemed a readier place for salmon fisheries.

      But when Skallagrim’s livestock was much increased, then went the cattle all up into the fells in the summer. He found there was great odds in this, that those beasts became better and fatter which went on the heaths, and this too, that the sheep throve a-winters in the mountain dales, even though they could not be driven down. So now Skallagrim let make a farmstead up by the fell and had a dwelling there: let there tend his sheep. That dwelling Griss had ward of, and it is called after him Grisartongue.

      And now stood Skallagrim’s estate on many feet.

      Some while later than Skallagrim had come out, came a ship from the main sea into Burgfirth, and that man owned her who was called Oleif Hialti. He had with him his wife and children and a band of kinsfolk of his beside, and had been so minded of his journey that he should find him a dwelling-place in Iceland. Oleif was a man wealthy and of great family and wise of wit.

      Skallagrim bade Oleif home to lodge with him, him and all his company, and Oleif took that gladly, and he was with Skallagrim the first winter that Oleif was in Iceland. But afterward in the spring Skallagrim showed Oleif choice of land along the south of Whitewater, up from Grimswater to Flokadaleswater. Oleif took that gladly, and carried thither his home and household and set up house there where it is named Varmalech. He was a worshipful man: his sons were Ragi of Laugardale and Thorarin Ragi’s brother, that took the Speakership of the Law in Iceland next after Hrafn Haengson. Thorarin dwelt at Varmalech: he had to wife Thordis, daughter of Olaf Feilan and sister to Thord the Yeller.1

      KING HARALD HAIRFAIR laid his ban on all those lands which Kveldulf and Skallagrim had left behind in Norway, and on all their fee besides which he might seize upon. He sought much too after those men who had been in their redes or private counsels, or had been aught of help to Skallagrim and his in that work that they wrought before Skallagrim fared abroad out of the land: and to such a pitch came that enmity that the King bare toward that father and son, that he made himself hateful unto all kindred of theirs or other of their affinity, or such men as he wist of that they had been in dear friendship with them. Some were dealt punishment by him, and many fled away and sought their safety, some within the land, but some fled clean away out of the land abroad.

      Yngvar, Skallagrim’s father-in-law, was one of those men aforesaid. He took that rede, that he laid out his fee so far as he might in loose goods and gat him a sea-going ship: manned her, and made ready to fare to Iceland, because he had heard that Skallagrim had taken there his fixed abode and that there should be no lack of choice land with Skallagrim.

      Now when they were ready and had wind at will, then sailed he into the deep and it sped him well of his journey: came he to Iceland southward of the land, and held west round Reekness and sailed into Burgfirth and held in up Longwater and so all up to the force: bare there their cargo off the ship.

      But when Skallagrim heard of the coming of Yngvar, then fared he straightway to meet him and bade him to him with so many men as he would. Yngvar took that gladly; the ship was laid up, and Yngvar fared to Burg with many men and was that winter with Skallagrim. But at point of spring, Skallagrim bade him choice of land: he gave Yngvar that house which he had at Alptaness, and land inland as far as Leirulech and out as far as Streamfirth. Thereafter fared he to that out-farm, and took it unto him; and he was the ablest of men, and had a wealth of fee. Skallagrim made then a dwelling in Knarrarness and had a dwelling there long thereafter.

      Skallagrim was a great iron-smith and had great smelting of ore in winter time. He let make a smithy beside the sea a long way out from Burg, there where it is called Raufarness: he thought the woods lay not over far away there. But when he found there no stone that was so hard and so smooth as might seem to him good to beat iron on (because there is there no sea-worn stone: it is there small sand all beside the sea), that was of an evening, when other men went to their sleep,1 that Skallagrim went down to the sea and dragged down an eight-oar ship that he had, and rowed out to Midfirthisles: then let drop his anchor-stone at the stem of the ship. And now stepped he overboard, and dived, and had up with him a stone, and brought it up into the ship. And now fared he himself up into the ship, and rowed to land, and bare the stone to his smithy and laid it down before the smithy door, and thenceforward beat his iron on it. That stone lieth there yet, and much burnt slag nigh; and that is seen of the stone, that it is hammered down, and that is surf-worn rock, and nought like to that other rock which is there, and now will not four men lift a greater.

      Skallagrim wrought hard with his smith-work, but his house-carles grumbled, and thought ’twas early rising. Then made he this stave:2

      Much betideth that iron-smith

      Early to rise, who pennies Will lay up. The wind’s weeds Welcome Viddi’s brother. Let the sledge-hammers yell on glowing Gold of Beam-enjoyer, While stirring cots that swallow The storm-blast whistle.

      SKALLAGRIM and Bera had very many children, and so it was at first that all died. Then gat they a son,

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