STOKY 
 
 ROLF 
 
 AND 
 
 THE 
 
 VIKINGS 
 
 BOW 
 
 toLEN FRENCP 
 
THE STORY OF ROLF 
 
THE 
 
 STORY OF ROLF 
 
 AND THE VIKINGS BOW 
 
 BY 
 
 ALLEN FRENCH 
 
 AUTHOR OF "THt JUNIOR CUP," *'slR MARROK," ETC. 
 
 ILLUSTRATED BY 
 BERNARD J. ROSENMEYER 
 
 BOSTON 
 
 LITTLE, BROWN, AND COMPANY 
 1918 
 
Copyright, igo4. 
 By Little, Brown, and Compahy. 
 
 All rig At s rtitrved 
 
 The Univkhsity Press, Cambridge, U. S. A. 
 
TO MY BROTHER 
 
 HOLLIS FRENCH 
 
PREFACE 
 
 FliOM thirty to sixty years ago ap- 
 peared the greater number of the 
 Enghsh translations of the Ice- 
 landic sagas. Since then tlie reading of 
 these heroic tales has so completely gone 
 out of style that their names are rarely 
 mentioned in schools or even colleges. 
 What boy feels his blood stir at the men- 
 tion of Grettir ? How many lovers of 
 good reading know that the most human 
 of all epics lie untouched on the shelves 
 of the public libraries ? The wisdom of 
 Njal, the chivalry of Gunnar, the villany 
 of Mord, the manhood of Kari, the sav- 
 agery of Viga-Glum, the craft of Snorri, 
 and the fine qualities of Biarni, of Biom, 
 of Skarphedinn, of Illugi, of Kolskegg, 
 of Hrut, of Blundketil — all these are 
 vii 
 
PREFACE 
 
 forgotten in the curious turn of taste 
 which has made the stories of a wonderful 
 people almost a lost literature. 
 
 For the Icelanders were a wonderful 
 people. To escape the tyranny of kings 
 they settled a new land, and there built 
 up the laws and customs in which we see 
 the promise of modern civilization. Few 
 early peoples had such a body of laws ; 
 few developed such manhood. No better 
 pictures of a law-abiding, rural, and yet 
 valiant race have ever been made than in 
 the tales which the Icelanders had the 
 skill to weave about their heroes, those 
 men who, at home in their island, or so far 
 abroad as Constantinople, made the name 
 of Icelander respected. 
 
 We read of these men and this people 
 in stories which, somewhat too " old " for 
 boys and girls, reveal the laws, customs, 
 habits of a thousand years ago. The 
 Njal's Saga, the Grettir's Saga, the Ere- 
 viii 
 
PREFACE 
 
 Dwellers' Saga, and the Gisli's Saga are 
 perhaps the greatest of those which have 
 been translated. They are reinforced by 
 such shorter pieces as Hen Thorir's Saga, 
 and the Stories of the l^anded Men, the 
 lleath-Slayings, Hraffnkell Frey's l^riest, 
 and Howard the Halt. The spirit of 
 those days is particulaily well given in 
 that wonderful fragment of Thorstein 
 StafFsniitten which (not being part of any 
 complete saga) has been drawn upon for 
 the closing incidents of the present story. 
 Many other such incidents are preserved, 
 a reference to one of which (in a foot- 
 note to — 1 think — - the Ere-Dwellers' 
 Saga) gave tlie suggestion for the main 
 plot of this book. At the same time, in 
 contemporary writings, we may read of 
 the life of other divisions of the Scan- 
 dinavian race : the story nearest to this 
 book is the Orkneyingers ' Saga. 
 
 The main interest of all these tales is 
 ix 
 
TKEFACE 
 
 the same : they tell of real men and 
 women in real circumstances, and show 
 them human in spite of the legends which 
 have grown about them. The sagas re- 
 veal the characteristics of our branch of 
 the Aryan race, especially the personal 
 courage which is so superior to that of the 
 Greek and Latin races, and which makes 
 the Teutonic epics (whether the Niebe- 
 lungen Lied, the Morte Darthur, or the 
 Njala) much more inspiring than the 
 Iliad, the Odyssey, or the Aeneid. 
 
 The prominence of law in almost 
 every one of the Icelandic sagas has been 
 preserved in the following story ; and the 
 conditions of life, whether at home or 
 abroad, have been described as closely 
 as was possible within the limits of the 
 simple narrative form which the sagas 
 customarily employed. 
 
 ALLEN FRENCH. 
 
 Concord, Massachuseits, 
 May, 1904. 
 
TABLE OF CONTENTS 
 
 Chapter Page 
 
 I. Of the Li^htin<x of the Beacon ... I 
 II. Of the Soursops, and the Curse whicli 
 
 Hunjj on Them -0 
 
 III. Kiartan at Crarrness 28 
 
 I\'. Of Kinar and Ondott 42 
 
 \'. The Sunnnoning of Hiarandi. ... 53 
 
 \1. Of wliat Hiarandi should do. ... 59 
 VII. How Hiarandi reeeived the Lesser 
 
 Outlawry ^4 
 
 Mil. Of Schemings 78 
 
 IX. Of the Outcome of Ondott's Plottings 91 
 X. How Rolf named Witnesses for the 
 
 Death of Hiarandi 101 
 
 XI. Of Rolfs Search for One to Surpass 
 
 Him with the Bow 109 
 
 XII. Of the Trial of Skill at Tongue . . 121 
 
 XIII. Of that Robber 129 
 
 XIV. How Rolf and Einar summoned each 
 
 other 14-5 
 
 XV. Of Suits at the Althing 155 
 
 XVI. The Act of Distress l66 
 
 [xij 
 
TABLE OF CONTENTS 
 Chapter Page 
 XVII. Rolf and Frodi fare abroad . , . 175 
 XVIII. How those Two came into Thral- 
 dom 180 
 
 XIX. Now Men are Shipwrecked . . . 192 
 
 XX. How Rolf won his Freedom . . . 206 
 
 XXI. How Rolf won the Viking's Bow . 230 
 
 XXII. Now Kiartan Returns 253 
 
 XXIII. Of the Coming of Earl Thorfinn . 271 
 
 XXIV. Now Rolf and Grani Quarrel . . 279 
 XXV. Here Rolf comes to Cragness . . 295 
 
 XXVI. Of Grani's Pride 313 
 
 XXVII. Odd Doings at Cragness . ... 335 
 
 XXVIII. Of that Harvest Feast 345 
 
 XXIX. Of the Trial of Grani's Pride . . 369 
 
 XXX. Of the Saying of those Two Words 385 
 
 [xii] 
 
LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS 
 
 " It was Kolf ill his weapons " . . . . Frontispiece 
 
 *' * Now Einar dies it" rny father is hurt ' ' ' , Page 58 
 
 "So t/ill was she that the vikiiiirs could not 
 
 board her" "184 
 
 " There he sat as if he were still alive, but 
 
 there was no si^ht in his eyes " . . . " 224 
 
 " Grani took his sword and his shield, and 
 
 they stood up to fight by the spring " . " 405 
 
THE STORY OF ROLF 
 
 CHAPTER T 
 
 OF THE LIGHTING OF THE BEACON 
 
 IX the time aftei- leeland liad become 
 Christian, and after the burning of 
 Xjal, but before the deaths of Snorri 
 the Priest and Grettir the Outlaw, there 
 h\'ed at Cragness above Broad firth a man 
 named Hiarandi, called tlie Unlucky. 
 And well was lie so named, for he got a 
 poor inheritance from his father, but he 
 left a poorer to his son. 
 
 Now the farm of Cragness was a fertile 
 fell, standing above the land round about, 
 and girt with crags. Below^ lay Broad- 
 firth, great and wide, and Cragness jutted 
 out into it, a danger to ships. It had no 
 harbor, but a little cove among the rocks, 
 [1] 
 
THE STORY OF ROLF 
 
 where Hiarandi kept his boat ; and many 
 sliips were wrecked on the headland, bring- 
 ing fortune to the owners of Cragness, 
 both in goods and firewood. And all 
 the land about once belonged to the farm. 
 Rich, therefore, would have been the 
 dwellers at Cragness, but for the doings 
 of Hiarandi 's father. 
 
 He would always be striving at the law, 
 and he was of ill judgment or ill luck, for 
 what he gained at the farm he always lost. 
 The older ht grew, the more quarrelsome 
 he became ; and judgments heaped heavy 
 on him, until at last he was so hard put 
 that he must sell all his outlying lands. 
 So the farm, from a wade estate, became 
 only the land of Cragness itself, and an- 
 other liolding of a few acres, lying inland 
 on the uplands, within sight of Cragness 
 and the sea. 
 
 In the time when Hiarandi was young, 
 Iceland was still heathen. He sought his 
 [2] 
 
LIGHTING OF THE BEACOX 
 
 fortune in a trading voyage, and sailed 
 West-over-the-Sea, trading in the South 
 Isles as a ehapman, traffieking in goods of 
 all kinds. And he made money there, so 
 that at hist when he sailed again for home 
 he counted on a fair future. But the ship 
 was ^^Tecked in a storm, and lew of the 
 men came asliore ; and Hiarandi himself 
 w^as saved by means of a maid who dwelt 
 at the place, who dragged him from tlie 
 surf. So Hiarandi came home on foot, 
 his clothes in tatters, having lost money 
 rather than gained it. Then his father, 
 w^hose losses pressed heavy on him, strug- 
 gled no more with the world, hut went to 
 his bed and died. And in that summer 
 when all Iceland took to the new faith, 
 Hiarandi became master at Cragness. 
 
 Hiarandi was a silent man, not neigh- 
 borly, but hard-working. An unworldly 
 choice he made of a wife, for he took that 
 woman who liad saved him from the 
 [3] 
 
THE STORY OF ROLF 
 
 waves ; she was the daughter of a small 
 farmer and brought neither dowry nor 
 kinship of any power. So men said that 
 Hiarandi had no wish to rise in the w^orld. 
 He lived upon his farm, with two thralls 
 and a bondservant ; and husbanding his 
 goods well, by little and little he made 
 money which he put out at call, and so 
 bade fair to do better than his father, for 
 all his poor start in life. And a loving 
 spouse he had in Asdis, his wife, w^ho one 
 day bore him a son. 
 
 They named the lad Rolf, and he grew 
 to be well knit ; he was not powerful, but 
 straight and supple, and of great craft in 
 his hands. And from delight in the boy 
 Hiarandi changed his ways, and became 
 more gay, going to fairs and meetings for 
 the sake of Rolf. And Hiarandi taught 
 the lad all he knew of weapon-craft, which 
 was not a little. The lad was swift of 
 foot ; he was skilled in the use of the 
 [4] 
 
LIGHTING OF THE BEACON 
 
 sword and javelin, but most he delighted 
 in the use of the bow. 
 
 And that was natural, for upon the 
 cliffs sea-birds lived in thousands, hard to 
 catch. The boy went down to their nests 
 with ropes, and took eggs in their season, 
 or the young before they could fly, and 
 both for food. So skilled was he in this 
 that he was called Craggcir, tlie Crags- 
 man ; and no man could surpass him, 
 whether in daring or skill. But there 
 were times when there ^^■cre no eggs nor 
 fledglings, and from his earliest boyhood 
 Rolf practised in shooting with his bow 
 at the birds, and he kept the larder ever 
 full. 
 
 Happy was Hiarandi watching his son, 
 and his pride in him was great. As the 
 lad grew stronger, the father made for 
 him stronger bows and heavier arrows, 
 until at the age of fourteen Rolf used 
 the bow of a man. Then one winter 
 [5] 
 
THE STORY OF ROLF 
 
 they went down together into the valley, 
 father and son, and watched the sports 
 and games on the frozen mere. 
 
 There the men of the place played at 
 ball, and great was the laughter or deep 
 was the feeling. Now Hiarandi would 
 not let Rolf play, for often matters came 
 to blows, and he would not have his son 
 maimed. But when it came to shooting 
 with the bow, Hiarandi put Rolf forward, 
 and it was seen who was the best at that 
 play. For though the men shot, Rolf 
 surpassed them all, not in distance but in 
 skill. He hit the smallest mark at the 
 greatest distance ; and when Hiarandi 
 brought a pigeon and freed it, then Rolf 
 brought it down. No one there had seen 
 such shooting. Then those who were not 
 envious named the lad Rolf the Bowman. 
 
 But a man named Einai- stood by, and 
 he lived on the land which Hiarandi^s 
 father had sold. He was rich but covet- 
 [6] 
 
LIGHTING OF THE BEACON 
 
 ous, and fond of show, and fond of praise, 
 There lived w^th him one named Ondott, 
 an Eastfirther who had left his district 
 and come west, a man ^^^thout property. 
 He stood with Einar and watched the 
 games. 
 
 " See," said Einar, " how proud is Hia- 
 randi of his son ! ' 
 
 " Thou hast a son as well," said Ondott. 
 " How lie will shine among these churls 
 when he returns from his fostering in the 
 South Isles!" 
 
 " Aye," answered Einar. " I^ike an 
 Earl will he be, and no farmer of these 
 parts will compare with him." 
 
 " And as for the shooting of this lad," 
 remarked Ondott, " it is not so fine after 
 aU." 
 
 " In the Orkneys," said Einar aloud, so 
 that others should hear him, " they are 
 better bowmen than here, and the Earl 
 will have my son taught everything." 
 
THE STORY OF ROLF 
 
 Now some who stood by brought Hia- 
 randi this tale. ** Have a care," said they. 
 " Thy neighbor Einar sets himself above 
 thee." 
 
 " Then he must set himself high," an- 
 swered Hiarandi with a laugh, '* for his 
 land lies far lower than mine." 
 
 Then others carried that tale to Einar, 
 and he laid it up in his mind ; but 
 Hiarandi forgot all that had been said, 
 nor did he remember to tell of it to 
 Asdis when they had returned from the 
 games. 
 
 Then the winter passed on with severe 
 storms, and ships were wrecked on Crag- 
 ness rocks, but no men reached shore. 
 And Einar envied the more the riches 
 that came to Hiarandi from the ^\Tecks, 
 in firewood, timber, and merchandise. 
 And once a whale came ashore, and that 
 was great fortune. But one evening, as 
 those at Cragness sat within the hall, 
 [8] 
 
LIGHTING OF THE BEACON 
 
 Asdis came and stood beside her husband, 
 and said, '* Listen to tlie wind." 
 
 '• There is no need to hsten," said 
 Hiarandi. ** The wind howls for a storm, 
 and this nii^ht will be bad.' 
 
 Then Tlinrid the bondservant, who sat 
 by tile fire, looked up and said, '* Sliips 
 are o\Y the land." 
 
 *' nearest thou that i " asked Asdis in 
 a low \ oice. ** The woman is strange, but 
 she forecasts well.'' 
 
 " Aye," answered Hiarandi, *' it is likely 
 that ships will he on the rocks by morn- 
 ing." 
 
 '* Now," asked Asdis, '* dost thou re- 
 member the time thou camest ashore, 
 these many years ago ? " 
 
 '" How should I forget it ? " responded 
 Hiarandi. 
 
 " But no one can rush into the water 
 here," said Asdis, '* to save those who are 
 wrecked." 
 
 [9] 
 
THE STORY OF ROLF 
 
 "That is true," quoth HiarandL "1 
 am sorry for the mariners, yet how is one 
 to help ? " 
 
 Then the bondservant raised her head 
 and sang this song : 
 
 " The sea brings money ; 
 Money is bonny. 
 Bless then the sea 
 Which brings good to thee." 
 
 After that she sat silent and sunken as 
 before. 
 
 " Hear the hag," said Asdis, shuddering. 
 " But we prosper through the misfortunes 
 of others." 
 
 " What is to be done ? " asked Hiarandi. 
 
 " It is in my mind," said Asdis, " that 
 if we made a fire-beacon, people could 
 steer from shore and so into safe harbor 
 farther up the firth." 
 
 " Now," quoth Hiarandi, " that might 
 be done." 
 
 " Wilt thou do it ? " asked Asdis. 
 [10] 
 
LIGHTING OF THE BEACON 
 
 Then the woman raised her head and 
 sang again : 
 
 " He is a fool 
 Who leaves old nile. 
 Set heart 'gainst head. 
 How then butter thy bread ? " 
 
 Then Hiarandi said to Aschs : *' No 
 man has ever yet set beacons against ship- 
 wreck. All men agree to take the fortune 
 of the sea ; and wliat is cast on a man's 
 beaches, that is his hy old custom." 
 
 '^Thinkest thou that is right?" asked 
 Asdis. 
 
 '* Moreover," went on Hiarandi, '* the 
 sea is but mvinir me atrain what it took 
 away. 
 
 ** Never can the sea,' answered Asdis, 
 ** gi\e thee true happiness through other 
 men's misfortunes." 
 
 '^Hemember the boy," said Hiarandi. 
 *' Shall I lea\ e him with nothing to begin 
 the world with ? For my own earnings 
 
THE STORY OF llOLF 
 
 bring me at most a mark of silver in the 
 year." 
 
 "' For all that," replied Asdis, *' it is in 
 my mind that to do otherwise were to do 
 better. Now canst thou have the heart 
 that men should die longer on our rocks, 
 and we not do our best to save them ? " 
 
 Then Hiarandi, answering nothing, rose 
 and paced up and down before the foe. 
 And the carline sang once more : 
 
 " Take what is given. 
 No man is wise 
 Who asketh twice 
 If earth or heaven 
 Sends him his prize." 
 
 But Asdis stood upright, and she sang : 
 
 " Suffer not wrong 
 To happen long, 
 Lest punishment 
 From heaven be sent." 
 
 Now in Iceland all men loved the sing- 
 ing of skalds ; but though Hiarandi had 
 [12] 
 
LICxHTIXG OF THE BEACOX 
 
 heard the carUnc sing many times before, 
 never had he heard rhymes from his wife. 
 So he stood astonished. 
 
 Then the bondservant saner a^rain : 
 
 " 111 will attend 
 The beacon's lighting. 
 Bad spirit's guiding 
 Will bring false friend," 
 
 But Asdis sang witii great vehemence : 
 
 " Let G(xl decide 
 What fate shall ride 
 L'jKui the wind. 
 Be thou not blind 
 To duty's hest. 
 My rede is best. 
 List to the storm ! 
 Go ! Save from harn. 
 The mariner 
 Whose fate is near. 
 To others do 
 As I did once to you." 
 
 And it seemed to Hiarandi as if she 
 commanded him. Moreover, as he Hs- 
 [13] 
 
THE STORY OF ROLF 
 
 tened, the storm roared louder. Then he 
 seized his cloak, and cried to his thralls, 
 ^* Up, and out with me to make a beacon ! " 
 
 Though they dared not disobey, they 
 grumbled, and they got their cloaks slowly. 
 For they saw slipping away from them 
 the fine pickings from the wreck, which 
 brought them warm clothes and hand- 
 some. Out they went with Hiarandi into 
 the storm, and kindled a great fire at the 
 edge of the cHfF. And Rolf toiled too ; 
 but Asdis did best of all, for she brought 
 out in a kettle great strips of whale's 
 blubber, and flung them on the fire. 
 Then the flames flared high and wide, as 
 bright as day. And Rolf sprang to the 
 edge of the cliffs and gazed upon the 
 water. Then, pointing, he cried, " Look !" 
 
 Down below was a ship ; its sail flapped 
 
 in rags, and the crew were laboring 
 
 mightily at the oars to save themselves, 
 
 looking with dread at the white breakers 
 
 [14] 
 
LIGHTING OF THE BEACON 
 
 and the looming rocks. Now in the 
 strength of their fear they held the vessel 
 where she was ; and by the broad light of 
 the fire every man of them was visible to 
 the Cragness-dwellers. To Rolf that was 
 a dreadful sight. But the bit of a sail 
 was set, and men ran to tlie steering-oar 
 to hold the vessel stiff; and behold, she 
 moved forward, staggered past the rocks, 
 made clearer water, and wore slowly out 
 into the firth. Even the thralls shouted 
 at the sight. 
 
 Then Hiarandi left one of the thralls to 
 keep the fire, and went back to the hall 
 with those others. There the carline still 
 sat. 
 
 " So he is safe past the rocks ? " she 
 asked, yet speaking as if she knew. 
 
 *' Aye, safe," answered Hiarandi. 
 
 ** Now," said she, *' thou hast brought 
 thy e\11 fortune on thyself, and it will be 
 hard to avoid the extreme of it." 
 [1.5] 
 
THE STORY OF ROLF 
 
 " I care not," answered Hiarandi, " even 
 though I suffer for a good deed." 
 
 " Nevertlieless," said the carUne, " the 
 future may be safe, though without riches, 
 if thou wilt be guided by me. Wilt thou 
 follow my redes ? " 
 
 " No advices of thine do I follow," re- 
 plied Hiarandi. " For methinks thou still 
 servest the old gods, and canst work witch- 
 craft. Speak no more of this matter in 
 my house ; and practise not thy sorcery 
 before my eyes, for the law gives death as 
 punishment." 
 
 " Now," answered the woman, " like a 
 foolish man, thou rushest on thy fate. 
 And I see clearly that thou art not he 
 who was spoken of in the prophecy. Not 
 a fortunate Soursop art thou." 
 
 " Since the slaying of Kol, who put the 
 curse on all our stock," answered Hiarandi, 
 " has but one of the Soursops prospered. 
 How then should 1 be fortunate ? " 
 [16] 
 
LIGHTING OF THE BEACON 
 
 " Two were to prosper/' the woman 
 replied. " ^Vnd each was to put an end 
 to the curse in liis branch of thy race. 
 Snorri tlie Priest is one of tliose two, 
 as all men know. But thou art not 
 the other ; and I believe that thou art 
 doomed to fail, even as thy father 
 was." 
 
 ** So I have long believed," said Hiarandi 
 calmly. 
 
 Then the carline rose, and her eyes were 
 strange, as if thcv saw beyond that upon 
 which she looked. ** More misfortune 
 is coming than thou deemest," she said. 
 *' Outlawry. Mayhap even death. Be 
 warned ! " 
 
 *' Thou art a heathen and a witch," said 
 her master. '' Be still ! " 
 
 But she said : '' I will not abide the 
 curse. Hiarandi, I have worked long in 
 thy house. Give me now my freedom 
 and let me go." 
 
 [17] 
 
THE STORY OF ROLF 
 
 " Thou hast long been free to go," he 
 replied. " Take thy croaking to another 
 man's board ! But this little prophecy I 
 give to thee, that no man will believe 
 thine ill-speaking." 
 
 " No gi-eat foresight hast thou in that," 
 she answered. " Never have I been be- 
 lieved." Then she drew on her cloak and 
 hooded her face. 
 
 "Thou wilt not go in the storm?" 
 asked Asdis. 
 
 " All times are alike," the woman said. 
 " Heed thou this, Hiarandi. Beware the 
 man who came in the ship thou didst 
 save ! " 
 
 " He is one," answered Hiarandi, 
 "whom I fear not at all." 
 
 " Beware suits at law," said the carhne 
 again, and she turned to go. 
 
 " It needs no great wisdom to say that," 
 retorted Hiarandi upon her. " But stay ! 
 I send not people from my door penni- 
 
 [18 1 
 
LIGHTING OF THE BEACON 
 
 less. Nothing is owing from me to thee, 
 yet I will give a piece of money." 
 
 " Soon," answered Thurid, ** thou wilt 
 need all thou hast" And she went out 
 into the night. 
 
 [19] 
 
CHAPTER II 
 
 OF THE SOURSOPS, AND THE CURSE 
 WHICH HUNG ON THEM 
 
 Or those things which had been 
 said, Rolf heard all, yet he had 
 not spoken. Now he drew near 
 to his father, and said to him: "Ex- 
 plain to me, father, the things of which 
 the woman spoke. What is the curse 
 upon us, and can such a thing be true ? '' 
 Then Hiarandi answered: " Thou know- 
 est we are of the Soursops, who got 
 their name when they sopped with sour 
 whey the fire which was kindled to burn 
 them in their house. Now Gisli, the first 
 of us, slew Kol, his wife's foster-father, for 
 the sake of his sword Graysteel, and Kol 
 laid the curse of misfortune on us. Slay- 
 [20] 
 
OF THE SOLRSOPS 
 
 ings arose by means of that sword ; there 
 came the outlawing of Gish, the gi'andson 
 of the first Gish, and deatli fell in most 
 branches of the house. Fourteen years 
 Gisli was outlaw, even as has been, to 
 this year, Grettir the Strong, who is the 
 great outlaw of our day. But Gisli was 
 slain, and his brother, while his sister died. 
 Son of that sister is Snorri the Priest, 
 who alone of us has prospered ; for though 
 no slayings have ever happened in our 
 branch, unlucky are we all, as is plain 
 to see." 
 
 " I have often wondered," said Kolf, 
 **how it is that wc live here in this great 
 hall and have but us three and the ser- 
 vants to fill it. There are places for seven 
 fires down the middle of the hall, yet we 
 use but one. And all the benches wxre 
 once used, since they are worn : seats for 
 fifty men, and the w^omen's seats besides." 
 
 " Once," said Hiarandi, ** my father Iiad 
 [21] 
 
THE STORY OF ROLF 
 
 so many on his farm that nightly the hall 
 was full. But those serving-men are 
 Einar's now, and all our riches have 
 passed away to him. Yet this house is 
 the finest in all these parts. I was at the 
 building of it in my youth, and " (here he 
 made sure that the thrall was not listen- 
 ing) " I myself made the secret panels by 
 which we can escape in case of burning. 
 For since that burning so long ago, no 
 Soursop builds himself a house in which 
 men may trap him." 
 
 " But thou hast no enemies, father ? " 
 asked the lad. 
 
 " No enemies, I hope," answered Hia- 
 randi, "but few friends, I am sure, since 
 only Frodi the Smith, my mother s cousin, 
 is of our kin ; for I count not Snorri the 
 Priest" 
 
 " But why not Snorri the Priest ? " asked 
 Rolf. 
 
 " My father," answei-ed Hiarandi, " quar- 
 [22] 
 
OF THE SOURSOPS 
 
 lulled with him and called him coward. 
 For Snorri would not take up at arms a 
 suit my father lost at law." 
 
 Then Rolf thought awhile. All men 
 knew of Snorri the Priest, who was no 
 temple priest at all but a priest of the 
 law. For the title had come down from 
 heathen times, when leaders had sway 
 over all matters, both in religion and law, 
 and to be priest was to be chieftain. But 
 usage and the new religion changed that 
 by degrees ; so that to be priest now 
 meant to be a giver of the law, with a 
 seat at the Quarter Courts and at the 
 Althing, the great yearly gathering to 
 which from all Iceland men went to 
 settle suits. And Snorri the Priest was 
 well known as the richest man in Broad- 
 tirth dales, the shrewdest and wisest in all 
 things worldly, and a master at the law. 
 
 '' It would be well," said the lad, " to 
 have Snorri on our side." 
 [23] 
 
THE STORY OF ROLF 
 
 " It is better," said Asdis, " never to go 
 to the law. Lawsuits and quarrels are 
 bad things, and they bring a man's fortune 
 to naught." 
 
 And Hiarandi added, ** By law we have 
 ever suffered." 
 
 Then Rolf was silent, and thought of 
 what had been said : how the old woman 
 had prophesied trouble at the law, and by 
 what man that trouble should come. And 
 as he thought upon the words she and his 
 father had spoken, he thought that they 
 had spoken with knowledge, though of 
 different kinds : for while the woman 
 prophesied vaguely, his father had seemed 
 to know who the man should be. 
 
 "Father," asked Rolf, "knowest thou 
 who the man is that came upon the 
 ship ? " 
 
 " I know," answered Hiarandi. 
 
 Asdis asked : " Who then is he ? " 
 
 Hiarandi said : " Saw ye upon the ship, 
 [24] 
 
OF THE SOURSOPS 
 
 as it lay below us, the faces of any of the 
 men ? " 
 
 " Aye," answered they both, *' for it 
 was as clear as day. ' 
 
 " Saw ye then," asked Hiarandi, " one 
 who stood by the mast, a tall man with a 
 great beard I " 
 
 *' I saw liim," answered J^olf. " He 
 stood and lit'ld by a rope and tlie mast, 
 and I thought he should be the captain ; 
 but he gave no commands, nor did any 
 man heed him, for all worked of them- 
 selves." 
 
 *' Yet, as 1 guess," said Hiarandi, " the 
 captain was he, and he was the man of 
 whom the carline spoke. ' 
 
 " AVho is he, then ? " asked the boy. 
 
 *' Listen," said Hiarandi, *' and I will 
 tell thee of one in my family of whom I 
 have never yet spoken. There were two 
 of us when I was a lad, brothers ; and 
 the other was named Kiartan. He was 
 [25] 
 
THE STORY OF ROLF 
 
 younger than I by a year, and different 
 in all his ways ; yet I have often thought 
 that my father had not enough patience 
 with him. For he sent him to bad com- 
 panions rather than weaned him from 
 them, and at last he drove him from the 
 house altogether. Then Kiartan took to 
 the sea — he was not bad, remember, but 
 weak perhaps and foolish — took to the 
 sea, and we saw him not for years. Once 
 only he came back, out at elbow, and 
 asked my father for money. Money he 
 got, but gave the promise to ask nothing 
 from the inheritance ; and this was hand- 
 selled before witnesses, my father giving 
 much, the rest to come to me. Then 
 Kiartan went away again, and not until 
 this night have I seen him. But if that 
 was his ship, then he has prospered." 
 
 "Yet it was he the woman meant?" 
 asked Rolf. 
 
 " Who else ? " returned his father. 
 [26] 
 
OF THE SOURSOPS 
 
 " How should he,*' asked the boy, 
 *' bring trouble on thee ? " 
 
 " 1 see not," answered Hiarandi, " how 
 he should brmg either evil or good." 
 
 Then he closed his mouth and became 
 thoughtful, in a manner he had. Asdis 
 motioned Rolf to be silent, and nothing 
 more was said in the matter. 
 
 [27] 
 
CHAPTER III 
 
 KIARTAN AT CRAGNESS 
 
 ON the morning of the fifth day 
 thereafter, as Rolf stood by the 
 gate of the enclosure which pro- 
 tected the farm buildings, he saw a man 
 coming on a horse, and knew him for his 
 father's brother Kiartan. He was a big 
 man, heavily bearded, dressed in bright- 
 colored clothes and hung about with gold 
 chains. His eye was bright and roving ; 
 his face was genial, and he looked about 
 him as he came as one who is well con- 
 tented. Yet Rolf liked him not. 
 
 Now Kiartan rode up to the enclosure 
 
 and saw the boy. " Ho ! " he cried, 
 
 " come hold my horse and stable him." 
 
 So Rolf took the horse by the bridle and 
 
 [28 1 
 
KIARTAX AT CRAGNESS 
 
 iield him while the man dismounted. 
 Then the boy started to lead tlie beast 
 to the stable. 
 
 " Where is thy mistress ? " asked Kiartan. 
 
 *' My mother is in the house," answered 
 Rolf. 
 
 " Now," Kiartan cried, •' 1 took thee for 
 a stable-boy. But thy father had ever a 
 love of the earth, and so perhaps hast 
 thou. Knowest thou me ? " 
 
 " Thou art niy uncle," replied the lad. 
 
 *' Now," cried Kiartan, staring, *' what 
 spirit told thee of me i " 
 
 " Five nights ago,'' answered Rolf, 
 " thou stoodst below on the deck of thy 
 ship, and lookedst up at Cragness. And 
 our beacon saved thee." 
 
 " Aye," said Kiartan. " We had work 
 to save our lives, and a close miss we 
 made of the Tusks." But he never gave 
 a word of thanks, either to Rolf or 
 to Hiarandi, for the saving of his life. 
 [29] 
 
THE STORY OF ROLF 
 
 " Thou art wise to stay at home, boy ; for 
 see how a sailor's life hangs ever on a 
 thread. Now stable the horse, and I will 
 see thy mother. The farmer is likely in 
 the field." 
 
 So Rolf stabled the horse, and called 
 his father from his work ; and Hiarandi 
 came, muttering (though he meant not 
 that Rolf should hear), " Poor steel comes 
 often home for a new edge." But he 
 greeted his brother well, and bade him 
 stay with them for the winter. 
 
 "Even for that am I come," answered 
 Kiartan. " For my cargo is already sold, 
 and my ship laid up for the winter near 
 Hvamm, and I come home to my kins- 
 man. No poor penny am I this time, to 
 need any man's help. Perhaps," and he 
 looked about him, " I can even help 
 thee." 
 
 But the buildings were neat and 
 weather-tight, and the farm was in no 
 [30] 
 
KIARTAN AT CRAGNESS 
 
 need of improvement " I need nothing," 
 said Hiarandi, "and I even have money 
 out at call there in the neighborhood 
 where thy ship is laid. But come, the 
 wife prepares the meal. Lay aside thy 
 cloak and be at home." 
 
 And so Kiartan entered on his winter- 
 ing at Cragness. 
 
 Quiet is the winter in Iceland, when 
 men have no work to do in the field, save 
 the watching of horses and the feeding of 
 the sheep and kine. AVeatherwise must 
 a man be to prepare against the storms, 
 which sweep with suddenness from off 
 the water and enfold the land with snow. 
 Yet Hiarandi's flocks were small, and his 
 sheep-range was not wide, and both he 
 and Rolf were keen to see the changes in 
 the weather ; and as for their horses, they 
 stayed ever neai- the buildings. So all 
 were free to go to the gatherings which 
 men made for games and ball-play, in 
 [31] 
 
THE STORY OF ROLF 
 
 times of fair weather. Thither Kiartan 
 loved to go, dressed in his fine clothes, 
 and talking much. But nights when he 
 sat at home he would speak of his travels, 
 and what a fine place the world was, and 
 how little there was for a man here in 
 Iceland. He said it was nothing to be a 
 farmer, but a great thing to rove the sea, 
 and to live, not in this land where all 
 were equal, but where there were kings, 
 earls, and other great men. 
 
 Once as he spoke thus he provoked 
 Hiarandi to words. " Meseems, brother," 
 the farmer said, " that thou hast forgotten 
 the way our forefathers thought. For it 
 was to avoid kings and earls that they left 
 their lands in Norway and came over 
 the sea hither. And those whom thou 
 prizest so high are so little thought of here 
 that we make nothing of them whatever." 
 
 '' Now," answered Kiartan, '* thy neigh- 
 bor Einar thinks well of earls, for he has 
 [32] 
 
KIARTAN AT CRAGXESS 
 
 fostered his son with the Earl of the 
 Orkneys." 
 
 " The lad will understand little of our 
 ways when he returns," replied Hiarandi. 
 
 " For all that," Kiartan said, *' I name 
 the son of EJnar luckier than thy son 
 here. A gi*eat court is held in the Ork- 
 neys, and all matters are to be learned 
 there." 
 
 Then Hiarandi made response : '* Xo 
 court can teach good sense to a dolt, and 
 no wisdom will flourish unless there be 
 good ground tor it to sprout. 1 liave 
 seen wise men bred in tliis little land, and 
 fools that came out of Xorway." 
 
 Then Kiartan talked not so much be- 
 fore Hiarandi of the things he had seen, 
 nor for a time before Rolf either, l^ut 
 when there came again the great winter 
 ball-play, to which all went, and Rolf 
 shot again with the bow^ before them all, 
 and proved himself the most skilful, 
 3 [33] 
 
THE STORY OF ROLF 
 
 though not yet the strongest : after that 
 Kiartan made more of the lad. 
 
 ** Men," said he to Rolf one day when 
 they were alone, " may be able to shoot 
 farther than thou with the bow, for two 
 did it. But none shot so surely. And 
 some day thou wilt outshoot them as 
 well." 
 
 "I think not much of it," answered 
 Rolf. 
 
 "Now," said Kiartan, "thou shouldst 
 learn to prize thyself higher. For in the 
 Orkneys good archers are welcome in 
 the Earl's body-guard, and a man is 
 honored and well paid." 
 
 "Yet he is no longer his own man," 
 answered Rolf. 
 
 " What of that ? " asked Kiartan. " If 
 for a few years he can see the world, and 
 make his fortune also, then he is forever 
 after a greater man at home. Think more 
 of thyself!" 
 
 [34] 
 
KIARTAN AT CRAGNESS 
 
 And at other times he spoke in the 
 same strain, bidding Rolf value himself 
 higher. And he told of the great world, 
 and described his journeys. For he had 
 been, he said, as far as the gi'eat Middle 
 Sea, had traded in Italy, and had even 
 seen Rome. And Rolf was greatly inter- 
 ested in those tales ; for the lands across 
 the sea were of moment to all Icelanders, 
 since many a man fared abroad often, and 
 no man thought himself complete who 
 liad not once made the voyage. So he 
 listened willingly, when Kiartan told his 
 tales at evening in the hall. The parents 
 were inattentive; but sometimes Hiarandi, 
 and sometimes Asdis, would interrupt the 
 story, sending the lad to some task or to 
 bed. 
 
 Now at last it draws toward spring, 
 
 and the time approaches when Kiartan 
 
 must go away to his ship, to dight it for 
 
 the voyage. And it was remembered 
 
 [ 35 ] 
 
THE STORY OF ROLF 
 
 afterward how one evening he drew Hia- 
 randi on to talk of his savings, and learned 
 what money he had out at interest, and 
 with whom. And Kiartan spoke the 
 oftener with Rolf, praising him for the 
 fine man he was growing to be. Then 
 at his last night at Cragness the ship- 
 master said, as all sat together before the 
 fire : 
 
 " Brother, thou knowest I must go 
 away to-morrow." 
 
 " Aye," answered Hiarandi. 
 
 "Now," said Kiartan, "let me say to 
 thee what is in my mind. Take it not ill 
 that I speak freely. But I think it wrong 
 of thee that thou keepest here at home 
 such a fine lad as is Rolf thy son." And 
 he would have put his hand upon the 
 boy's shoulder, but Rolf drew away. 
 Kiartan went on : " Now I am going to 
 the South Isles. Send Rolf with me, and 
 let him see the world." 
 [36] 
 
KIARTAN AT CRAGNESS 
 
 Then Hiarandi grew uneasy, and he 
 answered : " Speak no more of this. 
 Some day he shall see the lands across 
 the main, hut as yet he is too young." 
 
 ** Nay," answered Kiartan. '* he is nearly 
 full-gi'own. What sayest thou, Rolf? 
 Wilt thou not go with me ? " 
 
 Rolf answered : ** I will he ruled hy my 
 father." 
 
 '• I ha\e made nuich money," reasoned 
 Kiartan, '* and thou canst do the same." 
 
 '' I care not for trading," replied Rolf. 
 
 " There are courts to he seen," said 
 Kiartan, " and thou mayest serve in them 
 thyself." 
 
 *' I am not ready to be a servant," quoth 
 Rolf 
 
 " But thou mayest see wars and fight- 
 ing," cried Kiartan. 
 
 " I have no quarrels of my own," an- 
 swered the boy, '* and I mix not in the 
 affairs of others." 
 
 [57] 
 
THE STORY OF ROLF 
 
 Now Hiarandi and Asdis had listened 
 with both anger and fear, — anger that 
 Kiartan should so tempt the boy, and 
 feai' at what Rolf might answer. But 
 Rolf spoke with wisdom beyond his 
 years ; and at his last response Hiarandi 
 smiled, and Asdis clapped her hands. 
 Then Kiartan started from his seat and 
 cried : "Out upon ye all for stay-at- 
 homes ! " And he would speak no more 
 with them that night, but went to his 
 locked bed and shut himself in. Yet he 
 spoke to the lad once more in the morn- 
 ing, out by the byre while Rolf was sad- 
 dling the horse. 
 
 " Surely," said Kiartan, " thou didst 
 not mean what thou saidst last night, for 
 the fear of thy parents was in thy mind. 
 Now let me tell thee what we can do. 
 I will go on for the lading of my ship, 
 and that will take a fortnight's time. 
 Then I will wait for thee at the mouth 
 
KIARTAN AT CRAGNESS 
 
 of Laxrivei*, and thou canst come thither 
 and join me secretly." 
 
 " Xow," said the lad, *' if I tell my 
 father this, he will give thee a beating. 
 Therefore I will remain silent until thy 
 ship has sailed." 
 
 Then Kiaiium turned pale, and cursed, 
 and made as if to strike his nephew. But 
 Rolf put his hand to his belt, and Kiartan 
 drew away. Yet Rolf had no knife. 
 
 " I see," said Rolf, '* tliat thou art not 
 quick at arms nor sure of thy own 
 strength, even against me. And I knew 
 thou wert a coward long ago, when I saw 
 thee on thy ship's deck, giving no orders, 
 but letting other men save thy ship and 
 thyself. No great deeds of daring would 
 I see with thee as shipmaster." 
 
 When Kiartan rode away, he w^as as glad 
 at parting as were those of the house. 
 
 " He is not changed," said Hiarandi, 
 "in all the years he has been gone." 
 [39] 
 
THE STORY OF ROLF 
 
 " Where," asked Asdis, " is the harm 
 which he was to do us ? " 
 
 And she laughed, but rejoiced too 
 soon. For after six weeks men came to 
 Hiarandi, sent from Laxriverdale, where 
 traders had given goods to Kiartan upon 
 his promise that Hiarandi should pay. 
 And it was discovered that Kiartan had 
 not only used the money which Hiarandi 
 had out at call in that region, but had 
 obtained goods from other men creating 
 debts. And he had filled all his ship at 
 Hiarandi's expense. Then Rolf told to 
 his father his own tale of Kiartan's secret 
 offer, and Hiarandi was bitterly wroth. 
 
 And then began those troubles which 
 Thurid had foreseen. For when Hiarandi 
 refused to pay for the goods, but instead 
 sought to regain his money from those 
 who had supplied Kiartan, the matter 
 was brought to the law. And first at 
 the Quarter Thing, and then at the 
 [40] 
 
KIARTAN AT CRAGNESS 
 
 Althing, many small suits were disputed. 
 But the end of the matter was, that 
 Hiarandi was beaten by the skill of 
 lawyers ; and he had to lose his money 
 and pay more besides, and stood stripped 
 of all which he had laid up against liis 
 age, or against that time when Rolf 
 should need a start in life. And the 
 farmer was greatly cast down, recalling 
 the misfortunes of the Soursops, and how 
 he himself had been always called the 
 Unlucky. But Asdis and Rolf strove to 
 keep him in good heart. 
 
 [41] 
 
CHAPTER IV 
 
 OF EINAR AND ONDOTT 
 
 NOW the tale turns to speak of 
 Einar and his household, how 
 they dwelt at Fellstead, upon 
 the low-lying land. Einar was a rich 
 man, and he kept a large household of 
 many thralls and servants. And for his 
 pleasure, that he might seem the greater 
 in the eyes of his neighbors, he kept men 
 who did no work, but bore arms where- 
 soever they went ; yet it had never been 
 known that Einar brought any matter to 
 bloodshed. He was not firm in any deal- 
 ings, but he wished to be thought a great 
 man. His holding was wide, for he 
 owned all that the fathers of Hiarandi 
 had had. Yet from his yard he often 
 [42] 
 
OF EINAR AND OXDOTT 
 
 looked with no contented eye toward the 
 hall of Hiarandi, where it stood above 
 the crags, looking far over firth and 
 fell. 
 
 Now of the men of Einar s household 
 Ondott had the ruling, for he pleased 
 Einar much, yet they were different in 
 all outward ways. For Einar was short 
 and plump, given to puffing and swelling 
 as he spoke, and of many smooth words ; 
 but Ondott was tall and thin, Ican-visaged 
 and sour, and of surly speech. Einar was 
 fond of dress, while Ondott went in simple 
 clothes ; yet they both loved money, and 
 some accused Ondott of hoarding, but 
 Einar spent freely, seeking to gain by 
 gifts what his wit could not win for him. 
 For he was not loved, and men thought 
 little of his counsels. 
 
 Of the women at Fellstead one old 
 freedwoman was chief; and she held in 
 especial care the daughter of Einar, Helga 
 [43] 
 
THE STORY OF ROLF 
 
 by name, who was yet young, being but 
 thirteen years of age. She was of a sweet 
 nature. Now one morning Helga stood 
 with Dalla the old woman before the 
 women's door of the hall, and they saw 
 where came toward them a woman much 
 bent, and covered with a cape and hood ; 
 when she came near, they knew her for 
 Thurid from Cragness. She begged them 
 for lodging and work. Dalla sent for 
 Einar. 
 
 " How is it come," asked Einar, " that 
 thou hast left itiarandi ? " 
 
 *' The man," said she, " calls upon his 
 doom, and I will not stay to share it." 
 And she told of the beacon, and how 
 thereby a ship had been saved. 
 
 " Now," quoth Einar, " Hiarandi is a 
 fool, so to break an old custom." 
 
 " Yet meseems," said Helga timidly, 
 "that it was a kind thing to do." 
 
 "Thou art but a child," he answered 
 [44] 
 
OF EIXAR A}sD OXDOTT 
 
 reprovingly. But she came closer to him 
 and pulled his sleeve. 
 
 " Let not the old woman stay here," 
 she whispered. " For I like not her looks, 
 and I mistrust licr. ' 
 
 But Ondott, who heard, said : " Xay, 
 let us keep the old carline, if only to spite 
 Hiarandi." And Dalla added : '* She is a 
 good worker, and handy to have about 
 the place. Let us give her room." So 
 p].inar bade Thurid t^o within, and do 
 what work was set her, in pay tor her 
 keep. But he asked lier before he went 
 away : 
 
 " Why camest thou here ? " 
 
 '• A rat," said she, ** will leave a house 
 that is sure to fall, and seek one which 
 will stand." Then Einar was greatly 
 pleased with her, and bade give her a bet- 
 ter cloak. So it was that Thurid dwelt 
 at Fellstead, and paid well ^Wth her work 
 for her keep : but at Cragness she was 
 [45] 
 
THE STORY OF ROLF 
 
 missed, and the work was hai'der. Yet 
 Thurid made no more prophecies, nor 
 spoke of those which had been made. 
 But it was known that the thralls of 
 Hiarandi were set to light beacons on 
 stormy nights, and he was much laughed 
 at by the dwellers at Fellstead. And 
 his thralls found it hard work, and be- 
 came greatly discontented ; yet since 
 it was winter time, they had little else 
 to do. 
 
 Now one of them was named Malcolm, 
 a Scot, and he came one day to Fellstead, 
 when he was not needed at the farm. 
 And Ondott met him, and asked him in, 
 and asked him questions of matters at 
 Cragness. As they spoke by the fire, 
 Thurid passed by, and she sang to herself: 
 
 " Evil and ill 
 Come together still." 
 
 Malcolm asked : *' Does the woman still 
 make her rhymes with you ? " 
 [46] 
 
OF EIXAR AND ONDOTT 
 
 *' Little have I heard her sing,*' answered 
 Ondott. ** But what sang she with you ? " 
 
 Then Malcohn told of the sinorinff of 
 Thurid and Asdis, and of the prophecies 
 of the old woman. And when he went 
 away, Ondott gave him a small piece of 
 money and bade him come again. Then 
 Ondott called Thurid, and asked her of 
 the things she had said at Cragness, what 
 they might mean. But he got little from 
 her ; for first she would not speak, and 
 then she only muttered, and at last all 
 she said w^as this rhyme : 
 
 " No need to teach 
 Or trick or speech 
 To him whose mind 
 All wiles will find." 
 
 And Ondott could make nothing out 
 of that ; moreover, because it was Kiai-tan 
 VN'hom Hiarandi had saved, he thought 
 that the farmer had strengthened himself 
 by his deed. For only when the news 
 [ *^ ] 
 
THE STORY OF ROLF 
 
 came of the trick of Kiartan in cheating 
 his brother did Ondott think that there 
 might be something in the old woman's 
 forecasting. And he and Einar spoke 
 cheerfully together of the misfortune to 
 their neighbor. Then summer drew on, 
 and the Quarter Thing was held, and then 
 came bad news to Einar in his hall. 
 
 For a seafaring man landed at Huna- 
 floi, and came across to Broadfirth ; and 
 he brought word that in the Orkneys 
 Kiartan had foully slain a man of Broad- 
 fii'th, whose nearest of kin was Einar, so 
 that it was Einar's duty to follow up the 
 blood-suit. 
 
 Here it must be said, for those who 
 know not the customs of those days, that 
 the death of a man called for atonement 
 from the slayer, either his death or a pay- 
 ment in money, unless the slaying could 
 be justified. The nearest of kin must 
 take the suit against the slayer; and if 
 [48] 
 
OF EIXAR AXD OXDOTT 
 
 the slayer should die, then his nearest of 
 kin must take the defence. And the law 
 is clearly shown by the case of the Heath- 
 Slayings and other famous quarrels, when 
 from small broils great feuds arose, from 
 the duty of kinship and tlie unwiUing- 
 ness to pay blood-fines for another's deed. 
 Thus P^inar took upon him his duty, 
 and vowed that Kiartan should pay with 
 either money or blood. 
 
 All stood by and heard this, and tliey 
 applauded. But Ondott said : ** Come 
 now outside with me and speak of this, 
 but give the messenger food and bid him 
 rest here the night." 
 
 So that was done, and Einar went out 
 into the yard with Ondott, and walked 
 up and down with him. Said Ondott : 
 
 " Long are we Hkely to wait ere we lay 
 hands on Kiartan. For he hath set his 
 own brother strong against him, and 
 scarce will he dare return to Iceland." 
 4 [49] 
 
THE STORY OF ROLF 
 
 " That may be true," said Einar gloom- 
 
 iiy. 
 
 "I like it not," said Ondott, "that 
 Hiarandi should know this spite his 
 brother has done thee, and yet be free 
 himself. In the old days, which are not 
 so long past, a man would have gone 
 against Hiarandi with weapons. And he 
 hath no relatives to harm thee." 
 
 "For all that," answered Einar, "the 
 men of the Quarter would not like it. 
 Lawfully must vengeance be taken, or 
 not at all. Yet it is hard if my money 
 and thy wit cannot rid me of these 
 brothers, who anger me, and Hiarandi 
 more than Kiartan." And he looked 
 across at Cragness with fretting. 
 
 " Well mayest thou say that," answered 
 Ondott, " for there stands Hiarandi's hall, 
 which he cannot fill, while thou in thine 
 art cramped for room. It is plainly true 
 what people say, that thou canst never 
 [50] 
 
OF EIxVxVR AND OXDOTT 
 
 come into the honor which should be 
 thine, while thou livest here, where stran- 
 gers take thee for Hiarandi's tenant, or 
 even his freedman." 
 
 " They take nie for liis freedman ! " 
 cried Einar. ** Now that is not to be 
 borne! And I say to thee, get nie Hia- 
 randi's house and I will reward thee well." 
 
 Then Ondott laid a plan before him. 
 It should be given out that Kiartan was 
 dead : the man who brought the news of 
 the slaying might be bribed to swear 
 to Kiartan's deatli. Then the blood-suit 
 could be brought against Hiarandi in 
 place of Kiartan ; and all men knew that 
 Hiarandi had no money to pay the fine, 
 so that he must sell his farm. 
 
 " Now," quoth Einar in great delight, 
 ** T will lenglhen thy name, and thou shalt 
 be called Ondott Crafty." For that was 
 a saying in those days, to lengthen a 
 man's name by giving him a nickname. 
 [51] 
 
THE STORY OF ROLF 
 
 Then they called from the house that 
 man who had brought the news. Be- 
 cause he was an outlander he was easily 
 persuaded to swear to Kiartan's death. 
 Einar gave him money, both for himself 
 and to pay his passage outward. Then 
 witnesses were called to hear the oath ; 
 and on the morrow the man departed, 
 and took ship for Ireland, and he is out 
 of the story. 
 
 [52] 
 
CHAPTER V 
 
 THE SUMMONING OF HIARANDI 
 
 WHEN that man who had brought 
 the news and made tlie false 
 swearing was well out of the 
 country, then Ondott bestuTed himself 
 to go against Hiarandi. Said he to 
 Einar : 
 
 " It is time that we summon Hiarandi 
 soon to answer to the blood-suit, for the 
 sitting of the xVlthing draws nigh." 
 
 To that Einar assented, and on the 
 morrow Ondott bade two men arm them- 
 selves and go with them to Cragness. 
 *' Why need we men ? " asked Einar. 
 ** We must have witnesses to the sum- 
 moning,' answered Ondott. 
 
 '* But it is not necessary to bear arms," 
 said Einar. 
 
 [53] 
 
THE STORY OF ROLF 
 
 "We will prepare ourselves," replied 
 Ondott, " as becomes thy dignity and as 
 regards thy safety, for Hiarandi hath a 
 quick temper." Then Einar said no 
 more, and they rode to Cragness. But 
 Ondott knew well that at such sum- 
 monings quarrels often arose ; and he 
 said privily to his men, Hallmund and 
 Hallvard ; 
 
 " Look that your swords be loose in 
 their sheaths." 
 
 They rode into the yard at Cragness and 
 called Hiarandi from his house. Hiarandi 
 came, and with him Rolf, bearing his bow, 
 for he was about to go out for birds. 
 
 " Hiarandi," said Einar, " we have come 
 to speak of the blood-suit for the slaying 
 of my kinsman." 
 
 "That thy kinsman is slain I knew," 
 answered Hiarandi, " but I see not how it 
 affects me in any way, so long as my 
 brother be living." 
 
 [ 54 1 
 
SUMxMONlNG OF HlAKAXDl 
 
 " But thy brother is dead," repUed 
 Einar, and told that Kiartan was ship- 
 AVTecked in the Orkneys. 
 
 *' This is the first I have heard of it," 
 said Hiarandi. 
 
 Then Ondott spoke. '* Knowing thy 
 suspicious nature," said he, '* I brought 
 with us the men who were witnesses to 
 the oath the messenger made. Thus 
 canst thou know thy brother is truly 
 dead/' 
 
 Hallvard and Hallmund said they had 
 witnessed the oath. Hiarandi answered 
 no word, but looked from one to the 
 other. 
 
 " Now," said Ondott, " these same men 
 will be witnesses to what we say here 
 together." And this he said in a manner 
 to provoke Hiarandi, yet he still answered 
 nothing. 
 
 " Is it not better," asked Einar, " that 
 this matter be settled here quietly, be- 
 [55] 
 
THE STORY OF ROLF 
 
 tween neighbors, rather than be brought 
 before the judges at the Althing ? " 
 
 " Quietly settled is always best," an- 
 swered Hiarandi. " Yet I see not how 
 this matter is to be settled at all, seeing 
 I have no money to make atonement." 
 
 *' Now," said Ondott quickly to Einar, 
 "let me speak for thee in this affair." 
 Then Einar gave the matter into the 
 hands of Ondott. 
 
 " All men know," began Ondott then, 
 " that thou art poor, Hiarandi." And he 
 saw Hiarandi flush with anger. Then he 
 went on to propose that an exchange 
 be made of Cragness for some parts of 
 Einar's land, much less in value. And 
 he spoke with such words that Hiarandi 
 would feel insulted, and marked him 
 grow ever redder in the face. When he 
 had finished, Hiarandi burst out upon him. 
 
 " Foolish are ye to suppose," cried 
 Hiarandi, " that I will ever give up this 
 [5G] 
 
SUMMONING OF HIARANDl 
 
 stead which my fathers have settled. Let 
 this matter come to the courts of law." 
 
 Ondott spoke to Einar. '' There is no 
 reasoning with a madman. Thou must 
 recite the summons." 
 
 Then Einar, who knew the law well, 
 spoke the summons, and named tlie deed 
 which was done on his kinsman, and made 
 Hiarandi answerable ; and called liim to 
 appear before the Quarter Court at the 
 Althing, there to justify the slaying, or 
 pay the blood-hne, or be made an outlaw. 
 Everything he said in due legal form, 
 and Ondott and the two men were named 
 as witnesses. 
 
 Then he prepared to ride away, but 
 Ondott spoke once more. "If thou canst 
 not keep land, Hiarandi, better than thy 
 father, then must thou lose this place in 
 the end." 
 
 Hiarandi could not restrain his wrath. 
 He spoke no word ; but he strode to 
 [57 1 
 
THE STORY OF ROLF 
 
 Ondott, and smote with his staff. Ondott 
 warded the blow, but the arm was broken 
 at the wrist. 
 
 Then Ondott cried to Hallvard and 
 HaUmund : " Set upon him ! " Those 
 two drew their swords, and in that mo- 
 ment Hiarandi stood in danger of his hfe. 
 
 But Rolf had strung his bow and set 
 an arrow on the string. He drew the 
 shaft to its head, and aimed at Einar, 
 and cried : " Now Einar dies if my father 
 is hurt ! " 
 
 They drew away hastily, and dared do 
 no more, for they knew the aim of the 
 lad. Nothing more was done in violence ; 
 yet before he rode away did Ondott sum- 
 mon Hiarandi for that hurt to him. And 
 there the matter rested, with two suits 
 against Hiarandi. Then all was quiet 
 until the time came for folk to ride to the 
 Althing. 
 
 [,58] 
 
CHAPTER VI 
 
 OF WHAT HIARAXDI SHOULD DO 
 
 HIARAXDl spoke not at all of 
 the suits against him, yet he was 
 continually gloomy. And one 
 day he said : 
 
 *' Much better were it now, had I never 
 lighted the beacon that night." 
 
 *' Thou knowest," responded Asdis, 
 ** that thou didst right." 
 
 " Stilir said Hiarandi, *' summer gales 
 oft bring wrecks, and one ship might pay 
 the blood-fine for me." 
 
 " For all that/' Asdis answered, '' thou 
 hast not now^ the heart to stop lighting 
 the beacon." 
 
 Then on the second night thereafter 
 came a storm : but nothing was said, 
 [59] 
 
THE STORY OF ROLF 
 
 except that Hiarandi bade the beacon 
 be Hghted. Yet he was gloomier than 
 ever. 
 
 One night Rolf asked him : " Why is 
 it that thou art to answer for that deed 
 which my uncle has done ? " 
 
 " One must answer for a kinsman's 
 deed," answered his father, "when that 
 kinsman is dead." 
 
 " And what is the punishment," asked 
 Rolf, " for slaying ? " 
 
 " A fine or outlawry," replied Hiarandi. 
 
 "Tell me of outlawiy," begged Rolf. 
 " For I hear of outlaws who live and 
 work among men, and of those who flee 
 into hiding, and of those who go overseas." 
 
 " There are outlaws of many kinds," 
 answered Hiarandi. " Some outlaws are 
 condemned not to leave a district, or even 
 a farm ; but some must leave Iceland or 
 else defend their lives. But most out- 
 lawries are like this, that a man must go 
 [60] 
 
WHAT HIARAXDI SHOULD DO 
 
 abroad tliree winters, and then he is free 
 to return. If he stays, his enemies may 
 slay him if they can, and no man may 
 ask atonement. Thus they who burned 
 Xjal in his house did fare abroad ; but 
 on the other hand GisH our ancestor hved 
 in hiding, and would not go. And Grettir 
 the Strong, as all men know, lives to-day 
 an outlaw, in one district or another ; and 
 no man has taken him, though there is a 
 great price set upon his head." 
 
 '• If thou art made outlaw," asked Rolf, 
 *' what wilt thou do T' 
 
 " Ask me not," said Hiarandi. " For 
 the matter troubles me. If I go abroad, 
 how will ye all live ? And it will profit 
 you nothing if I tay and am slain. Yet 
 if I am made outlaw, and go not, my goods 
 and the farm are forfeit." 
 
 As greatly as Hiarandi feared the out- 
 come of these suits, so were those at Fell- 
 stead pleased by their hopes. And no 
 [61] 
 
THE STORY OF ROLF 
 
 one heard the carUne Thurid, who sang to 
 herself when she heard Ondott boast : 
 
 "He laughs too soon 
 Who doth forget, 
 Soursop blood 
 Binds kinsmen yet." 
 
 But Asdis thought rightly in the mat- 
 ter. For she said to Hiarandi : " What 
 wilt thou do for thy defence at law ? Is 
 there no lawyer to help thee ? " 
 
 " Help is offered," answered her hus- 
 band, " to those who have money. And 
 I have none." 
 
 " Then wilt thou ask help of Snorri the 
 Priest ? There is no other to give thee 
 counsel." 
 
 " Not close," replied Hiarandi, " is the 
 tie of blood between us, and small is the 
 friendship. Moreover, Snoni draws ever 
 to those who wax in fortune, and such is 
 Einar; and he helps little those whose 
 fortunes wane, and such am I." 
 [62] 
 
WHAT HIARAXDI SHOULD DO 
 
 " Now," cried Asdis, ** be not as a mail 
 who sees his own doom, and stirs not to 
 help himself. A\^here is thy manhood ? 
 Bestir thyself for my sake and Rolfs, 
 and do what thou canst for our good ! 
 Now promise me that thou wilt ask help 
 of Snorri." 
 
 Thus she stirred Hiarandi to shake off 
 his gloom, so that he promised. And 
 when the time came for him to ride to 
 the Althing, he went with a better heart. 
 
 [m] 
 
CHAPTER VII 
 
 HOW HIARANDI RECEIVED THE LESSER 
 OUTLAWRY 
 
 HIARANDI travelled to the Al- 
 thing all alone ; he had a good 
 horse and stout clothes, but in 
 nothing was he noticeable, so that men 
 who passed him on the road gave him 
 only the good-day, yet asked him not to 
 join their company. And he saw how 
 men of power rode wdth their Thingmen 
 behind them, all in colored clothes and 
 w^ell armed. He saw Hrut, the famous 
 swordsman, how he rode with eleven full- 
 grown sons at his back, and men besides, 
 so that all thought that a grand sight. 
 And many others rode to the Althing 
 with great pride. Then Hiarandi recalled 
 r64] 
 
THE LESSER OUTLAWRY 
 
 that his owTi father had ridden in hoHday 
 guise to bring his suits ; and as he com- 
 pared his father's state with liis own, he 
 who went alone and unnoticed, but at 
 home was called the Unlucky, then his 
 heart was gi'eatly cast down within him. 
 
 He came to the Thingvalla, where all 
 the plain was a busy hive of men. And 
 he found humble lod^-inof at a booth, and 
 stabled his horse imdcr the cliff, and spent 
 the night alone amid the throng. Then 
 on the morrow, at midday, he went out 
 to have speech with Snorri. At Snom's 
 booth he was told that Snorri was at talk 
 with a client within. 
 
 " Then I will wait," said Hiarandi, and 
 sat do^vii on a bench at the door. But it 
 w^as bitter to him that he should sit there, 
 a poor suitor, at the door of his kinsman. 
 
 Now he had not sat there long when he 
 heard his own name spoken wdthin, and 
 he knew the voice of his neighbor Einar. 
 5 [65] 
 
THE STORY OF ROLF 
 
 And Einar was saying, "Thou art not 
 bound to Hiarandi in any way." 
 
 Then he heard another voice, the voice 
 of an old man — for Snorri was advanced 
 in years — saying : *' Small enough are the 
 ties between myself and Hiarandi." 
 
 Then Hiarandi rose and walked away. 
 And he forgot all he had promised his 
 wife, and all she had said to him : how he 
 should forget himself in struggling for her 
 sake and Rolfs. But that melancholy 
 came over him which was his greatest 
 weakness. 
 
 " I am too late," he said to himself, 
 " for Einar is before me. My case is lost, 
 and my farm too ; for on whose side 
 Snorri is, on that side has fallen the judg- 
 ment for this score of years. And the 
 twists of the law are too hard for me to 
 understand, since meseems right hath no 
 place in a law-finding. Yet I will defend 
 myself as I may." 
 
 [66] 
 
THE LESSER OUTLAWRY 
 
 Then on the morrow the Althing was 
 opened, and the four Quarter Courts sat 
 in their places, and the Fifth Court sat at 
 the Hill of Laws. And Hiarandi, as he 
 went to the court of the \\''estfirthers, 
 saw where Einar walked also thither with 
 Snorri, keeping close by his elbow, and 
 laughing as he talked. Ondott also was 
 there, slinking behind like a fox. And 
 on that very first day Hiarandi's case was 
 called early. 
 
 Now Einar had men of tlie law as his 
 friends, and they had taught him what to 
 say. And he opened the case, speaking 
 loud and clearly, and called on Hiarandi 
 to answer the charges. But Hiarandi 
 stood up alone, without counsel, and 
 spoke for himself Soon he saw that the 
 case went against him. For Einar and 
 his friends knew so much of the law 
 that their wiles were many, and Hia- 
 randi was soon confused, so that his an- 
 [67] 
 
THE STORY OF ROLF 
 
 swers were not wise. And Einar smiled 
 where he stood, so that he confused Hia- 
 randi the more. Then Einar demanded 
 judgment unless Hiarandi had more to 
 say. And he w^as about to give up his 
 case. 
 
 Then came some one and stood at Hia- 
 randi's elbow, and said : " Thou shouldst 
 demand a stay in the proceedings." 
 
 Hiarandi looked at the man, but he 
 was muffled in a cloak, so that his face 
 was not to be seen. Then Hiarandi 
 asked : " For what reason can I ask a 
 stay ? " 
 
 The man replied : "It is always per- 
 mitted to ask it, to get counsel." 
 
 But Hiarandi said : " No counsel can 
 save me here. Let an end come now." 
 
 " Foolish art thou," answered the man. 
 " Dost thou forget those at home ? Do 
 as I bid ! " 
 
 Then Hiarandi asked a stay, and it 
 168] 
 
THE LESSER OUTLAWRY 
 
 was granted him until the morrow. But 
 when he turned to ask the man his advice, 
 he was gone, and Hiarandi could not see 
 him anywhere. Then he went to beg 
 help of those versed in the law, but they 
 said he should have come sooner, for tliey 
 were now too busy to help him. Once 
 more, thinking again of Asdis and Rolf, 
 he went to ask help of Snom the Priest ; 
 but he was not at his booth, and men said 
 he would be at the courts all day. At 
 that Hiarandi went away again ; and he 
 wandered about the Thing-field, seeing 
 no one whom he could ask for help, but 
 beholding ever>^vhere men too busy with 
 their ovni affairs to heed him. At last 
 toward dusk his courage forsook him once 
 more, and he went and sat down on the 
 bank of the river, believing his case lost. 
 As he sat there the light grew dim, and 
 of a sudden he saw at his side the man 
 muffled in the cloak. 
 [69] 
 
THE STORY OF ROLF 
 
 *'Now is seen," said the man, "the 
 truth of the old saw : * He that pleadeth 
 his own cause hath a fool for his client.' 
 For a sound case hadst thou, but it is 
 well-nigh ruined beyond remedy." 
 
 ** What should I have done ? " asked 
 Hiarandi. 
 
 "Thou shouldst have asked aid of 
 Snorri the Priest." 
 
 " But he," said Hiarandi, " has been in 
 talk with Einar, who sues me." 
 
 " Since when," asked the man, " has 
 Snorri been used to pledge himself to all 
 who come to him ? Hast thou forgotten 
 he is of thy kin ? " 
 
 '^ We are both come," said Hiarandi, 
 "from the stock of Gisli the Outlaw. 
 But if Gisli was his uncle, so also was 
 GisU the slayer of his father. So Snorri is 
 both against us and for us by the tie of 
 blood ; and he forgetteth and remember- 
 eth as he chooseth, or as his interest bids." 
 [70 J 
 
THE LESSER OUTLAWRY 
 
 Then said the man : *' Thou givest hmi 
 no good character. Yet at least thou 
 couldst have let him have the say, which 
 way his interest lies/' 
 
 But Hiarandi answered in bitter mood : 
 " Snorri casteth his weight where is the 
 greater power, that his own strength may 
 grow." 
 
 " He would not thank thee should 
 he liear thee/' answered tlie stranger. 
 " Yet methinks that even in matters 
 which concern his own advancement, he 
 should be free to choose for himself" 
 
 "Now," asked Hiarandi, "shall I go 
 to Snon-i and crave his help ? " 
 
 " Nay," replied the cowled man, " now 
 it is too late. For this evening Snorri 
 holdeth counsel on weighty matters con- 
 cerning chiefs from the south firths, who 
 are to meet him at his booth." 
 
 "Why, then," asked Hiarandi, "didst 
 thou persuade me to ask a stay of judg- 
 [71] 
 
THE STORY OF ROLF 
 
 ment ? For my fate meets me after 
 all." 
 
 " Perhaps even I," said the man, " know 
 more of the law than thou. Now wilt 
 thou be ruled by me ? " 
 
 " That I will," answered Hiarandi 
 quickly. 
 
 " Then shalt thou do thus and so, 
 said the man. And he instructed Hia- 
 randi how he should speak on the next 
 day. " And this shalt thou do even 
 though thou seest Snorri in company with 
 Einar. — Nay, make no question, for else 
 thou art ruined." And with this the man 
 went away. 
 
 In the morning all men go to the 
 courts again ; and Hiarandi marks how 
 Einar walks with Snorri, and they seem 
 merry together, though Einar laughs 
 the most. Nevertheless, Hiarandi stands 
 up when his case is called, and does 
 as the cowled man had said, for he de- 
 [72] 
 
THE LESSER OUTLAWRY 
 
 mands of Einar what forfeiture he will 
 name. 
 
 " Either," said Einar, " that thou shalt 
 pay down the worth of three hundreds in 
 silver, or that thou shalt be outhiwed." 
 
 " Now," said Iliarandi, " it seems hard 
 lliat so mucli shall be my punishment. 
 J5ut wilt thou take this oflcr, that we 
 handsel this case to Snorri the Priest, 
 and abide by his finding I " 
 
 Einar hesitated. But many standing 
 by said that was fair : inoreo\er, tliat was 
 a custom nuich followed. And again, 
 Einar did not wish the outlawing of 
 Hiarandi ; but he felt sure that Snorri 
 would lay a blood-fine, which nuist force 
 Iliarandi to sell his farm. And he 
 thought his cause was sure, so he said after 
 a moment : 
 
 " I wiU." 
 
 So they handselled the suit to Snorri, 
 striking hands together before the judges, 
 [73] 
 
THE STORY OF ROLF 
 
 and agreeing to abide by his decision. 
 Then Snorri stood up to speak. Einar 
 smiled at him that he might remind him 
 of their companionship, but Snorri smiled 
 not at all. 
 
 " Thus it seems to me," he said, and all 
 men listened while he spoke — for Snorri 
 was one of those who had known the 
 great men of old time, who had seen the 
 great fight at the Althing after Njal's 
 Burning, and who had swayed its event. 
 " Thus it seems to me," said Snorri. 
 '* The case of Hiarandi was a good one 
 at the beginning, yet he has well-nigh 
 spoiled it. But the case of Einar seems 
 strong, yet it is weak. For he has named 
 as witnesses two men of kin to the slain 
 man ; also he has not called a man who is 
 nearer neighbor than one he has called. 
 Also these men are neither landholders, 
 nor money owners, nor owners of sheep 
 or cattle ; but they live in Einar 's hall at 
 174] 
 
THE LESSER OUTLAWRY 
 
 his expense. Now let Einar say if all 
 these things are not true." 
 
 Then Einar had to speak ; and he ac- 
 knowledged that his witnesses, who sliould 
 make the jury, were chosen as Snorri lind 
 said. Then Snom set those men out of 
 the jury, and only six were left. 
 
 *' Seven men are needed to make the 
 tale of the witnesses complete/' quoth 
 Snorri. ** Therefore it is plain that this 
 case of the slaying shall fall to tlic ground, 
 and no atonement shall be paid. Hut as 
 to the case of the striking of Ondott, that 
 is another matter : and it is a case of con- 
 tempt of the Thing, for one who goes to 
 serve summons in a suit is free to go and 
 come unscathed, and is under the protec- 
 tion of the men of the Quarter. There- 
 fore I doom Hiarandi to the lesser 
 outlawry, after this manner : he shall 
 remain upon his farm for the space of 
 one year, nor go beyond its limits more 
 
 [ -'•' ] 
 
THE STORY OF ROLF 
 
 than the length of a bowshot, upon pen- 
 alty of full outlawing. But shall he be- 
 come a full outlaw, then his property, and 
 the inheritance of his son, is not to be 
 forfeit, but only Hiarandi's life is to be in 
 danger. And such is my finding." Then 
 Snorri sat him down. 
 
 Then men murmured together, discuss- 
 ing the judgment ; and all said that he 
 knew the law to its uttermost quibble, 
 and he knew men as well, for who told 
 him that the jury was wrongly constituted ? 
 And Einar was wroth, complaining that 
 Snorri was tender of his relative. But 
 Hiarandi was glad, and a weight fell from 
 him, for he saw how he had been saved 
 from all that threatened him. He went 
 to Snorri to thank him. 
 
 Snorri took his thanks, and smiled at Hi- 
 arandi. " Now is clearly seen," quoth he, 
 " how much Snorri thinks of his own honor, 
 and how little of that of his kinsmen." 
 [7(i] 
 
THE LESSER OUTLAWRY 
 
 Hiarandi had nothing to answer. 
 
 " And it is also plain,' said Snorri, 
 " how I always favor the rich, but care 
 nothing for poor men/' 
 
 *' Xow I see," said Hiarandi, " that thou 
 wert the man in the cloak.*' 
 
 " Mayest thou perceive as well," re- 
 sponded Snorri, " that tliou hast a friend 
 in the world who will help thee when 
 he can." But he would take no more 
 thanks, advising Hiarandi to go home 
 and set his affairs in order, since from the 
 rising of the Altliing to its next sitting he 
 must not quit his farm. 
 
 "' And take heed," quoth Snom, " that 
 thou losest not thy life from carelessness, 
 or from the wiles of thine enemies." 
 
 Then Hiarandi betook himself home. 
 
 [77] 
 
CHAPTER VIII 
 
 OF SCHEMINGS 
 
 UNTIL the time when the Althing 
 must rise, Hiarandi set his affairs 
 in order, and was busy thereat. 
 He arranged who should buy his hay, and 
 who should supply him with this matter 
 and that, although it was clear that many 
 things must be done by the hands of Rolf. 
 Also Frodi the Smith, kinsman of the 
 Cragness-dwellers, was to come to Crag- 
 ness whenever he might. Thus it was all 
 settled ; and when the Althing rose, then 
 Hiarandi withdrew upon his farm for the 
 space of one year. 
 
 But Rolf had to see to the sheep- 
 shearing, since the washing was best done 
 beyond the farm, upon common land. 
 [78] 
 
OF SCHEMINGS 
 
 Also the selling of the wool came to 
 Rolf's lot, and he travelled to the market 
 there\\ith. Through the autumn he was 
 much busied with his father's matters ; 
 and it rejoiced his parents that the lad, 
 who had come now into his fifteenth year, 
 was wise and foreseeing, and looked well 
 to all that was trusted to his hand. 
 Then the winter drew nigh ; and the hay 
 was stored, and the time came when the 
 sheep must be gathered from their sum- 
 mer pastures, when the frosts drove them 
 down from the uplands. All men met at 
 the great sheep-fold which the father of 
 Hiarandi had built ; but Hiarandi might 
 not be there, because the fold was now 
 on Einar's land, full five bowshots from 
 the boundaries of Cragness. Rolf went 
 wdth the thralls to the separating of the 
 sheep by means of their marks ; but Hia» 
 randi sat at home, looking out at the 
 [79] 
 
THE STORY OF ROLF 
 
 gathering of people, and might not be 
 at any of the doings. 
 
 Now Ondott Crafty had oversight of 
 Einar's sheep, and he examined the sheep's 
 ear-marks, and said whose they were. 
 Rolf gave to the thralls the sheep to 
 drive home ; but Frodi the Smith, who 
 was the mildest of men, took the sheep 
 from the hands of Ondott. This task 
 Rolf gave to Frodi, because he would not 
 himself have speech with Ondott, who 
 was now well of his broken arm, but 
 whose temper was not improved by his 
 hurt. Now Ondott came to a sheep 
 which had torn its ear, so that the mark 
 was scarred. Then said Ondott : 
 
 " This sheep is Einar's.*' 
 
 " Nay," said Frodi, " I remember the 
 wether, and he is Hiarandi's." 
 
 " Looks not the mark," asked Ondott, 
 " like the mark of Einar ? " 
 [80] 
 
OF SCHEMIXGS 
 
 " Yes/' said Frodi, " but the mark is 
 scarred, and is changed." 
 
 " Now," quoth Ondott. '' call Hiarandi 
 hither, and let him decide." 
 
 This he said with a sneer : hut Frodi 
 answered gravely : ** My cousin siiall not 
 break his outhiwry tor a slicep. Hut call 
 liolf hither." 
 
 *• I call no boys to my counsel," an- 
 swered Ondott. '' The matter is between 
 thee and me." 
 
 Then Frodi was perplexed, for in dis- 
 putes and bargains he mixed little. '* Hut," 
 said he, ** meseems this is best. Drive 
 the sheep to C'ragness. and let Hiarandi 
 see it. 
 
 " Now," said Ondott, '* I have no time 
 for that. But draw thy whittle, and we 
 can settle the matter here." 
 
 Then Frodi looked upon his long knife, 
 and said nothing. 
 
 ** Why earnest thou the w^hittle, then," 
 
 6 [ 81 1 
 
THE STORY OP^ ROLF 
 
 asked Ondott, " if thou art not ready to 
 use it ? " 
 
 " My whittle," answered Frodi, " is to 
 cut my bread and cheese, and to mend 
 my shoes on a journey." 
 
 Then all the men who stood about 
 hooted at the simple answer. Ondott 
 said : " Betake thyself then to bread and 
 cheese, but the sheep is ours." And 
 he sent the sheep away to join Einar's 
 flock. 
 
 Now Frodi was puzzled, and he said : 
 " I will not follow up the matter, but will 
 pay for the sheep out of mine own sav- 
 ings." But when he offered to pay, Rolf 
 and Hiarandi were angered, for the wether 
 was a good one. Yet they could get no 
 satisfaction from Einar, although they 
 might not blame Frodi, knowing his 
 peaceful nature. 
 
 Now, as the winter approached, came 
 chapmen, traders, into the neighborhood, 
 [82] 
 
OF SCHEMIXGS 
 
 and laid up tlieir ship near Cragness ; and 
 all men went to chaffer with them. But 
 Hiarandi must stay at home. Then for 
 company's sake he sent and bade the ship- 
 master dwell with him for the winter ; 
 but Ondott Crafty, learning of it, won 
 tlie shipmaster, by gifts, to stay with 
 Einar. And that pleased Hiarandi not 
 at all. Tlien tlie winter came, and men 
 had little to do, so they held ball-play on 
 the ponds ; yet Hiarandi could not go 
 thither. And the life began to irk him 
 much. When spring drew near, Frodi 
 went back to his smithy, and the house- 
 hold was small. 
 
 One day Ondott said to Einar : " Still 
 we sit here, and gaze at the house where 
 we should live." 
 
 " What is there to do ? " asked Einar. 
 
 " Nothing brings Hiarandi from his farm, 
 
 not even the loss of his wether. I have 
 
 set spies to watch him, but he never 
 
 [83] 
 
THE STORY OF KOLF 
 
 comes beyond the brook which marks his 
 boundary." 
 
 "Yet there is something to be done," 
 answered Ondott. "Wait awhile." 
 
 And the winter passed, and the chap- 
 men began to dight their ship for the 
 outward voyage. Now Malcolm the Scot, 
 the thrall of Hiarandi, stood often on the 
 crag when his day's work was done, and 
 gazed at the ship of the chapmen. One 
 evening Ondott went thither to him, see- 
 ing that he was out of sight of the hall. 
 
 " Why gazest thou," asked Ondott, " so 
 much at the ship ? Wouldst thou go in 
 her ? " 
 
 " Aye," answered the thrall, " for she 
 goes to my home. But I have not the 
 money to purchase my freedom, though 
 Hiarandi has promised in another year to 
 set me free." 
 
 "Wilt thou wait another year when 
 thou mightest slip away now ? " cried 
 [84] 
 
OF SCHEMIXGS 
 
 Ondott. " But perhaps thou fearest that 
 the shipmaster would give thee up." 
 
 " That also," said the tlirall, - was in 
 my mind." 
 
 Then Ondott said : "' Tlie shipmaster 
 has dwelt witli us the winter throuah, 
 and T know well what sort of man he 
 is. Now I promise that if tliou comest 
 to him three nights hence, he will keep 
 thee liidden, and no one shall see thee 
 when they sail in the morning." 
 
 The thrall hesitated, but in the end he 
 did as Ondott desired, and he gained his 
 freedom by tlie trick. Tluis was the 
 work at Cragness rendered harder for 
 those who remained, and Frodi could not 
 come to lielp. 
 
 ** Hiarandi," said Ondott to Einar, *' is 
 at last commg into those straits where 
 I vdshed him. Now be thou guided by 
 me, and I promise that in the end thy 
 wishes will be fulfilled. Come, we will 
 [85] 
 
THE STORY OF ROLF 
 
 go to Cragness as before, and make offer 
 to Hiarandi to buy his land." And he 
 persuaded Einar to go. They went as 
 before, with Hallvard and HaUmund. 
 
 " Shall we go armed ? " asked the men. 
 
 " Nay," answered Ondott, " only wit- 
 nesses do I desire." 
 
 Now when Hiarandi was called forth 
 by Einar, Rolf also was by, but he saw 
 that they of Fellstead bore no arms. 
 Again Ondott spoke in the place of 
 Einar. 
 
 " Hiarandi," said he, " all men can see 
 what fortune is thine, since thy thrall 
 has left thee and thy work is harder. 
 Truly thou art called unlucky. But 
 Einar pities thy condition, and he offers 
 thus : Take from him a smaller farm, and 
 the difference in silver. And since this 
 outlawry is from us, from the time ye two 
 handsel the bargain thou art free to go 
 where thou wilt, without fear of thy life." 
 [86] 
 
OF SCHEMINGS 
 
 But Hiarandi spoke to Einar, and not 
 to Ondott " Why comest thou hither," 
 he said, " Hke a small man to chaffer over 
 little things ? Tliis outlawry irks me not, 
 and in two months I am free to go where 
 1 wish. Go home ; and when thou com- 
 est again, find thy tongue and speak for 
 thyself!" 
 
 Then lie went indoors and left them. 
 
 So Einar and those others rode home- 
 ward, and he thought his journey shame- 
 ful. *• See," said he to Ondott, " where 
 thy counsels liave brought me. I am 
 mocked and sent away. ' 
 
 " Xow," Ondott replied, *' that has hap- 
 pened which I desired, and 1 brought men 
 to hear. For thou hast made a fair offer 
 to Hiarandi, and hast shown a good heart. 
 Now what happens to him is his own 
 fault, and no man can blame us." Then 
 he commanded the two men that they 
 should tell everyone what had been said, 
 ^ [87] 
 
THE STORY OF ROLF 
 
 showing how Einar had been generous, 
 but Hiarandi insulting. And when they 
 reached the house, Ondott said to Einar 
 in private : 
 
 "Thou shalt see that Hiarandi hath 
 sown the seeds of his own destruction. 
 Leave all to me." 
 
 Not many evenings thereafter, Ondott 
 put himself in the way of the second 
 thrall of Hiarandi, and spoke with him. 
 " How goes all at Cragness ? " asked 
 Ondott. 
 
 " Hard," said the thrall, " for we are at 
 the spring work ; and Hiarandi spares 
 not himself, nor me either, and the work 
 is heavy since my fellow is gone." 
 
 " Now, why not make thy lot lighter," 
 asked Ondott, "by taking service else- 
 where ? " 
 
 " I am a slave," said the man, " and 
 not a servant." He did not tell that his 
 freedom had been promised him, for he 
 [88] 
 
OF SCHEMINGS 
 
 thought that time far away, since it was 
 three years. For Hiarandi had the cus- 
 tom that a thrall should serve with him 
 not for life, hut for only seven years, 
 and this man had heen with him a less 
 time than Malcolm. 
 
 " The Hfe of a thrall'^ said Ondott, '' is 
 very hard." 
 
 ** Aye," said the man. 
 
 *' Yet thy fellow went away," quoth 
 Ondott. 
 
 " Aye," answered the thrall, *' but he 
 fled over tlie sea. Xo sliip is now out- 
 ward bound, nor is there anyone to hide 
 me. Else might I also flee." 
 
 " Come to Einar," said Ondott. '' There 
 shalt thou be safe." 
 
 " If thou sayest true," answered the 
 thrall, ^*then it shall be done." 
 
 "But thou must come," said Ondott, 
 " in the way I shall name. Thus only 
 shalt thou be of service to Einar ; but 
 [^9 1 
 
THE STORY OF ROLF 
 
 thou shalt be well rewarded if thou show- 
 est thyself a man of courage." 
 
 " Who will not dare much for his free- 
 dom ? " replied the thrall. " But is harm 
 meant to Hiarandi ? " 
 
 "That is not thine affair," quoth On- 
 dott. Then for a time they spoke to- 
 gether, and certain matters were agreed 
 upon between them. 
 
 [yoj 
 
CHAPTER IX 
 
 OF THE OUTCOME OF ONDOTTS 
 PLOTTINGS 
 
 N()\\^ sprii^LT was well advanced, 
 but the work was ever hard at 
 Cragness, and Iliarandi grew 
 very weary. So his melancholy gained 
 on him again. There came a morning 
 \vhen he was troubled in his demeanor, 
 and spoke little. ** AVhat ails thee this 
 day ( ' asked ^\sdis of* him. 
 
 *' Now," said Iliarandi, '* for all my words 
 to Einar, this life irks terribly. Better to 
 be an outlaw, and go where I vdW — as 
 doth Grettir the Strong, who lives secure 
 from all his foes." 
 
 Asdis answered : '' And what use then 
 couldst thou be to thy wife and son ; and 
 [91] 
 
THE STORY OF ROLF 
 
 is not the time short enough until the ban 
 leaves thee ? Be a man, and wait with 
 patience a little while yet!" 
 
 " Yet something weighs upon me," pur- 
 sued Hiarandi, " for last night I dreamed, 
 and the dream forebodes ill. Methought 
 I was working in the field, and I left my 
 work and my land ; some good reason I 
 had, but it is not clear to me now. I did 
 not go a bow-shot beyond the boundary, 
 but from behind a copse wolves sprang 
 out and fell upon me. As they tore me 
 and I struggled, I awoke, yet the fear is 
 heavy on me still." 
 
 Asdis laughed, though with effort, and 
 quoth she : " Now take thy boat and fish 
 near the rocks this day. Then no wolves 
 can come near thee." 
 
 " Nay," answered Hiarandi, " how canst 
 thou ask me to fish when so much must 
 be done on the farm ? " 
 
 "At least," said Asdis, "work on the 
 [92] 
 
OF OXDOTTS PLOTTIXGS 
 
 northern slope, at the ploughing, and 
 away from the boundary." 
 
 " The frost still lies there in the earth 
 in places," replied Hiarandi. '' But on 
 the south slope, where the sun lies, all is 
 ploughed and to-day we must seed." 
 
 *• Take thy sword, tlien," begged .Vsdis, 
 " and have it at thy side as thou workest. 
 Then no wolf will hurt thee." 
 
 But Hiarandi answered, "The day is 
 fine and the wind soft. The sun and the 
 air will clear my licad, and we will laugh 
 at this at even-tide. I will take no sword, 
 for it gets in the way." 
 
 Then he called the thrall and Rolf; 
 and they took the bags of seed, and went 
 out to work. Now that was a line spring- 
 day, so tine that the like of it seldom 
 comes. Old farmers in Broadtirth still 
 call such a day a day of Hiarandi's 
 weather. 
 
 But Asdis detained Rolf, and spoke to 
 [93] 
 
THE STORY Ot' ROLF 
 
 liim earnestly. " Dreams often come true, 
 and wolves in dreams mean death. See, 
 I will lay by the door thy father s sword 
 and thy bow, so that thou canst snatch 
 them at need. Be near thy father this 
 day, for I fear he is ' fey ' [as is said of 
 those who see their fate and avoid it not], 
 and watch well what happens." 
 
 So Rolf stayed near his father all that 
 morning, working with him and the thrall 
 at the sowing. But nothing happened ; 
 and the sun and the air cleared from 
 Rolf's head all fear of ill. Yet Hiarandi 
 was still gloomy and absent-minded. Then 
 when they stopped for their meal at noon, 
 and ate it as they sat together on a rock, 
 Rolf spoke to Hiarandi, trying to take 
 his mind from himself. 
 
 " Tell me," he begged, " what sort of 
 man is that outlaw Grettir the Strong, 
 and for what is he outlawed ? " 
 
 Then Hiarandi told the tale, and as he 
 [94] 
 
OF OXDOTT'S PLOTTIXGS 
 
 spoke he grew more cheerful. *' Grettir," 
 said he, " is the strongest man that ever 
 hved in Iceland, and no three men can 
 master him. For he himself hath said 
 that he hath no fear of three, nor would 
 he flee from four ; but with five he would 
 not fight unless he must. All his hfe he 
 has been rough, impatient of control, and 
 at home only amid struggles and slayings. 
 Yet for all that he is a man of ill luck 
 rather than misdeeds, for he hath been 
 greatly hated and provoked. .And it is 
 great harm for Iceland tliat Cirettir ever 
 was outlawed. 
 
 *' Now this was the cause of his outlaw- 
 ing. Once in Norway Grettir lay storm- 
 bound with his companions, and they had 
 liad much ado to make the land at all. 
 They lay under the lee of a dyke, and had 
 no shelter nor u^herewith to make fire, and 
 the weather was exceeding cold, for win- 
 ter was nigh. Then night came on, and 
 [9-5] 
 
THE STORY OF ROLF 
 
 they feared they should all freeze ; and 
 when they saw lights on the mainland 
 across the sound, they desired greatly to 
 unmoor their ship and cross, but dared 
 not for the storm. Then Grettir, to save 
 the lives of the others, swam the sound, 
 and came to the hall where those lights 
 were, and therein people were feasting. 
 Then he went into the hall ; but so huge 
 is he, and so covered with ice were his 
 clothes and hair and beard, that those in 
 the hall thought him a troll. Up they 
 sprang and set upon him, and some 
 snatched firebrands to attack him, for no 
 weapons will bite on witch or troll. He 
 took a brand and warded himself, and 
 won his way out, but not before fire had 
 sprung from the brands to the straw in 
 the hall. And he swam back with his 
 brand to his companions, but the hall 
 burned up, and all those that were therein. 
 Xow there were burned the sons of a man 
 [ 96 ] 
 
OF OXDOTTS PLOTTIXGS 
 
 powerful here in Iceland ; and for that 
 deed, before ever he returned, Grettir was 
 made outlaw. Because of tlie injustice 
 he would not go away for his three years, 
 but stayed here. Nigh sixteen years he 
 has been outlaw now, and lives where he 
 may, so that many rue his outlawry. And 
 he is not to be overcome by either force 
 or guile ; great deeds, moreover, he has 
 done in laying ghosts that walked, and 
 monsters that preyed on men." 
 
 Xow so far had Hiarandi got in his 
 story, when he turned to the thrall who 
 sat thereby. *'At what lookest thou, 
 man ? ' 
 
 '* Nothing," answered the thrall, and 
 turned his fiice another way. 
 
 *• Methought thou wert looking, and 
 signalling with the hand," said Hiarandi. 
 "And is there something there in those 
 ^^^llows on Einar's land ? AVhat didst 
 thou see ? " 
 
 7 [97] 
 
THE STORY OF ROLF 
 
 " Nothing," answered the thrall again. 
 
 "Nevertheless," said Hiarandi, "go, 
 Rolf, and fetch me my sword ; for I 
 repent that I came without weapon 
 hither." 
 
 Now Rolf had seen nothing in the 
 bushes ; yet he went for the sword, and 
 hastened, but the distance was two fur- 
 longs. Then after a while Hiarandi grew 
 weary of waiting, and he saw nothing at 
 all in the willows, so he said to the thrall : 
 " Now let us go again to work." But 
 they had not worked long when the thrall 
 looked privily, and he saw a hand wave in 
 the willows. Then he cried aloud : " Good- 
 by, master," and he ran toward the place. 
 Hiarandi sprang from his work, and ran 
 after the thrall. 
 
 Now the land at that place lay thus. 
 
 At the foot of the slope was that brook 
 
 which was Hiarandi's boundary, and 
 
 toward the sea on Einar's land was the 
 
 [98] 
 
OF OXDOT'J'S PLOTTINGS 
 
 thicket of dwarf willows. And a gnarled 
 oak grew at a place away from the wil- 
 lows, standing alone by itself. 
 
 So when Rolf came from the hall, bear- 
 ing the sword, and having also his bow 
 and arrows, he saw the thrall Heeing, and 
 Hiarandi running after. They reached 
 the brook, and leaped it, and ran on, 
 Hiarandi pursuing most eagerly. The 
 thrall ran well, but Hiarandi used thought; 
 for he turned a little toward the clump of 
 willows, and cut the thrall off from them, 
 where he miglit have hidden. Yet he 
 might not catch the man, who fled past 
 the oak. Then Hiarandi heard the voice 
 of Rolf, calhng him to stop ; so he re- 
 membered himself, ;ind stood still there at 
 the oak, and turned back to go home. 
 But men with drawn swords started up 
 out of the willows, and ran at Hiarandi. 
 He leaped to the tree, and set his back 
 against it to defend himself. 
 [99] 
 
THE STORY OF ROLF 
 
 And Rolf, as he came running, saw 
 how the men fell upon his father. The 
 lad strung his bow as he ran, and leaped 
 the brook, and laid an arrow on the string. 
 When he was within killing distance, he 
 sent his arrow through one of the armed 
 men. Then that struggle around Hia- 
 randi suddenly ceased, and the men fled 
 in all directions, not stopping for their 
 companion ; but one of them carried a 
 shaft in his shoulder, and a third bore one 
 in his leg. And then Rolf saw how the 
 thrall had loitered to see what was being 
 done, but he ran again when the men fled. 
 Rolf took a fourth arrow, and shot at the 
 slave, and it stood in the spine of him. 
 Freedom came to the man, but not as he 
 had deemed. 
 
 Then Rolf ran to his father, who lay at 
 the foot of the tree. He looked, and saw 
 that Hiarandi was dead. 
 
 [100] 
 
CHAPTER X 
 
 HOW ROLF NAMKI) \VI TXESSES FOR THP: 
 DEATH OF FIIAHANDI 
 
 IT happened that (mi that inorniiig 
 Frodi the Smith had travelled to 
 Cragness to see his kinsmen, and 
 he arrived at the hour of misfortune. 
 For he found .Vsdis weeping and wring- 
 ing her hands hy the door of the hall, 
 while below on Einar's land llolf stood 
 over the body of Hiarandi. Then Frodi 
 hastened down to Rolf and wept aloud 
 when he eame there. \Mien he eould 
 speak, he said : 
 
 " Come now, I will help thee bear Hia- 
 randi's body to the house, as is proper." 
 
 But Rolf had stood without weeping, 
 and now he said : •' T.et us bear him only 
 [ 101 ] 
 
^rtfE STORY OF ROLF 
 
 to our own land, for a nearer duty remains 
 than burial" And he and Frodi carried 
 Hiarandi across the brook, and there laid 
 him down ; and Asdis covered him with 
 a cloak. Then Rolf said to Frodi : 
 
 " Well art thou come, who art my only 
 kinsman, and withal the strongest man in 
 Broadfirth dales. And 1 would that thou 
 hadst with thee more weapons than thy 
 whittle. Art thou ready, Frodi, to help 
 me in my feud ? " 
 
 Frodi said uneasily : " A man of peace 
 am I, and never yet have drawn man's 
 blood. I am loth to bare weapon in any 
 cause. And meseems thou hast no feud 
 against anyone ; for Hiarandi was lawfully 
 slain, since he was beyond the limit which 
 Snorri set." 
 
 •' That is to be seen," quoth Rolf, and 
 
 he went to the edge of the brook. '' Yon= 
 
 der," said he, " stands the tree where my 
 
 father was slain, and no step went he be- 
 
 [ 102 ] 
 
HOW ROLF NAMED WITNESSES 
 
 yond it. [And that tree, until it decayed 
 entirely, was knoAMi as Hiarandi's tree.] 
 Now see," said Rolf, '* if I can throw an 
 arrow so far." 
 
 Then he sent an arrow, and it fell short 
 by three roods ; and the second shaft went 
 but two yards fai'ther, so that fourteen 
 yards more were needed. Then Rolf tried 
 again, and put all his skill and strength 
 into the effort, yet the arrow fell scarce a 
 foot beyond the second. Rolf dropped 
 the bow and put his face in his hands. 
 
 ** I cannot do it," groaned he. 
 
 " It is impossible to any man," said 
 Frodi. 
 
 *' He gives up easily," answered Rolf, 
 " who hath no heart in the cause. Yet it 
 remains to be seen if there are not men 
 who can shoot farther than I. Try thou 
 for me." 
 
 Frodi replied : " I am strong for the 
 working of iron and the lifting of weights, 
 [ 103 ] 
 
THE STORY OF ROLF 
 
 but to shoot with the bow is another 
 matter. That requires skill rather than 
 strength." 
 
 *' But try ! " beseeched Rolf. 
 
 So Frodi tried, but he failed lament- 
 ably. " Said I not," asked he, '" that I 
 was not able ? And now I say this, that 
 by all thou art accounted the best archer 
 in the district. For last winter, when we 
 tried archery on the ice, and all did their 
 uttermost, only Surt of Ere and Thord of 
 Laxriver shot farther than thou, and that 
 by not so much as a rood. Yet thou art 
 much stronger each month, while they are 
 grown men, and their strength waxes not 
 at all. And if they surpass thee by no 
 more than a rood, no help is in them for 
 this matter." 
 
 Rolf knew Frodi spoke wisely, for that 
 
 man must be found who could shoot three 
 
 roods farther than himself But he said : 
 
 " Would I were the weakest in all Broad- 
 
 [ 104 J 
 
HOW ROLF NAMED WITNESSES 
 
 firth dales, if only men might be found to 
 surpass me by so much. But T will not 
 leave this matter, and all the rest shall be 
 done as is right.'' 
 
 So Rolf called Frodi to witness that 
 the man whom he had slain, well known 
 to them both, was a man of P].inar\s house- 
 hold. And Rolf cast earth upon his face, 
 as a sign that he acknowledged the slay- 
 ing of him. 'I'hcn the two bore the body 
 of Hiarandi to the hall, where Asdis pre- 
 pared for the burial. Hut Frodi and 
 Rolf went forth and summoned neigh- 
 bors, men of property, who were not 
 kinsmen of Einar's, to be at Cragness 
 at the following morning. Twelve men 
 were summoned. ^Vnd the Cragness- 
 (Iwellers did no more on that day. 
 
 But at Fellstead, although there were 
 
 some wounds to be dressed, men were 
 
 cheerful. For Hiarandi was gone, and 
 
 now only a boy stood between Einar 
 
 [105] 
 
THE STORY OF ROLF 
 
 and the owning of Cragness ; and a boy 
 would be easy to dispose of. The wounded 
 men were sent out of the way, that they 
 might not be accused of the slaying ; 
 and when dark came Ondott sent and let 
 bring the body of the man that was slain, 
 and it was buried secretly. Then he and 
 Einar spoke of the future, feeling no 
 guilt on their souls, since all had been 
 done lawfully. And no one noted how 
 the old woman Thurid sat in a comer and 
 crooned a song to herself 
 
 Now these were the words of her 
 song: 
 
 . "A tree grows 
 
 And threatens woes. 
 Let axes chop so that it fall. 
 Let fire burn its branches all. 
 Let oxen drag its roots from ground. 
 Let earth afresh be scattered round. 
 Let no trace stay of oaken tree, — 
 So shall good fortune come to thee. 
 But if the tree shall stand and grow. 
 Then comes to Einar grief and woe." 
 [106] 
 
HOW ROLF NAMED WITNESSES 
 
 Yet as she sat muttering the song to 
 herself, Einar went by and bade her be 
 silent, for he was going to sleep. Then 
 she sang to herself: 
 
 *' To-night to sleep. 
 Some day to weep." 
 
 After that she said no more. 
 
 But on the morrow those witnesses 
 whom Rolf had summoned came together. 
 They stood at Hiarandi's side, as the 
 custom was, and Rolf named the head 
 wound and the body wound by which 
 he had been slain. Then they went to 
 the place of the slaying ; they viewed the 
 tree, and Rolf named it as the spot to 
 which Hiarandi went farthest ; and he 
 called on those men to witness that the 
 tree stood there ; and the distance was 
 measured, and the tree was put under 
 the protection of the men of the Quarter, 
 so that it might not be cut. Thus all 
 [ ^^^ ] 
 
THE STORY OF ROLF 
 
 was done that could be done, and the 
 news was taken to Fellstead. 
 
 Then Einar said to Ondott : " Where 
 were thy wits ? Had we last night de- 
 stroyed the tree and smoothed the ground, 
 no trial of bow-shooting might ever be 
 made. Now we may be proved in the 
 wrong, and this slaying turn against us." 
 
 Ondott had nothing to say, save that 
 no man could shoot that distance. And 
 they dared not now cut the tree. 
 
 That night Hiarandi was laid in his 
 cairn, which they made of stones, by the 
 edge of the cliff where all mariners could 
 see it. And he was remembered as the 
 first man in Iceland who lighted beacons 
 against shipwreck, so that those who 
 sailed by prayed for his soul. 
 
 [108] 
 
CHAPTER Xr 
 
 OF ROLF'S SEARCH FOR ONE TO SUR- 
 PASS HIM WITH THE BOW 
 
 TWO VOWS Rolf made before he 
 slept that night : the first was 
 that he would yet show his 
 father's slaying unlawful ; the seeond 
 was that, so long as he might, he would 
 neither stand, sit, nor lie, without weapon 
 within reach of his hand. For Iliarandi 
 might have saved himself had he but 
 had his sword. Asdis and Frodi, who 
 stood by and heard the vows, might 
 not blame him : for sueh was the custom 
 of those days. Then Rolf begged Frodi 
 to stay with him to help finish the sow- 
 ing, and that was done. And when the 
 spring work was finished on tlie farm, 
 [ 109 1 
 
THE STORY OF ROLF 
 
 then it was within six weeks of the sit- 
 ting of the Althing. But Rolf felt that 
 the work had to be done, for his mother s 
 sake. 
 
 Then Rolf set forth on that quest of 
 his, to find a man to beat him at the bow. 
 First he went to Surt of Ere, and begged 
 him to try skill with him. Then it was 
 seen that Rolf's strength had so waxed 
 during the ^vinter, that Surt overshot 
 him by no more than two yards. Next 
 Rolf went to Thord of Laxriver, but that 
 failed completely, for by now Rolf could 
 shoot even as far as Thord. After that 
 he went about in the dales, to find men 
 who were good at archery ; but though 
 he heard of many with great names, 
 those men proved to be nothing helpful 
 to Rolf, for none could surpass him at 
 all. So he began to learn how much is a 
 little distance, even so much as a palm's 
 breadth, at the end of a race or of the 
 [110] 
 
OF ROLFS SEARCH 
 
 fling of a weapon. And time drew on 
 toward the sitting of the Althing, so that 
 Rolf feared that he should be able to 
 make out no case against Einar. At last, 
 after wide wanderings, he got himself 
 back to Cragness, and sat wearily at 
 home for three days, with little to say 
 or to do. 
 
 That tliird morning ^Vsdis said to liini : 
 *' Leave, my son, thy brooding, and let 
 this matter rest for a wliile. (^ver-great 
 are our enemies, yet mayhap in time our 
 deliverance will come." 
 
 Rolf answered nothing but : '* I^ittle 
 comes to those who seek not." 
 
 Now Frodi had gone for one night to 
 his smithy, which was ten miles from 
 Cragness, beyond Helgafell, at the head 
 of Hvammfirth, where there was a feiTy 
 by a little river. When he came back 
 quoth he : *' Yesterday crossed at the 
 ferry those tw^o men who are most famous 
 [111] 
 
THE STORY OF ROLF 
 
 in all the South Firths, and they had a 
 great company with them." 
 
 " Who were they ? " asked Rolf at once, 
 "and what kind was their following, 
 whether fighting-men or not?" 
 
 " Fighting-men were they," answered 
 Frodi, '' but on a journey of peace. For 
 Kari and Flosi were on their way to visit 
 Snorri the Priest at his hall at Tongue. 
 Great would have been thy pleasure at 
 seeing the brave array." 
 
 " Now, would I had been there ! " cried 
 Rolf, springing up. " But I would have 
 looked at more than the brave array. So 
 farewell, mother, and farewell, Frodi, for I 
 too go on a visit to Snorri the Priest." 
 
 They could not stay him ; he took food 
 and a cloak, with his bow, and went out 
 along the firth on that long journey to 
 Tongue. For he said to himself that in 
 tliat company or nowhere else in Iceland 
 would he find an archer to shoot for him. 
 
OF ROLFS SExVRCH 
 
 Too long is it to tell of that journey, 
 hut it was shortened inasmuch as fisher- 
 men set Rolf across Hvammfirth. Then 
 he went from Hvamm up to Tongue, and 
 came to the hall of Snom the Priest. A 
 great sight was that hall, for no other that 
 Rolf had seen was equal to it, and tlic 
 hall at Cragness might have been set in- 
 side it. Long it was, and broad ; wide 
 were the porch-doors, and beautiful the 
 pillars that flanked them. Men went in 
 and out, carrying necessaries from tlie 
 storehouse which stood at another side of 
 the great yard. And so noble was the 
 housekeeping of Snorri the Priest, that 
 at first Rolf feared to enter the hall. But 
 at last he asked a servant : 
 
 '* Will it be taken well if I enter ? " 
 
 " Who art thou," asked the man, " not 
 to know that all are welcome at Snorris 
 house ? " 
 
 So Rolf went in where all were feast- 
 8 [113] 
 
THE STORY OF ROLF 
 
 ing, for it was the houi' of the noonday 
 meal. Many men wei^ there, and none 
 took notice of Rolf, save that when he 
 sat down on the lowest bench one came 
 and offered food. Rolf would take none. 
 He cast his eyes about the place, where 
 twelve fires burned along the middle 
 of the hall, where were seats for many 
 people, and where continually servants 
 went to and fro. All seats were filled 
 save one or two. But at the further end 
 of the hall, on the dais, sat a small man, 
 gray-haired and thin-bearded, with bright 
 eyes of a light blue. And that was 
 Snorri the Priest, the greatest man in all 
 the west of Iceland. 
 
 At his sides sat two other men : the 
 one to his right was iron-gray, bearded 
 and strong, a man of sixty summers ; and 
 to the left sat a younger man, with no 
 gray in his light hair, slighter in body, 
 and yet of vigorous frame. And it was 
 [114] 
 
OF ROLF'S SEARCH 
 
 strange that those two men sat together 
 in peace, who once had been the bitterest 
 of foes. For the older was Burning-Flosi, 
 who had burned Njal in his house ; but 
 the other was Kari Sohnund's son, who 
 had been Xjal's son-in-hiw, and alone of 
 all the fi^hting-nicn had escaped from 
 that burning. ^Vnd his vengeance upon 
 the Ikn-ncrs was famous, for he followed 
 them in Iceland, and slew many ; and 
 great was his part in the fight at the 
 Althing, as may be read in Xjal's saga. 
 But when the Burners were outlawed and 
 fared abroad, then Kari followed them by 
 land and sea, and slew them where he 
 met them. No other vengeance is like to 
 that which Kari, alone, took for his own 
 son, and for Njal and his sons, Grim the 
 strong, and Helgi the gentle, and Skarp- 
 hedinn the terrible. But Kari missed 
 Flosi in his searchings ; so that Flosi came 
 to Rome, and was absolved from the sin 
 [115] 
 
TPIE STORY OF ROLF 
 
 of the Burning, and so journeyed home. 
 But Kari came also to Rome, and was 
 absolved from the sin of his vengeance, 
 and went home. Then Kari was wrecked 
 at Flosi's door, and went to his house for 
 shelter, to put his manhood to the proof. 
 But Flosi welcomed him, and they were 
 accorded ; and friends they were thence- 
 forth. 
 
 Now all this tale was known to Rolf, 
 as it was to all men in Iceland, and as it 
 should be known to all who read of the 
 deeds of great men. So he sat and 
 marvelled at those two, how noble they 
 looked, men who had never done a guile- 
 ful deed ; and in that they were different 
 from Snorri, who had won his place by 
 craft alone. Rolf looked also at those 
 others who sat by the dais, all men of sta- 
 tion who looked like warriors, some one 
 of whom might be the man who should 
 help him against Einar. And he took 
 [IIG] 
 
OF ROLFS SEARCH 
 
 great courage, for there were the men of 
 most prowess in all Iceland. 
 
 Now one of the Southfirthcrs had been 
 telling a story of Grettir the Outlaw, how 
 he flogged Gisli the son of Thorstein with 
 birch twigs. But wlien the story was 
 ended, Snorri said : 
 
 *' Mayhap my son Thorod will tell us 
 what lie knoweth of Grettir." 
 
 Then began a snickering among the 
 servingmen, and those of Tongue looked 
 mighty wise. But Thorod, Snorri's son, 
 got up from his seat and left the hall, 
 saying he would not sta}' to be laughed 
 at. AVhen he was gone a great laughter 
 rose, so that Flosi asked to be told the 
 cause of it. Snorri said : 
 
 " This will show all how Grettir has 
 wits in his head. Some time ago I was 
 \\Toth with my son, for he seemed to me 
 not manly enough. So I sent him from 
 me, bidding him do some bra\e deed 
 [117] 
 
THE STORY OF EOLF 
 
 ere he returned. And he went seeking 
 an outlaw, to slay him. He found one 
 who had been outlawed for an assault, but 
 he was a lad ; and the woman of the house 
 where he worked sent my son further, to 
 find Grettir where he lurked on the hill- 
 side. And Thorod found him and bade 
 him fight. 
 
 " ' Knowest thou not,' asked Grettir, 
 *that I am a treasure-hill wherein most 
 men have groped w^th little luck?' 
 
 " But for all that my son would fight. 
 So he smote with his sword, but Grettir 
 warded with his shield and would not 
 strike in return. So at last when he was 
 weary of such doings, Grettir caught up 
 Thorod and sat him down beside him, and 
 said : * Go thy ways now, foolish fellow, 
 before I lose my patience with thee. 
 For I fear thee not at all, but the old 
 gray carle, thy father, I fear truly, who 
 with his counsels hath brought most men 
 [118 J 
 
OV KOl.i S SEARCH 
 
 to tlieir knees.' So my son went away, 
 and came home, and because the story 
 pleased me I received him again." 
 
 So they laughed again, Southfirthers 
 and AVestfirthers together, and joyous was 
 the feast. But when all was quiet again, 
 men saw that Snorri wished to speak, and 
 they hstened. Snorri called his steward, 
 and said : 
 
 '* Fetch a stool, and set it here on the 
 dais, tor a new visitor hath come to see 
 me." 
 
 Then the steward fetched a carved 
 stool, and set it on the dais. He put a 
 cushion in it, and threw a broidered cloth 
 over it. And all grew curious to see who 
 should sit on that stool. 
 
 Then Snorri said again : '' Few are my 
 kindred on my mother's side, and not in 
 many years hath one entered this hall. 
 But one sits here whose face recalls the 
 features of my mother Thordisa. Let 
 [119] 
 
THE STORY OF ROLF 
 
 that stranger under my roof who claims 
 to bear the blood of the Soursops, come 
 forward to me ! " 
 
 Rolf arose, and while all men stared at 
 him, he walked to the dais and stood 
 before Snorri. 
 
 [120] 
 
CHAPTER XII 
 
 OF THE TRIAL OF SKILL AT TONGUE 
 
 SXORRI asked of Rolf: - Art thou 
 tlie son of Hiarandi my kinsman ? " 
 " His son ahi IT answered Rolf. 
 '' So must thy father be dead," said 
 Snorri. " For I feared lie would break 
 liis bounds." 
 
 '' It is yet to be proven." replied Rolf, 
 "whether he be lawfully slain or no." 
 
 Tlien Flosi said : '' Let us hear tliis 
 tale, for it hath not yet come to our ears. 
 Sit here before us, and tell what hath 
 happened." 
 
 So Rolf sat there on the stool which 
 had been prepared, and he told his story. 
 All w^ho sat there listened, and the men 
 of the South Firths drew up elose. It 
 was a new thing for Rolf thus to speak 
 [121] 
 
THE STORY OF llOLF 
 
 before great men, and before fighting- 
 men ; but he bore himself well and spoke 
 manfully, forbearing to complain, so that 
 they murmured praise of him. And it 
 seemed to them wi'ong that he had been 
 so treated, and the younger men gi'ew 
 wroth. When Rolf had finished telling 
 of the death of Hiarandi, one of the 
 Southfirthers sprang up and stood before 
 the dais. That was Kolbein the son of 
 Flosi, and he asked : " May I speak what 
 is in my mind ? " 
 
 They bade him speak. 
 
 " This place on Broadfirth," said Kol- 
 bein, "is not so far out of our way when 
 we journey b^ck. Let us make a stop 
 there, and pull this man Einar out of his 
 house, and so deal with him that he shall 
 do no evil hereafter." 
 
 This he said with fire, for he was a 
 young man. 
 
 But Flosi answered : " Now is seen in 
 [ 1S2 ] 
 
THE TRIAL OF SKILL 
 
 thee the great fault of this land, for we 
 are all too ready to proceed iiiila\vfully. 
 And men can know by me how \qolence 
 is hard repaid."' All knew he spoke of 
 the Burning, and of that vengeance which 
 took from liim many kinsmen. '* Let us 
 do nothing unlawful* What sayest thou, 
 Kari ? ' 
 
 Then Kari said that notliing should be 
 done without the law. ^Vnd the young 
 man sat down again. But Kari called 
 on Snorri for his opinion. 
 
 " Methinks," said Snorri, " that the lad 
 hath some way of his own which may 
 serve." 
 
 ** If that is all," answered Kari, '* then 
 we will help him." 
 
 " It is only," said Rolf, '* that one of 
 you here will shoot with the bow three 
 roods farther than I. Thus can my father's 
 death be proved unlawful, and Einar 
 stand punishable." 
 
 [ 123 ] 
 
THE STORY OF KOLF 
 
 With great eagerness the young men 
 sprang up and got their bows. All said 
 they would do their best to help the lad, 
 but it was plain that they regarded the 
 matter an easy one. So Rolf took heart 
 at their confidence. Then all went out 
 to the mead, where was good space for 
 shooting. 
 
 " But first," said Kari, '' let us get our 
 hand in with shooting at a mark. Then 
 when we are limber we will shoot to show 
 our distance." 
 
 So that was done, and all thought that 
 great sport, and a fine opportunity for 
 each to show w^hat man he was. The 
 Southfirthers and the Westfirthers set 
 apples on sticks and shot them off, and 
 they shot next at the sticks themselves, 
 and last they shot at a moving mark. 
 Then they called Rolf to show his skill. 
 
 Flosi asked of Kari : " Thinkest thou 
 the lad can shoot ? " 
 
THE TRIAL OF SKILL 
 
 " Slender is he,' answered Kari, *' but 
 strong in the arms and back, and his eye 
 is the eye of an eagle. Our young men 
 will not find their task easy." 
 
 Rolf struck the apples, and then the 
 sticks, and then the moving mark. Then 
 they swung a hoop on the end of a pole, 
 and Rolf sent his arrow through it, but 
 most of the others failed. 
 
 Kari laughed. " Ye forget," quotli he, 
 " that the lad shoots at birds and cannot 
 afford to lose his arrows. AN^ho among 
 us hath had such training ? But now 
 let us try at the distance." 
 
 So the ground was cleared for that, 
 and the weaker bowmen shot first, and 
 some good shots were made. Rolf was 
 called upon to say what he thought. He 
 shook his head. 
 
 " Ye must do better," he said. 
 
 Then better bowmen shot, all those 
 who were there except Kari and Kolbein. 
 [125] 
 
THE STORY OF ROLF 
 
 Snorri would not shoot, but Flosi did, 
 and a great honor it was deemed that he 
 should oblige the lad. But when all had 
 finished, then Rolf took his bow, and his 
 arrow fell upon the farthest which had 
 been sent, and split it. 
 
 SnoiTi laughed. " So hath my kinsman 
 come here," he said, " and all for naught." 
 
 But Kari said : " Kolbein and 1 have 
 yet to shoot, and we are about alike in 
 skill." So they shot one after the other, 
 and they shot equally, so far that all 
 were pleased, and some ran to measure 
 the distance, finding it three roods and 
 more beyond Rolfs arrow. Many cried 
 that the matter was now settled. 
 
 But Snorri said : ''Let Rolf shoot once 
 more. Mayhap he hath not yet done 
 his best." 
 
 Then Rolf took his bow again, and the 
 arrow flew; it fell less than a rood be- 
 hind the arrows of Kari and Kolbein. 
 [126 1 
 
THE TRIAL OF SKILL 
 
 So it was proved that none there might 
 help Rolf in his need. Then he was 
 greatly cast do^^Tl ; and he \^dshed to go 
 away at once, but they detained him over 
 night. Xo men could be kinder to him. 
 And in the morning, when he was to 
 start hoine, they offered him money, but 
 he would take none. So Snorri gave him 
 a cape, and Flosi a belt, and Kari gave 
 a short sword, handsome and well made ; 
 much was he honored by those gifts. 
 SnoiTi lent him a horse to take him to 
 Hvamm, and there boatmen set him 
 again across the firth. 
 
 Weary and disheartened, he came to 
 Cragness on the morning of the second 
 day, and \\dthout joy he entered the hall. 
 There Asdis met him in great trouble. 
 
 •' Here has been," said she, *' a great 
 
 man and a rough, who made me feed 
 
 him. Misfortunes come to us from all 
 
 sides, for Frodi is away, and the man 
 
 [1-7] 
 
THE STORY OF ROLF 
 
 took our milk-ewe, and has driven it 
 away before him, going toward the fells." 
 
 " When was he here ? " asked Rolf. 
 
 " Not two hours ago." 
 
 " I will seek him," said the lad, and 
 turned from the house. 
 
 " Nay," cried Asdis in alarm, " I beg 
 thee, go not ! For he was huge and fierce 
 of aspect. Thou art too tender to meet 
 such as he. Put up with this matter and 
 let it pass." 
 
 ** Mother," answered Rolf, " I am six- 
 teen years old, and since the death of my 
 father I am a man in the eye of the law. 
 Wouldst thou have me less than a man 
 in fact ? " And he went his way after 
 the robber. 
 
 [ 128] 
 
CHAPTER XIII 
 
 OF THAT ROBBER 
 
 ROI^F followed that man who had 
 stolen the ewe, and the way led 
 first down into the dales, and then 
 upward to the fells. There had been rain 
 and the paths were soft, so that the tracks 
 of man and sheep were clear. It was 
 strange to Rolf tliat the robber showed 
 such boldness as to go on beaten ways. 
 Eut when at last he reached the region 
 where all the paths were grassy and tracks 
 could no longer be seen, then Rolf knew 
 not what to do until he met a wayfarer. 
 
 " Hast thou seen,"' asked Rolf, " one 
 who goes driving a ewe ? " 
 
 " He is not far before thee," answered 
 the man. " But what seekest thou with 
 him ? " 
 
 9 [ 129 ] 
 
THE STORY OF ROLF 
 
 " The ewe is mine," said Rolf, " 1 will 
 have it again." 
 
 "Thou art foolhardy," cried the man. 
 " A life is more than a sheep. Turn 
 back ! " 
 
 " Not 1," quoth Rolf, and he went on. 
 Then in a little while he saw the man 
 before him, going without haste behind 
 the ewe. And Rolf marvelled at his con- 
 fidence, for the man did not even look 
 back to see if he were followed. So Rolf 
 strung his bow and went faster, going 
 quietly until he was but fifty feet behind 
 the man. And then he called to the 
 robber. 
 
 That man turned at once, drawing his 
 sword. Grim and harsh was he in face 
 when he found he was followed, but when 
 he saw a lad, alone, then he smiled. 
 
 " Seekest thou me ? " he asked. And 
 his voice was harsh, like his face, so that 
 he was a man to terrify many. 
 [130] 
 
OF THAT ROBBER 
 
 "That sheep is mine," said Rolf. 
 *' Leave it and go thy way." 
 
 " Go home, boy ! " said the man. " I 
 would not hurt thee." 
 
 " Once more/' cried Rolf, " I bid thee 
 leave the ewe, else will I strive with thee 
 for it." 
 
 " What," sneered the man, " wilt thou 
 set thyself against me i Draw thy sword, 
 then ! " 
 
 But the robber's sword was long and 
 heavy, while Rolfs was short and light. 
 "Nay," he responded, ''but I will hurt 
 thee with my arrows. Take thy shield 
 and defend thyself" 
 
 " No shield do I need," sneered the man 
 again, " against such as thou. Shoot, and 
 see if thou canst touch me ! " 
 
 So great was his contempt that he stung 
 
 Rolf to the quick. '* Let us see, then ! " 
 
 the lad cried. And in great heat of anger, 
 
 at short range, Rolf drove a shaft at the 
 
 [131] 
 
THE STORY OF ROLF 
 
 middle of the man's body. But behold ! 
 the man swung his heavy sword as lightly 
 as a wand, and brushed the arrow aside I 
 
 " Once more ! " quoth he. 
 
 And then Rolf shot again, and yet 
 again, but each time the arrow was swept 
 aside. And the robber called with jeers 
 to shoot faster. So Rolf sent his shafts as 
 swiftly as he could, and it was astonishing 
 to see how fast they followed each other ; 
 but though he shot half a score of times, 
 each arrow, just as it reached its mark, 
 was brushed aside. Of them all, one 
 touched the clothing on the robber's 
 breast, so that it tore the cloth ; and one, 
 sent at the face, scratched the skin ere it 
 was turned. When that was done, the 
 man jeered no more, for he saw that Rolf 
 was closing in. 
 
 And what might have happened is not 
 known. But to Rolf, even in his anger 
 to be so foiled, there came admiration of 
 [132] 
 
OF THAT ROBBER 
 
 the stranger's skill. " Now," he thought, 
 " such a thing is a mai'vel, for it is related 
 of the men of old time, but not of the men 
 of to-day. I had not deemed anyone so 
 quick or so strong." Then his own words 
 told him who the man must be ; he 
 stopped advancing, and lowered his bow. 
 
 But in a twinkle the man dropped his 
 sword and strung his own bow, and he 
 laid an arrow on the string. '* Now," 
 cried he, '' we have changed about, and 
 can play the game the other way. Per- 
 haps thou also canst guard thyself" He 
 drew the bow. '* Art thou minded to 
 try?" 
 
 Rolf made no movement to ward him- 
 self '* Thou art Grettir the Strong," he 
 said. 
 
 " Grettir Asmund's son am I," answered 
 
 the man, " whom men call Grettir the 
 
 Strong. Perhaps thou art now the more 
 
 minded to slay me, even as fools whom I 
 
 [133] 
 
THE STORY OF ROLF 
 
 meet from time to time. For nine hun- 
 dreds in silver is the price set upon my 
 head." 
 
 " Nay," answered Rolf, " I would not 
 slay thee." 
 
 The man laughed mightily. "I owe 
 my life to thee ! " he cried. Then he 
 changed his manner suddenly. " Go, 
 leave me, boy, for my temper is short, 
 and I might do thee a mischief ! " 
 
 And then he went on his way, still 
 driving the ewe before him ; but Rolf 
 remained in that place. After a time the 
 lad gathered those of his arrows which 
 were not broken, and turned back toward 
 his home. But when he looked behind, 
 and saw that a roll of land hid him from 
 Grettir, then he turned again, and fol- 
 lowed after the outlaw. 
 
 A long time Rolf followed, warily at 
 first, for Grettir looked back once or 
 twice ; then the lad might go more boldly. 
 [ 134 ] 
 
OF THAT ROBBER 
 
 And the outlaw led him up into the hills, 
 where were rocks and crags and much 
 barrenness, a region where men might 
 lurk long and not be found. And Grettir 
 made a halt at a strong place, a shelf on 
 the crags, protected from above by a sheer 
 cliff, and reached only from one side. It 
 seemed as if he had often been there be- 
 fore. While he made a fire, Rolf lay at 
 a distance, and wondered how he might 
 steal nigher. Only one vantage did he 
 see which commanded tlie outlaw's lair : 
 a great spur of rock which stood out 
 from the cliff, but whicli it would be hard 
 to reach. 
 
 Then Grettir laid himself to sleep while 
 it was yet day, and Rolf crept forward till 
 he was under the spur. From above no 
 man might reach it ; yet there were crev- 
 ices here and there in the rock by which 
 Rolf could climb. So he slung his bow 
 on his back and tried the ascent. But 
 [135] 
 
THE STORY OF ROLF 
 
 so slow must he climb, for fear of noise, 
 that it was dark when he reached the 
 flat top ; and though Grettir was scarce 
 forty feet away, Rolf could not see him 
 at all. So he watched there through the 
 night. 
 
 Ever at that little distance he heard 
 Grettir labor in his sleep, and oft the 
 outlaw moaned and groaned. At times 
 he started up and looked abroad, but he 
 could see nothing by the light of the stars. 
 But when dawn came, then Grettir slept 
 peacefully ; and when it was broad day he 
 still lay sleeping. His face in sleep was 
 sad and noble, with signs of a hasty 
 temper ; his frame was great indeed. He 
 lay so long that Rolf at last strung his 
 bow and shot an arrow into the ground 
 by him. Grettir started from his sleep, 
 grasping his weapons and looking about 
 for his foes. Never in his life Rolf forgot 
 that sight, which few men had seen with- 
 [136] 
 
OF THAT ROBBER 
 
 out ruing it, of Grettir angry and ready 
 for the fray. 
 
 But Grettir saw no one, for he looked 
 about on the hillside below him. Then 
 Rolf spoke: *' Here am I, Grettir." 
 
 Then the outlaw saw him, and put up 
 his shield against a second arrow. Rolf 
 said : '* Hiid I wished, I could have slain 
 thee in thy sleep.' 
 
 " Ratlier will I believe," answered Gret- 
 tir, " that thou hast shot thy last arrow, 
 and missed." 
 
 Rolf showed him his full quiver, and 
 Grettir lowered his shield. " How camest 
 thou here ( " he asked. ** I made sure that 
 thou weii: gone." 
 
 " Not very sure," answered Rolf 
 
 *' And how," asked Grettir, '' didst thou 
 reach that place ? I had weened no man 
 could mount that rock." 
 
 *' I am but a boy," answered Rolf, "yet 
 men call me Cragsman." 
 [137] 
 
THE STORY OF ROLF 
 
 " Now I am well shamed," cried Grettir, 
 " that a boy hath so outwitted me ! And 
 this I believe, that thou mightest have 
 slain me ; for a good archer I found thee 
 yesterday. Still more will I say, that 
 yesterday I had near suffered a hurt at 
 thy hands, so that I was considering 
 whether to retreat before thee, or to take 
 my shield, and neither have I yet done 
 before a single archer. Now let me ask 
 thee, why didst thou stop shooting then ; 
 and why didst thou not slay me here as I 
 lay?" 
 
 "Because," answered Rolf, "thou, or 
 no man in Iceland, canst give me the help 
 I need." 
 
 " Come down," said Grettir, " and we 
 will eat together." 
 
 So they breakfasted together, of dried 
 meat and the milk of the ewe. " How 
 was thy sleep there on the crag ? " asked 
 Grettir. 
 
 [ 138 ] 
 
OF THAT ROBBER 
 
 "No worse," answered Rolf, "than 
 thine here on the ledge. Why didst 
 thou sleep so ill ? " 
 
 Then Grettir answered soberly : " One 
 of my few good deeds is so repaid that I 
 see shapes in the dark, and my sleep is 
 broken. For I slew Glain the ghost who 
 wasted Thorhallstead, but ere I cut off 
 his head he laid on me that spell. So I 
 am a fearsome man in the dark, though 
 in tlie day no man may daunt me. But 
 what can I do for thee ? " 
 
 " Let me see," answered Rolf, " if with 
 the bow thou canst shoot farther than I.'' 
 
 ** Thou ai-t a vain lad," said Grettir, 
 somewhat displeased. *' For that alone 
 camest thou hither i " 
 
 " Be not wroth," begged Rolf, " for I 
 have the best of reasons." And he told 
 the story of his father's death and of the 
 need for a good archer. Grettir smiled. 
 
 " And couldst thou find no man," asked 
 [139] 
 
THE STORY OF ROLF 
 
 he, " who is within the law, to do this for 
 thee ? " 
 
 Then Rolf told of the trial with those 
 Soiithfirthers at Tongue, and Grettir 
 looked upon him with surprise. " So 
 skilled art thou then ? " he asked. " Now 
 string thy bow, and show me how far 
 thou canst shoot." 
 
 So Rolf strung his bow, and shot along 
 the hillside, and the arrow fell far away. 
 *' Now do I wonder," said Grettir. " Let 
 me see thy bow." And when he had 
 looked on it he said : " That any one 
 could shoot so far with such light gear I 
 had not thought possible. Thou art a 
 good bowman. But what thinkest thou 
 of my bow ? " 
 
 Rolf took the bow of Grettir in his 
 hand, and a strange weapon it was. For 
 it was shorter than his own bow, and 
 scarcely shaped at all, but was heavy and 
 thick, so that it had seemed not to be 
 [ 140 ] 
 
OF THAT ROBBER 
 
 a bow, save for the string and the notched 
 ends, 
 
 " Such a bow." said Rolf, " saw I 
 never." 
 
 " Canst thou string it ? " asked Grettir. 
 
 Then Rolf tried, but he could scarce 
 bend it a little way. Yet Grettir took it 
 and strung it with ease. Then he showed 
 Rolf his an'ows, which were heavy, short, 
 and thick, like the bow. He laid one on 
 the string, and drew it to the head, and 
 behold ! it rushed forth with a great whir, 
 and witli such force that it might pierce a 
 man behind his shield. And it flew far 
 beyond the arrow of Rolf, full five rood 
 further. 
 
 *• What thou dost with skill," said 
 Grettir, ** I do with strength." But Rolf 
 cried with great joy : 
 
 '* Thou art the man I have been seek- 
 ing!" Then he asked: ''Wilt thou go 
 with me and shoot an arrow before wit- 
 [141] 
 
THE STORY OF ROLF 
 
 nesses, to prove that my father was 
 unlawfully slain ? " 
 
 " That I will," quoth Grettir, " and joy- 
 fully too, for I see little of men. Only 
 one thing I require, that safe conduct be 
 promised me to go and come, for I have 
 enemies in thy dales." 
 
 "How shall I get thee safe conduct ? " 
 asked Rolf. 
 
 " It must be granted," answered Grettir, 
 " by the Quarter Court at the Althing." 
 
 Then they talked the matter over, and 
 Grettir advised Rolf once more to seek 
 Snorri the Priest, to find what steps should 
 be taken. Then it was bespoken where 
 Rolf should meet Grettir again, and the 
 outlaw offered to lay out in the hills north 
 of the Thingvalla, in the valley of the 
 geysirs, and await tidings of the outcome 
 of the suit. 
 
 " Now," said Rolf, when he was ready to 
 go, " keep the ewe for thy kindness's sake." 
 [142] 
 
OF THAT ROBBER 
 
 " Do thou take her," answered Grettir. 
 " For had I known that thy mother was a 
 widow, I w^ould never have taken the 
 sheep. And the first booty is this, which 
 ever 1 rendered again.' 
 
 So Rolf returned toward home driving 
 the ewe ; and when he reached the high- 
 way which led to the South Firths, there 
 came riding a company, Kari and Flosi 
 and their followers, and Snorri the Priest 
 was with them. They asked tidings. 
 Then he told them of Grettir, and those 
 three chiefs left their horses, and sat down 
 witli Rolf on the fell a little way fi'om 
 their company ; they had talk what was 
 to be done. For Snorri declared he saw 
 a flaw in the case, since Grettir was an 
 outlaw, and no outlaw had ever yet come 
 into a suit at law. But at last he said : 
 
 ** Now go thy wa}', and summon Einar 
 with a formal summons. [And he taught 
 Rolf the form.] But be thou sure that no 
 [U3J 
 
THE STORY OF ROLF 
 
 mention is made of Grettir. And I be- 
 lieve that, since no such case has ever yet 
 been tried, it can lawfully be brought 
 about that Grettir may shoot." 
 
 Then those chiefs went their way, and 
 Rolf went his, and he came back to 
 Cragness. 
 
 [lU] 
 
CHAPTER XIV 
 
 HOW ROLF AND EINAR SUMMONED 
 EACH OTHER 
 
 BECAUSE of tlie state of mat- 
 ters at Cra<^ness, Frodi the Smith 
 journeyed there frequently to see 
 his relatives. Here it must be told what 
 kind of man he was. He was tall and 
 heavy-jointed, with a long neck and a 
 long face, and somewhat comic to look 
 upon. Frodi the Slow was he by-named, 
 for his movements were cumbersome and 
 his mind worked slowly. But since that 
 affair at the sheep-fold, many called him 
 Whittle-Frodi. 
 
 Now Rolf sends for him one day, and 
 tells him all that had happened, and how 
 he was sure of making Einar an outlaw. 
 10 [ 145 1 
 
THE STORY OF ROLF 
 
 And he asks Frodi to go with him to 
 the house of Einar, to be witness to 
 the summons. 
 
 Then said Frodi : " Let me say what 
 I think of this affair. First thou shouldst 
 ask a peaceful atonement. For in the 
 beginning it seems that there is danger 
 to thee, so gi-eat is the strength against 
 thee. And in the second place such con- 
 tinual blood-feuds as daily go on are 
 unchristian, and evil for the land." 
 
 Then Rolf was thoughtful. " Shall I 
 have done all my seeking for nothing ? " 
 he asked. " More than that, shall I take 
 money for my father's slaying ? " 
 
 "It is the custom of the land," said 
 Frodi, " and many men do it for the sake 
 of peace." 
 
 "I heard Flosi say at Tongue," said 
 
 Rolf, ** how strife between neighbors was 
 
 the greatest bane of this land. And I 
 
 am half minded to do as thou sayest. 
 
 [146] 
 
ROLF AND EIXAR 
 
 But why has not Einar offered me atone- 
 ment, if any is to be paid ? I tell thee, 
 hard is liis heart, and he is glad ! " 
 
 " At least," begged Frodi, " let me ask 
 Einar what he will do." 
 
 *' So I will," answered Rolf, " and a 
 great sacrifice I make, to lay aside my 
 grief and vengeance. Nay, I even break 
 my vow which I made before thee. But 
 I think only scorn will be thy portion, 
 and matters will be made worse." 
 
 Then they went together to tlie house 
 of Einar, and were seen from the hall 
 as they entered the yard, and men came 
 and stood in the porch as they approached. 
 There were Einar and Ondott, and other 
 men of the household. All bore weapons. 
 But no one spoke when the cousins stood 
 before them. 
 
 *' Will no one here give us welcome ? " 
 asked Frodi. 
 
 Ondott mimicked Frodi's slow voice, 
 [147] 
 
THE STORY OF ROLF 
 
 aiid said: "Be welcome." The men of 
 Einar laughed. 
 
 " Laugh not," said Frodi mildly. " Now, 
 Einar, it is known how Hiarandi came by 
 his death, and men say thou art respon- 
 sible therefor." 
 
 " I was not by at his slaying," answered 
 Einar. 
 
 Said Rolf: " What is done by a man's 
 servants, with his knowledge, is as his 
 deed." 
 
 And Frodi said : " Were it not better 
 to atone Rolf for the death of his father, 
 rather than have bad blood between 
 neighbors ? For thou knowest this, that 
 some day a man may be found to shoot 
 an aiTOW beyond that little oak." 
 
 Now Einar was plainly smitten by the 
 answer of Frodi, and the scorn went from 
 his face, and he thought. And here may 
 be seen how the evil which a bad man 
 does is not half so much in quantity as 
 [148] 
 
ROLF AND EIXAR 
 
 the good which he mars. For Ondott 
 Crafty saw what was in Einar's mind, 
 and he spoke quickly. 
 
 " An award may be given, Einar," said 
 he, " which will honor you both. Shall 
 I utter it ? " 
 
 Now Einar w^as accustomed to the bitter 
 jokes of Ondott, and when he thought 
 he saw one coming, he forgot his design 
 of peace, and said : " Utter the award." 
 
 " But does Rolf agree to it ? " asked 
 Ondott. 
 
 " I will hear it," answered Rolf "But 
 if thou meanest to scoff, think twice, lest 
 in the end it be bad tor thee." 
 
 Meanwhile some of the women of the 
 household had come out of the hall at its 
 other end, by the women's door, and now 
 stood near to hear what was said. Helga 
 the daughter of Einar was there, but she 
 hung back ; nearest of all stood Thurid 
 the crone, listening closely. 
 [149] 
 
THE STORY OF ROLF 
 
 •' Now this I would award," said On- 
 dott, "if I were in thy place, Einar. 
 Thy son Grani is abroad, in the fostering 
 of the Orkney earl ; but some day he will 
 come home, and then will need men to 
 serve him. Let Rolf give up his holding 
 and become thy man ; so canst thou pro- 
 tect him from all harm. Then when thy 
 son returns Rolf shall be his bow-bearer, 
 and shall be atoned by the honor for the 
 death of his father." 
 
 Some laughed, but not for long, and 
 so far was this from a jest that the most 
 were silent. Then Thurid chanted : 
 
 '^For Einar' s son shall Rolf bear bow. 
 Which in the end shall bear most woe ? " 
 
 But none paid attention, for Rolf was 
 gathering himself to speak. And he 
 cried : ** 111 jesting is thine, Ondott ! 
 Now hear what I am come hither to 
 say: Outlaw shall Einar be made, for 
 that man is found who can make the 
 [150] 
 
ROLF AND EINAR 
 
 shot beyond the little oak. And thus I 
 summon Einar." 
 
 So he recited the summons. He named 
 the deed and the place, and the wounds 
 of whicli Hiarandi had died. He named 
 witnesses, those householders who had 
 already been summoned. And he called 
 Einar to answer for the deed before the 
 Westfirther's Court at the Althing. 
 
 Ondott alone laughed when the sum- 
 mons was spoken in full. *' So here are 
 come a boy and a peaceling," quoth he, 
 '' to pick a quarrel with men." 
 
 '' Heed him not," said Frodi to Rolf, 
 *' for he seeks cause to draw sword on 
 thee." 
 
 Then Rolf made no answer to Ondott, 
 but he and Frodi turned away and started 
 to go home. Ondott whispered to Einar : 
 " A spear between the shoulders will 
 settle this matter for good." And he 
 signed to Hallvard that he should have 
 [ 151 ] 
 
THE STORY OF ROLF 
 
 his spear ready ix) throw. Einar stood 
 irresolute. 
 
 But the maid Helga went forward 
 quickly and walked by Rolfs side. "May 
 I go with thee to the gate ? " she asked. 
 
 Great anger possessed him against all 
 of Einar 's house, but the sight of her 
 astonished him, and he said she might 
 come. In silence they went to the gate 
 of the yard ; then Helga stood there in 
 the way while those tw^o from Cragness 
 went homeward. And Einar had already 
 bidden that no violence be done, for fear 
 of harming his daughter. He went into 
 the hall and sat down in his seat, brood- 
 ing over the outcome. 
 
 Ondott said : " Too squeamish art 
 thou." 
 
 Einar said : " If thou findest me not a 
 way out of this, it will go ill with thee." 
 
 Now a way out of that would have 
 been hard to find, had not one day Ondott 
 [152] 
 
ROLF AND EINAK 
 
 met that man who had set Rolf on the 
 right road as he pursued Grettir. Said 
 the man : "So thy neiglibor Rolf won his 
 sheep again from Grettir the Strong. 
 That was a great deed ! ' 
 
 Then Ondott learned of the stealing 
 of the sheep, and how Rolf had been seen 
 driving it home again. He thought, and 
 knew wlio must be that man who would 
 shoot for Rolf Then he went homeward 
 with a liglit lieart. 
 
 " Now/' said he to Einar, " thy defence 
 is sure. But come with me, and we will 
 summon Rolf for those wounds he dealt, 
 and that man lie slew, when Hiarandi 
 was slain." 
 
 ** No court," answered Einar, '' will 
 punish Rolf for that." And he would 
 not go, though he gave Ondott permis- 
 sion to go in his stead. Ondott took a 
 witness and went to Cragness, where Rolf 
 and Frodi were at work in the yard. 
 [153] 
 
THE STORY OF ROLF 
 
 Ondott recited the summons ; Rolf and 
 Frodi went on with the work, and an- 
 swered naught. 
 
 And now all is quiet until men ride 
 to the Althing. 
 
 [ 1-54 ] 
 
CHAPTER XV 
 
 OF SUITS AT THP: ALTHING 
 
 ROLF journeyed to tlie Althing, 
 and as he went lie fell in with 
 the company of Snorri the Priest, 
 and travelled with tlicni. Snorri heard 
 how the suninions had gone, and he asked 
 whether Rolf had said an}i:hing of Grettir. 
 Rolf answered tliat he had not. Then 
 he told of the summons which Ondott had 
 made, and Snorri laughed. It w;is not 
 many days before they came to tlie Thing- 
 valla, and Rolf saw that gi'eat wonder of 
 Iceland. 
 
 For from the plain on which they jour- 
 neyed a large part had fallen clean away, 
 many yards do\\Ti, and it lay below like 
 the bottom of a pan. The Great Rift 
 [ 155 ] 
 
THE STORY OF ROLF 
 
 was the name of the western precipice, 
 and there was no way down save by one 
 steep path ; Snorri had held that path on 
 the day of the battle at the Althing, nor 
 would he let Flosi and the Burners escape 
 that way. When Rolf had got down to 
 the plain, he saw all the booths for the 
 lodging of those who came to the Althing, 
 ranged along the river. He saw the places 
 where the Quarter Courts were held, and 
 he went to the Hill of Laws, where the 
 Fifth Court sat to hear appeals. Now 
 the Hill of Laws is cut off from the plain 
 by deep rifts, and men showed Rolf where, 
 to save his life, Flosi had leaped one rift 
 at its narrowest part, and that was a great 
 deed. Other wonders were to be seen. 
 Then on the second day the sitting of the 
 courts began, and Rolf watched closely 
 for the calling of his suit. But that came 
 not until the sitting was near its end. 
 Now SnoiTi conducted the case of Rolf, 
 [ 156 ] 
 
OF SUITS AT THE ALTHIXG 
 
 and all went in due order. Einar answered 
 what was said against him, that he was 
 not present at the slaying of Hiarandi. 
 Snorri called on the court to say whether 
 Einar were not answerahle. hecause his 
 men did the deed. The judges said he 
 was. Then it came to proving whether 
 or not the slaying were illegal, and Snorri 
 said that a man had been found who could 
 shoot the distance. And this he asked 
 of the judges: 
 
 '* Is it not true that when, before wit- 
 nesses, an arrow is shot from the boundary 
 and falls beyond the tree, that will prove 
 the slaying unlawful ? " 
 
 " That is so," said the judges. 
 
 " Now say further," demanded Snorri. 
 " Is it not true that in the moment when 
 the slaying is proved unla\\^ul, the guilt 
 of Einar is established, so that no suit at 
 law is needed ? " 
 
 " That also is true," answered the judges. 
 [ 157 ] 
 
THE STORY OF ROLF 
 
 " Now," said Snorri, " one last thing do 
 I ask, whether or not he who goes to 
 make the proof by shooting an arrow, 
 may go and come freely, whatsoever man 
 he be?" 
 
 '* We see no reason why this may not 
 be so," said the judges. 
 
 " Now give that decision here aloud in 
 the open court," required Snom. 
 
 But Einar arose and said : ** One ex- 
 ception only shall I ask to this, that no 
 outlaw be allowed to take part in this 
 suit, by shooting the arrow." 
 
 Then said Snorri to Rolf, " They have 
 learned of Grettir." Pie said to the 
 judges : " Well do I know that no outlaw 
 is ever allowed to give witness in court, 
 nor to sit on juries. But no such case as 
 this has ever arisen, and it seems to me 
 that an outlaw might be permitted to 
 shoot." 
 
 Then there was great talking on both 
 [ 158 ] 
 
OF SUITS AT THE ALTHING 
 
 sides, lor the greater part of an hour : it 
 would be tedious to tell what was said. 
 But the end was, that the judges were 
 divided, so tlie question was refen-ed to 
 the Lawman. And his answer was, that 
 no outlaw might bike part in a law matter 
 in any way whatsoever. There was an 
 end to Rolfs hopes to prove Einar guilty 
 by the means of Grettir. 
 
 But Snorri called all men to witness 
 that when some day a man might be 
 found to shoot the distance, then Einar 
 was guilty without going to law. Now 
 men began to whisper and say that the 
 end of Grettir s outlawry was but four 
 years off, and then Rolf could be justified. 
 So Einar tried to have a limit of three 
 years set on that time when it was lawful 
 to try the shooting ; but Snorri strove 
 mightily against that, and that question 
 went to the Lawman, and he said that 
 seven years should be the limit. 
 [ 1-59 1 
 
THE STORY OF ROLF 
 
 That was the end of the suit, and Rolf 
 got no satisfaction at all. One more 
 thing was done on that day, for Snorri 
 went to Einar where he stood with 
 Ondott, and he asked of the second suit, 
 for which Rolf had been summoned. 
 Ondott spoke for Einar. 
 
 " We shall not bring that suit." 
 
 " That is well," said Snorri, " for ye had 
 no case, and I could have a fine laid on 
 you if the case was brought falsely." 
 Then he took Rolf with him to his booth. 
 
 But here is the trick which Ondott had 
 prepared. For the next day was the last 
 of the sittings, and Snorri was busy with 
 many matters ; but Rolf stayed at the 
 booth, much cast down. Then toward 
 the sunset hour the cases were all finished, 
 and men left the courts, all save the 
 judges, who stayed for the formal closing. 
 Then Ondott brought forward the case 
 against Rolf, and summoned him into 
 [ l^^O ] 
 
OF SUITS AT THP: ALTHING 
 
 court, but no one was tliere to tell either 
 SnoiTi or the lad. Xevertheless it was 
 the law that the suit might go on, because 
 hiwful summons had been given. And 
 Einar stood up and said : 
 
 " I take witness to this, that I give 
 notice of a suit against Rolf Hiarandi's 
 son, in that he slew by a body wound, by 
 an arrow, my herdsman Tliorold. I say 
 that in this suit he ought to be made a 
 guilty man, an outlaw, not to be fed, not 
 to be forwarded, not to be helped or har- 
 bored in any need. I say tiiat all his 
 goods are forfeited, half to me, and lialf 
 to the men of the Quarter, who have a 
 right by hiw to take liis forfeited goods ; 
 I give notice of this suit in the Quarter 
 Court into which it ought by law to come. 
 I give notice in the hearing of all men on 
 the Hill of Laws. I give notice of this 
 suit to be pleaded now, and of full out- 
 lawTy against Rolf Hiarandi's son." 
 
 11 [ 161 ] 
 
THE STORY OF ROLF 
 
 All that was said in the manner laid 
 down by law. Then Einar pushed the 
 case, and no one was there to answer him. 
 All steps were taken then and there, and 
 judgment was called for and given, and 
 in his absence Rolf was made full outlaw, 
 and his goods were declared forfeited. 
 Not till the court had risen, and nothing 
 might be done, was the news brought to 
 Snorri and Rolf. 
 
 Snorri was angry that he had been 
 tricked, yet he could see no way to help 
 himself. This one thing he brought 
 about, that the judges declared that Rolf, 
 outlaw though he was, might shoot to 
 prove his innocence, if he might but get 
 himself safely to the spot. And Snorri 
 sought to comfort Rolf, but the lad was 
 dazed. 
 
 " The farm is lost ! " he cried. 
 
 "Thou canst win it back," answered 
 Snorri. " Thou art young and thy 
 [162] 
 
OF SUITS AT THE ALTHING 
 
 strength will grow. Before the seven 
 years are past thou canst make that shot." 
 
 " Nay," said Rolf. " I can never do it 
 until I find some bow as strong as Grettir's, 
 yet which a common man may string. 
 Never have I found a bow too stiff for 
 me, save his alone.' 
 
 ** Skill may beat strength," quoth 
 Snorri. *' Somewhere mayest thou find 
 the bow thou dreamest of." 
 
 ** Where ? " demanded Rolf. 
 
 Snorri was silent, for he feared no such 
 bow was to be found. 
 
 Rolf sighed. *' And my mother ? " he 
 asked next. 
 
 " She shall live with me at Tongue. 
 And now," said Snorri, *' meseems best 
 that thou goest home at once. Thou 
 knowest all that is to be done ? " 
 
 " I know/' replied Rolf ; and Snorri 
 believed him, because to the Priest all 
 the ways of the law^ were so familiar that 
 [ 163 ] 
 
THE STOKY OF ROLF 
 
 it seemed all men m_ust know them. Yet 
 Rolf did not know, and they meant 
 different things. 
 
 " Shall I lend thee money," asked Snorri, 
 " or hast thou enough ? " 
 
 " I have plenty," said Rolf; yet he had 
 only enough for the journey, whereas 
 much more was needed. Then Rolf took 
 his leave of Snorri, and gave him his 
 thanks ; and taking his horse, he went 
 from the Thingfield by the path up the 
 Great Rift. And he passed two men of 
 Einar's, who spoke together that they 
 were to start very early in the morning. 
 From the top of the Rift Rolf looked 
 down on that plain where all men were 
 still busy, and which in years had brought 
 misfortune on all his family. Then at 
 last he went his way. 
 
 Now those men of Einar's went to their 
 booth, and told that they had seen Rolf 
 departing. "Hasten back at once," said 
 [164] 
 
OF SUITS AT THE ALTHING 
 
 Ondott, "and find what direction he 
 takes." And they went and watched. 
 
 " He went northwest," said they, '* and 
 he took not the straight track toward 
 home.' 
 
 '' Then he is gone elsewhere," quoth 
 Ondott, and seemed glad. "Huitv, all 
 of you, for he delivers himself into our 
 hands." 
 
 ^leanwhile Rolf went northwest to tlie 
 valley of the geysirs, and on the second 
 day found Grettir the Strong cooking his 
 food at a boiling spring. 
 
 [165] 
 
CHAPTER XVI 
 
 THE ACT OF DISTRESS 
 
 ROLF told Grettir all that had hap- 
 pened, and much was the outlaw 
 disappointed thereat. For he had 
 counted upon going again among men, 
 and had hoped to win glory from the 
 shooting, so he was sorry on his own 
 account. But also he consoled the boy. 
 For he spoke of the gi^eat world over the 
 sea, how there were places and peoples to 
 be seen, and fame to be won. This is 
 clearly seen by those who read the story 
 of Grettir, that all his life he sought fame, 
 and his fate was lighter to him because he 
 knew men would sing of him after his 
 death. But no such thoughts uplifted 
 Rolf, since he grieved for his mother and 
 [166] 
 
THE ACT OF DISTRESS 
 
 for the loss of the farm, and it seemed no 
 pleasure to go abroad. 
 
 " Now," said he, " far rather would I 
 stay here in this island, until the time of 
 outlawry is past. A\^hy may I not stay 
 with thee ? "' 
 
 ** Knowest thou not," asked Grettir, 
 " that if one fares abroad the outlawry is 
 for three years, but if one stays it is 
 twenty ? And that is a third of most 
 men's lifetime." 
 
 ** Yet," said Rolf, ** I am minded to do 
 it." For he cared not what liappened to 
 him. 
 
 " Now," said Grettir, '* listen to me, and 
 learn what it means to be an outlaw. No 
 man will take thee witiiin his house, so 
 soon as he knows who thou art. So must 
 thou live in the open, like a beast, or else 
 make hiding-places for thyself. And a 
 miserable life it becomes after a while. 
 No man mayest thou trust, lest he take 
 [167] 
 
THE STORY OF ROLF 
 
 thy head. Well do I know that Gisli 
 thy ancestor lived an outlaw, fourteen 
 years ; yet he lived in holes and caves, 
 and was slain at the end. He was the 
 greatest outlaw of Iceland before nrie, save 
 only Gunnar of Lithend, who tried to 
 stay in his home and was slain. But I 
 have maintained myself sixteen years, and 
 miserable have they been. Too tender 
 art thou of years and frame to bear the 
 life. Moreover, I know my mother mourns 
 me at home. Think then of thine, and 
 put this idea from thee ! " 
 
 Then Rolf was ashamed that he had 
 ever thought of such a thing. So he 
 spent a night with Grettir, there among 
 the geysirs, and wonderful w^ere the 
 things that he saw. And in the morning 
 they cooked again at the boiling spring. 
 Then, as they sat eating, Grettir said by 
 chance : 
 
 "Thou saidst thou art poor. Did 
 [168] 
 
THE ACT OF DISTRESS 
 
 Snorri give the money for the priest's 
 dues, and the court's ? " 
 
 " What are those dues ? " asked Rolf. 
 
 Grettir cried: "Has no money been 
 paid for thine outla\v7y ? " 
 
 " None by me, ' answered Rolf. 
 
 " And thy neighbor Einar," asked 
 Grettir. '' W^hat was he doing when 
 thou camest away ? " 
 
 '' They were preparing for departure, 
 so that I heard a groom say they would 
 start before sunrise in the morning." 
 
 Then Grettir sprang up, and went and 
 caught Rolfs pony ; he saddled it, and 
 brought it to the lad. ** Go liome ! " he 
 cried. " Too little dost thou know of the 
 law. For if those dues were paid, then 
 thou liadst a year in which to take ship. 
 But they are not paid, so thy enemy can 
 make thee full outlaw ten days after the 
 rising of the Althing, by executing the 
 act of distress at thy house. Three days 
 [169] 
 
THE STORY OF ROLF 
 
 are gone already, and thou ait far from 
 home. For this was Einar hastening 
 away. Now take my advice, and go south, 
 and ship thence." 
 
 "Nay," answered Rolf, "first I must 
 see my mother, and perhaps I can reach 
 home in time. Now fare thee well, 
 Grettir. When thy outlawry is finished, 
 then thou shalt gain me my property 
 again." 
 
 But Grettir said nay to that. "Well 
 do I know," said he, " that we two shall 
 never meet again. For from here I go 
 to the island of Drangey, to keep myself 
 if I may until my outlawry is over. No 
 stronger place is there in Iceland for de- 
 fence. But Hallmund the Air-sprite, my 
 friend, foretold I should never come out 
 of my outlawry. Thus I shall never 
 again mix in this afiair of thine." 
 
 Rolf could answer nothing. 
 
 " And in my turn," said Grettir, " thus I 
 [170] 
 
THE ACT OF DISTRESS 
 
 foretell thy fate. Xo man shall help thee 
 here. With thine o\^ti strength and craft 
 must thou regain thine own, or never 
 more be master of thy father's hall ! " 
 
 Then Rolf was heavy-hearted as he 
 bade Grettir farewell. And Grettir did as 
 he had said : he went to his home at Biarg, 
 and went thence with his brother Illugi 
 to Drangey. How he fared there may 
 be read in the Grettirs Saga. But Rolf 
 fared west to his home. He had lost 
 much time, as Grettir had feared ; yet as 
 he neared Cragness on the eleventh day 
 after the rising of the Althing he saw no 
 one, and it was just noon. And only at 
 high noon might the act be executed 
 which would make him full outlaw. So 
 he rode into the yard. 
 
 Then there stepped out to meet him 
 from the house Ondott Crafty, who came 
 forward with a greeting. He spoke well 
 to the boy, and bade him alight, yet 
 
 [ ni ] 
 
THE STORY OF ROLF 
 
 seemed to wish to get very near. Rolf 
 dismounted on the further side of his 
 horse. "What doest thou here?" he 
 asked. 
 
 " Einar hath sent me," said Ondott, 
 still coming closer. " He biddeth thee 
 come to his house, where somewhat can 
 be said concerning this outlawry of thine, 
 to make it easier for thee." 
 
 But then Asdis came running from the 
 house. " Flee ! " she cried. " Einar and 
 his men are at the crags, and there they 
 make thee outlaw. Flee ! " 
 
 Then Ondott snatched at Rolf with his 
 lean arms, but the lad felled him with a 
 buffet. Rolf would have mounted his 
 liorse again to get away, but men ap- 
 peared at the gate of the yard, so that 
 there was no way out. Then Rolf passed 
 quickly into the hall, and kissed his 
 mother farewell, and leaped from a win- 
 dow at the other side, meaning to gain 
 [ 172 ] 
 
THE ACT OF DISTRESS 
 
 the cliff's. His way was all but clear ; 
 for spies had seen Rolf's coming and re- 
 ported it to Einar, who sent his men to 
 seize tlie lad. They had gone to right 
 and left around the hall, while Einar 
 alone completed the act of distress at the 
 crags ; for thus the law said : it must be 
 done at a barren spot where no shade fell, 
 not far from the house of the outlaw. 
 And Einar completed the act, and started 
 toward the house. He alone stood be- 
 tween Rolf and his escape. So Rolf ran 
 at him, drawing his sword. 
 
 But Einar Hed when he saw the lad's 
 steel. Then Rolf ran up behind, put his 
 sword between Einar's legs, and tripped 
 him. Einar rolled over on his back. 
 
 '' Mercy ! " cried he, and made no at- 
 tempt to ward himself. 
 
 Rolf laid the flat of his sword against 
 Einar's forehead : he shrank from the cold 
 steel, but still did not struggle. 
 [173] 
 
THE STORY OF llOLF 
 
 " Now," quoth Rolf, " I go across the 
 sea, yet thou shalt hear from me again. 
 And if I meet in the outlands thy son, of 
 whom thou boas test, T promise thee to 
 put this sword to his forehead, but with 
 the edge, and to draw his blood." 
 
 By that, the men of Einar were close 
 at hand. Rolf ran to the crags and let 
 himself down at a place which he knew 
 well. When men with spears came to 
 the edge and looked after him, nothing of 
 him was seen. 
 
 174] 
 
CHAPTER XVII 
 
 ROLF AND FRODI FARE ABROAD 
 
 ROLF comes to f^rodi where he 
 works in his smithy, there at the 
 head of Hvammfirth. Xow the 
 weather is rough, and a strong sea rages 
 among tlie ishmds at the mouth of the 
 firth, and the tide-rips are bad. Rolf 
 comes into the smithy, and Frodi greets 
 him well. 
 
 " How went thy suit at the Althing ? " 
 asks he. 
 
 Then Rolf tells him all, how he was 
 now an outlaw, and how he escaped. 
 '* And men are out to catch me, for as I 
 came down over the hill, I met one who 
 said that armed men were at the ferry 
 below, waiting for someone. Now lend 
 [175] 
 
THE STORY OF KOLF 
 
 me thy boat, Frodi, that I may cross to 
 Hvamm, and seek passage on that ship 
 which is there outfitting." 
 
 " Remain with me overnight," answered 
 Frodi, "for the wind is rough." But 
 Rolf would not stay. "Then," said 
 Frodi, " I will row with thee, to help 
 against the wind, and coming back I can 
 row easily alone." 
 
 " Thou wouldst thus come into danger 
 for forwarding an outlaw," replied Rolf, 
 and on no account would he suffer Frodi 
 to go. So perforce Frodi lent him the 
 boat, and they bade each other God-speed, 
 and Rolf set out. 
 
 That was a hard row in the face of the 
 wind, yet Rolf got safely to Hvamm. 
 Then, desiring that his enemies should 
 think him dead, he set the boat adrift, 
 and the oars separately, and saw the waves 
 carry them from the shore. Then he went 
 on his way to the ship which was fitting 
 
 [ ne ] 
 
ROLF AND FRODI 
 
 for the outward voyage ; and because it 
 was the law that no shipmaster might 
 refuse passage to an outlaw, Rolf was sure 
 of safety. As he went he met a man of 
 Snorri the Priest, and Rolf sent by him a 
 message to his master : *' Forget not thy 
 promise to keep my mother till my re- 
 turn." And so he came to the ship, and 
 was sheltered. 
 
 But that boat drifted across the firth, 
 and the wind and tide brought it again 
 to Frodi's smithy, where it lay and beat 
 upon the beach. Frodi went out and 
 drew it up, and knew it as his own, and 
 believed that Rolf was drowned. He went 
 back to liis smithy, and sat there weeping. 
 
 Then came that way men of Einar's, 
 Hallvard and Hallmund, with Ondott 
 Crafty ; and seeing they were three, and 
 Frodi so mild of temper, they went into 
 the smithy to taunt him with the mis- 
 fortunes of Rolf. Because he wept, they 
 19 [ 177 ] 
 
THE STORY OF ROLF 
 
 fell to laughing, and asked him : *' Why 
 weepest thou, Whittle-Frodi ? " 
 
 Frodi told them that Rolf was dead. 
 " For he took my boat to row across the 
 firth, and now is the boat come empty to 
 land, without oars or thole-pins." 
 
 Then they laughed the more, and 
 taunted him grievously, saying they were 
 glad at the news, and mocking his weep- 
 ing. So Hallmund came near, and put 
 his hand on Frodi, calling him a fool. 
 Frodi seized the hand, and rose, and they 
 all saw his face was changed. 
 
 " Never in my life," said Frodi, ** have 
 I been angry till now ! " He drew the 
 man to him, and snapped the bones of his 
 arm ; then he raised him and cast him at 
 Hallvard, so that the two fell, but Ondott 
 remained standing. 
 
 " Now, Ondott," quoth Frodi, " here is 
 the whittle which once thou badst me draw. 
 Let us see if it will cut!" But when he 
 [178] 
 
ROLF AXD FRODI 
 
 drew the whittle, Ondott fled, and the oth- 
 ers scrambled together out of the smithy. 
 
 Then Frodi was afraid of the law, for 
 he thought : " They will make me an 
 outlaw for this assault." So he took his 
 boat, and got new oars and thole-pins. 
 Then he fetched his money from his sleep- 
 ing loft, and fared across Ifvammtirth to 
 that same ship where Rolf was. Great 
 was his joy when he saw Rolf 
 
 " What dost tliou here ? " asked Rolf. 
 
 ** I will go with thee," answered Frodi. 
 Then he paid the shipmaster his faring, 
 and paid Rolf's also. Two days there- 
 after they sailed down Broadhrth, and 
 saw Cragness at a little distance. The 
 cairn of Hiarandi was to be seen at the 
 edge of the cliff, but many persons were 
 at work in the field. Rolf knew that his 
 enemies had already set up their house- 
 hold there ; but the ship took him, heavy- 
 hearted, east over the sea. 
 [179] 
 
CHAPTER XVIII 
 
 HOW THOSE TWO CAME INTO 
 THRALDOM 
 
 TWO earls ruled in the Orkneys : 
 Brusi and Thorfinn, half-brothers. 
 Of the islands, two thirds were 
 under Brusi, the elder ; but besides his 
 third Thorfinn had inherited Caithness 
 and Sunderland in Scotland from his 
 grandfather the Scot king. So Thoi-finn 
 lived on those lands, and Brusi guarded 
 all the isles ; but Thorfinn complained 
 that the guard was ill-kept, since vikings 
 haiTied oft in the isles, coming from 
 Norway or Denmark. 
 
 There was a man named Ar the Pea- 
 cock, who was a thane of Brusi the Earl 
 and lived on the Mainland of Orkney. 
 Now the Mainland of Orkney is an island, 
 [180] 
 
INTO THRALDOM 
 
 and Ar ruled its northern end, having 
 charge of the tribute to the Earl and the 
 keeping of order. He hved at that place 
 called Hawksness in Hawkdale, below the 
 downs and sheepwalks, where is good har- 
 bor in winter. Forty men he kept, and 
 a war-ship ; his hall was great, and there 
 was a stone church close by ; fisher-folk 
 and farmers lived in the same settlement. 
 
 Ar was a vain man and fond of show, 
 kindly but weak. Because he had no 
 child he had taken to him a lad to foster, 
 who was called Grani the Proud, Ar's 
 Fosterling. Grani was tall and fair, of 
 sixteen summers, skilled in games but 
 ignorant of war. He was dear to his 
 foster-father's heart, and Ar could deny 
 him nothing. 
 
 That war-ship of Ar's was for the ward 
 
 of the isles, and Ar kept it at all times 
 
 in readiness. One day news came that 
 
 vikings were on the west coast, plunder- 
 
 [181] 
 
THE STORY OF ROLF 
 
 ing and burning. Ar sent for Sweyn, the 
 master of his ship. 
 
 " Thou shalt take the best of thy men," 
 said Ar, " and search for those vikings. 
 And because Earl Thorfinn has com- 
 plained that our work is ill-done, thou 
 shalt take all pains." 
 
 Sweyn said he would. 
 
 Then Grani stood before Ar, and said ; 
 "Thou hast many times promised I should 
 go a-fighting. Now may I go with Sweyn, 
 or wilt thou put me off yet another 
 time ? " 
 
 Ar remembered that he had heard of 
 but one viking-ship, so he said : " Thou 
 mayest go." 
 
 " Thou hast promised me thralls when 
 the next captives are taken. May I choose 
 them from this ship ? " 
 
 *'Two thralls mayest thou have," an- 
 swered Ar, "but all Orkneymen are to 
 be freed." 
 
 [ 182] 
 
INTO THRALDOM 
 
 When they made ready to go, Ar said 
 to SwejTi that Grani should be guarded 
 in the fight, and Sweyn promised to look 
 well to that. They went on board and 
 sailed round into the open sea ; there they 
 passed first the great cliffs, and then cruised 
 along the shore, looking for the ship of the 
 vikings. 
 
 Now the ship of those chapmen who 
 had given passage to Rolf and Frodi had a 
 good voyage; those two Broadtirthers were 
 the only Icelanders aboard. To them the 
 Orkney! ngers boasted much of their land. 
 
 *' In spite of wliat ye say," quoth Rolf 
 to them, " the Orkneys are no such safe 
 place as Iceland, as I see clearly, now that 
 we are nearing land/' 
 
 '' In what dost thou see it ? " asked the 
 others. 
 
 " With us are no sea-robbers," answered 
 Rolf, " but ye have set a watch against 
 vikings, and fear them." 
 [183] 
 
THE STORY OF ROLF 
 
 This the Orkneyiiigers could not deny, 
 for they had kept a look-out ever since 
 they had neared the land. Yet all their 
 care did not avail them, for they met a 
 ship in the Pentland Firth, a war-ship, 
 weather-stained and hardy ; shields hung 
 along its sides, and it sailed swiftly. 
 When the chapmen saw the shields taken 
 from the rail, they knew that was a viking- 
 ship. So the chapmen prepared to defend 
 themselves. Rolf got ready to fight ; but 
 when the vikings drew near, Frodi sat him- 
 self down on a rowing bench, and looked 
 troubled. 
 
 "Wilt thou not fight?" asked the 
 shipmaster. 
 
 Frodi answered : " It is not clear to me 
 what I should do." 
 
 ** Shame on thee," cried the other, " if 
 thou wilt not fight for the men who 
 harbored thee ! " 
 
 So Frodi, all without arms, stood up as 
 [184] 
 
INTO THRALDOM 
 
 the two ships came together, and knew 
 not where to phice himself. The vikings 
 came leaping aboard, and all began fight- 
 ing in confusion ; but the vikings were 
 many and were well armed, and the chap- 
 men had no leader. Men fell dead at 
 Frodi's side, and a viking came at him 
 with brandished sword. Frodi caught him 
 and hurled him into the water. 
 
 Then he took those other vikings who 
 came near him, and cast them overboard 
 one after another ; " and it is no affair of 
 mine," thought he, '* if they cannot swim." 
 And he cleared a space about him, but one 
 from a distance cast at him a throwing- 
 axc : it struck him flatwise on the head, 
 and down he fell. 
 
 By this time the chapmen were ceasing 
 to fight ; but Rolf saw Frodi fall, and 
 fought the harder, to avenge him. The 
 vikhigs penned him by the rail, yet he 
 broke through them : then when he passed 
 [ 185 ] 
 
THE STORY OF KOLF 
 
 near where F'rodi had fallen, Frodi rose up 
 and caught Rolf by the waist, and said : 
 " Now sit we down comfortably here to- 
 gether, for we have done our part." That 
 was the end of the fight, for no men 
 fought more, and the vikings gave peace 
 to them. 
 
 Now men began to shout from the 
 water, where they were swimming. Three 
 were hauled up over the side. " How 
 many," asked Rolf of Frodi, "threwest 
 thou over?" 
 
 Frodi turned white and would not 
 answer. 
 
 Then the vikings despoiled the ship of 
 the chapmen and set her adrift, but the 
 captives were set to row the war-ship. 
 Rolf and Frodi toiled at one oar together, 
 and sore was the labor, but not for long. 
 For on the third day, as tliey rowed under 
 a bright sky with no wind, they heard a 
 clamor among the vikings, who cried that 
 [186] 
 
INTO THRA1.D(33I 
 
 a long ship was bearing down on them — 
 an Orkney ship, gre^it in size. Some of 
 the vikings snatched their shields from 
 the bulwarks and armed themselves ; but 
 many, crying that no mercy would be 
 shown, would take no shields, and instead 
 cast off tlieir shirts of mail, preparing to 
 go into battle baresark. 
 
 ** Never have I seen that," said Rolf, 
 "though much have I heard of it.'' For 
 Northmen, in danger of death, often went 
 into battle bare of armor, fi^jhtincp with 
 fury and mindless of wounds. They be- 
 lieved that thus they came surely into 
 Valhalla ; but that was a custom of the 
 heathen, and was not done by Christian 
 folk. 
 
 Rolf and Frodi were tied to their bench, 
 and saw nothing of the Orkney men as 
 they came up astern. But at last the 
 splash of oars was heard ; next a grapple 
 came flying aboard ; then of a sudden the 
 [187] 
 
THE STORY OF ROLF 
 
 Orkney ship loomed alongside, and she 
 was a big ship indeed. So tall was she 
 that the vikings could not board her ; but 
 from her the Orkneymen sent down 
 arrows, stones, and spears. Bodies of 
 men fell among the rowers' benches, and 
 Rolf and Frodi took each a shield, sat 
 close together, and warded themselves 
 against weapons. Then the Orkneying- 
 ers, having cleared the waist of the viking- 
 ship of fighters, came tumbling aboard. 
 
 That was a fight with method, for the 
 Orkneymen in two parties drove the 
 vikings to the stem and the stern, and so 
 either slew them or thrust them into the 
 sea. Very hot was the fighting, but it 
 was short ; the sixth part of an hour was 
 not over when the fighting was finished. 
 
 Now that Orkney ship was the ship of 
 
 Ar the Peacock, and they who led the 
 
 fighting were Sweyn and Grani. Sweyn 
 
 drove the vikings to the bow ; but Grani 
 
 [188] 
 
INTO THRALDOM 
 
 led those who fought in the stem, and 
 two old fighting-men warded him, one 
 on either side. Grani did not know that 
 they were guarding him. AA^hen the fight- 
 ing was finished, Swe} n and Grani met in 
 the waist, near where Rolf sat. Sweyn 
 asked Grani if he had any wound. 
 
 Grani said nay thereto. '* But I gave 
 wounds, and this has been a great fight." 
 
 " Now," said Swcyn, '' let us free those 
 wlio worked at the oars." 
 
 " Remember," answered Grani, " that I 
 am to have thralls from the captives." 
 
 But of those wlio had been taken with 
 the ship, it was found that all the vikings 
 were either dead or sore wounded ; and 
 all the rowers were Orkneymen save only 
 Rolf and Frodi. 
 
 " No Orkneymen can I give thee as 
 thrall," said Sweyn. 
 
 Grani answered ; " Then I take the two 
 others." 
 
 [ 189 ] 
 
THE STORY OF ROLF 
 
 Then Rolf stood up and said : " Ice- 
 landers are we. Since when are Iceland- 
 ers enthralled in the Orkneys, and why 
 is this injustice?" 
 
 " Ye are captives," said Grani. Sweyn 
 took him aside to speak with him ; but he 
 would not listen, and said, pouting : " Ar 
 promised me." 
 
 " Take them then," replied Sweyn. 
 
 Grani said to Rolf and Frodi : " Ye are 
 my thralls ; I will treat you well. What 
 are your names ? " 
 
 Rolf answered : " Rolf hight I." 
 
 " Of what father and what place ? " 
 
 " A thrall," answered Rolf, " hath no 
 father and no home." 
 
 Frodi replied in like manner. 
 
 " It is plain to see," said Sweyn, " that 
 these two should be free men." 
 
 " Let them win their freedom, then," 
 answered Grani. 
 
 Then a division of men was made, and 
 [190] 
 
INTO THRALDOM 
 
 Sweyn took the chapmen \\ith him in the 
 large ship, but Grani stayed on board the 
 viking-ship avS its master. They sailed 
 together for the Orkney coast. 
 
 When night came Grani called Rolf 
 and Frodi, and bade them watch by turns 
 while he slept. " I vWll be a good master 
 so long as ye serve me well." 
 
 Rolf thouglit Grani to be about his age, 
 yet not so old in mind. Mucli pleased 
 was Grani to own thralls. He seemed 
 kindly, but petulant and uncertain. 
 
 [ 191 1 
 
CHAPTER XIX 
 
 NOW MEN ARE SHIPWRECKED 
 
 THOSE two ships sailed together, 
 all that day ; but in the night 
 they became separated, for there 
 was a little wind. In the morning Grani's 
 ship was close to a shore, and that was the 
 Mainland of Orkney. For miles great 
 cliffs stood up out of the water, the 
 wind fell, and there was a long ground- 
 swell. Then said Grani : 
 
 " Often have I seen these cliffs from 
 above ; now it will be sport to see them 
 from below. Put in close, and sail along 
 under the cliffs." 
 
 Those two old men who had warded 
 him in the fight both spoke to him, say- 
 ing it were better to keep away. But 
 [ 192 j 
 
MEN ARE SHIPWRECKED 
 
 Grani pouted and gave his order again. 
 "All men say," quoth he, "that the 
 water is deep there, and no hai'm can 
 befall." 
 
 Then they sailed along under the chfFs, 
 and a grand sight that was, to see them 
 hio^h above and stretchinc^ far ahead. 
 Rolf stood in the bow, and he looked 
 first up at the cliffs, and then dowTi into 
 the green water. There came a great 
 wave, larger than the others, and after 
 it the water fell away. Just before the 
 ship, Rolf saw a rock break the water 
 with scarcely a ripple, for it was very 
 sharp ; sea-weed floated around its sides. 
 Another wave came and lifted the ship 
 up, and the rock disappeared as if it had 
 sunk down. Rolf shouted in warning. 
 
 But the wave passed, the ship rushed 
 
 down into the hollow, and struck the 
 
 rock. The planks tore apart beneath the 
 
 bow, and all heard the splintering ; then 
 
 13 [ 193 ] 
 
THE STORY OF ROLF 
 
 the water pom-ed in, a wave lifted the 
 ship, and she sHd back into deep water. 
 She began to sink. 
 
 There was scarcely time to throw over 
 oars and shields, and to leap after them 
 into the water. The ship went down ; the 
 men were swimming, there under the wall 
 of rock. They swam toward the cliff, and 
 those who swam worst clung to the oars. 
 But the cliff rose sharp from the water, 
 only hand-hold was to be had, and the 
 waves bruised the men as they tried to 
 support themselves. Eighteen men in all 
 were there, and they swam in a line along 
 the cliff for an hour, until at last they 
 found a foothold where a shelf of rock 
 jutted under water, and all might stand 
 waist deep. 
 
 Then one of the men asked : "Is the 
 tide coming or going ? " 
 
 They watched to find out, and at last 
 it was sure ; the tide was coming. It rose 
 [ 194 ] 
 
MEN ARE SHIPWRECKED 
 
 above their waists, so that the smaller 
 men were lifted by the waves ; and it was 
 lucky that there was no storm, for they 
 would all have been killed. Then the 
 tide rose still higher, and men began to 
 look anxious. There they stayed half an 
 hour more, and the sea-otters swam about 
 and looked at them. 
 
 Frodi said to Rolf: " What dost thou 
 think, and why look'st thou so at the cliffs 
 above us ? " 
 
 " They seem to me like tlie cliffs at 
 home. Were we tliere I could cHmb 
 up." 
 
 " Seest thou no way here ? " asked Frodi. 
 
 " I see two ways," answered Rolf, " yet 
 neither seems good." 
 
 Grani asked : '* What are my thralls 
 saying ? *' 
 
 " The water," said Rolf, " will take thy 
 thralls from thee." 
 
 But one of the men had heard what had 
 [195] 
 
THE STORY OF ROLF 
 
 been said, and told Giani. Grani cried : 
 " Why dost thou not try the climb ? " 
 
 " Send one of those," answered Rolf, 
 " who cares to save his life." This he said 
 of a set purpose, for of the men some 
 were heavy and some were old. They 
 all shook their heads and said they could 
 not win to the top of the cliff. Grani 
 said : 
 
 " I will give thee thy freedom if thou 
 wilt save us." 
 
 " Is there a farm above ? " asked Rolf 
 
 One of the men said : " Within a 
 mile." 
 
 Rolf still stayed where he was. " Why 
 dost thou not go ? " cried Grani. 
 
 " What of the freedom of my fellow ? " 
 asked Rolf. 
 
 "He also shall be free," answered Grani. 
 
 Then Rolf essayed to climb the cliff by 
 the way which seemed surest ; he went 
 up quickly until they lost sight of him, so 
 [ 196 ] 
 
MEN ARE SHIPWRECKED 
 
 that they began to say that now he was 
 at the top, and would soon bring a rope. 
 Then something fell with a great splash 
 in the water. 
 
 " He hath reached the top and thrown 
 down a rock/' cried the men. 
 
 But tliat was Rolf himself, for he had 
 fallen from near the top ; presently they 
 saw his head. All breathless and bruised, 
 he swam to tlicni and waited a while ; 
 then he sought to climb by the other way, 
 and that was more in sight of the others ; 
 marvellous climbing they agi'eed it was. 
 After a while he went again out of their 
 sight, and in the end they heard him hail. 
 So they were sure he was at the top. 
 Then they waited for him to bring the 
 rope, and the water rose to the breastbone 
 of Frodi, who was tallest ; but it was at 
 the chin of the shortest, who had to float, 
 while Frodi held him. They stayed there 
 a long time, and the water rose still higher; 
 [197] 
 
THE STORY OF ROLF 
 
 it was cold, and some of the men grew very 
 faint. At last shouts were heard, and a 
 rope came dangling down. 
 
 Then the shortest man climbed the 
 rope, and he was glad. But others were 
 too weak to climb, and had to be drawn 
 up, one after another. Grani would not 
 go, but sent up the men in the order of 
 their height. When he and Frodi alone 
 were left, Grani said to Frodi : " Go thou 
 next." 
 
 " Great is thy pride," answered Frodi, 
 "and thou wishest to do a brave deed, 
 yet thy strength is not sufficient. For 
 see, thou art blue about the lips, and I 
 am holding thee upright. How shouldst 
 thou stay alone after I have gone up ? 
 But I could stand here yet another hour. 
 Thou must go next." 
 
 " I will stay to the last,*' answered 
 Grani. Then the rope came down again. 
 " I will not go," said Grani. 
 [198] 
 
MEN ARE SHIPW RECKED 
 
 "Then I shall tie thee by force, and 
 send thee up," said Frodi. 
 
 But then was heard a great shouting, 
 and there came a ship which had seen the 
 work of rescue, and had put in shore. 
 Grani said : " I will go in the ship ; they 
 are sending a boat." When the boat came 
 from the ship, Grani went in it ; but 
 Frodi climbed the rope and told Rolf 
 what had been said. 
 
 That was a ship of chapmen, and its 
 master asked Grani wlio he was, and 
 ffave him food and drink, and carried him 
 round the end of the Mainhmd to Hawks- 
 ness ; but those others who had reached 
 the top of the cliff had no other way 
 than to walk. Four leagues they fared on 
 foot, reaching Hawksness after nightfall. 
 Meanwhile Grani spoke much with the 
 shipmaster, and they grew very friendly. 
 They came to Hawksness about the same 
 time as the other men came from the 
 [199] 
 
THE STORY OF ROLF 
 
 mcx)rs, and they all walked up to the hall 
 together. 
 
 Rolf walks with Frodi, but the ship- 
 master goes with Grani, and passes near 
 them ; the shipmaster sees them, but they 
 do not mark him. Then the shipmaster 
 pulls at Grani's sleeve, and draws him aside. 
 
 The shipmaster asks : '' Those two who 
 walk there are thy thralls ? " 
 
 Grani said so. Then the shipmaster 
 said : *' Didst thou say thou wouldst set 
 them free ? " 
 
 " Aye," answered Grani. 
 
 " It hath come to my mind," said the 
 other, " that they did not save thee, but I 
 did. Moreover, there was no need for 
 climbing the cliff, for T should have been 
 able to save ye all." 
 
 " That is true," said Grani. 
 
 "Now," quoth the shipmaster, "thou 
 art very reckless of thy possessions if thou 
 settest those thralls free." 
 [200] 
 
MEN ARE SHIPWRECKED 
 
 " Truly," answered Grani, '* I will not 
 free them." 
 
 When they reached the hall Sweyn 
 had arri\cd hefore tlieni, and the booty 
 of the vikings lay in the hall : hut Ar 
 was waiting anxiously for his foster- 
 son, and welcomed him gladly. Then 
 a true tale was required of all that had 
 happened. 
 
 Grani told each thing as it had come 
 about. A V lien he told of his thralls, Ar 
 said : *' Since those two are Icelanders, 
 who are close to us by ties of blood, it 
 were better to have set them free." 
 
 '' Thou didst not reserve any save Ork- 
 neymen," answered Grani. Then he told 
 of the wreck and the rescue. 
 
 Said Ar: "So those two have their 
 freedom in the end ? " 
 
 Grani called Rolf and Frodi to the 
 dais. " Thou didst not save my life," 
 said he. 
 
 [201] 
 
THE STORY OF ROLF 
 
 " That is true," answered Rolf. 
 
 " Moreover," quoth Grani, " the ship 
 would have saved us all." 
 
 " That also is true," said Rolf. 
 
 " Therefore I see no reason," said Grani 
 next, "why I should set thee free." 
 
 Rolf and Frodi answered nothing. 
 " See," said Grani to Ar, " they make no 
 objection ; therefore I shall keep them 
 as thralls. But I will give each of them 
 what he cares to choose of the spoil, if 
 thou permit." 
 
 Then permission was given, and the 
 spoil of the vikings was spread out 
 there before the dais ; there were fine 
 things of many kinds. But Rolf put 
 the gold and silver by, and took only 
 a cloak. Then said Grani : " Choose 
 again." 
 
 Rolf took a belt. 
 
 " Choose again," repeated Grani. 
 
 Rolf took a short sword. 
 [ 202] 
 
IVIEX ARE SHIPWRECKED 
 
 " Choose yet again ! " cried Grani. But 
 Rolf would take nothing more, and Frodi 
 took naught but a cloak and a whittle. 
 " A strange pair are ye," quoth Grani. 
 
 But x\r called them to liim and asked 
 them why they had chosen so little. 
 
 *' We take only our own," answered 
 Rolf. 
 
 " Sea-worn cloaks and weapons," said 
 Ar, ** are they dear to ye ? " 
 
 " His mother," said Frodi, '' made me 
 my cloak, but the whittle belonged to my 
 father." 
 
 " And thy things," asked Ar of Rolf. 
 "Who gave tliem to thee?" 
 
 ** Snorri the Priest,' answered Rolf, 
 "gave me the cloak, and Burning Flosi 
 gave the belt ; but if ye do not know 
 these names — " 
 
 ** 1 know them both," said Sweyn the 
 sea-captain. " But who gave the sword ? " 
 
 " Kari Solmund's son," answered Rolf. 
 [ 203 j 
 
THE STORY OF EOLF 
 
 " and that name thou shouldst know best 
 of all." 
 
 Sweyn cried : "I know the man him- 
 self, for he is an Orkneyman by birth, 
 tribute-taker here under Earl Sigurd, and 
 of gi^eat fame. Now tell us the story why 
 he gave thee the sword." 
 
 But Rolf would tell nothing. Then 
 Sweyn offered to buy Rolf of Grani, but 
 he puffed out his lips and would not sell 
 his thrall. So nothing came of that rescue 
 by Rolf, save to give him a name among 
 the Orkneyingers. 
 
 Now all men sit down for the evening 
 meal. That shipmaster wishes to leave 
 the hall, saying he must look to his ship ; 
 but Grani will not let him go. Then 
 Frodi sees him, and pushes Rolf in the 
 side. Says Frodi : " Men said your uncle 
 was dead." 
 
 " So they did," answers Rolf. But he 
 does not attend, and falls to brooding. 
 [204 ] 
 
MEX ARE SHIPAVRECKED 
 
 So Frodi says that again. Rolf asks him 
 why. 
 
 " Who sits by the dais ? " asked Frodi. 
 
 Rolf looked on that shipmaster, and it 
 was his father's brother, Kiartan. 
 
 [26^ J 
 
CHAPTER XX 
 
 HOW ROLF WON HIS FREEDOM 
 
 NOW when that meal was ended, 
 Kiartan rose up and said that he 
 must go ; he thanked Ar, and 
 Grani walked with him to the door. But 
 as they passed by the bench whereon Rolf 
 and Frodi were sitting, Grani beckoned 
 them to rise up, and he said to Kiartan : 
 "Look on my thralls, now that thou 
 canst see them closer, and tell me what 
 thou thinkest of them." 
 
 Kiartan scarcely looked at them. " They 
 seem a good pair," he answered. " It is 
 fitting for thy dignity to have thralls." 
 Then he went away. 
 
 Frodi asked of Rolf : " Did he know us ?" 
 " He knew us well," answered Rolf. 
 [ 206 } 
 
ROLF WON HIS FREEDOM 
 
 " What wilt thou do I " asked Frodi. 
 
 '* I see naught to do/' said Rolf. " For 
 what he did against my father was done 
 in Iceland, so that I could not bring a 
 suit at law here. Moreover, no thrall 
 can bring a suit in any land." 
 
 " Wilt thou claim kinship with him ? " 
 Frodi asked. 
 
 " AVilt thou ? " responded Rolf Xo 
 more words were said, but it was seen in 
 their eyes that for their pride's sake they 
 would make no claim on Kiartan. 
 
 Kiartan found that nothing was said in 
 the matter ; so he stayed there in the 
 place, and won the friendship of Ar by 
 gifts, and traded with success. He ate 
 often at the hall, and slept there when- 
 ever he would ; but no word passed be- 
 tween him and those kinsmen, nor did 
 they ever look at him. 
 
 Grani was proud that he o\^Tied thralls, 
 and he commanded them to show what 
 f 20T 1 
 
THE STORY OF ROLF 
 
 they could do. So Rolf shot with the 
 bow, and Grani made him his bow-bearer. 
 But Frodi said he knew little of weapons ; 
 yet when they gave him a spear he shot 
 it through two shields braced together 
 against posts. He asked for work as a 
 smith, but Grani made him spear-bearer. 
 And the youth often walked abroad with 
 those other two attending him. Ar was 
 pleased with that show, but the thralls 
 smiled grimly to each other. 
 
 Once Kiartan saw that smile, and he 
 said to Grani privily : " Thy thralls smile 
 at thy back, and make as if they feel 
 shame. Now be careful lest they harm 
 thee sometime when thou art alone with 
 them. If I were thee, I would set them 
 at the sheep-herding or the field-work." 
 
 Grani answered : "I fear no harln from 
 them, and indeed I like them more every 
 day. I cannot spare them." 
 
 Now the truth of the matter was this, 
 [208] 
 
ROLF V\OX HIS FREEDOM 
 
 that Grani cast a great love upon Rolf, 
 and would have him as a friend, not think- 
 ing that no friendship can be between 
 master and sla\'e. He gave Rolf gifts, 
 everything but liis freedom : he spoke 
 much with Rolf, yet the talk was most 
 upon the one side, for Rolf grew very- 
 silent, ^"et Rolf went everywhere after 
 (irani, and tlid him much service of all 
 kinds, being clever with his hands and 
 wise in his ways ; he knew a boat and all 
 the modes of fishing ; when it came to 
 clifF-climbing, no man in that place was 
 his match. Cirani often went seeking 
 adventure with Rolf and Frodi ; they 
 managed in such wise that Frodi did the 
 work and Rolf directed what should be 
 done. AVhen they went after birds Frodi 
 sat at the top of the chfF and held the 
 rope, but on the cliff's face Rolf would 
 let Grani take no risks. Xay, sometimes 
 it seemed as if Rolf were the master and 
 14 [ 209 ] 
 
THE STORY OF ROLF 
 
 Grani the man. But when other people 
 were about, Rolf did all that Grani said. 
 
 One day a bishop came to Hawksness 
 and visited the parish. He held service 
 in the church, and hved at the hall for 
 two days. When he was about to go 
 away, he asked if any man needed from 
 him counsel or comfort. Frodi stood up. 
 
 Said he: "Lord Bishop, are all man- 
 slayings sinful ? " 
 
 The bishop answered : " State me the 
 case, for some manslayings are blameless." 
 
 So Frodi spoke thus : " If a man is on 
 a ship, and vikings come, and that man 
 casts a viking overboard, and the viking 
 is drowned — hath the man committed a 
 mortal sin ? " 
 
 Many men smiled at these words, for 
 the story of Frodi and the vikings had 
 been told. The bishop said : *' Vikings 
 are the worst plague of the land, and 
 they deserve no mercy. Since the vik- 
 [210] 
 
ROLF WOX HIS FREEDOM 
 
 ing came to take life» it was no sin to 
 slay him." 
 
 Frodi drew a long breath, but he asked 
 further : ** If two vikings were drowned, 
 wliat of that ? " 
 
 '• It is the same." answered the bishop. 
 
 ** But if three men were thus drowned," 
 asked Frodi, '* what tlien ? " 
 
 " Even if thirty died," answered the 
 bishop, " the answer is still the same." 
 
 Then Frodi heaved a great sigh, and 
 looked so relieved that all who stood by 
 shouted with merriment. Grani was 
 pleased most of all, and he gave com- 
 mand that Frodi should be called Drown- 
 ing-Frodi. Frodi liked that little, yet 
 by that name he was called for a while. 
 And Grani was so pleased with all this 
 that he boasted much about his thralls. 
 
 One day he spoke of them with Kiar- 
 tan, and told how when they went away 
 together Rolf took the lead. "And he 
 [211] 
 
THE STORY OF ROLF 
 
 cares for me," said Graiii, ''as if I were 
 his brother ; but so soon as others are 
 by he is as any other thrall, and says no 
 word unless spoken to." 
 
 Iviartan said : " In that he appears to 
 me sly." 
 
 "How should that be?" asked Grani. 
 
 " He seeks to gain influence over thee," 
 answered Kiartan. 
 
 "Nay," said Grani, "he and I are 
 friends." 
 
 Kiartan shook his head. Quoth he : 
 "In my country we have a saying : * 111 
 is a thrall for a friend.' Moreover, to 
 lack dignity at any time is not seeming 
 in one of thy station." 
 
 Grani took those sayings much to 
 heart ; he went no more away alone with 
 his thralls, but stayed where were other 
 men. Now that was the time when the 
 summer had passed by and harvests were 
 all in, but winter had not yet come and 
 [ 2U ] 
 
ROLF WON HIS FREEDOM 
 
 the weather was mild. Men were saying 
 that when winter should come, it would 
 be with suddenness. 
 
 There came a day when the wind was 
 high, but it was as soft as summer. A 
 man named Thord the WeatherA\ise came 
 to Ar and said : " See to it that all is 
 ready for the winter ! ' and without more 
 words departed. Ar inquired of his men 
 if the sheep were yet gathered in from 
 the downs above tlie cliffs. It was an- 
 swered that thc\' were not. Ar bade 
 send a man quickly to warn the shepherds. 
 
 It was told Ar that the fishers had just 
 come in, and that all the serving-men 
 were busied at the beach, being much 
 needed to sa\ e the catch of fish, for the 
 waves were high. Ar said to Grani : 
 " Lend me one of thy thralls to take 
 my message." 
 
 ** Thou mayest have both of them," 
 answered Grani. 
 
 [ ^1=3 ] 
 
THE STORY OF ROLF 
 
 So Rolf and Frodi prepared to go to 
 the downs, and a long jaunt that would 
 be. But when Grani saw they were 
 ready he felt desire to go with them, 
 since he had not done much for some 
 days, and needed action. So he said that 
 Rolf and Frodi should wait till he could 
 go with them. They went outside the 
 hall to wait, and Grani bound on his 
 shoes. Now Kiartan had stood by and 
 heard all that, and he said : 
 
 " So thou goest out again with thy 
 friends ? " 
 
 Grani answered with pride : " I go with 
 my thralls ! " 
 
 He went outside the hall and found 
 Rolf and Frodi waiting. Rolf looked 
 him over, and seeing there was no one 
 by, he said : '' Take thy cloak, for we 
 may be benighted." 
 
 *' Lo," answered Grani, " the thrall 
 gives orders to his master ! We sliall be 
 [214] 
 
ROLF WON HIS FREEDOM 
 
 back before men go to bed. Xo cloak is 
 needed, and I forbid ye to take yours." 
 
 So Rolf and Frodi left their cloaks be- 
 hind, and went witli Grani to the moors. 
 The moors were wide and rolling, and lay 
 above those cliffs whereby they had once 
 been wrecked. The three tra\'elled not 
 as had been their wont, all together ; but 
 Grani went ahead, saying to himself they 
 should remember that they were tliralls. 
 In going so he missed his way, and they 
 came to the sheepcotes roundabout and 
 late. Tliere tliey found the men busy 
 gathering in the sheep, making ready to 
 drive them to the valleys when tliis gale 
 should pass. Some men said that would 
 be on the morrow, for the wind was fall- 
 ing. Even while they spoke tlie wind 
 dropped completely, and there was a 
 calm. 
 
 " See," said Grani, ** the storm is over ; 
 
 it was but a gale." 
 
 [215] 
 
THE STORY OF ROLF 
 
 The heaxi shepherd said he thought not 
 so, and that more was to be looked for. 
 " Moreover, thy Icelanders think the same, 
 as I can see by their faces." 
 
 " 1 ask not what they think," answered 
 Grani. '* There is blue sky in the south." 
 
 '' Thy thralls and I," replied the shep- 
 herd, "look to the north. And now I 
 beg that thou wilt stay here overnight, 
 for company's sake." 
 
 " I see thou hast fear for me," said 
 Grani. "But I will return." 
 
 " Then hasten," begged the shepherd. 
 
 But Grani would not hurry, and started 
 leisurely. The shepherd called a man, and 
 privately told him he should guide those 
 three, for he knew the moors. Then the 
 shepherd begged Grani that the man 
 might go to Hawksness with him, for his 
 work at the folds was done. The four 
 started together. 
 
 Soon a little wind, thin and keen, began 
 [216] 
 
ROLF WOX HIS FREEDOM 
 
 CO blow from the north ; it grew greater 
 quickly until it was half a gale. By that 
 time they were where they could see 
 the sea, and Grani looked out upon it. 
 Quoth he : "' Fog is coming from the 
 water. " 
 
 Xow ]\o]i' liad been silent so far, all that 
 afternoon ; yet he could be so no longer. 
 Said he : '* Not fog is that, but snow, and 
 I beg thee to turn back." 
 
 " Lead forward ! " said Grani to the 
 shepherd. 
 
 So they went on as they had been going, 
 another half-hour, and each minute the 
 wind grew stronger. They neared the 
 hne of tlie cliffs, and walked parallel with 
 them at a half-mile's distance. Then that 
 which had appeared to be fog on the water 
 at last moved inland, so that they saw it 
 coming like a wall. It left the sea, and 
 swallowed up the land before it ; then it 
 swept upon them silently, and they bent 
 [217] 
 
THE STORY OF ROLF 
 
 before its onslaught. Wind buffeted them 
 and roared in their ears ; a few snowflakes 
 drove along the ground ; then they were 
 enfolded in the swirl of snow. All around 
 them became one gray fleece, they could 
 not see for a rod in front, and they shivered 
 with the cold. 
 
 They struggled onwards, bending to 
 the wind ; and night came down an hour 
 before its time. The snow began to heap 
 thickly, and now it was above the ankle, 
 now a foot in depth ; wonderful was that 
 fall of snow. They walked one behind 
 the other, the shepherd in front, then 
 Grani, Rolf, and Frodi, each so close as 
 to touch the next one with his hand. The 
 night grew black, and the wind was loud. 
 Then at last Rolf shouted that they should 
 stop. 
 
 " Why sayest thou that ? " asked Grani. 
 
 '* Because I think we near the cliff's," 
 said Rolf 
 
 [218] 
 
ROLF WON HIS FREEDOM 
 
 ** I hear no surf," answered Grani. 
 
 But the guide thought that Rolf was 
 right. Grani asked what they should 
 do. Rolf answered : " Best stay here till 
 morning.'* 
 
 " Shall I freeze ? " asked (Trani. *' I^et 
 us turn away and walk further inland."' 
 
 *'We cannot keep our direction," said 
 Rolf. 
 
 " Wilt thou never be silent ? " asked 
 Grani. *' We will go inland." So they 
 sought to do so, and tliey walked for 
 another while. Then Grani asked the 
 shepherd if he knew where he was, and 
 the man could not say. A\'hcn they went 
 on again, Frodi pressed forward and took 
 the place behind the shepherd ; and when 
 Grani asked for the place Frodi would 
 not give it. So they walked thus for 
 another while, their feet clogged by the 
 snow, their faces stung with the wind, 
 plodding with great effort and weariness. 
 [ 219 ] 
 
THE STORY OF ROLF 
 
 Then at the end that happened which 
 Rolf had feared. 
 
 For of a sudden the roar of the sea 
 burst up at them from their very feet, and 
 the guide, with a cry, sank in the darkness. 
 Frodi clutched at him, but caught only 
 the cloak ; the clasp broke, and the man 
 fell to his death. Those other three stood 
 at the edge of the cliff, while below the 
 sea thundered, yet they saw nothing. 
 
 Then Rolf took Grani by the arm and 
 drew him away. Frodi followed. The 
 noise of the surf was suddenly lost in the 
 wind, and no one would have known they 
 were near the cliff. Rolf led the way 
 inland, and Frodi walked last ; they went 
 very cautiously, and Frodi was ever ready 
 to seize on Grani. At last they reached 
 a mound. In its lee the wind was less, 
 and the snow was piling deep ; Rolf 
 scooped space for them all, and there 
 they sat down side by side. 
 [ 220 ] 
 
EOLF WON HIS FREEDOM 
 
 After a space Graiii said, '' It gi^ows 
 cold." Frodi wrapped him in the guide's 
 cloak. For anotlier while they sat silent, 
 until Grani said again : " I am too weary 
 to walk another step, yet if I sit here I 
 shall freeze. Frodi, what can we do I ' 
 
 Frodi knew notliing which could be 
 done. '' Either we siiould walk over the 
 cliffs, or die of freezing in the first mile. 
 We must stay here. Take warmth from 
 us." 
 
 They sat closer to him, but still he was 
 cold. After a while he said : " I am 
 sorry we brought not our cloaks." They 
 answered nothing. The snow heaped 
 around them, yet (irani fell to shivering. 
 Then lie said : " I am sorry we turned 
 not back." They still said nothing. At 
 last Grani could bear it no longer, and 
 he cried : 
 
 " Rolf, if thou hast anything to say, say 
 it before we all die ! " 
 
 [221 ] 
 
THE STORY OF ROLF 
 
 Rolf answered : " I have been thinking. 
 What is this mound behind us ? " 
 
 " There is but one mound on all the 
 heaths," answered Grani. " Men call it 
 the ban^ow of a viking, who died off the 
 coast, and was buried here with his ship, 
 that he might forever look out upon the 
 sea." 
 
 " Then," said Rolf, ** there is one thing 
 we can do, and only one, to save our lives ; 
 and that is to break into the barrow." 
 
 So they fell to digging with their hands 
 at the mound, and they could have done 
 nothing had the earth been frozen. But 
 it was still soft ; and they dug until they 
 came to timbers, two feet within the 
 mound. Then Frodi thrust his hands 
 between the timbers, and strained at one, 
 and Rolf and Grani tugged at his waist. 
 The timber broke, and they fell back 
 together in the snow ; yet an entrance 
 to the mound w^as thus made, and when 
 [222 ] 
 
ROLF WON HIS FREEDOM 
 
 they liad enlarged it Rolf went in first, 
 and the others followed. 
 
 Within, the air was dead and close ; 
 they stayed at the entrance to breathe, 
 yet the place was wanner, and it w\as a 
 great relief not to feel the wind. But 
 Grani was still all of a shiver, so Rolf 
 went into the mound fui-thcr, and they 
 heard hiiu stumbling and slipping in the 
 darkness. After a while he came back to 
 them and said : '* Here is wood for a fire." 
 
 Then they pulled stalks of grass and 
 shook them free of snow ; they foimd in 
 the shepherd's cloak a fiint and steel, and 
 so made a hrc at the mouth of the barrow. 
 The wind bore the smoke away, and by 
 degrees the air cleared in the mound. 
 Then with brands they went within, and 
 cast the light about. 
 
 The mound was made of a viking=ship, 
 a small one. which had been borne there 
 on the shoulders of men. It was propped 
 
THE STOllY OF ROLF 
 
 upright with stones, and roofed over with 
 timbers and planks ; dirt had been cast 
 over the whole. They climbed into that 
 ship, and saw by the light of the torches 
 where the old viking sat in the stern. 
 He was in such armor as men had worn 
 long before ; he had a helm on his head, 
 and held a sword in his hand, and was 
 very stern of face. There he sat as if he 
 were still alive, but there was no sight 
 in his eyes. 
 
 Before him in the ship were precious 
 things of gold and silver, cloths, and 
 weapons. All the oars lay in their places 
 as if ready for men to use them. Very 
 strange was that sight, and those three 
 gazed at it in silence. 
 
 "He looks," said Frodi, "as if he would 
 walk." 
 
 " Now," said Grani, " I remember the 
 shepherds say he has been seen, and 
 lights have burned at this mound some- 
 [ ^^^ ] 
 
ROLF AN'OX HIS FREEDOM 
 
 times of nights. Yet he has never done 
 harm." 
 
 " If he is ever to do it, he will do it 
 now," said Rolf. •• For he looks as if he 
 mislikes us here.'' 
 
 By that time the place was very smoky 
 from the torches, so they w^ent back again 
 to tiie entrance and lay down to sleep ; 
 they took witli them cloths and hroidered 
 hangings which had lain by the viking, 
 and with these and the fire they made 
 themselves warm. So, very weary from 
 their walking, they fell asleep. 
 
 In the middle of the night Rolf and 
 Grani waked, and missed Frodi from their 
 side. Moreover they heard a noise, which 
 was not the liowling of the storm, but wus 
 like the splintering of wood and the snarl- 
 ing of men's breaths as they wrestled in 
 fight. Then Rolf snatched a torch from the 
 fii'e and ran within the mound ; Grani fol- 
 lowed, and they climbed on board the ship. 
 15 [ 225 ] 
 
THE STORY OF ROLF 
 
 There lay Frodi and the viking together : 
 they had been fighting all about the place, 
 and the thwarts and oars were broken ; 
 in one place even the bulwark of the ship 
 was torn away. But Frodi had forced the 
 viking into the seat where first he had 
 sat ; and there Frodi held him, while the 
 \dking struggled still, glaring from glassy 
 eyes, and Frodi could do naught but keep 
 him where he was. Little more breath 
 had Frodi, but yet he held his grip on the 
 viking's arms. 
 
 Then Rolf drew his short-sword, and 
 sprang in at the viking, and hewed at the 
 neck of him, so that the head sprang off 
 at the stroke ; but no blood followed. 
 Frodi lay and breathed deeply, but Rolf 
 took the head of the viking and laid it at 
 his thigh. 
 
 With those heathen ghosts which did 
 harm to man, there was no way to quiet 
 them except to hew off the head and lay 
 [ '226 ] 
 
ROLF WON HIS FREEDOxM 
 
 it at the thigh. And such things hap- 
 pened to many men, even as is here told ; 
 but the greatest ghost-layer, says Sturla 
 the Lawman, was Grettir the Strong. 
 
 When Frodi had got his breath, they 
 asked him how all that had come about. 
 ** Nothing do I know about it,' answered 
 Frodi, *" save tliat he came and dragged 
 me in my sleep hither, and sought to 
 throttle me. I had much ado to master 
 him." 
 
 They went back and slept until the 
 day came, but the storm was still so 
 violent that they could not tra\ el. Then 
 they made larger the entrance to the 
 mound so that light came into the ship ; 
 and they buried the viking in the 
 gi'ound. Now when they came to ex- 
 amine his treasures, Grani and Frodi 
 were busy long, casting aside each thing 
 for something better. But after Rolf had 
 searched for only a short while, he sat still 
 [227] 
 
THE STORY OF ROLF 
 
 and looked no further. Grani saw that 
 he had something. 
 
 " What precious thing hast thou there ? " 
 asked he. 
 
 " This," said Rolf, " which I found on 
 the back of the viking's seat." 
 
 He showed them a bow which had 
 hung there in a leathern case. Of some 
 foreign wood it was, tipped with horn, 
 and bound at the middle with wire of 
 fine gold to form a grip. It seemed very 
 strong, cunningly made : a wonderful 
 weapon. And there was a quiver with 
 it, bearing thirty arrows, long and barbed 
 for war. 
 
 " Now," said Grani, " this is far better 
 than jewels or fine cloths, and it is the best 
 weapon here. Thou shalt give it to me." 
 
 Rolf gave him the bow. And when 
 they went again to look out upon the 
 storm, the clouds were breaking and sun- 
 beams were coming through. So they 
 [228 ] 
 
ROLF WON HIS FREEDOM 
 
 took the bow and some small gear, and 
 started for Hawksness, where they found 
 xVr nigh wild for fear ; but their coming 
 made him happy. And Grani told all 
 that had happened to them. 
 
 Said Ar : '' Methinks thy thralls have 
 sav^ed thy life.' 
 
 *' That is true," answered Grani. 
 
 *' AVhat wilt tliou give them ? " asked 
 Ar. 
 
 " Wliatever they wish," answered Grani. 
 He called on Rolf to say what gift he 
 would like at his hands. 
 
 *' That bow and those aiTOws," said 
 Rolf. 
 
 " Now%" asked Grani. •* which is dearest 
 to tliee, that bow, or thy freedom and 
 Frodi's ? " 
 
 " Our freedom," answered Rolf 
 
 '* Your freedom shall you have," said 
 Grani. Then, before all who vsere in the 
 halL lie spoke Rolf and Frodi free. 
 [ ^'29 ] 
 
CHAPTER XXI 
 
 HOW ROLF WON THE VIKING'S BOW 
 
 GRANI sent men to the viking's 
 inound, and they fetched home 
 all the precious things which were 
 there, whether gold, silver, cloths or 
 weapons. Among these last was the 
 viking's bill. That was a notable weapon, 
 having a curving blade with a hook 
 springing from its back, and set like a 
 gi'eat spearhead upon a pole as high as a 
 man's shoulder. Grani kept all weapons ; 
 but he gave Rolf and Frodi things to the 
 value of some hundreds in silver, and 
 begged that they shoidd remain with 
 him in the hall of Ar tlie Peacock. Yet 
 Rolf bore himself as if he expected more 
 from Grani than gold and silver, and said 
 [ 230 J 
 
HOW ROLF WON THE BOW 
 
 he could not stay in the hall. Grani com- 
 plained of that to Ar. 
 
 At asked : '* Knowest thou not what he 
 will have of thee ? " 
 
 Said Grani, *' The bow, belike." 
 
 *' Xot so," answered Ar. 
 
 "Well," Grani said, "I will make 
 amends to him by pressing him again to 
 live here with us." 
 
 ** Thou shalt never succeed with him 
 in that," replied Ar, " until thou hast 
 said those words which will make him 
 forget that he was once a thrall in 
 this place. But this I beg thee, drive 
 him not away from Hawksness : for 
 war with the Scots is threatened in the 
 spring, and all fighting-men will be of 
 value." 
 
 So Grani did not press Rolf to stay in 
 the hall, and he asked : " Where will ye 
 live ? " 
 
 " We go," answ^ered Rolf. " to stay a 
 [231 ] 
 
THE STORY OF liOLF 
 
 while with that shipmaster who has been 
 iiving here." 
 
 But when they searched after Kiartan, 
 it was told that he had gone with his ship 
 with great suddenness when he learned 
 that Rolf and Frodi were set free. Yet 
 in his haste he had left merchandise, and 
 had outstanding credits ; so Rolf took 
 Kiartan's lodgings, and said he would 
 wait his return. Then winter came on, 
 and the place was snowed and frozen up, 
 so that men had nothing to do save to 
 hold sports on the ice, or to sit long of 
 evenings in the hall, talking of many 
 things. But now all was different from 
 before, and Rolf and Grani came seldom 
 together. 
 
 One time when all were at games on 
 the ice, Grani sent for his bow, and it was 
 brought out to him. Men took it and 
 handled it, admiring it much. " Let us 
 see," said Grani, " what shooting we 
 [ 232 ] 
 
HOW ROLF WON THE BOW 
 
 can do with it." He tried to string the 
 bow. 
 
 But it was witli him as it had been 
 with Rolf and the bow of Grettir : it 
 would not bend for him, but was almost 
 as stiff as a spear shaft. He got red in 
 the face, first with trying and then with 
 anger ; at last he gave over and said that 
 others should try. But though the strong- 
 est of the Orkneyingers did their best, 
 they could do no better than Grani. 
 Thereat he felt better, and offered the 
 bow to Frodi. 
 
 Frodi held it in his hands, and turned 
 it this way and that. " Break it I might," 
 quoth he, '' but string it nevei-.' He 
 offered the bow to Uolf, savin <r : "Do 
 thou try it, for I have seen thee do with 
 skill what others have failed to do with 
 force." 
 
 But Rolf would not try to string the 
 bow. So Grani sent it back to the hall, 
 [233] 
 
THE STORY OF ROLF 
 
 and let bring the viking's bill, which 
 had lain by his side in the ship. But 
 when it was brought, it proved too heavy 
 for any of the Orkneyingers to wield. 
 
 Then said Grani : " I will give the bill 
 as a present to Ghost-Frodi." 
 
 "Why callest thou me that?" asked 
 Frodi. 
 
 Grani only said, "Why should I not 
 call thee so ? " and he pressed the bill on 
 Frodi, who drew back. 
 
 " I know nothing of weapons," said he. 
 Then all the Orkneyingers shouted to see 
 the strongest man drawing away from 
 the bill ; and when Grani made him take 
 it, they laughed the more, for he handled 
 it, said all, as if it were the smithy 
 broom. They called him Ghost-Frodi 
 after that, thinking it fine that he who 
 could master a spirit could not handle a 
 weapon. 
 
 Now in that winter Ar was continually 
 [ 234 ] 
 
HOW ROLF WON THE BOW 
 
 sick with little fevers, and he would not 
 let Grani stir far from his side. One day 
 a messenger from Earl Brusi came to say 
 that Ar should keep a watch for Vemund 
 the Pitiless, who had heen driven from 
 the north, and had gone toward the south. 
 Now no one needed to he told who Ve- 
 mund was. 
 
 For he was the worst of all vikings wiio 
 had ravaged in the Orkneys, since he not 
 only took tribute, but burnt towns and 
 slaughtered people wantonly. A baresark 
 he was, with the strength of seven men, 
 and so defended by magic that on him 
 no steel might bite. Only twenty men 
 had he with him, but they had the power 
 of fifty, being baresarks all, outlawed and 
 reckless of life. They had first done 
 great damage in Xorway, but were driven 
 thence to the Shetland Isles, and thence 
 to the northern Orkneys, but now VN^ere 
 coming further south. Re^vards and fame 
 [ 235 ] 
 
THE STORY OF ROLF 
 
 were sure to the men who could overcome 
 those baresarks. 
 
 Grani begged of Ar that he might go 
 in the war-ship in search of them ; but Ar 
 said no to that. Ar gave orders that 
 Sweyn should keep the ship in readiness ; 
 men slept near the boat-stand, ready to 
 launch her day or night. 
 
 One night in a storm, fire was seen on 
 that island which is off Hawksness, where 
 dwell only fisher-folk ; the cottages were 
 seen to burn to the ground, but the sea 
 was high, and no one crossed over. In 
 the morning a ten-oared boat left that 
 little island, and went away eastward ; 
 that was a venturesome thing in a storm, 
 and by that deed that was known for the 
 boat of ^^emund the Pitiless. Then Sweyn 
 let launch the war-ship, and with all his 
 men went after the baresarks. Rolf made 
 no offer to go, and Grani watched the 
 chase from the shore, angry that he must 
 
HOW ROLF WON THE BOW 
 
 stay. The two ships drove away out of 
 sight, and no one could say that the larger 
 gained upon the smaller. Nothing more 
 was seen of tliem all that day. 
 
 But in the night the baresarks gave 
 Sweyn the slip ; they came straight back 
 as they had gone, but Sweyn went on, 
 first east, then south, searching tlie coast. 
 Vemund's ship came to Hawksness ; and 
 in tlic morning, behold, there it was off 
 the landing, and the baresarks were just 
 rowiniT it to shore. The fisher-folk left 
 their cottaires and ran to the hall, and all 
 took hasty counsel. But when word was 
 brought to Ar of the baresarks, first he 
 became red in the face, and then he lost 
 power of speech, and there was no leader 
 save Grani. 
 
 Grani said : " This is no place for us to 
 
 stay, for the baresarks vriW burn us alive. 
 
 Take Ar and the women and children into 
 
 the stone church, and let us men go also 
 
 [237] 
 
THE STORY OF ROLF 
 
 thither and defend it/' Then that was 
 done ; and when they reached the church, 
 going hastily and in a body so that none 
 should be left behind, they found Rolf 
 and Frodi sitting at the door, with their 
 weapons. 
 
 Then all went within the church, but 
 Rolf and Frodi stayed outside. " Come 
 ye not inside ? " asked Grani. 
 
 "All those riches which Ar has in his 
 hall," responded Rolf, " are those to be 
 burned or lost?" 
 
 Then Grani said he would go back 
 again, and called for men to help defend 
 the hall. Only nine came. But those, 
 with Rolf and Frodi, went back to the 
 hall ; both the hall and the church were 
 barred against the baresarks. Those out- 
 laws came up into the place ; a strange 
 crew they were, wearing no armor but 
 skins of beasts, and wild to look on. They 
 burned some huts, but the church and the 
 [238] 
 
H()\V liOLF WON THE HOW 
 
 hall they might not force. Then, because 
 they feared Swe^ii's return, and so dared 
 not to lose time, they knew not what to 
 do. Men shot at them fi'om the hall and 
 the church ; so the baresarks went back 
 again to the shore, and took counsel 
 together. 
 
 Now all the time in the hall Frodi had 
 walked up and down, looking very white 
 and knocking his bill against everj-thing, 
 as if he were afraid. So when the outlaws 
 went away, Grani scoffed at him. 
 
 ** What dost thou with that bill," asked 
 Grani, " if thou canst not stand up like a 
 man, and be ready for what comes ? " 
 
 " Truly," answered Frodi, '' I feel strange 
 inwardly, and my hands are cold, ^"et 
 what dost thou with that bow, which is so 
 handsome that man never saw finer, yet 
 which no one in these islands has yet 
 strung ? " 
 
 Then Grani took the quiver from his 
 [ 239 ] 
 
THE STORY OF ROLF 
 
 shoulders and laid down the bow. " 1 
 am justly rebuked," said he. He took a 
 lighter bow. "Now wilt thou take a 
 smaller weapon ? " 
 
 "No man can say," answered Frodi, 
 "what he will do in time of trial. But 
 I will keep the bill." 
 
 Now some voice was heard without, 
 calling ; they listened to what was said. 
 That was a messenger from Vemund, who 
 made this offer : a champion should be 
 sent out by the Orkneyingers, to meet 
 Vemund, and whichever champion should 
 fall, his side should yield itself into the 
 others hands. But if the Orkneyingers 
 refused, fire should be set to the hall and 
 also to the roof of the church. And that 
 was the same as offering them one small 
 chance for their lives. 
 
 Grani asked : " What man will go out 
 against Vemund ? ' 
 
 No one offered. Then Grani said : 
 [ UO] 
 
HOW ROLF WON THE BOW 
 
 ** He who goes against the baresark ^viU 
 die swiftest, therefore 1 am willing to go 
 myself." 
 
 All the Orkneyingers cried out against 
 that, saying they sliould die together 
 within the hall ; it might be Sweyn would 
 come in time to save them. 
 
 Then Rolf spoke and said : " Xo man 
 in this place, not even Frodi our strongest, 
 will have any chance against \^enumd, 
 so long as we fight with steel weapons. 
 For I have heard the ways of such 
 men to be these : before fighting they 
 look upon the weapons of the other 
 champion, and when they look, by witch- 
 craft they make steel or iron powerless 
 against them. Such a man is Venmnd 
 named. Yet if thou, Grani, wilt give 
 me what I desire, I will find a way to 
 slay him." 
 
 " Anything I have," answered Grani, 
 "is thine." 
 
 16 [ 241 ] 
 
THE STORY OF ROLF 
 
 '* Give me then," said Rolf, " the bow 
 and arrows of the viking." 
 
 Then Grani gave him the bow and the 
 quiver, and Rolf cried to the messenger 
 to say to Vemund that in half an hour 
 one would meet him with the bow. At 
 that gi^eat laughter rose among the out- 
 laws, and those in the hall and in the 
 church felt no confidence in Rolf. 
 
 But he said to Frodi, '* Go to the forge 
 and heat it." And he said to Grani, 
 " Bring me here some silver." Then when 
 the forge was heated and the silver was 
 brought, Rolf said to Frodi : 
 
 " Make me now three silver arrow- 
 heads, the best thou canst, after the 
 pattern of these here in the quiver." So 
 Frodi made the arrow-heads quickly and 
 with great skill, so that no one could have 
 told them apart from the arrow-heads of 
 iron, for they were black from the fire. 
 And Rolf first set a dish of whale-oil to 
 [ 242 ] 
 
HOW KOLF WON THE BOW 
 
 heat by the forge, and then took the heads 
 from three of the arrows. ^Vhen the new 
 arrow-heads were made, Rolf bound them 
 with sinews upon the shafts. 
 
 A man said : *' But what wilt thou do 
 with the aiTows if thou canst not string 
 the bow { " 
 
 Rolf answered notliing. He took the 
 whale-oil and oiled those three arrows. 
 Then he heated the oil hotter, and began 
 to rub it on the bow. First he oiled the 
 string and rubbed it long ; then he oiled 
 the wood. And the wood became darker 
 with the oil, and took a finer polish ; fresher 
 it seemed, gleaming in the light of the 
 forge. Rolf rubbed for many minutes, 
 and the bow became ever darker ; he held 
 it then ov^er the forge, turning it in every 
 way, and it took to itself the fire of the 
 coals. Then Rolf oiled the string once 
 more, heating it as well ; and at last they 
 saw he meant to string the bow. Against 
 [243] 
 
THE STORY OF ROLF 
 
 his foot he set it, and bent it, and shpped 
 the string up to the notch ; it seemed as 
 if a child could have done the deed, and 
 the men burst out with a shout. 
 
 Then Rolf took one of the old arrows 
 and set it on the string ; he drew the bow 
 and shot the arrow along the hall. No 
 one could see that it dropped in its flight ; 
 but it struck an oaken beam by the high 
 seat, and when men came to measure it 
 afterward, the arrow had entered the oak 
 by the breadth of a palm. 
 
 Men spoke afterward of the sweet twang 
 of that bow, like as if it were an harp. 
 
 Then the Orkneyingers went out of the 
 hall with much shouting, and stood upon 
 a knoll which was between the hall and 
 the church. The baresarks came near, 
 and Vemund stood out before them ; he 
 was a huge man, very hairy, with a great 
 beard. He asked who was to come against 
 him. 
 
 [244 ] 
 
HOW ROLF WON THE BOW 
 
 " I," answered Rolf. 
 
 Vemund laughed, and the other bare- 
 sarks also, calling Rolf a boy. '' I^et me 
 see thy weapons," said A^emund. Rolf 
 showed him his quiver, and the baresai'k 
 touched the point of each arrow with his 
 finger. " Wilt thou look upon my weap- 
 ons ? " asked ^^emund. 
 
 Rolf said he would not. '* Now," said 
 he, " withdraw thy men to the beach, and 
 let us begin." 
 
 " Thou art eager for death,'' said Ve- 
 mund with a grin. ** I will do as thou 
 sayest, and then will come at thee. Thou 
 mayest shoot as soon as thou wilt." 
 
 Vemund withdrew his men to the beach, 
 and the Orkneyingers went aside from the 
 knoll. Frodi wept before he left Rolf, 
 commending him to God. Then Rolf 
 took those three arrows with silver points, 
 and stuck them in the ground by his feet. 
 
 By then A'^emund was ready to re- 
 [ ^45 ] 
 
THE STORY OF ROLF 
 
 turn ; he bore no shield nor armor ; he 
 threw down his bow, and shouted that 
 this should be between whatever weapons 
 each man chose. Then with sword in 
 hand he began to walk to the knoll. Rolf 
 took an arrow from his quiver and laid it 
 on the string. 
 
 When Vemund was nearer, Rolf drew 
 the bow ; no bow had ever drawn harder, 
 yet none had been so lively in his hand. 
 The arrow sped ; Vemund turned not 
 aside, but when the shaft struck on his 
 breast the wood flew to splinters, and the 
 point fell down. All the Orkney men 
 cried out in fear, but the baresarks shouted. 
 Rolf took a second arrow and waited 
 awhile. 
 
 Then he shot again, and the arrow 
 struck Vemund on the throat ; it turned 
 aside, and flew sliddering away. Some 
 of the Orkneymen withdrew to the door 
 of the church, crying that they should be 
 [ 246 J 
 
HOW RULl' WON THE BOW 
 
 let in. But the outlaws began to com^ 
 forward. 
 
 Then Rolf drew one of those arrows 
 from the ground, and wiped the point, 
 and made ready. 
 
 When Vemund was twenty paces away 
 Rolf sliot for the third time. The arrow 
 went in a level fliglit, and struck Vemund 
 on the breast ; there it sunk to the feathers. 
 Those baresarks, coming behind, saw a 
 foot of the shall stand out from Vemund's 
 back. 
 
 Then Vemund brandished his sword 
 and ran at Rolf: Rolf took the second 
 arrow and sent it at him. In the eye it 
 struck him, and pierced to the brain ; 
 down fell the baresark, and died before he 
 reached the ground. 
 
 Rolf took the third arrow and put it 
 in his quiver. 
 
 Then the Orkneyingers "came running 
 from the church with their weapons, and 
 [ 247 ] 
 
THE STORY OF ROLF 
 
 all rushed at the outlaws. Grani shouted 
 that the baresarks should lay down their 
 arms ; but they, fearing death, drew into 
 a circle and would not yield. They began 
 to cast spears at the Orkneyingers. 
 
 " Shoot arrows at them," said Grani to 
 Rolf. 
 
 " I have done my share," quoth he. 
 
 Then the Orkneyingers ran round that 
 circle of outlaws, and did their best to pry 
 into it ; but they got only wounds. The 
 baresarks began to grit their teeth and 
 work themselves to anger as if they had 
 been wolves ; that was their way in battle. 
 Frodi went nearer to look at that sight. 
 
 Then one baresark shot a spear at Frodi, 
 and cut his shoulder so that it bled. At 
 that Frodi turned red, and took his bill, 
 and went at that man. The baresark 
 swung his sword, but Frodi caught it with 
 the bill and spun it aloft ; then he hooked 
 at the man with the back of the bill, and 
 [ 248] 
 
HOW ROLF WON THE BOW 
 
 caught him by the neck, and pulled him 
 down grovelling. An Orkney man pierced 
 tlie outlaw as he lay. 
 
 So the circle of the baresarks was broken, 
 but they sought to draw again together. 
 Then Frodi took his bill, and made at the 
 two men to right and left of the opening ; 
 one he cauglit with the point of the bill, 
 and pitched him sideways ; that man fell 
 on the circle at another place and broke 
 it there. Next Frodi pitched the other 
 baresark clean across the circle against the 
 men at the other side ; two fell at once. 
 
 Then Grani shouted and rushed within 
 the ring, and all tlic Orkneyingers fell on 
 the baresarks at every point. Some were 
 slain right there ; some broke away and 
 were chased about ; one by one they died 
 among the huts and the frames for drying 
 fish. 
 
 Frodi, when he had done that much, 
 stood by Rolf and struck no more. When 
 [249] 
 
THE STORY OF ROLF 
 
 the fighting was finished the Orkney- 
 ingers looked to their hurts, and it was 
 found that no one was badly wounded. 
 All said that the death of Vemund the 
 Pitiless was not so bad by half as the 
 living of him. 
 
 Now Grani was veiy happy and talka- 
 tive, and he praised his men much ; but 
 he seemed constrained before Rolf, and 
 spoke to Frodi. " And thou saidst thou 
 couldst not use the bill ! " 
 
 Frodi answered, " So I thought, but it 
 is no different from handling a pitchfork." 
 
 Grani whooped with laughter, and 
 would tell that saying to others. Frodi 
 beseeched him : " Cease thy talking, lest 
 men give me a new nickname." 
 
 But Grani told Frodi's words in the 
 presence of many, and all cried that Frodi 
 should be called Pitchfork Frodi. He 
 grumbled to Rolf thereat. 
 
 "Better be glad," said Rolf. *Hhat 
 [250] 
 
[TOW ROLF WON THE BOW 
 
 nothing worse has come to thee than a 
 sore shoulder and a new name." 
 
 Now Sweyn came sailing back, angered 
 that he had been tricked, but much 
 afraid of what might have happened at 
 flawksness in his absence. As for Ar 
 the l\'acock, he lay without speedi imtil 
 the morrow, when he came to himself; 
 but he was a broken man ever after that 
 shock. 
 
 Grani took the spoil from the baresark 
 ship, and divided it into five parts. Two 
 parts he gave to those fishers whose 
 houses the baresarks had burned ; one part 
 he divided among those wlio liad wounds ; 
 the rest he sent to the lodging of Rolf 
 and Frodi. Grani took nothing for him- 
 self, nor did he go with the treasure to 
 Rolf; and men said among themselves 
 that, during all these doings, Rolf and 
 Grani had spoken to each other only when 
 they must. 
 
 [ ^^'- ] 
 
THE STORY OF ROLF 
 
 From that time the viking's bow was 
 Rolfs own. Those two arrows which had 
 slain the baresark were hung up in the 
 church ; but Rolf took the third arrow 
 with the silver point, and bound it in the 
 quiver with a silken thread. 
 
 L 255^ 
 
CHAPTER XXII 
 
 NOW KIARTAN RETURNS 
 
 A S weakness grew on him, Ar the 
 
 /~\ Peacock kept Grani much by his 
 
 side. One day Ar said: "I see 
 
 that thou art troubled at times. Is aught 
 
 weighing on thee ? " 
 
 Grani answered : " Rolf is on my mind." 
 
 Ar said : '* Put away the thought of 
 him." 
 
 " That I cannot do," replied Grani, " for 
 I feel I did ^^Tong in enthralling him, and I 
 cannot be easy until he hath forgiven me." 
 
 " Meseems," quoth Ar, " that thou 
 expectest Rolf to come and say * I for- 
 give thee,' before ever thou hast shown 
 him that thou art sorry." 
 
 Grani answered nothing. 
 [253] 
 
THE STORY OF ROLF 
 
 " Go now," said Ar, " and seek him out. 
 Confess thyself in the wrong." 
 
 " It is hard to do that," responded 
 Grani. 
 
 "Thou art well named Grani the 
 Proud," said Ar ; but then he added : 
 " Never have I blamed thee till now, but 
 thou shouldst have done this thing at 
 the very first. And the longer this es- 
 trangement lasts, the harder it will be to 
 forget." 
 
 Grani made no answer, but communed 
 for a while with himself; though it was 
 hard to his pride, at last he decided to 
 humble himself before Rolf He went 
 to the dwelling of Rolf and Frodi ; they 
 were on the headland watching the fishing 
 fleet, and thither Grani followed. He sat 
 down at the edge of the cliff beside those 
 two, and had speech with Frodi ; but be- 
 tween him and Rolf passed at the first 
 only the good-day. 
 
 [254] 
 
NOW KIARTAN RETURNS 
 
 Frodi asked : " War %\ith the Scots is 
 expected in the spring ? " 
 
 *' Aye,' answered Grani. 
 
 " I would I were in Iceland I " Frodi said. 
 
 " Oh ye Icelanders ! ' cried Grani. 
 "Why is it ye always burn to return — 
 whether ye love your foggy isle and plain 
 men more, or our realm less ? " 
 
 " In your realm," answered Frodi, 
 "there are three pests which no Icelander 
 can bear. The first is your baresarks, 
 which in Iceland are held in restraint, 
 but here they go at large. The second 
 is your vikings, which dare not come to 
 us, but here they hany the coasts. xVnd 
 the third is the habit of burning a man 
 in his house, which by us has been done 
 some few times in great matters, yet is 
 always punished ; but here it is done in 
 any httle quarrel, and Uttle shame is felt 
 for it. And if I leave this land without 
 being burned, then I am lucky." 
 [ 255 ] 
 
THE STORY OF ROLF 
 
 Grani laughed, and then Rolf spoke. 
 Quoth he : " And as for our land of 
 simple men against thy realm of kings 
 and earls, all I know is that with us there 
 is law to restrain all men. But if thy 
 earls fall out, then the Orkneys are rent 
 with war. And at all times your lives 
 lie in the power of the Scots, who any 
 summer day may come and sweep the 
 land. Nay, the winter is open : why 
 may they not fall upon us now ? " 
 
 " It is possible," said Frodi, but Grani 
 had nothing to reply. 
 
 " And consider this," Rolf said. " Thou 
 art Grani, fosterling of Ar the thane ; 
 thou hast honor, and a part of all spoils 
 are thine. But Ar is coming to his end, 
 and some day another thane will rule 
 here. When thy honors fall away, and 
 thou must take thy place like other men : 
 how then wilt thou think of the doings of 
 kings and earls ? " 
 
 [ 256 ] 
 
NOW KIARTAX RETURNS 
 
 " I fear no misfortune," answered Grani. 
 
 " Then/' quoth Rolf, '' thou art fitted 
 to be an Icelander. xVnd now I will say 
 what I have many times thought : that 
 thy speech is more of Iceland than of this 
 place. AVhence did Ar take thee ? ' 
 
 Grani grew red, but answered : ** Thou 
 hidest thy parentage." 
 
 *' True," replied Rolf '* Xow I crave 
 thy pardon for questioning thee." 
 
 That was the end of that talk, for Rolf 
 drew within himself, and Grani felt shame 
 that he could not ask pardon so easily as 
 the Icelander ; and the more he looked 
 on Rolf's countenance the more it seemed 
 that they should be friends. He ceased 
 speaking, and sat with his back half turned, 
 trying to say the words ; but for a long 
 time they would not come. At length 
 he said : 
 
 -Rolf." 
 
 "Aye ? " Rolf answered. 
 17 [ 257 ] 
 
THE STORY OF ROLF 
 
 Grani said nothing for a while more; 
 at length again he said, " Rolf." 
 
 " What is it ? " Rolf asked. 
 
 But for a second time Grani could not 
 bring himself to speak. Yet at last he 
 made ready to speak without fail and ask 
 forgiveness, and the words were on his 
 tongue. 
 
 Then suddenly Rolf rose, and pointed 
 out upon the water, where a ship had 
 come into view ; and he cried, " At last 
 Cometh he for whom I have waited ! " 
 
 No need to ask whose ship that was, for 
 Grani saw that it was Kiartan's. And 
 weakly he put aside the chance to set 
 himself right with Rolf, and inquired 
 instead why Rolf waited there for Kiartan 
 so long. 
 
 " Tell me first," responded Rolf, " why 
 
 he cometh in such haste, with oars and 
 
 sails both. He thinks that by this time 
 
 I am surely gone ; but his debts and 
 
 [258] 
 
NOW KIARTAX RETURNS 
 
 goods will not flee from him, and he hath 
 hours before sunset to make the harbor. 
 Can he be pursued by aught ? Let us 
 watch the headland to the eastward." 
 
 " There comes another ship," cried Frodi. 
 
 They watched that ship appear : a war- 
 ship, long and low. (irani cried that that 
 must be a vikintr, and was for runninf^: to 
 the hall ; but Rolf bade him wait. Then 
 there came a second war-ship, and two 
 more together, and then a great ship, very 
 large ; after that the nose of yet another 
 vessel pushed around the headland. 
 
 " Is Earl Thorfinn," asked Grani, *' com- 
 ing to visit his realm ? " 
 
 " Why should Kiartan," responded Rolf, 
 " flee before the Earl, who hath sold him 
 permission to trade here ? That is the 
 fleet of the Scots ! '^ 
 
 " More of them are in sight," said 
 Frodi. 
 
 So they stayed only long enough to see 
 [259] 
 
THE STORY OF ROLF 
 
 that the fisher fleet, lea\dng nets and lines, 
 was hurrying to the shore. Those three 
 left the headland and ran to Hawksness ; 
 there they told the tidings and gathered 
 men, arming all those who came to the 
 hall. The women were sent into the 
 church with the children, but the men went 
 down to the beach. There the fishermen 
 first made a landing, and hurried for their 
 arms ; but when all were gathered to- 
 gether they were very few against what 
 must be the might of the Scots. 
 
 Then the ship of Kiartan neared the 
 shore. Frodi said to Rolf : " Before the 
 Scots come there will be time to claim 
 thy due of him." 
 
 " Not in the face of this danger," an- 
 swered Rolf 
 
 Kiartan ran his ship upon the beach, 
 
 and his men leaped out and pushed her 
 
 higher up the shingle. Kiartan ran to 
 
 Ar, and begged protection. " Fight thou 
 
 [260] 
 
NOW KIARTAX RETURNS 
 
 with us," quoth Ar. " We shall be but 
 six score against six hundred." Kiartan 
 turned pale and bit his fingers. 
 
 Frodi said. ** He is as big a coward as 
 I." Grani laughed. 
 
 Now when the Scots neared the shore, 
 the people gave way from the beach and 
 drew a little up the hillside ; and the 
 nearer the Scots came, the more the Ork- 
 neymen withdrew. Then when the Scots 
 were landing, some of the Hawksness 
 men threw away their arms and sat down 
 where they were ; and some fled away 
 to the do^^^ls and the heather, where they 
 might hide. But Ar said he would not 
 flee, and went back again to fight. Those 
 who went with him were only Grani 
 and Sweyn, and Rolf and Frodi followed 
 behind. 
 
 " This is no Icelander s quaiTel," said 
 Ar. " We go to die, but the Scots will 
 give you peace. " 
 
 i: ^61 ] 
 
THE STORY OF ROLF 
 
 " Nevertheless we will look on a while," 
 answered Rolf. 
 
 Then Ar took his stand on that knoll 
 whence Rolf had slain the baresark ; he 
 had his church and his hall at his back, 
 and thinking to die as became a man he 
 seemed to gain his strength again, and 
 shot arrows in marvellous wise. Twenty 
 he sent among the Scots as they landed, 
 and hurt a man with each ; then he took 
 his spear, and waited for the Scots to 
 come nearer. 
 
 " Now," said Frodi to Rolf, " shall we 
 stay or go ? " 
 
 " If we stay," answered Rolf, " we 
 never see Iceland again. Yet I have 
 not the heart to leave those three as 
 they stand there." So he and Frodi 
 drew still nearer to Ar, and stood at 
 his back. 
 
 But some archer in the fleet sent forth 
 a shaft, and it smote Ar ; in the throat it 
 [m2] 
 
NOW^ KIARTAN RETURNS 
 
 smote him, and he fell. Like a man he 
 died there, near his father's hall ; and the 
 Scots, shouting, began to come forward. 
 " Flee ! " said Swe}Ti to Grani. 
 
 " Wilt thou flee ? " asked Grani. 
 
 A spear struck Sweyn in the leg, 
 and down lie sat. " Here I stay," 
 quoth he. 
 
 " Then here stay I,'' answered Grani. 
 
 But those fisher-folk who had thro\v7i 
 down their arms ran to Grani in a crowd, 
 and cried that he should not stay to be 
 killed. Some bore Swepi within the 
 church, where no Scot would slay him 
 before the altar ; and when Grani saw 
 that, he suffered himself to be pushed 
 away. So he came to the hillside before 
 ever the Scots reached him ; and when 
 they began to shoot at him with arrows, 
 he ran. And Rolf and Frodi ran along 
 the hillside a little higher up. 
 
 Now the Scots sent swift archers in 
 [263] 
 
THE STORY OF ROLF 
 
 chase. Grani was armed and had heavy 
 weapons ; Frodi was slow and Rolf would 
 not leave him ; so the archers began to 
 come up on them, and it looked bad for 
 them. Grani knew the country ; he 
 sought the best ways, calling to Rolf that 
 they should meet at the Vale of the 
 Hermit. Then he threw off his mail and 
 ran freely, and shook off his pursuers 
 in a little wood. But in that same 
 wood Rolf took the wrong course ; for 
 thinking he knew the way to the Vale 
 he led Frodi where should be a glen with 
 a growth of trees. — Nothing was there 
 of the kind, but a bare hillside rose, 
 where was no cover, and the Scots be- 
 gan to shout as they saw them close in 
 front. 
 
 Now Grani knew the way better. When 
 
 he reached the copse he stood and looked 
 
 where Rolf and Frodi ran on the hillside 
 
 above him. Then he heard a panting, 
 
 [264] 
 
NOW KIARTAX RETURNS 
 
 and looked down. There was Kiartan 
 hiding in the fern. 
 
 '" Look up now," said Grani, " and see 
 who runneth there above us." 
 
 ^^^hen Kiartan saw Rolf, first he started 
 and then he looked sidewise at Grani. 
 ** They can never escape," said he. 
 
 " I will call them hither," replied 
 Grani. 
 
 " That will bring us in danger I " Kiar- 
 tan cried. 
 
 Rut Cirani leaped upon a boulder and 
 prepared to shout. Then as he stood 
 there, Kiartan snatched up a billet of 
 wood and smote at him from the side : 
 foul was that assault. The stroke fell 
 on the shoulder, but Grani twisted his 
 arm and cast the billet aside ; he smote 
 in return, and Kiartan fell. So Grani 
 shouted aloud to Rolf, who stood on 
 the hillside with Frodi and studied his 
 road. 
 
 [265] 
 
THE STORY OF ROLF 
 
 So many copses did Rolf see that he 
 knew not where to go, for most were but 
 small clumps, where was no safety ; and 
 only one led to the hidden winding water- 
 course and the secluded dell. But when 
 he heard Grani and saw him, he turned 
 thither, although he must go back a little 
 way. He and Frodi ran hastily, rushing 
 down the hillside with much speed. And 
 they saw they could avoid all but one of 
 the Scots. 
 
 That man had run wide of their track, 
 flanking them lest they should double 
 back ; now he ran in on them and pre- 
 pared to strike with his sword. On that 
 slope was no good footing ; but the Scot 
 braced himself where the Icelanders must 
 pass, and they could hardly both escape 
 him without a wound. But when Rolf 
 rushed down on him, with sword raised, 
 and those two looked into each other's 
 eyes, then the Scot did not strike, but 
 [^66] 
 
NOW KIARTAX RETURNS 
 
 stood like stone. Neither did Rolf smite, 
 but Frodi struck hard A\'ith the butt of 
 his bill ; they left that Scot lying in 
 a heap, and sped downward into the 
 hollow. 
 
 There they found Grani with Kiartan, 
 and Grani had bound the shipmaster's 
 hands behind his back. Hastily they 
 went into the copse, driving Kiartan be- 
 fore them ; they found the crooked water- 
 course and followed it among the stones ; 
 it was dry and they wet not their feet. 
 So in a while they came to a little dell, 
 nestled among the hills ; the place was 
 called the \^ale of the Flermit. Hut no 
 one lived there, only in one place liad 
 been a farm ; the hall had been burned, 
 but a storehouse still stood stout against 
 the weather. Thither they went and 
 rested, knowing that no Scot could find 
 them in that place. 
 
 Grani loosed Kiartan and bade him 
 [ ^67 ] 
 
THE STORY OF ROLF 
 
 gather wood. *' And if thou seekest to 
 flee thou wilt carry an arrow in the ribs. 
 Make a fire, for I see beef is in the store- 
 house, drying, and the green hide hangs 
 against the wall. We will sup." So 
 Kiartan gathered wood and made a fire. 
 
 " One thing I fail to understand," said 
 Frodi to Rolf: "why neither thou nor 
 that Scot smote at the other, and it was 
 left to me to knock him down." 
 
 " That was strange to me also," said 
 Grani. 
 
 Rolf said : "I knew that man, and he 
 was Malcolm, my fathers thrall. For 
 very astonishment we could not strike." 
 
 " Then I gave him a headache," quoth 
 Frodi, " to make him remember his man- 
 ner of gaining his freedom." 
 
 " Preserve me from sucli headaches as 
 thou dealest ! " said Rolf. " The butt of 
 thy bill is worse than the point." 
 
 Then Grani told why he had bound 
 [268] 
 
XOW^ KIAKTAX KETURXS 
 
 Kiartan. " And now," said he, " thou 
 canst take on him thy vengeance, what- 
 ever that may be." 
 
 *' Call him here," said Rolf. 
 
 So Kiartan was called thither and 
 crouched thereby ; it was plain that he 
 expected to be killed. ** In what has he 
 offended thee ? " asked Grani. 
 
 "Now," answered Rolf, ''that which 
 I say in his licaring will be to him the 
 worst part of his punishment. He is my 
 uncle, and through him my father came 
 to his death." 
 
 But when tlicy looked to see him weep, 
 or hear him blame himself, Kiartan rose 
 and thanked them that his life was spared. 
 In loathing they bade him go into the 
 storehouse and lie ; then they laid them- 
 selves down inside the door, and slept. 
 
 For the sake of air, they left the door 
 wide. In the morning they found that 
 Kiartan was gone ; and while they were 
 [269] 
 
THE STORY OF ROLF 
 
 asking where he might be, they heard his 
 voice at a httle distance, saying that 
 there those three lay in that storehouse, 
 and the Scots should slay them. Then 
 was heard the rush of feet. 
 
 [270] 
 
CHAPTER XXIII 
 
 OF THE COMING OF EARL THORFINN 
 
 ROI^F shut the storehouse door, 
 and Frodi held it until it was 
 barred. The Seots eould move 
 neither Frodi nor the bars, and knew not 
 what to do. All within was dark, save 
 for light from the crack of the door ; and 
 when the Scots who stood before the 
 crack felt Frodi's bill, they stood back. 
 Then Rolf shot arrows out through the 
 crack, and the Scots stood aside, so that 
 those within could do no more. They 
 heard the Scots say that no time should 
 be wasted for three men. 
 
 " Now," said Frodi, '* they will go 
 away." 
 
 " Be not too hopeful," said Grani. 
 [ 271 ] 
 
THE STORY OF ROLF 
 
 When smoke began to pufF in, they 
 knew that the thatch had been fired over 
 their heads. " So," quoth Frodi, " I shall 
 be burned in the Orkneys after all. 
 Seest thou, Grani, why no Icelander loves 
 thy land ? " 
 
 They sat there a while and the place 
 grew hot ; then Grani began to pace up 
 and down. " Would that I," he said at 
 last, " had never seen the Orkneys ! " 
 
 " What is this ? " asked Rolf. 
 
 Grani said after a silence : *' I shall 
 never speak again to my father, whom I 
 have not seen these many years." Next 
 he said : ** My sister must be almost a 
 woman." After that said he : " Peaceful 
 was our home." 
 
 Frodi tried to comfort him, but Grani 
 would not listen. " Let us die in the 
 open,'' he cried, '' and give an account of 
 ourselves ! " 
 
 But when they tried to leave that 
 [272] 
 
OF EAET> THORFIXX 
 
 smothering place, they found the Scots 
 had braced the door, and it could not be 
 moved. Then a corner of the roof fell 
 down, and burned inside tlie storehouse. 
 
 '* Now," cried Grani in despair, " would 
 I were once more on the home-field of 
 Fells tead, looking abroad on old Broad - 
 firth and the peaceful dales ! " 
 
 •' .A wonderful thing thou sayest ! " ex- 
 claimed Rolf. 
 
 " Let wonders be," said Frodi. " But 
 since we cannot leave this place by the 
 front door, why not by the rear ? " 
 
 ** How do that { " asked Grani. 
 
 Frodi drew aside the heavy hide which 
 hung at the back of the storehouse, 
 against the rock of the hillside : there were 
 a carved stone doorway and a black cave. 
 
 *' Now," cried Grani, " rightly is this 
 place called the Vale of the Hermit ; this 
 was his house, though I never knew of it 
 till now. Let us be quick ! " 
 i8 [ 273 1 
 
THE STORY OF ROLF 
 
 So they went into that cave and sat 
 there, while the fire burned the storehouse 
 quite away, and its roof-beams fell across 
 the door of the cave and hid it. More- 
 over the green hide did not burn through, 
 and kept out the smoke ; and a little 
 air came in through a fissure of the rock. 
 Then the Scots who watched went their 
 way, and Kiartan with them. When 
 they were gone, those three thrust the 
 hide and the beams aside from the cave- 
 mouth, and leaped out over the embers. 
 They were near stifled, and weak from the 
 heat. 
 
 Those Scots and Kiartan went back to 
 Hawksness, and for what he had done they 
 gave him his ship unplundered. But they 
 plundered the hall and the church, and 
 with the riches of Ar they had both sport 
 and quarrels, until all was divided. Then 
 they sent out vessels to ravage in the 
 Orkneys ; but the main body, and the 
 [274] 
 
OF EARL THORFINX 
 
 leader, sat there at Hawksness, and be- 
 cause it was believed Earl Thorfinn 
 thought them still in Scotland, and no 
 ship had been spared to go south and tell 
 of them, they had no fear of him. For it 
 would have been a great undertaking for 
 any small boat to cross the Pentland 
 Firth. 
 
 But on a day when the Earl sat in his 
 hall, in Thurso of Caithness, his men came 
 to him, saying : '* There are messengers 
 without, and they would speak with thee.'* 
 But the men laughed. 
 
 " Why laugh ye ? " asked the Earl. 
 
 *' The messengers say they are from the 
 Orkneys, yet no ship has come, and they 
 are the worst of scarecrows." 
 
 " But bring them in," said the EarL 
 
 So three men were brought before the 
 
 Earl. One was of middle height, and 
 
 slender ; he bore a bow. One was taller, 
 
 and carried a sword. The third was as 
 
 [275] 
 
THE STORY OF ROLF 
 
 big as any man in that place, and he held 
 in his hand a great bill. All in rags were 
 those men, as if their garments had been 
 scorched. They told the Earl that the 
 Scots were in the Orkneys, and the Earl's 
 men laughed mightily. 
 
 ** Sailed ye across the Firth ? " asked 
 the Earl. 
 
 "We rowed," answered they. 
 
 "In what?" asked the Earl. "And 
 where is the boat ? " 
 
 " It sunk off the shore," said those men, 
 " and we swam the last mile." 
 
 " Why are ye so burned ? " 
 
 They said they had been nigh burned 
 to death. 
 
 Then the Earl stilled the laughter of his 
 men, and he leaned to that one who bore 
 the bow ; he was not much more than a 
 lad. " Where didst thou get," asked the 
 Earl, " that short-sword which thou wear- 
 est ? For I know the weapon well, since 
 [276] 
 
OF EARL THORFIXX 
 
 once it belonged to Eaii Sigurd my 
 father."' 
 
 " That may be so," said the lad, " but 
 it was given me out in Iceland. ' 
 
 "Now/' said the Earl. ''I know the 
 man to whom my father gave the sword, 
 and he went out to Iceland. Tell me 
 what man gave it thee ; if the name is 
 the same, tlicn will I believe this news 
 of thine. But if the name is different, 
 then ye three shall die for your ftilse 
 word. ' 
 
 " A light matter on which to hang 
 lives," quoth that one. *'Who knows 
 how many liave owned this sword ? But 
 T got it from Kari, Solmund's son." 
 
 The Earl smote his thigh. *" And to 
 Kari my father ga\"e it ! Up, men, and 
 dight yourselves for war ! This day we 
 sail for the Orkneys." 
 
 So Earl Thorfinn sailed north, and with 
 him went Grani, Rolf, and Frodi, those 
 [277 1 
 
THE STORY OF ROLF 
 
 bearers of the tidings. And before ever 
 the Scots were ready for them the Orkney- 
 mgers closed in upon Hawksness, and 
 attacked the Scottish fleet. Some of the 
 Scots were away, and some were ashore ; 
 those who might fight lashed their ships 
 in a line, as in a line the Earl's ships bore 
 down on them. That fight lasted not 
 long, and all the Scottish ships were 
 taken ; the Scots who were on shore were 
 hunted down, and as their ships came 
 in from the other isles, they were taken 
 one by one. 
 
 Kiartan s ship was still on the beach, 
 and he was found in the church. 
 
 [278] 
 
CHAPTER XXTV 
 
 NOW ROLF AND (JRAXI QUARREL 
 
 NOW says the tale that Rolf goes 
 before the PLarl, and tells of 
 Kiartan's treachery. 
 *' Thou shalt have thine own way with 
 him," quoth Thortinn. " Shall he die by 
 the hands of my men, or what atone- 
 ment wilt thou take i " 
 
 *' I ask not his death," said Rolf. " Give 
 me his ship to return to Iceland in, and 
 his goods to repay my mother for all her 
 sufferings." But of those sufferings, nor 
 of all that Kiartan had done, the Earl did 
 not ask until later. 
 
 ** Thou art easy," said he, " upon him 
 w^ho sought thy life ; but all shall be as 
 thou sayest." 
 
 [ 279 ] 
 
THE STORY OF ROLF 
 
 Then Grani spoke apart with the Earl, 
 and after that Thorfinn gave orders to his 
 men. Where the sward lay gi^eenest (for 
 no snow lay on southern slopes all that 
 winter) they cut a strip of turf ; its middle 
 they raised and propped aloft on spears, 
 but its ends w^ere still in the ground. 
 Then the Earl called Rolf to come^ and 
 bade all men stand there and hear what 
 Grani had to say. Before all, Grani told 
 that he had wrongfully enthralled Rolf, 
 and led by Kiartan had treated him 
 unfairly. His sorrow he confessed, and 
 he asked for pardon. 
 
 Answered Rolf: " For this I grant 
 pardon readily enough." 
 
 ** Meseems thou sayest that coldly, 
 man," said the Earl '' Now here stands 
 Grani to sw^ear blood-brothership with 
 thee, under this turf What sayest thou 
 to that?" 
 
 Now blood-brothership was a sacred 
 [280] 
 
ROLF AND GRANI QUARREL 
 
 ceremony, and those who swore it must 
 uphold each other until death, if once the 
 oath was taken under such a strip of turf, 
 by letting blood from the arms mingle in 
 the ground. And no greater honor might 
 one man do another than to offer blood- 
 brothership. But again Rolf spoke coolly, 
 and said : 
 
 " Mayhap 1 am willing to do that.'' 
 " Come, then," said Thorfinn. " Lay 
 aside thy sword, and step under the turf 
 with Grani." 
 
 " Once I swore," replied Rolf, " never 
 to leave weapon from my reach. And 
 another oath T call to mind, wjiich later I 
 may tell thee here. Now since blood- 
 brothership is asked, here I name myself: 
 Rolf, son of Hiarandi, of Cragness above 
 Broadfirth in Iceland. And remembering 
 what Grani said when we were like to 
 be burnt together, I ask his true name, 
 and his father's name, and his birthplace." 
 [2811 
 
THE STORY OF ROLF 
 
 ** Grani hight I," answered that one. 
 " Years long have I been fostered here, 
 and I remember little of my childhood. 
 But Einar is my father, Fellstead was 
 our home, and the place is that same 
 Broadfirth out in Iceland. So much I 
 know and no more." 
 
 Then those w^ho stood by saw Rolf 
 draw his short-sword and spring at Grani. 
 At his forehead Rolf laid the sword, the 
 flat to the skin. " Thus," cried he, " I 
 laid this sword to thy father's head. But 
 thus " (and he turned the sword) " I lay 
 it to thine, edge to thy flesh. And be- 
 cause I promised to do it, thus I draw 
 thy blood ! " 
 
 He drew the sword lightly across 
 Grani's forehead, and the blood started 
 out in little drops. Then Rolf dropped his 
 arm, sheathed his sword, and stood quiet ; 
 but Grani, white with rage, snatched a 
 spear from one of the Earl's men, and 
 [282] 
 
ROLF AND GRANI QUARREL 
 
 would have slain Rolf had not the Earl 
 himself come between. 
 
 " Now," quoth Thorfinn grimly, " here 
 is an odd end to blood-brothership. The 
 cause of tliis shall I hear, from first unto 
 last." 
 
 Then Rolf told the story of his father s 
 wrongs and his own, and Frodi said it all 
 was true. Grani, though he learned what 
 his father had done, stood still and said no 
 word, except that he cried at the end : 
 
 " Great insult hath Rolf offered me in 
 drawing my blood, and for that shall he 
 pay with his." 
 
 *' Mescems," answered the Earl, ** that 
 the weight of blood-debt is still on thy 
 side, and it is well for thee that Rolf took 
 not payment in full. And this I advise, 
 that here ye two make up the feud ; and 
 all money atonements I will make to Rolf, 
 if so be I see ye accorded." 
 
 " I will lay down the feud on these 
 [283] 
 
THE STORY OF ROLF 
 
 terms," said Rolf, " if Grani will get me 
 my homestead again." 
 
 But deep anger burned in Grani that 
 his offer of blood-brothership had been so 
 answered, by the shedding of his blood. 
 He strode to the spears that held the strip 
 of turf, and cast them down. " My feud 
 do I keep ! " he cried. 
 
 " Then of thee," said the Earl, " I wash 
 my hands. But I will take Rolf to me, to 
 be of my bodyguard so long as he will." 
 
 " Lord Earl," answered Rolf, " I thank 
 thee for the honor, but in the ship which 
 thou hast given me I must return to Ice- 
 land, there to clear me of mine outlawry 
 by means of my bow." 
 
 And then that meeting of men broke 
 up, and Rolf set himself to fit his ship for 
 the outward voyage, and to hire sailors. 
 He had wealth enough, in Kiartan's 
 goods, to pay for all his father had lost ; 
 but in the viking's bow he had that treas- 
 [284] 
 
ROLF AND GRANI QUARREL 
 
 ure which he most prized, for it should 
 \Wn him his honor again, and the home- 
 stead which his fathers had built. 
 
 He provisioned his ship, and lie hired 
 men and a shipmaster, and soon was ready 
 for the voyage outward. Now the spring 
 was early, without storms as yet. 
 
 But Grani went unhappily about, know- 
 ing that danger was preparing for his 
 father, througli Roll*, and seeing not what 
 could be done. For in tliat place, except 
 Rolf's ship, lay no vessels plying either 
 north or south, and none to go to Iceland. 
 So there was no way for Grani to send 
 warning to Einar. and no means by which 
 he himself might go to Iceland, to stand 
 by his father's side. He would ha^e 
 challenged Rolf to the holm, but holm- 
 gangs and all duels were forbidden by the 
 Earl. And now came the day when 
 Rolfs ship was ready ; the wind was fair 
 from the east, and on the morrow they 
 [285] 
 
THE STORY OF ROLF 
 
 should start. Then Grani went and sat 
 on the hillside at sunset, watching the 
 men at a little distance as they worked 
 about the ship where it lay upon the 
 strand ; but Rolf and Frodi had gone to 
 the hall, and were feasting there with the 
 Earl and his men. 
 
 Grani thought : *' To save my father I 
 must sail on that ship. Now the night 
 will be dark, and the men will sleep at the 
 huts, but Rolf and Frodi at the hall. 
 Naught hinders me from hiding myself on 
 the ship, so that on the morrow they will 
 sail with me." 
 
 That pleased him well. But before 
 dark Rolf and Frodi returned from the 
 hall, having said farewell to the Earl. 
 
 The ship was then pushed off, and all 
 men got them aboard ; they anchored off 
 the boat- steads, ready to sail at first twi- 
 Hght in the morning. Then when Grani 
 saw his plan spoiled, in great uncertainty 
 i [ 286 ] 
 
ROLF AND GRANl QUARREL 
 
 of mind he went to the hall and sat down 
 on the lowest bench. 
 
 Quoth the Earl : '' Come forward, 
 Grani, and sit here near the dais ; for tliou 
 didst save my realm as much as did those 
 other two who have just said farewell." 
 
 '' 1 know tliat well, lord," answered 
 Grani. 
 
 '' Come, sit here by my side," said tlie 
 Earl, '* and what thou askest in reward for 
 thy deed, that I will give thee." 
 
 So Grani sat there by the Earl's side 
 until it was dark out of doors, and he 
 knew the stars were out, but no moon. 
 With the feast. Thorfinn waxed joyous, 
 for good tidings had come that day ; and 
 he began to press Grani to name the re- 
 ward he would ha\'e for crossing the Pent- 
 land Firth to bring him news. So Grani 
 said : 
 
 " Stretch forth thy hand now, Earl 
 Thorfinn, and promise to grant me that 
 [ 287 ] 
 
THE STORY OF ROLF 
 
 thing which I ask, which shall take from 
 no man his right or his own." 
 
 So the Earl stretched forth his hand in 
 promise, and said : " Ask what thou wilt." 
 
 Then all the Orkneyingers listened 
 while Grani made his request. " Oh 
 Earl, ' said he, " make me thine outlaw ! " 
 
 ** Nay," cried the Earl, " what request 
 is this ? Dost thou mock me and my 
 power ? " And his men were angry, and 
 some drew their swords. 
 
 But Grani said most earnestly, " I mean 
 no insult, but much lies on it that thou 
 shouldst make me outlaw." 
 
 Wroth indeed were the Orkneyingers, 
 and thronged around Grani to slay him ; 
 but the Earl signed them to give peace, 
 and sat with his eye on the youth, and 
 thought. Then at last he smiled in his 
 beard, and said: 
 
 " Thou art a clever lad, and bold withal. 
 Here I grant thy desire." And he 
 [ 288] 
 
ROLF AND GRAXI QUARREL 
 
 stretched out his hand and said : '' Outlaw 
 do I make thee in all my lands — not to 
 be fed, not to he forwarded, not to be 
 helped or harbored in any need, save only 
 by masters of ships outward bound. I 
 gi'ant thee three days' space to seek shel- 
 ter, and here I give notice among my men 
 of thy full outlawry.' 
 
 Then Grani thanked the P^arl with all 
 his heart, and went from the hall ; after 
 him the EarFs men scoffed, but still the 
 Earl smiled in his beard. 
 
 Now that night a small boat rowed to 
 the side of Rolfs ship, and a man climbed 
 aboard, and the boatmen rowed the boat 
 ashore again. One of the ship's men told 
 Rolf, who sent for that one who had thus 
 come aboard. He stood before Rolf in 
 the starlight, wrapped in a cloak. Rolf 
 asked why he came aboard the ship in that 
 manner. 
 
 " Outlaw am I," said that one, " and by 
 19 [ 289 ] 
 
THE STORY OF ROLF 
 
 law thou must give me shelter when it is 
 claimed." 
 
 "Good is the law," quoth Rolf, "and 
 once it helped me ere now. But thy voice 
 is muffled in the cloak, man. What is thy 
 name ? " 
 
 "No-man is my name," answered the 
 muffled man, "and here is my faring 
 money." 
 
 Rolf laughed. " No-man's fare costs 
 nothing," said he, and would not take the 
 silver. " Find thyself a place to sleep ; 
 thou art welcome here." 
 
 So that one found himself a place to 
 sleep, and early in the morning the ship 
 set sail. Now it is said that when the 
 ship was gone the Earl saw Kiartan on 
 the strand bewailing his loss. Thorfinn 
 ordered that Kiartan be set in a galley 
 as rower, and for two years did Kiartan 
 labor at the oar. Then he escaped, and 
 fled away southward ; but he became 
 [290] 
 
ROLF AND GRAXl QLARREL 
 
 thrall to a chapman, and was a thrall to 
 the end of his days. So now he is out of 
 the story. 
 
 But that outlaw who had come on 
 Rolfs ship lay like a log all the first day, 
 while the ship sped westward ; and only 
 at night did he rouse to take food. Four 
 days he did thus, while the ship ran before 
 the wind until the Faroe Islands were 
 well astern. Then on a morning the man 
 rose and walked by tlie rail, and looked 
 upon the sea. Rolf sent for him to come 
 and speak to him, and when the man was 
 face to face with him, behold, it was Grani ! 
 
 Then Rolf stood and looked on him, 
 and Grani stood fast and looked on Rolf. 
 And Rolf turned away and walked in 
 the stern, but Grani waited in the same 
 place. At last Rolf came back to him 
 and said : 
 
 "Only one thing will I ask of thee. 
 Wast thou indeed outlaw of the Earl ? ' 
 [291] 
 
THE STORY OF ROLF 
 
 Grani stretched out his hand and swore 
 to the truth. "Outlaw was I, and the 
 Earl gave me but three days to quit his 
 land." 
 
 " Now," said Rolf, " thou art on my 
 ship lawfully, and naught will I do against 
 thee. We will leave it to the fates, which 
 of us shall prosper in this affair." 
 
 So Grani was out of danger of his life. 
 Now that east wind lasted until they 
 made Iceland — a quick voyage. And 
 they sailed along the south of the land, 
 and rounded the western cape, and sailed 
 across the mouth of Faxafirth. But when 
 they would round the cape into Broadfirth 
 the wind freshened, and blew them off the 
 land a day's sail ; there they lay when the 
 wind dropped. But then the wind came 
 from tlie west, and blew them back to the 
 land, and drove them ever faster till there 
 was a high gale. The smallest sail they 
 could set split from the mast, the mast 
 [292] 
 
ROLF AXD GRAXI QUARREL 
 
 itself went next, and so they came to 
 Broadfii-th and drove up it. Xight drew 
 near, and tlie sailors were in fear of tlieir 
 lives. 
 
 Now Frodi was in great uneasiness, 
 and clung to his place, and looked upon 
 the waters. Sometimes he made as he 
 would speak, and yet lie said nothing. 
 Rolf and Grani stayed at opposite sides 
 of the ship, and were steadfast in all 
 danger, though the wa\es washed over 
 them. 
 
 Then Rolf makes his way to Grani, and 
 says he : '* Xow we near the land, and it 
 is likely that we shall ne\er need more of 
 it than a fathom apiece, for burial. There- 
 fore here I offer thee peace, asking no 
 atonement from thee or thy father, save 
 only my farm again, if we twain get 
 ashore. ' 
 
 Grani looks upon Rolf, and his heart 
 nearly melts : but he makes himself stub- 
 [293] 
 
THE STORY OF ROLF 
 
 born and drops his eyes. Says he : '* This 
 is no time to speak of that." 
 
 Rolf clambers back to his place. The 
 moon rises behind broken clouds, and he 
 sees that the ship drives toward cliffs. 
 
 [%U] 
 
CHAPTER XXV 
 
 HERE ROLF COMES TO CRAGNESS 
 
 NOW turns tlie tale to speak of 
 Einar, how lie took possession 
 of Cragness (for he bought the 
 share of the men of the Quarter) ; and 
 how Snorri the Priest sent foi* Asdis that 
 she should come to him for the sake of 
 Rolf her son, and wait the three years of 
 his exile. lUit Asdis answered the mes- 
 senger of Snorri : " T go to our little 
 farm in the upland, where 1 can look 
 upon my home. We w^ill see if Einar 
 sends me away also from that." 
 
 So she took what goods she might, and 
 
 drove the milch ewe before her, and went 
 
 to the turf hut in the upland, there to live 
 
 alone. Now Einar might have sent her 
 
 [ 295 ] 
 
THE STORY OF liOLF 
 
 thence, and Ondott was ui'gent with him 
 that he should ; but for very shame Einar 
 could not do that ^\Tong, and that one 
 good deed of his stood him after in stead, 
 as the saga showeth. 
 
 Asdis over- wintered there, and folk 
 brought her meal ; but Snorri sent her 
 much provision and dried fish, to keep 
 her. Before they went away his men 
 bought wood and drew it for her, and cut 
 turf for burning ; and on parting they 
 gave her a purse of one gold-piece and six 
 silver pennies, so Asdis was safe from all 
 want. But no happiness could come to 
 her so long as each day she looked out 
 upon the hall at Cragness, and saw 
 strangers there. 
 
 Einar abode in great pride at his new 
 hall, and kept high state, sending to fetch 
 whatever travellers came that way. And 
 when harvest came he had a great feast, 
 with all his house-carles and thralls and 
 [296] 
 
ROLF COMES TO CRAGNESS 
 
 bonders and neighbors bidden ; notable 
 was tlie state of that feast. 
 
 But Ondott, when all were merry, and 
 those wlio were hidden were saying that 
 Einar was a great cliief, on account of his 
 open-handedness — Ondott let call for 
 bows, and said tliat all sliould go down to 
 the boundary. There by tlie brook he 
 held a mock shoot ; and one called him- 
 self Rolf and made as if he would shoot 
 to the oak tree, but shot into the brook, 
 and wept, and besouglit others to shoot 
 for him. The looser sort hooted and 
 thought that sport, and shot towai'd the 
 oak a little way. Then they cried that 
 Hiarandi was lawfully slain, and Rolf was 
 outlaw. 
 
 But the neighbors of the better sort 
 liked that not, and changed their aspect 
 of cheer, and went away early. Einar 
 said to Ondott, ** Why didst thou such 
 foolery ? " 
 
 [297] 
 
THE STORY OF ROLF 
 
 "That we may know," said Ondott, 
 " who are of thy friends, and who thy ill- 
 wishers. And now we know who are 
 with us." 
 
 Einar let himself be pleased with that 
 answer. 
 
 So the harvest passed, and winter went 
 by and spring came on, an early spring 
 without storms. All men looked to their 
 plowing and sowing ; and Einar took 
 pleasure in the home-fields at Cragness, 
 which were so fertile. But he disliked 
 the lack of storms, for since he came to 
 Cragness no wealth had come to him 
 from A\Tecks, which he had counted on as 
 part of his riches. And Einar had no 
 custom to light beacons, but all through 
 that spring he and Ondott looked for 
 storms. Men said that storms must come, 
 and that early farers from overseas might 
 be caught thereby. Then at last that 
 steady wind which had blown from the 
 [298] 
 
ROLF comp:s to cragxess 
 
 east first dropped, and then shifted, and 
 blew hai'd from the west, a great gale. 
 All men housed themselves, and a murky 
 night came on. 
 
 Now in the hall at Cragness the old 
 crone Thurid sat by the fire and sang to 
 herself; and Ondott, who was ever prowl- 
 ing to hear what men said, came behind 
 her and listened. She sang : 
 
 *' Bad luck and good 
 Are both abroad. 
 If beacon light 
 Be set this night, 
 Comes Cragness feud 
 To quickest good." 
 
 " Hearest thou that ? " said Ondott to 
 Einar. He sang the song after her. 
 
 Einar asked, " Shall we light the bea- 
 con ? " For he was easily turned in his 
 purposes. 
 
 But Ondott smote the old woman, 
 and cried : " Thou s ingest otherwise than 
 when thou wert with Hiarandi. Ill was 
 [299] 
 
THE STORY OF ROLF 
 
 it with Hiarandi when he made the bea- 
 con, and ill would it be with us ! " 
 
 He asked if he should thrust the woman 
 from the house, but Einar had not the 
 heart for that. The old woman said she 
 would go ere the Hght came again, and 
 was silent for an hour. 
 
 Now it is said that had Einar hghted 
 the beacon, good would have come of 
 it ; for he who saves life is minded to 
 continue in right doing. 
 
 Then after a while the carline sang 
 again. She sang : 
 
 " Thy rocks beneath, 
 Men fight with death. 
 Go, see what w^oe 
 Lies there below ! " 
 
 Einar hurries his men out into the 
 storm, and himself after them. Now 
 though the gale continues the moon is 
 bright at last, and men can see their 
 way. 
 
 [ 300 ] 
 
ROLF COMES TO CRAGNESS 
 
 On the rocks was a ship, and her tim- 
 bers were breaking away from her and 
 driving down into tlie cove to the lee. 
 Thither Ein*ir sent most of his men, to 
 save what they could from the sea, of 
 wood, chests, cloths, and all merchandise. 
 But he watched from the cliffs, with 
 Ondott and Halhard and Hallmund, to 
 see if men escaped from the fury of the 
 sea. He saw no li\ in^j thini>' at all, until 
 at the last one man came climbing the 
 cliff toward him. That one had a rope 
 around his waist ; when he reached a 
 shelf of rock he made the rope fast, and 
 drew on it, and pulled up a long case and 
 a bundle : he cast down the rope again, 
 and drew up weapons, and cast again, and 
 drew up clothes. 
 
 " Fishes he," asked Einar, '* with a hook 
 on that rope ^ " 
 
 Said Hallvard : '* Other men must be 
 below, helping him.'" 
 
 [301] 
 
THE STORY Ol' UOLl' 
 
 Then that man threw down the rope 
 again, and waited a while, and held the 
 rope securely ; it seemed as if a weight 
 were on it. Then another man climbed 
 to his side, a large man, and they two 
 pulled on the rope together, drawing it 
 up. There came into sight what seemed 
 a dead body ; but now, where climbing 
 was easier, those two carried the body 
 to the top of the cliffs, and then drew up 
 the case and the arms. Einar and his 
 men went thither in the moonlight, but 
 ere they reached the place the men took 
 the body between them, and carried it 
 to the hall, and into the hall, those others 
 following. Einar went to the door to see 
 what the men would do. 
 
 They laid the body down before the 
 fire, and Einar saw it was a handsome 
 youth. Then the men looked about 
 them as they stood ; their backs were 
 to Einar, but the crone Thurid saw 
 [302 1 
 
ROLF COMES TO CRAGXESS 
 
 their fa^es, and she hobbled up and said 
 •' Welcome ! " 
 
 ** There is no welcome for me here," 
 said the shorter of those men, " till these 
 strange hangings are gone fi'om the hall, 
 and it has been purged with the smoke 
 of fire from their contamination." 
 
 Now Einar thought he should know 
 that voice. The seafarer said to the 
 crone : ** Tell Einar that here lies his 
 son, who comes back to him so ; and if 
 the beacon had been liglited, Grani had 
 cc-ine in better wise, for I could have 
 beached the ship in the cove. But yet I 
 tl ink he is not dead. And so farewell 
 t(* Cragness for a space." 
 
 So those two turned to the door ; 
 and Einar ran forward and cast himself 
 on the body of his son, not looking at 
 those men. But Ondott looked on 
 them, and they were Rolf and Frodi, 
 spent with toil in the water and on 
 [305] 
 
THE STORY OF ROLF 
 
 the rocks. And when Ondott bade his 
 two men seize them, they were too 
 weary to resist ; so they were bound with 
 ropes. 
 
 Now Einar saw that Grani was not 
 dead, but stimned by some blow. He 
 called the women and bade them bring 
 cloths, and heat water, and use all craft 
 to bring his son to life again. They set 
 to work, and Helga G rani's sister came 
 and looked on her brother's face for the 
 first time since he had been a little boy. 
 
 But Ondott brought before Einar those 
 two, Rolf and Frodi, and said he : " Here 
 we have that ravening outlaw and his 
 cousin ; now what is thy will of them ? 
 Shall they die here under the knife ? " 
 
 Einar said : '* Nay, but rather set them 
 free." 
 
 Ondott cried : '' What is thy thought ? 
 Here they have come again with designs 
 on thee, and wilt thou let them go ? 
 [304] 
 
IIOLF COMES TO CRAGNESS 
 
 And they vnU dispossess thy son of his 
 heritage ; Tivalt thou suffer that ? Rolf 
 is out of the law, and no harm will come 
 of the slaying." 
 
 ^Vnd Ondott pressed Einar with other 
 reasons, saying that most of their men 
 were at the cov^e for the jetsam, and 
 Hallmund and Hallvard would never 
 tell. 
 
 Xow Ilelga heard, and stood before her 
 father, saying : '' Take not this sin on thy 
 head, but rather let both the men go." 
 
 Yet Einar's heart was turned to evil as 
 he saw how but two of his men were 
 there, and those of the trustiest ; so that 
 those cousins might be quickly slain, 
 and buried, and none would know that 
 they had come ashore from the wreck. 
 " Stand aside," quoth he to Helga, " and 
 let these foes of thy heritage die as they 
 should." 
 
 But Helga stepped before Rolf and 
 •20 [ 305 1 
 
THE STORY OF ROLF 
 
 Frodi, and fronted the drawn swords of 
 Ondott and his men. " Unlawful is such 
 a deed," she cried, " until the morning 
 light comes. For all night-slayings are 
 forbidden, even of outlaws, and such slay- 
 ings are murder." And when she saw her 
 father waver again she told him how even 
 the Earl of the Orkneys (and he was 
 father of Earl Thorfinn) dared not slay 
 those sons of Njal who came into his 
 hands, and so take the sin of midnight 
 slaying on his soul ; but he set them aside 
 till morning should come. 
 
 " Aye," answered Ondott, " and in the 
 morning the twain were fled." 
 
 That Helga knew, and had the same 
 thought in her mind ; but she begged her 
 father not to take such shame on himself, 
 rather to let Rolf and Frodi lie in bonds 
 till morning. And at last Einar promised 
 her that those two should not die until 
 the day. 
 
 [ 306 J 
 
ROLF COMES TO CRAGXESS 
 
 Rolf said to her : ''1 thank thee, 
 maiden ; and when I conie into mine own 
 again I sliall not forget this. For it has 
 been prophesied me that I shall yet sleep 
 in my father's locked bed, and tliat means 
 tliat this liouse shall be mine again." 
 
 Then Ondott laughed. '' Xot so is the 
 prophecy to be read ! " he cried. *' Throw 
 them into tlie locked room of Hiarandi 
 for this niglit. I'o-morrow they shall 
 sleep soundly elsewhere." 
 
 So in that little room where Rolfs 
 fathers liad slept he was cast with Frodi, 
 and there tliey lay on the floor, and had 
 no comfort of tliat place because of their 
 bonds. 
 
 *' Now," gi'umbled Frodi, *' vikings have 
 we escaped, and baresarks, and the Scots, 
 and all manner of dangers, and the sea, 
 only to die here at last. What was that 
 foolish tale of thine about a prophecy ? 1 
 never heard of such a thing." 
 [307] 
 
THE STORY OF ROLF 
 
 "Free me of my bonds," answered Rolf, 
 "and thou shall learn why I made that 
 pretence.'* 
 
 Frodi strove against his bonds, but they 
 were too strong for him ; and so those 
 cousins lay there for a while. 
 
 But outside in the hall the women 
 worked over Grani until at last he moved 
 and groaned, and they saw that he would 
 hve. So for joy Einar knew not what to 
 do ; and he became talkative, and walked 
 about, and so stumbled on those things 
 (the bundle, and the clothes, and the arms, 
 and the case) which had been brought 
 there with Grani. When he examined 
 them the arms pleased him right well, 
 for in the case he found the marvellous 
 bow of the viking. All admired the 
 bow. 
 
 But the old woman Thurid muttered 
 to herself as she saw them handling the 
 bow, and at last drew near and asked to 
 [308] 
 
ROLF COMES TO CRAGXESS 
 
 see it. The bow she handled, and the 
 aiTows she looked on ; then at last she 
 shuddered and let the bow fall, and sang 
 
 " Enemy fierce 
 To Einar's fame, 
 Now lieth here. 
 Ere thee it pierce, 
 Or bringeth grame. 
 Fire it should sear. 
 Break it and bum ! 
 Thus shalt thou turn 
 111 from thy hall, 
 Ruin from all. 
 — This I discern." 
 
 Einar looked witli aversion on the bow 
 where it hiy, but Ondott raised it and held 
 it aloft. '' Xow," asked he, '' shall such a 
 beautiful weapon be broken for a crone's 
 rhymes ? " 
 
 All cried out that it should not be so ; 
 and Einar took the bow, and hung it on 
 his high seat, vowing to keep it. Then 
 he said to Thurid she should be gone ere 
 morning, as she had promised. The old 
 [309] 
 
THE STORY OF ROLF 
 
 woman took her cloak, and went to the 
 door, but on the threshold she sang: 
 
 " Here got I 
 One gray cloak. 
 One winter's meat : 
 These from Einar 
 Here got I. 
 — One gray cloak. 
 One winter's meat. 
 Be given Einar 
 Ere he die ! " 
 
 So she went out into the storm. Now 
 the moon had clouded again, and snow 
 fell thickly, a blinding squall ; so the old 
 woman was bewildered, and very cold. 
 She found herself a place by a rock, and 
 sat there, singing verses, until at last she 
 fell asleep. 
 
 But while all were admiring the bow in 
 the hall, Helga came to the door of the 
 locked bed, and took away the brace that 
 closed it, and cast in a knife, and shut up 
 the door again. Rolf and Frodi saw ; and 
 [310 J 
 
ROLF COMES TO CRAGNESS 
 
 they conceived this plan, that Rolf should 
 hold the knife in his hands, and Frodi 
 should rub his bonds thereagainst. Then 
 that was done, and they freed themselves. 
 
 " Yet we are not out of the liall," said 
 Frodi, '' and with helping Grani the place 
 will be awake all night." 
 
 " Now remember the prophecy which 
 I coined," answered Rolf. '* Look here 
 and hold thy peace." 
 
 And he showed Frodi how a panel in 
 the wall might be taken out, so that the 
 way was free. 
 
 *' Come then," Frodi said. 
 
 But Rolf would not. '' AN'hy stay we 
 here in danger ? " asked Frodi. 
 
 '* I must have my bow," replied Rolf. 
 " How else shall 1 win my heritage 
 again?" 
 
 But when they tried the door into the 
 passage which led to the hall, it could not 
 be opened without great noise ; and ever 
 [311] 
 
THE STORY OF KOLF 
 
 they heard the women walking about, as 
 they tended on Grani. 
 
 " Remember," said Frodi at last, " the 
 choice which Grani once offered thee : the 
 bow or thy freedom. Freedom was then 
 thy choice, and afterward thou didst win 
 the bow. Show now the like wisdom." 
 
 So they stole away in the first light of 
 the morning. 
 
 [SU] 
 
CHAPTER XXVI 
 
 OF GRANT'S PRIDE 
 
 IN the early morning Grani slept 
 quietly at last, and the household of 
 P^inar had peace. Then Ondott 
 called Hallvard and Hallmund, and bade 
 them come with liim. To the locked bed 
 they went, but though the door was still 
 secure, no sign of those two cousins was 
 to be found, nor any way of their escape. 
 And outside the wind had so drifted the 
 snow that no marks of feet were to be 
 seen. Ondott and his men searched, and 
 came at last to the cove where men 
 watched for the wreckage. He asked if 
 they had seen those two. 
 
 Thither had come, said the men, two 
 whom they knew not, bearing between 
 [313] 
 
THE STORY OF ROLF 
 
 them old Thurid the crone. Now at that 
 hour a spar from the ship had just come 
 ashore, and in it was fixed a gi-eat bill, its 
 blade driven so deep into the wood that 
 with all their might three men could not 
 draw it forth ; they were about to hew it 
 out with axes. Then the taller of those 
 two men came down to the shingle, and 
 said naught to Einar's men ; but he laid 
 hold of the bill and with one tug plucked 
 it forth from the spar, and went off bran- 
 dishing it and muttering to himself. Next 
 the two took the old crone again, and 
 went away. 
 
 Ondott and his men hurried on their 
 track, and when they had passed dowii 
 into the hollows, there the marks of feet 
 were found, pointing straight to the little 
 hut on the hillside where Asdis dwelt, -4 
 league away. So Ondott took more men, 
 and went thither, and knocked on the 
 door. Within were Asdis, and Frodi, and 
 [314] 
 
OF GRAXrS PRIDE 
 
 the carline Thui'id ; but no sign of Rolf 
 ^vas to be seen. Frodi sat by the fire and 
 handled the great bill, and Thurid lay 
 muffled on the floor as she was wont ; 
 there was a smell of cooking, while veiy 
 pleased did Asdis seem. 
 
 " AVhere is thy son ? " asked Ondott. 
 
 *' Find him who can," answered Asdis. 
 
 They searched that place and found him 
 not, and there was no room to have hidden 
 a man. So Ondott was angry, and he said 
 to Frodi : ** Give us tiuit bill, which is 
 Einar's, since it came ashore on his 
 beaches." 
 
 Frodi answered mildly : *' I pray thee 
 lea\'e it me." But as he spoke he thrust 
 the butt of the bill down upon the floor, 
 where the earth was tramped as hard as 
 any stone ; and the butt made a great 
 dent in the floor. Ondott thought it best 
 not to meddle with him, and went home 
 empty-handed. 
 
 [315] 
 
THE STOEY OF ROLF 
 
 Grani lay two days sick and weary, 
 but then he was himself again. Neither 
 Einar nor any of his men told him how he 
 came ashore, but spoke as if they had 
 saved him. Einar sent men everywhere 
 to find Rolf and seize him ; yet in all the 
 dales no man had seen or heard of him. 
 So when Grani asked if others got ashore 
 from the ^Teck, Einar answered : " That 
 outlaw Rolf, and his cousin Frodi. And 
 Frodi is at his smithy again, there not far 
 from the ferry to Hvamm." 
 
 " Where is Rolf?" Grani asked. 
 
 " No man knows save Frodi," answered 
 Einar, " and he sayeth not." 
 
 Then spoke Grani, lying on his bed. 
 ** Father, Rolf told a hard tale against 
 thee in the Orkneys : how thou slewest his 
 father foully, and now boldest his land in 
 spite of right. Now tell me the truth of 
 all this, ere I accept aught from thee." 
 
 Then Einar was greatly frightened lest 
 [ 316 ] 
 
OF GRAXrS PRIDE 
 
 Grani should learn the truth and despise 
 him ; he made as if he were offended, and 
 went away, saying : '* And canst thou 
 think that of me ? " But when he was 
 out of Grani's sight, he sought Ondott in 
 haste, and asked him what he should do. 
 
 Quoth Ondott : '* Leave all to me. I 
 will settle this." So he went to Grani, 
 and Einar witli liim. Einar said : ** I 
 have brought Ondott to tell the truth, 
 for thou wilt better believe some one else, 
 speaking in my defence." 
 
 Then Ondott told a long tale of Hia- 
 randi, how he was overbearing and inso- 
 lent, and preyed on Einar's crops and 
 cattle. Moreover Hiarandi was a danger- 
 ous and violent man, going always armed, 
 so that one day when he was in the act of 
 theft and Einar's men were about to seize 
 him — but Einar had commanded not to 
 harm him — Hiarandi had so attacked 
 those men that to save their own lives 
 [317] 
 
THE STORY OF ROLF 
 
 they had slain him. And Rolf had no 
 right to the land, being outlawed at the 
 Althing. 
 
 "Now tell me," said Ondott, ''when 
 ye twain were together in Orkney, did 
 not Rolf offer peace if thou wouldst but 
 get him this homestead again ? " 
 
 " Twice he did that," answered Grani. 
 
 " See now," cried Ondott, " the guile 
 that is in him ! " 
 
 Then Grani believed all that Ondott 
 had said, and thought evil of Rolf, and 
 craved his father's pardon. Einar forgave 
 him. And when Grani was well again 
 Einar showered him with kindnesses, for 
 fearing lest his son should learn evil of 
 him he did all that he might to earn 
 Grani's love, sparing neither words, deeds, 
 nor money. Einar gave the finest of 
 clothes, and horses, and attendants, so 
 that not with Ar the Peacock had Grani 
 had such state. Wherefore he took to 
 [318] 
 
OF GRAXrS PRIDE 
 
 himself such pride a.s had been his in the 
 Orkneys. 
 
 He went abroad among the Iceland 
 folk, and saw that they were a simple 
 people, each man living upon his own 
 farm and dressing in plain clothes, loving 
 direct speech and homely ways. So Grani 
 missed the best tliat was in the people, 
 but thought them mean-spirited. He 
 dressed always in colored clothes, and had 
 attendants with him, and expected such 
 respect fi'om men as he had received 
 when he was Ar's Fosterling. Xow at 
 Cragness honor was always showed him ; 
 but the neighbors of Einar were to Grani 
 blunt of speech, sometimes biting ; and he 
 loved them little, thinking them rough. 
 
 Two more matters troubled Grani. 
 For he had little happiness in his sister, 
 who seemed almost always downcast, and 
 as if disappointed in him. And ever deep 
 within his heart lay that love of his few* 
 [ 319 J 
 
THE STORY OF ROLF 
 
 Rolf, nor could he forget their comrade- 
 ship, nor the dangers they had together 
 borne. He took no great satisfaction, 
 therefore, to be a princeling on his land, 
 but away from it to be treated roughly, 
 and always to have that desire to see 
 his friend again. Yet he never made to 
 himself any confession of fault, believing 
 Rolf in the wrong, both toward himself 
 and toward Einar. So he hardened his 
 heart and increased his outward pride, 
 even while he was ever on the watch for 
 news of Rolf. 
 
 Now one day he rode abroad with 
 Ondott and his men, and they came to 
 the hut on the hillside where dwelt Asdis 
 the mother of Rolf. Summer was come ; 
 Asdis sat out of doors by the spring comb- 
 ing flax, with Thurid cowled by her side. 
 No welcome gave Asdis to them, but 
 asked their errand. 
 
 ** To learn whether thou hast news of 
 [ 320 ] 
 
OF GRAXrS PRIDE 
 
 thy son," Ondott said. Now that was not 
 true, for they came thither by accident, 
 having hunted higher up in the hills. 
 But Grani said nothing, wishing to learn 
 of Rolf. 
 
 " Ever thou liest in wait for blood," 
 answered Asdis. *' But ask not me for 
 news of Rolf Rather of those who have 
 been near the isle of Drangey shouldst 
 thou inquire, if none resembling my son 
 have been seen on the island-top ; and 
 whether lie, and Grettir the Strong, and 
 lUugi his brother, are likely to be won 
 thence against their wills." 
 
 " Now," cried Ondott, '* I thank thee 
 for this news. And one in tliat land-side, 
 Thorstein Angle, he is my cousin ; he 
 will let me know if ever thy son comes 
 thence." 
 
 " If Thorstein Angle is thy cousin," 
 said Asdis, " that shows the saying true, 
 that all rogues are akin. But if thou 
 21 [ 321 ] 
 
THE STORY OF ROLF 
 
 hearest aught from that region, I pray 
 thee let me know if my son is well." 
 
 Now all the time Thurid sat there, and 
 combed no flax, nor said a word. *' And 
 yet," said Ondott, " I hear that the 
 woman works well at times." 
 
 " Speak not so loud in her presence," 
 said Asdis, "for methinks now she is 
 tranced. Mayhap when she comes to she 
 will prophesy and tell me of my son. " 
 
 " Nay," said Ondott, " the woman is 
 clean daft, so they say, ever since she 
 left our house to wander in the cold. 
 Now who has split the wood that lieth 
 here, and piled it against the house ? 
 For thou hast not done it." 
 
 "I will tell thee," said Asdis, and 
 lowered her voice. " On that night the 
 frost got in her brain, mayhap ; for 
 she was ever strange, but now she is 
 Uttle short of marvellous. Sometimes 
 she works with a man's strength ; and 
 [322] 
 
OF GRAXrS PRIDE 
 
 at such times she spUts wood, or carries 
 water, or spades liere in my little field. 
 I have done no heavy work since she came. 
 But she is very silent, nor hath any save 
 me and Frodi seen her face or heard her 
 voice. Such is her mood." 
 
 *' Now let us ride hence," said Ondott 
 to Grani. *' Asdis, I wish thee joy of 
 thy mad- woman." 
 
 " Better live with her than alone," 
 quoth Asdis. 
 
 So those men rode away, and they 
 spread ahroad the news that Rolf was 
 gone from Broadtirth dales, for he was 
 in Drangey with Grettir the Strong, and 
 none could draw tliem from that isle. 
 Steep were its rocks and high, to be 
 scaled only by ladders, and three might 
 hold the place against three hundred. 
 
 Word w^as also spread about of Thurid 
 the crone : how she had fits of man's 
 strength, and did work for Asdis. Men 
 [323] 
 
THE STORY OF ROLF 
 
 saw her going with great strides, or work- 
 ing in the field ; at a distance she seemed 
 taller than before, and bigger across the 
 shoulders ; but when one came near she 
 shrank within herself. Moreover no one 
 heard her voice now, save when she 
 mumbled hoarsely. 
 
 Now on another day Grani rode to the 
 settlement at Hvammferry, and on his 
 way homeward came by the smithy of 
 Frodi. Ondott was in his company, with 
 Hallvard and Hallmund ; they proposed 
 that they should have sport with the 
 smith, and take from him his bill. 
 
 " Sport may est thou try," said Grani, 
 " but beware lest it turn out against 
 thee." 
 
 " He is soft as custard," quoth Ondott. 
 
 " Otherwise was he in the Orkneys," 
 
 replied Grani. But for all that Ondott 
 
 rode to the smithy-door, and called Frodi 
 
 to come out. He came, and leaned on 
 
 [324] 
 
OF GRAXrS PRIDE 
 
 the handle of his hammer, which was so 
 big that no man had wielded it since he 
 went away. He asked what they would 
 of him. 
 
 Said Ondott : ** Here is Grani Earl's 
 Fosterling to require something of thee." 
 
 Frodi said to him: "Was then Grani 
 fostered by the Earl .'' ' And he fixed 
 Grani with his eye ; but that one blushed 
 and said naught. For he knew that his 
 father had boasted of his fostering with 
 the Earl, and never had Grani said nay 
 thereto. 
 
 Asked Ondott, " Was he not ? " 
 
 Frodi said, '' He came last from the 
 EarFs court." So Frodi, who might have 
 spoken honor away from Grani, made 
 him feel more shame than if the truth 
 had been said. 
 
 '* Now," said Ondott, " bring forth the 
 bill which is Einar s, and deliver it to us." 
 
 " Asks Grani that ? " Frodi replied. 
 [ 325 ] 
 
THE STORY OF ROLF 
 
 Grani said, "I ask nothing." And he 
 spurred his horse a few rods away. 
 
 Frodi went within the smithy and 
 brought out the bill, but set also a helm 
 on his head. Said he : " Here is the bill 
 for w^homsoever wishes it." 
 
 But Grani said over his shoulder, 
 " Leave the bill with him. No use 
 is it to us, for we have none that can 
 wield it." 
 
 Then Ondott was wroth that Grani did 
 not support him in that claim, and he 
 said : " Now, Frodi, I call to mind that 
 ere thou wentest away, thou didst assault 
 me here in this smithy. Outlaw will I 
 make thee therefor." 
 
 Frodi made a sudden step, and behold ! 
 there he was within reach of Ondott, 
 holding the bill in such wise that he might 
 have thrust Ondott through, albeit Frodi 
 neither raised the weapon aloft nor 
 brandished it. He said : 
 
 [ me ] 
 
OK GRAXrS PRIDE 
 
 " Now for the love which has always 
 been between us, be so kind as to speak 
 me free of guilt in that matter, when I 
 drew weapon on thee." 
 
 In a fright Ondott stretched forth his 
 hand and spoke Frodi free of that guilt. 
 So Frodi suddenly shifted the bill in his 
 hand, and the point touched the ground ; 
 none who had not looked close would 
 have supposed any threat had been made. 
 Said Frodi : '* See how kind Ondott is to 
 me, in asking no atonement, being in no 
 danger from me. Witness ye all that I 
 am clear in that matter." 
 
 Grani smiled and rode away, and the 
 men next ; Ondott followed, mightily 
 vexed that that simple one had so bested 
 him. 
 
 Now the time came for men to ride to 
 
 the Althing, and with all state Einar rode 
 
 thither with his son. Then for the first 
 
 time Grani saw the power of that land 
 
 [327] 
 
THE STORY OF ROLF 
 
 which he had despised, for chiefs met there 
 who were greater in riches than Orkney 
 thanes, having great followings, all richly 
 dressed. But all were obedient to the 
 law ; and a wonderful thing that was, to 
 see men of such power yielding in lawsuits 
 to lesser men, and bringing no cases to 
 weapons. And Grani learned that his 
 father was of no consequence at all in 
 that place, for men passed him by and 
 gave him no honor. Yet for all that 
 Grani's pride grew, and he said that men 
 should some day recognize him there. 
 And he rode home moodily behind his 
 company. 
 
 Now as men rode again toward the 
 west, Grani saw one man whom he had 
 oft remarked at the Thing : Kolbein the 
 son of Burning-Flosi, destined to be a 
 leader among men. Grani wished friend- 
 ship with him greatly. And Kolbein 
 rode to Grani and said : " Keeps thy father 
 [328 ] 
 
OF GRAXI'S PRIDE 
 
 ills harvest feast this year as before, ask- 
 ing company thereto ? " 
 
 " Yea," answered Grani. " Wilt thou 
 come ? " 
 
 "' (iladly will T come/' answered Kol- 
 bein, " and will bring friends with me, if 
 so be we shall be welcome." 
 
 *' Welcome will ye all be," said Grani, 
 and rode home cheered. 
 
 Xow when tliey were come to Cragness, 
 Helga met them at the door and welcomed 
 them in. They asked if aught had hap- 
 pened in their absence. Said she, ** X^oth- 
 ing save that the carline Thurid was here 
 yestreen, and I am the first that has 
 heard her speak since she left here in the 
 spring. ' 
 
 They asked what were her words. 
 
 *' I was here alone in the hall," Helga 
 said, "for all the women were making 
 cheeses in the out-bower. And Thurid 
 came in and shuffled about the place, 
 
THE STORY OF ROLF 
 
 looking at things. I bade her be seated, 
 for I would bring her milk and oat-cake ; 
 but when I brought them she had the 
 great bow in her hands, and looked at it 
 but would not eat. So I set the food 
 away again ; and when I returned she had 
 the bow and the quiver, and was near the 
 door as if to take them away. She said 
 nothing when I asked what she did with 
 those ; so I stood in her way, thinking I 
 was stronger than she. With one hand 
 she set me aside, and I might resist her no 
 more than if she were a man. So she 
 bore the bow and arrows from the house, 
 and I thought they were gone ; but on a 
 sudden she was back again, and laid them 
 on the bench. And she said in a deep 
 voice not like her own : 
 
 " ' Not with women do I strive.' 
 "' Then with great steps she went out of 
 the hall, and came not again." 
 
 Those three, Einar and Ondott and 
 [330] 
 
OF GRANTS PRIDE 
 
 Grani, looked at each other with alanii. 
 For if that bow, left in the ward of women, 
 had thus been taken, men could know 
 neither the day nor the hour when Rolf 
 might come, and make the shot at the 
 oak-tree before witnesses, when all would 
 be over with the house of Einar. And 
 ere aught was said Einar took the bow 
 and bestowed it under a settle, where it 
 was well hid. Then they praised their 
 fortune that they had it still. 
 
 So all sat down to meat, and ate gladly, 
 for they had journeyed days long from 
 the Thing-field. Then night fell, and 
 they spoke of many things ; at last Einar 
 asked his son : '' \\'hat said to thee Kol- 
 bein son of Flosi, there ere our roads 
 parted ? " 
 
 " He asked me," answered Grani, 
 " whether we hold the harxest feast as 
 last year, and if he and his company would 
 be welcome." 
 
 [ 3S1 ] 
 
THE STORY OF ROLF 
 
 Says Einar, rubbing his hands : " Now 
 the great folk come to aUiance with us ; 
 and when a few chiefs have visited here, 
 then thou mayest count thyself their 
 equal in all things, even as thou art 
 in wealth. Of course thou badst him 
 come f 
 
 " That I did," says Grani. 
 
 So Ondott praised him. " Men have 
 marked thee, there at the Thing, and seek 
 to ally themselves with thee." 
 
 But Helga, who had listened, burst into 
 tears. 
 
 " What is it," asks Grani, " that makes 
 thee weep ? " 
 
 Helga dashed the tears from her eyes, 
 and stood before those two, lier father 
 and her brother. '' Much liad I hoped," 
 says she, " that wicked doings would 
 cease in this house — for to mock the 
 dead and the unfortunate is wicked. And 
 if ye hold the feast as last year, and 
 [ 332 ] 
 
OF GRAxrs ruiDE 
 
 shoot at the boundary' as then, laughing 
 at Hiarandi's fortune, then ye tempt 
 your own fate, for such deeds go not 
 unpunished long." 
 
 " Now," asked Grani of his father, 
 *' hast thou so mocked that luckless man's 
 fate ? " P]<inar said he had, and it was 
 seen that Cirani thought that act far too 
 strong. 
 
 "Yet see," said Ondott, "what friends 
 that brings you now, for from the house 
 of Flosi comes this offer of friend- 
 ship." 
 
 Xow as they spoke someone knocked 
 at the door, and there was a liousecarle 
 of Snorri the Priest. 
 
 " M)' master," said he, " passes on his 
 way home from the .Althing, and sends 
 me to ask : hold }'e your harvest feast as 
 last year, and will he and his company be 
 welcome ? " 
 
 " Oh, hold it not ! " cried Helga. 
 [333] 
 
THE STORV OF ROLF 
 
 Then Einar turned to Grani. "The 
 mightiest man in Broadfirth dales offers 
 now his friendship, and thy future is sure. 
 Shall we not hold the feast ? " 
 
 Grani turns to the housecarle of Snorri, 
 and says : " Beg thy master to come ! " 
 
 [334] 
 
CHAPTER XXVII 
 
 ODD DOINGS AT CRAGXESS 
 
 NOAV time wears toward harvest, 
 and in the dales all is quiet and 
 busy, so that men when they 
 meet have little gossip, save only of the 
 doings of TluH'id the crone. For she 
 travelled far and wide in the night, and 
 men saw licr so distant from home that 
 it was said slie rode the wind ; she was 
 seen near the farm of Burning-Flosi, fcir 
 to the east, and near the hall of Snorri the 
 Priest, to the west. Ever when seen in 
 the dark she strode furiously : by day she 
 was always bent and slow. Old men 
 spoke of her youth, when she was brisk 
 and handy ; it seemed as if her youth 
 came again in these fits, foretelling her 
 death. 
 
 [ 335 ] 
 
THE STORY OF ROLF 
 
 Moreover by Asdis's work nothing now 
 lagged, and the field was plowed, sowed, 
 and harrowed, so that never had such a 
 crop stood on those poor acres, and that 
 by the work of two women. Some ques- 
 tioned whether indeed Rolf were not 
 about ; but there was no place in the hut 
 for hiding a man, howbeit busybodies 
 pried about there much. Now all that 
 they found was what looked to be a 
 grave, not far from the home-mead. So 
 then the tale ran that Rolf was dead, and 
 there buried ; but when questioned Asdis 
 would only laugh and say: 
 
 "Whether it is a grave, or the place 
 where stood a little tree that I uprooted 
 for fuel, that ye may guess." 
 
 But she was always so blithe that it was 
 sure her son still lived. 
 
 Now on a day word came to Ondott 
 from Thoi-stein Angle his cousin, that 
 three men for sure dwelt on the island of 
 [336] 
 
ODD DOINGS AT CRAGXESS 
 
 Drangey ; they were Grettir the Strong 
 ;ind Illugi his hrother and some man un- 
 known ; but wliether more men dwelt 
 there no one could say, for so high were 
 the cliffs that nothing could be seen from 
 tlie mainland, and another three might for 
 a twelvemonth lie there hidden. Many 
 believed tliat otliers were there. So On- 
 dott was satisfied tliat Rolf lay in hiding 
 there afar off*, and would not trouble the 
 Cragness-dwellers for a long time to come. 
 Now came har\ est rich and full, a 
 bountiful year : men worked hard in the 
 fields, the women too, and at night sleep 
 was sound. There came a morning when 
 it was found that Cragness had been 
 entered at night and the wliole hall ran- 
 sacked, its passages, lofts, and store-rooms. 
 Goods were taken from their places and 
 laid aside ; chests had been moved, opened, 
 and emptied ; and there was scarce a cor- 
 ner of the place but had been searched. 
 22 [ 337 J 
 
THE STORY OF ROLF 
 
 Yet gold and silver, whether in money, 
 rings, or vessels, were left behind, nor were 
 they even gathered together for booty. 
 So it was seen that no common thief had 
 been there, and men wondered wherefore 
 that had been done. 
 
 But Grani sent all his men to work in 
 the field, and the women to righting the 
 house ; then he took the bow from under 
 the settle where it was hid with its arrows, 
 and he thrust it within the dais whereon 
 were the seats of honor. 
 
 Now a night passed again, and no one 
 heard the dogs bark ; but in the morning 
 it was seen that the thief had come again, 
 and all the settles were out of their places, 
 as if one had searched beneath them. No 
 other places were searched, and nothing 
 had been taken; all thought it strange 
 that the dogs had not barked. Then 
 another day passed, and men came home 
 to sleep as tired as before; so then Grani 
 [ 338 ] 
 
ODD DOIXGS AT CRAGNESS 
 
 took the bow and hid it up under 
 the thatch, when all had gone to their 
 beds. 
 
 In the morning nothing had happened 
 save that the seats on the dais had all 
 been moved, and the dais was found set 
 up against the wall. Now the dais was 
 heavy, and that work had been done with 
 much strength. While men were mar- 
 velling the neatherd came in, and said 
 he had been awake early in tlie byre, 
 with a sick calf. Before sunrise he looked 
 out of the window ; the light was not 
 strong, but he could see a little way. 
 There he saw the crone Thurid standing, 
 near the house ; but when he ran out 
 to speak with her, she had moved toward 
 the cliffs. Whether she saw or heard 
 him he could not say, but suddenly she 
 began to go with long strides. A little 
 mist hung above the crags ; into that 
 mist she went, seeming to walk upon 
 [339] 
 
THE STORY OF ROLF 
 
 the air ; and while he stood astonished 
 the mist wreathed around her, and she 
 was lost from sight. He said to himself 
 that was the end of the old woman ; but 
 in an hour, looking toward the upland, 
 he saw hei* walking to the hut of Asdis, 
 and that matter he could not explain. 
 
 Grani sent all men about their work 
 again ; he took the bow from the hall, 
 with its quiver, and carried them to the 
 great store-house, and hid them beneath 
 sacks of grain. Then a night passed, 
 and nothing happened ; but on the second 
 night noises were heard ; men took lights 
 and searched in the hall, finding nothing. 
 Yet in the morning it was seen that 
 someone had been at woi-k under the 
 thatch of the hall, by every rafter ; and 
 it was a bold deed to do that ransacking 
 in the dark, for a fall might mean death. 
 No one had seen Thurid nor any living 
 soul ; yet a tatter of cloth was found, like 
 [ 340 ] 
 
ODD DOINGS AT CRAGXESS 
 
 as it had been torn from the old woman's 
 gray cloak. 
 
 Xow (rrani takes the bow from the 
 store-house, and thinks niiicli by himself, 
 and at last liides it in a haystack, an old 
 one ; and there the bow lies deep within. 
 That night he sets men to watcli in the 
 store-house, and fetches dogs from i\ 
 tenant's farm, and hopes now to catch 
 the thief 
 
 But one comes ])y niglit, and enters 
 the store-liouse by the tliatch, and takes 
 the watchmen asleep, binding them with 
 their heads in the bags that lay there. 
 And all the store-house was searched and 
 everything moved, and tlie thief away 
 before day, but nothing taken. Those 
 dogs wliich had been brought and tied 
 by the door had had their leashes cut, and 
 were off to their master ; but the dogs 
 of the place had given no sign. Those 
 were the best watch-dogs in the dales, 
 [341] 
 
THE STORV OF ROLF 
 
 and had belonged to Hiarandi. No fo6t- 
 prints were found about the place, and 
 the watchmen said but one person had 
 been there, marvellous silent and strong. 
 
 Grani took much thought where now 
 to hide the bow, and bespoke the matter 
 with Einar and Ondott ; but they found 
 no better place than where it lay, so there 
 they let it bide. And Ondott went with 
 men to the hut of Asdis, and called for 
 the woman Thurid. Asdis said she slept 
 within, and would not come out. So 
 Ondott spoke to her from the doorway, 
 as the crone lay within by the hearth ; a 
 bundle of rags she was. 
 
 " Is it thou that comest to our house," 
 asked Ondott, ** making this mishcief 
 there ? " 
 
 " She speaks to no one save me," said 
 Asdis, " and never when questioned." 
 
 " Tell her," said Ondott, " that if more 
 searchings go on at Cragness, we will 
 [ 342 ] 
 
ODD DOINGS AT CRAGNESS 
 
 hale the old woman before the bishop and 
 exorcise her for sorcery, since there must 
 be witchcraft in these doings. So take 
 lieed to her, good wife, and thyself as 
 well.'' 
 
 " Thou art brave," said Asdis, *' to 
 threaten two women.' 
 
 So Ondott rides away again, and that 
 was the end of tliose happenings at Crag- 
 ness. Some said the thief could not find 
 what he sought ; but some tliat 'I'hurid 
 was the thief, and Ondott iiad frighted 
 her. 
 
 Time now fell for the harvest feast, 
 and all preparations were made for re- 
 ceiving guests ; great store of good things 
 was made ready, and food and fodder for 
 man and beast. 
 
 Comes at last Helga to Grani, and 
 
 begs him not to hold the feast at all, for 
 
 her mind misgives her because of it. He 
 
 says that the guests must be on the way, 
 
 [ 34^ ] 
 
THE STORY OF ROLF 
 
 and bids her work at the cooking, and 
 forget those thoughts. She goes away 
 sorrowful, and says no more of this to 
 anyone. 
 
 Then on the moiTow the guests are 
 seen riding, both Snorri the Priest, that 
 old man, and Kolbein Flosi's son, each 
 with a large company. 
 
 [344] 
 
CHAPTER XXVIII 
 
 OF THAT HARVEST FEAST 
 
 NOW Einars shepherd eame in 
 haste, and said the folk of the 
 ronntry-side were coming from 
 all directions, and a great number would be 
 at the feast. '* Vet many," said he, " bear 
 weapons, and I know not what that may 
 mean. " 
 
 So men looked, and it was seen that the 
 ftirmers and bonders were coming over the 
 hills, in small companies or large. Those 
 of keen eyes said that most carried short- 
 swords. Then Ondott looked at those 
 two large parties that came riding, one 
 from the east and one fi'om the north, and 
 thought them very numerous. 
 
 " Meseems," said he, " that Snorri and 
 Kolbein bring more men than they need." 
 [ 34.5 ] 
 
THE STORY OF ROLF 
 
 ** Feai'est thou, Ondott ? " asked GranL 
 **This only do I fear, that we have not 
 enough food ready. Only on going to 
 church do men lay aside weapons ; not 
 strange were it if Snorri and Kolbein, 
 coming from so far, bade their men bring 
 longswords, spears, and shields. Yet they 
 wear no mail, and bear only the one 
 weapon — clear token of peace. Come, 
 bid the women prepare more food ; and 
 do thou, father, let bring out more casks 
 of ale, to welcome so many guests ! " 
 
 Thus he shamed the household, and all 
 went quickly to make ready more food and 
 drink. Then the neighbors began to arrive, 
 some on horses and some on foot, all in holi- 
 day guise save that each man bore a single 
 weapon. Grani and Einar welcomed each 
 as he came ; and then the companies of those 
 chiefs rode in, and there was great bustle to 
 receive them. The horses were taken to the 
 stalls, and the men led within the hall. 
 [ 346 ] 
 
OF TPIAT 1IAR\ P:ST FEAST 
 
 Gracious to Einar was Snorri the Priest, 
 and he said fine words of Grani's gro^^iJl 
 and fair looks, and the goodly house. Kol- 
 bein was more silent, but looked about him 
 much ; and all those at Cragness were 
 pleased with their great guests, save only 
 Ilelga, who worked among lier women 
 and looked sad. When (xrani saw that, 
 he sought to cheer her, bidding her mark 
 the pleasure of the visitors. 
 
 " Methinks," said Helga, " the old man 
 smiles too much and the young man too 
 little. Little good does my heart proph- 
 esy of this visit." 
 
 Grani was impatient with her and left 
 her alone. 
 
 Now guests continued to come in, a 
 great number, so many that they were not 
 all able to come into the hall ; those of 
 lesser condition sat outside on the mead. 
 And the time drew near noon before all 
 were there. So at last Einar asked if more 
 [347] 
 
THE STORY OF ROLF 
 
 were to be seen coming, and his men looked 
 abroad from the hilltop, and saw no one 
 travelling. They saw only three living 
 souls : two were Asdis and Thurid where 
 they worked in the garden by the httle 
 hut across the valley, and one was a great 
 man who lolled on a nearer hillside and 
 seemed to look out upon Broadfirth. 
 Something glittered in the grass by his 
 side, but no one knew who or what it 
 might be. So Einar let call all forth from 
 the house, and he stood on a stool, and 
 spake to them. 
 
 First he bade them welcome, and then 
 he spoke of that custom which the last 
 year had seen begun : shooting at the 
 boundary in memory of his ownership 
 of those lands and that hall. Some, he 
 knew, had been displeased thereat, yet 
 he trusted that now they saw his reasons 
 for it. " For in the sight of all," quoth 
 Einar, " T will have it known tliat my 
 f 348 1 
 
OF THAT HARVEST FEAST 
 
 title is just, and will prove that all which 
 made me master here was done within 
 the law."' 
 
 \"ery reasonable was that speech ; Snorri 
 smiled and nodded graciously, and Einar's 
 folk applauded, but the otlici's not so 
 much. 
 
 *' Now," Einar said, ''men I'hiini that 
 Grettir the Strong can make this shot and 
 put mc from my lands, but since the law 
 allows no outlaw to meddle in suits, he 
 may not make the trial. Vet 1 invite 
 all other men hither to prove me guiltless ; 
 therefore come ye with me to the brook- 
 side, and let all try who will. Few do I 
 think will assay, but all are free to it. In 
 token of peace leave your arms here, and 
 let us <j:o down to the boundary. ' 
 
 When they heard that, Einar's men laid 
 
 aside what weapons they had : but those 
 
 strangers made as if they heard not, yet 
 
 all together began walking to the meadow 
 
 [349 ] 
 
THE STORY OF ROLF 
 
 by the brook. And Einar, when he saw 
 they took no heed to his request, was of 
 two minds : whether to say no more, or 
 to ask them again to lay aside their swords. 
 But that seemed a shght to his guests ; 
 so he spoke not of it again, and all together 
 they went down the hillside, leaving at 
 the hall only the women, still cooking for 
 so many people. Einar had given orders 
 that no ribald mocking should be made 
 in shooting, such as the baser of his men 
 had done before, for all should be deco- 
 rous. So bows were brought, the best 
 there were ; his bowmen made ready, and 
 one by one they shot before the guests. 
 Snorri sat on a dais which Einar had let 
 make, and Kolbein and Einar sat on either 
 hand ; but Grani stood. He was very 
 anxious to see how near the arrows would 
 fall to the oak ; but the nearest fell roods 
 away, and he said to himself, " Now my 
 father is completely justified, for not even 
 [350] 
 
OF THAT HARVEST FEAST 
 
 Grettir could shoot so much farther than 
 these men." 
 
 So he begged the visitors to shoot, and 
 of SnoiTi's men and Kolbein's some few 
 made the trial, but shot no better than 
 those who assayed afore. Grani was 
 much pleased. 
 
 Then P'.inar stood up with smiles, and 
 said he, *' Let us now o-o to the feast, for 
 it is ready at the hall." 
 
 " Here cometli one," said Snorri, "who 
 may wish to try ; wait we here for yet 
 a little while." 
 
 Men looked, and there was a great man 
 coming down the hill, and they knew 
 him for the huge fellow who had been 
 lolling across the valley. On his shoulder 
 he bore a bill A\'ith a shaft big as a beam. 
 Coming so, down the hillside above them, 
 he looked so large that Einar was uneasy, 
 wondering what champion he should be ; 
 the sun was behind him, and he seemed 
 [3MJ 
 
THE STORY OF ROLF 
 
 like one who might do all manner of feats 
 of strength, even to making the long shot 
 with the bow. Einar felt fear. 
 
 But when the large man reached the 
 first of the people, and they could see 
 his face, then laughter began among 
 them, and one cried aloud, '* 'T is only 
 Frodi the Smith ! " 
 
 So Frodi came before them, and Einar 
 was wroth because he had feared such 
 an one, who was all softness. Said 
 Einar : " What dost thou here with that 
 great weapon at our feast, where no man 
 comes in war ? Seekest thou to take 
 up the feud for this land ? " And he 
 gave sign that his men should be near, 
 ready to seize Frodi if only cause were 
 given. 
 
 But Frodi laid the bill at the feet of 
 
 Einar, and said : " I bring thee the bill 
 
 which is thine own, since it came ashore 
 
 on thy beaches. As for that feud, it is 
 
 [ '550 ] 
 
OF THAT HARVEST FEAST 
 
 not mine, but it belongs to the nearest 
 of kin. \^'lK) knows where he is i Let 
 me stay liere a space. I beg, and watch 
 the shooting." 
 
 •• The shooting is past," said Einar, 
 '' but stay if it pleases thee. As for that 
 bill, keep it for thine own, if it is at 
 all deal- to thee." Then he turned to 
 Snorri. and said, ** Shall we not go to 
 the feast ? "' 
 
 " But tell us of this great bill," said 
 Snorri. •• And were there not perchance 
 other heathen weapons which are thine, 
 coming ashore in that great storm ? " 
 
 So Grani told of the bill, how it 
 had belonged to that dead viking ; and 
 he said there had been a bow with it, 
 which was useless because no one could 
 string it. 
 
 *' Much would I like to see that bow," 
 says Snorri. 
 
 Grani knows not what to answer and 
 23 [ 353 ] 
 
THE STORY OF ROLF 
 
 looks at Einar, and Einai' looks back at 
 Grani ; but at last Einar says : *' Old and 
 useless is the bow, and it is in some out- 
 of-the-way place. Come now to the 
 feast, for it is all ready." 
 
 "It is not yet noon," answered Snorri, 
 ** and before noon I am never ready to 
 feast. But here comes another one down 
 the hill, who may give us sport until we 
 sit down." 
 
 So men looked again up the hillside, 
 and there was another figure coming, seen 
 against the sun. (Now in Iceland, even 
 in summer noon, the sun never stands 
 overhead.) Fast the figure strode, all 
 muffled in a cloak which flapped in the 
 wind ; and so wild and large did the new- 
 comer seem that again Einar was afraid 
 at the strange sight. But when it came 
 near the figure dwindled, and the people 
 laughed again, crying to make way for 
 Thurid. With slow and halting step the 
 [ 354 ] 
 
OF THAT HAR\ EST FEAST 
 
 crone came through the lane of men to 
 Einar. 
 
 '* Wishes the strange woman an^lhing 
 here ? ' asked Snorri. 
 
 *' Give her money/' said Einar to 
 Ondott. *' and bid her begone/* 
 
 Hut slie turned her back on Ondott 
 with Ills purse, and went nearer Einar ; 
 and tlien she saw the bill which Frodi had 
 left lying at Einar's feet. A strong shud- 
 der seized her, and there she stood shud- 
 dering, gazing beneath her hood at that 
 great weapon. 
 
 ** AN^hat is wrong with the woman ? " 
 asked Snorri as if impatient. " Bid her 
 to speak.' 
 
 *' Slie speaks never," answered Einar. 
 
 But it seemed as if she were talking to 
 herself, for first she began to nmmble 
 hoarsely, and then a little louder, and 
 then at last she began to drone a song, 
 in a cracked voice which, to those who 
 [355] 
 
THE STORY OF ROLF 
 
 had known her, seemed not her own. She 
 sang thus : 
 
 " Here is come from foreign shore, 
 A heathen weapon and one more. 
 First the bill which can be swung 
 
 By the peaceful smith alone ; 
 Next the bow which can be strung 
 
 Nor by him nor anyone. 
 Yet I say in one of those. 
 Laid in spells by Christ his foes, 
 Danger lies to Einar's house." 
 
 When she had sung thus, she drew her 
 hood still closer over her head and 
 crouched down there by the dais. 
 
 Mark now all that which next was said 
 and done, as if those visitors knew the 
 fearsome nature of Einar, and played with 
 it. 
 
 First Kolbein di-ew his feet away from 
 the blade of the bill which lay before 
 them ; and he looked uneasy, saying to 
 Einar : "Of human force I have no fear, 
 but evil and witchcraft like I not." 
 
 But Snorri leaned forward and looked 
 [ 356 ] 
 
OF THAT HARVEST FEAST 
 
 in the face of Frodi. " Tell us,"' says 
 Siiorri the Priest, " for what reason thou 
 hast brought the bill here." 
 
 Answered Frodi : "I live alone in my 
 smithy, and the bill stands always in the 
 corner. Now sometimes it gives out a 
 strong humming, tliere as I work, or as 
 I sit by myself of niglits ; and at such 
 times I think evil thoughts of vengeance, 
 lonmn<T to do violence with the bill, until 
 sometimes I fear I will snatch the weapon 
 and rush forth and slay. And methinks 
 the thing must be like the terrible bill of 
 Gunnar of Lithcnd, which before every 
 one of his slayings gave forth a singing 
 sound. Yet Gunnar got his bill by the 
 mere death of a man ; but I won this in 
 fight with a ghost, and so I fear more 
 dreadful things will happen from mine 
 than ever came from his. Lest blood- 
 guilt come on my soul I brought the bill 
 hither, to restore it to its rightful owner." 
 [ '3-37 ] 
 
THE STORY OF ROLF 
 
 " But he gave it thee again," says Snom. 
 
 *' So," answered Frodi, '' I see no way 
 at all to avoid that blood -guiltiness." 
 
 " Thou canst cast the bill in the sea," 
 says Snorri. 
 
 On a sudden Frodi started back from 
 the bill, and clutched at the clothes on 
 his breast, and cried : " Heard ye how it 
 hummed even then ? " 
 
 Said Grani, '' I heard naught." 
 
 But Kolbein hitched his stool further 
 away from the bill, saying : "I heard 
 something." 
 
 Snorri looked upon Einar, who was pale 
 with fear. " Now," said Snorri, " what of 
 that bow which, if shooting here at this 
 boundary may cost thee thy life, is mayhap 
 the greater danger to thee of the two ? " 
 
 Einar answered nothing. 
 
 ** Come," says Snorri, *' do this if thou 
 wouldst avoid all evil : cast this bill and 
 that bow into the sea." 
 f 358 1 
 
OF THAT HARVEST FEAST 
 
 Now the crone rose up again, and she 
 sang this song: 
 
 "Bring ye here those weapons forth. 
 Lay them crossing, east and north, 
 Here ujion tlie fateful ground 
 Where death Hiarandi found. 
 Over them make ye the sign 
 Of the church, with holy wine. 
 Build ye then a fire great ; 
 Ere the flames to coals abate. 
 Cast those weapons in them here. 
 Power of spells will disappear ; 
 No fate then need Einar fear I " 
 
 ** Now,'' said Snorri, *' this burning is 
 the best counsel, for weapons cast in the 
 sea would come again to shore." 
 
 Then Tliurid covered her head again 
 and crouched down as before. Hut Einar 
 rose in a panic and bade Grani fetch the 
 bow, the arrows, and some wine. Grani 
 departed hastily, and ran to the hall, and 
 called his sister, bidding her bring wine 
 while he got the bow and arrows. 
 
 " Now%" cried Helga, *' wilt thou mock 
 [359] 
 
THE STORY^ OF ROLF 
 
 the death of Hiarandi, and jeer at Rolf, 
 who saved thy life here on the rocks ? " 
 
 " What say est thou of saving my life ? " 
 asked Grani. 
 
 Helga told how Rolf and Frodi had 
 borne him to shore. 
 
 " Be comforted," said Grani. " No man 
 shoots with the great bow, for Rolf, 
 who alone can string it, is away. But 
 witchcraft lies in it, and it shall be burnt. 
 And when this feast is ended 1 will 
 send for Rolf, and offer him peace and 
 friendship." 
 
 " No peace comes from Rolf," answers 
 Helga, " while we own his lands, nor 
 friendship while we sit in his hall. Vio- 
 lence meets violence, so says the good 
 book." But she went and got the wine, 
 and Grani seized the bow and its quiver 
 from out the rick, and bore all to the 
 brookside again. There the fire was al- 
 ready built. 
 
 [ 360 ] 
 
OF THAT HARVEST FEAST 
 
 Snorri received the bow in his hands, 
 for neither Kolbein nor Einar would 
 touch it. The priest of Snorri's house- 
 hold took the wine, to hallow it ; and 
 Snorri drew the bow from its case. 
 
 " Let all give back," said he. '' INIake 
 space for the fire and the burning of the 
 bow. Let the crone say when all is ready." 
 
 So all men gave space ; and the home- 
 men and the guests, mingled together, 
 made a great circle round the spot wliere 
 the bow should be burnt with the bill. 
 At only one place the ring was broken : 
 the shelving bank of the brook, where 
 men might not stand. Then Thurid rose 
 and began to circle the fire. Thrice 
 around it she walked, and Snorri with the 
 bow came down from the dais and stood 
 near ; but Kolbein went and stood by 
 Grani, and Frodi kept his place at the 
 feet of Einar. So when the cloaked 
 woman had circled the fii'e three times, 
 [361] 
 
THE STORY OF ROLF 
 
 she stopped and said to Snorri, '' Give me 
 the bow." 
 
 Snorri gave it her. 
 
 All watched to see what she would do, 
 whether mutter spells or breathe upon it. 
 But she looked at it carefully from end to 
 end, and overlooked the string, and after 
 that she raised it and shook it aloft. 
 Then first men saw any part of her, 
 namely her arm, which was not with- 
 ered, but firm and large, like a man's. 
 When she spoke her voice was no longer 
 cracked. 
 
 " Water hath not harmed thee, oh my 
 bow ! Thou art the same as when thou 
 slewest the baresark. Now shalt thou do 
 a greater deed ! " 
 
 And in a moment she set the end of 
 the bow to her foot, and bent the bow, 
 and slipped the string along, and the bow 
 was strung! There stood the homefolk 
 gazing, but the crone cast off* the cloak. 
 
OF IHxVT HARVEST FEAST 
 
 Xo woman was she at all, but Rolf in 
 his weapons ! 
 
 Then Frodi laid his hand on Einar's 
 knee, and said : ** Sit still ! " Kolbein set 
 a knife to Grani's throat, saying : " Thy 
 life if thou stirrest." And Snom cried 
 on high : '* AMiere are ye, men of Tongue 
 and Swinefell ? " 
 
 All those guests drew their short-sw^ords ; 
 and it was seen that by every one of the 
 homefolk was a man of Snorri's or Kol- 
 bein's, or liaply two of them. They 
 threatened death to all of Einar's folk. 
 
 Rolf looked around on his enemies, 
 and there was not one that could either 
 tight or flee. So he took the quiver from 
 Snorri, and looked within it ; he chose 
 that arrow with the silver point, and 
 snapped the silken thread that bound it, 
 and drew the arrow forth. At no man 
 he looked, but up to heaven. Then he 
 set the arrow on the string ; he drew the 
 [363] 
 
THE STORY OF ROLF 
 
 bow and sped the shaft. High it flew, 
 and far — across the brook, across the 
 mead. It passed through the upper 
 branches of the httle oak, and fell to the 
 gi'ound three roods beyond. 
 
 Then in the sight of all Rolf bowed 
 his head, nor for a while could he speak 
 at all. 
 
 But when at last he turned again 
 toward that high seat where Einar sat, 
 his eye fell first on Ondott who stood 
 by. Said Rolf: "Bring me that fellow 
 here ! " 
 
 Yet w^hen they would seize Ondott 
 he slipped away, and fearing death ran 
 shrieking up the hill with men in chase. 
 Such was his speed that they caught hhii 
 not, so great was his fright that he recked 
 not where he was going. He ran to the 
 cliffs, nor saw them ; from their top he 
 fell and died. 
 
 "So is the greater villain gone," said 
 [ 364 ] 
 
OF THAT HARVEST FEAST 
 
 Rolf when all saw Ondott fall, ** but the 
 less remains. Einar, Ondott hath made 
 his choice of death and life ; what choice 
 makest thou? Wilt thou bring this to 
 the courts, where outlawry is sure ; or 
 wilt thou handsel the case to me, to utter 
 my own award for the death of my ftither 
 and the seizing of my land ( " 
 
 Einar said quickly : '* On thy mercy I 
 rely, and I handsel all to thee, for I am 
 too old to fare abroad." So he came down 
 from the dais, and hastened to Rolf, of- 
 fering his hand and calling Snorri to wit- 
 ness that handselling. There they struck 
 hands before all those witnesses. 
 
 Said Rolf: '' Now I hold in my hands 
 thy death or thy life, even as once thou 
 heldest my father at thy mercy. No pity 
 hadst thou then. Shall I spare thee 
 now ? '' 
 
 ** It was all Ondott's doing," said Einar. 
 
 " Now," quoth Rolf. *' this do I award, 
 [365] 
 
THE STORY OF KOLl^' 
 
 and thy forgetting it will be thy death. 
 Thou shalt go to the little farm where 
 my mother has lived, but now she is on 
 her way to Cragness. On those few 
 acres thou shalt abide, and stay within 
 all space a bowshot from it. The one 
 ewe which is there thou mayest have ; the 
 store of meat which is in the loft is thine ; 
 my mother's gray cloak hangs by the 
 door : take it. But thine own livelihood 
 thou shalt earn from the soil when these 
 are spent ; and when thou comest from 
 thy boundary farther than this bow can 
 shoot, thy life is forfeit to me." 
 
 Einar accepted that award. 
 
 Then Rolf turned to Grani, and said : 
 " Grani, it lies in thy power to change all 
 this by uttering two words." 
 
 Grani said nothing. 
 
 " Only two words," said Rolf again. 
 
 But still Grani answered nothing, and 
 Rolf turned from him sadly. 
 [366] 
 
OF THAT HARVEST FEAST 
 
 " Proud is the heart of youth,'' quoth 
 Snorri. '* Come, let us sheathe our 
 weapons. The sun stands at noon ; now 
 shall we execute the act of distress which 
 will make Rolf master of his own — yes, 
 and of the half of Einar's wealth, for the 
 rest goes to the men of the Quarter. 
 Eet us go to the hall." 
 
 So all men went to the hall ; and there 
 went not only those guests from afar, but 
 also those from the dales. Aye, and the 
 men of Einar left him, and went to the 
 hall with tlie others. Only Grani stayed 
 with his father, and Helga whom anxiety 
 had driven from tlie hall. 
 
 " Let us go to our new home," said 
 Einar. 
 
 So they went, and from the first hilltop 
 they saw how the act of distress was 
 beginning at the crags ; but from the 
 second hilltop they saw that the act was 
 finished. And when they rested on the 
 [367] 
 
THE STORY OF ROLF 
 
 long climb to the hut, whence Asdis had 
 gone to her own old home, they saw how 
 outside the hall men were seated at the 
 long tables, and the women passed the 
 food and drink, and all was merry at 
 Cragness. 
 
 [368] 
 
CHAPTER XXIX 
 
 OF THE TRIAL OF GRANIS PRIDE 
 
 GAY was that harvest feast, and all 
 men learned how Thurid had died 
 in the snow on the niglit of the 
 wreck. In her cloak had Rolf lived, 
 serving his mother, and he had travelled 
 to Tongue and Swinefell in order to 
 make the plan for gaining his own ; but 
 because Flosi could not come he had sent 
 Kolbein his son. Rolf gave gi'cat thanks 
 to Snorri and Kolbein, and gifts beside ; 
 with all good wishes they parted on the 
 morrow. Then Asdis took over the care 
 of the household of her son, and Frodi 
 w^as bidden to live there with them. 
 They began again the custom of Hiarandi, 
 to light beacons against shipwTCck. 
 2* [ 369 ] 
 
THE STORY OF ROLF 
 
 So now Rolf dwells at Cragness in his 
 honor, but at the hut on the upland those 
 others live with little ease. 
 
 Rolf looks out sometimes at the little 
 farm, and sees Grani and his father work- 
 ing in the field to get in the small harvest, 
 hay for the ewe and gi^ain for themselves. 
 Now for Asdis alone that store had been 
 enough, but for three the outlook was 
 not so good. 
 
 Once Frodi saw Rolf as he watched 
 them working, and the smith said, ** Thou 
 takest pleasure in the sight ? " 
 
 Rolf asked, " Rememberest thou what 
 jewels Grani wore, or his father, or Helga, 
 that time when they went away ? " 
 
 " Grani and Einar," said Frodi, " had 
 rings on their arms and brooches on 
 their breasts, but Helga wore none at 
 aU." 
 
 " Silver pennies also they had in their 
 purses," said Rolf. 
 
 [370] 
 
TRIAL OF GRANI'S PRIDE 
 
 " What is their wealth to thee ? " asks 
 Frodi. 
 
 " Much," answers Rolf. 
 
 Xow tiie time draws toward winter. 
 The tale tells next how Rolf kept many 
 people by him in the hall, to do the field 
 work and to tend the cattle and horses 
 (but the sheep were in the fold, save 
 twenty which had not come in). Xow 
 some of those folk of Einar still dwelt 
 at Cragness, having deserted their master, 
 and none at the hall bade them either 
 go or stay, ^'et both Asdis and Frodi 
 showed them little favor, and one by one 
 they slipped away to seek livings else- 
 where, save only those two, Hallvard and 
 Hallmund, men of loud talk, strong of 
 growth but not given to work. Evenings 
 in the hall they spoke nmch, and Frodi 
 scowled thereat ; but Rolf sat in his seat 
 and seemed neither to see nor to hear 
 them. 
 
 [371] 
 
THE STORY OF ROLF 
 
 Frodi said to him one day : " This one 
 thing I misHke in thee, that thou keepest 
 here those two who deserted their master." 
 
 Rolf asked : ** Was their master worth 
 devotion ? " 
 
 " Maybe not," says Frodi, " yet ingrates 
 are they both." 
 
 " They are free," said Rolf, " either to 
 stay or go." 
 
 Frodi grumbled to himself, but said 
 no more to Rolf. 
 
 Now October comes in very cold, but 
 no snow as yet ; and all harvests are in. 
 Grani had stacked his neatly in ricks 
 against the weather, for there was no 
 room in the hut. There was a pen 
 outside for the ewe ; she was a good 
 beast and never wandered, coming home 
 at night. 
 
 On a day Rolf called Hallvard and 
 Hallmund to him, and said : " It were 
 not strange if Grani's ewe were to break 
 [372] 
 
TRIAL OF GRAXrS PRIDE 
 
 out of its pen and eat at my ricks, which 
 stand not far away." And he looked 
 hard at Hallvard, who was the slyer of 
 those two. 
 
 Said Hallvard with a grin : '* That is 
 likely to happen." 
 
 Rolf gave them each a piece of money, 
 and said : " Beware of that ewe." 
 
 On a morning not long after came 
 those two, leading the ewe. " Master, 
 here ha\'e we found this ewe eating at thy 
 ricks, nor know we whose it may be." 
 
 Said Rolf: "The ewe is Einar's. Take 
 it to him, and ask payment for the hay 
 which has been eaten." 
 
 So tliey take the ewe to Einar, and 
 bring back siher. '* Keep that for your- 
 selves," Rolf said, '* but will the ewe stay 
 now at home ? " 
 
 "• Her pen is not strong," Hallvard said. 
 
 So on the morrow those two came 
 again, bringing the ewe a second time ; 
 [STB] 
 
THE STORY OF ROLF 
 
 Rolf sent them for money as before. This 
 time they brought back a gold arm-ring ; 
 so Rolf knew that Einar and Grani had 
 taken with them nigh empty purses, 
 and he was glad. He took the ring, 
 giving the men silver, and said to them 
 as before : " Will the ewe stay now at 
 home ? " 
 
 Hallvard answered, "We left Grani 
 strengthening the pen, but still it is not 
 high." 
 
 And on the morrow they brought the 
 ewe, saying, " See how fat she hath gorged 
 herself, master." 
 
 Then said Rolf, " Go now and say to 
 Einar : * A third time hath thine ewe tres- 
 passed ; now must thou pay not only 
 damages, but the trespass fine, or else 
 bring this to the courts.' " 
 
 They went and brought back jewels, 
 one arm-ring and two brooches ; and 
 Hallvard said, "All that he had Einar 
 [374] 
 
TRIAL OF GRAXrS PRIDE 
 
 gave, rather than trust hunself to the 
 law." 
 
 Rolf gave them money, saying : " If the 
 ewe wanders a fourth time, she ^\^ll be- 
 come mine. Is her pen strong ? " 
 
 *' Grani has no more wood to make the 
 pen higher," answered Hallvard, '' but he 
 was tying her with a rope." 
 
 ** Belike the rope is not strong," said 
 Rolf. 
 
 And that seemed true ; for on the mor- 
 row those two brought the ewe for the 
 fourth time ; they said she had again been 
 eating at Rolfs ricks. 
 
 " Go now," said Rolf *" Say to Einar : 
 ' Pay me damages and another fine, or 
 yield thine ewe.'" 
 
 They went and returned, and said to 
 Rolf: '' The ewe is thine." 
 
 Then Rolf gave them silver rings, and 
 they were well content. But Frodi came 
 to Rolf, and said: "What is this thou hast 
 [375] 
 
THE STORY OF ROLF 
 
 suffered those two to do to thy neighbor ? 
 Now Einar will have no milk for the 
 winter." 
 
 Rolf answ^ered shortly : " He can use the 
 pen of the ewe for firewood, and sell the 
 hay for money." And he would speak 
 no more of that. 
 
 Now October passed, and November 
 came, and still there was no snow; the 
 land was colder for that. One day when 
 Rolf stood and looked at the hut on the 
 upland, Hallvard came to him and said, 
 " Small cheer is there over yonder, master ; 
 yet I have heard that Grani has sold his 
 hay, and it is soon to be fetched from his 
 farm." 
 
 Rolf answered : " See now^ how all their 
 ricks stand in a line, and the wind is in 
 that line, so that a fire which took the 
 weathermost rick would burn them all. 
 It was careless of Grani to set them so." 
 
 " For fire might come by chance," said 
 [376] 
 
TRIAL OF GRAN IS PRIDE 
 
 Hallvard, and he went and spoke with 
 HaHmund. 
 
 Now that night people were stirring in 
 the hall, for a servingnian was sick there ; 
 and in the early morning one came knock- 
 ing at the door of Rolfs locked bed, cry- 
 ing, '* There is fire across the valley." So 
 Rolf threw on a cloak and went out ; there 
 was a great fire at the little farm, where 
 the ricks were burning. In their light 
 Grani was seen, saving what he might ; 
 but Einar stood by wringing his hands, 
 and Helga weeping. So while those of 
 Cragness stood and watched, Halhard 
 and Hallmund came up the hill and joined 
 them. 
 
 " Where have ye been i " asks Frodi. 
 
 They had no good answer to give. 
 
 When it was day Rolf sent to inquire 
 of Einar if he had had great loss ; Hall- 
 vard was sent. "And ask if they will 
 have any help of me ; and mark how 
 [ 3T7 ] 
 
THE STORY OF ROLF 
 
 much they have saved and where it is 
 bestowed." 
 
 So Hallvard went and returned again, 
 and said that Grani needed no help. 
 " But," said he, *' the old man would have 
 taken help, yet the young man would 
 not allow it. And they have saved no 
 hay, and but little grain ; it is there in 
 the pen of the ewe." 
 
 " Now," Rolf said privately to Hall- 
 vard, " thou and Hallmund shall take my 
 shepherd and go into the hills, a day's 
 journey ; he shall show thee where are 
 folded those twenty of my sheep which 
 came not with the others,, and which men 
 call lost. Send him then home before 
 thee, and do ye twain drive the sheep. — 
 And see to it," quoth Rolf, "that those 
 sheep do no damage to the fodder which 
 Grani saved." 
 
 So that day those two took their staves, 
 and went with the shepherd to do as Rolf 
 [ 378 ] 
 
TRIAL OF GRAXrS PRIDE 
 
 had bidden. On the second day the 
 shepherd came again ; but on the fourth 
 came Hallvard and Hallmund, driving the 
 sheep. Now one of them was all bloody. 
 
 ** What hath happened to the ram ? " 
 asked Rolf. 
 
 '* We came home," answered Hallvard, 
 " over the fell which is above Einar's farm ; 
 we pastured the sheep as wc came, yet 
 there is now no good grazing, and the 
 beasts were terribly thin. So when we 
 came late at night near to Grani's stead, 
 and could not make Cragness in the dark, 
 we rested and let the sheep stray. In the 
 morning, behold, tlie sheep had found the 
 grain which Grani had saved from the fire, 
 and were eating the last of it when 
 he came out by the first light. He saw 
 the sheep, and drove them thence with 
 iury ; but the ram was obstinate, and 
 would not leave the food, so Grani 
 wounded him. And he gave us hard 
 [379] 
 
THE STORY OF ROLF 
 
 words before we gathered the flock to 
 come away." 
 
 " Take the sheep to the fold," said Rolf, 
 and he gave each of the men a piece of 
 money. 
 
 Then he went in and sat down to meat ; 
 but Frodi followed him and seemed much 
 discontented. " What ails thee ? " asked 
 Rolf. 
 
 '' This ails me," said Frodi, " that thou 
 hast no mercy upon them whose lot is 
 hard enough. I cannot bear that thou 
 shouldst use those base men to do such 
 work against Grani, whom once thou 
 lovedst. For I perceive clearly that all 
 this has been done with intention, both 
 the trespassing of the ewe and the burning 
 of the ricks ; likewise this last happening 
 is not by chance. What change is on 
 thee, that thou doest so ?" 
 
 Also Asdis came and said : " Thou art 
 hard on those unfortunate ones, my son. 
 [380] 
 
TRIAL OF GRANFS PRIDE 
 
 Leave this persecution and do what is 
 worthy of thee." 
 
 But Rolf said to Frodi : " Hast thou 
 forgotten that Grani made thee thrall ? " 
 And of xVsdis he asked : " Who slew 
 Hiarandi my father ? " The hiw of ven- 
 geance came to their minds, and they were 
 silent, yet not satisfied. 
 
 Then Hallvard and Hallmund came in 
 and helped themselves to meat, and began 
 talking loudly. Said Hallvard, " Thou 
 art called now, master, to avenge thy 
 honor. Einar spoke shame on thee while 
 we were gathering the sheep to drive 
 from his house, for he said thou hadst the 
 hope to starve him and his children." 
 
 '' A great slander is that," quoth Hall- 
 mund, wagging his head. " Many a man 
 hath died for such ; and at least a money- 
 fine should Einar pay." 
 
 "Hold your tongues!" cried Frodi in 
 anger. 
 
 [381] 
 
THE STORY OF ROLF 
 
 But Rolf rebuked Frodi, and said to 
 those twain : *' I give thanks for your 
 thought of mine honor. But I do not 
 desire blood, only money-atonement for 
 the slander. Einar hath no money ; but 
 Grani hath yet his sword, a fine weapon. 
 Now you who have my honor in your 
 care, go to-morrow to Grani. Tell him I 
 demand atonement ; but if he sends me 
 his sword his father's slander will be 
 forgotten." 
 
 Those two looked at each other in 
 doubt, for that would be a hard thing, 
 to get from Grani his sword. 
 
 But Frodi sprang from his seat, and 
 cried : " What dost thou now, to insult 
 Grani so ? Never will an Icelander yield 
 his sword ! Call now to mind when ye 
 two were comrades, and slept together, 
 and fought the Scots togetlier, and crossed 
 the Pentland Firth together in a little 
 boat, and swam the last mile side by 
 [ 382 ] 
 
TRIAL OF GRANIS PRIDE 
 
 side. Put all this in thy mind, and unsay 
 what thou hast said." 
 
 Rolf answered : " All tliis I remember, 
 and that is why I send for Grani's sword." 
 
 " Then," Frodi cried, " I leave thy roof 
 now, nor ever are we friends again ! " 
 
 " Frodi," answered Rolf, '' sleep one 
 night more under my roof; then if thou 
 art minded thou shalt leave me forever." 
 
 Then Frodi called to mind his great love 
 for his cousin, and yielded, and sat down. 
 
 In the morning Hallmund and Hall- 
 vard sat late at meat. Rolf said to them : 
 '* AVhy linger ye here ? Do as I bade ! " 
 
 Then they took swords, axes, and shields, 
 and went to the hut across the valley, but 
 had no heart in their going. Xow^ Rolf 
 watched from the hillside, and he saw 
 them go into the fanny ard, very slowly ; 
 and he waited a while, and saw them 
 come out, very slowly. And they came 
 back to Cragness, and climbed the hill to 
 [385] 
 
THE STORY OF ROLF 
 
 him ; and behold, they had not their arms 
 any more, but were wounded, and com- 
 plained as they came. 
 
 " Grani," said they, " has done this to 
 us. Now, master, avenge us on him ! " 
 
 " Now," said Rolf, " all is come about 
 as I wished." And he bade bring his 
 sword and his shield. 
 
 " Wilt thou then," asked Frodi, " take 
 up the quarrel of these wretched carles ? " 
 
 Rolf put on his sword and took his 
 shield ; he made no answer to Frodi, but 
 he beckoned his housecarles and pointed 
 to Hallvard and Hallmund. 
 
 " Whip me," said Rolf to his servants, 
 " these wretches from this place ; if they 
 wait till my return they shall feel the 
 weight of my hand. But as for all the 
 rest of you, bide ye here till I come again." 
 
 Hallvard and Hallnmnd ran with all 
 haste away along the cliffs, but Rolf set 
 out across the valley to the little farm. 
 [384] 
 
CHAPTER XXX 
 
 OK THE SAYING OF THOSE TWO WORDS 
 
 NOW the tale turns to speak of 
 Einar and his two children : how 
 they went away from their home 
 with hut the clothes on their backs, and 
 with purses nigh empty, and but little 
 jewelry. They came to the hut, to make 
 a home where there was no room for a 
 fourth to sleep, and where there was but a 
 rack of dried meat, and a gray cloak hang- 
 ing by the door, and little else for comfort. 
 Grani looks about the farm, and sees 
 how it has a good spring, and a small 
 garden well tended, and a pen for the 
 ewe. Beyond the garden were the other 
 crops ; yet the hay had not been cut, nor 
 the grain reaped, and there was nothing 
 stored against the winter. 
 25 [ 385 ] 
 
THE STORY OF ROLF 
 
 Said Grani : " Rolf awaited this turn of 
 fortune, and why should he lay up food 
 for us ? " 
 
 Then he turned about, and looked off 
 from the hillside. There he saw Cragness, 
 and the folk feasting ; and he saw Fell- 
 stead and many other farms. There lay 
 Broadfirth, and the sea beyond ; fishing 
 vessels were thereon. And he saw the 
 ferry to Hvamm, with all the four roads 
 which led to it, where people travelled ; 
 but the little farm was far away from all 
 these things. Now it was a bright warm 
 day, and the ewe bleated in the pasture, 
 and the birds called each other above his 
 head. 
 
 Then Grani's heart fainted within him, 
 and he cried to Einar : " Better hadst 
 thou chosen exile for us all, rather than 
 condemn us to die in this place ! " 
 
 Einar sought to excuse himself to his 
 son, but appeased him not. Then Helga 
 [386] 
 
OF THOSE TWO WORDS 
 
 said : "Is this all thou didst learn in the 
 Orkneys, thus to meet the fate which thou 
 hast brought upon thyself ? " 
 
 Then Grani was quiet, and went and 
 fetched water, and wood which was there 
 for the cooking (but there was no great 
 store). After a while he said to his sister, 
 " No more will I complain, though worse 
 things come upon us." 
 
 So in the following days he sets him- 
 self to work, and cuts the hay, and stacks 
 it in ricks ; and cuts and stacks the grain 
 likewise, working hastily lest the snow 
 should come. Einar was of no account in 
 such work, for his body was not used to 
 it ; but he watches the ewe upon the 
 mead, and fetches water ; and Helga works 
 at the house, and when the gi'ain is reaped 
 she begins to grind it in a handmill ; a 
 slow labor that was, to make flour each 
 day for their bread. Xow when Grani 
 had finished harvesting he began to cut 
 [387] 
 
THE STORY OF ROLF 
 
 peat and stack it near the house. It was 
 hard work, for the cold was severe and the 
 ground freezing. 
 
 Einar began to complain as the cold 
 came on ; he was not warm enough under 
 the gray cloak, but sat much of the day 
 by the fire. He disliked his food and 
 wanted better, although naught better 
 was to be had. It was not easy to bear 
 his complainings ; but Helga was patient, 
 and Grani sought to lighten her labors, 
 doing woman's work. Yet he was 
 troubled for the shame of his life, and 
 slept badly, and lost flesh. Now hard 
 frost and bitter winds came, but still no 
 snow. Grani's clothes were thin, and he 
 was not used to the rough life ; his hands 
 cracked with the cold, all his joints ached, 
 his feet were sore from his thin shoes, and 
 it seemed as if he w^ould perish with the 
 wind. Yet still he cut peat, hewing it 
 from the frozen ground in a little boggy 
 [388] 
 
OF THOSE TWO WORDS 
 
 place ; and he brought it home with fin- 
 gers all bleeding. Then Helga bewailed 
 the weather, how without snow the ground 
 froze ever deeper : but though at first 
 Grani was minded to complain witli her, 
 he betliought himself and spoke cheerily. 
 
 Helga asked : '* AVhy dost thou conceal 
 thy thoughts { " 
 
 ** Tlie worst of my thoughts," said Grani, 
 " are so bad that I dare not dwell on them. 
 But the better is that 1 must be manly ; 
 and I have a memory to help me." 
 
 " What is that memory l " asked Helga. 
 
 So Grani told of that time when he 
 and his thralls were lost in the snow in 
 Orkney, and those two Icehmders bore the 
 cold, but he complained of it. '* And 
 they gave me the cloak and the warmth 
 of their oww bodies, yet I could not be 
 brave. So now when I shiver in the cold 
 I call to mind their hardiness, and strive 
 to copy it." 
 
 [389] 
 
THE STORY OF ROLF 
 
 " That is well said," quoth Helga, *' and 
 I will show courage, even as thou." 
 
 So those two fortified each other ; but 
 Einar's mind dwelt always on his misfor- 
 tunes : the great state he had lost, and the 
 trick that had betrayed him, and all those 
 servants who had deserted him. '' Years 
 long," said Einar, " I fed many of those 
 men, yet they all turned from me at the 
 end. Not one had the gratitude to follow 
 me hither." 
 
 "There is luck in that," answ^ered 
 Grani, " for how could we feed them ? " 
 
 "Most I hate Hallvard and Hallmund," 
 said Einar, "for I favored them in every- 
 thing, but now they cling to Rolf." 
 
 " He will get small profit from them," 
 says Helga. 
 
 Now at the farm they took much com- 
 fort in their ewe, which never wandered 
 far, and came home at night, sleeping 
 always in the pen. But one morning 
 [390] 
 
OF THOSE TWO WORDS 
 
 she was gone and the pen broken do^\Ti, 
 and no trace of lier was to be seen. 
 Then Einar lamented greatly, since her 
 milk was needed : lie declared that she 
 was stolen, l^ut in the forenoon came 
 those two, Hallvard and Hallmmid, 
 leading the ewe. 
 
 " This beast," said Hallvard, '' was 
 found eating from our master's ricks." 
 
 *' Wherefore," asked Grani, "ate she 
 not from our ricks, which were nearer ? " 
 
 " I know not," said Hallvard, '' but she 
 hath been at our ricks ; and Rolf has 
 said : Twenty in silver must you pay." 
 
 Grani took his purse ; and though his 
 father scolded lie gave silver, all that he 
 had, and Halhard and Hallmund went 
 away. 
 
 Now this happened again, and to re- 
 deem the ewe Grani ga\'e a gold ring. 
 Then he built up the pen again of double 
 strength, so that a bullock could not 
 [391] 
 
THE STORY OF ROLF 
 
 have broken out ; but on another morning 
 the ewe was gone, and unless she were 
 a goat she might not have jumped out. 
 Einar was terribly enraged with an old 
 man's anger, and swore those two ruffians 
 had killed the ewe ; yet after a while 
 they were seen coming, leading the beast. 
 
 Einar said to Grani, " Take now thy 
 sword and slay them when they come." 
 
 But Grani held his tongue and heard 
 those two quietly when they claimed 
 trespass money ; he gave them all the 
 jewels that he had, and the twain went 
 away. Then Einar cried, " I have no 
 son at all, but tw^o daughters ; and no 
 one will defend me from this shameful 
 persecution." 
 
 Grani grew red as blood ; but he said 
 naught in answer, and tied the ewe in the 
 pen. When he was alone Helga came 
 to him. 
 
 Asks she : " Thinkest thou that the ewx 
 [ 392 ] 
 
OF THOSE TWO WORDS 
 
 broke out those two times, and leaped 
 out the third ? " 
 
 He answers : " Those tw^o stole her, yet 
 I cannot prove it, for there is no snow 
 to show^ their tracks." 
 
 " I blame not thy mildness at all," says 
 Helga, "rather do I praise it. But why 
 art thou so quiet under injustice ? " 
 
 "I call to mind," says Grani, "that 
 when I enthralled Rolf he never com- 
 plained, but took what fortune brought 
 him, seeing that lie could not help him- 
 self He bided his time and avenged his 
 father ; and I suffer in silence, to keep 
 my father alive. That lesson w^hich Rolf 
 set me, now I follow ; I cannot resist 
 him, save to my death, and what then 
 would become of my father and of thee ? " 
 
 Now there came another night, and 
 
 in the morning the ewe w^as gone ; that 
 
 day Grani yielded her to Rolf, as already 
 
 told, while Einar upbraided him that 
 
 [393] 
 
THE STORY OF ROLF 
 
 he was so unmanly. And in the next 
 days the old man was miserable, missing 
 his milk, and not eating the broth Helga 
 made, though the broth was very good. 
 He made himself sick with his anger and 
 his selfishness, and went to bed in the 
 middle of the day, and scolded from 
 where he lay. " Men tell," said he, " of 
 Gisli the Outlaw, who entered his enemy's 
 house and slew him for the slaying of his 
 blood-brother. But nowadays no man 
 will do such a deed — no, not to save his 
 father." 
 
 Then Grani started from his place, and 
 said : " Violence enough has been done in 
 this feud, nor will I ever have hand in 
 such." He went out of the house, and 
 Helga after him. 
 
 She said to him : "Be comforted, my 
 brother." 
 
 Grani answered : "It is true that I 
 might take Rolf unawares, and slay him. 
 [394] 
 
OF THOSE TWO WORDS 
 
 But I remember when he was my thrall 
 in the Orkneys, going with me every- 
 where, and my life was daily in his hands. 
 For when we were on the cliffs he might 
 have cast me down, and no man would 
 have known lie did it. Or when we 
 were fishing he might have drowned me, 
 and have sailed away in the boat. But 
 he never did evil for evil, and I remember 
 it now." 
 
 Then Grani planned to sell his fodder, 
 and the money would be welcome. But 
 on another morning they woke in the 
 hut witli the crackle and glare of fire, 
 and there were the ricks burning, all of 
 them ; Grani could save little from the 
 flames. Xow that was a great loss, and 
 Einar bewailed it, saying that since the 
 wheat was gone they would all three 
 starve. Then by day they saw Hallvard 
 coming. 
 
 ** He comes to insult us," said Einar, 
 [ 395 ] 
 
THE STORY OF ROLF 
 
 and egged Grani on to meet him with 
 his sword, and wound him for punish- 
 ment. But Grani received Hallvard 
 mildly, and said he had no need of help, 
 and sent him away. 
 
 " Now," said Einar, *' we might have 
 had help of Rolf, and thou hast refused it." 
 
 Grani answered naught to his father, 
 but afterward when Helga asked why he 
 sent Hallvard away, Grani said, " What 
 help gave we to Rolf when he was ship- 
 wrecked at our door ? Thou savedst his 
 life, else he had been slain in our hall. 
 For very shame we can take no help 
 of him." 
 
 Now some days passed, and Einar 
 grumbled ceaselessly, so that life with 
 him was well nigh unbearable ; yet he 
 was the cause of all their misfortune. 
 In nothing that she did might Helga 
 please him ; and though Grani had grown 
 thin with labor, his father did not spare 
 [396] 
 
OF THOSE TWO WORDS 
 
 the lash of his tongue. It was plain that 
 they had not enough food to keep them 
 througli the winter, now that so much 
 grain was gone, and their fate was much 
 on Granis mind ; yet lie was cheerful. 
 
 Helga came to him at last, and said, 
 *' Brother, give me of thy courage, for 
 with my father s harshness and our hard 
 work I feel my heart failing me. On 
 what thought dost thou sustain thyself ? " 
 
 " Dost thou remember," asked Grani, 
 '' that when we first came here I com- 
 plained, and thou didst ask : Had I 
 learned no more in the Orkneys than 
 to bewail my fate ? ' 
 
 '* Forgive me that saying," beggedHelga. 
 
 " ^^^hy not forgive ( " Grani said. '' For 
 I was reminded of a boast I made to Rolf 
 there on the cliff by Hawksness, saying 
 that I feared no misfortune. And he 
 answered : Then I was fitted to be an 
 Icelander. Then, though I had dwelt 
 [397] 
 
THE STORY OF ROLF 
 
 so long in the Orkneys, my heart warmed 
 to my own land whose children love her 
 so ; and I resolved to show myself an 
 Icelander, for the sake of winning Rolfs 
 praise. Therefore I strive, my sister, to 
 be a true son of this dear Iceland, and 
 to bear my misfortunes even as Rolf 
 sends them." 
 
 " JNIayhap," says Helga, " Rolf remem- 
 bers also that boast of thine." 
 
 " Aye," says Grani. 
 
 " And mayhap," Helga says, " he sends 
 these trials only to test thee, for it is clear 
 that they are of design." 
 
 "So I have thought," Grani answers. 
 " Either it is that, or it is revenge ; yet 
 Rolf has no spite in him." 
 
 *' Greatly dost thou praise him," Helga 
 says. 
 
 *' Not overmuch," quoth Grani. " And 
 now I will say 1 repent my pride when I 
 refused his friendship : first at Hawksness, 
 [398] 
 
OF THOSE TWO WORDS 
 
 when he had done me that sUght hurt, and 
 then on the ship. But I have most shame 
 that I offered him no atonement when I 
 was prosperous here in Iceland, and he 
 was in hiding." 
 
 " Go to him now," cries Helga. '' Ask 
 forgiveness ! " 
 
 Grani answers : " I asked it not when 
 I might with honor ; it were cowardice to 
 do so when I am under his feet." 
 
 Xow Helga wished to argue against 
 that ; but their father called them, com- 
 plaining, and there was no more of their 
 talk. But Grani, while Helga tended on 
 Einar, gi-ound corn in the handmill (but 
 there was little of the grain left) and sang 
 this song : 
 
 *' Once I, most fortunate, 
 
 Met swords in fight. 
 Now, sin to expiate, 
 
 I show this plight : 
 Grind corn to make my bread. — 
 Evil pursues my head." 
 
 [399] 
 
THE STORY OF ROLF 
 
 And it seemed to him that scarce ever 
 had a wamor, not in thraldom, come to 
 such fortune. Then when he had ground 
 enough meal for another day he stacked 
 the grain carefully against the weather, 
 and went about other tasks, and that 
 night slept soundly. 
 
 But in the morning, waking with the 
 first light, he heard as it were a scuffling 
 of feet close outside the door ; when he 
 opened he saw sheep there, a small flock, 
 eating eagerly at the grain, which was 
 almost all gone. In despair he rushed 
 out upon them, and drove them away ; 
 they all fled before him but one lean old 
 ram, who stood his ground and still would 
 eat. Then Grani took a club and smote 
 the ram, and wounded it, so that it ran 
 away. Next he saw how at a little dis- 
 tance were Hallvard and Hallmund, who 
 came and excused them of the doings of 
 the sheep, which had strayed while the 
 [ 400 ] 
 
OF THOSE TWO WORDS 
 
 men slept. Grani answered nothing, 
 though his sister wept ; but Einar was 
 nigh out of his mind for anger and 
 despair, and cursed those twain, and 
 Rolf their master, until Grani took him 
 and led him into the house, when those 
 two dro\e tlie sheep away. Einar was 
 so spent with rage that lie fell at last in 
 a stupor ; and (irani went and gathered 
 all that remained of the grain. There 
 were but two measures of it left. 
 
 Then as he gleaned those few stalks 
 from the gi'ound, where the sheep had 
 trodden them, and as he cleansed them 
 of dust and saved every small particle : 
 bitterness grew in him, and then wrath, 
 and lie nursed his wrath all that day. 
 Now Helga was busy with her father, 
 and saw not how Grani brooded ; there 
 was not much food for him, but he fed 
 on his despair. x\nd he slept ill that 
 night, and rose early, and went without 
 26 [ 401 ] 
 
THE STORY OF ROLF 
 
 food to dig in the garden for roots. 
 There those twain found him, Hallvard 
 and Hallmund, when they came into the 
 yard that day for his sword. 
 
 Now his back was toward them, and 
 they asked each other : '' Shall we rush 
 on him and wound him, or slay him, and 
 so search the place at our will for his 
 sword ? " That seemed to them the best 
 counsel, and they stole upon him. He 
 was so busy that he heard them not ; and 
 but for Helga he had been slain. But she 
 saw the men, and cried " Beware ! " So 
 Grani turned with his spade uplifted, and 
 they rushed at him. Then he dashed the 
 sword from the hand of Hallmund, and 
 struck fiercely at Hallvard. Hallvard he 
 wounded with the spade, but Hallmund 
 with his own weapon, and with their 
 wounds they limped away. 
 
 Then all of Grani's anger left him, and 
 he sat in the house by the hearth, and his 
 [402] 
 
OF THOSE TWO WORDS 
 
 father waked and looked at him. Said 
 Grani, " Much didst thou do to Hiarandi 
 for my sake, and harshly has Hiarandi's 
 son repaid me for thy sake. But let us 
 forgive each other, father, before the end 
 of life comes to us." 
 
 Asked Einar : ** How comes the end of 
 life now ? " 
 
 Helga says from the doorway : " I see 
 Rolf coming across the valley, and he is 
 armed.' 
 
 '* Thus comes the end," says Grani, and 
 they embraced and kissed each other all 
 three, and Grani made ready for death, 
 and he went out to meet Rolf. Rolf 
 came into the yard, and he had his sword 
 and shield. 
 
 Says Rolf: '* What hast thou to say 
 to me for the wounding of my house- 
 carles ? " 
 
 Grani looked on Rolf, and remembered 
 how he had loved him once, and loved 
 [403] 
 
THE STORY OF ROLF 
 
 him still, yet never might they be friends. 
 " This offer will I make," said Grani. 
 *' I will fare abroad, and never come back 
 to trouble thee, if so be thou wilt give 
 my father, while he lives, his winter's 
 food." 
 
 "Hast thou nothing better to say?" 
 asked Rolf. 
 
 " I will make this offer," said Grani. 
 " I will be thy thrall, and labor for thee, 
 if only thou wilt maintain my father out 
 of thine abundance." 
 
 " Canst thou say no better ? " asked 
 Rolf again. 
 
 Grani remembered how he might have 
 been friends with Rolf, and would not ; 
 and how he should have asked forgiveness, 
 and could not. " Nothing better to offer 
 have I," said he. "Nothing worth of- 
 fering." For he despised himself, and 
 thought his life ended. 
 
 " Take then thy weapons," said Rolf, 
 [404] 
 
OF THOSE TWO WORDS 
 
 *' and fight me here on the level space by 
 the spring.' 
 
 So Grani took liis sword and his shield, 
 and they stood up to fight by the spring, 
 and those in the hut heard the clasli of 
 steel. The two looked strangely fighting, 
 Grani gaunt and ragged, and Rolf well 
 fed and in lioliday clothes. Xow Grani 
 thouglit to be slain (juickly ; but Rolf 
 seemed to have no power at first ; yet he 
 warmed to the strife, and began to strike 
 manfully, and at last he smote away a 
 part of Cirani's shield. Then Grani by a 
 great stroke shore away the half of Rolfs 
 shield. 
 
 ** AVell smitten ! " cried Rolf, and they 
 fought on ; but Cirani found himself grow- 
 ing weak, and marvelled nmch that Rolf 
 smote no faster. "' But if he means to 
 tire me out," thought Grani, " he can wdn 
 me easily." 
 
 Then Rolf drew^ aw^ay, and said : " My 
 [405] 
 
THE STORY OF ROLF 
 
 shoestrings are loose, 1 will tie them." 
 So he laid aside his shield and sword, and 
 knelt before Grani to tie his shoes ; Grani 
 might have slain him there, but he waited. 
 And not to be tempted to that treachery, 
 Grani looked about ; he saw the hut where 
 were his father and sister, and looked 
 off on the lirth and the wide land, and 
 waited for Rolf to rise. Then they fought 
 again. 
 
 But Grani grew weary and desperate, 
 and his thoughts grew hard. For there 
 were his sister and father close at hand, 
 and the world was beautiful. And while 
 they fought slowly he thought that cruel, 
 so to prolong death, since for Rolf he was 
 no match at all. He wished for death, 
 and exposed his breast to Rolf's strokes, 
 and cared not what happened. 
 
 But Rolf drew away again, and said, 
 " I am thirsty," and knelt down by the 
 spring to drink. Then in his great weari- 
 [406] 
 
OF THOSE TWO WORDS 
 
 ness Grani gave way to an evil thought, 
 and cried, " I will free my father, even if 
 the deed be foul/' And he heaved up his 
 sword to slay Rolf. 
 
 But Rolf rose upon his knees, looking 
 fair in Grani's face ; and though Rolf made 
 no defence, Grani stayed the sword in mid- 
 air, and cast it far away. Tlien he sat 
 do^\^l on a stone and covered his face with 
 his hands. 
 
 Rolf rose, and came to him, and said : 
 ** \V"herefore didst thou not slay me ? " 
 
 Grani answered : " Because once I loved 
 thee.' 
 
 "Grani, CTrani,'' cried Rolf, "has thy 
 pride at last come to its end ? Xow once 
 more I ask : A\"hat hast thou to say to 
 me ? 
 
 " For the wounding of thy henchmen, 
 and for all I ever did to thee since first we 
 met,'' said Grani, '* only this I beg : For- 
 give me ! " 
 
 [407] 
 
THE STORY OF ROLF 
 
 *' I forgive thee ! " Rolf cried, and there 
 tr'jey embraced and made peace. 
 
 This is the end of the tale, that Frodi 
 slept yet other niglits at Cragness than 
 that one, and lived vvdth Rolf his life long. 
 But Grani took his father hom_e to Fell= 
 stead, and dwelt there, he and Einar and 
 Helga. Grani was ever the greatest 
 friend of Rolf, but Einar never came into 
 Rolf's sight so long as he lived ; and that 
 was not long, for the old man was broken 
 with his shame. Then after that Rolf 
 took to wife Helga the sister of Grani, 
 and the curse of the Soursops never 
 troubled their children. Between the 
 households of Cragness and Fellsteadwas 
 ever the closest bond, and famous men are 
 come of both Rolf and Grani. 
 
 So here we end the Story of Rolf. 
 
 [408] 
 
w 
 
The Summer J acntion Series 
 
 FOUR ON A FARM 
 
 By MARY P. WELLS SMITH 
 
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 THE STORY OF ROLF AND THE 
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