Grettir the Strong, an Icelandic Saga | Page 9

Hvamm, where he stayed with Aud
the Deep-Minded. He had been with her over the sea in the West, and
she received him with welcome. Her grandson, Olaf Feilan, was then
grown up, and Aud was very infirm. She consulted Onund concerning
her kinsman Olaf, for whom she wished to ask in marriage Alfdis of the
Barra Isles, the cousin of Onund's wife Aesa. Onund thought it a very
suitable match, and Olaf rode with him to the South. Then Onund met
friends and kinsmen, who made him their guest. The matter of the
dispute was talked over between them, and finally laid before the
Kjalarnes Thing, for the All-Thing had not yet been
established.
Eventually it was settled by arbitration and heavy weregilds were
imposed for the murder. Thorbjorn Jarlakappi was exiled. His son was
Solmund, the father of Svidukari. These kinsmen were long abroad
after that. Thrand invited Onund and Olaf with his party to stay with
him, as did Thormod Shaft. The matter of Olaf's marriage was then
pressed, and an agreement easily arrived at, for Aud's rank and
influence were well known to them. The settlement was arranged and
Onund's party rode home again. Aud thanked him for his aid in behalf
of Olaf, who
married Alfdis of the Barra Isles that autumn. Then Aud
the Deep-Minded died, as is told in the Laxdaela Saga.
CHAPTER XI
DEATH OF ONUND. DISPUTES BETWEEN THE SONS OF
ONUND AND OF EIRIK
Onund and Aesa had two sons; the elder was named Thorgeir, the
younger Ofeig Grettir. Soon afterwards Aesa died and Onund married a

second wife, Thordis Thorgrim's daughter of Gnup in Midfjord, a
kinsman of Skeggi of Midfjord. By her Onund
had a son named
Thorgrim, who grew up quickly to manhood, ta11 and strong, wise and
a good manager. Onund continued to live at Kaldbak until his old age.
He died a natural death and lies in Treefoot's howe. He was the boldest
and most active one-legged man that ever came to Iceland.
Among Onund's sons Thorgrim was the foremost, although the others
were older. When he was twenty-five years old his hair was grey,
whence they nick-named him Greyhead. His mother Thordis married
again, taking as her second husband Audun Skokull. They had a son
named Asgeir of Asgeirsa. Thorgrim Greyhead and his brothers had a
large property, which they managed together without
dividing it up.
Eirik lived, as was mentioned, at Arnes. He had married Alof, the
daughter of Ingolf of Ingolfsfjord, by whom he had a son named Flosi,
a very promising young man with many friends.
There came to that part of Iceland three brothers, named Ingolf, Ofeig,
and Eyvind, and took the three fjords which are called by their names,
where they lived. Eyvind had a son named Olaf. He at first lived at
Eyvindsfjord, but went later to Drangar. He was a most capable man.
So long as their fathers were living no disputes arose among these men;
but when Eirik was dead it occurred to Flosi that those of Kaldbak had
no legal title to the lands which Eirik had given to Onund. Out of this
serious dissensions arose between them. Thorgrim and his brothers
continued in possession of the lands as before, but they would not join
in games together. Thorgeir, the eldest brother, was managing the farm
at
Reykjarfjord, and often rowed out fishing, as the fjords were full of
fish. The men of Vik now laid their plans. Flosi had a man in Arnes
named Thorfinn, and sent him to fetch Thorgeir's head. This man hid
himself in the boatshed. One morning when Thorgeir was preparing to
row out with two other men, one of whom was named Brand, Thorgeir
was walking ahead with a leather skin on his back containing some
drink. It was very dark, and as he passed the boat-house Thorfinn
sprang out upon him and dealt him a blow with an axe between his

shoulders. The axe went into something and made a squeaking noise.
Thorfinn let go his axe, feeling quite sure that no bandages would be
needed, and being very anxious to escape as fast as he could. He ran
North, and reaching Arnes before the day had quite broken, said that he
had killed Thorgeir and that Flosi must protect him. The only thing to
be done was to offer some compensation in money. "That," he said,
"will be the best thing for us after such a terrible piece of work."
Flosi said he must first learn more about it, and that he thought
Thorfinn seemed very frightened after his doughty deed.
We must now tell what had happened to Thorgeir. He turned round
when he was struck, but the blow had gone into the leather
bottle, and
he was unhurt. They could make no search for