The Life and Death of Cormac the Skald [Iceland] | Page 6

put a scythe in its
shaft. When Cormac came to the hall-door the scythe fell down and met
the sword, and broke a great notch in it. Out came Thorkel and began to

upbraid Cormac for a
rascal, and got fairly wild with his talk: then
flung into the parlour and bade Steingerd out of it. Forth they went by
another door, and he locked her into an outhouse, saying that Cormac
and she would never meet again.
Cormac went in: and he came quicker than folk thought for, and they
were taken aback. He looked about, and no Steingerd: but he saw the
brothers whetting their weapons: so he turned on his heel and went,
saying: --
(14)
"The weapon that mows in the meadow
It met with the gay
painted buckler,
When I came to encounter a goddess
Who carries
the beaker of wine.
Beware! for I warn you of evil
When warriors
threaten me mischief.
It shall not be for nought that I pour ye
The
newly mixed mead of the gods."
And when he could find Steingerd nowhere, he made this song: --
(15)
"She has gone, with the glitter of ocean
Agleam on her wrist
and her bosom,
And my heart follows hard on her footsteps,
For the
hall is in darkness without her.
I have gazed, but my glances can
pierce not
The gloom of the desolate dwelling;
And fierce is my
longing to find her,
The fair one who only can heal me."
After a while he came to the outhouse where Steingerd was, and burst it
open and had talk with her.
"This is madness," cried she, "to come talking with me; for Thorveig's
sons are meant to have thy head."
But he answered: --
(16)
"There wait they within that would snare me;
There whet they
their swords for my slaying.
My bane they shall be not, the cowards,

The brood of the churl and the carline.
Let the twain of them find
me and fight me
In the field, without shelter to shield them,
And

ewes of the sheep should be surer
To shorten the days of the wolf."
So he sat there all day. By that time Thorkel saw that the plan he had
made was come to nothing; and he bade the sons of Thorveig waylay
Cormac in a dale near his garth. "Narfi shall go with ye two," said he;
"but I will stay at home, and bring you help if need be."
In the evening Cormac set out, and when he came to the dale, he saw
three men, and said in verse: --
(17)
"There sit they in hiding to stay me
From the sight of my
queen of the jewels:
But rude will their task be to reave me
From
the roof of my bounteous lady.
The fainer the hatred they harbour

For him that is free of her doorway,
The fainer my love and my
longing
For the lass that is sweeter than samphire."
Then leaped up Thorveig's sons, and fought Cormac for a time: Narfi
the while skulked and dodged behind them. Thorkel saw from his
house that they were getting but slowly forward, and he took his
weapons. In that nick of time Steingerd came out and saw what her
father meant. She laid hold on his hands, and he got no nearer to help
the brothers. In the end Odd fell, and Gudmund was so wounded that
he died afterwards. Thorkel saw to them, and Cormac went home.
A little after this Cormac went to Thorveig and said he would have her
no longer live there at the firth. "Thou shalt flit and go thy way at such
a time," said he, "and I will give no bloodmoney for thy sons."
Thorveig answered, "It is like enough ye can hunt me out of the
countryside, and leave my sons unatoned. But this way I'll reward thee.
Never shalt thou have Steingerd."
Said Cormac, "That's not for thee to make or to mar, thou wicked old
hag!"
CHAPTER SIX
Cormac Wins His Bride and Loses Her.

After this, Cormac went to see Steingerd the same as ever: and once
when they talked over these doings she said no ill of them: whereupon
he made this song: --
(18)
"There sat they in hiding to slay me
From the sight of my bride
and my darling:
But weak were the feet of my foemen
When we
fought on the island of weapons.
And the rush of the mightiest rivers

Shall race from the shore to the mountains
Or ever I leave thee, my
lady,
And the love that I feast on to-day!"
"Say no such big words about it," answered she; "Many a thing may
stand in the road."
Upon which he said: --
(19)
"O sweet in the sheen of thy raiment,
The sight of thy beauty is
gladdening!
What man that goes marching to battle,
What mate
wouldst thou choose to be thine?"
And she answered: --
(20)
"O giver of gold, O ring-breaker,
If the gods and the high fates