The Sagas of the Icelanders by Robert Kellogg & Various & Jane Smiley

Author:Robert Kellogg & Various & Jane Smiley [Kellogg, Robert & Various & Smiley, Jane]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 0101-01-01T00:00:00+00:00

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Gudmund and Thurid invited Kjartan to pay them a visit where they lived in north Iceland during the coming winter, and he promised to do so. Kalf Asgeirsson decided to head north with his father, so he and Kjartan each took their share of their common fund and parted the best of friends. Kjartan left the booths to ride to Dalir with eleven others, and everyone was pleased to see him when they arrived home at Hjardarholt.

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