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==Chapter 30==
==Chapter 30==


'''XXX.'''
So Gunnar held on out of the river, and he and Kolskegg were both on board one ship. But Hallvard was on board another. Now, they see the ships before them, and then Gunnar spoke, and said, "Let us be ready for anything if they turn towards us! but else let us have nothing to do with them."
 
So they did that, and made all ready on board their ships. The others parted their ships asunder, and made a fareway between the ships. Gunnar fared straight on between the ships, but Vandil caught up a grappling-iron, and cast it between their ships and Gunnar's ship, and began at once to drag it towards him.
 
Oliver had given Gunnar a good sword; Gunnar now drew it, and had not yet put on his helm. He leapt at once on the forecastle of Vandil's ship, and gave one man his death-blow. Karli ran his ship alongside the other side of Gunnar's ship, and hurled a spear athwart the deck, and aimed at him about the waist. Gunnar sees this, and turned him about so quickly that no eye could follow him, and caught the spear with his left hand, and hurled it back at Karli's ship, and that man got his death who stood before it. Kolskegg snatched up a grapnel and cast it at Karli's ship, and the fluke fell inside the hold, and went out through one of the planks and in rushed the coal-blue sea, and all the men sprang on board other ships.
 
Now Gunnar leapt back to his own ship, and then Hallvard came up, and now a great battle arose. They saw now that their leader was unflinching, and every man did as well as he could. Sometimes Gunnar smote with the sword, and sometimes he hurled the spear, and many a man had his bane at his hand. Kolskegg backed him well. As for Karli, he hastened in a ship to his brother Vandil, and thence they fought that day. During the day Kolskegg took a rest on Gunnar's ship, and Gunnar sees that. Then he sung a song--
 
"For the eagle ravine-eager,
Raven of my race, to-day
Better surely hast thou catered,
Lord of gold, than for thyself;
Here the morn come greedy ravens
Many any a rill of wolf to sup,
But thee burning thirst down-beareth,
Prince of battle's Parliament!"
 
After that Kolskegg took a beaker full of mead, and drank it off, and went on fighting afterwards; and so it came about that those brothers sprang up on the ship of Vandil and his brother, and Kolskegg went on one side, and Gunnar on the other. Against Gunnar came Vandil, and smote at once at him with his sword, and the blow fell on his shield. Gunnar gave the shield a twist as the sword pierced it, and broke it short off at the hilt. Then Gunnar smote back at Vandil, and three swords seemed to be aloft, and Vandil could not see how to shun the blow. Then Gunnar cut both his legs from under him, and at the same time Kolskegg ran Karli through with a spear. After that they took great war spoil.
 
Thence they held on south to Denmark, and thence east to Smoland, and had victory wherever they went. They did not come back in autumn. The next summer they held on to Reval, and fell in there with sea-rovers, and fought at once, and won the fight. After that they steered east to Osel, and lay there somewhile under a ness. There they saw a man coming down from the ness above them; Gunnar went on shore to meet the man, and they had a talk. Gunnar asked him his name, and he said it was Tofi. Gunnar asked again what he wanted.
 
"Thee I want to see," says the man. " Two warships lie on the other side under the ness, and I will tell thee who command them: two brothers are the captains--one's name is Hallgrim, and the other's Kolskegg. I know them to be mighty men of war; and I know too that they have such good weapons that the like are not to be had. Hallgrim has a bill which he had made by seething- spells; and this is what the spells say, that no weapon shall give him his death-blow save that bill. That thing follows it too that it is known at once when a man is to be slain with that bill, for something sings in it so loudly that it may be heard along way off--such a strong nature has that bill in it."
 
Then Gunnar sang a song--
 
"Soon shall I that spearhead seize,
And the bold sea-rover slay,
Him whose blows on headpiece ring,
Heaper up of piles of dead.
Then on Endil's courser bounding,
O'er the sea-depths I will ride,
While the wretch who spells abuseth,
Life shall lose in Sigar's storm."
 
"Kolskegg has a short sword; that is also the best of weapons. Force, too, they have--a third more than ye. They have also much goods, and have stowed them away on land, and I know clearly where they are. But they have sent a spy-ship off the ness, and they know all about you. Now they are getting themselves ready as fast as they can; and as soon as they are 'boun,' they mean to run out against you. Now you have either to row away at once, or to busk yourselves as quickly as ye can; but if ye win the day then I will lead you to all their store of goods."
 
Gunnar gave him a golden finger-ring, and went afterwards to his men and told them that war-ships lay on the other side of the ness, "and they know all about us; so let us take to our arms and busk us well, for now there is gain to be got."
 
Then they busked them; and just when they were 'boun' they see ships coming up to them. And now a fight sprung up between them, and they fought long, and many men fell. Gunnar slew many a man. Hallgrim and his men leapt on board Gunnar's ship. Gunnar turns to meet him, and Hallgrim thrust at him with his bill. There was a boom athwart the ship, and Gunnar leapt nimbly back over it. Gunnar's shield was just before the boom, and Hallgrim thrust his bill into it, and through it, and so on into the boom. Gunnar cut at Hallgrim's arm hard, and lamed the forearm, but the sword would not bite. Then down fell the bill, and Gunnar seized the bill, and thrust Hallgrim through, and then sang a song--
 
"Slain is he who spoiled the people,
Lashing them with flashing steel;
Heard have I how Hallgrim's magic
Helm-rod forged in foreign land;
All men know, of heart-strings doughty,
How this bill hath come to me,
Deft in fight, the wolf's dear feeder,
Death alone us two shall part."
 
And that vow Gunnar kept, in that he bore the bill while he lived. Those namesakes the two Kolskeggs fought together, and it was a near thing which would get the better of it. Then Gunnar came up, and gave the other Kolskegg his death-blow. After that the sea-rovers begged for mercy. Gunnar let them have that choice, and he let them also count the slain, and take the goods which the dead men owned, but he gave the others whom he spared their arms and their clothing, and bade them be off to the lands that fostered them. So they went off, and Gunnar took all the goods that were left behind.
 
Tofi came to Gunner after the battle, and offered to lead him to that store of goods which the sea-rovers had stowed away, and said that it was both better and larger than that which they had already got.
 
Gunnar said he was willing to go, and so he went ashore, and Tofi before him, to a wood, and Gunnar behind him. They came to a place where a great heap of wood was piled together. Tofi says the goods were under there, then they tossed off the wood, and found under it both gold and silver, clothes, and good weapons. They bore those goods to the ships, and Gunnar asks Tofi in what way he wished him to repay him.
 
Tofi answered, "I am a Dansk man by race, and I wish thou wouldst bring me to my kinsfolk."
 
Gunnar asks why he was there away east?
 
"I was taken by sea-rovers," says Tofi, "and they put me on land here in Osel, and here I have been ever since."
 


ENSKA


==References==
==References==

Latest revision as of 15:15, 19 May 2016


Chapter 30

So Gunnar held on out of the river, and he and Kolskegg were both on board one ship. But Hallvard was on board another. Now, they see the ships before them, and then Gunnar spoke, and said, "Let us be ready for anything if they turn towards us! but else let us have nothing to do with them."

So they did that, and made all ready on board their ships. The others parted their ships asunder, and made a fareway between the ships. Gunnar fared straight on between the ships, but Vandil caught up a grappling-iron, and cast it between their ships and Gunnar's ship, and began at once to drag it towards him.

Oliver had given Gunnar a good sword; Gunnar now drew it, and had not yet put on his helm. He leapt at once on the forecastle of Vandil's ship, and gave one man his death-blow. Karli ran his ship alongside the other side of Gunnar's ship, and hurled a spear athwart the deck, and aimed at him about the waist. Gunnar sees this, and turned him about so quickly that no eye could follow him, and caught the spear with his left hand, and hurled it back at Karli's ship, and that man got his death who stood before it. Kolskegg snatched up a grapnel and cast it at Karli's ship, and the fluke fell inside the hold, and went out through one of the planks and in rushed the coal-blue sea, and all the men sprang on board other ships.

Now Gunnar leapt back to his own ship, and then Hallvard came up, and now a great battle arose. They saw now that their leader was unflinching, and every man did as well as he could. Sometimes Gunnar smote with the sword, and sometimes he hurled the spear, and many a man had his bane at his hand. Kolskegg backed him well. As for Karli, he hastened in a ship to his brother Vandil, and thence they fought that day. During the day Kolskegg took a rest on Gunnar's ship, and Gunnar sees that. Then he sung a song--

"For the eagle ravine-eager, Raven of my race, to-day Better surely hast thou catered, Lord of gold, than for thyself; Here the morn come greedy ravens Many any a rill of wolf to sup, But thee burning thirst down-beareth, Prince of battle's Parliament!"

After that Kolskegg took a beaker full of mead, and drank it off, and went on fighting afterwards; and so it came about that those brothers sprang up on the ship of Vandil and his brother, and Kolskegg went on one side, and Gunnar on the other. Against Gunnar came Vandil, and smote at once at him with his sword, and the blow fell on his shield. Gunnar gave the shield a twist as the sword pierced it, and broke it short off at the hilt. Then Gunnar smote back at Vandil, and three swords seemed to be aloft, and Vandil could not see how to shun the blow. Then Gunnar cut both his legs from under him, and at the same time Kolskegg ran Karli through with a spear. After that they took great war spoil.

Thence they held on south to Denmark, and thence east to Smoland, and had victory wherever they went. They did not come back in autumn. The next summer they held on to Reval, and fell in there with sea-rovers, and fought at once, and won the fight. After that they steered east to Osel, and lay there somewhile under a ness. There they saw a man coming down from the ness above them; Gunnar went on shore to meet the man, and they had a talk. Gunnar asked him his name, and he said it was Tofi. Gunnar asked again what he wanted.

"Thee I want to see," says the man. " Two warships lie on the other side under the ness, and I will tell thee who command them: two brothers are the captains--one's name is Hallgrim, and the other's Kolskegg. I know them to be mighty men of war; and I know too that they have such good weapons that the like are not to be had. Hallgrim has a bill which he had made by seething- spells; and this is what the spells say, that no weapon shall give him his death-blow save that bill. That thing follows it too that it is known at once when a man is to be slain with that bill, for something sings in it so loudly that it may be heard along way off--such a strong nature has that bill in it."

Then Gunnar sang a song--

"Soon shall I that spearhead seize, And the bold sea-rover slay, Him whose blows on headpiece ring, Heaper up of piles of dead. Then on Endil's courser bounding, O'er the sea-depths I will ride, While the wretch who spells abuseth, Life shall lose in Sigar's storm."

"Kolskegg has a short sword; that is also the best of weapons. Force, too, they have--a third more than ye. They have also much goods, and have stowed them away on land, and I know clearly where they are. But they have sent a spy-ship off the ness, and they know all about you. Now they are getting themselves ready as fast as they can; and as soon as they are 'boun,' they mean to run out against you. Now you have either to row away at once, or to busk yourselves as quickly as ye can; but if ye win the day then I will lead you to all their store of goods."

Gunnar gave him a golden finger-ring, and went afterwards to his men and told them that war-ships lay on the other side of the ness, "and they know all about us; so let us take to our arms and busk us well, for now there is gain to be got."

Then they busked them; and just when they were 'boun' they see ships coming up to them. And now a fight sprung up between them, and they fought long, and many men fell. Gunnar slew many a man. Hallgrim and his men leapt on board Gunnar's ship. Gunnar turns to meet him, and Hallgrim thrust at him with his bill. There was a boom athwart the ship, and Gunnar leapt nimbly back over it. Gunnar's shield was just before the boom, and Hallgrim thrust his bill into it, and through it, and so on into the boom. Gunnar cut at Hallgrim's arm hard, and lamed the forearm, but the sword would not bite. Then down fell the bill, and Gunnar seized the bill, and thrust Hallgrim through, and then sang a song--

"Slain is he who spoiled the people, Lashing them with flashing steel; Heard have I how Hallgrim's magic Helm-rod forged in foreign land; All men know, of heart-strings doughty, How this bill hath come to me, Deft in fight, the wolf's dear feeder, Death alone us two shall part."

And that vow Gunnar kept, in that he bore the bill while he lived. Those namesakes the two Kolskeggs fought together, and it was a near thing which would get the better of it. Then Gunnar came up, and gave the other Kolskegg his death-blow. After that the sea-rovers begged for mercy. Gunnar let them have that choice, and he let them also count the slain, and take the goods which the dead men owned, but he gave the others whom he spared their arms and their clothing, and bade them be off to the lands that fostered them. So they went off, and Gunnar took all the goods that were left behind.

Tofi came to Gunner after the battle, and offered to lead him to that store of goods which the sea-rovers had stowed away, and said that it was both better and larger than that which they had already got.

Gunnar said he was willing to go, and so he went ashore, and Tofi before him, to a wood, and Gunnar behind him. They came to a place where a great heap of wood was piled together. Tofi says the goods were under there, then they tossed off the wood, and found under it both gold and silver, clothes, and good weapons. They bore those goods to the ships, and Gunnar asks Tofi in what way he wished him to repay him.

Tofi answered, "I am a Dansk man by race, and I wish thou wouldst bring me to my kinsfolk."

Gunnar asks why he was there away east?

"I was taken by sea-rovers," says Tofi, "and they put me on land here in Osel, and here I have been ever since."


References


Kafli 30

Gunnar hélt út úr elfinni og voru þeir Kolskeggur á einu skipi báðir en Hallvarður var á öðru skipi. Þeir sjá nú skipin fyrir sér.

Þá mælti Gunnar: „Verum vér að nokkuru við búnir ef þeir leita á oss en eigum vér ekki við þá ellegar.“

Þeir gerðu svo og bjuggust við á skipum sínum. Hinir skildu í sundur skipin og gerðu hlið í millum skipanna. Gunnar fór fram milli skipanna. Vandill þreif upp stafnljá og kastaði á meðal skipanna og skips Gunnars og dró þegar að sér. Ölvir hafði gefið Gunnari sverð gott. Gunnar hjó nú sverðinu og hafði hann eigi sett á sig hjálminn, hleypur þegar á saxið á skip Vandils og hjó þegar mann til bana. Karli lagði að öðrum megin sínu skipi og skaut um þvert skip Gunnars og stefndi á hann miðjan. Gunnar sér þetta og snerist svo skjótt að eigi mátti auga á festa og tók hinni vinstri hendi spjótið og skaut á skip til Karla og hafði sá bana er fyrir varð. Kolskeggur þreif upp akkeri og kastar á skip Karla og kom fleinninn í borðið og út í gegnum og féll þar inn sjár kolblár og hljópu menn allir á önnur skip. Gunnar hljóp nú aftur á sitt skip.

Þá kom að Hallvarður og tókst nú bardagi mikill. Sáu þeir nú er fyrirmaður var öruggur og gerði hver að slíkt er mátti. Gunnar gerði ýmist er hann hjó eða skaut og hafði margur maður bana fyrir honum. Kolskeggur fylgdi honum vel. Karli hljóp á skip til Vandils bróður síns og börðust þeir þaðan um daginn.

Kolskeggur tók hvíld um daginn á skipi Gunnars og sér Gunnar það. Hann kvað þá vísu:


9.Þú hefir átgjörnum erni,

etur hrafn, verið betri

greiðir, gumna dauða,

gjálfurdags en þér sjálfum.

Hér gengur margur í morgin

muninn bekki vargs drekka

æstur en þig tekur þyrsta,

þingálmur fetils stinga.


Síðan tók Kolskeggur jústu eina af miði fulla og drakk og barðist eftir það. Og þar kom að þeir bræður hljópu upp á skip þeirra Vandils og gekk Kolskeggur með öðru borði en Gunnar með öðru. Í móti Gunnari gekk Vandill og hjó þegar til hans og kom í skjöldinn. Gunnar snaraði skjöldinn og sverðið festi í og brotnaði undir hjaltinu. Gunnar hjó þá í móti og sýndust þrjú sverðin á lofti og sá hann eigi hversu hann skyldi forðast. Gunnar hjó þá undan honum báða fætur. Kolskeggur lagði Karla í gegnum með spjóti. Eftir það tóku þeir herfang mikið.

Þaðan héldu þeir suður til Danmerkur og þaðan héldu þeir austur í Smálönd og höfðu jafnan sigur. Ekki héldu þeir aftur að hausti.

Annað sumar héldu þeir til Rafala og mættu þar víkingum og börðust þegar og fengu sigur. Síðan héldu þeir austur til Eysýslu og lágu þar nokkura hríð undir nesi einu. Þeir sáu mann einn ganga ofan af nesinu. Gunnar gekk á land upp að finna manninn og töluðu þeir. Gunnar spyr hann að nafni. Hann nefndist Tófi. Gunnar spurði hvað hann vildi.

„Þig vil eg finna. Herskip eru öðrum megin undir nesinu og mun eg segja þér hverjir fyrir ráða. Þar ráða fyrir bræður tveir. Heitir annar Hallgrímur en annar Kolskeggur. Þá veit eg mesta orustumenn og það með að þeir hafa vopn svo góð að eigi fær önnur slík. Hallgrímur hefir atgeir þann er hann hefir látið seiða til að honum skal ekki vopn að bana verða nema hann. Það fylgir og að þegar veit er víg er vegið með atgeirinum því að svo syngur í honum áður að langt heyrir til. Svo hefir hann náttúru mikla með sér.“

Gunnar kvað þá vísu:


10. Æst skal eg geir og geystan

gnýsvellanda fella,

hlæðir hildar skóða

hjálmangurs þegar fanga.

Ölungrundar skal eg, Endils

eykríðandi, of síðir

eiturs og eyðir láta

ört líf Sigars drífu.


„Kolskeggur hefir sax. Það er og hið besta vopn. Þeir hafa og lið þriðjungi meira en þér hafið. Fé hafa þeir og mikið og hafa fólgið á landi og veit eg gerla hvar er. En þeir hafa sent njósnarskip fyrir nesið og vita þeir allt til yðar. Þeir hafa nú og viðbúning mikinn og ætla þegar að yður að leggja er þeir eru búnir. Er yður nú annaðhvort til að leggja í braut þegar ella búist þér við sem skjótast. En ef þér hafið sigur þá skal eg fylgja þér til fjárins alls.“

Hann gaf honum fingurgull og gekk síðan til manna sinna og sagði þeim að herskip lágu öðrum megin nessins „og vita þeir allt til vor. Tökum vér vopn vor og búumst við vel.“ Og þá er þeir voru búnir sjá þeir að skip fara að þeim. Tekst nú orusta með þeim og berjast þeir lengi og verður mannfall mikið. Gunnar vó margan mann. Þeir Hallgrímur hljópu á skip til Gunnars. Gunnar sneri í móti honum. Hallgrímur lagði til hans með atgeirinum. Slá ein var um þvert skipið og hljóp Gunnar aftur yfir öfugur. Skjöldur Gunnars var fyrir framan slána og lagði Hallgrímur í hann og í gegnum og svo í slána. Gunnar hjó á hönd Hallgrími og lamdist handleggurinn en sverðið beit ekki. Féll þá niður atgeirinn. Gunnar tók atgeirinn og lagði í gegnum Hallgrím og kvað þá vísu:


11. Felldan hefi eg þann er eyddi öldu

eisu, er kunni holdi að reisa.

Seiddan frá eg að Hallgrímur hefði

hjálmavönd í öðrum löndum.

Allir viti hve að úlfa fylli

atgeir of kom, dyggvir skatnar.

Hann skal mér, því að herskap kunnum,

hendi fylginn lífs til enda.


Og það efndi Gunnar að hann bar atgeirinn meðan hann lifði. Þeir börðust nafnar og var nær hvorum vænna horfði. Þá kom Gunnar að og hjó Kolskegg banahögg. Eftir það beiddu víkingar sér griða. Gunnar lét þess kost og hann lét þá kanna valinn og taka fé það er dauðir menn höfðu átt en hann gaf hinum vopn sín og klæði, er hann gaf grið, og bað þá fara til fósturjarða sinna. Þeir héldu í braut en Gunnar tók fé það allt er eftir var.

Tófi kom að Gunnari eftir bardagann og bauð að fylgja honum til fjár þess er víkingar hafa fólgið og kvað það bæði vera meira og betra en þetta er þeir höfðu áður fengið. Gunnar kveðst það vilja. Gunnar gekk þá á land og Tófi fyrir til skógar en Gunnar eftir. Þeir komu að þar sem viður var borinn saman mikill. Tófi segir að þar var féið undir. Ruddu þeir þá af viðunum og fundu undir bæði gull og silfur, klæði og vopn góð. Þeir bera fé þetta til skipa. Gunnar spurði Tófa hverju hann vildi er hann launaði honum.

Tófi svaraði: „Eg er danskur maður að ætt og vildi eg að þú fylgdir mér til frænda minna.“

Gunnar spurði hví hann væri í Austurvegi.

„Eg var tekinn af víkingum,“ segir Tófi, „og var mér hér skotið á land í Eysýslu og hefi eg hér verið síðan.“


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