It is at the beginning of this saga that Harald Fairhair ruled Norway. He was the first sovereign king over all Norway, and because of him, many people emigrated to various lands. There were also powerful people among the emigrants because they did not wish to endure his tyranny, yet they didn’t have enough power to challenge him. In the days of King Harald, Iceland was discovered and settled. The children of Ketil Flatnose journeyed here. Among them were Bjorn the Easterner, from whom the Kjallakar are descended. And Helgi Bjolan, who settled in Kjalarnes. And Thorunn Hyrna, who married Helgi the Lean in Eyjafjord. From them come the Eyfirthingar. Aud, Ketil’s daughter, finally journeyed here, and from her family comes the Earls of Orkney, the Gautuskeggjar in the Faroe Islands, and the Breidfyrthingar here in Iceland. Thorolf Mostur-beard also journeyed here, and he took all of Thorsness land, and from him come the Snorrungar. Ulfr the Squinter journeyed here and he took Reykjanes in Breidafjord, and the Reyknesingar come from him. Thord the Viking journeyed here. He came into Dyrafjord and took all the land on the southern side. Hrollaug, who was the son of Ragnvald the Earl of Maeri, and who was the brother of Earl Turf-Einar, Thorir the Silent, and Göngu-Hrolf, journeyed here and took land east of Síða, and from him are descended the people of Síða.
In that time there was a powerful hersir in Norway who was named Thorkel, and he was nicknamed Gullhjalmr of Sunnhordaland in Surnadal. He was a married man. He had three sons with his wife. The oldest was named Ari, the second was Gisli, and the third was Thorbjorn. They were all promising men. The name of the man who ruled over Fjardafylki is Isi. His daughter was named Ingibjorg and she was most promising among women. Ari Thorkelsson asked for her hand in marriage, and so she was given to him. From her he acquired much wealth. One man named Kol accompanied her to her new home. He came from a prominent family, but he was abducted and so he was considered a slave. He travelled with Ingibjorg to Surnadal. Thorkel gives a rich farmstead to this son Ari. Ari takes control of the farm there in the valley. He appears to be a most promising man.
That man is now named in the saga who is called Bjorn. He was nicknamed Bjorn the Black. He was a berserker and a great dueller. There were also twelve others who accompanied him. Bjorn was skilled in magic, and so iron never cut him. He was unpopular with everyone. He put their wives and daughters in bed with him, and kept them with him for as long as he wished. Everyone was anxious when he came, and they rejoiced when he left.
It is told that Bjorn learns that Ari has brought a beautiful woman to his farmstead and that he has inherited a handsome amount of wealth. He considers it advantageous to go to that place. He turns away with his gang and arrives there that evening. Ari and Bjorn, along with the other Berserkers, meet each other. Bjorn says that he intends to take control of the farm for himself, and that he intends to have his wife Ingibjorg in the same bed as he as long as he saw fit. Bjorn asked Ari to do whatever he thought better, to go away or stay there. Ari declares that that he will not leave and that he did not plan for him to have any control over the farmstead.
“Very good!” Bjorn says. “But there is another choice. I will challenge you to a duel if you agree to a delay of three days. Then, in the appointed time, each of us will try to win Ingibjorg, and he who takes victory in the duel shall also take wealth from the other. But I will not surrender any wealth in this duel. Indeed I always take wealth from my opponent.”
Ari says that he will eagerly fight and the berserkers now leave. When the appointed time comes, they equip themselves for the duel, and go to the duelling site. The battle ends with the death of Ari, but Bjorn receives no wounds because iron does not cut him. Now, Bjorn considers himself to have already won the land, the moveable property, and the wife. He makes it known publicly that he plans to arrive at the farm that Ari owned that same evening.
Ari’s brother Gisli replies to Bjorn’s words, and quickly exclaimed what will happen regarding his family. “If that wickedness happens, misery will overwhelm us. Now, this can never happen. I will challenge you to a duel first thing in the morning. I would much rather die in a duel than endure this calamity.”
Bjorn says, “That is good! You will put an end to your entire family if you intend to risk doing battle with me.”
After this they parted and Gisli goes home to Ari’s farm. The news about the duel got around, as did the passing of Ari, and everyone thought that ownership of the estate was lost. Gisli goes to meet wtih Ingibjorg and tells her about the passing of Ari, that he challenged Bjorn to a duel, and that they must fight tomorrow.
“That is a miserable plan,” says Ingibjorg, “and I fear that to you will not do well unless you make use of the help of others.”
Gisli says, “I will ask you, or anyone else, for help. If it is most likely that whatever you propose will contribute to my cause, then victory might be more likely than it would otherwise.”
“There is a certain man,” says Ingibjorg, “who appears most likely to know how to contribute to this case in a way that the advantage might come to you.”
“Who is that?,” says Gisli.
“Kol, my fosterling is the man,” she says, “I believe that he might have a certain sword, which shall be better than any other. However he makes it out to be of little worth, and he calls it his hacking blade.”
And now Kol was sent for and he comes to meet Gisli and Ingibjorn. Gisli said, “You have a rather good sword.”
Kol replies, “My sword is a small treasure, however there are many things in a churl’s house that is not in a king’s stronghold.”
Gisli said, “Will you not loan me the sword for the duel against Bjorn?”
Kol spoke, “Now you will act like so many people do when someone possesses a valuable thing and the owner cannot bear to give it away. But I will tell you now, that the sword will cut anything it strikes, whether it is made of iron or anything else. It cannot be dulled because it is forged by dwarves. The sword is named Grasida (Grey-blade). And you must expect that I will be displeased if I cannot take the sword when I wish to hold it.”
“On the other hand it is not right,” says Gisli, “that you hold onto your sword while I have had such dire need for it.”
So now Gisli takes the sword and night passes. Before they leave home for the duel, Thorbjorn asks his brother Gisli, “Brother, who among us should fight the berserker today, and who should slaughter the calf?”
Gisli answers, “I recommend that you slaughter the calf, then Bjorn and I will do battle.”1
He did not make the easy choice. They go then to the dueling site. Gisli and Bjorn enter the duelling ring. Then Gisli said that Bjorn should swing first. “No one has ever offered that to me,” says Bjorn, “but then no one but you has ever challenged me to a duel either.”
Now Bjorn swings his sword against Gisli, but Gisli holds his shield up. Bjorn swings his sword and it sliced off everything above the handle of the shield. Gisli swings back against Bjorn and the sword meets the bottom point of Bjorn’s shield,2 and it slices off his leg below the knee. Gisli swings his sword at Bjorn one more time against his head. When Gisli and his men turn against Bjorn’s band, some of them were killed and some of them ran into a forest.
And so Gisli went home after these events and he got a good reputation from them. After that he takes control of the farm after the legacy of his brother Ari, who previously owned it. He also married Ingibjorg–some time passes–but he didn’t let the sword leave his possession because Kol did not ask for its return.
One day they meet each other outside. Gisli had in his hand the sword Grasida and Kol had an ax. Kol asked, “How did the sword work for you?” Gisli expressed his approval of the sword’s performance. “I now wish to take it back,” says Kol, “If you think to have accomplished your need at this time.”
“Will you give it to me?” says Gisli.
“No,” says Kol.
“I will give you your freedom, a shipload of provisions, and a crew so that you can travel abroad,” says Gisli.
“I will not give you the sword,” says Kol.
“Then I will give you your freedom and give to you land. And along with this wealth I will give to you as much livestock as you desire to have.”
“But I would rather not give you the sword,” says Kol.
“You are too stubborn about this,” says Gisli. “Set your price to however much moveable wealth you might have in mind,” he says. “I will not be stingy with payment if you settle on any amount. Along with this I will get for you your freedom and an honorable marriage, if that is what you desire.”
“There is nothing to discuss,” says Kol. “I will not give you the sword for what you offer. So now things are turning out as I have originally suspected, that it would not be certain that you would give the sword back, if you knew what secrets it contains.”
“I will tell you,” says Gisli, “how it will go, that neither of us will do well because I am not inclined to give up the sword, and it will not come into the hands of another man except me if I have something to say about it.”
Kol raised up the ax, but Gisli brandished Grasida, and each swung their weapons at each other. Kol swung the sword to Gisli’s head so that it was lodged in Gisli’s brain. And the sword hit Kol’s head. It didn’t cut, but the swing was so hard that Kol’s skull split open and the sword broke in pieces.
Then Kol said, “Now it would have gone better if I had taken the sword as I originally asked. All this will unravel in misfortune, which your family will inherit.”
And then each of them gave up their lives.
After that Ingibjorg desires to leave Surnadal, and she goes home to her father with her wealth. Thorbjorn finds a good marriage. He travels east across the Kjölen mountains to Frey’s Islands. He proposed to a certain woman called Isgerd, and he married her. After that he went home to Surnadal, and took up managing the estate with this father. Thorkel Gullhjalmr lives for a short time before he gets sick and dies. Thorbjorn inherits all of his father’s wealth. After that he was known as Thorbjorn Sur. Thorbjorn and Isgerd had children and they are so named: Their son is named Thorkel, the oldest, and the second Gisli. The third is called Ari, but he immediately goes east to Frey’s Islands to be fostered, and so he has little to do with this saga. Their daughter is named Thordis. Thorkel was a large man, beautiful in appearance, powerful in his strength, and more showy in his appearance than most men. Gisli was a swarthy man, and like many men who have grown so large, his strength could hardly be estimated. He was a skillful man, very hard working, and gentle in his demeanor. Their sister Thordis was beautiful in her appearance, very noble looking, and rather hardy in her demeanor, but she was most haughty.
The men who live in Surnadal are so named: One is called Bard and another is called Kolbeinn. They were always together as children and they were rather wealthy, but no one was bound to them. They had also recently lost their fathers in a journey to England. That farm where Bard lived was called Hella, and Granaskeið was the name of the place where Kolbeinn lived. They were the same age as the sons of Þorbjorn Sur, and both of them were most cheerful.
Now, in this time a change in the kingship of Norway occurred, more than once. First, Eric Bloodaxe, the son of Harald Fairhair, took charge of the kingdom from his father while he still lived. When Harald passed away, Hakon came from the west from England and immediately went north to Trondheim. Hakon first meets Sigurd Earl of Lade. Sigurd bequeath to Hakon every territory that his father, Hakon the Old, had in Trondheim. 3
Hakon said to him, “It seems to me that this deal is well made in that you uphold me as king. I shall grant you the same esteem your father had–that you shall be free and not in bondage, along with everyone else in this land.”
Harald Fairhair oppressed the land in this way: He possessed all the land in Norway, both inhabited and uninhabited, and equally so the all seas, lakes, and rivers, and everyone had to be his land-tenants.
Now the earl thinks this over and was happy with Hakon’s offer, and then they firmly bound their friendship with each other.
Earl Sigurd then issues a summons for an assembly of three districts. 4
When the assembly begins, Hakon stands up before them and says, “It is known to everyone who have come here that Harald Fair-hair laid all of Norway under his rule, including everything from the north to Finnmark and eastward to Alvdal. He became the sole ruler over all the people. He had many sons who are known to you, and most of them were well-raised, but he loved them unequally. He sent some of his sons away to other lands, but others he kept with him in his court, like Eric Bloodaxe, who he thought was better than all his other sons. Everyone, just consider all that Eric has done while he has been alive. My brother has done so many things that resulted in so much misery. So now I mean to ask you, residents of Trondheim, that you also consider what would strengthen and steady the ship of state. May you now choose what would be more advantageous to the tenantry and also your kin. Consider what would make everyone more prosperous. As of now the state of affairs in Norway is such that the tenantry will only become more weak. I now wish to ask you, every Thrandr, that you consider a king who will strengthen and steady the government, who will be more fitting for the tenantry and would furthermore let their kin be more prosperous, and also all the people. Yet Eric intends to subjugate the tenantry. I will also proclaim that I will return all your inherited lands to every man who will turn to me and call me king.”
Many men spoke among each other, “What a wondrous sight! King Harald Fairhair is here, and he has become young again! He was old when we last saw him! But how can this be? Either he must have some son that looks so much like him that no one can discern him from his father. Or, that one is young, and the other is old, and one of them just gave us back our inheritance and our family estates, and his father, through tyranny, deprived us of these things.”
So, then all the common people said that they would prefer that man who looked most like King Harald as their king and who demonstrated good will and kindness. They said that they would never wish to never have Eric rule them, that man who sent his entire family away. Nor did they wish to have Gunnhild or her sons rule them.
When the Thing concluded, Hakon was received as king by the people. And then the news of who the Trondheim assembly chose as their king travelled to one district, and then another. The people sent a message to Hakon and requested that they celebrate the Eucharist with him. And when Hakon became king, this was the same time that Þorbjorn Surr and his sons migrated to Surnadal.
Now it is to be said now that Kolbeinn thought it most pleasant to speak with Thordis, Thorbjorn surr’s daughter. So Kolbeinn courted her when he came to visit Thorbjorn. It did not take very much time before word of this got around. And so when her father Thorbjorn learned about this, he figured that it must certainly be true. He then speaks with his sons, because it seems to him that they should remedy this situation.
Gisli explains that good terms should be negotiated peacefully because Kolbeinn didn’t commit any violence.
“And surely you’re not going to suggest that there should be hostility if we can just talk about it?”
“I see,” said Thorbjorn, “that much more has to suddenly be dealt with. Now it appears to me to me that it is much more likely that you two brothers have become unreasonable. Really, there is little manliness between the two of you.”
Gisli said, “Do not cause any grief over his visit, father! I will tell him to give up coming here.”
“About this, your are most likely than not,” says Thorbjorn,” to take this message to him: That he that he stop coming here, give you gratitude and thanks, and cease his wretched behavior. But your words will only go ignored.”
Now, father and son end their conversation and Gisli leaves him. The next time Kolbeinn came to that place, Gisli leads him along the path that evening. Gisli tells him that he no longer wishes him to come there, “because my father is bothered by your behavior. People are talking among themselves that you are seducing my sister Thordis without my father’s consent. I will fix this for you if you will happily do as I say, and as a good sport.”
Kolbeinn said, “What good will that do if you know that nothing will happen? I don’t know what would be more difficult for me, your father’s sadness or his happiness.
Gisli answers, “It’s not going to happen that way. Right now and from now on I will do my best to honor the will of my father. Now it would appear to me very important that you do what I say now, and from now on. I fear that we will dislike each other more if you wish to remain stubborn.”
Kolbeinn receives his words coldly as they they part. Gisli goes home and nothing more happens. Kolbeinn came by less often, but he still comes. Whenever he feels lonely he goes to Thorbjorn’s farm. And one day, when he was there, Gisli sat in the sitting room working on something, and his father and brothers were all there. Thorkel was most cheerful with Kolbeinn, and three of them, Thordis, Thorkel, and Kolbein sat on the high floor of the hall together. When the day wore on and evening came, they got up and left. Thorbjorn and Gisli remained on the high floor. Then Thorbjorn took to speech, “your persistent requests for Kolbeinn to stop visiting will come to nothing. Your approach become womanly. I don’t know whether or not I should consider you brothers to be my sons or my daughters. Now that is so much to ponder in my old age. That I now have sons who appear to have no manliness. But I only see women. You are so unlike those brothers I used to know, Gisli and Ari.”
Gisli replies, “You don’t need to do all this. It is impossible to know how fate will dole out misery to anyone.”
Now Gisli could not bear to hear his father’s foul language and walked away. Thorkel and Kolbeinn went out through the front door but Thordis went back toward the high floor. Gisli goes out after them, and they walk altogether. Gisli nevertheless broached the topic and asked again that he stop coming to the farm. Kolbeinn said that he does not expect that this will happen. Gisli said, “you have little regard for my words. Then our friendship will make a turn for the worse, but I expected that.”
“I don’t think I caused that,” says Kolbeinn.
Gisli said, “Either it shall be, that you shall respect my words or I will declare that our friendship to be at an end.”
“You must decide what you wish to do,” says Kolbeinn, “but I do not feel any less inclined to stop coming to visit.”
Gisli drew his sword and swung it at him, and the strike accomplished its goal perfectly. Thorkell became very offended by this deed, but Gisli goes back inside. Thorbjorn hears how Gisli’s persistence played out. “I will say,” says Gisli, “that it had gone well because Kolbeinn shall stop coming to visit and trouble you. Just as we have discussed.”
“Your words mean the same,” says Thorbjorn, “if he is dead.”
“Consider it all for the better,” said Gisli, “that your wish in this matter has been done.”
“Now be proud and content of your handiwork,” says Thorbjorn, “and so it is true that my offspring is no daughter.”
Now it is spoken in this saga about Thorkel. He didn’t want to go home and so he makes plans to move east to Freyseyjar. Then he goes to a tenant farmer who is named Sigurd. He was not a rich man and was full of good-will toward everyone. He kindly received Thorkel and asked how things are going with his father. Thorkel says that he plans to go to Kjol. “That is the one journey,” said Sigurd, “that I wish you do not put your mind to, because it presents many difficulties.”
“Why does this matter?” asks Thorkel.
“I know that it not wise,” says Sigurd, “but I will tell you the truth. Of all those who travel in a group of fewer than twelve, no one came back. But those who travel in a large group were not aware of any difficulty in their passage.”
“It appears to me uncertain what the cause of this might be,” says Thorkel. “But I cannot stop my journey and go back just because of this. This I will…
(A lacuna of ten leaves from the MS begins here)
According to some sources, the Holmgang ritual included an animal sacrifice. ↩
The shape of this shield appears to be of the kind in which the bottom portion of the shield ends in a point. The “shield tail” is the bottom taper below Bjorn’s knee. ↩
Hakon the Old is the first Earl of Lade and Sigurd’s father. Not the king. ↩
A Thing assembly. ↩