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Eirik the Red's Saga - Anonymous · Red Skelton

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Speaker 1: This is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in
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Speaker 1: the public domain. For more information or to volunteer, please
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Speaker 1: visit LibriVox dot org. Recorded by Julian Jamieson Eirik the
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Speaker 1: reds Saga Anonymous, translated from the Old Norse by John
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Speaker 1: Sefton Chapter one. Olaf, who was called Olaf the White,
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Speaker 1: was styled a warrior king. He was the son of
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Speaker 1: King Ingjald, the son of Helgi, the son of Olaf,
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Speaker 1: the son of Gudred, the son of Hafdan Whiteleg, king
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Speaker 1: of the Uplands in Norway. He led a harrying expedition
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Speaker 1: of sea rovers into the West and conquered Dublin in
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Speaker 1: Ireland and Dublinshire, over which he made himself self king.
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Speaker 1: He married Aud, the deep Minded, daughter of Kettel flat Nose,
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Speaker 1: son of Bjorn the Ungartered, a nobleman from Norway. Their
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Speaker 1: son was named Thorstein the Red. Olaf fell in battle
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Speaker 1: in Ireland, and then Aud and Thorstein went into the
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Speaker 1: Sudreyjar the hebrides. There, Thorstain married Thorid, daughter of Avend
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Speaker 1: the Easterling, sister of Helgi the Lean, and they had
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Speaker 1: many children. Thorstain became a warrior king and formed an
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Speaker 1: alliance with Earl Sigurd, the great son of Eysteine the Rattler.
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Speaker 1: They conquered Caithness, Sutherland, Ross and Moray and more than
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Speaker 1: half Scotland. Over these, Thorstein was king until the Scots
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Speaker 1: plotted against him and he fell there in battle. Aoud
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Speaker 1: was in Caithness when she heard of Thorstein's death. Then
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Speaker 1: she caused a merchant ship to be secretly built in
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Speaker 1: the wood, and when she was ready, directed her course
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Speaker 1: out into the Orkneys. There she gave in marriage Thorstein
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Speaker 1: the Red's daughter, gro who became mother of Grelad, whom
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Speaker 1: Earl Thorfinn the Skull Cleaver married. Afterwards, Aoud set out
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Speaker 1: to seek Iceland. Having twenty freemen in her ship. Aoud
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Speaker 1: came to Iceland and passed the first winter in Bjarnarhuven
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Speaker 1: or Bjornshaven with her brother Bjorn. Afterwards, she occupied all
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Speaker 1: the Dale country between the Dogardara or Daymiel River and
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Speaker 1: the Skramukhlaupsa or River of the Giantess his Leap, and
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Speaker 1: dwelt at Ram. She had prayer meetings at krosshauler Cross hills,
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Speaker 1: where she caused crosses to be erected, for she was
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Speaker 1: baptized and deeply devoted to the faith. There came with
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Speaker 1: her to Iceland many men worthy of honor who had
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Speaker 1: been taken captive in sea roving expeditions to the west,
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Speaker 1: and who were called bondmen. One of these was named Vifil.
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Speaker 1: He was a man of high family and had been
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Speaker 1: taken captive beyond the western main, and was also called
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Speaker 1: a bondman before Aoud set him free. And when Aoud
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Speaker 1: granted dwellings to her ship's company, Vifil asked why she
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Speaker 1: gave no abode to him, like unto the others. Aoud
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Speaker 1: replied that it was of no moment to him, for
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Speaker 1: she said he would be esteemed in whatever place he was,
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Speaker 1: as one worthy of all honor. She gave him Vifilsdaler
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Speaker 1: or Vifilsdale, and he dwelt there and married. His sons
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Speaker 1: were Thorbjorn and Thorgeir, promising men, and they grew up
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Speaker 1: in their father's house. Chapter two, there was a man
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Speaker 1: named Thorvald, the son of Asvald, the son of Ulf,
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Speaker 1: the son of Ixnethoris. His son was named Eirik father
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Speaker 1: and son removed from Jadar in Norway to Iceland because
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Speaker 1: of manslaughters, and occupied land in Hornstrander and dwelt at Drangar.
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Speaker 1: There Thorvald died, and Eirek then married Theiothilde, daughter of Jorund,
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Speaker 1: the son of Atli and of Thorbjorg. The ship rested
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Speaker 1: whom afterwards Thorbjorn of the Haukadalar or Hawkdale family married
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Speaker 1: He It was who dwelt at Erik's dadder after Eirik
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Speaker 1: removed from the north it is near Vatshorn. Then did
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Speaker 1: Eirik's thralls cause a landslip on the estate of Voltoff
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Speaker 1: At Volthoff's dadd Aolf the fowl. His kinsmen slew the
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Speaker 1: thralls beside Skadsbrecher slopes of the racecourse above Vatshorn. In return,
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Speaker 1: Eirik slew Eyolf the fowl. He slew also Krafen the
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Speaker 1: dueler at lakes Kaler or playbooths. Gerstein and Aud of
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Speaker 1: Yorfi kinsmen of Aolf were found willing to follow up
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Speaker 1: his death by a legal prosecution, and then was Eirik
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Speaker 1: banished from Hakkadalar. He occupied then broke and Aik snay
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Speaker 1: and dwelt at Tradir in Sudre the first winter. At
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Speaker 1: this time did he lend to Thorgest pillars for seat stocks. Afterwards,
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Speaker 1: Eirik removed into Aiksney and dwelt at Erikstadder. He then
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Speaker 1: claimed his pillars and got them not then went Eirik
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Speaker 1: and fetched the pillars from bathe Bolstadter, and Thorgest went
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Speaker 1: after him. They fought at a short distance from the
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Speaker 1: hay yard at Drangar, and there fell two sons of
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Speaker 1: Thorgest and some other men. After that they both kept
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Speaker 1: a large body of men together. Stayer gave assistance to Eirik,
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Speaker 1: as also did Aolf of Svigny, Thorbjorn Vifilsun, and the
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Speaker 1: sons of Thorbrand of Alptafjordr Swanfirth. But the sons of
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Speaker 1: thord Gellier As also Thorgeir of Hitardalar Hotdale, Aslak of
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Speaker 1: Langadalar Longdale and Ilugi his son gave assistance to Thorgest.
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Speaker 1: Eirek and his people were outlawed at Thorsness Thing. He
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Speaker 1: prepared a ship in eiriksvagar Or Creek, and aulf concealed
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Speaker 1: him in dum Narvagar, while Thorgest and his people sought
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Speaker 1: him among the islands. Eirik said to his people that
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Speaker 1: he purposed to seek for the land which Gunbjorn, the
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Speaker 1: son of Ulf the Crow saw when he was driven
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Speaker 1: westwards over the ocean and discovered gunbjorskher Gunbjorn's Rock or Scary.
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Speaker 1: He promised that he would return to visit his friends
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Speaker 1: if he found the land. Thorbiorn and Aulf and Stare
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Speaker 1: accompanied Eirik beyond the islands. They separated in the most
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Speaker 1: friendly manner, Eirik saying that he would be of the
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Speaker 1: like assistance to them if he should be able so
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Speaker 1: to be and they should happen to need him. Then
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Speaker 1: he sailed ocean words under Snaefelsugult Snow Mountain glacier, and
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Speaker 1: arrived at the glacier called Blassercher or Blue Shirt. Thence
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Speaker 1: he journeyed south to see if there were any inhabitants
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Speaker 1: of the country. He passed the first winter at Eirekseey,
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Speaker 1: near the middle of the Vestribygd western settlement. The following
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Speaker 1: spring he proceeded to Eireksfjordr and fixed his abode there.
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Speaker 1: During the summer he proceeded into the unpeopled districts in
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Speaker 1: the west and was there a long time, giving names
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Speaker 1: to the places far and wide. The second winter he
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Speaker 1: passed in Eirexholmar isles off Kvarsgunuper Peak of Disappearance Cape Farewell,
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Speaker 1: and the third summer he went altogether northwards to Snefeltel
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Speaker 1: and the Kraffensforder or Ravensfirth. Considering then that he had
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Speaker 1: come to the head of Eireksfjordr, he turned back and
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Speaker 1: passed the third winter in Eirik's ay before the mouth
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Speaker 1: of Eiriksfjordr. Now afterwards, during the summer he proceeded to
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Speaker 1: Iceland and came to Brathefjorder or Broadforth. This winter he
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Speaker 1: was with Ingulf at Holmlatter Island litter during the spring
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Speaker 1: thorgest and he fought, and Eirik met with defeat. After
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Speaker 1: that they were reconciled. In the summer, Eirik went to
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Speaker 1: live in the land which he had discovered, and which
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Speaker 1: he called Greenland, because said he men will desire much
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Speaker 1: the more to go there if the land has a
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Speaker 1: good name. End of Chapter two Eirik the reds Saga
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Speaker 1: anonymous read for LibriVox dot Orgergh by Julian jamieson chapter three,
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Speaker 1: Thorgeir Vifelsen married and took to wife Arnora, daughter of Aynar,
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Speaker 1: from Laugarbreecha, the slope of the hot spring, the son
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Speaker 1: of Sigmund, the son of kettel Thistel, who had occupied Thistilsfjordr.
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Speaker 1: The second daughter of Aynar was named Halveg. Thorbjorn Vifelson
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Speaker 1: took her to wife and received with her the land
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Speaker 1: of Laugarbreeka at Hellesfohler, the cave hill to that spot,
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Speaker 1: Thorbiorn removed his abode and became great and worshipful. He
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Speaker 1: was the temple priest and had a magnificent estate. Thorbiorn's
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Speaker 1: daughter was Gudrid, the fairest of women and of peerless
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Speaker 1: nobility in all her conduct. There was a man named
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Speaker 1: orm who dwelt at Arnarstapi eagle Rock, and he had
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Speaker 1: a wife who was named Haldis. He was a well
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Speaker 1: to do Franklin a great friend of Thorbjorn, and Gudrid
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Speaker 1: lived at his house as his foster child. For a
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Speaker 1: long time. There was a man named Thorgeir, who dwelt
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Speaker 1: at Thorger's fial or Fell. He was mighty rich in
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Speaker 1: cattle and had been made a freedman. He had a
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Speaker 1: son whose name was Anar, a handsome man, well mannered
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Speaker 1: and a great dandy. Aynar at this time was a
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Speaker 1: traveling merchant, sailing from land to land with great success,
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Speaker 1: and he always passed his winter either in Iceland or
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Speaker 1: in Norway. Now after this I have to tell how
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Speaker 1: that one autumn, when Anar was in Iceland, he proceeded
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Speaker 1: with his wares along Snefhelsness with the object of selling.
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Speaker 1: He came to Arnarstapi. Orm invited him to stay there,
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Speaker 1: and Anar accepted his invitation because there was a friendship
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Speaker 1: between him and Orm's people, and his wares were earned
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Speaker 1: into a certain outhouse. There he unpacked his merchandise, showed
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Speaker 1: it to Orm and the houseman, and bade Orm take
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Speaker 1: therefrom such things as he would. Orm accepted the offer
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Speaker 1: and pronounced Anar to be a goodly gallant traveler and
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Speaker 1: a great favorite of fortune. When now they were busy
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Speaker 1: with the wares, a woman passed before the door of
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Speaker 1: the outhouse and Anar inquired of Orm, who that fair
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Speaker 1: woman might be passing before the door. I have not
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Speaker 1: seen her here before, said he. That is Gudrid, my
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Speaker 1: foster child, said Orm, daughter of Thorbiorn, the Franklin from Laugarbreca.
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Speaker 1: She must be a good match, said Anar. Surely she
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Speaker 1: has not been without suitors who have made proposals for her,
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Speaker 1: has she Orm answered? Proposals have certainly been made, friend,
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Speaker 1: But this treasure is not to be had for the
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Speaker 1: picking up. It is found that she will be particular
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Speaker 1: in her choice, as well as also her father. Well.
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Speaker 1: In spite of that, quoth Anar. She is the woman
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Speaker 1: whom I have it in my mind to propose for,
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Speaker 1: and I wish that, in this suit of mine, you
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Speaker 1: approach her father on my part, and apply yourself to
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Speaker 1: plead diligently for me, for which I shall pay you
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Speaker 1: in return a perfect friendship. The Franklin Thorbjorn may reflect
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Speaker 1: that our families would be suitably joined in the bonds
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Speaker 1: of affinity. For he is a man in a position
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Speaker 1: of great honor and owns a fine abode. But his
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Speaker 1: personal property, i am told, is greatly on the decrease.
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Speaker 1: Neither I nor my father lack lands or personal property,
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Speaker 1: and if this alliance should be brought about, the greatest
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Speaker 1: assistance would accrue to Thorbiorn. Then answered Orm of a surety,
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Speaker 1: I consider myself to be thy friend, and yet I
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Speaker 1: am not willing to bring forward this suit, for Thorbiorn
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Speaker 1: is of a proud mind and withal a very ambitious man.
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Speaker 1: Anar replied that he desired no other thing than that
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Speaker 1: his offer of marriage should be made known. Orm then
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Speaker 1: consented to undertake his suit, and Anar journeyed south again
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Speaker 1: until he came home A while after. Thorbiorn had a
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Speaker 1: harvest feast, as he was bound to have because of
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Speaker 1: his great rank. There were present Orm from Arnarstapi, and
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Speaker 1: many other friends of Thorbiorn. Orm entered into conversation with
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Speaker 1: Thorbiorn and told him how that Anar had lately been
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Speaker 1: to see him from Thorghersfal and was become a promising man.
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Speaker 1: He now began the wooing on behalf of Anar, and
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Speaker 1: said that in allion between the families would be very suitable.
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Speaker 1: On account of certain interests there may arise to thee Franklin.
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Speaker 1: He said, great assistance in thy means from this alliance.
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Speaker 1: But Thorbiorn answered, I did not expect the like proposal
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Speaker 1: from THEE that I should give my daughter in marriage
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Speaker 1: to the son of a thrall. And so thou perceivest
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Speaker 1: that my substance is decreasing, Well, then my daughter shall
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Speaker 1: not go home with THEE, since thou considerest her worthy
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Speaker 1: of so poor a match. Then went orm home again,
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Speaker 1: and each of the other guests to his own household,
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Speaker 1: and Gudrid remained with her father and stayed at home
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Speaker 1: that winter. Now, in the spring, Thorbiorn made a feast
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Speaker 1: to his friends, and a goodly banquet was prepared. There
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Speaker 1: came many guests, and the banquet was of the best.
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Speaker 1: Now at the banquet, Thorbiorn called for a hearing, and
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Speaker 1: thus spake here have I dwelt a long time. I
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Speaker 1: have experienced the good will of men and their affection
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Speaker 1: towards me, and I consider that our dealings with one
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Speaker 1: another have been mutually agreeable. But now do my money
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Speaker 1: matters begin to bring me uneasiness. Although to this time
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Speaker 1: my condition has not been reckoned contemptible. I wish therefore
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Speaker 1: to break up my household before I lose my honor
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Speaker 1: to remove from the country before I disgrace my family.
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Speaker 1: So now I purpose to look after the promises of
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Speaker 1: Eirik the Red, my friend, which he made when we
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Speaker 1: separated at Brethafjorler. I purposed to depart for Greenland in
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Speaker 1: the summer if events proceed as I could wish. These
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Speaker 1: tidings about this design appeared to the guests to be important,
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Speaker 1: for Thorbiorn had long been beloved by his friends. They
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Speaker 1: felt that he would only have made so public a
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Speaker 1: declaration that it might be held of no avail to
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Speaker 1: attempt to dissuade him from his purpose. Thorbiorn distributed gifts
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Speaker 1: among the guests, and then the feast was brought to
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Speaker 1: an end, and they departed to their own homesteads. Thorbiorn
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Speaker 1: sold his lands and bought a ship which had been
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Speaker 1: laid up on shore at the mouth of the Rauenhoffen
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Speaker 1: harbor of the Lava Field. Thirty men ventured on the
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Speaker 1: expedition with him. There was orm from Arnarstapi and his wife,
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Speaker 1: and those friends of Thorbiorn who did not wish to
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Speaker 1: be separated from him. Then they launched the ship and
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Speaker 1: set sail with a favorable wind. But when they came
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Speaker 1: out into the open sea, the favorable wind ceased, and
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Speaker 1: they experienced great gales and made but an ill sped
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Speaker 1: voyage throughout the summer. In addition to that trouble, there
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Speaker 1: came fever upon the expedition. An orm died and haldas
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Speaker 1: his wife and half the company. Then the sea waxed rougher,
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Speaker 1: and they endured much toil and misery in many ways,
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Speaker 1: and only reached Harryelsness in green England at the very
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Speaker 1: beginning of winter. There dwelt at Harryolfsny's the man who
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Speaker 1: was called Thorkel. He was a useful man and most worthy.
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Speaker 1: Franklin he received Thorbiorn and all his ship's company for
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Speaker 1: the winter, assisting them in right noble fashion. This pleased
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Speaker 1: Thorbiorn well and his companions in the voyage. At that
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Speaker 1: time there was a great dearth in Greenland. Those who
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Speaker 1: had been out on fishing expeditions had caught little, and
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Speaker 1: some had not returned. There was in the settlement the
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Speaker 1: woman whose name was Thorbiorg. She was a prophetess, spy queen,
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Speaker 1: and was called Litulvova, little Sibyl. She had had nine sisters,
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Speaker 1: and they were all spy queens, and she was the
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Speaker 1: only one now living. It was a custom of Thorbiorg
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Speaker 1: in the winter time to make a circuit, and people
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Speaker 1: invited her to their houses, especially those who had any
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Speaker 1: curiosity about the season or desired to know their fate.
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Speaker 1: And inasmuch as Thorkell was Chief Franklin thereabouts, he considered
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Speaker 1: that it concerned him to know when the scarcity which
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Speaker 1: overhung the settlement should cease. He invited therefore the spy
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Speaker 1: queen to his house, and prepared for her a hearty welcome.
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Speaker 1: As was the custom wherever a reception was accorded a
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Speaker 1: woman of this kind, a high seat was prepared for her,
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Speaker 1: and a cushion laid thereon, in which were poultry feathers now.
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Speaker 1: When she came in the evening, accompanied by the man
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Speaker 1: who had been sent to meet her, she was dressed
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Speaker 1: in such wise that she had a blue mantle over
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Speaker 1: her with strings for the neck, and it was inlaid
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Speaker 1: with gems quite down to the skirt. On her neck
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Speaker 1: she had glass beads on her head. She had a
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Speaker 1: black hood of lamb skin lined with ermine a staff
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Speaker 1: she had in her hand with a knob thereon. It
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Speaker 1: was ornamented with brass and inlaid with gems round about
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Speaker 1: the knob. Around her she wore a girdle of soft hair,
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Speaker 1: and therein was a large skin bag in which she
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Speaker 1: kept the talismans needful to her in her wisdom. She
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Speaker 1: wore hairy calf skin shoes on her feet, with long
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Speaker 1: and strong looking thongs to them, and great knobs of
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Speaker 1: Latin at the ends. On her hands she had gloves
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Speaker 1: of ermine skin, and they were white and hairy. Within Now,
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Speaker 1: when she entered, all men thought it their bound in
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Speaker 1: duty to offer her becoming greetings, and these she received
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Speaker 1: according as the men were agreeable to her. The Franklin
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Speaker 1: Thorkel took the wise woman by the hand and led
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Speaker 1: her to the seat prepared for her. He requested her
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Speaker 1: to cast her eyes over his herd, his household, and
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Speaker 1: his homestead. She remained silent altogether during the evening. The
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Speaker 1: tables were set, And now I must tell you what
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Speaker 1: food was made ready for the spag Queen. There was
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Speaker 1: prepared for her porridge of kid's milk, and hearts of
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Speaker 1: all kinds of living creatures. There found were cooked for her.
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Speaker 1: She had a brazen spoon and a knife with a
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Speaker 1: handle of walrus tusk, which was mounted with two rings
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Speaker 1: of brass, and the point of it was broken off.
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Speaker 1: When the tables were removed, the Franklin Thorkel advanced to
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Speaker 1: Thorbjorg and asked her how she liked his homestead, or
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Speaker 1: the appearance of the men, or how soon she would
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Speaker 1: ascertain that which he had asked and which the men
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Speaker 1: desired to know. She replied that she would not give
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Speaker 1: answer before the morning, after she had slept there for
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Speaker 1: the night, and when the next day was far spent.
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Speaker 1: The preparations were made for her which she required for
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Speaker 1: the exercise of her enchantments. She begged them to bring
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Speaker 1: to her those women who were acquainted with the lore
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Speaker 1: needed for the exercise of the enchantments, and which is
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Speaker 1: known by the name of weird songs. But no such
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Speaker 1: women came forward. Then was search made throughout the homestead.
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Speaker 1: If any woman were so learned, then answered Gudrid, I
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Speaker 1: am not skilled in deep learning, nor am I a
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Speaker 1: wise woman. Although Haldis, my foster mother, taught me in
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Speaker 1: Iceland the lore which she called weird songs, then art
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Speaker 1: thou wise in good season, answered Thorbiorg. But Gudrid replied
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Speaker 1: that lore and the ceremony are of such a kind
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Speaker 1: that I purpose to be of no assistance therein, because
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Speaker 1: I am a Christian woman. Then answered Thorbiorg, thou mightest
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Speaker 1: perchance afford thy help to the men in this company,
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Speaker 1: and yet be none the worse woman than thou wast before.
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Speaker 1: But to Thorkel give I charged to provide here the
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Speaker 1: things that are needful. Thorkel thereupon urged Guthrie to consent,
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Speaker 1: and she yielded to his wishes. The women formed a
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Speaker 1: ring round about, and Thorbiorg ascended the scaffold and the
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Speaker 1: seat prepared for her enchantments. Then sang Gudred the weird song,
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Speaker 1: in so beautiful and excellent a manner that no one
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Speaker 1: there did it seem that he had ever heard before
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Speaker 1: the song and voice so beautiful as now. The spy
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Speaker 1: Queen thanked her for the song. Many spirits said she
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Speaker 1: have been present under its charm, and were pleased to
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Speaker 1: listen to the song. Who before would turn away from
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Speaker 1: us and grant us no such homage. And now are
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Speaker 1: many things clear to me which before were hidden both
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Speaker 1: from me and others. And I am able this to
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Speaker 1: say that the dearth will last no longer. The season
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Speaker 1: improving as spring advances, the epidemic of fever, which has
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Speaker 1: long oppressed us, will disappear quicker than we could have hoped.
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Speaker 1: And thee Gudrid will I recompense straightway for that aid
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Speaker 1: of thine which has stood us in good stead. Because
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Speaker 1: thy destiny is now clear to me and foreseen, Thou
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Speaker 1: shalt make a match here in Greenland, a most honorable one,
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Speaker 1: though it will not be a long lived one for THEE,
24:20
Speaker 1: because thy way lies out to Iceland, and there shall
24:23
Speaker 1: arise from THEE a line of descendants, both numerous and goodly,
24:28
Speaker 1: and over the branches of thy family shall shine a
24:31
Speaker 1: bright ray. And so fare THEE now well and happily,
24:36
Speaker 1: my daughter. Afterwards, the men went to the wise woman,
24:41
Speaker 1: and each inquired after what he was most curious to know.
24:45
Speaker 1: She was also liberal of her replies, and what she
24:48
Speaker 1: said proved true. After this came one from another homestead
24:53
Speaker 1: after her, and she then went there. Thorbiorn was invited
24:58
Speaker 1: because he did not wish to remain at home while
25:01
Speaker 1: such heathen worship was performing the weather soon improved. When
25:05
Speaker 1: once spring began, as Thorbiorg had said, Thorbiorn made ready
25:11
Speaker 1: his ship and went on until he came to Brattahlid
25:14
Speaker 1: the steep slope. Eirik received him with the utmost cordiality,
25:19
Speaker 1: seeing he had done well to come there. Thorbiorn and
25:23
Speaker 1: his family were with him during the winter, and in
25:27
Speaker 1: the following spring. Eirik gave to Thorbiorn land at Stokness,
25:32
Speaker 1: and handsome farm buildings were there built for him, and
25:35
Speaker 1: he dwelt there afterwards. End of chapter three. This recording
25:44
Speaker 1: is in the public domain. Eirik the reds Saga anonymous
25:54
Speaker 1: red for Librevox dot Org by Julian jamieson chapter four.
26:03
Speaker 1: Eirek had a wife who was named Thiothild, and two sons.
26:09
Speaker 1: The one was named Thorstein and the other Laif. These
26:14
Speaker 1: sons of Eirik were both promising men. Thorstein was then
26:18
Speaker 1: at home with his father, and there was at that
26:21
Speaker 1: time no man in Greenland who was thought so highly
26:24
Speaker 1: of as he. Laif had sailed to Norway and was
26:29
Speaker 1: there with King Olaf Trygvasun. Now when Leif sailed from
26:35
Speaker 1: Greenland during the summer, he and his men were driven
26:38
Speaker 1: out of their course to the Sudreyar. They were slow
26:42
Speaker 1: in getting a favorable wind from this place, and they
26:46
Speaker 1: stayed there a long time during the summer. Reaching Norway
26:50
Speaker 1: about harvest tide, he joined the body guard of King
26:54
Speaker 1: Olaf Trygvasun, and the king formed an excellent opinion of him,
26:59
Speaker 1: and it appeared to him that Laif was a well
27:02
Speaker 1: bred man. Once upon a time, the king entered into
27:05
Speaker 1: conversation with Laife and asked him, dost thou purpose sailing
27:10
Speaker 1: to Greenland in summer? Leif answered, I should wish so
27:15
Speaker 1: to do, if it is your will. The king replied,
27:20
Speaker 1: I think it may well be so. Thou shalt go,
27:23
Speaker 1: my errand and preach Christianity in Greenland. Laif said that
27:28
Speaker 1: he was willing to undertake it, but that for himself
27:32
Speaker 1: he considered that message a difficult one to proclaim in Greenland.
27:37
Speaker 1: But the King said that he knew no man who
27:39
Speaker 1: was better fitted for the work than he, And thou
27:42
Speaker 1: shalt carry, said he good luck with thee in it.
27:47
Speaker 1: That can only be said, Leif, if I carry yours
27:51
Speaker 1: with me. Leaif set sail as soon as he was ready,
27:56
Speaker 1: He was tossed about a long time out at sea,
27:59
Speaker 1: and light upon lands of which before he had no expectation.
28:04
Speaker 1: There were fields of wild wheat and the vine tree
28:08
Speaker 1: in full growth. There were also the trees which were
28:11
Speaker 1: called maples, and they gathered of all this certain tokens,
28:16
Speaker 1: some trunks so large that they were used in house building.
28:20
Speaker 1: Laif came upon men who had been shipwrecked and took
28:23
Speaker 1: them home with him and gave them sustenance during the winter.
28:27
Speaker 1: Thus did he show his great munificence and his graciousness
28:32
Speaker 1: when he brought Christianity to the land and saved the
28:35
Speaker 1: shipwrecked crew. He was called Laif the Lucky. Laif reached
28:42
Speaker 1: land in Eiriksfjordr and proceeded home to Brattahlith. The people
28:47
Speaker 1: received him gladly. He soon after preached Christianity and Catholic
28:53
Speaker 1: truth throughout the land, making known to the people the
28:57
Speaker 1: message of King Olaf Trygvasen and declaring how many renowned
29:01
Speaker 1: deeds and what great glory accompanied this faith. Eirik took
29:07
Speaker 1: coldly to the proposal to forsake his religion, but his
29:11
Speaker 1: wife Thiothilde promptly yielded and caused a church to be
29:15
Speaker 1: built not very near the houses. The building was called
29:19
Speaker 1: Thiothilde's Church. In that spot she offered her prayers, and
29:24
Speaker 1: so did those men who received Christ, and they were many.
29:28
Speaker 1: After she accepted the faith. Thiothild would have no intercourse
29:32
Speaker 1: with Eirik, and this was a great trial to his temper.
29:37
Speaker 1: After this, there was much talk about making ready to
29:40
Speaker 1: go to the land which Laife had discovered. Thorstein, Eirik's
29:45
Speaker 1: son was chief mover in this, A worthy man, wise
29:49
Speaker 1: and much liked. Eirik was also asked to go, and
29:54
Speaker 1: they believed that his luck and foresight would be of
29:56
Speaker 1: the highest use. He was for a long time against it,
30:01
Speaker 1: but did not say nay. When his friends exhorted him
30:04
Speaker 1: to go. They made ready the ship which Thorbjorn had
30:08
Speaker 1: brought there, and there were twenty men who undertook to
30:11
Speaker 1: start in her. They had little property, but chiefly weapons
30:15
Speaker 1: and food. On the morning when Eirek left home, he
30:19
Speaker 1: took a little box which had in it gold and silver.
30:22
Speaker 1: He hid the money and then went forth on his journey.
30:26
Speaker 1: He had proceeded, however, but a little way, when he
30:29
Speaker 1: fell from his horse and broke his ribs and injured
30:32
Speaker 1: his shoulder and cried out Aye. At this accident, he
30:36
Speaker 1: sent word to his wife that she should take away
30:39
Speaker 1: the money that he had hidden, declaring his misfortune to
30:42
Speaker 1: be a penalty paid on account of having hid the money. Afterwards,
30:46
Speaker 1: they sailed away out of Eirik's jorder with gladness, as
30:50
Speaker 1: their plans seemed to promise success. They were driven about
30:55
Speaker 1: for a long time on the open sea, and came
30:58
Speaker 1: not into the track which they desired. They came in
31:01
Speaker 1: sight of Iceland, and also met with birds from the
31:05
Speaker 1: coast of Ireland. Then was their ship tossed to and
31:09
Speaker 1: fro on the sea. They returned about harvest tide, worn
31:13
Speaker 1: out by toil and much exhausted, and reached Eiriksfjordr at
31:17
Speaker 1: the beginning of winter. Then spake Eirik, you were in
31:22
Speaker 1: better spirits in the summer when you went forth out
31:25
Speaker 1: of the firth than you are in now. And yet
31:27
Speaker 1: for all that there is much to be thankful for.
31:31
Speaker 1: Thorstein replied, it is a chieftain's duty now to look
31:35
Speaker 1: after some arrangement for these men who are without shelter,
31:38
Speaker 1: and to find them food. Eric answered, that is an
31:43
Speaker 1: ever true, saying you know not until you have got
31:47
Speaker 1: your answer. I will now take thy counsel about this.
31:52
Speaker 1: All those who had no other abodes were to go
31:55
Speaker 1: with the father and the son. Then came they to
31:58
Speaker 1: land and went home. Chapter five. Now after this I
32:06
Speaker 1: have to tell you how Thorstein, Eirik's son began wooing Gudrid,
32:11
Speaker 1: Thorbiorn's daughter to his proposals. A favorable answer was given
32:16
Speaker 1: both by the maid herself and also by her father.
32:20
Speaker 1: The marriage was also arranged so that Thorstein went to
32:24
Speaker 1: take possession of his bride, and the bridal feast was
32:27
Speaker 1: held at Brattahlid in the autumn. The banquet went off
32:31
Speaker 1: well and was numerously attended. Thorstein owned a homestead in
32:36
Speaker 1: the Vesthribigt, on the estate known as Lisufiorda shining firth.
32:42
Speaker 1: The man who was called Thorstein owned the other half
32:46
Speaker 1: of the homestead. His wife was called Sigrid. Thorstein went
32:51
Speaker 1: during the autumn to Lysufjordr to his namesake both he
32:56
Speaker 1: and Guthrid. Their reception was a welcome one. They were
33:00
Speaker 1: there during the winter when little of the winter was past.
33:04
Speaker 1: The event happened there that fever broke out on their estate.
33:08
Speaker 1: The overseer of the work was named Garth. He was
33:12
Speaker 1: an unpopular man. He took the fever first and died afterwards,
33:18
Speaker 1: and with but little intermission, one took the fever after
33:21
Speaker 1: another and died. Then Thorstein Eirik's son fell ill, and
33:27
Speaker 1: also Sigrid, the wife of his namesake Thorstein. And one
33:32
Speaker 1: evening Sigrid left the house and rested awhile opposite the
33:36
Speaker 1: outer door, and Guthred accompanied her, and they looked back
33:40
Speaker 1: towards the outer door, and Sigrid screamed out aloud. Guthrid said,
33:46
Speaker 1: we have come forth unwarily, and thou canst in no
33:49
Speaker 1: wise withstand the cold. Let us even go home as
33:53
Speaker 1: quickly as possible. It is not safe, as matters are,
33:57
Speaker 1: answered Sigrid, there is all that crowd of day people
34:00
Speaker 1: before the door. Thorstein, thy husband also and myself I
34:05
Speaker 1: recognize among them, and it is a grief thus to behold.
34:10
Speaker 1: And when this passed away, she said, let us now go, Gudrid,
34:15
Speaker 1: I see the crowd no longer. Thorstein Eirik's son had
34:19
Speaker 1: also disappeared from her sight. He had seemed to have
34:23
Speaker 1: a whip in his hand and to wish to smite
34:25
Speaker 1: the ghostly troop. Afterwards they went in, and before morning
34:30
Speaker 1: came she was dead, and a coffin was prepared for
34:33
Speaker 1: the body. Now, the same day the men purposed to
34:38
Speaker 1: go out fishing, and Thorstein led them to the landing places,
34:42
Speaker 1: and in the early morning he went to see what
34:44
Speaker 1: they had caught. Then Thorstein Eirik's son sent word to
34:49
Speaker 1: his namesake to come to him, saying that matters at
34:52
Speaker 1: home were hardly quiet, that the housewife was endeavoring to
34:56
Speaker 1: rise to her feet and to get under the clothes
34:58
Speaker 1: beside him. When he was come in, she had risen
35:01
Speaker 1: upon the edge of the bed. Then took he her
35:04
Speaker 1: by the hands and laid a poleaxe upon her breast.
35:09
Speaker 1: Thorstain eirek Son died near nightfall. Thorstein the Franklin bade
35:15
Speaker 1: Guthred to lie down and sleep, saying that he would
35:18
Speaker 1: watch over the body during the night. So she did,
35:22
Speaker 1: and when a little of the night was past, Thorstein
35:25
Speaker 1: eirik Son sat up and spake, saying he wished Guthred
35:29
Speaker 1: to be called to him, and that he wished to
35:31
Speaker 1: speak with her God wills. He said that this hour
35:35
Speaker 1: be given to me for my own and the further
35:38
Speaker 1: completion of my plan. Thorstein the Franklin went to find
35:43
Speaker 1: Guthred and waked her, begged her to cross herself and
35:46
Speaker 1: to ask God for help, and told her what Thorstein
35:50
Speaker 1: eirek Son had spoken with him, and he wishes, said
35:54
Speaker 1: he to meet with THEE. Thou art obliged to consider
35:58
Speaker 1: what plan thou wilt adopt, because I can in this
36:00
Speaker 1: issue advise THEE in no wise, She answered. It may
36:06
Speaker 1: be that this, this wonderful thing, has regard to certain
36:10
Speaker 1: matters which are afterwards to be had in memory. And
36:13
Speaker 1: I hope that God's keeping will test upon me, and
36:16
Speaker 1: I will, with God's grace, undertake the risk and go
36:19
Speaker 1: to him and know what he will say, for I
36:23
Speaker 1: shall not be able to escape if harm must happen
36:25
Speaker 1: to me. I am far from wishing that he should
36:28
Speaker 1: go elsewhere. I suspect moreover that the matter will be
36:32
Speaker 1: oppressing one. Then, when gudrid And saw Thorstein, he appeared
36:38
Speaker 1: to her as if shedding tears. He spake in her ear,
36:41
Speaker 1: in a low voice, certain words which she alone might know.
36:46
Speaker 1: But this he said, so that all heard that those
36:50
Speaker 1: men would be blessed who held the true faith, and
36:53
Speaker 1: that all salvation and mercy accompanied it, and that many
36:57
Speaker 1: nevertheless held it lightly. It is said he no good
37:02
Speaker 1: custom which has prevailed here in Greenland since Christianity came
37:06
Speaker 1: to bury men in unconsecrated ground, with few religious rites
37:11
Speaker 1: over them. I wish for myself and for those other
37:14
Speaker 1: men who have died, to be taken to the church.
37:18
Speaker 1: But for Garth, I wish him to be burned on
37:20
Speaker 1: a funeral pile as soon as may be, for he
37:23
Speaker 1: is the cause of all those ghosts which have been
37:26
Speaker 1: among us this winter. He spake to Guthred also about
37:31
Speaker 1: her own state, saying that her destiny would be a
37:34
Speaker 1: great one, and begged her to beware of marrying Greenland men.
37:38
Speaker 1: He begged her also to pay over their property to
37:41
Speaker 1: the church, and some to the poor. And then he
37:44
Speaker 1: sank down for the second time. It had been a
37:48
Speaker 1: custom in Greenland after Christianity was brought there to bury
37:52
Speaker 1: men in unconsecrated ground on the farms where they died.
37:56
Speaker 1: An upright stake was placed over a body, and when
37:59
Speaker 1: the price pasts came afterwards to the place. Then was
38:03
Speaker 1: the stake pulled out, consecrated, water poured therein, and a
38:07
Speaker 1: funeral service held, though it might be long after the burial.
38:11
Speaker 1: The bodies were removed to the church in Eiriksfjordr, and
38:15
Speaker 1: funeral services held by the priests. After that died Thorbiorn.
38:21
Speaker 1: The whole property then went to Guthred. Eirik received her
38:24
Speaker 1: into his household and looked well after her stores end
38:32
Speaker 1: of chapter five. This recording is in the public domain.
38:41
Speaker 1: Eirik the reds Saga anonymous read for LibriVox dot Org
38:48
Speaker 1: by Julian jamieson chapter six. There was a man named
38:55
Speaker 1: Thorfinn Karlsefni, son of thord Horsehead, who dwelt in the
39:01
Speaker 1: north of Iceland at Reynines in Skagafjordr, as it is
39:05
Speaker 1: now called. Karlsefni was a man of good family and
39:09
Speaker 1: very rich. His mother's name was Thorun. He engaged in
39:14
Speaker 1: trading journeys and seemed a goodly, bold and gallant traveler.
39:19
Speaker 1: One summer Karlsefni prepared his ship, intending to go to
39:24
Speaker 1: Greenland Snorri Thorbrand's son from Alptafjordr resolved to travel with him,
39:31
Speaker 1: and there were thirty men in the company. There was
39:34
Speaker 1: a man named Bjarni, Grimolf's son, a man of Brethefjordr
39:40
Speaker 1: or Broadforth, another called Thorhall, son of Gamli, a man
39:46
Speaker 1: from the east of Iceland. They prepared their ship the
39:49
Speaker 1: very same summer as Karlsefni, with intent also to go
39:53
Speaker 1: to Greenland. They had in the ship forty men. The
39:57
Speaker 1: two ships launched out into the open sea as soon
40:00
Speaker 1: as they were ready. It is not recorded how long
40:03
Speaker 1: a voyage they had, but after this I have to
40:07
Speaker 1: tell you that both these ships came to Eireksfjordre about autumn.
40:12
Speaker 1: Eirek rode down to the ships with other men of
40:14
Speaker 1: the land, and a market fair was promptly instituted. The
40:19
Speaker 1: captains invited Guthred to take such of the merchandise as
40:23
Speaker 1: she wished, and Eirik displayed on his part much magnificence
40:27
Speaker 1: in return, inasmuch as he invited both these ship's companies
40:31
Speaker 1: home with him to pass the winter in Brattahlid. The
40:35
Speaker 1: merchants accepted the invitation and went home with Eirik. Afterwards,
40:40
Speaker 1: their merchandise was removed to Brattahlid, where a good and
40:44
Speaker 1: large outhouse was not lacking in which to store the goods.
40:48
Speaker 1: The merchants were well pleased to stay with Eirek during
40:51
Speaker 1: the winter. When now Yule was drawing nigh, Eirik began
40:55
Speaker 1: to look more gloomy than he was wont to be presently.
40:59
Speaker 1: Karl Stephni entered into conversation with him and said, art
41:03
Speaker 1: thou in trouble, Eirik. It appears to me that thou
41:06
Speaker 1: art somewhat more taciturn than thou hast been. Still, thou
41:09
Speaker 1: helpest us with much liberality, and we are bound to
41:13
Speaker 1: reward thee according as we have means there too. Say now,
41:16
Speaker 1: what causes thy cheerlessness? Eirek answered, you receive hospitality well
41:23
Speaker 1: and like worthy men. Now I have no mind that
41:27
Speaker 1: our intercourse together should be expensive to you. But so
41:30
Speaker 1: it is that it will seem to me an ill
41:32
Speaker 1: thing if it is heard that you never spent a
41:34
Speaker 1: worse Yule than this just now beginning when Eirek the
41:38
Speaker 1: red entertained you at Brattahlid in Greenland. Karlsefni answered, it
41:44
Speaker 1: must not come to such a pass we have in
41:46
Speaker 1: our ships malt, meal and corn, and you have right
41:50
Speaker 1: and title to take therefrom whatever you wish, and to
41:53
Speaker 1: make your entertainment such as consorts with your munificence. And
41:57
Speaker 1: Eirik accepted the offer. Then was preparation made for the
42:01
Speaker 1: Yule feast, and so magnificent was it that the men
42:05
Speaker 1: thought they had scarcely ever seen so grand a feast.
42:08
Speaker 1: And after Yule, Karlsefni broached to Eirik the subject of
42:12
Speaker 1: a marriage with Gudrid, which he thought might be under
42:15
Speaker 1: Eirik's control. And the woman appeared to him to be
42:19
Speaker 1: both beautiful and of excellent understanding. Eirik answered and said
42:24
Speaker 1: that for his part, he would willingly undertake his suit,
42:28
Speaker 1: and said moreover that she was worthy of a good match.
42:31
Speaker 1: It is also likely he thought that she will be
42:34
Speaker 1: following out her destiny should she be given to him,
42:37
Speaker 1: And moreover, the report which comes to me of him
42:39
Speaker 1: is good. The proposals were now laid before her, and
42:43
Speaker 1: she allowed the marriage with her to be arranged, which
42:46
Speaker 1: Ric wished to promote. However, I will not now speak
42:50
Speaker 1: at length how this marriage took place. The Yule festival
42:53
Speaker 1: was prolonged. And made into a marriage feast. Great joy
42:57
Speaker 1: was there in Battakhlid during the winter. Much playing at
43:01
Speaker 1: backgammon and telling of stories went on, and many things
43:05
Speaker 1: were done that ministered to the comfort of the household
43:10
Speaker 1: Chapter seven. During this time, much talk took place in
43:15
Speaker 1: brattakhlif about making ready to go to Vinland the good
43:19
Speaker 1: and it was asserted that they would there find good
43:22
Speaker 1: choice lands. The discourse came to such conclusion that Karlsefni
43:27
Speaker 1: and Snorri prepared their ship with the intention of seeking Vinland.
43:32
Speaker 1: During the summer, Bjarny and thor Hall ventured on the
43:35
Speaker 1: same expedition with their ship and the retinue which had
43:38
Speaker 1: accompanied them. There was a man named Thorvald. He was
43:43
Speaker 1: a son in law of Eirik the Red. Thor Hall
43:46
Speaker 1: was called the Sportsman. He had for a long time
43:49
Speaker 1: been Eirik's companion in hunting and fishing expeditions during the summers,
43:54
Speaker 1: and many things had been committed to his keeping. Thor
43:57
Speaker 1: Hall was a big man, dark and of gaunt appearance,
44:01
Speaker 1: rather advanced in years, overbearing in temper of melancholy mood,
44:06
Speaker 1: silent at all times, under hand in his dealings and
44:10
Speaker 1: withal given to abuse, and always inclined towards the worst.
44:15
Speaker 1: He had kept himself aloof from the true faith. When
44:18
Speaker 1: it came to Greenland, he was but little encompassed with
44:21
Speaker 1: the love of friends. But yet Eirik had long held
44:24
Speaker 1: conversation with him. He went in the ship with Thorvald
44:27
Speaker 1: and his man, because he was widely acquainted with the
44:30
Speaker 1: unpeopled districts. They had the ship which Thorbiorn had brought
44:34
Speaker 1: to Greenland, and they ventured on the expedition with Karlsefni
44:38
Speaker 1: and the others, And most of them in this ship
44:40
Speaker 1: were Greenlanders. There were one hundred and sixty men in
44:43
Speaker 1: their ships. They sailed away from land, then to the
44:47
Speaker 1: Vestrbigs and to Bjarnayar, the Bear Islands. Thence they sailed
44:52
Speaker 1: away from Bijarnayar with northerly winds. They were out at
44:56
Speaker 1: sea two half days. Then they came to land and
45:00
Speaker 1: rowed along it in boats and explored it, and found
45:03
Speaker 1: there flat stones, many and so great that two men
45:07
Speaker 1: might well lie on them, stretched on their backs with
45:09
Speaker 1: heel to heel. Polar foxes were there in abundance. This
45:14
Speaker 1: land they gave name to and called it Helluland or
45:18
Speaker 1: stone Land. Then they sailed with northerly winds two half days,
45:24
Speaker 1: and there was then land before them, and on it
45:26
Speaker 1: a great forest and many wild beasts. An island lay
45:30
Speaker 1: in the southeast off the land, and they found bears thereon,
45:34
Speaker 1: and called the island Bjarney or bear Island. But the mainland,
45:40
Speaker 1: where the forest was they called Markland forest land. Then,
45:45
Speaker 1: when two half days were pasted, they saw land and
45:49
Speaker 1: sailed under it. There was a cape to which they came.
45:52
Speaker 1: They cruised along the land, leaving it. On the starboard side.
45:57
Speaker 1: There was a harborless coast land and long sandy strands.
46:01
Speaker 1: They went to the land in boats and found the
46:04
Speaker 1: keel of a ship, and called the place Kialnarnas or keelness.
46:10
Speaker 1: They gave also name to the strands, calling them Furdustrandir
46:15
Speaker 1: or wonder shore, because it was tedious to sail by them.
46:19
Speaker 1: Then the coast became indented with creeks, and they directed
46:22
Speaker 1: their ships along the creeks. Now before this, when Leif
46:27
Speaker 1: was with King Olaf Trygvasun, and the king had requested
46:30
Speaker 1: him to preach Christianity in Greenland, he gave him two
46:34
Speaker 1: Scotch people. The man called Haki and the woman called Hakya.
46:40
Speaker 1: The king requested Leif to have recourse to these people,
46:44
Speaker 1: if ever he should want fleetness, because they were swifter
46:47
Speaker 1: than wild beasts. Eirik and Leif had got these people
46:51
Speaker 1: to go with Karlsefni. Now, when they had sailed by Furdustrandir,
46:55
Speaker 1: they put the Scotch people on land and requested them
46:58
Speaker 1: to run into the southern Reais, seek for choice land,
47:02
Speaker 1: and come back after three half days were past. They
47:06
Speaker 1: were dressed in such wise that they had on the garment,
47:08
Speaker 1: which they called biafal. It was made with a hood
47:12
Speaker 1: at the top, open at the sides, without sleeves, and
47:15
Speaker 1: was fastened between the legs. A button and a loop
47:19
Speaker 1: held it together. There and elsewhere they were without clothing.
47:23
Speaker 1: Then did they cast anchors from the ships and lay
47:26
Speaker 1: there to wait for them. And when three days were expired,
47:29
Speaker 1: the Scotch people leapt down from the land, and one
47:32
Speaker 1: of them had in his hand a bunch of grapes,
47:34
Speaker 1: and the other an ear of wild wheat. They said
47:38
Speaker 1: to Karlsefni that they considered they had found good and
47:41
Speaker 1: choice land. Then they received them into their ship and
47:45
Speaker 1: proceeded on their journey to where the shore was cut
47:47
Speaker 1: into by a firth. They directed the ships within the firth.
47:51
Speaker 1: There was an island lying out in front of the firth,
47:54
Speaker 1: and there were great currents around the island, which they
47:57
Speaker 1: called Straumsey or stream Island. There were so many birds
48:01
Speaker 1: on it that scarcely was it possible to put one's
48:04
Speaker 1: feet down for the eggs. They continued their course up
48:07
Speaker 1: the firth, which they called Straumsfjordr, and carried their cargo
48:12
Speaker 1: ashore from the ships, and there they prepared to stay.
48:16
Speaker 1: They had with them cattle of all kinds, and for
48:18
Speaker 1: themselves they sought out the produce of the land. Thereabout
48:22
Speaker 1: there were mountains, and the place was fair to look upon.
48:25
Speaker 1: They gave no heed to anything except to explore the land,
48:29
Speaker 1: and they found large pastures. They remained there during the winter,
48:33
Speaker 1: which happened to be a hard one, with no work doing,
48:36
Speaker 1: and they were badly off for food, and the fishing failed.
48:40
Speaker 1: Then they went out to the island, hoping that something
48:42
Speaker 1: might be got there from fishing or from what was
48:45
Speaker 1: drifted ashore in that spot. There was little, however, to
48:49
Speaker 1: be got for food, but their cattle found good sustenance.
48:53
Speaker 1: After that they called upon God, praying that he would
48:56
Speaker 1: send them some little store of meat. But their prayer
48:59
Speaker 1: was not so soon grand as they were eager that
49:01
Speaker 1: it should be. Thorhall disappeared from sight, and they went
49:05
Speaker 1: to seek him, and sought for three half days continuously.
49:08
Speaker 1: On the fourth half day, Karlsefni and Bjarni found him
49:12
Speaker 1: on the peak of a crag. He lay with his
49:14
Speaker 1: face to the sky, with both eyes and mouth and
49:17
Speaker 1: nostrils wide open, clawing and pinching himself and reciting something.
49:23
Speaker 1: They asked why he had come there. He replied that
49:26
Speaker 1: it was of no importance, begged them not to wonder
49:29
Speaker 1: thereat as for himself. He had lived so long they
49:32
Speaker 1: needed not to take any account of him. They begged
49:36
Speaker 1: him to go home with them, and he did so.
49:39
Speaker 1: A little while after a whale was driven ashore, and
49:42
Speaker 1: the men crowded round it and cut it up, And
49:44
Speaker 1: still they knew not what kind of whale it was.
49:47
Speaker 1: Even Karlsefni recognized it, not, though he had great knowledge
49:51
Speaker 1: of whales. It was cooked by the cook boys, and
49:54
Speaker 1: they ate thereof though bad effects came upon all from it. Afterwards,
49:59
Speaker 1: then began Thorhall and said, has it not been that
50:03
Speaker 1: the red Beard has proved a better friend than your Christ?
50:06
Speaker 1: This was my gift for the poetry which I composed
50:09
Speaker 1: about Thor my patron. Seldom has he failed me. Now
50:14
Speaker 1: when the men knew that none of them would eat
50:16
Speaker 1: of it, and they threw it down from the rocks
50:18
Speaker 1: and turned with their supplications to God's mercy, then was
50:22
Speaker 1: granted to them opportunity of fishing, And after that there
50:26
Speaker 1: was no lack of food. That spring they went back
50:29
Speaker 1: again from the island within Straumsfjordr and obtained food from
50:33
Speaker 1: both sides, from hunting on the mainland and from gathering
50:37
Speaker 1: eggs and from fishing on the side of the sea.
50:42
Speaker 1: End of chapter seven Eirik the reds Saga anonymous read
50:55
Speaker 1: for LibriVox dot Org by Julian Jamieson chapter eight, when
51:03
Speaker 1: summer was at hand, they discussed about their journey and
51:07
Speaker 1: made an arrangement. Thorhall, the sportsman wished to proceed northwards
51:12
Speaker 1: along Furdustrander and af Chalarnas and so seek Vinland, but
51:18
Speaker 1: Karlsefni desired to proceed southwards along the land and away
51:22
Speaker 1: from the east, because the land appeared to him the
51:25
Speaker 1: better the further south he went, and he thought it
51:27
Speaker 1: also more advisable to explore in both directions. Then did
51:32
Speaker 1: Thorhall make ready for his journey out by the islands,
51:35
Speaker 1: and there volunteered for the expedition. With him not more
51:39
Speaker 1: than nine men, but with Karlsefni there went the remainder
51:42
Speaker 1: of the company. And one day, when Thorhall was carrying
51:46
Speaker 1: water to his ship, he drank and recited this verse.
51:51
Speaker 1: The clashers of weapons did say, when I came here,
51:54
Speaker 1: that I should have the best of drink. Though it
51:57
Speaker 1: becomes me not to complain before the common people. Eager
52:01
Speaker 1: god of the war helmet I am made to raise
52:04
Speaker 1: the bucket wine has not moistened my beard. Rather do
52:08
Speaker 1: I kneel at the fountain. Afterwards they put to sea,
52:13
Speaker 1: and Karlsefni accompanied them by the island. Before they hoisted sail,
52:18
Speaker 1: Thorhall recited a verse, go we back where our countrymen are.
52:23
Speaker 1: Let us make the skilled hawk of the sand heaven
52:26
Speaker 1: explore the broad ship courses, while the dauntless rousers of
52:31
Speaker 1: the sword storm, who praise the land and cook whale,
52:36
Speaker 1: dwell on Furtherustrander. Then they left and sailed northwards along
52:42
Speaker 1: Furdustrander and Calarness, and attempted there to sail against a
52:46
Speaker 1: wind from the west. A gale came upon them, however,
52:49
Speaker 1: and drove them onwards against Ireland, and there were they
52:53
Speaker 1: severely treated, enthralled and beaten. Then Thorhall lost his life.
53:01
Speaker 1: Chapter nine. Karlsefni proceeded southwards along the land with Snorri
53:07
Speaker 1: and Bjarny and the rest of the company. They journeyed
53:10
Speaker 1: a long while, and until they arrived at a river
53:13
Speaker 1: which came down from the land and fell into a lake,
53:16
Speaker 1: and so on to the sea. There were large islands
53:19
Speaker 1: off the mouth of the river, and they could not
53:21
Speaker 1: come into the river except at high flood tide. Karlsefni
53:25
Speaker 1: and his people sailed to the mouth of the river
53:27
Speaker 1: and called the land hop. There they found fields of
53:31
Speaker 1: wild wheat wherever there were low grounds, and the vine
53:35
Speaker 1: in all places where there was rough rising ground. Every
53:39
Speaker 1: rivulet there was full of fish. They made holes where
53:43
Speaker 1: the land and water joined, and where the tide went highest,
53:47
Speaker 1: and when it ebbed they found halibut. In the holes.
53:50
Speaker 1: There was great plenty of wild animals of every form
53:53
Speaker 1: in the wood. They were there half a month, amusing
53:56
Speaker 1: themselves and not becoming aware of anything they had with them.
54:01
Speaker 1: And early one morning, as they looked around, they beheld
54:04
Speaker 1: nine canoes made of hides, and snout like staves were
54:08
Speaker 1: being brandished from the boats, and they made a noise
54:11
Speaker 1: like flails and twisted round in the direction of the
54:14
Speaker 1: sun's motion. Then Karlsefni said, what will this be token?
54:19
Speaker 1: Snorri answered him, it may be that it is a
54:22
Speaker 1: token of peace. Let us take a white shield and
54:25
Speaker 1: go to meet them. And so they did. Then did
54:28
Speaker 1: they in the canoes row forwards and showed surprise at them,
54:32
Speaker 1: and came to land. They were short men, ill looking,
54:36
Speaker 1: with their hair in disorderly fashion on their heads. They
54:40
Speaker 1: were large eyed and had broad cheeks. And they stayed
54:43
Speaker 1: there awhile in astonishment. Afterwards they rowed away to the
54:47
Speaker 1: south off the headland. Chapter ten. They had built their
54:53
Speaker 1: settlements up above the lake, and some of the dwellings
54:57
Speaker 1: were well within the land, but some were near the lake.
55:00
Speaker 1: Now they remained there that winter. They had no snow whatever,
55:04
Speaker 1: and all their cattle went out to graze without keepers. Now,
55:08
Speaker 1: when spring began. They beheld one morning early that a
55:11
Speaker 1: fleet of hide canoes was rowing from the south off
55:13
Speaker 1: the headland. So many were they as if the sea
55:16
Speaker 1: were strewn with pieces of charcoal, And there was also
55:20
Speaker 1: the brandishing of staves as before, from each boat. Then
55:24
Speaker 1: they held shields up, and a market was formed between
55:26
Speaker 1: them and this people, in their purchases, preferred red cloth
55:30
Speaker 1: in exchange. They had furs to give, and skins quite gray.
55:35
Speaker 1: They wished also to buy swords and lances, but Karlsefni
55:38
Speaker 1: and Snorri forbade it. They offered for the cloth dark hides,
55:43
Speaker 1: and took in exchange a span long of cloth and
55:46
Speaker 1: bounded round their heads. And so matters went on for
55:49
Speaker 1: a while. But when the stock of cloth began to
55:51
Speaker 1: grow small, then they split it asunder, so that it
55:54
Speaker 1: was not more than a finger's breadth. The Scrollingar or Esquimaux,
56:00
Speaker 1: gave for it, still quite as much or more than
56:02
Speaker 1: before Chapter eleven. Now it came to pass that a bull,
56:09
Speaker 1: which belonged to Karlsefni's people, rushed out of the wood
56:13
Speaker 1: and bellowed loudly. At the same time the scrawlingar frightened
56:17
Speaker 1: thereat rushed away to their canoes and rowed south along
56:21
Speaker 1: the coast. There was then nothing seen of them for
56:24
Speaker 1: three weeks together. When that time was gone by, there
56:27
Speaker 1: was seen approaching from the south, a great crowd of
56:29
Speaker 1: skrolingar boats, coming down upon them like a stream. The staves,
56:34
Speaker 1: this time being all brandished in the direction opposite to
56:36
Speaker 1: the sun's motion, and the scrollingar were all howling loudly.
56:41
Speaker 1: Then took they and bare red shields to meet them.
56:44
Speaker 1: They encountered one another and fought, and there was a
56:47
Speaker 1: great shower of missiles. The scrollingar had also war slings
56:51
Speaker 1: or catapults. Then Karlsefni and Snorri see that the scrowling
56:55
Speaker 1: gar bringing up poles with a very large ball attached
56:59
Speaker 1: to each, to be compared in size to a sheep's stomach,
57:02
Speaker 1: dark in color, and these flew over Karlsefni's company towards
57:06
Speaker 1: the land, and when they came down they struck the
57:08
Speaker 1: ground with a hideous noise. This produced great terror in
57:12
Speaker 1: Karlsafni and his company, so that their only impulse was
57:15
Speaker 1: to retreat up the country along the river, because it
57:17
Speaker 1: seemed as if crowds of scrollingar were driving at them
57:20
Speaker 1: from all sides, and they stopped, not until they came
57:24
Speaker 1: to certain crags. There they offered them stern resistance. Fray
57:29
Speaker 1: This came out and saw how they were retreating. She
57:31
Speaker 1: called out, why run you away from such worthless creatures,
57:35
Speaker 1: stout men that she are, when, as seems to me likely,
57:39
Speaker 1: you might slaughter them like so many cattle. Let me
57:42
Speaker 1: but have a weapon. I think I could fight better
57:44
Speaker 1: than any of you. They gave no heed to what
57:48
Speaker 1: she said. Fray This endeavored to accompany them. Still, she
57:52
Speaker 1: soon lagged behind because she was not well. She went
57:55
Speaker 1: after them into the wood, and the scrawling Gar directed
57:58
Speaker 1: their pursuit after her. She came upon a dead man,
58:01
Speaker 1: Thorbrand Snorri's son, with a flat stone fixed in his head.
58:06
Speaker 1: His sword lay beside him, so she took it up
58:08
Speaker 1: and prepared to defend herself. Therewith. Then came the Scrawlingar
58:13
Speaker 1: upon her. She let down her sark and struck her
58:16
Speaker 1: breast with the naked sword. At this they were frightened,
58:19
Speaker 1: rushed off to their boats, and fled away. Karlsefni and
58:23
Speaker 1: the rest came up to her and praised her zeal.
58:27
Speaker 1: Two of Karlsefni's men fell and four the scrawlinger, notwithstanding
58:31
Speaker 1: they had overpowered them by superior numbers. After that they
58:35
Speaker 1: proceeded to their booths and began to reflect about the
58:38
Speaker 1: crowd of men which attacked them upon the land. It
58:41
Speaker 1: appeared to them now that the one troop will have
58:43
Speaker 1: been that which came in the boats, and the other
58:46
Speaker 1: troop will have been a delusion of sight. The scarlingar
58:49
Speaker 1: also found a dead man, and his axe lay beside him.
58:53
Speaker 1: One of them struck a stone with it and broke
58:55
Speaker 1: the axe. It seemed to them good for nothing, as
58:59
Speaker 1: it did not with the stand the stone, and they
59:01
Speaker 1: threw it down. End of chapter eleven. Eric the reds Saga,
59:15
Speaker 1: anonymous read for LibriVox dot Org by Julian Jamison. Chapter twelve.
59:25
Speaker 1: Karlsefni and his company were now of opinion that though
59:29
Speaker 1: the land might be choice and good, there would be
59:32
Speaker 1: always war and terror overhanging them from those who dwelt
59:36
Speaker 1: there before them. They made ready therefore to move away,
59:39
Speaker 1: with intent to go to their own land. They sailed
59:43
Speaker 1: forth northwards and found five scrawlinger in jackets of skin
59:48
Speaker 1: sleeping near the sea, and they had with them a chest,
59:51
Speaker 1: and in it was marrow of animals mixed with blood,
59:55
Speaker 1: and they considered that these must have been outlawed. They
59:58
Speaker 1: slew them. Afterwards they came to a headland and a
1:00:02
Speaker 1: multitude of wild animals, And this headland appeared as if
1:00:05
Speaker 1: it might be a cake of cow dung, because the
1:00:08
Speaker 1: animals passed the winter there. Now they came to Straumsfjordr,
1:00:13
Speaker 1: where also they had abundance of all kinds. It is
1:00:16
Speaker 1: said by some that Bjarni and freythus remained there and
1:00:20
Speaker 1: a hundred men with them, and went not further away.
1:00:24
Speaker 1: But Karlsefni and Snorri journeyed southwards, and forty men with them,
1:00:29
Speaker 1: and after staying no longer than scarcely two months at Hope,
1:00:33
Speaker 1: had come back. The same summer, Karlsefni set out with
1:00:37
Speaker 1: a single ship to seek Thorhal, but the rest of
1:00:40
Speaker 1: the company remained behind. He and his people went northwards
1:00:45
Speaker 1: off Kilarnas, and were then borne onwards towards the west,
1:00:49
Speaker 1: and the land lay on their larboard side and was
1:00:52
Speaker 1: nothing but wilderness. And when they had proceeded for a
1:00:55
Speaker 1: long time, there was a river which came down from
1:00:57
Speaker 1: the land flowing from the east towards the west. They
1:01:01
Speaker 1: directed their course within the river's mouth and lay opposite
1:01:05
Speaker 1: the southern bank Chapter thirteen. One morning, Karlsefni's people beheld,
1:01:13
Speaker 1: as it were, a glittering speak above the open space
1:01:16
Speaker 1: in front of them, and they shouted at it. It
1:01:19
Speaker 1: stirred itself, and it was a being of the race
1:01:21
Speaker 1: of men that have only one foot and he came
1:01:25
Speaker 1: down quickly to where they lay. Thorvald, son of Eirik,
1:01:29
Speaker 1: the Red, sat at the tiller, and the one footer
1:01:32
Speaker 1: shot him with an arrow in the lower abdomen. He
1:01:35
Speaker 1: drew out the arrow, then said Thorvald, good land have
1:01:39
Speaker 1: we reached? And fat is it about the paunch? Then
1:01:43
Speaker 1: the one footer leapt away again northwards. They chased after
1:01:47
Speaker 1: him and saw him occasionally, but it seemed as if
1:01:50
Speaker 1: he would escape them. He disappeared at a certain creek.
1:01:54
Speaker 1: Then they turned back, and one man spoke this ditty.
1:01:59
Speaker 1: Our men chased a one footer down to the shore,
1:02:02
Speaker 1: but the wonderful man strove hard in the race parkin Karlsefni.
1:02:09
Speaker 1: Then they journeyed away back again northwards, and saw as
1:02:12
Speaker 1: they thought the land of the one footers. They wished, however,
1:02:16
Speaker 1: no longer to risk their company, they conjectured the mountains
1:02:20
Speaker 1: to be all one range, those that is, which were
1:02:23
Speaker 1: at hope and those which they now discovered, almost answering
1:02:26
Speaker 1: to one another, And it was the same distance to
1:02:29
Speaker 1: them on both sides. From Straumsforder, they journeyed back and
1:02:33
Speaker 1: were in Stramsforder. The third winter then fell the men
1:02:37
Speaker 1: greatly into back sliding. They who were wifeless pressed their
1:02:41
Speaker 1: claims at the hands of those who were married. Snorri
1:02:45
Speaker 1: Karlsefni's son was born the first autumn, and he was
1:02:48
Speaker 1: three winters old when they began their journey home. Now,
1:02:52
Speaker 1: when they sailed from Finland, they had a southern wind
1:02:55
Speaker 1: and reached Markland and found five scrawlinger. One was are
1:03:00
Speaker 1: heard men, two were women, two children. Kossefni's people caught
1:03:05
Speaker 1: the children, but the others escaped and sunk down into
1:03:08
Speaker 1: the earth. And they took the children with them and
1:03:11
Speaker 1: taught them their speech, and they were baptized. The children
1:03:15
Speaker 1: called their mother Voltilde and their father Uvogi. They said
1:03:20
Speaker 1: that kings ruled over the land of the Scrollinger, one
1:03:24
Speaker 1: of whom was called aval Damon and the other Valdidida.
1:03:29
Speaker 1: They said also that there were no houses, and the
1:03:31
Speaker 1: people lived in caves or holes. They said moreover that
1:03:35
Speaker 1: there was a land on the other side, over against
1:03:38
Speaker 1: their land, and the people there were dressed in white garments,
1:03:42
Speaker 1: uttered loud cries, bare long poles, and wore fringes. This
1:03:47
Speaker 1: was supposed to be Kitramana Land white Man's Land. Then
1:03:53
Speaker 1: came they to Greenland and remained with Eirik the Red.
1:03:56
Speaker 1: During the winter. Chapter fourteen, Bjarney Grimaulf's son and his
1:04:04
Speaker 1: men were carried into the Irish Ocean and came into
1:04:07
Speaker 1: a part where the sea was infested by shipworms. They
1:04:11
Speaker 1: did not find it out before the ship was eaten
1:04:13
Speaker 1: through under them. Then they debated what plan they should follow.
1:04:17
Speaker 1: They had a ship's boat which was smeared with tar
1:04:20
Speaker 1: made of seal fat. It is said that the shipworm
1:04:23
Speaker 1: will not bore into the wood which has been smeared
1:04:25
Speaker 1: with the seal tar. The council and advice of most
1:04:28
Speaker 1: of the men was to ship into the boat as
1:04:30
Speaker 1: many men as it would hold. Now, when that was tried,
1:04:34
Speaker 1: the boat held not more than half the men. Then
1:04:37
Speaker 1: Bijarney advised that it should be decided by the casting
1:04:40
Speaker 1: of lots, and not by the rank of the men,
1:04:43
Speaker 1: which of them should go into the boat. And inasmuch
1:04:46
Speaker 1: as every man there wished to go into the boat,
1:04:48
Speaker 1: though it could not hold all of them, therefore they
1:04:52
Speaker 1: accepted the plan to cast lots who should leave the
1:04:54
Speaker 1: ship for the boat. And the lot so fell that
1:04:57
Speaker 1: Bjarney and nearly half the men with him were chosen
1:05:00
Speaker 1: for the boat. So then those left the ship and
1:05:03
Speaker 1: went into the boat who had been chosen by lot
1:05:06
Speaker 1: so to do. And when the men were come into
1:05:09
Speaker 1: the boat, a young man, an Icelander, who had been
1:05:12
Speaker 1: a fellow traveler of Bjarny, said, dost thou intend Bjarny
1:05:16
Speaker 1: to separate thyself here from me? It must needs be
1:05:20
Speaker 1: so now, Bjarny answered. He replied, because in such case
1:05:26
Speaker 1: thou didst not so promise me when I set out
1:05:28
Speaker 1: from Iceland with thee from the homestead of my father.
1:05:32
Speaker 1: Jarny answered, I do not, however, see here any other plan.
1:05:37
Speaker 1: But what plan dost thou suggest? He replied? I propose
1:05:41
Speaker 1: this plan that we two make a change in our places,
1:05:45
Speaker 1: and thou come here and I will go there. Bjarny answered,
1:05:50
Speaker 1: so shall it be. And this I see that thou
1:05:53
Speaker 1: laborest willingly for life, and that it seems to THEE
1:05:56
Speaker 1: a grievous thing to face death. Then they changed places.
1:06:02
Speaker 1: The man went into the boat, and Bjarny back into
1:06:04
Speaker 1: the ship. And it is said that Bjarny perished there
1:06:07
Speaker 1: in the worm sea, and they who were with him
1:06:10
Speaker 1: in the ship. But the boat and those who were
1:06:13
Speaker 1: in it went on their journey until they reached land,
1:06:16
Speaker 1: and told this story afterwards, Chapter fifteen. The next summer,
1:06:24
Speaker 1: Karlsefni set out for Iceland and Snorri with him, and
1:06:28
Speaker 1: went home to his house in Reynines. His mother considered
1:06:32
Speaker 1: that he had made a shabby match, and she was
1:06:35
Speaker 1: not at home the first winter, But when she found
1:06:38
Speaker 1: that Gudrid was a lady without peer, she went home
1:06:41
Speaker 1: and their intercourse was happy. The daughter of Snorri, Karlsefni's
1:06:45
Speaker 1: son was Halfrid, mother of Bishop Thorlak, the son of Runolf.
1:06:51
Speaker 1: Halfred and Runolf had a son whose name was Thorbiorn.
1:06:55
Speaker 1: His daughter was Thorun, mother of Bishop yarn Thorghere was
1:07:00
Speaker 1: the name of a son of Snorri, Karlsefni's son. He
1:07:03
Speaker 1: was father of Ingvild, the mother of the first Bishop
1:07:06
Speaker 1: Brand And here ends this story end of chapter fifteen,
1:07:16
Speaker 1: end of Eric the Red Saga. This recording is in
1:07:20
Speaker 1: the public domain.