Chapter 76 - Egil hands over the tribute and sails to Iceland

Egil traveled on till he came westward out of the wood. They made for Thorfinn's that evening, where they were well received: their wounds were bound up, and they stayed there several nights. Helga, the master's daughter, was now on her feet, and whole of her ailment. For this she and all the family thanked Egil. He and his rested there themselves and their beasts.

The man who had graved the runes for Helga dwelt not far off. It now came out that he had asked her to wife, but Thorfinn would not give her. Then this landowner's son would fain beguile her, but she would not consent. So he thought to grave for her love-runes, but he did not understand them aright, and graved that wherefrom she took her sickness.

And when Egil was ready to depart, Thorfinn and his son escorted them on the road: they being thus ten or twelve in company. They went with them all that day as a guard against Armod and his house-carles. But when the tidings were heard how Egil's band had fought against overwhelming odds in the wood and conquered, then Armod thought it hopeless to raise shield against Egil: wherefore he with all his men sat at home. Egil and Thorfinn exchanged gifts at parting, and pledged themselves to friendship. Then Egil and his men went their way, and no tidings are told of their journey before they came to Thorstein's.

There their wounds were healed. Egil stayed there till spring. But Thorstein sent messengers to king Hacon to bring him the tribute for which Egil had gone to Vermaland. Who, when they came before the king, told him the tidings of what had been done in Egil's journey, and brought him the tribute. The king was now sure that what he had before suspected was true, namely, that earl Arnvid had caused the slaying of the two companies of messengers sent eastwards by him. The king said that Thorstein should have leave to dwell in the land, and should be reconciled to him. Then the messengers returned home; and on coming to Thorstein's told him that the king was well pleased with this Vermaland journey, and that Thorstein was now to have reconciliation and friendship with the king.

King Hacon in the summer went eastwards to Vik: whence he journeyed still eastwards to Vermaland with a large force. Earl Arnvid fled away; but the king took large fines from those landowners whom he thought guilty against him according to the report of those who went after the tribute. He set over the land another earl, taking hostages of him and of the landowners. In this expedition Hacon went far and wide about western Gautland and subdued it, as is told in his Saga, and is found in the poems composed about him. It is also told that he went to Denmark, and harried there far and wide. Then was it that with two ships he disabled twelve ships of the Danes, and gave to Tryggva, son of his brother Olaf, the name of king and the rule over Vik eastwards.

Egil in the summer made ready his merchant-ship and got thereto a crew. But the long-ship that he had brought from Denmark in the autumn he gave to Thorstein at parting. Thorstein gave Egil good gifts, and they pledged them to close friendship. Egil sent messengers to Thord, his wife's kinsman, at Aurland, and gave him charge to arrange for those lands that Egil owned in Sogn and Hordaland, bidding him sell them if there were a buyer. And when Egil was ready for his voyage, they sailed out along the bay, and then northwards along the Norway coast, and afterwards out into the main. They had a fairly good breeze, and came from the main into Borgar-firth; and Egil steered his ship up the firth to the haven close to his own house. He had his cargo conveyed home, and his ship set up on wooden props. Egil went home to his house: fain were folk to see him; and there he stayed for that winter.

 



76. kafli - Egill færir skattin ok ferr til Íslands.

Egill fór, til þess er hann kom vestr af skóginum. Sóttu þeir til Þorfinns at kveldi ok fengu þar allgóðar viðtökur. Váru þá bundin sár þeira Egils. Nökkurar nætr váru þeir þar, - Helga, dóttir bónda, var þá á fótum ok heil meina sinna, þakkaði hon ok öll þau Agli þat, - hvíldu sik þar ok eyki sína.

En maðr sá, er Helgu hafði rúnar ristit, var þaðan skammt á brott. Kom þat þá upp, at hann hafði beðit hennar, en Þorfinnr vildi eigi gifta hana. Þá vildi bóndason glepja hana, en hon vildi eigi. Þá þóttist hann rísta henni manrúnar, en hann kunni þat eigi, ok hafði hann þat ristit henni, er hon fekk meinsemi af.

Ok er Egill var til brottfarar búinn, þá fylgði Þorfinnr honum ok þeir feðgar á götu. Váru þeir þá saman tíu eða tólf. Fóru þeir þá dag þann allan með þeim til varúðar fyrir Ármóði ok húskörlum hans. Ok er þessi tíðendi spurðust, at þeir Egill höfðu barizt við ofrefli liðs á skóginum ok sigrat, þá þótti Ármóði engi ván, at hann myndi mega reisa rönd við Agli. Sat Ármóðr því heima við alla sína menn. Þeir Egill ok Þorfinnr skiptust gjöfum við at skilnaði ok mæltu til vináttu með sér.

Síðan fóru þeir Egill leið sína, ok er ekki sagt, at til tíðenda yrði í ferð þeira, áðr þeir kómu til Þorsteins. Váru þá grædd sár þeira. Dvölðust þeir Egill þar til várs. En Þorsteinn fekk sendimenn til Hákonar konungs at færa honum skatt þann, er Egill hafði sótt til Vermalands. Ok er þeir kómu á konungs fund, þá sögðu þeir honum tíðendi þau, er gerzt höfðu í ferð þeira Egils, ok færðu honum skattinn. Konungr þóttist þá vita, at þat mundi satt vera, er áðr hafði hann grunat um, at Arnviðr jarl mundi hafa látit drepa sendimenn hans tvenna, er hann hafði austr sent. Sagði konungr, at Þorsteinn skyldi þá hafa landvist ok vera í sætt við hann. Fara sendimenn síðan heimleiðis, ok er þeir koma aftr til Þorsteins, þá segja þeir honum, at konungr lét vel yfir þessi ferð ok Þorsteinn skyldi þá vera í sætt ok vináttu við konung.

Hákon konungr fór í Vík austr um sumarit, en þaðan gerði hann ferð sína austr á Vermaland með mikit lið. Arnviðr jarl flýði undan, en konungr tók stór gjöld af bóndum þeim, er honum þóttu í sökum við sik, svá sem sagt er af þeim, er skattinn sóttu. Setti hann þar yfir jarl annan ok tók gíslar af honum ok bóndum.

Hákon konungr fór í þeiri ferð víða um Gautland it vestra ok lagði þat undir sik, svá sem sagt er í sögu hans ok finnst í kvæðum þeim, er um hann hafa ort verit. Þá er ok sagt, at hann fór til Danmerkr ok herjaði þar víða. Þá hrauð hann tólf skip af Dönum með tveimr skipum, ok þá gaf hann konungsnafn Tryggva Óláfssyni, bróðursyni sínum, ok vald yfir Víkinni austr.

Egill bjó kaupskip sitt um sumarit ok réð þar til föruneyti, en langskip þat, er hann hafði haft um haustit ór Danmörku, gaf hann Þorsteini at skilnaði. Þorsteinn gaf Agli góðar gjafar, ok mæltu til mikillar vináttu sín í milli. Egill gerði sendimenn til Þórðar á Aurland, mágs síns, ok fekk honum umboð sitt at skipa jarðir þær, er Egill átti í Sogni ok á Hörðalandi, ok bað hann selja, ef kaupendr væri til.

Ok er Egill var búinn ferðar sinnar ok byr gaf, þá sigldu þeir út eftir Víkinni ok svá leið sína norðr fyrir Nóreg ok síðan í haf út. Byrjaði þeim til góðrar hlítar, kómu af hafi í Borgarfjörð, ok helt Egill skipinu inn eftir firðinum ok til hafnar skammt frá bæ sínum ok lét heim flytja varnað sinn, en ráða skipi til hlunns. Egill fór heim til bús síns. Urðu menn honum fegnir. Dvaldist Egill þar þann vetr.




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