The Red Romance Book

st of their short summer, and tilled the ground so well that they generally reaped a golden harvest. Many of the families were akin, and had fled

and Shetland and the Faroe Islands and the Hebrides, and, being men of

ount of money that should be paid in exchange for his daughter at her marriage, and the sum that was due for the wounded slave or ‘thrall’ as he was called, or

d his purpose he was bo

confess it; if you slew him at night, or when he was sleeping, you were guilty of murder, and if you refused to throw gra

y a man, surround

S PRIDE I

d the other Hrut. This Hrut was much younger than Hauskuld, and was handsome, brave, and, like so many of the Nor

’s little daughter, Hallgerda, was playing with some other children. Fair and blue eyed were they all, but Hallgerda was taller and more beautiful than any, and her hair fell in long bright curls

ace. Again Hauskuld would know what was in the thoughts of

voc wrought by her among men. But one thing I would kn

wroth, and bade Hrut

had parted and she had gone back to her father, Hrut was a free man again, and he went to visit his brother Hauskuld, whose daughter Hallgerda had now become a woman. Tall and stately

of her beauty would go far. It was indeed not long before one came to her, Thorwald, son of Oswif, who, besides the bro

tried to turn his son’s thought to some other damsel, but Thorwald only answered, ‘Whatever you may say, s

ore telling him their business, and Hauskuld answered that for his part he could desire no more hon

us,’ said Thorwald, ‘so tell

home with his father, but Hallgerda was neve

nd said that if her father had loved her as much as he pretended to do he would have consulted

never had been known to say her nay. When she had told her story, he bade her be of good cheer, prophesying that Thorwald should not be her only hus

k were bidden. And when the marriage was over, she rode home with her husband Thorwald, and Thiostolf her foste

was not careful to ask whether the things she took were her own or someone else’s. This irked Thorwald sore; but worse was to follow. The spring came late that year, and Hallgerda told Thorwald that the storehouse was empty of meat and fish, and he must go out to the Bear Isles and fetch some mo

tolf chanced to pass that way, and, seeing t

ld,’ answered she, and reproached T

e attacking a ma

D WAS SLAIN

ggest island, loading his vessel with meat and fish from the storehouses. Then he began to pick a quarrel with Thorwald and spoke words that vexed him more and more, till Thorwald bent forward to seize a knife w

id Hallgerda, who was st

your own husband,’ answered Thiosto

she went on: ‘You must go northward, to Swan

missed her maidens with gifts; then she mo

?’ asked Hrut, who

,’ answered

f Thiostolf?’

o other;’ and Hallgerda passed

, ‘Oswif is coming, but we need fear nothing, they will never see us,’ and he took a goatskin and wrapped it round his head, and said to it: ‘Be thou darkness and fog, and fright and wonder, to those who seek us.’ And immediately a thi

got off his horse, and, throwing its bridle over a stake driven into the gr

Hauskuld; ‘but as he is slain, it is just t

said Hrut, ‘for it is not well that evil tong

dgment yourself,’

n that his award would be accepted, and that at the Great Council of the nation he would not summon Hauskuld for Thorwald’s murder. And Oswif took his hand, and Hauskul

from her, having heard tales of her evil ways. At length Glum, the youngest son of Olaf the Lame, told his brother that he would go no more tr

to the door of Hauskuld’s dwelling. Hauskuld greeted them heartily and begged them to stay all night,

said Hrut next morning, when h

‘they have not spoken

ered Hrut. ‘They have come t

all I do?’ s

ed Hrut, ‘but hide nothing. Let them know a

business by entreating Hauskuld to give his daughter Hallgerda to Glum his brother.

once before I chose a husband for my daughte

of one man is not the lot of all men. And things might have

f to ride with her to Glum’s house, and that he never sleeps in the house for more than three nights running, without Glum’s leave, on pain of outlawry and death by Glum himse

and Hauskuld sent t

d she was attended by her two women, and clad in her festal garments. She wore a dress of scarlet, girdled by a silver belt, and over it a mantle of soft dark blue, while her th

you and me, Hallgerda. Is it your will, as it is theirs? Tell me all that is

uited to my condition than what my father made for me before.

terms had been arranged, and that Glum should bring goods or money to

took place, and Glum went away, an

when the feast began Thiostolf might have been seen stalking about holding his axe

f a year a daughter was born to her, whom she named Thorgerda, and the child grew up to be as beautiful as her mother. But by-and-by trouble came to them th

elter without the consent of Glum. So when her husband came in she ran quickly to greet him, and

in honour,’ answered Glum,

shelter, and she wished him to remain, if it was Glum’s will. And Glum answered that, if

g, as he had done in Thorwald’s time, and to no one would he listen save to Hallgerda only. In vain Thora

It was hard work, for the sheep often strayed far, and, besides, the flocks got mixed up, and needed to be separated one from the other. One day, when the

rew angry, and

to bring in sheep. If you mean to go yours

d, seeking Hallgerda, he told her wh

ve Thiostolf h

wrathful, and she upheld T

went off to his own business. Hallgerda, who loved him much in spite of her unruly tongue, wept bitterly at the thou

e again,’ he said, bu

ou to come betwe

e and Thiostolf were left alone. They soon came upon a flock of wild sheep, and tried to drive them down the steep side of a hill towards Glum’s house, but it was of no use, and as fast as the sheep were collected together they all scattered again. Very soon, Glum and Thios

with stones, and took a gold ring from his finger. After that he took the road back to Varmalek, and found Hallgerd

r husband,

, with a man s

y your hand,’

nd added after a moment’s pause

him,’ replied Hallger

Hrut, who had come down to the d

him?’ as

,’ answered

ome here?’ ask

da sent me,’ ans

aw, and thrust at Hrut with his axe. Hrut, too, saw, and sprang quickly aside, knocking up as he did so the handle of the axe, so that it fell fu

her, came there too, with eleven men at his back. He asked Hauskuld what atonement he would make for Glum, but Hauskuld answered that it was neither he nor his daughte

y round for beauty, and for skill in shooting, jumping, and swimming. And, besides this, he was beautiful and gentle, faithful to the friends he made

yed some time, and had many adventures. It was early in the summer when he and Kolske

nnar asked if he would be present at the Thing. ‘No, truly

m, who wished to live at peace with everyone?

se, and if I had my way

listen, and rode stra

en he got there will be

br type