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Page 31
CHAPTER XXVII
SENTENCES ON THE FOSTER-BROTHERS
There dwelt at Reykjaholar a man named Thorgils, the son of Ari,
the son of Mar, the son of Atli the Red, the son of Ulf Squint-
Eye, the first settler at Reykjanes. Thorgils' mother was
Thorgerd the daughter of Alf of Dalir. Alf had another daughter
named Thorelf, who was the mother of Thorgeir the son of Havar.
Thorgeir, therefore, had a very strong backing through his
connections, for Thorgils was the most powerful chief in the
Vestfirding quarter. He was very open-handed and gave hospitality
to any free-man for as long as he would. There was consequently
always a crowd at Reykjaholar, and he lived in great grandeur.
He was both kindly and wise. Thorgeir stayed with him in the
winter and went to Strandir in the summer.
After slaying Thorgils the son of Mak, Thorgeir went to
Reykjaholar and told Thorgils Arason what had happened. Thorgils
told him his house was open to him. "But," he said, "they will
press the matter vigorously, and I am most unwilling to involve
myself in difficulties. I will send a man now to Thorsteinn and
offer him blood-money for the Thorgils affair; if he will not
accept it I will not adopt any violent measures."
Thorgeir declared that he would submit to his wisdom. In the
autumn Thorgils sent a messenger to Thorsteinn Kuggason to try
and arrange a settlement. Thorsteinn was very disinclined to
accept any money in atonement for the slaying of Thorgils,
although for the others he was willing to follow the advice of
men of counsel. Thorgils on receiving the report of his
messenger called Thorgeir to a consultation with him and asked
him what support he thought was proper. Thorgeir said that if a
sentence of banishment were passed upon him he would go. Thorgils
said that his resolve would be put to the trial.
There came a ship into the Nordra river in Borgarfjord, and
Thorgils secretly took a passage in her for the two foster-brothers.
The winter now passed, and Thorgils heard that Thorsteinn and his
party had assembled in great force for the All-Thing and were then
in Ljarskogar. So he put off his departure, intending that they
should arrive from the North before he came up from the West.
So it came to pass. Thorgils and Thorgeir then rode towards the
South, Thorgeir killing one Boggul-Torfi on the way at Marskelda
and two other men named Skuf and Bjarni at Hundadal. Thormod sings
about this affair in his Thorgeir's drapa:
"The hem slew the son of Mak;
there was storm of swords and raven's food.
Skuf and Bjarni he also felled;
gladly he bathed his hands in blood."
Thorgils settled for the slaying of Skuf and Bjarni there and
then in the dale, and was delayed by the affair longer than he
intended. Thorgeir embarked on the ship and Thorgils went to the
Thing, where he did not arrive before they were proceeding to
judgment in Thorgils Maksson's case. Asmund Longhair then called
for the defence. Thorgils appeared before the court and offered
blood-money in atonement on condition of Thorgeir not being
sentenced to banishment. He endeavoured to meet the charge by
pleading that finds in the Almenningar were free to all. The
question whether this was a valid defence or not was referred to
the Lawman, who at that time was Skapti. He upheld Asmund's view
on account of their kinship together. He declared that this was
indeed the law in the case of men equal in position, but that a
bondi had precedence over a vagrant. Asmund further urged that
Thorgils had offered to share the uncut portion of the whale with
the foster-brothers when they arrived. The defendants were
non-suited on that point. Then Thorsteinn and his party pressed
their suit resolutely and said they would not be satisfied with
any sentence short of banishment upon Thorgeir. Thorgils saw
that no choice was left to him but either to call up his men and
try to carry his case with violence, the issue of which would be
uncertain, or else to submit to the sentence demanded by the
opposite party, and since Thorgeir was already on board his ship
Thorgils had no desire to press the case further. Thorgeir was
banished, but Thormod was discharged upon payment of blood-money.
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