|
Main
- books.jibble.org
My Books
- IRC Hacks
Misc. Articles
- Meaning of Jibble
- M4 Su Doku
- Computer Scrapbooking
- Setting up Java
- Bootable Java
- Cookies in Java
- Dynamic Graphs
- Social Shakespeare
External Links
- Paul Mutton
- Jibble Photo Gallery
- Jibble Forums
- Google Landmarks
- Jibble Shop
- Free Books
- Intershot Ltd
|
books.jibble.org
Previous Page
| Next Page
Page 39
The terms were easily arranged and Thorgaut was engaged for the
sheep during the winter. When the summer had passed away he took
over charge of them, and was on good terms with everybody. Glam
continued his rides on the roofs. Thorgaut thought it very
amusing and said the thrall must come nearer if he wished to
frighten him. Thorhall advised him not to say too much, and said
it would be better if they did not come into conflict.
Thorgaut said: "Surely all the spirit has gone out of you. I
shall not fall dead in the twilight for stories of that sort."
Yule was approaching. On the eve the shepherd went out with his
sheep. The mistress said: "Now I hope that our former experiences
will not be repeated."
"Have no fear for that, mistress," he said. "There will be
something worth telling of if I come not back."
Then he went out to his sheep. The weather was rather cold and
there was a heavy snowstorm. Thorgaut usually returned when it
was getting dark, but this time he did not come. The people went
to church as usual, but they thought matters looked very much as
they did on the last occasion. The bondi wanted them to go out
and search for the shepherd, but the churchgoers cried off, and
said they were not going to trust themselves into the power of
trolls in the night; the bondi would not venture out and there
was no search. On Yule day after their meal they went out to
look for the shepherd, and first went to Glam's cairn, feeling
sure that the shepherd's disappearance must be due to him. On
approaching the cairn they saw an awful sight; there was the
shepherd, his neck broken, and every bone in his body torn from
its place. They carried him to the church and no one was
molested by Thorgaut.
Glam became more rampageous than ever. He was so riotous that at
last everybody fled from Thorhallsstad, excepting the bondi and
his wife.
Thorhall's cowherd had been a long time in his service and he had
become attached to him; for this reason and because he was a
careful herdsman he did not want to part with him. The man was
very old and thought it would be very troublesome to have to
leave; he saw, too, that everything the bondi possessed would be
ruined if he did not stay to look after them. One morning after
midwinter the mistress went to the cow-house to milk the cows as
usual. It was then full day, for no one would venture out of
doors till then, except the cowherd, who went directly it was
light. She heard a great crash in the cow-house and tremendous
bellowing. She rushed in, shouting that something awful, she
knew not what, was going on in the cow-house. The bondi went out
and found the cattle all goring each other. It seemed not canny
there, so he went into the shed and there saw the cowherd lying
on his back with his head in one stall and his feet in the other.
He went up and felt him, but saw at once that he was dead with
his back broken. It had been broken over the flat stone which
separated the two stalls. Evidently it was not safe to remain
any longer on his estate, so he fled with everything that he
could carry away. All the live-stock which he left behind was
killed by Glam. After that Glam went right up the valley and
raided every farm as far as Tunga, while Thorhall stayed with his
friends during the rest of the winter. No one could venture up
the valley with a horse or a dog, for it was killed at once. As
the spring went on and the sun rose higher in the sky the spook
diminished somewhat, and Thorhall wanted to return to his land,
but found it not easy to get servants. Nevertheless, he went and
took up his abode at Thorhallsstad. Directly the autumn set in,
everything began again, and the disturbances increased. The
person most attacked was the bondi's daughter, who at last died
of it. Many things were tried but without success. It seemed
likely that the whole of Vatnsdal would be devastated unless help
could be found.
CHAPTER XXXIV
GRETTIR VISITS HIS UNCLE JOKULL
Previous Page
| Next Page
|
|