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Page 4
CHAPTER III
MEETING OF DEFEATED CHIEFS IN THE WEST AND MARRIAGE OF ONUND
There were then in the western parts many distinguished men who
had fled from their homes in Norway before King Harald, for he
declared all who fought against him outlaws, and seized their
property. As soon as Onund had recovered from his wound, Thrand
went with his party to Geirmund Swarthyskin, who was the most
eminent of the vikings in the West. They asked him whether he
was not going to try and regain his kingdom in Hordland, and
offered to join him, hoping by this means to do something for
their own properties, for Onund was very wealthy and his kindred
very powerful. Geirmund answered that Harald had such a force
that there was little hope of gaining any honour by fighting when
the whole country had joined against him and been beaten. He had
no mind, he said, to become the king's thrall, and to beg for
that which he had once possessed in his own right. Seeing that
he was no longer in the vigour of his youth he preferred to find
some other occupation. So Onund and his party returned to the
Southern Islands, where they met many of their friends.
There was a man named Ofeig, nicknamed Grettir. He was the son
of Einar, the son of Olvir the Babyman. He was a brother of
Oleif the Broad, the father of Thormod Shaft. Another son of
Olvir was named Steinolf, the father of Una, whom Thorbjorn the
Salmon-man married. A third son of Olvir was Steinmod, who was
the father of Konal, the father of Alfdis of the Barra Isles.
Konal's son was named Steimnod; he was the father of Halldora,
whom Eilif, the son of Ketil the One-handed, married.
Ofeig Grettir married Asny, the daughter of Vestar, the son of
Haeing. His sons were Asmund the Beardless and Asbjorn, and his
daughters were named Aldis, Aesa, and Asvor. Ofeig had fled from
the wrath of King Harald into the West over the sea, along with
his kinsman Thormod Shaft and all their families. They ravaged
far and wide in the western seas. Thrand and Onund Treefoot were
going West to Ireland to join Thrand's brother, Eyvind the
Easterner, who had command of the Irish defences. Eyvind's
mother was named Hlif; she was the daughter of Hrolf, the son of
Ingjald, the son of King Frodi, while Thrand's mother was Helga,
the daughter of Ondott Crow. The father of Eyvind and Thrand was
Bjorn, the son of Hrolf of Ar. He had had to leave Gautland
because he had burnt in his house Sigfast the father-in-law of
King Solvi. Then he went to Norway and spent the winter with
Grim the Hersir, a son of Kolbjorn the Sneak, who wanted to
murder him for his money. Thence Bjorn went to Ondott Crow, who
lived in Hvinisfjord in Agdir. There he was well received,
stayed the winter, and went campaigning with Ondott in the summer
until his wife Hlif died. Eventually Ondott gave Bjorn his
daughter Helga, and Bjorn then no longer went out to fight.
Eyvind had taken over his father's ships and become a great chief
in the western parts. He married Rafarta, the daughter of the
Irish king Kjarval. Their sons were Helgi the Lean and
Snaebjorn.
When Thrand and Onund came to the Southern Islands they found
there Ofeig Grettir and Thormod Shaft, with whom they became very
friendly, for each thought the others had risen from the dead,
their last meeting having been in Norway when the war was at its
worst. Onund was very silent, and Thrand, when he noticed it,
asked what was on his mind. Onund answered with a verse:
"No joy is mine since in battle I fought.
Many the sorrows that o'er me lower.
Men hold me for nought; this thought is the worst
of all that oppresses my sorrowing heart."
Thrand said: "Why, you still seem as full of vigour as ever you
were. You may yet settle down and marry. You shall have my good
word and my interest if you will only tell me whom you fancy."
Onund said he behaved nobly; but said there had once been a time
when his chances of making a profitable marriage had been better.
Thrand said: "Ofeig has a daughter named Aesa; we might mention
it if you like."
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