Chapter 26
The summer after this winter, when he became Earl Hacon's liegeman at Yuletide, Sigmund fared up country with the Earl to the Frosta-moot, and there Sigmund opened the case of Thorkel his father-in-law to the Earl praying him that he would inlaw him and give him his land to hold freely. And Earl Hacon quickly gave Sigmund his asking. Moreover, he let send for Thorkel and his kindred, and Thorkel and his wife stayed with Earl Hacon that winter, and Thurið their daughter also. She had brought forth a woman-child the summer that Sigmund went away, and the maid was called Thora. The next spring Earl Hacon gave Thorkel Dryfrost a reeveship out in Orkdale, and there Thorkel set up his homestead, and there he abode all the time that this story tells of. Soon after this Sigmund rode out to Orkdale to see Thorkel, and he welcomed him kindly. Then Sigmund did his errand and asked for Thurið in marriage. Thorkel took his request well, and thought that honour and worship would come of it both to himself and his daughter and to them all. Sigmund drank his bride-ale with Earl Hacon at Hlathe, and the Earl kept the feast up for seven nights; and Thorkel Dryfrost was made Earl Hacon's henchman and became a dear friend of his. After that they fared home, but Sigmund and his wife abode with the Earl till the harvest-tide, when he went out to the Færeys, and Thurið his wife and Thora his daughter with him.
There was peace in the islands that winter. In the spring men fared to the moot in Streamsey, and much people came thither, Sigmund also and his following with him. Thrond came thither, and Sigmund asked for the second third of his money, and told him that he ought by right to have all, but he would not, for the sake of them that begged him not to require it now. Thrond answered, "It hath so happened, kinsman," said he, "that the man named Laf the son of Ossur is abiding with me. I bade him to my home when we two were set at one. Now I pray thee, kinsman, give Laf some set-off for the sake of his father Ossur, whom thou slewest, and let me pay him the money of thine that I owe thee. ""I shall not do so," said Sigmund, "but thou shalt pay me my money. ""Nay, but it must seem best to thee [to do as I say]," said Thrond. Sigmund answered, "Pay thou the money or worse shall come of it. "Then Thrond told out a half of the third, and then said that he was not ready to pay any more. Then Sigmund went up to Thrond, and he had the silver-mounted axe in his hand that he slew Ossur with, and set the axe-horn to Thrond's breast, and told him that he would thrust it deep enough for him to feel it sorely unless he told him out the money then and there. Then spake Thrond, "A troublesome man art thou," said he, and bade his men go into his booth for the money-bag that lay there and see whether there was any silver still over. He went and brought the money-bag to Sigmund, and the money was weighed and it did not come up to what Sigmund ought to have had. With that they parted.
That same summer Sigmund fared to Norway with Earl Hacon's scot, and was welcomed of him there, and abode a short while with the Earl, and then fared back to the Færeys and sat there through the winter. His kinsman Thore was ever with him. Sigmund was much beloved out there in the islands. He and Swiney-Bearne kept the settlement that was between them well, and Bearne ever came between Sigmund and Thrond or worse would have happed. In the spring men fared to the Streamsey-moot, and much people came thither. Sigmund asked Thrond for his money, but Thrond asked for weregild in the name of Laf Ossursson for his father. And many men spoke up in the matter that they should make a good settlement. Sigmund answered, "Thrond will pay Laf no better than he pays me, but for the sake of good men's words the debt shall stand over, but I do not give it up and I do not pay it as weregild. "With that they parted and went home from the moot.
Sigmund gat him ready to fare to Norway in the summer with Earl Hacon's scot, and was late bound. He sailed for the deep sea as soon as he was bound. Thurið his wife stayed behind, but Thore his kinsman went with him. They made a good run, and made Throndham late in the harvest-tide. Sigmund went straight to Earl Hacon and was welcomed by him.
Sigmund was seven and twenty winters old when this happened. He stayed on with Earl Hacon.
Chapter 27
That winter the Wickings of Iom came to Norway and fought there with Earl Hacon and his sons. The kinsmen Sigmund and Thore were in the fight with Earls Hacon and Eric, and it is said that Sigmund was the first man to board the warship of Bue the Thick, who was fighting in the fiercest wise, and Thore was the next with thirty men after him. And when Sigmund and Bue came to sword-play with one another, Sigmund saw that he could not match Bue in main strength and great strokes, and betook him to his feat of arms, and cast his shield and sword up in the air, and so shifted them in his hands, as he was often wont to do. Bue had not warded himself against this, and Sigmund with his left hand hewed off Bue's hand at the wrist, and then leapt back to his ship and seven men with him, for all the rest were slain of them that had followed him and Thore. Then Bue leapt overboard and his ship was cleared. Next spring Earl Hacon gave great gifts to Sigmund before they parted, and the kinsmen sailed out to the Færeys and sat down there in peace, and Sigmund alone held sway over all.
Chapter 28
It must now be told that when King Olave had been two winters in Norway, and had christened all Throndham that winter, he sent a message out to the Færeys to Sigmund Brestesson bidding him come and see him, and he had it put in the message that Sigmund should win worship and become the greatest man in the Færeys if he would become his man.
Chapter 29
As the summer passed, King Olave fared north of Throndham and came to South Mære, and as he lay at guesting with a rich franklin, there came out of the Færeys, according to the king's bidding, Sigmund Brestesson and Thore his kinsman. When Sigmund came to the king, the king welcomed him as blithely as might be, and they soon fell to talk together. The king said, "Thou hast done well, Sigmund, not to sleep over this cruise; and for this cause chiefly did I bid thee here, for that much was told me of thy boldness and skill, and I will gladly be thy friend indeed, if thou wilt hearken to me in the one thing that I think of most worth. Some men say that fellowship between us two would not be unbecoming, because we are both called men of prowess, and have long tholed toil and trouble before we won the worship we ought to have, for we two have had no unlike lots in our outlawry and bondage. Thou wert a child, and sat by when thy father was slain sackless, but I was in my mother's womb when my father was betrayed and slain for nothing that he had done, but for the wickedness and greed of his kinsmen. It hath also been told me that, far from offering thee boot for thy father, thy kinsmen bade slay thee as well as thy father, and that thou wert afterward sold into thralldom, yea, that money was paid that thou mightest become a bondsman and a thrall and an outcast and a wanderer withal from thine own and from thine own land; and that thou hadst no helper in an unknown land for a long while, save that men who knew thee not showed thee mercy by His help who is mighty in all things. But things not unlike those I have heard tell of thee have happened to me. As soon as I was born ambush was laid for me, and I was hunted for, nay, my life was compassed by my own countrymen, so that my mother was brought low and had to fly with me from her father's countrymen and her kinsmen and all that she had. So passed the first three winters of my life. Then we were both taken by Wickings, and then I parted with my mother, so that I never saw her again. I was thrice sold into thraldom. Then I was in England with men that I knew not till I was nine winters old. Then came thither one of my kinsmen who knew my kindred, and he loosed me out of bondage and took me away with him east into Garthric, and there I was other nine winters in outlawry, though I was at that time held a free man. Then I grew somewhat near manhood, and won greater honour and worship at King Waldemar's hand than would seem likely for an outlander, though it was after the manner of the honour thou gottest at the hands of Earl Hacon. And now it hath so come about after all, that each of us is come into his father's heritage and to the land of his birth after long lack of happiness and honour. And now, above all, inasmuch as I have heard that thou hast never slain offerings to false gods after other heathen men's guise, therefore have I good hope that the high King of heaven, Maker of all things, will lead thee by my words to the knowledge of His holy Name and holy Faith, and make thee my fellow in the right faith, as thou art my match in strength and all feats of skill, and other of His merciful gifts which He hath given to thee as He did to me, long before I had any knowledge of His glory. Now the same all-swaying God grant that I bring thee to the true Faith and into His service, so that thereafter thou mayst by His mercy, after my example and at my urging, bring all thy liegemen to His glory; which thing also shall, I think, come to pass. Thou shalt also, if thou wilt hearken to my words, as I have before said, and serve God truly with steadfastness, get friendship and worship of me, although that is nothing worth by the side of the honour and bliss that Almighty God will give thee, and every other man who keeps His commandments for the love of His Holy Ghost, to reign together in the highest glory of His heaven. "When the king had done speaking, Sigmund answered, "It is known to you, lord, moreover it was told of in your speech, that I was bound in service to Earl Hacon. He gave me his good favour, and I was right well pleased with my way of life, for he was faithful and wise of counsel and loving to his friends, as he was grim and false to his foes. But great unlikeness is there between your two faiths, and as far as I can guess from your fair words, this faith that thou holdest is in all ways better and fairer than that which thou heathen men hold, therefore I am willing to follow your counsel and win your friendship. And I would not offer sacrifices to false gods, because I saw long ago that that usage was of no good, although I knew none better. "King Olave was glad, when he heard the words that Sigmund spake, that he took his counsel so wisely. And Sigmund was baptized and all his fellows, and the king had them taught the holy lore. Sigmund was then with the king through the winter in great honour.
Chapter 30
When the spring was coming in, the king fell on a day to talk with Sigmund, and said that he was minded to send him out to the Færeys to christen the folk that dwelt there. Sigmund said that he would rather not do that errand, but at last said he would do the king's will. Then the king made him lord over all the islands, and gave him wise men to baptize the folk and teach them the needful lore. Sigmund sailed when he was bound, and sped well on his way. When he came to the Færeys he summoned the franklins to a moot in Streamsey, and much folk came thither. And when the moot was set, Sigmund stood up and set forth his business at length, telling all that had happened since he had gone eastward to Norway to see King Olave Tryggwesson. Moreover, he said that the king had laid all the island under his lordship, and most of the franklins took this very well. Then Sigmund went on, "I would likewise have you know that I have taken another faith, and am become a Christian man. I have also this errand and bidding from King Olave, to turn all folk in the island to the true faith. "Thrond answered his speech, and said that it was right the franklins should talk over this hard matter among themselves. The franklins said this was well spoken. Then they went to the other side of the moot-field, and Thrond told the franklins that the right thing clearly was to refuse to fulfil this command, and brought things so far by his fair speeches that they were all of one mind thereon. But when Sigmund saw that all the folk had crowded over to Thrond's side, so that there was none stood by him save his own men who were christened, he said, "Too much might have I given Thrond today. "And now men began to crowd back to where Sigmund was sitting; they bore their weapons aloft, and carried themselves in no peaceful wise. Sigmund and his men sprang up to meet them. Then spake Thrond, "Let men sit down and carry themselves more quietly. Now I have this to tell thee, kinsman Sigmund; we franklins are all of one mind on this errand thou hast done, namely, that we will by no means change our faith, and we will set on here in the moot and slay thee, unless thou give it up and bind thyself fast never more to carry this bidding to the islands. "And when Sigmund saw that he could not then bring this matter of the faith about, and was not strong enough to deal with all the folk that was come together there by the strong hand, it ended in his binding himself to what they wished with witnesses and hand-plight. And with that the moot broke up.
Sigmund sat at home in Scufey that winter, and was right ill-pleased that the franklins had cowed him, although he did not let his mind be known.