Chapter 51
Thorwald was the name of a man that dwelt in Sandey; his wife's name was Thorbera. He was a wealthy man in goods and chattels, and was stricken in years when these things came to pass. Geat the Red came to Thorwald and offered to gather in his money for him, for he got little profit from the money he let out, and the bargain they made was of the same kind as the one between Thorhall and Sigurd. Geat stayed with Thorwald as much as with Sigurd, and it was soon said that Geat had beguiled Thorwald's wife: he got together a good deal of money. Once upon a time a man came to the homestead with whom Thorwald had money out on loan; he was a fisherman. It was in the evening, and it was dark in the hall where men were sitting. Thorwald asked the fisherman for his money, but he answered him slowly and rather ill. Geat was walking up the room in the dark with some of the men, and when they looked least for it, Thorwald cried out, "Most wretched man, wilt thou drive thy knife into the breast of an old and sackless man?"then he fell back against the wainscot dead.
When Geat heard this, he ran straight at the fisherman and smote him his death-blow on the spot, saying that he should do no more ill deeds. Afterwards Geat sat down in the homestead with the widow and took her to wife.
Chapter 52
There was a man whose name was Laf; he was the son of Thore Beine's son; he went merchant-cruises between Norway and the Færeys, and did very well. When he was in the Færeys, he used by turns to stay with Laf Ossursson and with Thurid the Mighty Widow and her sons. Now, once upon a time it happened, when Laf Thoresson came out with his ship to the Færeys, that Sigurd Thorlacsson bade him home to his house in Streamsey, and they settled he should go. Laf Ossursson came down to the ship, and was not very well pleased that his namesake had settled to stay with Sigurd. He said it was not by his counsel that he should go, and told him that he might have had free quarters in Southrey with him. Laf said it must be now as it was fixed, and went to stay with Sigurd, and Sigurd set him next himself, and treated him well; and he was through the winter with him, and held in great honour.
Chapter 53
One day in the following spring, as it is told, Sigurd said that he was going out to get in his money from a neighbour of his whose name was Beorn. "And I would fain have thee, Laf, go with me, that thou mayest stand between us; for Beorn is very short-tempered, and I have long lacked my money at his hands. "Laf said that he would go as he wished. So they twain walked together to Beorn's, and Sigurd asked for his money, but Beorn answered him ill. With that a great stir began, and Beorn hewed at Sigurd, but Laf ran between them, and Beorn's axe came down on Laf's head, and that stroke was the death of him then and there. Sigurd ran at Beorn and dealt him his death blow. These tidings were now spread abroad. Sigurd was the only man who could tell the truth about it, and he became evil-spoken of.
Thurid the Mighty Widow and Thora her daughter taunted Laf Ossursson a good deal, saying that he would never lift his hands, no matter what shame was laid upon them; and showed him coldness and hatred; and he bore it well and manfully: but they said that his forbearance sprang from cowardice and lack of heart. The two kinswomen took the death of Laf Thore's son very deeply to heart, thinking that of a surety Sigurd had slain him.
It is told that on a time goodwife Thurid dreamed that Sigmund Brestesson, her husband, came to her in his guise as he had lived and spake to her, saying, "It is as it seems to thee; and I am come hither, having got leave from God himself. But do thou think neither ill nor hardly of Laf, thy daughter's husband, for it is fated that he shall avenge the wrongs of you both. "After this Thurid awoke, and told her dream to her daughter, Thora, and from thenceforth they behaved better to Laf than before.
Chapter 54
It must next be told that a ship came over the main to the Færeys and lay off Streamsey, not far from Sigurd's homestead. They were Northmen, and the master's name was Arnleot; they were eighteen in all on board. A man whose name was Scafte dwelt hard by the ship's berth. He worked for the chapmen and served them well, and they behaved well to him. The master fell to talk with Scafte, and thus he spake: "I will tell thee what is in my heart," says he. "They were my sons, Bearngrim and his brothers, whom Sigurd Thorlacsson slew, and I would fain have thee with me in this matter, that I may get at Sigurd and his mates and avenge my sons. Scafte said that he owed Sigurd no goodwill, and promised Arnleot that he would give him warning when they might best get hold of them. Now, upon a day in the summer, the three kinsmen, Sigurd, Thord, and Geat, took a boat and fared out to an island to get some sheep for slaughtering, for it is the wont of the Færey folk to have fresh meat at all seasons. And when they had put to sea, Scafte gave Arnleot warning thereof. Then the merchantmen gat them ready at once and set out, fifteen of them, in the ship's boat, and reached the island where Sigurd and his kinsmen were, and landed, twelve of them together, but three watched the boat. When Sigurd and his kinsmen saw the men that had landed on the island, they talked among themselves as to who they could be. They could see that they were in light raiment and weaponed. "May be," said Sigurd, "these are the chapmen that have lain here all the summer, and they may have some other errand than to chaffer with us, for they must be seeking us; so let us make ready for them. We will go to meet them, and follow Sigmund Brestesson's plan --- let every man run down his own way, and let us all meet at our boat. "So they went to meet each other. Arnleot egged on his shipmates, bidding them avenge his sons. Sigurd and his kinsmen ran down every man his own way, and met down on the shore at their boat. Arnleot and his men came then after them and ran at them. Sigurd hewed at the man who set on him and cut off both his legs at the knee, and so he gat his death. Thord slew another man, and Geat a third. Then they sprang on board their boat and rowed along the island, and there they came upon the ship's boat with the three men aboard of her. Sigurd sprang into her, slew one of them, and threw the other two into the sea. Then he took their boat, and they rowed away home with the two boats. Then he gathered men to him and went out to the island again and landed. The Eastmen ran together to try and guard themselves. Thord the Low said, "The best thing to do, kinsman Sigurd, is to give these men quarter, now we can do as we like with them, for we have done great hurt to Arnleot already. "Sigurd answered, "That is well spoken, but I will have them give up all into my hands, if they would have quarter. "And so it came to pass they gave Sigurd self-doom, and he gave Arnleot three weregelds for each [of his sons]. Arnleot was paid all of his money as weregeld for his sons and took it abroad with him out of the Færeys. He was a South-islander. Sigurd became aware also of Scafte's treason, and he told him he should have his life, but that he should go abroad out of the Færeys. So he went out to Norway, and was outlawed from the Færeys.
Chapter 55
Now this must be told, that Sigurd Thorlacsson began to egg on his brother Thord to marry. Thord asked him where he saw a wife that would do for him. "I will not pass over the woman," says Sigurd, "whom I think the best match in the Færeys, namely, Thurid the Mighty Widow. ""I don't aim so high," says Thord. "Thou wilt never wed any one without asking," says Sigurd. "I will not try this, and she will be far enough from wishing to wed me," said Thord; "but thou shalt try it if thou wilt. "So next day Sigurd fared over to Scufey, and told his tale to Thurid. She did not answer him at once, but he pleaded his cause, and it went so far that she promised she would talk it over with her friends and sons, and that she would send him word how things stood then. So Sigurd fared home with that, and said her answer was likely enough. "That is wonderful indeed," says Thord, "and I rather suspect she was not saying what she thought. "Thurid went to Laf her son-in-law and Thora her daughter, and told them of her wooing. Thora asked what she had answered. She said she had spoken strongly against it, but less strongly than she thought. "But what dost thou think the best thing to do, daughter?"She answered, "Thou shalt not say no, if I am to have my way in the matter, if it is at all in your mind to work for revenge on them that have shamed us, and I do not see any other bait by which they are more likely to be caught than this. I need not put words into my mother's mouth, since she has before her many ways to bring it about that they do not have their will this time. "Laf was of the same mind as Thora in this matter, and said that he would take thought how they might set about giving them what they deserved. Then they appointed a day for them to come and look after this business. Then Laf said, "Thrond foresaw this long ago when he offered to foster our son, and I hold thee guilty in this matter, Thora; and it will be death of our son Sigmund if he is with Thrond and anything falls out between us and Sigurd. ""I don't mean him to be much longer there," said Thora, "and the thing is for us to go to Eastrey, where thou shalt see thy foster-father, Thrond. "They all thought this the best thing.