Kormáks saga

at ákveðinni stundu, en ek vil allra bóta varna

by an appointed time, and I will refuse all compensation

um sonu þína. Þórveig mǽlir: Þat er glíkast, at því komir þú á leið,

for your sons. Thorveig says: Most likely you will bring it about

at ek verða heraðflótta, en synir mínir óbǿttir. En því skal

that I am driven out of the district and my sons go uncompensated. But for this

ek þér launa, at þú skalt Steingerðar aldri njóta. Kormákr segir: Því

I will repay you: you shall never have joy of Steingerd. Kormak says: That

muntu ekki ráða, in vánda kerling.

you will not decide, you wicked old woman.

Síðan ferr

After that

Kormákr at finna Steingerði jafnt sem áðr. Ok eitt sinn, er þau tala

Kormak goes to see Steingerd just as before. And once, when they are talking

síðar bað Dalla Kormák fara til Reykja. Mun nú Skeggi

later Dalla told Kormak to go to Reykir. Skeggi will now

ljá sverðit. Kormákr hittir Skeggja ok biðr Skǫfnungs.

lend the sword. Kormak meets Skeggi and asks for Skofnung.

Vandhǿfi mun þér á þykkja meðferðinni, segir Skeggi.

You will find it tricky to handle, says Skeggi.

Pungr fylgir ok skaltu hann kyrran láta. Eigi skal sól skína

A pouch goes with it, and you must leave it alone. The sun must not shine

á it efra hjaltit. Eigi skaltu ok bera þat nema þú búisk

on the upper hilt. Nor shall you carry it unless you are getting ready

til vígs. En ef þú kemr á vǽttvang, sit einn

for a fight. And when you come to the field, sit by yourself

saman ok bregð þar, rétt fram brandinn ok blás

alone and draw it there; hold the blade out and blow

á. Þá mun skríða yrmlingr undan hjaltinu

on it. Then a little snake will crawl out from under the hilt;

, halla sverðinu ok ger honum hǿgt at skríða

tilt the sword and make it easy for it to crawl

undir hjaltit. Kormákr mǽlti: Margt hafið þér við, tǫframenninir

[back] under the hilt. Kormak said: You sorcerers make a great deal of business.

. Skeggi mǽlti: Þetta mun þó fyrir fullt koma.

Skeggi said: All the same, it will prove its full worth.

Eftir þetta ríðr Kormákr heim ok segir móður sinni, hversu

After this Kormak rides home and tells his mother how

farit hefir, telr mikit mega vilja hennar við

things have gone, [and] reckons her wish can do much with

þreifat var undir ábreiðuna at hǫfði

someone was groping under the coverlet at

honum. Hann spyrr, hverr þar sé. Sá snýr í brott ok til útidyra

his head. He asks who is there. The person turns away, out to the outer door,

. En Kormákr eftir ok sér, at þar er Þórdís. Ok er hon þá

and Kormak [follows] after and sees that it is Thordis. And she has then

komin í þann stað sem, þeir skuldu berjask, ok hefir

come to the place where they were to fight, and has

gás undir. Kormákr. spyrr, hvat skyli. Hon lǽtr heimgásina

a goose under [her arm]. Kormak asks what this is for. She puts the tame goose

niðr. ok mǽlir: Hví máttir þú eigi kyrr vera? Þá

down and says: Why could you not keep still? Then

leggsk. Kormákr. niðr. ok heldr fyrir sér vǫku. ok vill vita

Kormak lies down and keeps himself awake, wanting to know

tiltekjur Þórdísar. Hon vitjar þrysvar, ok forvitnask

what Thordis is up to. She goes there three times, and he finds out

hann í hvert sinn um athǿfi hennar. It þriðja

each time what she is doing. The third

sinn, er. Kormákr. kemr út, hefir hon skorit tvǽr gǽs ok

time, when Kormak comes out, she has killed two geese and

látit renna saman blóðit í bolla. Þá hafði

let the blood run together into a bowl. She had then

hon tekit hina þriðju gásina. ok ǽtlar at skera.

taken the third goose and means to kill it.

Þá mǽlir Kormákr: Hvat skal þessu starfi, fóstra? Þórdís mǽlir: Þat

Then Kormak says: What is this work for, foster-mother? Thordis says: It

mun þó sannask, Kormákr, at þér mun í síðra lagi mega

will prove true, Kormak, that you will be hard

at duga. Hafða ek nú ǽtlat at fyrirkoma þeim óskǫpum

to help. I had meant now to undo the evil fate

, er Þórveig hafði á lagt ykkr Steingerði. Ok

which Thorveig had laid on you and Steingerd. And

mǽttið nú njótask. ef ek skǽra hina þriðju

you two could have had joy of each other, if I had killed the third

gásina, svá at engi vissi. Kormákr mǽlir: Ekki trúi ek

goose without anyone knowing. Kormak says: I do not believe

á slíkt. Ok kvað vísu: Aura gaf ek á eyri. af skar mǽr

in such things. And he spoke a verse: I gave ounces for an ounce; the girl cut off

af bǽri. týr sýndisk mér taura. tveim gangvegum

from the bearer; a god of charms appeared to me on two walkways,

þeíma. Vera man blóð af blóði, býð aldregi

these. Blood will come of blood; never offer