KIARTAN AT CRAGNESS
On the morning of the fifth day thereafter, as Rolf stood by the gate
of the enclosure which protected the farm buildings, he saw a man
coming on a horse, and knew him for his father's brother Kiartan. He
was a big man, heavily bearded, dressed in bright-colored clothes and
hung about with gold chains. His eye was bright and roving; his face
was genial, and he looked about him as he came as one who is well
contented. Yet Rolf liked him not.
Now Kiartan rode up to the enclosure and saw the boy. "Ho!" he cried,
"come hold my horse and stable him." So Rolf took the horse by the
bridle and held him while the man dismounted. Then the boy started to
lead the beast to the stable.
"Where is thy mistress?" asked Kiartan.
"My mother is in the house," answered Rolf.
"Now," Kiartan cried, "I took thee for a stable-boy. But thy father
had ever a love of the earth, and so perhaps hast thou. Knowest thou
me?"
"Thou art my uncle," replied the lad.
"Now," cried Kiartan, staring, "what spirit told thee of me?"
"Five nights ago," answered Rolf, "thou stoodst below on the deck of
thy ship, and lookedst up at Cragness. And our beacon saved thee."
"Aye," said Kiartan. "We had work to save our lives, and a close miss
we made of the Tusks." But he never gave a word of thanks, either to
Rolf or to Hiarandi, for the saving of his life. "Thou art wise to
stay at home, boy; for see how a sailor's life hangs ever on a thread.
Now stable the horse, and I will see thy mother. The farmer is likely
in the field."
So Rolf stabled the horse, and called his father from his work; and
Hiarandi came, muttering (though he meant not that Rolf should hear),
"Poor steel comes often home for a new edge." But he greeted his
brother well, and bade him stay with them for the winter.
"Even for that am I come," answered Kiartan. "For my cargo is already
sold, and my ship laid up for the winter near Hvamm, and I come home
to my kinsman. No poor penny am I this time, to need any man's help.
Perhaps," and he looked about him, "I can even help thee."
But the buildings were neat and weather-tight, and the farm was in no
need of improvement. "I need nothing," said Hiarandi, "and I even have
money out at call there in the neighborhood where thy ship is laid.
But come, the wife prepares the meal. Lay aside thy cloak and be at
home."
And so Kiartan entered on his wintering at Cragness.
Quiet is the winter in Iceland, when men have no work to do in the
field, save the watching of horses and the feeding of the sheep and
kine. Weatherwise must a man be to prepare against the storms, which
sweep with suddenness from off the water and enfold the land with
snow. Yet Hiarandi's flocks were small, and his sheep-range was not
wide, and both he and Rolf were keen to see the changes in the
weather; and as for their horses, they stayed ever near the buildings.
So all were free to go to the gatherings which men made for games and
ball-play, in times of fair weather. Thither Kiartan loved to go,
dressed in his fine clothes, and talking much. But nights when he sat
at home he would speak of his travels, and what a fine place the world
was, and how little there was for a man here in Iceland. He said it
was nothing to be a farmer, but a great thing to rove the sea, and to
live, not in this land where all were equal, but where there were
kings, earls, and other great men.
Once as he spoke thus he provoked Hiarandi to words. "Meseems,
brother," the farmer said, "that thou hast forgotten the way our
forefathers thought. For it was to avoid kings and earls that they
left their lands in Norway and came over the sea hither. And those
whom thou prizest so high are so little thought of here that we make
nothing of them whatever."
"Now," answered Kiartan, "thy neighbor Einar thinks well of earls, for
he has fostered his son with the Earl of the Orkneys."
"The lad will understand little of our ways when he returns," replied
Hiarandi.
"For all that," Kiartan said, "I name the son of Einar luckier than
thy son here. A great court is held in the Orkneys, and all matters
are to be learned there."
Then Hiarandi made response: "No court can teach good sense to a dolt,
and no wisdom will flourish unless there be good ground for it to
sprout. I have seen wise men bred in this little land, and fools that
came out of Norway."
Then Kiartan talked not so much before Hiarandi of the things he had
seen, nor for a time before Rolf either. But when there came again the
great winter ball-play, to which all went, and Rolf shot again with
the bow before them all, and proved himself the most skilful, though
not yet the strongest: after that Kiartan made more of the lad.
"Men," said he to Rolf one day when they were alone, "may be able to
shoot farther than thou with the bow, for two did it. But none shot so
surely. And some day thou wilt outshoot them as well."
"I think not much of it," answered Rolf.
"Now," said Kiartan, "thou shouldst learn to prize thyself higher. For
in the Orkneys good archers are welcome in the Earl's body-guard, and
a man is honored and well paid."
"Yet he is no longer his own man," answered Rolf.
"What of that?" asked Kiartan. "If for a few years he can see the
world, and make his fortune also, then he is forever after a greater
man at home. Think more of thyself!"
And at other times he spoke in the same strain, bidding Rolf value
himself higher. And he told of the great world, and described his
journeys. For he had been, he said, as far as the great Middle Sea,
had traded in Italy, and had even seen Rome. And Rolf was greatly
interested in those tales; for the lands across the sea were of moment
to all Icelanders, since many a man fared abroad often, and no man
thought himself complete who had not once made the voyage. So he
listened willingly, when Kiartan told his tales at evening in the
hall. The parents were inattentive; but sometimes Hiarandi, and
sometimes Asdis, would interrupt the story, sending the lad to some
task or to bed.
Now at last it draws toward spring, and the time approaches when
Kiartan must go away to his ship, to dight it for the voyage. And it
was remembered afterward how one evening he drew Hiarandi on to talk
of his savings, and learned what money he had out at interest, and
with whom. And Kiartan spoke the oftener with Rolf, praising him for
the fine man he was growing to be. Then at his last night at Cragness
the shipmaster said, as all sat together before the fire:
"Brother, thou knowest I must go away to-morrow."
"Aye," answered Hiarandi.
"Now," said Kiartan, "let me say to thee what is in my mind. Take it
not ill that I speak freely. But I think it wrong of thee that thou
keepest here at home such a fine lad as is Rolf thy son." And he would
have put his hand upon the boy's shoulder, but Rolf drew away. Kiartan
went on: "Now I am going to the South Isles. Send Rolf with me, and
let him see the world."
Then Hiarandi grew uneasy, and he answered: "Speak no more of this.
Some day he shall see the lands across the main, but as yet he is too
young."
"Nay," answered Kiartan, "he is nearly full-grown. What sayest thou,
Rolf? Wilt thou not go with me?"
Rolf answered: "I will be ruled by my father."
"I have made much money," reasoned Kiartan, "and thou canst do the
same."
"I care not for trading," replied Rolf.
"There are courts to be seen," said Kiartan, "and thou mayest serve in
them thyself."
"I am not ready to be a servant," quoth Rolf.
"But thou mayest see wars and fighting," cried Kiartan.
"I have no quarrels of my own," answered the boy, "and I mix not in
the affairs of others."
Now Hiarandi and Asdis had listened with both anger and fear,--anger
that Kiartan should so tempt the boy, and fear at what Rolf might
answer. But Rolf spoke with wisdom beyond his years; and at his last
response Hiarandi smiled, and Asdis clapped her hands. Then Kiartan
started from his seat and cried: "Out upon ye all for stay-at-homes!"
And he would speak no more with them that night, but went to his
locked bed and shut himself in. Yet he spoke to the lad once more in
the morning, out by the byre while Rolf was saddling the horse.
"Surely," said Kiartan, "thou didst not mean what thou saidst last
night, for the fear of thy parents was in thy mind. Now let me tell
thee what we can do. I will go on for the lading of my ship, and that
will take a fortnight's time. Then I will wait for thee at the mouth
of Laxriver, and thou canst come thither and join me secretly."
"Now," said the lad, "if I tell my father this, he will give thee a
beating. Therefore I will remain silent until thy ship has sailed."
Then Kiartan turned pale, and cursed, and made as if to strike his
nephew. But Rolf put his hand to his belt, and Kiartan drew away. Yet
Rolf had no knife.
"I see," said Rolf, "that thou art not quick at arms nor sure of thy
own strength, even against me. And I knew thou wert a coward long ago,
when I saw thee on thy ship's deck, giving no orders, but letting
other men save thy ship and thyself. No great deeds of daring would I
see with thee as shipmaster."
When Kiartan rode away, he was as glad at parting as were those of the
house.
"He is not changed," said Hiarandi, "in all the years he has been
gone."
"Where," asked Asdis, "is the harm which he was to do us?"
And she laughed, but rejoiced too soon. For after six weeks men came
to Hiarandi, sent from Laxriverdale, where traders had given goods to
Kiartan upon his promise that Hiarandi should pay. And it was
discovered that Kiartan had not only used the money which Hiarandi had
out at call in that region, but had obtained goods from other men
creating debts. And he had filled all his ship at Hiarandi's expense.
Then Rolf told to his father his own tale of Kiartan's secret offer,
and Hiarandi was bitterly wroth.
And then began those troubles which Thurid had foreseen. For when
Hiarandi refused to pay for the goods, but instead sought to regain
his money from those who had supplied Kiartan, the matter was brought
to the law. And first at the Quarter Thing, and then at the Althing,
many small suits were disputed. But the end of the matter was, that
Hiarandi was beaten by the skill of lawyers; and he had to lose his
money and pay more besides, and stood stripped of all which he had
laid up against his age, or against that time when Rolf should need a
start in life. And the farmer was greatly cast down, recalling the
misfortunes of the Soursops, and how he himself had been always called
the Unlucky. But Asdis and Rolf strove to keep him in good heart.