Originally written in Icelandic sometime between 1250 - 1300 A.D.
although parts may be based on a now lost 12th century saga.
Translation by W.G. Collingwood & J. Stefansson (Ulverston, 1901).
CHAPTER ONE. Cormac's Fore-Elders.
Harald Fairhair was king of Norway when this tale begins. There was a
chief in the kingdom in those days and his name was Cormac; one of the
Vik-folk by kindred, a great man of high birth. He was the mightiest of
champions, and had been with King Harald in many battles.
He had a son called Ogmund, a very hopeful lad; big and sturdy even as a
child; who when he was grown of age and come to his full strength, took
to sea-roving in summer and served in the king's household in winter. So
he earned for himself a good name and great riches.
One summer he went roving about the British Isles and there he fell in
with a man named Asmund Ashenside, who also was a great champion and had
worsted many vikings and men of war. These two heard tell of one another
and challenges passed between them. They came together and fought.
Asmund had the greater following, but he withheld some of his men from
the battle: and so for the length of four days they fought, until many
of Asmund's people were fallen, and at last he himself fled. Ogmund won
the victory and came home again with wealth and worship.
His father said that he could get no greater glory in war,--“And now,”
said he, “I will find thee a wife. What sayest thou to Helga, daughter
of Earl Frodi?”
“So be it,” said Ogmund.
Upon this they set off to Earl Frodi's house, and were welcomed with all
honour. They made known their errand, and he took it kindly, although
he feared that the fight with Asmund was likely to bring trouble.
Nevertheless this match was made, and then they went their ways home.
A feast was got ready for the wedding and to that feast a very great
company came together.
Helga the daughter of Earl Frodi had a nurse that was a wise woman, and
she went with her. Now Asmund the viking heard of this marriage, and set
out to meet Ogmund. He bade him fight, and Ogmund agreed.
Helga's nurse used to touch men when they went to fight: so she did with
Ogmund before he set out from home, and told him that he would not be
hurt much.
Then they both went to the fighting holm and fought. The viking laid
bare his side, but the sword would not bite upon it. Then Ogmund whirled
about his sword swiftly and shifted it from hand to hand, and hewed
Asmund's leg from under him: and three marks of gold he took to let him
go with his life.
CHAPTER TWO. How Cormac Was Born and Bred.
About this time King Harald Fairhair died, and Eric Bloodaxe reigned in
his stead. Ogmund would have no friendship with Eric, nor with Gunnhild,
and made ready his ship for Iceland.
Nor Ogmund and Helga had a son called Frodi: but when the ship was
nearly ready, Helga took a sickness and died; and so did their son
Frodi.
After that, they sailed to sea. When they were near the land, Ogmund
cast overboard his high-seat-pillars; and where the high-seat-pillars
had already been washed ashore, there they cast anchor, and landed in
Midfiord.
At this time Skeggi of Midfiord ruled the countryside. He came riding
toward them and bade them welcome into the firth, and gave them the
pick of the land: which Ogmund took, and began to mark out ground for
a house. Now it was a belief of theirs that as the measuring went, so
would the luck go: if the measuring-wand seemed to grow less when they
tried it again and again, so would that house's luck grow less: and if
it grew greater, so would the luck be. This time the measure always grew
less, though they tried it three times over.
So Ogmund built him a house on the sandhills, and lived there ever
after. He married Dalla, the daughter of Onund the Seer, and their sons
were Thorgils and Cormac. Cormac was dark-haired, with a curly lock upon
his forehead: he was bright of blee and somewhat like his mother, big
and strong, and his mood was rash and hasty. Thorgils was quiet and easy
to deal with.
When the brothers were grown up, Ogmund died; and Dalla kept house with
her sons. Thorgils worked the farm, under the eye of Midfiord-Skeggi.
CHAPTER THREE. How Cormac Fell In Love.
There was a man named Thorkel lived at Tunga (Tongue). He was a wedded
man, and had a daughter called Steingerd who was fostered in Gnupsdal
(Knipedale).
Now it was one autumn that a whale came ashore at Vatnsnes (Watsness),
and it belonged to the brothers, Dalla's sons. Thorgils asked Cormac
would he rather go shepherding on the fell, or work at the whale. He
chose to fare on the fell with the house-carles.
Tosti, the foreman, it was should be master of the sheep-gathering: so
he and Cormac went together until they came to Gnupsdal. It was night:
there was a great hall, and fires for men to sit at.
That evening Steingerd came out of her bower, and a maid with her. Said
the maid, “Steingerd mine, let us look at the guests.”
“Nay,” she said, “no need”: and yet went to the door, and stepped on the
threshold, and spied across the gate. Now there was a space between the
wicker and the threshold, and her feet showed through. Cormac saw that,
and made this song:--
(1)
“At the door of my soul she is standing,
So sweet in the gleam of her garment:
Her footfall awakens a fury,
A fierceness of love that I knew not,
Those feet of a wench in her wimple,
Their weird is my sorrow and troubling,
--Or naught may my knowledge avail me--
Both now and for aye to endure.”
Then Steingerd knew she was seen. She turned aside into a corner
where the likeness of Hagbard was carved on the wall, and peeped under
Hagbard's beard. Then the firelight shone upon her face.
“Cormac,” said Tosti, “seest eyes out yonder by that head of Hagbard?”