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“He asked me, the clavering cowherd
If I cared for--what was it he called them?--
The worms of the kettle. I warrant
He'll be wiping his eyes by the hearth-stone.
I deem that yon knave of the dunghill
Who dabbles the muck on the meadow
--Yon rook in his mud-spattered raiment--
Got a rap for his noise--like a dog.”
CHAPTER FIVE. They Waylay Cormac: And The Witch Curses Him.
There was a woman named Thorveig, and she knew a deal too much. She
lived at Steins-stadir (Stonestead) in Midfiord, and had two sons; the
elder was Odd, and the younger Gudmund. They were great braggarts both
of them.
This Odd often came to see Thorkel at Tunga, and used to sit and
talk with Steingerd. Thorkel made a great show of friendship with the
brothers, and egged them on to waylay Cormac. Odd said it was no more
than he could do.
So one day when Cormac came to Tunga, Steingerd was in the parlour and
sat on the dais. Thorveig's sons sat in the room, ready to fall upon him
when he came in; and Thorkel had put a drawn sword on one side of the
door, and on the other side Narfi had put a scythe in its shaft. When
Cormac came to the hall-door the scythe fell down and met the sword, and
broke a great notch in it. Out came Thorkel and began to upbraid Cormac
for a rascal, and got fairly wild with his talk: then flung into the
parlour and bade Steingerd out of it. Forth they went by another door,
and he locked her into an outhouse, saying that Cormac and she would
never meet again.
Cormac went in: and he came quicker than folk thought for, and they were
taken aback. He looked about, and no Steingerd: but he saw the brothers
whetting their weapons: so he turned on his heel and went, saying:--
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“The weapon that mows in the meadow
It met with the gay painted buckler,
When I came to encounter a goddess
Who carries the beaker of wine.
Beware! for I warn you of evil
When warriors threaten me mischief.
It shall not be for nought that I pour ye
The newly mixed mead of the gods.”