(22)
“My bride, my betrothed has been stolen,
And Bersi the raider has robbed me.
I who offer the song-cup of Odin--
Who else?--should be riding beside her.
She loved me--no lord of them better:
I have lost her--for me she is weeping:
The dear, dainty darling that kissed me,
For day upon day of delight.”
Said Thorgils, “A risky errand is this, for Bersi will get home before
you catch him. And yet I will go with thee.”
Cormac said he would away and bide for no man. He leapt on his horse
forthwith, and galloped as hard as he could. Thorgils made haste to
gather men,--they were eighteen in all,--and came up with Cormac on the
hause that leads to Hrutafiord, for he had foundered his horse. So they
turned to Thorveig the spaewife's farmsteading, and found that Bersi was
gone aboard her boat.
She had said to Bersi, “I wish thee to take a little gift from me, and
good luck follow it.”
This was a target bound with iron; and she said she reckoned Bersi would
hardly be hurt if he carried it to shield him,--“but it is little worth
beside this steading thou hast given me.” He thanked her for the gift,
and so they parted. Then she got men to scuttle all the boats on the
shore, because she knew beforehand that Cormac and his folk were coming.
When they came and asked her for a boat, she said she would do them no
kindness without payment;--“Here is a rotten boat in the boathouse which
I would lend for half a mark.”
Thorgils said it would be in reason if she asked two ounces of silver.
Such matters, said Cormac, should not stand in the way; but Thorgils
said he would sooner ride all round the water-head. Nevertheless Cormac
had his will, and they started in the boat; but they had scarcely put
off from shore when it filled, and they had hard work to get back to the
same spot.
“Thou shouldst pay dearly for this, thou wicked old hag,” said Cormac,
“and never be paid at all.”
That was no mighty trick to play them, she said; and so Thorgils paid
her the silver; about which Cormac made this song:--
(23)
“I'm a tree that is tricked out in war-gear,
She, the trim rosy elf of the shuttle:
And I break into singing about her
Like the bat at the well, never ceasing.
With the dew-drops of Draupnir the golden
Full dearly folk buy them their blessings;
Then lay down three ounces and leave them
For the leaky old boat that we borrowed.”
Bersi got hastily to horse, and rode homewards; and when Cormac saw that
he must be left behind, he made this song:--
(24)
“I tell you, the goddess who glitters
With gold on the perch of the falcon,
The bride that I trusted, by beauty,
From the bield of my hand has been taken.
On the boat she makes glad in its gliding
She is gone from me, reft from me, ravished!
O shame, that we linger to save her,
Too sweet for the prey of the raven!
They took their horses and rode round the head of the firth. They met
Vali and asked about Bersi; he said that Bersi had come to Muli and
gathered men to him,--“A many men.”
“Then we are too late,” said Cormac, “if they have got men together.”
Thorgils begged Cormac to let them turn back, saying there was little
honour to be got; but Cormac said he must see Steingerd.
So Vali went with them and they came to Muli where Bersi was and many
men with him. They spoke together. Cormac said that Bersi had betrayed
him in carrying off Steingerd, “But now we would take the lady with us,
and make him amends for his honour.”
To this said Thord Arndisarson, “We will offer terms to Cormac, but the
lady is in Bersi's hands.”
“There is no hope that Steingerd will go with you,” said Bersi; “but
I offer my sister to Cormac in marriage, and I reckon he will be well
wedded if take Helga.”
“This is a good offer,” said Thorgils; “let us think of it, brother.”
But Cormac started back like a restive horse.
CHAPTER NINE. Of Another Witch, And Two Magic Swords.
There was a woman called Thordis--and a shrew she was--who lived at
Spakonufell (Spaequean's-fell), in Skagastrand. She, having foresight of
Cormac's goings, came that very day to Muli, and answered this matter on
his behalf, saying, “Never give him yon false woman. She is a fool, and
not fit for any pretty man. Woe will his mother be at such a fate for
her lad!”
“Aroint thee, foul witch!” cried Thord. They should see, said he, that
Helga would turn out fine. But Cormac answered, “Said it may be, for
sooth it may be: I will never think of her.”
“Woe to us, then,” said Thorgils, “for listening to the words of yon
fiend, and slighting this offer!”
Then spoke Cormac, “I bid thee, Bersi, to the holmgang within half a
month, at Leidholm, in Middal.”
Bersi said he would come, but Cormac should be the worse for his choice.
After this Cormac went about the steading to look for Steingerd. When he
found her he said she had betrayed him in marrying another man.
“It was thou that made the first breach, Cormac,” said she, “for this
was none of my doing.”