52. kafli

Runólfur hét maður sonur Úlfs aurgoða.

A man was  named Runolf, son of Ulf Mud-Priest

Hann bjó í Dal fyrir austan
Markarfljót. Hann gisti Otkel er hann reið af þingi.

He lived in Dale, east of the Markarfljot River. He spent the night with Otkel when he rode home from Thing

Otkell gaf honum uxa
alsvartan, níu vetra gamlan. Runólfur þakkaði honum gjöfina og bauð honum
heim þá er hann vildi fara

Otkel gave him an Ox - all black - nine years (winters) old. Runolf thanked him for the gift  and invited him (to his) home when he wished to go (travel)

og stóð þetta heimboð nokkurt skeið svo að hann
fór eigi.

and the invite stood for some time so that he did not go (the invite was not taken up)

Runólfur sendi honum oft menn og minnti á að hann skyldi fara og
hét hann jafnan ferðinni.

Runolf had often sent men to him and reminded him that he should journey and he (Otkel) had always promised to journey (to visit)

Otkell átti hesta tvo bleikálótta.

Otkel had two light dun horses (Z) and Grace (thank you - often wondered - ? Dun)

Þeir voru
bestir hestar að reið í héraðinu og svo elskir hvor að öðrum að hvor rann
eftir öðrum.

They were the  best riding horses in the district and each loved the other so that each ran after the other

Austmaður var á vist með Otkatli er Auðúlfur hét. Hann lagði hug á Signýju
dóttur Otkels. Auðúlfur var mikill maður vexti og styrkur.

An Easterner (from Norway (Z))  who was named Audulf was visiting Otkel. He had set heart on Signy Otkel's daughter. Audulf was a well made man and strong

53. kafli

Það var um vorið að Otkell mælti að þeir mundu ríða austur í Dal að heimboði
og létu allir vel yfir því.

It was in the Spring that Otkel said they would ride East to Dale and the invitation and all were pleased at that

Skammkell var í för með Otkatli og bræður hans
tveir, Auðúlfur og þrír menn aðrir.

Skammkel was on jouney with Otkel and his two brothers. Audulf (also) and three other men

Otkell reið hinum bleikálótta hesti en
annar rann hjá laus. Stefna þeir austur til Markarfljóts.

Otkel rode one Dun horse and the other ran loose (alongside) They went east towards Markar River.

Hleypir hann nú
fyrir Otkel. Ærast nú báðir hestarnir og hlaupa af leiðinni upp til
Fljótshlíðar.

Now he springs in front of Otkel and both horses run wild and off the path to Fljotshlid.

Fer Otkell nú meira en hann vildi. 

Otkel goes further now than he wished

Gunnar hafði farið heiman einn samt af bæ sínum og hafði kornkippu í annarri
hendi en handöxi í annarri.

Gunnar had gone (journeyed) from home quite alone from his farm and had a basket of seed-corn in one hand and his hand axe in the other

Hann gengur á sáðland sitt og sáir þar niður
korninu og lagði guðvefjarskikkju sína niður hjá sér og öxina og sáir nú
korninu um hríð.

He goes to his sown-land (Z) and sows the grain down there and laid his tunic of  "Good-weave" down near (at-hand) and his axe and casts now grain for a while. (Zoega identifies the material with expensive velvet used only for garments)

Nú er að segja frá Otkatli að hann ríður meira en hann vildi.

Now it is to tell of Otkel that he rides further than he wished (or ? intended)

Hann hefir
spora á fótum og hleypir neðan um sáðlandið og sér hvorgi þeirra Gunnars
annan.

He has spurs on his feet and leaps up - onto the sown-land and neither Gunnar (nor Otkel) sees the other

Og í því er Gunnar stendur upp ríður Otkell á hann ofan og rekur
sporann við eyra Gunnari og rístur hann mikla ristu og blæðir þegar mjög.
Þar riðu þá félagar Otkels.

And at that (moment) when Gunnar stands up - Otkel rides over him and rakes the spur along Gunnar's ear and tears a great cut/slice and at once it bled greatly.

Then Otkel's men rode up.

I am inclined to think that this was not entirely an accident - or Otkel was older - past his use-by - and was not a good rider - short-sighted - and Gunnar WAS big enough to be seen, - don't like this at all

Kveðja

Patricia