As previously, comments in double brackets [[xyz]] were added after consulting the translations of my colleagues.


Þorgerður bjó ferð sína til Íslands og sækir heim Höskuld son sinn í Laxárdal.

Thorgerd made ready for a journey to Iceland and visits (the) home of Hoskuld her son in Laxardal.


Hann tók sem hann kunni best við móður sinni.

He received his mother the best he knew (how to).


Átti hún auð fjár og var með Höskuldi til dauðadags.

She had great wealth and was with Hoskuld until (her) death.


Nokkurum vetrum síðar tók Þorgerður banasótt og andaðist og var hún í haug sett en Höskuldur tók fé allt en Hrútur bróðir hans átti hálft.

Some years (lit. winters) later Thorgerd took death-sickness (i.e., became mortally ill) and died and she was set in a cairn and Hoskuld took all the wealth but his brother Hrut had half. [[Apparently, this is "Hrut had a right to half," though I am not sure how.]]



9. kafli
Kvonfang Höskulds

Hoskuld's marriage


Í þenna tíma réð Noregi Hákon Aðalsteinsfóstri.

In this time Hakon Adalstein's foster-son ruled Norway.


Höskuldur var hirðmaður hans.

Hoskuld was his kingsman.


Hann var jafnan sinn vetur hvort með Hákoni konungi eða að búi sínu.

He was always [sinn vetur??] whether with King Hakon or at his farm. [["He was always in winter either with..."]]


Var hann nafnfrægur maður bæði í Noregi og á Íslandi.

He was (a) famous man both in Norway and in Iceland.


Björn hét maður.

A man was named Bjorn.


Hann bjó í Bjarnarfirði og nam þar land.

He lived in Bjorn's ford and settled land there.


Við hann er kenndur fjörðurinn.

The fiord is named for him.


Sá fjörður skerst í land norður frá Steingrímsfirði og gengur þar fram háls í milli.

The fiord stretches inland from the north from Steingrim's fiord and goes from the a ridge in (the) middle. [[I remember that in a previous chapter there was something about a fiord *cutting in.* However, when I checked Z., I saw "stretch," and that's what I went with.]]


Björn var stórættaður maður og auðigur að fé.

Bjorn was a highborn man and rich.


Ljúfa hét kona hans.

Ljufa was his wife's name.


Þeirra dóttir var Jórunn.

Their daughter was Jorunn.


Hún var væn kona og ofláti mikill.

She was beautiful and very vain.


Hún var og skörungur mikill í vitsmunum.

She was also (a) very notable woman in intelligence.


Sá þótti þá kostur bestur í öllum Vestfjörðum.

(She was) thought then the best match in all Vestfiord. [[OK, "sá" means "that" rather than "then" here?]]


Af þessi konu hefir Höskuldur fréttir og það með að Björn var bestur bóndi á öllum Ströndum.

Of this woman Hoskuld began to hear and that also that Bjorn was (the) best farmer in all Strand.


Höskuldur reið heiman með tíunda mann og sækir heim Björn bónda í Bjarnarfjörð.

Hoskuld rode from home with 9 men and visits farmer Bjorn's home in Bjorn's fiord. [[I see I could have been more literal referring to the "tenth man."]]


Höskuldur fékk þar góðar viðtökur því að Björn kunni góð skil á honum.

Hoskuld was well received there because Bjorn knew good distinctions [?] about him. [["...Bjorn had good knowledge about him."]]


Síðan vekur Höskuldur bónorð en Björn svarar því vel og kvaðst það hyggja að dóttir hans mundi eigi vera betur gift en veik þó til hennar ráða.

Next Hoskuld makes a proposal and Bjorn answers this well and states that (he) believes that his daughter would not be better married but handed it over to her decision to agree. [[I was fairly certain that I had to be wrong about the "not be better married" part. Apparently it might mean "given in marriage"?]]


En er þetta mál var við Jórunni rætt þá svarar hún á þá leið:

And when this case was spoken to Jorunn then she answers them (this) way:


"Þann einn spurdaga höfum vér til þín Höskuldur að vér viljum þessu vel svara

That a question we broached to you, Hoskuld, we would well answer this



því að vér hyggjum að fyrir þeirri konu sé vel séð er þér er gift

because we intend to before [??]


en þó mun faðir minn mestu af ráða því að eg mun því samþykkjast hér um sem hann vill."

but although would my father must of advice that I would [...] consent to as regards this as we will. [[Again, I knew the above 3 lines couldn't be right, and I will refer people to Alan's translation.]]


En hvort sem að þessum málum var setið lengur eða skemur þá var það af ráðið að Jórunn var föstnuð Höskuldi með miklu fé.

And whether as to this case was submitted longer or shorter then was that of a plan that Jorunn was betrothed to Hoskuld with much wealth. [[again, see Alan's translation]]


Skyldi brullaup það vera á Höskuldsstöðum.

(It was decided) that the wedding should be in Hoskuld's place.




Ríður Höskuldur nú í brott við svo búið og heim til bús síns og er nú heima til þess er boð þetta skyldi vera.

Hoskuld now rides away [...] and to his farm and to where the wedding feast would be. [[See Alan's translation]]


Sækir Björn norðan til boðsins með fríðu föruneyti.

Bjorn visits from the north to his wedding feast with a fine retinue. [["Sækir" is "go" rather than "visit"?]]


Höskuldur hefir og marga fyrirboðsmenn, bæði vini sína og frændur, og er veisla þessi hin skörulegasta.

Hoskuld has also many guests-at-a-feast, both his friends and relatives, and this banquet is the most magnificent.


En er veisluna þraut þá fer hver heim til sinna heimkynna með góðri vináttu og sæmilegum gjöfum.

And when the banquet comes to an end, then everyone goes home to his household with good friendship and [?] gifts.


Jórunn Bjarnardóttir situr eftir á Höskuldsstöðum og tekur við búsumsýslu með Höskuldi.

Bjorn's daughter Jorunn afterwards stays at Hoskuld's place and [?] household cares with Hoskuld. [[see the other translations]]


Var það brátt auðsætt á hennar högum að hún mundi vera vitur og vel að sér og margt vel kunnandi og heldur skapstór jafnan.

It was soon seen to her advantage that she would be wise and [?] and many well knowing and held proud-minded always. [[Again, see Grace's and Alan's translations]]


Vel var um samfarar þeirra Höskulds og ekki margt hversdaglega.

Their travelling together was well and not a lot of commonly. [[Apparently, translating this is a bit of a tough nut to crack. I know my version does not make sense in English.]]