Í þenna tíma bjó Hólmgöngu-Bersi í Saurbæ á þeim bæ er í Tungu heitir. Hann
fer á fund Ólafs
In this time Dueler Bersi lived in Mud farm on that farm which is called in
Tongue. He goes to meet Olaf

og bauð Halldóri syni hans til fósturs. Það þiggur Ólafur og fer Halldór
heim með honum. Hann var þá veturgamall.
and offered to foster his son, Halldor. Olaf accepted it and Halldor goes
home with him. He was then one year old.

Það sumar tekur Bersi sótt og liggur lengi sumars.
That summer Bersi becomes sick and lies (abed) a long time in (the) summer.

Það er sagt einn dag er menn voru að heyverki í Tungu en þeir tveir inni,
Halldór og Bersi. Lá
It is said one day when people were at hay making in Tongue, and they two –
Halldor and Bersi - indoors,

Halldór í vöggu. Þá fellur vaggan undir sveininum og hann úr vöggunni á
gólfið. Þá mátti Bersi eigi til fara.
Halldor lay in a cradle. Then (the) cradle fell beneath the boy and he out
of the cradle on the floor. Bersi was then not able to walk.

Þá kvað Bersi þetta:
Then Bersi recited this:

Liggjum báðir
(We) both lie

í lamasessi
in a bench for the lame

Halldór og ek,
Halldor and I,

höfum engin þrek.
(we) have no strength.

Veldur elli mér
Old age is the cause of it for me

en æska þér.
and childhood for you.

Þess batnar þér
This will improve for you

en þeygi mér.
but not yet for me.

Síðan koma menn og taka Halldór upp af gólfinu en Bersa batnar. Halldór
fæddist þar upp og var
Afterwards people come and pick up Halldor from the floor and Bersi
improves. Halldor was raised there and was

mikill maður og vasklegur.
a great man and of gallant bearing.

Kjartan Ólafsson vex upp heima í Hjarðarholti. Hann var allra manna vænstur
þeirra er fæðst
Kjartan, Olaf’s son, grew up at home in Hjardarhold. He was most promising
of all those men who have been raised

hafa á Íslandi. Hann var mikilleitur og vel farinn í andliti, manna best
eygður og ljóslitaður.
in Iceland. He had prominent features and (was) well favoured in visage,
(had) best eyes of people and light coloured.

Mikið hár hafði hann og fagurt sem silki og féll með lokkum, mikill maður og
sterkur eftir sem
He had a lot of hair and fair as silk and (it) fell in locks, a tall man and
strong as

verið hafði Egill móðurfaðir hans eða Þórólfur. Kjartan var hverjum manni
betur á sig kominn
had been Egil, his grandfather on his mother’s side or Thorolf. Kjartan was
better off (than) any man

svo að allir undruðust þeir er sáu hann. Betur var hann og vígur en flestir
menn aðrir. Vel var
so that they who saw him all marveled. He was better and in fighting
condition than most other men. He was

hann hagur og syndur manna best. Allar íþróttir hafði hann mjög umfram aðra
menn. Hverjum
very handy and swims best of men. (In) all skills he had greatly excelled
other men. To every

manni var hann lítillátari og vinsæll svo að hvert barn unni honum. Hann var
léttúðigur og
person he was humble and friendly so that each child loved him. He was
light hearted and

mildur af fé. Ólafur unni mest Kjartani allra barna sinna.
liberal (generous). Olaf loved Kjartan most of all his children.

Bolli fóstbróðir hans var mikill maður. Hann gekk næst Kjartani um allar
íþróttir og atgervi.
Bolli, his foster-brother was a tall man. He went next to Kjartan regarding
all skills and accomplishments.

Sterkur var hann og fríður sýnum, kurteis og hinn hermannlegsti, mikill
skartsmaður. Þeir unnust mikið fóstbræður.
He was strong and handsome, courteous and the most gallant, very much given
to vain display. They, (the) foster-brothers, loved each other much.

Situr Ólafur nú að búi sínu svo að vetrum skipti.
Olaf sits now at his farm so that winter comes.

29. kafli - Af utanferð Ólafs
Það er sagt eitt vor að Ólafur lýsti því fyrir Þorgerði að hann ætlar utan:
"Vil eg að þú varðveitir bú og börn."
It is said one spring that Olaf announced it before Thorgerd that he
intended to (sail) abroad, “I wish that you keep (take care of the) farm and
children.

Þorgerður kvað sér lítið vera um það en Ólafur kvaðst ráða mundu. Hann
kaupir skip er uppi stóð vestur í Vaðli.
Thorgerd said of herself to be little (in favour) of it but Olaf said he
would decide. He buys a ship which was laid up west in Vadil.

Fred & Grace Hatton
Hawley, Pa.