Hann var kallaður mannasættir. Hann var eigi fémikill og hafði þó bú
gagnsamt. Svo var hann
He was called a peace-maker. He was not wealthy and yet had an hospitable
farm. Such an unmeddlesome

maður óhlutdeilinn að óvinir hans mæltu að hann hefði eigi síður kvenna skap
en karla. Hann
man was he that his enemies said that he had as much mind of a woman as a
man. He

var kvongaður maður og hét Auður kona hans. Guðný var systir hans er átti
Vermundur mjóvi.
was a married man and his wife was named Aud. Gudny was his sister who
Vermund the slender married.

Í Holti út frá Mávahlíð bjó ekkja sú er Katla hét. Hún var fríð kona sýnum
en eigi var hún við
In Holt out from Mavahlid lived that widow who was named Katla. She was a
beautiful woman but she was not

alþýðuskap. Oddur hét sonur hennar. Hann var mikill maður og knár,
hávaðamaður mikill og
of an ordinary mind. Her son was named Odd. He was a big man and vigorous,
self-assertive and

málugur, slysinn og rógsamur.
talkative, mischievious and slanderous.

Gunnlaugur sonur Þorbjarnar digra var námgjarn. Hann var oft í Mávahlíð og
nam kunnáttu að
Gunnlaug, son of Thorbjorn the stout was eager to learn. He was often in
Mavahlid and learned magical knowledge

Geirríði Þórólfsdóttur því að hún var margkunnig.
from Gerrid, Thorolf’s daughter because she was very knowledgeable.

Það var einn dag er Gunnlaugur fór í Mávahlíð að hann kom í Holt og talaði
mart við Kötlu en
It was one day when Gunnlaug went to Mavahlid that he came to Holt and spoke
much with Katla and

hún spurði hvort hann ætlar þá enn í Mávahlíð "og klappa um
kerlingarnárann?"
she asked whether he intends then still (to go) to Mavahlid “ and stroke the
old gal’s groin?”

Gunnlaugur kvað eigi það sitt erindi "en svo að eins ertu ung, Katla, að
eigi þarftu að bregða Geirríði elli."
Gunnlaug said it not (to be) his errand, “But so only you are young, Katla,
you have need to bring up Gerrid’s age.”

Katla svarar: "Eigi hugði eg að það mundi líkt vera en engu skiptir það,"
segir hún. "Engi þykir
Katla answers, “I didn’t think that it would be likely, but it makes no
difference,” says she. “No woman seems

yður nú kona nema Geirríður ein en fleiri konur kunna sér enn nokkuð en hún
ein."
to you (important) except Geirrid alone, but more women know something for
themselves than she alone.”

Oddur Kötluson fór oft með Gunnlaugi í Mávahlíð. En er þeim varð síð aftur
farið bauð Katla
Odd, Katla’s son, often went with Gunnlaug in Mavahlid. And when it became
time for them to go back, Katla frequently asked

Gunnlaugi oft þar að vera en hann fór jafnan heim.
Gunnlaug to stay there, but he always went home.

16. kafli
Það var einn dag öndverðan vetur þann er Snorri gerði fyrst bú að Helgafelli
að Gunnlaugur
It happened one day at the beginning of that winter when Snorri first built
a farm at Helgafell that Gunnlaug.

Þorbjarnarson fór í Mávahlíð og Oddur Kötluson með honum. Þau Gunnlaugur og
Geirríður
Thorbjorn’s son went to Mavahlid and Odd, Katla’s son with him. They,
Gunnlaug and Gerrid,

töluðu þá löngum um daginn.
spoke for a long time during the day then.

Og er mjög leið á kveldið mælti Geirríður við Gunnlaug: "Það vildi eg að þú
færir eigi heim í
And when (it) passed well on to evening, Gerrid spoke with Gunnlaug, “I
would want it that you would not go home

kveld því að margir eru marlíðendur. Eru og oft flögð í fögru skinni en mér
líst nú eigi sem
in (the) evening because many there are who slide over the sea (CV). (They)
are often ?? in fair skin, but it seems to me now not

hamingjusamlegast á þig."
as most lucky-looking for you.”

Gunnlaugur svarar: "Eigi mun mig saka," segir hann, "er við erum tveir
saman."
Gunnlaug answers, “Nothing with harm me,” says he, “We are two together.”

Hún svarar: "Ekki gagn mun þér að Oddi verða enda muntu sjálfur gjalda
einræðis þíns."
She answers, “(It) will not be useful to you as regards Odd and you yourself
will pay for your stubbornness.”

Fred & Grace Hatton
Hawley, Pa.