Heill Símon.

Difficult questions, as usually.

> My main question concerns búð: it seem to be used
> both for the shop and for the place where Sigurðr &
> Hárekr are staying, the latter also being referred
> to as a tent. were all búðir just tents then?
> Maybe buyers and sellers stayed basically in the same
> accommodation?

I quote the dictionary:

Búð, f. (1) temporary dwellings booth farmanna búðir,
merchants' booths; esp. of the temporary dwellings at
the Icelandic parliament ; tjalda b., to fit up a booth
(with tent-roof and hangings) ; (2) abode, dwelling place;
fara búðum, to change one's abode; hafa harða, kalda b.,
to have a hard, cold abode.

I can add little to that. In Modern Icelandic the primary
meaning 'búð' is "shop".

> "er harðla vel var um búizt." I don't really
> understand this, something about there being
> a good selection?

Something more general. Abbott and Costello are
impressed with the 'búð'.

> "hann kvað ok gott val mundu á vera."
> He said and a good choice would be.
> Sorry, don't get this either.

Would you understand it if I put it like this?
"Hann kvað þat gott val vera."

> við svo búit - I think I understand this
> bit, but what exactly is the force of the við, please?

Difficult idiom to translate.
"at [things being] so prepared/arranged"
How about: "things being like they were"?

I don't quite understand what you mean by
"the force of the við". What is the force
of the 'force' in that question? ;-)

> Nú fær hann honum silfrit út í­ gegnum tjaldskarirnar.
> I have a vague idea here, but can't quite picture his
> exact physical position "í­ gegnum tjaldskarirnar".

I wish I had Óskar to make a drawing :|

Think of a hand with a bag of silver exiting the tent
through the opening.

Kveðja,
Haukur