39. kafli
Þórður hét maður. Hann var kallaður leysingjason.
Thord was a man's name - he was called "The Freedman's
son"
(There is a distinction between your name and what you
are called - or the name by which you are familiarly known)
Sigtryggur hét faðir hans
og hafði hann verið leysingi Ásgerðar og
drukknaði hann í Markarfljóti.
Sigtryg was his father's name and he (Sigtryg) had
been freed by Asgerd, he had drowned in Markar River
Var Þórður því með Njáli síðan.
He was therefore (?) with Njal afterwards
Hann var mikill maður og styrkur. Hann hafði fóstrað alla sonu Njáls.
He was a big man and strong. He was fosterfather to all
Njal's Sons
Þórður lagði hug á frændkonu Njáls er Guðfinna hét
Þórólfsdóttir. Hún
var matselja heima þar og var þá óhraust.
Thord was fond of a Kinswoman of Njal she
was named Guðfinna Thorolf's Daughter. She was a housekeeper (there) at
home and was pregnant (MM&HP)
Bergþóra kom að máli við
Þórð leysingjason: "Þú skalt fara," segir hún, "og
drepa Brynjólf frænda
Hallgerðar."
Bergthora came to speak with Thord Freedmansson "You
shall go" she says "and kill Brynjolf - Hallgerð's kinsman"
"Engi
er eg vígamaður," segir hann, "en þó mun eg til hætta ef þú vilt."
"I am not a killer" says he "but even-so I will do this
if you wish"
"Það vil eg," segir hún,
"That (is what) I wish" says she
Síðan
tók hann hest og reið upp til Hlíðarenda og lét kalla Hallgerði út og
spurði
hvar Brynjólfur væri.
Then he took a horse and rode up to Hlidarend
and had Hallgerð called out and asked where Brynjolf was
(past Subj.?)
"Hvað vilt þú honum?" segir hún.
"What want you to him" says she ( i.e. what do you
want with him)
Hann mælti: "Eg vil að hann segi mér hvar hann
hefir hulið hræ Atla. Mér er
sagt að hann hafi illa um búið."
He replied "I want him to say to me where he has hidden
Atli's body. It is said to me that he had done (this ) badly"
Hún vísaði til hans og kvað hann vera í Akratungu niðri.
She showed him (?pointed) and declared him (Bryn) to be
down in Akratongue
"Gæt þú," segir Þórður, "að honum verði
eigi slíkt sem Atla."
"Take care you " says Thord "that to him does not
happen the same as Atli"
"Engi ert þú vígamaður," segir hún, "og
mun ekki undir hvar þið finnist."
"You are no killer" says she "and it it matters nothing
where you meet each other*
"Aldrei hefi eg séð mannsblóð," segir
hann, "og veit eg eigi hversu mér
bregður við" og hleypti úr túninu og svo
ofan í Akratungu.
"I have never seen a man's blood" says he "and know not
how it will move (affect?) me" and he turned (and galloped) out of the field and
down to Akratongue
Rannveig móðir Gunnars hafði heyrt á viðurtal
þeirra og mælti: "Mjög frýr þú
Hallgerður honum hugar en eg ætla hann
öruggan mann og mun það frændi þinn
finna."
Rannveig Gunnars Mother heard their conversation and
spoke *Hallgerð you have greatly challenged his courage and he is fearless - as
your kinsman will see (find out)
Þeir mættust á förnum vegi,
Brynjólfur og Þórður.
They met up at the Pass on the Way -
Brynjolf and Thord
Þórður mælti: "Ver þú þig Brynjólfur því að eg
vil eigi níðast á þér."
Thord spoke "Guard thee thyself Brynjolf for I want no
(unfair) advantage"
(strangely I thought of
the pass atop the Pennines - "Aye - watch thyssen Lad"
Bryjólfur reið að Þórði og hjó til hans.
Brynjolf rode at Thord and hewed (aimed a blow) at
him
Þórður hjó í mót með öxi og í sundur skaptið fyrir framan hendur
honum
Thord cut with his axe and split the handle (just)
above his (Bryn's) hand
Brynjólfi
og hjó þegar í annað sinn til hans og kom framan á bringuna og gekk þegar á
hol.
and cut at once again to his chest and made there a
hole (went deep didn't it)
Féll Brynjólfur þá af baki og var þegar dauður.
Brynjolf fell off his horse back and was dead at
once
Þórður fann smalamann Hallgerðar og lýsti vígi á
hönd sér og sagði hvar
Brynjólfur lá og bað hann segja Hallgerði vígið.
Thord met a shepherd of Hallgerðs and admitted
the killing was at his hand and said where Brynjolf lay and bade him tell
Hallgerð of the death
Síðan reið hann til Bergþórshvols og sagði Bergþóru vígið og öðrum
mönnum.
Afterwards he rode to Bergthor's Knoll and said to
Bergthora and other people of the death
"Njót þú heill
handa," sagði hún.
"Good luck go with your hands" she said
(Zoega)
Smalamaður sagði Hallgerði vígið. Hún varð beisk við og kvað hér skyldu
mikið illt af leiða ef hún mætti ráða
The Shepherd told Hallgerð of the death. She was with
bitterness and declared here should be much ill if she could rule.
(bitterly that here would be a great deal of trouble if
she had the fixing of it)
I would be grateful for any comment especially
the ?'d bits and the underlinings
With thanks and "hope"
Patricia
I am late here - Gremlin trouble I use O/E for
translations - almost exclusively and it would not get up and work for
me.
I caught the Gremlins and dismissed them