When I came in to send this I noticed Grace had posted - hey Grace I like
your version of Rimmugýgi. I saw it slightly differently
Well here we go - very nice fair fight good on ya Skarpheðin
45. kafli
Nú er að segja frá Njálssonum að þeir fóru upp til
Fljótshlíðar og voru um
nóttina við hlíðina og fóru nær Hlíðarenda er morgna
tók.
Now it is to tell of Njal's Sons as they journeyed up
to Fljotshlið and were there over night, on the slope and went to Hliðarend
when morning came
Þenna morgun hinn
sama stóðu þeir upp snemma, Sigmundur og Skjöldur, og
ætluðu til stóðhrossa.
That same morning they got up early, Sigmund and Skjold
and intended to (look for - see to ) a Studhorse
Þeir höfðu beisl með sér og tóku hross í túni og riðu í braut.
They had bridles (tack) with them and took two horses
from the home meadow and rode out (away from home)
Þeir leita
stóðhestsins um hlíðina og fundu hann meðal lækja tveggja og
leiddu hrossin
ofan að götum mjög.
They saw the Stallion on a slope and found him between
two brooks and brought the horse down to a good road (? a wider road for
safety)
Skarphéðinn sá Sigmund því að hann var í litklæðum.
Skarpheðid saw Sigmund - he was in bright
clothing
Skarphéðinn mælti: "Sjáið þér rauðálfinn sveinar?"
Skarpheðin spoke "Do you see the red elf
Lads?"
Þeir litu til og kváðust sjá hann.
They looked and declared themselves able to see
him
Þá mælti Skarphéðinn: "Þú skalt gera að ekki Höskuldur því að
þú munt oft
sendur einn saman óvarlega.
Then spoke Skarpheðin " Hoskuld - you shall do nothing
because you must often travel alone and unprotected -
En eg ætla mér Sigmund. Þykir mér það karlmannlegt.
but I choose Sigmund for myself. I think to myself that
is a man's work. (i.e. not the job for a boy
En þið Grímur og Helgi skuluð vega að Skildi."
But you Grim and Helgi should kill/take-on
Skjold"
Höskuldur settist niður en þeir gengu þar til er þeir komu
að þeim.
Hoskuld sat himself down (for to mind the horses
perhaps) and they (the others) walked on over till they came to them (Sigmund
and Skjold)
Skarphéðinn mælti til Sigmundar: "Tak vopn þín og ver
þig. Er það nú meiri
nauðsyn en kveða flím um oss bræður."
Skarpheðin spoke to Sigmund "Take up your weapons and
cover/defend yourself.
It is that now you need more than reciting
mockery/jokes of us brothers"
Sigmundur tók vopn sín en
Skarphéðinn beið meðan.
Sigmund took his weapons and Skarpheðin waited
meanwhile (fair fight )
Skjöldur sneri í mót þeim
Grími og Helga og börðust þeir í ákafa.
Skjold turned to them Grim and Helgi and they fought
together furiously
Sigmundur hafði hjálm á höfði sér og
skjöld á hlið og gyrður sverði og
hafði spjót í hendi, snýr nú í mót
Sigmund had a helmet on his head and a shield at his
side and was girt with a sword (well - stuck in his belt) and in his hand a
spear - he turned to meet -
Skarphéðni og leggur þegar spjótinu til hans og kemur í skjöldinn.
Skarpheðin and thrust at once with his spear and
it came (hit upon) his (Skarp's shield)
Skarphéðinn laust í sundur spjótskaftið og færir upp öxina í annað sinn
og
höggur til Sigmundar og kom í skjöldinn og klauf ofan öðrum megin
mundriða.
Skarpheðin struck asunder (cut right off) the
spearchaft and got (G) up his axe again and sliced/hewed at
Sigmund and came to (landed in) the shield and split it to the
hand-grip.
Sigmundur brá sverðinu hinni hægri hendi og höggur til Skarphéðins og
kom í
skjöldinn og festi sverðið í skildinum.
Sigmund drew his sword with his right hand and struck
at Skarpheðin and came into the (Skarp's) shield stuck fast the sword
into the shield
Skarphéðinn snaraði svo fast skjöldinn að Sigmundur lét laust
sverðið.
Skarpheðin turned (? twisted) so quickly - his shield
that Sigmund let go his sword
Skarphéðinn hjó þá enn til
Sigmundar með öxinni Rimmugýgi.
Skarpheðin sliced then again at Sigmund with his axe
Battle-Ogre (or demon ?)
Sigmundur var í pansara.
Sigmund was in a leather belt (?cuirass) CV gives
this as panzara
Öxin kom á öxlina
og klauf ofan herðarblaðið.
The axe struck his shoulder and split (down to) the
shoulderblade
Hann hnykkir að sér öxinni og féll Sigmundur á
kné bæði og spratt upp
þegar.
He (Skarpheðin) pulled the axe towards himself and
Sigmund fell to both knees but sprang up at once
I have recognised a total difference between Skarp
& Co the Neilsons - they are of a different metal from the others - to allow
an enemy to arm himself for battle would not be the way of Sigmund and
Friends
I have used cuirass for what Sigmund was wearing - I
think in Zoega you have a choice and chainmail might have just deflected a
glancing blow from an axe but the leather is only proof against a sword
IMHO
Skarpheðin is a great guy - who cares what he looks
like he fights well and honourably
Kveðja
Patricia