58. kafli

Egill hét maður. Hann var Kolsson Óttarssonar ballar er land nam meðal
Stotalækjar og

A man was called Egill. He was a son of Kol, son of Ottar (the) dangerous?
who settled between Stota Brook and Rorqual Lake.

Reyðarvatns. Bróðir Egils var Önundur í Tröllaskógi, faðir Halla hins sterka
er var að

Egil's brother was Onund in Trolls' Forest, father of Hall the strong who
was at

vígi Holta-Þóris með sonum Ketils hins sléttmála. Egill bjó í Sandgili.
Synir hans voru

(the) slaying of Holta- Þóris with sons of Ketil the smooth-tongued. Egill
lived at Sand Gully. His sons were

þeir Kolur og Óttar og Haukur. Móðir þeirra var Steinvör systir Starkaðar
undir

these, Kol and Ottar and Hauk. Their mother was Steinvor, sister of Starkad
under

Þríhyrningi. Synir Egils voru miklir menn og kappsamir og hinir mestu
ójafnaðarmenn.

the Three Horns. Egil's sons were big men and impetuous and the worst of
unfair men.

Þeir voru að einu máli og synir Starkaðar. Systir þeirra var Guðrún
náttsól. Hún var

They were of one mind? with sons of Starkad. Their sister was Gudrun
mid-night sun. She was

kvenna fríðust og kurteisust.

a most beautiful and most courteous woman.

Egill hafði tekið við Austmönnum tveimur. Hét annar Þórir en annar
Þorgrímur. Þeir voru

Egill had received two men from the East. One called Þórir and another
Þorgrim. They were

frumferlar út hingað, vinsælir og auðgir. Þeir voru vígir vel og fræknir um
allt.

visiting out hither for the first time (and were) friendly and wealthy.
They were in good fighting condition and valiant in all things.

Starkaður átti hest góðan, rauðan að lit, og þótti þeim svo sem engi hestur
mundi hafa við þeim í vígi.

Starkad had a good stallion, chestnut as to colour, and seemed to them as if
no horse would have (a chance) with them in battle.

Einu hverju sinni var það að þeir bræður úr Sandgili voru undir Þríhyrningi.
Þeir höfðu

One certain time it was that those brothers out in Sand Gully were under
Three Horns. They had

viðurmæli mikið um alla bændur í Fljótshlíð og þar kom að þeir töluðu hvort
nokkur

talked a lot about all (the) farmers in Fljotshlid and (it) came there that
they discussed whether any

mundi vilja etja hestum við þá. En þeir menn voru að mæltu það til sóma þeim
og

would wish to make (their) horses fight with them. But those men were at?
having spoken? to honour them and

eftirlætis að bæði mundu vera að engi mundi þora við að etja enda mundi engi
eiga

indulgent, both that (there) would be none would dare to fight or none would
own a

þvílíkan hest.

horse like that.

Þá svaraði Hildigunnur: "Veit eg þann mann er þora mun að etja við yður."

Then Hildigunn answered, "I know then a man who will dare to fight a horse
with you."

"Nefn þú þann," segja þeir.

"You name (him) then," they say.

Hún svarar: "Gunnar að Hlíðarenda á hest brúnan og mun hann þora að etja við
yður og

She answers, " Gunnar at Hlidarend has a (black or) brown stallion and he
will dare to fight with you and

við alla aðra."

with all others."

"Svo þykir yður konum," segja þeir, "sem engi muni vera hans maki. En þó að

"So (it) seems to you, woman," they say, "as none will be his match. Even
though that

auvirðilega hafi farið fyrir honum Geir goði eða Gissur hvíti þá er eigi
ráðið að oss fari svo."

Priest Geir and Gissur the white, (found it) worthless (to) have gone before
him, then is not resolved that (it) go so with us."

"Yður mun first um fara," segir hún og varð þeim af hin mesta deila.

"To you will go farthest?," says she and was to them from then on (the)
greatest contest.

Starkaður mælti: "Á Gunnar vildi eg að þér leituðuð síst manna því að erfitt
mun yður

Starkad spoke, " Against Gunnar I wished that you challenged least of men
because difficult will (it)

verða að ganga í móti giftu hans."

happen to you to go against his luck."

"Leyfa munt þú oss að vér bjóðum honum hestaat?" segja þeir.

"Will you permit us that we invite him to a horse fight?" they say.

"Leyfa," segir hann, "ef þér prettið hann í öngu."

"(I) permit," says he, "if you deceive him in nothing."

Þeir kváðust svo gera mundu.

They declared of themselves so would (they) behave.





Fred and Grace Hatton
Hawley Pa