This section seemed to be more difficult and I would appreciate any help
with it.

Grace



Nú reiðist þessi frásögn af Þorkatli og hans mönnum en Guðmundur hafði áður
nokkuð

Now this account of Thorkell and his men is spread around but Gudmund had
previously

öðruvísa sagt. Nú þótti þeim frændum Þórarins nokkuð ifanleg sjá saga og
kölluðust eigi

told somewhat otherwise. Now that story seemed to those kinsmen of Thorarin
somewhat dubious and (they) said they

mundu trúnað á leggja raunarlaust og töldu þeir sér fé hálft við Þorkel. En
Þorkell þykist

would not believe to give in without proof and they tallied for themselves
half (the) wealth with Thorkell. But Thorkell thought himself

einn eiga og bað gera til skírslu að sið þeirra. Það var þá skírsla í það
mund að ganga

alone entitled and bade do an ordeal according to their custom. It was then
custom in that time that (one)

skyldi undir jarðarmen það er torfa var ristin úr velli. Skyldu endarnir
torfunnar vera

should go beneath partially detached turf where turf was cut out of a field.
The ends of the turfs should be

fastir í vellinum en sá maður er skírsluna skyldi fram flytja skyldi þar
ganga undir.

attached in the field and that man who should perform the ordeal should go
there beneath.

Þorkell trefill grunar nokkuð hvort þannig mun farið hafa um líflát manna
sem þeir

Thorkell tatters suspects something how thus will have gone concerning (the)
people's loss of life as

Guðmundur höfðu sagt hið síðara sinni.

Gudmund had said the later time.

Ekki þóttust heiðnir menn minna eiga í ábyrgð þá er slíka hluti skyldi
fremja en nú

Heathen men did not think (themselves) less obliged in responsibility then
when such conditions should be performed than now

þykjast eiga kristnir menn þá er skírslur eru gervar. Þá varð sá skír er
undir jarðarmen gekk ef torfan féll eigi á hann.

Christian people think themselves to be obliged when ordeals are done. Then
that ordeal (was considered successful) happened when (one) went under turf
if turf did not fall on him.

Þorkell gerði ráð við tvo menn að þeir skyldu sig láta á skilja um einnhvern
hlut og vera

Thorkell made a plan with two men that they should let themselves be
convinced of ?? concerning a certain point and be



þar nær staddir þá er skírslan væri frömd og koma við torfuna svo mjög að
allir sæju að

positioned there near then where (the) ordeal was to be performed and bring
(down) the turf so powerfully that all see that



þeir felldu hana. Eftir þetta ræður sá til er skírsluna skyldi af höndum
inna og jafnskjótt

they knocked it down. After that plan was seen to when the ordeal should
be performed on (his) behalf and just as quickly



sem hann var kominn undir jarðarmenið hlaupast þessir menn að mót með vopnum
sem

as he had come beneath the turfs these men attacked each other with weapons
as



til þess voru settir, mætast þeir hjá torfubugnum og liggja þar fallnir og
fellur ofan

was arranged for this, they placed themselves near the turf pile and lie
there fallen and down fell



jarðarmenið sem von var. Síðan hlaupa menn í millum þeirra og skilja þá. Var
það

the turf as was custom. Afterwards men ran between them and separated them.
It was



auðvelt því að þeir börðust með engum háska. Þorkell trefill leitaði orðróms
um

easy because they fought with no danger. Thorkell tattrs pursued (spun)
public opinion concerning



skírsluna. Mæltu nú allir hans menn að vel mundi hlýtt hafa ef engir hefðu
spillt. Síðan

the ordeal. Now all his men said that well would it have turned out if no
one had spoiled (it). Afterwards



tók Þorkell lausafé allt en löndin leggjast upp á Hrappsstöðum.

Thorkell took all the portable wealth but the land at Hrapp's stead lies
neglected.
Fred and Grace Hatton
Hawley Pa