Með jarli voru bræður tveir, sænskir að ætt. Hét annar Halli en annar
Leiknir. Þeir voru menn
With (the) earl were two brothers, Swedish by descent. One was named Halli
and the other Leiknir. They were
miklu meiri og sterkari en í þann tíma fengjust þeirra jafningjar í Noregi
eða víðara annars
much larger and stronger men than in that time ??? of them equals in Norway
or more widely of other
staðar. Þeir gengu berserksgang og voru þá eigi í mannlegu eðli er þeir voru
reiðir og fóru galnir
places. They went with the fury of a berserker and then were not of human
nature when they were angry and went mad
sem hundar og óttuðust hvorki eld né járn. En hversdaglega voru þeir eigi
illir viðureignar ef eigi
as dogs and feared neither fire nor iron. But ordinarily they were not bad
to deal with if nothing
var í móti þeim gert en þegar hinir mestu örskiptamenn er þeim tók við að
horfa. Eiríkur hinn
was done against them but instantly the most violent men when to them
resistance was turned? Eirik
sigursæli Svíakonungur hafði sent jarli berserkina og setti varnað á að hann
skyldi gera vel til
the victorious Swedish king had sent the berserkers to the earl and placed a
warning that he should treat them well
þeirra og sagði sem var að hið mesta fullting mátti að þeim verða ef til
yrði gætt skapsmuna þeirra.
and said as was the most help might be to them? if to their dispositions
were attended.
Um vorið er Vermundur hafði verið einn vetur með jarli þá fýstist hann til
Íslands og bað jarl
During the spring when Vermund had been with the earl one winter, then he
was eager to (go) to Iceland and asked the earl
gefa sér orlof til þeirrar ferðar.
to give him permission for their journey.
Jarl bað hann fara sem hann vildi og bað hann hugsa um áður "ef nokkurir eru
þeir hlutir í mínu
The earl bade him go as he wished and bad him think about (it) beforehand
“if there are some things in my
valdi, aðrir meir en aðrir, er þú vilt þiggja þér til framkvæmdar en báðum
okkur til sæmdar og virðingar."
power, one thing more than another?, which you want to receive for success
and both of us for honour and worthiness.”
En er Vermundur hugsaði eftir hverra hluta hann skal af jarli beiðast þá kom
honum í hug að
And when Vermun thought about everything he could ask of the earl then it
came to mind that
honum mundi mikillar framkvæmdar afla á Íslandi ef hann hefði slíka
eftirgöngumenn sem
for him would be great success to gain in Iceland if he had such followers
as
berserkirnir voru. Og staðfestist það í skapi hans að hann mundi leita eftir
ef jarlinn vildi fá
the berserkers were. And it took up abode in his mind that he would ask if
the earl wanted to give
honum berserkina til eftirgöngu. En það bar til er hann beiddist þessa að
honum þótti Styr bróðir
him the berserkers as followers. And it happened when he asked this that to
him his brother, Styr, seemed
sinn mjög sitja yfir sínum hlut og hafa ójafnað við sig sem flesta aðra þá
er hann fékk því við
much to take over his things and have inequality with him as most others
those who he was able
komið. Hugði hann að Styr mundir þykja ódælla við sig að eiga ef hann hefði
slíka fylgdarmenn
to touch? He thought that Styr would think it difficult to have to deal
with him if he had such followers
sem þeir bræður voru.
as those brothers were.
Nú segir Vermundur jarli að hann vill þann sóma af honum þiggja að hann gefi
honum til trausts og fylgdar berserkina.
Now Vermund tells the earl that he wants to receive that honour from him
that he give him as support and followers, the berserkers.