CHAPTER XXII
Of The Egging-On of Thurid.
Now fares Bardi home with his fellowship, and abides at home that night. On the morrow Kollgris arrays them breakfast; but the custom it was that the meat was laid on the board before men, and no dishes there were in those days. Then befell this unlooked- for thing, that three portions were gone from three men. Kollgris went and told Bardi thereof.
"Go on dighting the board," said he, "and speak not thereof before other men."
But Thurid (1) said that to those sons of hers he should deal no portion of breakfast, but she would deal it.
Kollgris did even so, and set forth the board, a trencher for each man, and set meat thereon.
Then went in Thurid and laid a portion before each of those brethren, and there was now that ox-shoulder cut up in three.
Taketh up Steingrim the word and said: "Hugely is this carved, mother, nor hast thou been wont to give men meat in such measureless fashion. Unmeasured mood there is herein, and nigh witless of wits art thou become."
She answereth: "No marvel is this, and nought hast thou to wonder thereat; for bigger was Hall thy brother caryen, and I heard ye tell nought thereof that any wonder was that."
She let a stone go with the flesh-meat for each one of them; and they asked what that might betoken. She answereth: "Of that ye brethren have most which is no more likely for avail than are these stones (for food), insomuch as ye have not dared to avenge Hall your brother, such a man as he was; and far off have ye fallen away from your kinsmen, the men of great worth, who would not have sat down under such shame and disgrace as yea long while have done, and gotten the blame of many therefor."
Then she walked up along the floor shrieking, and sang a stave:
"I say that the cravers of songs of the battle
Now soon shall be casting their shame-word on Bardi.
The tale shall be told of thee, God of the wound-worm,
That thy yore-agone kindred with shame thou undoest;
Unless thou, the ruler of light once a-lying
All under the fish-road shall let it be done,
That the lathe-fire's bidders at last be red-hooded.
Let all folk be hearkening this song of my singing."
Then they thrust the trenchers from them with all that was on them, and go to their horses and get ready at their speediest.
That was on a Sunday when it lacked five weeks of winter.
So they leap a-horseback and ride away out of the home-mead.
Now see those brethren of Thurid their mother, that she was gotten aback of the horse that they called Yokeard, and had called to her a housecarle for her fellow, a man not named, but of whom it is said that he had no bottom of wits.
Then said Bardi: "This turneth toward mishap that she has taken to this journey; and this might we well lack; so now let us seek rede and help her to come down (off the nag)."
Then he calleth to him his home-men Olaf and Day.
"Now shall ye two," said Bardi, "ride to meet her, and talk with her seemly and fair; but do as I bid you. Ye shall say that it is well that she has come on the journey with us, and bid the house-carle give her good following. Ye shall steady her in the saddle, and so ride until you come as far forth as Saxlech;" it falls out of Westhope-water and down into Willowdale-water. A piece of road whereon folk are wont to give spur to their horses, leads to the brook from the north, and also forth from it; "and then shall ye spring her saddle-girths. Day shall do that, making as if he would girth up her horse, when ye come to the brook; then down with her from horseback, so that she fall into the brook, saddle and all; and bring the horse away with you."
So they rode to meet her, and greeted her well. She saith: "So it is ye two, who betake you to this, to ride to meet me and honour me, rather than my sons?"
"They bade us do this errand," say they.
She says: "For this cause am I come on this journey, that then meseemeth the less will certain great deeds fall short, whereas there shall be no lack of egging on now, and forsooth there is need thereof."
They say that it will be of much avail this her faring with them. So they rode till they came up to Saxlech; then spake Day: "Thy follower is but a natural, Thurid, and he has not so girthed thine horse that it will do; it is a mighty shame to have such a thing as he to follow doughty women."
"Do thou girth the horse better, then," says she, "and follow me thereafter."
He falls to now, and springs the girths of the carline's horse, and so she, saddle and all, falls into Saxlech, even as those fellows had been bidden. Thurid ran no risk of hurt there, and crawled out of the brook. The two men rode away, and had the horse with them. Thurid got home in the evening with her house- carle, and was nowise fain of her errand.