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Viga-Glum's Saga

CHAPTER XIII

IT happened one summer, at the Althing, that the Northern men and those of the West-firths met one another on the wrestling ground in a match according to their districts. The Northerners had rather the worst of it, and their leader was Márr, the son of Glum. Now a certain man of the name of Ingolf, the son of Thorvald, came up, whose father lived at Rangavellir. Márr addressed him thus--”You are a strong-limbed fellow, and ought to be sturdy; do me the favour of going into the match and taking hold.” his answer was--”I will do so for your sake,” and forthwith the man he grappled with went down, and thus it was with the second, and the third, so that the Northerners were well pleased. Then said Márr, “If you want a good word on my part, I shall be ready to help you. What may be your plans?” “I have no plans,” he answered, “but I had an inclination to go northward and get work.” “Well,” rejoined Márr, “I should like you to go with me; I will get you a place.” Ingolf had a good horse of his own, which he called b the name of “Snækoll,” and he went northward to Thverá, after the Thing was over, and staid there some time. Márr asked him one day what he intended to do. “There is and over-looker wanted here, who ought to be somewhat handy; for instance, here is this sledge to be finished, and if you can do that you can do something worth having.” “I should be too glad of such a place,” said Ingolf, “but it has sometimes happened that my horses have caused trouble in the pastures of the cattle.” “No one will talk about that here,” answered Márr; so Ingiolf set to work on the sledge. Glum came up, and looked at what he was doing. “That is a good piece of work,” he observed. “What are your plans?” Ingolf answered, “I have no plans.” Glum replied, “I want an over-looker, are you used to that sort of business?” “Not much, in such a place as this, but I should be glad to stay with you.” “Why should it not be so?” said Glum; “for I see that you and Márr get on well together.” When Márr came home Ingolf told him what had passed. “I should like it much,” he answered, “if it turns out well, and I will take care, if anything displeases my father, to tell you of it three times; but if you do not set it right then I must stop.” So Ingolf took to his business, and Glum was pleased with him.
One day Glum and Ingolf, his over-looker, went to a horse-fight; the latter rode a mare, but the horse ran along by their side. The sport was good; Kálf, of Stockahlad was there, and he had an old working horse who beat all the others. He called out, “why don’t they bring into the ring that fine-jawed beast of the Thverá people?” “They are no fair match,” said Glum, “your cart-horse and that stallion.” “Ah!” exclaimed Kálf, “the real reason why you will not fight him is because he has no spirit in him. It may be the old proverb is proved true, ‘the cattle are like their master.’” “You know nothing about that,” answered Glum, “and I will not refuse on Ingolf’s part, but the fight must not go on longer than he chooses.” “He will probably know well enough, said Kálf, “that little will be done against your wishes,” The two horses were led out, and fought well, and all thought Ingolf’s horse had the best of it; Glum then chose to separate them, and they rode home. Ingolf remained that year in his place, and Glum was well satisfied with him.
Not long after this there was a meeting at Diupadal, whither Glum, and Ingolf with his horse, came; Kálf also was there. This last man was a friend of the people of Espihole, and he demanded that they should now let the horses fight it out. Glum said it depended on Ingolf, but that he himself was against it; howerer, he did not like to back out of it, and the horses were led out accordingly. Kálf spurred his horse on, but Ingolf’s horse had the best of it in every contest. Then Kálf struck Ingolf’s horse over the ears with his staff in such a way as to make him giddy, but immediately afterwards he went at his adversary again. Glum came up, and fair fighting was restore, till in the end Kálf’s horse bolted from the ring. Then there wars a great shout, and at last Kálf smote Ingolf with his stick. People interfered, and Glum said, “Let us take no note of such a matter as this; this is the end of every horse-fight.” Márr, on the other hand, said to Ingolf, “Depend upon it, my father does not intend that any disgrace shall attach to you for this blow.”

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