Spoken Lore

Then Brusi, the son of Halli, made these verses:

“Thou warrior-goddess of the shield!

We held our own in battle fray–

I know ‘tis so–we did not yield

The honour of the day.

“Those chiefs forsooth, the while we fought,

(Bright nymph! it may not be denied)

Strode somewhat faster than I though

Adown the steep hill side.”

Then Einar composed a stanza:

“he had to run away perforce

From out the fight–that swordsman bold–

I trow ‘twas hard to stop his course

As down the bank he roll’d.

“Well us’d the pirate’s spear to wield,

In vain that chieftain fought,

And the loose shingle fail’d to yield

The foothold which he sought.”

Then Glum composed some verses in answer to him:

“Though standing on the band so high

Their helmets made a gallant show,

They did not dare their luck to try

Upon the beach below.

“They did not dare to risk the path,

Whilst on the sandy shore we stood,

And fac’d the dread Valkyrie’s wrath

With shields that dripp’d with blood.”

The matter was settled upon the ground that the death of Klængr and Thorvald of Hagi were set off one against the other, and the slaying of Grim Eyrarlegg was considered equal to the injury caused to Gudmund; but Glum was much dissatisfied with this close of the suit, as he expressed himself in the following stanza, which he made afterwards:

“The world is worthless; and my life

With all the keen delights of strife

Hath well-nigh passed away.

“Too weak, when gallant Grim lay low,

To strike ‘mid men th’ avenging blow,

And blood with blood repay!”

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