Old Norse literature -- Translations into English; Sagas
Eirik answered and said, that for his
part he would willingly undertake his suit, and said, moreover, that
she was worthy of a good match. It is also likely, he thought, that
she will be following out her destiny, should she be given to him;
and, moreover, the report which comes to me of him is good. The
proposals were now laid before her, and she allowed the marriage with
her to be arranged which Eirik wished to promote. However, I will not
now speak at length how this marriage took place; the Yule festival
was prolonged and made into a marriage-feast. Great joy was there in
Brattahlid during the winter. Much playing at backgammon and telling
of stories went on, and many things were done that ministered to the
comfort of the household.
7. During this time much talk took place in Brattahlid about making
ready to go to Vinland the Good, and it was asserted that they would
there find good choice lands. The discourse came to such conclusion
that Karlsefni and Snorri prepared their ship, with the intention of
seeking Vinland during the summer. Bjarni and Thorhall ventured on the
same expedition, with their ship and the retinue which had accompanied
them. [There was a man named Thorvard; he married Freydis, natural
daughter of Eirik the Red; he set out with them likewise, as also
Thorvald, a son of Eirik.] There was a man named Thorvald; he was a
son-in-law[B] of Eirik the Red. Thorhall was called the Sportsman; he
had for a long time been Eirik's companion in hunting and fishing
expeditions during the summers, and many things had been committed to
his keeping. Thorhall was a big man, dark, and of gaunt appearance;
rather advanced in years, overbearing in temper, of melancholy mood,
silent at all times, underhand in his dealings, and withal given to
abuse, and always inclined towards the worst. He had kept himself
aloof from the true faith when it came to Greenland. He was but little
encompassed with the love of friends, but yet Eirik had long held
conversation with him. He went in the ship with Thorvald and his man,
because he was widely acquainted with the unpeopled districts. They
had the ship which Thorbjorn had brought to Greenland, and they
ventured on the expedition with Karlsefni and the others; and most of
them in this ship were Greenlanders. There were one hundred and sixty
men in their ships. They sailed away from land; then to the Vestribygd
and to Bjarneyjar (the Bear Islands). Thence they sailed away from
Bjarneyjar with northerly winds. They were out at sea two half-days.
Then they came to land, and rowed along it in boats, and explored it,
and found there flat stones, many and so great that two men might well
lie on them stretched on their backs with heel to heel. Polar-foxes
were there in abundance. This land they gave name to, and called it
Helluland (stone-land). Then they sailed with northerly winds two
half-days, and there was then land before them, and on it a great
forest and many wild beasts.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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