Great Britain -- Civilization -- Scandinavian influences; Great Britain -- History -- To 1066; Northmen -- Great Britain
When Unn began to grow stiff and weary in her age she wished that the
last and youngest of Thorstein the Red’s children, Olaf Feilan, would
marry and settle down. She loved him above all men, for he was tall and
strong and goodly to look at, and she wished to settle on him all her
property at Hvamm before she died. She called him to her, and said:
“It is greatly on my mind, grandson, that you should settle down and
marry.” Olaf spoke gently to the old woman, and said he would lean on
her advice and think the matter over.
Unn said: “It is on my mind that your wedding-feast should be held at
the close of this summer, for that is the easiest time to get in all
the provision that is needed. It seems to me a near guess that our
friends will come in great numbers, and I have made up my mind that
this is the last wedding-feast that shall be set out by me.”
Olaf said that he would choose a wife who would neither rob her of
her wealth nor endeavour to rule over her; and that autumn Olaf chose
as his wife Alfdis, and brought her to his home. Unn exerted herself
greatly about this wedding-feast, inviting to it all their friends and
kinsfolk, and men of high degree from distant parts. Though a crowd of
guests were present at the feast, yet not nearly so many could come
as Unn asked, for the Iceland firths were wide apart and the journeys
difficult.
Old age had fallen fast on Unn since the summer, so that she did not
get up till midday, and went early to bed. She would allow no one to
come to disturb her by asking advice after she had gone to sleep at
night; but what made her most angry was being asked how she was in
health. On the day before the wedding, Unn slept somewhat late; yet she
was on foot when the guests came, and went to meet them, and greeted
her friends with great courtesy, and thanked them for their affection
in coming so far to see her. After that she went into the hall, and the
great company with her, and when all were seated in the hall every one
was much struck by the lordliness of the feast.
In the midst of the banquet Unn stood up and said aloud: “Biorn and
Helgi, my brothers, and all my other kinsmen and friends, I call as
witnesses to this, that this dwelling, with all that belongs to it, I
give into the hands of my grandson, Olaf, to own and to manage.”
Immediately after that Unn said she was tired and would return to
the room where she was accustomed to sleep, but bade everyone amuse
himself as was most to his mind, and ordered ale to be drawn out for
the common people. Unn was both tall and portly, and as she walked with
a quick step out of the hall, in spite of her age, all present remarked
how stately the old lady was yet. They feasted that evening joyously,
till it was time to go to bed. But in the morning Olaf went to see his
grandmother in her sleeping-chamber, and there he found Unn sitting up
against her pillow, dead.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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