“Every one has something to boast of,” says Gunnar, “and I will
ask thee no more for this.”
“Thou behavest ill,” said Rannveig, “andthis shame shall long be
had in mind.”
Gunnar made a stout and bold defence, and now wounds other eight
men with such sore wounds that many lay at death’s door. Gunnar
keeps them all off until he fell worn out with toil. Then they
wounded him with many and great wounds, but still he got away out
of their hands, and held his own against them a while longer, but
at last it came about that they slew him.
Of this defence of his, Thorkell the Skald of Gota-Elf sang in
the verses which follow —
“We have heard how south in Iceland
Gunnar guarded well himself,
Boldly battle’s thunder wielding,
Fiercest foeman on the wave;
Hero of the golden collar,
Sixteen with the sword he wounded;
In the shock that Odin loveth,
Two before him tasted death.”
But this is what Thormod Olaf’s son sang —
“None that scattered sea’s bright sunbeams (3),
Won more glorious fame than Gunnar,
So runs fame of old in Iceland,
Fitting fame of heathen men;
Lord of fight when helms were crashing,
Lives of foeman twain he took,
Wielding bitter steel he sorely
Wounded twelve, and four besides.”
Then Gizur spoke and said, “We have now laid low to earth a
mighty chief, and hard work has it been, and the fame of this
defence of his shall last as long as men live in this land.”
After that he went to see Rannveig and said, “Wilt thou grant us
earth here for two of our men who are dead, that they may lie in
a cairn here?”
“All the more willingly for two,” she says, “because I wish with
all my heart I had to grant it to all of you.”
“It must be forgiven thee,” he says, “to speak thus, for thou
hast had a great loss.”
Then he gave orders that no man should spoil or rob anything
there.
After that they went away.
Then Thorgeir Starkad’s son said, “We may not be in our house at
home for the sons of Sigfus, unless thou Gizur or thou Geir be
here south some little while.”
“This shall be so,” says Gizur, and they cast lots, and the lot
fell on Geir to stay behind.
After that he came to the Point, and set up his house there; he
had a son whose name was Hroald; he was base born, and his
