Bjorn said he could not bear to slay him, though he said he was
worthy of death; but those who answered him said they were sure
few had bitten the dust before him. But Bjorn told them he had
it now in his power to make as many of the Sidemen as he chose
bite the dust; to which they said it was a bad look out.
Then Kari and Bjorn ride away from the house.
150. MORE OF KARI AND BJORN
Then Kari asked Bjorn, “What counsel shall we take now? Now I
will try what thy wit is worth.”
“Dost thou think now,” answered Bjorn, “that much lies on our
being as wise as ever we can?”
“Ay,” said Kari, “I think so surely.”
“Then our counsel is soon taken,” says Bjorn. “We will cheat
them all as though they were giants; and now we will make as
though we were riding north on the fell, but as soon as ever we
are out of sight behind the brae, we will turn down along
Skaptarwater, and hide us there where we think handiest, so long
as the hue and cry is hottest, if they ride after us.”
“So will we do,” said Kari; “and this I had meant to do all
along.”
“And so you may put it to the proof,” said Bjorn, “that I am no
more of an everyday body in wit than I am in bravery.”
Now Kari and his companion rode as they had purposed down along
Skaptarwater, till they came where a branch of the stream ran
away to the southeast; then they turned down along the middle
branch, and did not draw bridle till they came into Middleland,
and on that moor which is called Kringlemire; it has a stream of
lava all around it.
Then Kari said to Bjorn that he must watch their horses, and keep
a good look-out; “But as for me,” he says, “I am heavy with
sleep.”
So Bjorn watched the horses, but Kari lay him down, and slept but
a very short while ere Bjorn waked him up again, and he had
already led their horses together, and they were by their side.
Then Bjorn said to Kari, “Thou standest in much need of me
though! A man might easily have run away from thee if he had not
been as brave-hearted as I am; for now thy foes are riding upon
thee, and so thou must up and be doing.”
Then Kari went away under a jutting crag, and Bjorn said, “Where
shall I stand now?”
“Well!” answers Kari, “now there are two choices before thee; one
is, that thou standest at my back and have my shield to cover
thyself with, if it can be of any use to thee; and the other is,
to get on thy horse and ride away as fast as thou canst.”
“Nay,” says Bjorn, “I will not do that, and there are many things
against it; first of all, may be, if I ride away, some spiteful
tongues might begin to say that I ran away from thee for faintheartedness; and another thing is, that I well know what game
they will think there is in me, and so they will ride after me,
two or three of them, and then I should be of no use or help to
