y
got off their horses, and they also heard them talking as to who
should first go on to the dairy to set on Bolli. Bolli knew the voice
of Halldor, as well as that of sundry more of his followers. Bolli
spoke to Gudrun, and bade her leave the dairy and go away, and said
that their meeting would not be such as would afford her much pastime.
Gudrun said she thought such things alone would befall there worthy of
tidings as she might be allowed to look upon, and held that she would
be of no hurt to Bolli by taking her stand near to him. Bolli said
that in this matter he would have his way, and so it was that Gudrun
went out of the dairy; she went down over the brink to a brook that
ran there, and began to wash some linen. Bolli was now alone in the
dairy; he took his weapon, set his helm on his head, held a shield
before him, and had his sword, Footbiter, in his hand: he had no mail
coat. Halldor and his followers were talking to each other outside as
to how they should set to work, for no one was very eager to go into
the dairy. Then said An Brushwood-belly, "There are men here in this
train nearer in kinship to Kjartan than I am, but not one there will
be in whose mind abides more steadfastly than in mine the event when
Kjartan lost his life. When I was being brought more dead than alive
home to Tongue, and Kjartan lay slain, my one thought was that I would
gladly do Bolli some harm whenever I should get the chance. [Sidenote:
Bolli is wounded] So I shall be the first to go into the dairy." Then
Thorstein the Black answered, "Most valiantly is that spoken; but it
would be wiser not to plunge headlong beyond heed, so let us go warily
now, for Bolli will not be standing quiet when he is beset; and
however underhanded he may be where he is, you may make up your mind
for a brisk defence on his part, strong and skilled at arms as he is.
He also has a sword that for a weapon is a trusty one." Then An went
into the dairy hard and swift, and held his shield over his head,
turning forward the narrower part of it. Bolli dealt him a blow with
Footbiter, and cut off the tail-end of the shield, and clove An
through the head down to the shoulder, and forthwith he gat his death.
Then Lambi went in; he held his shield before him, and a drawn sword
in his hand. In the nick of time Bolli pulled Footbiter out of the
wound, whereat his shield veered aside so as to lay him open to
attack. So Lambi made a thrust at him in the thigh, and a grea