Introduction
The following account of the discovery of North America by Leif Ericsson is
contained in the "Saga of Eric the Red"; and the present translation is that
made by A. M. Reeves from the version of the Saga in the Flateyar-bok, compiled by Jon
Thordharson about 1387. The part of the coast where Leif landed is much in dispute, the
most recent investigations tending to the southern part of the coast of Labrador, though
many scholars believe Vinland to have been on the New England shore.
Leif the Lucky Baptized
After the sixteen winters had lapsed, from the time when Eric the Red went to colonize
Greenland, Leif, Eric's son, sailed out from Greenland to Norway. He arrived in Drontheim
in the autumn, when King Olaf Tryggvason was come down from the North, out of Halagoland.
Leif put into Nidaros with his ship, and set out at once to visit the king. King Olaf
expounded the faith to him, as he did to other heathen men who came to visit him. It
proved easy for the king to persuade Leif, and he was accordingly baptized, together with
all of his shipmates. Leif remained throughout the winter with the king, by whom he was
well entertained.
Biarni Goes in Quest of Greenland
Heriulf was a son of Bard Heriulfsson. He was a kinsman of Ingolf, the first colonist.
Ingolf allotted land to Heriulf between Vag and Reykianess, and he dwelt at first at
Drepstokk. Heriulf's wife's name was Thorgerd, and their son, whose name was Biarni, was a
most promising man. He formed an inclination for voyaging while he was still young, and he
prospered both in property and public esteem. It was his custom to pass his winters
alternately abroad and with his father. Biarni soon became the owner of a trading-ship;
and during the last winter that he spent in Norway [his father] Heriulf determined to
accompany Eric on his voyage to Greenland, and made his preparations to give up his farm.
Upon the ship with Heriulf was a Christian man from the Hebrides; he it was who composed
the Sea-Roller's Song, which contains this stave:
"Mine adventure to the Meek One, Monk-heart-searcher, I commit now; He, who
heaven's halls doth govern, Hold the hawk's-seat ever o'er me!"
Heriulf settled at Heriulfsness, and was a most distinguished man. Eric the Red dwelt
at Brattahlid, where he was held in the highest esteem, and all men paid him homage. These
were Eric's children: Leif, Thorvald, and Thorstein, and a daughter whose name was
Freydis; she was wedded to a man named Thorvard, and they dwelt at Gardar, where the
episcopal seat now is. She was a very haughty woman, while Thorvard was a man of little
force of character, and Freydis had been wedded to him chiefly because of his wealth. At
that time the people of Greenland were heathen.
Biarni arrived with his ship at Eyrar [in Iceland] in the summer of the same year, in
the spring of which his father had sailed away. Biarni was much surprised when he heard
this news, and would not discharge his cargo. His shipmates inquired of him what he
intended to do, and he replied that it was his purpose to keep to his custom, and make his
home for the winter with his father; "and I will take the ship to Greenland, if you
will bear me company." They all replied that they would abide by his decision. Then
said Biarni, "Our voyage must be regarded as foolhardy, seeing that no one of us has
ever been in the Greenland Sea." Nevertheless, they put out to sea when they were
equipped for the voyage, and sailed for three days, until the land was hidden by the
water, and then the fair wind died out, and north winds arose, and fogs, and they knew not
whither they were drifting, and thus it lasted for many "doegr." Then they saw
the sun again, and were able to determine the quarters of the heavens; they hoisted sail,
and sailed that "doegr" through before they saw land. They discussed among
themselves what land it could be, and Biarni said that he did not believe that it could be
Greenland. They asked whether he wished to sail to this land or not. "It is my
counsel" [said he] "to sail close to the land." They did so, and soon saw
that the land was level, and covered with woods, and that there were small hillocks upon
it. They left the land on their larboard, and let the sheet turn toward the land. They
sailed for two "doegr" before they saw another land. They asked whether Biarni
thought this was Greenland yet. He replied that he did not think this any more like
Greenland than the former, "because in Greenland there are said to be many great ice
mountains." They soon approached this land, and saw that it was a flat and wooded
country. The fair wind failed them then, and the crew took counsel together, and concluded
that it would be wise to land there, but Biarni would not consent to this. They alleged
that they were in need of both wood and water. "Ye have no lack of either of
these," says Biarni¬a course, forsooth, which won him blame among his shipmates. He
bade them hoist sail, which they did, and turning the prow from the land they sailed out
upon the high seas, with south-westerly gales, for three "doegr," when they saw
the third land; this land was high and mountainous, with ice mountains upon it. They asked
Biarni then whether he would land there, and he replied that he was not disposed to do so,
"because this land does not appear to me to offer any attractions." Nor did they
lower their sail, but held their course off the land, and saw that it was an island. They
left this land astern, and held out to sea with the same fair wind. The wind waxed amain,
and Biarni directed them to reef, and not to sail at a speed unbefitting their ship and
rigging. They sailed now for four "doegr," when they saw the fourth land. Again
they asked Biarni whether he thought this could be Greenland or not. Biarni answers,
"This is likest Greenland, according to that which has been reported to me concerning
it, and here we will steer to the land." They directed their course thither, and
landed in the evening, below a cape upon which there was a boat, and there, upon this
cape, dwelt Heriulf, Biarni's father, whence the cape took its name, and was afterward
called Heriulfsness. Biarni now went to his father, gave up his voyaging, and remained
with his father while Heriulf lived, and continued to live there after his father.
Here Begins the Brief History of the Greenlanders
Next to this is now to be told how Biarni Heriulfsson came out from Greenland on a
visit to Earl Eric, by whom he was well received. Biarni gave an account of his travels
[upon the occasion] when he saw the lands, and the people though that he had been lacking
in enterprise, since he had no report to give concerning these countries; and the fact
brought him reproach. Biarni was appointed one of the Earl's men, and went out to
Greenland the following summer. There was now much talk about voyages of discovery. Leif,
the son of Eric the Red, of Brattahlid, visited Biarni Heriulfsson and bought a ship of
him, and collected a crew, until they formed altogether a company of thirty-five men. Leif
invited his father, Eric, to become the leader of the expedition, but Eric declined,
saying that he was then stricken in years, and adding that he was less able to endure the
exposure of sea life than he had been. Leif replied that he would nevertheless be the one
who would be most apt to bring good luck and Eric yielded to Leif's solicitation, and rode
from home when they were ready to sail. When he was but a short distance from the ship,
the horse which Eric was riding stumbled, and he was thrown from his back and wounded his
foot, whereupon he exclaimed, "It is not designed for me to discover more lands than
the one in which we are now living, nor can we now continue longer together." Eric
returned home to Brattahlid, and Leif pursued his way to the ship with his companions,
thirty-five men. One of the company was a German, named Tyrker. They put the ship in
order; and, when they were ready, they sailed out to sea, and found first that land which
Biarni and his shipmates found last. They sailed up to the land, and cast anchor, and
launched a boat, and went ashore, and saw no grass there. Great ice mountains lay inland
back from the sea, and it was as a [tableland of] flat rock all the way from the sea to
the ice mountains; and the country seemed to them to be entirely devoid of good qualities.
Then said, Leif "It has not come to pass with us in regard to this land as with
Biarni, that we have not gone upon it. To this country I will now give a name, and call it
Helluland." They returned to the ship, put out to sea, and found a second land. They
sailed again to the land, and came to anchor, and launched the boat, and went ashore. This
was a level wooded land; and there were broad stretches of white sand where they went, and
the land was level by the sea. Then said Leif, "This land shall have a name after its
nature; and we will call it Markland." They returned to the ship forthwith, and
sailed away upon the main with north-east winds, and were out two "doegr" before
they sighted land. They sailed toward this land, and came to an island which lay to the
northward off the land. There they went ashore and looked about them, the weather being
fine, and they observed that there was dew upon the grass, and it so happened that they
touched the dew with their hands, and touched their hands to their mouths, and it seemed
to them that they had never before tasted anything so sweet as this. They went aboard
their ship again and sailed into a certain sound, which lay between the island and a cape,
which jutted out from the land on the north, and they stood in westering past the cape. At
ebb-tide, there were broad reaches of shallow water there, and they ran their ship aground
there, and it was a long distance from the ship to the ocean; yet were they so anxious to
go ashore that they could not wait until the tide should rise under their ship, but
hastened to the land, where a certain river flows out from a lake. As soon as the tide
rose beneath their ship, however, they took the boat and rowed to the ship, which they
conveyed up the river, and so into the lake, where they cast anchor and carried their
hammocks ashore from the ship, and built themselves booths there. They afterward
determined to establish themselves there for the winter, and they accordingly built a
large house. There was no lack of salmon there either in the river or in the lake, and
larger salmon than they had ever seen before. The country thereabouts seemed to be
possessed of such good qualities that cattle would need no fodder there during the
winters. There was no frost there in the winters, and the grass withered but little. The
days and nights there were of more nearly equal length than in Greenland or Iceland. On
the shortest day of winter, the sun was up between "eykarstad" and
"dagmalastad." When they had completed their house, Leif said to his companions,
"I propose now to divide our company into two groups, and to set about an exploration
of the country. One-half of our party shall remain at home at the house, while the other
half shall investigate the land; and they must not go beyond a point from which they can
return home the same evening, and are not to separate [from each other]. Thus they did for
a time. Leif, himself, by turns joined the exploring party, or remained behind at the
house. Leif was a large a powerful man, and of a most imposing bearing¬a man of sagacity,
and a very just man in all things.
Leif the Lucky Finds Men Upon a Skerry at Sea
It was discovered one evening that one of their company was missing; and this proved to
be Tyrker, the German. Leif was sorely troubled by this, for Tyrker had lived with Leif
and his father for a long time, and had been very devoted to Leif when he was a child.
Leif severely reprimanded his companions, and prepared to go in search of him, taking
twelve men with him. They had proceeded but a short distance from the house, when they
were met by Tyrker, whom they received most cordially. Leif observed at once that his
foster-father was in lively spirits. Tyrker had a prominent forehead, restless eyes, small
features, was diminutive in stature, and rather a sorry-looking individual withal, but
was, nevertheless, a most capable handicraftsman. Leif addressed him, and asked,
"Wherefore art thou so belated, foster-father mine, and astray from the others?"
In the beginning Tyrker spoke for some time in German, rolling his eyes and grinning, and
they could not understand him; but after a time he addressed them in the Northern tongue:
"I did not go much further [than you], and yet I have something of novelty to relate.
I have found vines and grapes." "Is this indeed true, foster-father?" said
Leif. "Of a certainty it is true," quoth he, "for I was born where there is
no lack of either grapes or vines." They slept the night through, and on the morrow
Leif said to his shipmates, "We will now divide our labors, and each day will either
gather grapes or cut vines and fell trees, so as to obtain a cargo of these for my
ship." They acted upon this advice, and it is said that their after-boat was filled
with grapes. A cargo sufficient for the ship was cut, and when the spring came they made
their ship ready, and sailed away; and from its products Leif gave the land a name, and
called it Wineland. They sailed out to sea, and had fair winds until they sighted
Greenland and the fells below the glaciers. Then one of the men spoke up and said,
"Why do you steer the ship so much into the wind?" Leif answers: "I have my
mind upon my steering, but on other matters as well. Do ye not see anything out of the
common?" They replied that they saw nothing strange. "I do not know," says
Leif, "whether it is a ship or a skerry that I see." Now they saw it, and said
that it must be a skerry; but he was so much keener of sight than they that he was able to
discern men upon the skerry. "I think it best to tack," says Leif, "so that
we may draw near to them, that we may be able to render them assistance if they should
stand in need of it; and, if they should not be peaceably disposed, we shall still have
better command of the situation than they." They approached the skerry, and, lowering
their sail, cast anchor, and launched a second small boat, which they had brought with
them. Tyrker inquired who was the leader of the party. He replied that his name was Thori,
and that he was a Norseman; "but what is thy name?" Leif gave his name.
"Art thou a son of Eric the Red of Brattahlid?" says he. Leif responded that he
was. "It is now my wish," says Leif, "to take you all into my ship, and
likewise so much of your possessions as the ship will hold." This offer was accepted,
and [with their ship] thus laden they held away to Ericsfirth, and sailed until they
arrived at Brattahlid. Having discharged the cargo, Leif invited Thori, with his wife,
Gudrid, and three others, to make their home with him, and procured quarters for the other
members of the crew, both for his own and Thori's men. Leif rescued fifteen persons from
the skerry. He was afterwards called Leif the Lucky. Leif had now goodly store both of
property and honor. There was serious illness that winter in Thori's party, and Thori and
a great number of his people died. Eric the Red also died that winter. There was now much
talk about Leif's Wineland journey; and his brother, Thorvald, held that the country had
not been sufficiently explored. Thereupon Leif said to Thorvald, "If it be thy will,
brother, thou mayest go to Wineland with my ship; but I wish the ship first to fetch the
wood which Thori had upon the skerry." And so it was done.
Thorvald Goes to Wineland
Now Thorvald, with the advice of his brother, Leif, prepared to make this voyage with
thirty men. They put their ship in order, and sailed out to sea; and there is no account
of their voyage before their arrival at Leifs-booths in Wineland. They laid up their ship
there, and remained there quietly during the winter, supplying themselves with food by
fishing. In the spring, however, Thorvald said that they should put their ship in order,
and that a few men should take the after-boat, and proceed along the western coast, and
explore [the region] thereabouts during the summer. They found it a fair, well-wooded
country. It was but a short distance from the woods to the sea, and [there were] white
sands, as well as great numbers of islands and shallows. They found neither dwelling of
man nor lair of beast; but in one of the westerly islands they found a wooden building for
the shelter of grain. They found no other trace of human handiwork; and they turned back,
and arrived at Leifs-booths in the autumn. The following summer Thorvald set out toward
the east with the ship, and along the northern coast. They were met by a high wind off a
certain promontory, and were driven ashore there, and damaged the keel of their ship, and
were compelled to remain there for a long time and repair the injury to their vessel. Then
said Thorvald to his companions, "I propose that we raise the keel upon this cape,
and call it "Keelness"; and so they did. Then they sailed away to the eastward
off the land and into the mouth of the adjoining firth and to a headland, which projected
into the sea there, and which was entirely covered with woods. They found an anchorage for
their ship, and put out the gangway to the land; and Thorvald and all of his companions
went ashore. "It is a fair region here, said he; "and here I should like to make
my home." They then returned to the ship, and discovered on the sands, in beyond the
headland, three mounds: they went up to these, and saw that they were three skin canoes
with three men under each. They thereupon divided their party, and succeeded in seizing
all of the men but one, who escaped with his canoe. They killed the eight men, and then
ascended the headland again, and looked about them, and discovered within the firth
certain hillocks, which they concluded must be habitations. They were then so overpowered
with sleep that they could not keep awake, and all fell into a [heavy] slumber from which
they were awakened by the sound of a cry uttered above them; and the words of the cry were
these: "Awake, Thorvald, thou and all thy company, if thou wouldst save thy life; and
board thy ship with all thy men, and sail with all speed from the land!" A countless
number of skin canoes then advanced toward them from the inner part of the firth,
whereupon Thorvald exclaimed, "We must put out the war-boards on both sides of the
ship, and defend ourselves to the best of our ability, but offer little attack." This
they did; and the Skrellings, after they had shot at them for a time, fled precipitately,
each as best he could. Thorvald then inquired of his men whether any of them had been
wounded, and they informed him that no one of them had received a wound. "I have been
wounded in my armpit," says he. "An arrow flew in between the gunwale and the
shield, below my arm. Here is the shaft, and it will bring me to my end. I counsel you now
to retrace your way with the utmost speed. But me ye shall convey to that headland which
seemed to me to offer so pleasant a dwelling-place: thus it may be fulfilled that the
truth sprang to my lips when I expressed the wish to abide there for a time. Ye shall bury
me there, and place a cross at my head, and another at my feet, and call it Crossness
forever after." At that time Christianity had obtained in Greenland: Eric the Red
died, however, before [the introduction of] Christianity.
Thorvald died; and, when they had carried out his injunctions, they took their
departure, and rejoined their companions, and they told each other of the experiences
which had befallen them. They remained there during the winter, and gathered grapes and
wood with which to freight the ship. In the following spring they returned to Greenland,
and arrived with their ship in Ericsfirth, where they were able to recount great tidings
to Leif.
Thorstein Ericsson Dies In The Western Settlement
In the mean time it had come to pass in Greenland that Thorstein of Ericsfirth had
married, and taken to wife Gudrid, Thorbrion's daughter, [she] who had been the spouse of
Thori Eastman, as has been already related. Now Thorstein Ericsson, being minded to make
the voyage to Wineland after the body of his brother, Thorvald, equipped the same ship,
and selected a crew of twenty-five men of good size and strength, and taking with him his
wife, Gudrid, when all was in readiness, they sailed out into the open ocean, and out of
sight of land. They were driven hither and thither over the sea all that summer, and lost
all reckoning; and at the end of the first week of winter they made the land at Lysufirth
in Greenland, in the Western settlement. Thorstein set out in search of quarters for his
crew, and succeeded in procuring homes for all of his shipmates; but he and his wife were
unprovided for, and remained together upon the ship for two or more days. At this time
Christianity was still in its infancy in Greenland. [Here follows the account of
Thorstein's sickness and death in the winter.] ... When he had thus spoken, Thorstein sank
back again; and his body was laid out for burial, and borne to the ship. Thorstein, the
master, faithfully performed all his promises to Gudrid. He sold his lands and live stock
in the spring, and accompanied Gudrid to the ship, with all his possessions. He put the
ship in order, procured a crew, and then sailed for Ericsfirth. The bodies of the dead
were now buried at the church; and Gudrid then went home to Leif at Brattahlid, while
Thorstein the Swarthy made a home for himself on Ericsfirth, and remained there as long as
he lived, and was looked upon as a very superior man.
Of the Wineland Voyages of Thorfinn and His Companions
That same summer a ship came from Norway to Greenland. The skipper's name was Thorfinn
Karlsefni. He was a son of Thord Horsehead, and a grandson of Snorri, the son of Thord of
Hofdi. Thorfinn Karlsefni, who was a very wealthy man, passed the winter at Brattahlid
with Leif Ericsson. He very soon set his heart upon Gudrid, and sought her hand in
marriage. She referred him to Leif for her answer, and was subsequently betrothed to him;
and their marriage was celebrated that same winter. A renewed discussion arose concerning
a Wineland voyage; and the folk urged Karlsefni to make the venture, Gudrid joining with
the others. He determined to undertake the voyage, and assembled a company of sixty men
and five women, and entered into an agreement with his shipmates that they should each
share equally in all the spoils of the enterprise. They took with them all kinds of
cattle, as it was their intention to settle the country, if they could. Karlsefni asked
Leif for the house in Wineland; and he replied that he would lend it, but not give it.
They sailed out to sea with the ship, and arrived safe and sound at Leifs-booths, and
carried their hammocks ashore there. They were soon provided with an abundant and goodly
supply of food; for a whale of good size and quality was driven ashore there, and they
secured it, and flensed it, and had then no lack of provisions. The cattle were turned out
upon the land, and the males soon became very restless and vicious: they had brought a
bull with them. Karlsefni caused trees to be felled and to be hewed into timbers wherewith
to load his ship, and the wood was placed upon a cliff to dry. They gathered somewhat of
all of the valuable products of the land¬grapes, and all kinds of game and fish, and
other good things. In the summer succeeding the first winter Skrellings were discovered. A
great troop of men came forth from out the woods. The cattle were hard by, and the bull
began to bellow and roar with a great noise, whereat the Skrellings were frightened, and
ran away with their packs, wherein were gray furs, sables, and all kinds of peltries. They
fled towards Karlsefni's dwelling, and sought to effect an entrance into the house; but
Karlsefni caused the doors to be defended [against them]. Neither [people] could
understand the other's language. The Skrellings put down their bundles then, and loosed
them, and offered their wares [for barter], and were especially anxious to exchange these
for weapons; but Karlsefni forbade his men to sell their weapons, and, taking counsel with
himself, he bade the women carry out milk to the Skrellings, which they no sooner saw than
they wanted to buy it, and nothing else. Now the outcome of the Skrellings' trading was
that they carried their wares away in their stomachs, while they left their packs and
peltries behind with Karlsefni and his companions, and, having accomplished this
[exchange], they went away. Now it is to be told that Karlsefni caused a strong wooden
palisade to be constructed and set up around the house. It was at this time that Gudrid,
Karlsefni's wife, gave birth to a male child, and the boy was called Snorri. In the early
part of the second winter the Skrellings came to them again, and these were now much more
numerous than before, and brought with them the same wares as at first. Then said
Karlsefni to the women, "Do ye carry out now the same food which proved so profitable
before, and nought else." When they saw this, they cast their packs in over the
palisade. Gudrid was sitting within, in the doorway, beside the cradle of her infant son,
Snorri, when a shadow fell upon the door, and a woman in a black namkirtle entered. She
was short in stature, and wore a fillet about her head; her hair was of a light chestnut
color, and she was pale of hue, and so big-eyed that never before had eyes so large been
seen in a human skull. She went up to where Gudrid was seated, and said, "What is thy
name?" "My name is Gudrid, but what is thy name?" "My name is
Gudrid," says she. The housewife Gudrid motioned her with her hand to a seat beside
her; but it so happened that at that very instant Gudrid heard a great crash, whereupon
the woman vanished, and at that same moment one of the Skrellings, who had tried to seize
their weapons, was killed by one of Karlsefni's followers. At this the Skrellings fled
precipitately, leaving their garments and wares behind them; and not a soul, save Gudrid
alone, beheld this woman. "Now we must needs takes counsel together," says
Karlsefni; "for that I believe they will visit us a third time in great numbers, and
attack us. Let us now adopt this plan. Ten of our number shall go out upon the cape, and
show themselves there; while the remainder of our company shall go into the woods and hew
a clearing for our cattle, when the troop approaches from the forest. We will also take
our bull, and let him go in advance of us." The lie of the land was such that the
proposed meeting-place had the lake upon the one side and the forest upon the other.
Karlsefni's advice was now carried into execution. The Skrellings advanced to the spot
which Karlsefni had selected for the encounter; and a battle was fought there, in which
great numbers of the band of the Skrellings were slain. There was one man among the
Skrellings, of large size and fine bearing, whom Karlsefni concluded must be their chief.
One of the Skrellings picked up an axe; and, having looked at it for a time, he brandished
it about one of his companions, and hewed at him, and on the instant the man fell dead.
Thereupon the big man seized the axe; and, after examining it for a moment, he hurled it
as far as he could out into the sea. Then they fled helter skelter into the woods, and
thus their intercourse came to an end. Karlsefni and his party remained there throughout
the winter; but in the spring Karlsefni announces that he is not minded to remain there
longer, but will return to Greenland. They now made ready for the voyage, and carried away
with them much booty in vines and grapes and peltries. They sailed out upon the high seas,
and brought their ship safely to Ericsfirth, where they remained during the winter.
Freydis Causes the Brothers to be Put to Death
There was now much talk about a Wineland voyage, for this was reckoned both a
profitable and an honorable enterprise. The same summer that Karlsefni arrived from
Wineland a ship from Norway arrived in Greenland. This ship was commanded by two brothers,
Helgi and Finnbogi, who passed the winter in Greenland. They were descended from an
Icelandic family of the East-firths. It is now to be added that Freydis, Eric's daughter,
set out from her home at Gardar, and waited upon the brothers, Helgi and Finnbogi, and
invited them to sail with their vessel to Wineland, and to share with her equally all of
the good things which they might succeed in obtaining there. To this they agreed, and she
departed thence to visit her brother, Leif, and ask him to give her the house which he had
caused to be erected in Wineland; but he made her the same answer [as that which he had
given Karlsefni], saying that he would lend the house, but not give it. It was stipulated
between Karlsefni and Freydis that each should have on ship-board thirty able-bodied men,
besides the women; nut Freydis immediately violated this compact by concealing five men
more [than this number], and this the brothers did not discover before they arrived in
Wineland, they now put out to sea, having agreed beforehand that they would sail in
company, if possible, and, although they were not far apart from each other, the brothers,
arrived somewhat in advance, and carried their belongings up to Leif's house. Now, when
Freydis arrived, her ship was discharged and the baggage carried up to the house,
whereupon Freydis exclaimed, "Why did you carry your baggage in here?"
"Since we believed," said they, "that all promises made to us would be
kept." "It was to me that Leif loaned the house," says she, "and not
to you." Whereupon Helgi exclaimed, "We brothers cannot hope to rival thee in
wrong dealing." They thereupon carried their baggage forth, and built a hut, above
the sea, on the bank of the lake, and put all in order about it; while Freydis caused wood
to be felled, with which to load her ship. The winter now set in, and the brothers
suggested that they should amuse themselves by playing games. This they did for a time,
until the folk began to disagree, when dissensions arose between them, and the games came
to an end, and the visits between the houses ceased; and thus it continued far into the
winter. One morning early Freydis arose from her bed and dressed herself, but did not put
on her shoes and stockings. A heavy dew had fallen, and she took her husband's cloak, and
wrapped it about her, and then walked to the brothers' house, and up to the door, which
had been only partly closed by one of the men, who had gone out a short time before. She
pushed the door open, and stood silently in the doorway for a time. Finnbogi, who was
lying on the innermost side of the room, was awake, and said, "What dost thou wish
here, Freydis?" She answers, "I wish thee to rise and go out with me, for I
would speak with thee." He did so; and they walked to a tree, which lay close by the
wall of the house, and seated themselves upon it. "How art thou pleased here?"
says she. He answers, "I am well pleased with the fruitfulness of the land; but I am
ill-content with the breach which has come between us, for, methinks, there has been no
cause for it." "It is even as thou sayest," says she, "and so it seems
to me; but my errand to thee is that I wish to exchange ships with you brothers, for that
ye have a larger ship than I, and I wish to depart from here." "To this I must
accede," says he, "if it is thy pleasure." Therewith they parted; and she
returned home and Finnbogi to his bed. She climbed up into bed, and awakened Thorvard with
her cold feet; and he asked her why she was so cold and wet. She answered with great
passion: "I have been to the brothers," says she, "to try to buy their
ship, for I wished to have a larger vessel; but they received my overtures so ill that
they struck me and handled me very roughly; what time thou, poor wretch, wilt neither
avenge my shame nor thy own; and I find, perforce, that I am no longer in Greenland.
Moreover I shall part from thee unless thou wreakest vengeance for this." And now he
could stand her taunts no longer, and ordered the men to rise at once and take their
weapons; and this they yield. And they then proceeded directly to the house of the
brothers, and entered it while the folk were asleep, and seized and bound them, and led
each one out when he was bound; and, as they came out, Freydis caused each one to be
slain. In this wise all of the men were put to death, and only the women were left; and
these no one would kill. At this Freydis exclaimed, "Hand me an axe." This was
done; and she fell upon the five women, and left them dead. They returned home after this
dreadful deed; and it was very evident that Freydis was well content with her work. She
addressed her companions, saying, "If it be ordained for us to come again to
Greenland, I shall contrive the death of any man who shall speak of these events. We must
give it out that we left them living here when we came away." Early in the spring
they equipped the ship which had belonged to the brothers, and freighted it with all of
the products of the land which they could obtain, and which the ship would carry. Then
they put out to sea, and after a prosperous voyage arrived with their ship in Ericsfirth
early in the summer. Karlsefni was there, with his ship all ready to sail, and was
awaiting a fair wind; and people say that a ship richer laden than that which he commanded
never left Greenland.
Concerning Freydis
Freydis now went to her home, since it had remained unharmed during her absence. She
bestowed liberal gifts upon all of her companions, for she was anxious to screen her
guilt. She now established herself at her home; but her companions were not all so
close-mouthed concerning their misdeeds and wickedness that rumors did not get abroad at
last. These finally reached her brother, Leif, and he thought it a most shameful story. He
thereupon took three of the men, who had been of Freydis' party, and forced them all at
the same time to a confession of the affair, and their stories entirely agreed. "I
have no heart," says Leif, "to punish my sister, Freydis, as she deserves, but
this I predict of them, that there is little prosperity in store for their
offspring." Hence it came to pass that no one from that time forward thought them
worthy of aught but evil. It now remains to take up the story from the time when Karlsefni
made his ship ready, and sailed out to sea. He had a successful voyage, and arrived in
Norway safe and sound. He remained there during the winter, and sold his wares; and both
he and his wife were received with great favor by the most distinguished men of Norway.
The following spring he put his ship in order for the voyage to Iceland; and when all his
preparations had been made, and his ship was lying at the wharf, awaiting favorable winds,
there came to him a Southerner, a native of Bremen in the Saxonland, who wished to buy his
"house-neat." "I do not wish to sell it," says he. "I will give
thee half a 'mork' in gold for it," says the Southerner. This Karlsefni thought a
good offer, and accordingly closed the bargain. The Southerner went his way with the
"house-neat," and Karlsefni knew not what wood it was, but it was
"mosur," come from Wineland.
Karlsefni sailed away, and arrived with his ship in the north of Iceland, in
Skagafirth. His vessel was beached there during the winter, and in the spring he bought
Glaumboeiar-land, and made his home there, and dwelt there as long as he lived, and was a
man of the greatest prominence. From his and his wife, Gudrid, a numerous and goodly
lineage is descended. After Karlsefni's death Gudrid, together with her son Snorri, who
was born in Wineland, took charge of the farmstead; and, when Snorri was married, Gudrid
went abroad, and made a pilgrimage to the South, after which she returned again to the
home of her son Snorri, who had caused a church to be built at Glaumboeiar. Gudrid then
took the veil and became an anchorite, and lived there the rest of her days. Snorri had a
son, named Thorgeir, who was the father of Ingveld, the mother of Bishop Brand. Hallfrid
was the name of the daughter of Snorri, Karlsefni's son: she was the mother of Runolf,
Bishop Thorlak's father. Biorn was the name of [another] son of Karlsefni and Gudrid: he
was the father of Thorunn, the mother of Bishop Biorn. Many men are descended from
Karlsefni, and he has been blessed with a numerous and famous posterity; and of all men
Karlsefni has given the most exact accounts of all these voyages, of which something has
now been recounted.
