8 Back in Stad, Thorvold had gone against his word and had completely taken Kvederf’s property as his own. It became apparent that it was not that Thorvold’s former land was of poor quality; rather Thorvold was a lazy and incompetent worker. Many who were still loyal to Kvederf were disgusted and unhappy with Thorvold’s actions, and many said, “If Kvederf knew of this treachery he would not stand for it”. One such man was Grim, son of Grimvold. Grim had long respected Kvederf, and decided that he would travel to Iceland and alert Kvederf of this treachery.
9 Kvederf grew ill as time passed in Iceland. Many said it was not illness but he was still heartsick he had lost much so quickly. By this time Kvederf’s daughters were grown and married to respectable men back home, and his sons either owned their own land elsewhere or were employed by wealthier men in other lands. All that was left was Ulfred.
10 Ulfred was an awkward, unfortunate boy, scrawny and always in the way. His brothers grew up to be impressive, respectable warriors, but Ulfred could barely carry a weapon, which earned him the nickname, “Ulfred the Ungainly”. He was his father’s greatest shame and his mother’s favorite child. Ulfred had never given up hope that he could potentially one day gain his father’s respect and approval, so it was Ulfred who sat by his father’s side in his time of sickness. Kvederf took to his bed, speaking of nothing but regrets and unhappiness. He berated Ulfred for not being a more respected man, himself for losing his land, his temper for the trouble it caused him. During this time Kvederf began to speak more and more about the night the fateful murder took place, and Thorvold’s involvement. The more Ulfred heard of this, the more suspicious he became.
11 It was shortly thereafter that Grim landed on Iceland, and came to speak with Kvederf. Grim spoke to Kvederf and Ulfred of Thorvold’s actions and the suspicions Grim held about Thorvold’s motives. He described the land going to ruination and Thorvold’s dubious boasting. Kvederf was shocked and deeply saddened that he had allowed this to happen. Upon seeing his father’s anger and frustration, Ulfred knew he must recover their farm for him.
12 Ulfred immediately began to gather as many men as he could muster and all the ships and supplies possible. Although very few people respected or cared for Ulfred, they cared enough for Kvederf that they were willing to help. Before he set off, Ulfred looked for counsel from his wise mother, Hildirid who also acted as a seer. Hildirid said, “You are a very clever boy, but you are not well liked or respected. Others will try to take over this mission from you, some good-naturedly, others with dishonorable motives. You cannot let them or it will fail, you must trust yourself”. And with that advice to guide him Ulfred set off for Stad.
13 During this time word had gotten back to Thorvold that Kvederf’s son was planning to come and reclaim the land. Thorvold, who was secretly a coward, was terrified, but he made certain not to behave like it. Thorvold commissioned every able-bodied man he could find to come to his farm at Stad and defend it against Ulfred. Thorvold was hoping that Ulfred would be intimidated by the sheer force of numbers, and would return to Iceland without a fight.
14 Ulfred took every opportunity along the voyage to formulate a plan. He questioned the men who knew Thorvold endlessly, including Grim. He asked many questions about Thorvold’s nature and personality, and to few about his fighting skills in Grim’s opinion. Grim believed that Ulfred was afraid, and said to him, “Let me take the lead, I will command the men and create a plan of attack. You are very young, it was very brave of you to come along, but you should let someone who is experienced and battle ready to command”. Ulfred was tempted because it would have been so much easier, but he recalled his mother’s advice, and said, “It is my father’s land and my coin and my battle, please allow me the honor of waging war against Thorvold”. Grim was impressed by Ulfred’s steadfastness and passion, and no more was said of who should maintain command.
15 Ulfred had heard many stories of Thorvold by the time the ships reached Stad. He knew that Thorvold was prideful, and conniving. He also knew that Thorvold preferred others to do his unpleasant work for him. Thorvold’s mismanagement of the land had left him short on coin, and respect from the surrounding landowners, and Ulfred knew this too. Grim and the other more seasoned warriors wanted to put the ships in north of the farm, then sneak down and take Thorvold by surprise. “I am sure he knows of us coming by now, and that he has many men to fight for him. We must try to attack when he is still not aware of our presence” Grim said. Ulfred disagreed, and stated his plan, “Thorvold is a coward, and he cannot afford to pay his men well. We must attack in the early light with our full force visible. We must behave as berserks, as though there is no way to ever stop us. If we do not turn back, if we behave this way Thorvold will be too afraid to fight us, and his men will desert him, knowing that if he loses they will never see their coin”. After considering all that Ulfred had said Grim had to agree that this was a very good plan, and they began to put it in motion.
16 Thorvold looked out that morning and saw a terrifying sight. Ships, so many ships in the water, and Ulfred’s army fast approaching. He ran to alert his men, which were considerably fewer than he had first amassed, as he was unable to pay so many men. They quickly armed themselves and assembled outside the house. When he was in shouting distance Ulfred stopped, and called out, “Thorvold! You are claiming land that belongs to my father as your own! You are not maintaining it as you promised to do. You have deceived and lied in order to gain what you have. If you surrender now, and return these lands to my family, your life and he lives of your men will be spared”. Thorvold was as prideful as he was fearful, and he responded, “You are wrong, there was no deception! I am caring for this farm as I offered to do, it is your father who committed crimes and can no longer occupy this land! I am the honorable one, and I am holding onto the land that is now rightfully mine”. With that, Ulfred signaled to his men to attack.
17 With a great roar Ulfred’s men surged forward, slicing and stabbing with their axes and swords at Thorvold’s men. Ulfred even joined the fray as well, though he was far less skilled than the others. Thorvold’s men fought back bravely, and one of them stabbed Grim through the stomach. However, Ulfred’s men pressed forward, gaining more and more ground. As the fighting got closer to Thorvold he began to tremble in fear, “A farm is not worth my death!” he thought to himself. Ulfred knew that Thorvold would avoid fighting, and he struggled forward, eager to catch Thorvold so he could deal the killing blow, and restore his family’s honor. Ulfred was watching Thorvold when he saw him turn, and run away, abandoning both his men and his dignity. Ulfred roared above the din of battle, “See your leader now? See how he runs, terrified? If you put aside your weapons now we will spare you your lives”. Seeing themselves outmatched with no leader and no payment, Thorvold’s men dropped their weapons.
18 Immediately Ulfred ran through the now docile men, after Thorvold. He refused to allow Thorvold to just leave. However, by this time Thorvold had vanished. Ulfred knew that he and Thorvold would be forced to meet again, so fate could resolve itself. In the meantime Ulfred left several reliable men at Stad to rebuild and watch over the farm, and sailed home to collect his mother and father to return them to their rightful home. And here this saga ends.
9 Kvederf grew ill as time passed in Iceland. Many said it was not illness but he was still heartsick he had lost much so quickly. By this time Kvederf’s daughters were grown and married to respectable men back home, and his sons either owned their own land elsewhere or were employed by wealthier men in other lands. All that was left was Ulfred.
10 Ulfred was an awkward, unfortunate boy, scrawny and always in the way. His brothers grew up to be impressive, respectable warriors, but Ulfred could barely carry a weapon, which earned him the nickname, “Ulfred the Ungainly”. He was his father’s greatest shame and his mother’s favorite child. Ulfred had never given up hope that he could potentially one day gain his father’s respect and approval, so it was Ulfred who sat by his father’s side in his time of sickness. Kvederf took to his bed, speaking of nothing but regrets and unhappiness. He berated Ulfred for not being a more respected man, himself for losing his land, his temper for the trouble it caused him. During this time Kvederf began to speak more and more about the night the fateful murder took place, and Thorvold’s involvement. The more Ulfred heard of this, the more suspicious he became.
11 It was shortly thereafter that Grim landed on Iceland, and came to speak with Kvederf. Grim spoke to Kvederf and Ulfred of Thorvold’s actions and the suspicions Grim held about Thorvold’s motives. He described the land going to ruination and Thorvold’s dubious boasting. Kvederf was shocked and deeply saddened that he had allowed this to happen. Upon seeing his father’s anger and frustration, Ulfred knew he must recover their farm for him.
12 Ulfred immediately began to gather as many men as he could muster and all the ships and supplies possible. Although very few people respected or cared for Ulfred, they cared enough for Kvederf that they were willing to help. Before he set off, Ulfred looked for counsel from his wise mother, Hildirid who also acted as a seer. Hildirid said, “You are a very clever boy, but you are not well liked or respected. Others will try to take over this mission from you, some good-naturedly, others with dishonorable motives. You cannot let them or it will fail, you must trust yourself”. And with that advice to guide him Ulfred set off for Stad.
13 During this time word had gotten back to Thorvold that Kvederf’s son was planning to come and reclaim the land. Thorvold, who was secretly a coward, was terrified, but he made certain not to behave like it. Thorvold commissioned every able-bodied man he could find to come to his farm at Stad and defend it against Ulfred. Thorvold was hoping that Ulfred would be intimidated by the sheer force of numbers, and would return to Iceland without a fight.
14 Ulfred took every opportunity along the voyage to formulate a plan. He questioned the men who knew Thorvold endlessly, including Grim. He asked many questions about Thorvold’s nature and personality, and to few about his fighting skills in Grim’s opinion. Grim believed that Ulfred was afraid, and said to him, “Let me take the lead, I will command the men and create a plan of attack. You are very young, it was very brave of you to come along, but you should let someone who is experienced and battle ready to command”. Ulfred was tempted because it would have been so much easier, but he recalled his mother’s advice, and said, “It is my father’s land and my coin and my battle, please allow me the honor of waging war against Thorvold”. Grim was impressed by Ulfred’s steadfastness and passion, and no more was said of who should maintain command.
15 Ulfred had heard many stories of Thorvold by the time the ships reached Stad. He knew that Thorvold was prideful, and conniving. He also knew that Thorvold preferred others to do his unpleasant work for him. Thorvold’s mismanagement of the land had left him short on coin, and respect from the surrounding landowners, and Ulfred knew this too. Grim and the other more seasoned warriors wanted to put the ships in north of the farm, then sneak down and take Thorvold by surprise. “I am sure he knows of us coming by now, and that he has many men to fight for him. We must try to attack when he is still not aware of our presence” Grim said. Ulfred disagreed, and stated his plan, “Thorvold is a coward, and he cannot afford to pay his men well. We must attack in the early light with our full force visible. We must behave as berserks, as though there is no way to ever stop us. If we do not turn back, if we behave this way Thorvold will be too afraid to fight us, and his men will desert him, knowing that if he loses they will never see their coin”. After considering all that Ulfred had said Grim had to agree that this was a very good plan, and they began to put it in motion.
16 Thorvold looked out that morning and saw a terrifying sight. Ships, so many ships in the water, and Ulfred’s army fast approaching. He ran to alert his men, which were considerably fewer than he had first amassed, as he was unable to pay so many men. They quickly armed themselves and assembled outside the house. When he was in shouting distance Ulfred stopped, and called out, “Thorvold! You are claiming land that belongs to my father as your own! You are not maintaining it as you promised to do. You have deceived and lied in order to gain what you have. If you surrender now, and return these lands to my family, your life and he lives of your men will be spared”. Thorvold was as prideful as he was fearful, and he responded, “You are wrong, there was no deception! I am caring for this farm as I offered to do, it is your father who committed crimes and can no longer occupy this land! I am the honorable one, and I am holding onto the land that is now rightfully mine”. With that, Ulfred signaled to his men to attack.
17 With a great roar Ulfred’s men surged forward, slicing and stabbing with their axes and swords at Thorvold’s men. Ulfred even joined the fray as well, though he was far less skilled than the others. Thorvold’s men fought back bravely, and one of them stabbed Grim through the stomach. However, Ulfred’s men pressed forward, gaining more and more ground. As the fighting got closer to Thorvold he began to tremble in fear, “A farm is not worth my death!” he thought to himself. Ulfred knew that Thorvold would avoid fighting, and he struggled forward, eager to catch Thorvold so he could deal the killing blow, and restore his family’s honor. Ulfred was watching Thorvold when he saw him turn, and run away, abandoning both his men and his dignity. Ulfred roared above the din of battle, “See your leader now? See how he runs, terrified? If you put aside your weapons now we will spare you your lives”. Seeing themselves outmatched with no leader and no payment, Thorvold’s men dropped their weapons.
18 Immediately Ulfred ran through the now docile men, after Thorvold. He refused to allow Thorvold to just leave. However, by this time Thorvold had vanished. Ulfred knew that he and Thorvold would be forced to meet again, so fate could resolve itself. In the meantime Ulfred left several reliable men at Stad to rebuild and watch over the farm, and sailed home to collect his mother and father to return them to their rightful home. And here this saga ends.
