#john mildmay

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The Sword Graysteel ("Grásíða") by C.E. St. John-Mildmay 1866. From 'The Story of Gisli the Outlaw', trans. Sir G. W. Dasent (Edinburgh, 1866).

"...but the sword fell on Kors head, and did not bite; but still the blow was so stoutly dealt that the skull was shattered and the sword broke asunder. Then Kol said: "It had been better now that I had got back my sword when I asked for it; and yet this is but the beginning of the ill-luck which it will bring on thy kith and kin." Thus both of them lost their lives." -Gísli Saga, Ch.1

https://paganimagevault.blogspot.com/2020/04/the-sword-graysteel-grasia_28.html

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The Forging of the Spear by C.E. St. John-Mildmay 1866. From 'The Story of Gisli the Outlaw', trans. Sir G. W. Dasent (Edinburgh, 1866).

"Well, they all thought that good counsel; and after that they went out of their booth to the point of the"ere," and there cut up a sod of turf in such wise that both its ends were still fast to the earth, and propped it up by a spear scored with runes, so tall that a man might lay his hand on the socket of the spear-head. Under this yoke they were all four to pass--Thorgrim, Gisli, Thorkel, and Vestein. Now they breathe each a vein, and let their blood fall together on the mould whence the turf had been cutup, and all touch it; and afterwards they all fall on their knees and were to take hands, and swear to avenge each the other as though he were his brother, and to call all the Gods to witness." But now, just as they were going to take hands, Thorgrim said: "I shall have quite enough on my hands if I do this towards Thorkel and Gisli, my brothers-in-law; but towards Vestein I have no tie to bind me to so great a charge." As he said this he drew back his hand. "Then more will do the like," says Gisli, and drew back his hand. "I will be bound by no tie to the man who will not be bound by the same tie to my brother-in-law Vestein. "Now men began to think there was some weight in Gest’s spaedom. But Gisli said to Thorkel: "All this happened as I foreboded, and this which we have done is of no good, for I guess that fate rules in this too." -Gísli Saga, Ch.4

https://paganimagevault.blogspot.com/2020/04/the-forging-of-spear_28.html

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Thorgrim's Slaying by C.E. St. John-Mildmay 1866. From 'The Story of Gisli the Outlaw', trans. Sir G. W. Dasent (Edinburgh, 1866).

"Now he takes hold of Thorgrim gently, so that he woke and turned towards Thordisa, for he thought she had roused him. Then Gisli lifts the clothes off them with one hand, while with the other he thrusts Thorgrim through the body with "Graysteel," and pins him to the bed. Now Thordisa, cries out: "Wake up men in the hall; my husband Thorgrim is slain!" Gisli turns short away to the byre. He goes out where he had meant, and locks it up strongly behind him. Then he goes home by the same way, and his footsteps cannot be seen. Auda pushes back the bolts when he came home, and he gets into bed, and makes as though nothing had happened, or as though he had naught to do but sleep." -Gísli Saga, Ch.9

https://paganimagevault.blogspot.com/2020/04/thorgrims-slaying.html

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Thorkel at Auda and Asgerda's Bower by C.E. St. John-Mildmay 1866. From 'The Story of Gisli the Outlaw', trans. Sir G. W. Dasent (Edinburgh, 1866).

"Thorkel the Soursop was very fond of dress and very lazy; he did not do a stroke of work in the housekeeping of those brothers; but Gisli worked night and day. It fell on a good drying day that Gisli set all the men at work hay-making, save his brother Thorkel. He alone of all the men was at home, and he had laid him down after breakfast in the hall, where the fire was, and gone to sleep. The hall was thirty fathoms long and ten broad. Away from it, and to the south, stood the bower of Auda and Asgerda, and there the two sat sewing. But when Thorkel wakes he goes toward the bower for he heard voices, and, lays him down outside close by the bower." -Gísli Saga, Ch.6

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Gisli slips through Bork's fingers by C.E. St. John-Mildmay 1866. From 'The Story of Gisli the Outlaw', trans. Sir G. W. Dasent (Edinburgh, 1866).

"I never thought he could be in two places at once. There's no use hunting here, and we have been so heedless, I never knew the like, nor do I know how we shall ever set it right. Why! that must have been Gisli in the boat alongside us, and be must have passed himself off as the idiot, for he is ready at everything, and is the biggest mockbird. 'Tis a shame to so many men if he slip through our fingers this time. Let us hasten after him, and let him not escape our clutches." -Gísli Saga, Ch.14

https://paganimagevault.blogspot.com/2020/04/gisli-slips-through-borks-fingers.html

[paganimagevault]

Gisli in Sæból by C.E. St. John-Mildmay. From 'The Story of Gisli the Outlaw', trans. Sir G. W. Dasent (Edinburgh, 1866).

"Now Eyjolf and his kinsmen press on hard, for they felt that their fame and honour lay on it. Then they thrust at him with spears, so that his entrails fall out; but he swept up the entrails with his shirt and bound the rope round the wound. Then Gisli called out and said they had better wait a while: "Wife so fair, so never failing,   So truly loved, so sorely cross'd, Thou wilt often miss me wailing,   Thou wilt weep thy hero lost. But my soul is stout as ever ,   Swords may bite, I feel no smart Father! better heirloom never   Owned thy son than hardy heart." That was Gisli's last song, and as soon as ever he had suing it he rushes down from the crag and smites Thord, Eyjolf's kinsman, on the head, and cleaves him down to the belt, but Gisli fell down on his body and breathed his last. But they were all much wounded, Eyjolf's companions. Gisli there lost his life with so many great and sore wounds that it was a wonder to see. They say that he never turned his heel, and none of them saw that his strokes were lighter, the last than the first. There now ends Gisli's life, and it has always been said he was the greatest champion--though he was not lucky in all things. Now they drag him down to the flat ground, and take away his sword, and bury him there in the gravel, and so go down to the sea. There on the sea-shore the sixth man breathed his last. Eyjolf offered Auda to take her with him, but she would not. After that Eyjolf fares home to Otterdale, and there, that same night, the seventh man breathes his last. An eighth lies bedridden from wounds twelve months, and then dies. As for the rest, they were healed, and got nothing but shame for their pains. It has been said, in short, by one and all that there never was a more famous defence made by one man in times of which the truth is known." -Gísli Saga, Ch.18

https://paganimagevault.blogspot.com/2020/04/gisli-in-sbol-1866.html