434 



SUP ERST I TIONS.SHA PE-CIIANGING. 



for him, but did not. In the night, when Thorbjorn looked 

 out, he found his son GTunnlaug at the door ; he was lying 

 there, and was mad. He was carried in and his clothes pulled 

 off. He was bruised and bloody all over his shoulders, and 

 his flesh torn off the bones. He lay all the winter in 

 wounds, and his sickness was much talked of. Odd Kotluson 

 said that Geirrid had ridden on him, as they had parted 

 abruptly that night ; and most people thought it to be so. The 

 next spring, during the citation days, Thorbjorn rode to 

 Mafahlid and summoned Geirrid, charging her with being 

 an evening-rider and causing the sickness of Gunnlaug. The 

 case came to the Thorsnesthing, and Snorri godi helped his 

 brother-in-law, Thorbjorn, while Arnkel godi defended the case 

 for his sister, Geirrid. The verdict of twelve (tylftarTcvid) 1 had 

 to decide ; but neither Snorri nor Arnkel were allowed to 

 deliver the verdict, on account of their relation to prosecutor 

 and defendant. Then Helgi Hotgardagodi, the father of Bjorn, 

 whose son Gest was the father of Skald-Kef, was called upon 

 to deliver the verdict of the twelve. Arnkel godi went to 

 the Court and took an oath at the altar-ring that Geirrid 

 had not caused the sickness of Gunnlaug. Thorarin (a son 

 of Geirrid) and ten others took oath with him, and then 

 Helgi gave verdict for her (Geirrid), and the suit of Snorri 

 and Thorbjorn was made void, and this brought dishonour on 

 them " (Eyrbyggja, c, 16). 



It was believed that some people understood the language 

 of birds. 2 



" Dag, the son of King Dyggvi, took the kingship after 

 him ; he was so wise that he could understand the talk of 

 birds. He had a sparrow which told him many tidings ; it 

 flew into various lands. The sparrow once flew into Reidgota- 

 land, to a farm called Vorvi ; it went on the field of the owner 

 and took food. The owner came there, took up a stone, and 

 wounded the sparrow to death. King Dag became sorry when 

 the sparrow did not return ; he then made a sacrifice to inquire, 

 and got the answer that his sparrow had been killed at Vorvi. 

 Then he levied a grent host and went to Gotland, and made 

 warfare and plundered. One evening when he went down to 

 his ships with his host a thrall ran out of a forest and threw a 

 pitchfork at them, which hit the king and killed him. His 

 men went back to Sweden " (Ynglinga Saga, ch. 21). 3 



1 See p. 558. 



2 From some stone tracings and many 

 jewels we seethe proof of this. Numerous 



instances are given in the Earlier Kdda 

 of birds speaking to persons. 

 3 Cf. also Volsunga. 19. 



