522 



THE THING. 



great part of the Thing-assembly is there.' Thormod asked : 

 ' What is their amusement ? ' Egil answered : ' Thorgrim 

 Einarsson is telling a saga.' Thormod asked : ' Of whom is 

 lie telling a saga ? ' Egil answered : ' I know not about whom 

 the saga is, but I know that he tells it well and entertainingly ; 

 he sits on a chair outside the booth, and the people sit round 

 and listen to the saga.' Thormod said : ' Thou must be able 

 to name some man mentioned in the saga, especially as thou 

 sayest it is so entertaining.' Egil answered : ' One Thorgeir, 

 a great champion, was mentioned in the saga as having fought 

 very well, as is likely. I should like thee to go and listen 

 to the saga.' Thormod answered : ' I can do it,' and rose " l 

 (Fostbroedra Saga, c. 32). 



" The sons of Hjalti made an arvel after the death of their 

 father. They were summoned to the Thorskafjardar-thing. 

 When they came to the Thing they were so well dressed that 

 people thought the Asar had come " (Landnama, iii. c. 10). 



As the people often came from a long distance, there were 

 erected near the Thing-place Thing-booths for their accommo- 

 dation, some of which were very large. 



Thorstein had slain the thrall of a neighbour, and therefore 

 was summoned to the Thing. 



" Thorstein, son of Egil (Skallagrimsson), had very many 

 men with him at the spring Thing, and went there one night 

 earlier than the others, and he and his Thingmen tented their 

 booths. 2 When they had made their own booths ready, 

 Thorstein bade his Thingmen go and raise large booth-walls ; 

 then he had a much larger booth than the others, in which 

 there were no men " (Egil's Saga, c. 85). 



In Iceland we find the Jcvid (a law term which may mean 

 both the witnesses and the jury). The men who were in the 

 kvid did not need to be eye-witnesses ; but had to be men who 

 were impartial, and who could form the best judgment from the 

 circumstances of the case. They had to give a verdict under 

 oath. The number of the men of the Jcvid, and the manner of 

 choosing them, varied according to the matter to be considered. 

 In some important cases, recourse was had to the Tylftarkvid 

 (a body of twelve men) summoned at the instance of the 



1 The Saga was about Thorgeir Ha- 

 varsson, Thormod' s foster-brother, and his 

 last fight, in which Thorgrim had fought 

 against him. Thormod cleft Thorgrim's 



head with his axe as he sat on the chair, 

 and escaped. 



2 Pitched a tent over the walls which 

 remained standing. 



