238 DEBTS AND ROBBERY. 



If the stealing of the very smallest thing occurred, even of 

 less value than a thveit, the theft was called hvinnska (pilfer- 

 ing), and the thief was ever thereafter called hvinn (pilferer), 

 and had no rett. 



" If a man steals less than a thveit he shall be called hvinn 

 all his life and have no rett " (Bjarkey Law, 147). 



Any one who stole fruit or plants from a garden or farm 

 could be beaten and deprived of his clothes. 



" If a man goes into the leek-garden or the angelica-garden 

 of another he has no rett, though he is beaten and struck, and 

 all his clothes are taken off him " (Frostath., xiv. 14). 



The act of stealing food in order to sustain life was not, 

 however, punished. 



" Next is this, that no man shall steal from another. Never- 

 theless it must be remarked that the man who gets no work to 

 live by, and steals food to save his life for the sake of hunger, 

 then this theft must not be punished at all " (N. G. L., 

 ii., 168). 



Any one who had been caught stealing three times was 

 held irreclaimable, and it was considered less expensive to 

 the state to rid society altogether of such offenders than to 

 imprison them. 



" The man who can get work to live on and steals the 

 amount of an eyrir, and has not done it before, shall be 

 brought to the Thing and redeem his hide with 3 marks of 

 silver. If he steals as much a second time he shall redeem 

 his hide with 6 marks of silver. If he does not he shall lose 

 his hide, and a key shall be put on his cheek. If he steals as 

 much the third time he shall lose his hide, and the king shall 

 take 6 marks of silver from his property if he has so much. 

 If the same man steals oftener he is to be slain " (N. G. L., 

 ii. 168). 



Minors were not held responsible for their acts, but if 

 the thief was a woman of good family, she was sent out of 

 the country; if a native thrall, he was beheaded; if a foreign 

 thrall, his master could beat him within five days ; if a native 



