120 DANIEL BRUUN. 
got a refusal, after which Ossur immediately left Gardar and moved 
to another farm. The complaint was also rejected at the assize in the 
following spring. In his resentment Össur now got the idea of inflicting 
great damage on Arnbiörns remaining ship, which the bishop still refused 
to give up. He then went to the Norsemen in the western settlement 
who advised him to join them, but he returned all the same to the 
eastern settlement. The bishop in the meantime, had exacted revenge 
upon him, and on that account he turned to Einar Sokkisson who 
had sworn him his support before he undertook to go to Greenland as 
bishop. But Einar did not think that he ought to help on this occasion. 
“They coldly took leave of each other, and the bishop had an angry ex- 
pression,” as it is said. Össur was evidently a man who would defy fate. 
In itself it was imprudent of him to remain in the eastern settlement, 
but it was outright daring, that he (с. 1132) — depending on the peace 
of the church — appeared at the farm Langaness, whilst the bishop said 
mass there. The saga relates: 
Then people gathered together to say mass in the church, and to 
feast at Langaness, the bishop and Einar were there together at the 
banquet. Many went to divine service and the bishop sang mass him- 
self. Össur was also there. He stood south of the church, elose to its 
wall, and spoke to a man who was called Brand Thordsson, and who 
lived with the bishop. This man advised Össur to give in to the bishop. 
“I hope,” he said, “that all will then go well, as now there is danger 
afoot.” Össur answered that he could not bring himself to do it, so 
badly had he been treated — and they conversed earnestly about this. 
Just at this moment the bishop came walking from the church to the farm 
house. Einar was in his attendance. When they came to the entrance of 
the big room Einar separated himself from the suite, went back alone 
to the church-yard took an axe out of the hands of a man, who had 
been there to attend divine service, and went to the south of the church. 
Ossur stood there leaning on his axe. Einar immediately inflicted 
a mortal wound on him and thereafter went in. The tables were now 
set, and Einar went straight opposite to where the bishop sat, without 
saying a word. Then Brand Thordsson came into the room, went up 
to the bishop and said: 
“Hast thou been told anything new, my lord?” — The bishop 
had heard nothing. 
“But what hast thou to relate?” 
He answered: 
“There was one who had to die out side here.” 
The bishop asked “Who did it? and who had to suffer?” 
Brand answered, that he who could answer that was sitting close 
by. The bishop then asked: 
“Didst thou, Einar, cause, — Ossur’s death?” 
The answer was: “Yes certainly I caused it!” 
