The Saga of Gisli
Notes compiled by Nicole J. Wallace Copyrighted 2000
I.
Bjorn a berserk came to Thorkell's place and gave Ari two choices - fight or give over his wife. Ari dies. Gisli then fights Bjorn for Ari with Greyflank - a special sword and wins. However, Gisli dies in a squabble with the bondservant over the sword. Both men die and the sword breaks.
II.
Thorbjorn gets all the property. He has kids: Thordis, Thorkell, Gisli and Ari. Bard and Thordis have relationship together. Thorkell and Bard were friends but Bard and his relations with Thordis angered Gisli and his father. Gisli kills Bard. Skeggi asks for Thordis but Kolbjorn was courting her. Skeggi asks a woodcutter to make gay cutting of Gisli and Kolbjorn. Gisli cuts off Skeggi's leg.
III.
Einar and Arni, brothers of Skeggi, ask Kolbjorn to come with them to burn Thorbjorn and his sons in their house or die. He goes. However, everyone escapes the burning house by the use of goatskin and whey. They then burn Kolbjorn and his men in their house. Gisli kills Skeggi's brothers and cuts off Skeggi's head.
IV.
They go to Iceland. Explains genealogy of Vestein and Aud.
V.
Thorkell marries Asgerd. Gisli marries Aud. Thorgrim marries Thordis. He is a goði.
VI.
Party at AllThing instead of paying attention to their business. Prophecy that the brothers would not make it through three summers. Blood brother ceremony but they are unable to finish it before they withdraw their hands.
VII.
Thorgrim's son is killed by two Norwegians re: wood. Thorgrim kills them. They possess the Norwegian's ship. Thorgrim and Throkell set sail. Vestein and Gisli set sail. Vestein and Gisli get shipwrecked.
VIII.
They buy a ½ share in Bjalfi's ship. Vestein separates from the group to close a business deal. He must promise to never go to Iceland unless Gisli gives permission. They make a special coin.
IX.
Thorgrim and Thorkell meet back up with Gisli. Thorkell who is lazy stayed on the farm and overheard the wives talking. Aud HAD an affair with Thorgrim but Asgerd is STILL having an affair with Vestein. Thorkell tells Asgerd he doesn't want her sleeping in his bed. She threatens divorce. She then gets into the bed. Aud tells Gisli.
X.
Thorkell asks to split the property and move in with Thorgrim. Thorkell hot the cash and Gisli got the land. Gisli has a feast. Aud mentions she misses Vestein and Gisli admits he'd pay money to have Vestein NOT to come back.
XI.
Thorgrim Neb was a wizard/sorcerer. He makes a spear out of the broken pieces of Greyflank with a short 8-inch handle. Onund tells Gisli that Vestein is back in Iceland. Gisli sends men to tell Vestein to not come yet and gives them the coin. They miss each other by taking two different roads.
XII.
They finally catch up with Vestein who insists on coming anyway. He is warned several times. Thorgrim sends a girl servant to Gisli's home to get info. She doesn't find out much. Vestein offers Gisli, Aud and Thorkell his gifts. Thorkell refuses.
XIII.
Gisli has nightmares. Rain came and the men went to save the hay. Aud and Vestein move their beds in the middle as to not get wet. Vestein is murdered and Aud wakes up to see him die. Gisli takes the weapon out and is thus bound to avenge Vestein's death. The servant girl goes to Thorgrim and Thorkell, who will come to pay their respects.
XIV.
Thorgrim suggests tying on Hel shoes so Vestein could go to Valhalla. Thorkell asks how Aud is taking the death.
XV.
They begin the games. Thorgrim gets hurt. It causes coldness between Thorgrim and Gisli. They both have separate feasts. Thorgrim asks Thorkell to get the tapestries that Vestein offered. Thorgrim sends his servants. Gisli gives the servant the tapestries.
XVI.
Gisli kills Thorgrim in his sleep.
XVII.
They bury Thorgrim well but Gisli doesn't know if he can make a boat that will survive the weather. Then it was mentioned that it sounds like what Thorgrim said about Hel's shoes when Vestein died. Gisli suggests staying friendly with Thorkell.
XVIII.
Bork pays Thorgrim Neb to put a spell on Thorgrim's killer so that no man could help him. Snow never stayed on the southwest side of Thorgrim;s grave as if he had been favored by Frey. Bork marries Thordis who is pregnant. She gives birth to a son - first named Thorgrim - later changed to Snorri. At the games, Gisli mentioned a verse that Thordis then translates. Berg and Thorstein fight. Avalanche gets Berg's farm.
XIX.
Thorstein goes to live with Gisli. Bork seizes Audbjorg and stones her to death. Gisli catches Thorgrim Neb and stones him to death. Bork decides to move south to Thorness. Thorkell goes with him. Thordis tells Bork what Gisli had said at the games re: Thorgrim. Thorkell said they couldn't believe Thordis and should continue on. Thorkell, claiming to visit his friend Onund, swings back and tells Gisli. Gisli claims he only killed Thorgrim to avenge Vestein. Thorkell then claims to collect debt on a farm but sneaks off to meet Gisli to inform him that Bork is coming.
XX.
Gisli takes his valuables into the woods and then switches cloaks with Thord, his servant. Bork kills Thord mistaking him for Gisli. They then chase after the real Gilsi. Gisli hides and when they leave, he goes back to the house and prepares to move.
XXI.
Gisli asks Aud's kinsmen to go to the AllThing and get it settles so he would not be outlawed but he was outlawed anyway. He seeks help from the chieftains but receives none because of the spell put on him by Thorgrim Neb. He spends time hiding.
XXII.
Bork sees Eyjolf to ask to hurt and kill Gisli. A woman comes into Gisli's dreams and tells him to give up his old faith.
XXIII.
Eyjolf sights Gisli. Eyjolf offers Aud money to tell them where Gisli is but she refuses. Gisli goes to Thorkell who isn't much "help" but offers material support. Gisli then goes to Gest Oddleiffsson's mother who had a special underground room to hide outlaws. He stays the winter.
XXIV.
Gisli returns to be with Aud. He has more bad dreams and returns to Thorgerd (Gest's mother) for the winter. He then sees Thorkell and takes a boat and supplies. Gisli gives Thorkell a bad prophecy. He shipwrecks the boat to fake his own death and stays with Ingjald his cousin.
XXV.
Gisli made stuff for Ingjlad which made people suspicious. Helgi tries to follow Thorgerd to see what she is up to. When Helgi leaves, he says Gisli is staying with Ingjald but they all row away so they are not discovered.
XXVI.
Ingjlad suggests they fight but Gisli plans to change his clothes with the thrall instead. He then plans to act the fool. They threaten to kill Ingjald (he could help Gisli despite Thorgrim Neb's spell because he didn't live on the mainland.)
XXVII.
They spare his life and go to search his house where they see the real fool grazing. Gisli gets away to the mainland and gives Bothild some gifts and gold rings. Bork spears Gisli in the leg. He loses his sword. He limps away to a farmer named Ref who had a shrewd violent wife. Gisli agrees to do anything and not to interfere. He hides Gisli is Alfdis's bed with her on top. Bork asks to search the house. He does. Alfdis is really bitchy which deters their search. Gisli spends the night and then leaves giving Ref a knife and a belt. Gisli then goes back to Aud.
XXVIII.
Two boys go to the AllThing with Gest. They stay with Hallbjorn, a tramp. Thorkell arrives prominently. One boy asks to see his sword but then draws it, killing Thorkell.
XXIX.
The boys may have been the sons of Vestein. Gest gets dragged into the case since he gave them a ride to the AllThing. They boys go to Aud. She hears the news, gives them food, and sends them on their way.
XXX.
Aud tells Gisli about Thorkell's death. He has many bad dreams and then a good one (pg. 48)
XXXI.
Helgi and Havard go to "cut timber" but are really spying for Gisli. They see a dire in the cliffs. They take turns sleeping. Havard throws stones everywhere and tells Helgi it must be Gisli. Eyjolf goes back the next day with men but they find nothing. They then go to Aud, proposing silver and an arranged marriage. Gudrid cries.
XXXII.
Gudrid finds Gisli and warns him. Aud takes the silver, puts it in a bag and swings it at Eyjolf's nose, causing it to bleed. Eyjolf orders Aud to be killed but Havard deters him. Aud gives Havard a gold ring for his help.
XXXIII.
Gisli has bad dreams that overruled all prophecies from his good dream. He then dreamt men were attacking him. The bad dreams kept coming.
XXXIV.
Gisli, Aud, and Gudrid can't sleep. They go to the hiding place to see if they can sleep there. Gisli has a bad dream. They then hear Eyjolf and his men. Gisli dares Eyjolf to go first but he sends Helgi. Gisli cuts Helgi in two. Eyjolf tries to come up another way but Aud sticks him with a club. Gisli expresses his appreciation of his wife.
XXXV.
One of Eyjolf's men threatens Gisli for his weapons and wife. Eyjolf eggs on his men but Gisli prepares for self-defense.
XXXVI.
Svein tries but Gisli wins. Thorir, Thord, and Eyjolf wound Gisli, who continues to fight. In his last moment, he jumps from the cliff with his sword, and splits Thord in two and then he dies. Such a fight dishonored all of Eyjolf's men.
XXXVII.
Eyjolf tells Bork. He tells Thordis, who grieves. Thordis attempts to stab Eyjolf with Gisli's sword. She wounds him but Bork stops her. She divorces Bork.
XXXVIII.
The sons of Vestein go to Norwary. Berg introduces himself and is killed by Ari, the younger of Gisli's brothers.