POET LORE, VOLUME XXIV, NUMBER IV, 1912***
E-text prepared by S. R. Ellison, David Starner, and the Project Gutenberg Online Distributed Proofreading Team
Poet Lore
VOLUME XXIV VACATION, 1912 NUMBER IV
SWORD AND CROZIER
Drama in Five Acts
BY INDRIDI EINARSSON
(Authorized translation from the Icelandic by Lee M. Hollander)
DRAMATIS PERSONÆ
BOTOLF, bishop of Holar
KOLBEIN ARNORSSON 'THE YOUNG,' chieftain of the 'North Quarter of Iceland,' thirty-four years old
HELGA, his wife
SALVOR, woman physician
THOROLF BJARNASON } ASBJORN ILLUGASON } Henchmen of Kolbein Arnorsson HAF BJARNASON }
KOLBEIN KALDALJOS, kinsman of Kolbein Arnorsson and steward of the bishopric of Holar, seventy years old
BRAND KOLBEINSSON, his son, chieftain of Reynistad, thirty-three years old
JORUN, his wife
KALF, eight years old } their sons THORGEIR, six years old }
BRODDI THORLEIFSSON, brother-in-law of Kolbein Arnorsson
SIGURD, deacon
HELGI SKAFTASON } henchmen of Brand ALF OF GROF }
EINAR THE RICH, of Vik
HELGI, priest at Holar
ILLUGI, the blind beggar BOY LEADING ILLUGI
JARNGRIM
Followers of Thorolf Bjarnason, of Brand, and of Kolbein Arnorsson. People of Holar in Hjaltadel.
The scene is laid in the district of Skagafirth, in the North of Iceland. The action takes place during the winter previous to the battle of Hunafloi, 1244 A.D.
ACT I
SCENE I
(_So-called 'Little Hall' in_ BRAND'S _manor-house at Reynistad. Enter the_ DEACON SIGURD, THOROLF BJARNASON, ALF OF GROF, _and_ EINAR THE RICH, _of Vik_.)
_Deacon Sigurd_.--Thorolf, Lady Jorun bade you wait here until her husband comes.
_Thorolf_.--Where is Brand Kolbeinsson? I bear a message for him from my Lord Kolbein the Young.
_Sigurd_.--Why comes he not himself?
_Alf_.--Kolbein is nigh unto d----
_Thorolf_.--Are you garrulous again, Alf?
_Sigurd_.--He lies sick with his wound, I ween.
_Thorolf and Alf_ (_remain silent_).
_Einar the Rich_ (_aside_).--That news I ought to bring secretly to Thord Kakali.
_Thorolf_.--Why will Lady Jorun not speak to her guests?
_Sigurd_.--She bade me say that she had seen you last, Thorolf Bjarnason, at such business that she cares not to see you any more.
_Thorolf_ (_laughs_).--Last I saw her at the slaying of Kalf Guttormsson, her father, and of Guttorm, her brother.
_Sigurd_.--Much good reason has my lady if she cares to see you no more.
