THE SCENE: When Thord took money from Ingjald to betray one of his wife’s kinsmen, both he and Ingjald failed to consider this wife, named Vigdis, would react. After helping her kinsman escape, Vigdis wastes no time in letting everyone know what she thinks of them.
THE TEXT: When Injald arrived he called Thord out and said to him, “you have treated us dishonourably, Thord, for we have every reason to believe that you helped the man to escape.”
Thord said the accusation was untrue. All their plotting was now exposed, and Ingjald demanded the return of the money he had given Thord.
Vigdis was present at their conversation, and said they had both got what they deserved; she told Thord not to keep the money – “because,” she said, “you earned it dishonourably.”
Thord told her to have it her own way. Vigdis went indoors to a chest that belonged to Thord and there, at the bottom, she found a heavy purse. She took the purse and went out with it to Ingjald, and told him to take his money. Ingjald cheered up at this and held out his hand for it. Vigdis raised the purse and struck him on the nose with it, drawing blood; she accompanied this with a stream of derisive words, adding that he would never get the money back, and told him to clear off.
Ingjald realized that he had no choice but to go away at once, and so he did; he did not break his journey until he reached home, ill-pleased with his trip.
– Laxdaela Saga, 13th Century AD
