THE SCENE: Snorri the Godi is generally known as one of medieval Iceland’s craftier chieftains, which is why he has the good idea of bringing a shape-shifter in his battle against the bandits Hrafn the Viking and Ospak.
THE TEXT: Just before Lent, Snorri the Godi sent a message over to Ingjaldshvol, to a man named Thrand Strider. Thrand was the son of the Ingjald after whom the farm at Ingjaldshvol was named, and he was the biggest and strongest of men, as well as a very fast runner. He had once been in Snorri the Godi’s household. When he was a heathen he was known as a shape-shifter, but most people gave up magic when they were baptized.
The next morning as soon as it was light, they divided themselves up to storm the fortification. Snorri the Godi got the side of the fortification to attach which Hrafn the Viking was defending, and Sturla was assigned the side which Ospak was defending. Sam and Thormod, the sons of Bork the Stout, attacked another side and Snorri’s sons Thorodd and Thorstein Cod-biter were to attack the remaining side. Ospak and his men mainly used rocks to defend themselves as best they could. They fought on determinedly, for they were valiant fighters. Snorri and Sturla’s side had mainly missiles for weapons, both for shooting from bows and hurling by hand. They had brought a lot of them, since they had spent some time preparing themselves to storm the fortification. The assault was a fierce one, and many were wounded on both sides, but no one was killed.
Snorri and his supporters kept up suck a barrage of missiles that Hrafn and his men retreated behind the wall of the fortification. Then Thrand Strider made a running leap at the wall, jumping high enough to be able to hook his axe over the tops of the wall and then pull himself up by the axe-handle until he got on to the fortification. When Hrafn saw that a man had got into the fortification, he rushed at Thrand with his spear, but Thrand warded off the lunge and swung at Hrafn’s shoulder, butting off his arm. Many men then rushed at him, but he jumped off the wall of the fortification and got back to his men.
– The Saga of the People of Eyri, 13th Century AD
