THE SCENE: The Laxdaela Saga is full of stories of formidable women, but none make a stronger impression than Vigdis, who is resolute in meeting family obligations despite those who would tell her otherwise.
THE TEXT: As soon as he arrived that evening, Thorolf went to see Vigdis and told her of his troubles, and asked her for protection. Vigdis replied as follows: “I shall not disown our kinship, and in my opinion you are none the worse a man for what you have done; but it seems to me that anyone who harbours you would be risking life and property, considering the importance of those who will be taking action over this killing. My husband Thord is not much of a hero,” she went on, “and we women always lack foresight in our expedients, particularly if there is anything at stake; but I cannot bring myself to refuse to give you any help now that you have here expecting it.”
She took him to a storehouse and told him to wait inside for her, and put a lock on the door. Then she went to Thord and said, “A visitor has come here for the night; he is called Thorolf, and is a distant kinsman of mine. He might need to stay here a bit longer, if you have no objections.
Thord said he did not much care to have people staying with them, but Thorolf could rest there for a day provided he had no trouble on his hands; otherwise he would have to leave at once.
“I have already invited him to stay overnight,” said Vigdis, “and I have no intention of going back on my word, even though he isn’t everybody’s friend.”
Then she told Thord that Hall had been killed and that Thorolf, the man who had just arrived, was the killer. Thord grew angry at this and said he knew for certain that Ingjald would make him pay dearly for the shelter that Thorolf, that Thorolf has already been given – “considering that the man is already behind locked doors in this house.”
“Ingjald won’t make you pay anything for giving Thorolf shelter for one night,” said Vigdis, “because Thorolf is going to stay here all winter.”
“That’s how to get me into really serious trouble,” said Thord. “I am utterly opposed to letting a man of such ill-luck stay here.”
But Thorolf spent the winter there, nevertheless.
– Laxdaela Saga, 13th Century AD
