The Forging of the Spear by C.E. St. John-Mildmay 1866

"Well, they all thought that good counsel; and after that they went out of their booth to the point of the"ere," and there cut up a sod of turf in such wise that both its ends were still fast to the earth, and propped it up by a spear scored with runes, so tall that a man might lay his hand on the socket of the spear-head. Under this yoke they were all four to pass--Thorgrim, Gisli, Thorkel, and Vestein. Now they breathe each a vein, and let their blood fall together on the mould whence the turf had been cutup, and all touch it; and afterwards they all fall on their knees and were to take hands, and swear to avenge each the other as though he were his brother, and to call all the Gods to witness."

But now, just as they were going to take hands, Thorgrim said: "I shall have quite enough on my hands if I do this towards Thorkel and Gisli, my brothers-in-law; but towards Vestein I have no tie to bind me to so great a charge." As he said this he drew back his hand.

"Then more will do the like," says Gisli, and drew back his hand. "I will be bound by no tie to the man who will not be bound by the same tie to my brother-in-law Vestein.

"Now men began to think there was some weight in Gest’s spaedom. But Gisli said to Thorkel: "All this happened as I foreboded, and this which we have done is of no good, for I guess that fate rules in this too."

-Gísli Saga, Ch.4

From 'The Story of Gisli the Outlaw', trans. Sir G. W. Dasent (Edinburgh, 1866).

Source:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:G%C3%ADsla_saga_Illustration_2_-_Forging_the_Spear_Head.jpg



Quote:

https://www.sacred-texts.com/neu/ice/gto/gto12.htm