14.2.2010
Humorous Icelandic Tales 16
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Dyrafjordur, was skilled in the field of medicine
and was often called to people’s sickbeds. One
late autumn he was asked to come to Ingjaldssandur
to attend to a man who had been taken ill there.
The messenger arrived at Höfði in the late hours
of the evening and stayed overnight in Sighvatur’s
home, as he and his wife were hospitable and
generous people whose kindness was only limited
by their means.
Opposite Sighvatur at Hofdi lived Mr.
Gudbjartur Bjornsson with his first wife, María
Eyjolfsdottir. He was a hard-working and steadfast
man. It just so happened that at this time
Sighvatur’s only cow was about to calf.
In the early hours of the morning Sighvatur
prepared to go with the messenger to Ingjaldssandur,
and as he walked out of the house he said:
"It is as I expected, they haven’t crawled out
of their hole yet, the fox cubs in the hill opposite.
It’s always like this. They normally don’t leave
their beds until midday."
Sighvatur then walked up to the door of
Gudbjartur’s house and called for him to come
out. Farmer Gudbjartur came out immediately
and it looked as if he had slipped some shoes on
over his bare feet. Sighvatur then said:
"God grant you a good day, my dear Bjartur. As
usual, I have to take advantage of you. I want to
ask you to be prepared to help my wife if the cow
should calf while I am away. I know I can trust
you, and so I take my leave of you and God bless
you and all your kin."
This story was related by the man who
accompanied Sighvatur.
(Told by Magnus Hj. Magnusson)
Sleepy Fox Cubs
Mr. Sighvatur Grimsson, scholar at Hofdi in