Editiones Arnamagnæanæ. Series A - 01.06.1997, Síða 375

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Ch. 14. Mírmann told the king he wished to go away and live where no-one
knew him, and before that he would live alone. The king wanted him to con-
tinue as before, but Mírmann said the queen must not get the disease from
that. A fine dwelling was prepared and Mírmann went into it with two trusted
retainers, Guðifrey and Rogerus. No-one came there except the king. Mír-
mann told the king to announce his death and hold a funeral. He did so, and
arranged for Mírmann’s secret departure, with the two retainers, with the
horse Marmori and the sword Ýlfingr, and well-supplied with money. They
rode by night until they came to Lunbardí. After that they gave out that the
sick man’s name was Jústínus and he was a knight. A learned doctor told Mír-
mann that his illness was the result of sorcery, and advised him to go to Ceci-
lía the daughter of the King of Sikiley, who was skilled in medicine and had
the gift of God in it. Mírmann took ship to Sikiley. Cecilía was beautiful and
skilled in all womanly crafts. Most unusually, she had also secretly learned to
joust. She had done this because God knew she would need it before the end.
Ch.15. Jústínus came to the city unable to walk and hardly able to ride.
They took lodging, and next morning intercepted Cecilía at the church door.
Mírmann asked for help in God’s name, and she sent him to a place where
there were some sick people. When she questioned him later, he said his
father was English and kept the horses of the king of the Franks, and he had
helped him. She suspected he was more than that. She examined him, and told
him that a snake had developed in his stomach from a magic drink and was
harming his whole body, and would have to be enticed out with the offer of
another home. She had a drink prepared, and gave it to him herself, and told
him what they were to do. He drank, the snake came up into his throat, she
called upon it in the name of Jesus to come further, they placed their mouths
together, the snake entered her mouth, he seized its tail with his teeth, and she
cut it in two with a knife and threw the parts into a fire. ‘How many sweet-
hearts did you have in Frakkland, Jústínus, who would have done this for
you?’ she asked. But he was too weak to answer. She had him rubbed with
balsam, and his skin grew smoother day by day.
Ch.16. When Jústínus was fully well, and might have gone back to Frakk-
land, Cecilía said she would ask her father to make him a knight and asked
him to stay for a year and help her father against Lúcídaríus, heathen king of
a land called Danubíum, who was demanding her in marriage against her will.
Jústínus agreed. He became a knight, and was admired for his good looks. But
he did not show his accomplishments, and said little.
Ch.17. A toumament was arranged between knights from Rómanía and
L