Editiones Arnamagnæanæ. Series A - 01.06.1997, Síða 377
201
mann promised to stay a year as regent. He sent Guðifrey to tell Cecilía.
Katrín plotted to keep Mírmann there, and persuaded Guðifrey to join in.
When he returned, the letters Cecilía had sent were destroyed, and a forgery
substituted, seeming to come from Rogerus and saying that Cecilía was un-
faithful. Mírmann was taken in by the deception. Yielding to persuasion, he
forgot Cecilía and married Katrín.
Ch.23. Cecilía and Rogerus heard the news and suspected what had hap-
pened, and she sent him to Mírmann with a letter. When they met, the forgery
was exposed. Rogerus urged Mírmann to return to Cecilía, but he doubted
whether he could escape. Katrín and others forced Rogerus and his men to
leave. They told Cecilía not to expect Mírmann back, and she expressed her
sorrow at what had happened to him.
Ch.24. Cecilía got her father’s permission to go to Utrent with three hun-
dred knights, to whom she confided her true intent. She then told her father to
give out that she was ill and no-one was allowed to see her, and to act nor-
mally if she was late returning. She left at night with the company she had se-
cretly gathered. She wore man’s clothing and was armed. After they had got
north of Fenidíbotnar, which was ruled by an earl named Híringr, they passed
Cecilía off as the earl wherever they came. They were welcomed in Saxland,
especially as ‘Híringr’ pretended he was resisting conversion to Christianity.
The news of Mírmann was that he was attacking Saxland, but with little suc-
cess since his marriage. Híringr said it was because Mírmann and his god
were on bad terms, because he had abandoned his wife in Sikiley and married
another contrary to his law. He advised the king to go against him, saying that
he had dreamed they would be victorious. Híringr undertook to meet Mír-
mann in single combat, and stipulated that he alone was to decide the fate of
Mírmann and Katrín if captured, and no harm should be done to anyone. Mír-
mann heard what was happening and advanced. The Saxons delayed until
Mírmann had sent for Katrín. There was an exchange of speeches between
Mírmann and Híringr. That night Mírmann dreamed that he approached a
herd of deer, and one ran at him. It was a female and there was a sweet smell
from it, so he was not afraid. They tried to interpret the dream. In the morning
Híringr laid plans to capture Mírmann and Katrín.
Ch.25. After another exchange, Mírmann and Híringr fought. Mírmann
sang a verse of a psalm. An extraordinary thing happened: Mírmann’s
strength failed completely and he was unseated and captured. Katrín was also
captured. On the way back Híringr had Rogerus make himself known to Mír-
mann and cheer him up. Mírmann was given a good lodging but Katrín was
i.