The Icelandic Canadian - 01.12.1963, Síða 31

THE ICELANDIC CANADIAN
29
Aside from this, they were also very
dissimilar in temperament. Arnor was
always cheerful and enjoyed playing
with the boys from the valley. They
would often meet at a hill called
Tungustapi, which is located down by
the river opposite the farmstead of
Tunga.
The Hill was very high and it was
the boys’ favorite sport in the winter
to slide over its frozen snowbanks and
down toi the surrounding gravelly
riverbanks.
There was often much shouting
and commotion amongst the boys
around Tungustapi in the early even-
ing and Arnor was usually the leader
of the group. Sveinn would seldom
take part in these activities, and he
would rather go to church when the
other boys went off to play. He
frequently went for walks by himself
and lingered down by Tungustapi.
It was said by many that Sveinn had
associations with the elves that lived
in the Hill. One thing was certain, he
disappeared every New Year’s Eve so
that no one knew what had become
of him.
Sveinn would often talk with his
brother and would urge him not to
make so much noise on the Hill, but
Arnor made fun of this and said that
there was no need to feel sorry for
the elves and carried on in the same
manner as before. Yet Sveinn warned
him again and again and said that he
would have to be responsible for the
consequences himself.
One New Year’s Eve Sveinn disap-
pearled and was away longer than
usual. This time people became great-
ly worried about him. After having
waited a long time Arnor finally said
that he would go and look for his bro-
ther, adding that Sveinn was probably
staying with the elves down in the
Hill. '
It was a very dark night when Arn-
or set out to look for his brother, and
it was not without difficulty that he
was able to find his way to the Hill.
When he got there it seemed to him
as if there were an opening on the
hillside through which he could see
rows of gleaming lights. Arn6r could
also hear beautiful singing and from
this he gathered that a service was
being conducted by the elves of the
Hill. As he drew closer Arnor saw
before him what appeared to be an
open church door and there seemed
to be a number of people inside. A
magnificently adorned priest was
standing before the altar, and there
were many rows of lights on either side
of it.
Entering the Hill, Arnor saw that
Sveinn, his brother, was kneeling on
the altar-rise, and that the priest had
placed his hands on Sveinn’s head and
was performing an incantation.
Arnor immediately realized that
Sveinn was receiving some kind of
ordination because many men in
ceremonial vestments were assembled.
Arnor then called out: “Sveinn, come
at once. Your life is at stake!” Startled,
Sveinn rose, glanced toward the door
and attempted to get back to his bro-
ther. But then the priest at the altar
called out and said: “Lock the church
doors and punish this human who di-
sturbs our peace! But you, Sveinn,
must part from us and this is your bro-
ther’s doing. You chose to harken to
your brother’s call and thought more
of an insolent churl than of the bene-
fits of holy ordination. When next
you behold me in these vestments you
shall be brought low, never to rise
again.”
After these words had been spoken,
Arnor saw the men in ceremonial
robes heave Sveinn above their heads so
that he disappeared through the vault-