Just then, the Wave Swine [Erik's ship] came around a spit of land and there before them was the town of Budardal [modern Budardalur, Iceland] with its squat turf hovels that looked more like earthen mounds than dwellings. Two wooden piers thrust out into the fjord and several knarrs and other smaller fishing vessels were tied up to them. As they drew near, a young man who was unloading a basket of fish from his Feraering looked up and seeing them, he stood staring. Eyjolf recognized the man as his cousin and cried out to him. That’s when a smile spread across the young fisherman’s face and he waved. He then set his basket down and ran into the village. By the time their knarr drew alongside the pier, many had gathered to greet Erik and his men. There was much back slapping and arm grasping, joyful shouting and hearty laughter. It was as if Erik was a hero welcomed home. And for Leif and his brothers who were for so long without their father, so long relegated to the shadows, this was glorious and they basked in the brightness of their father’s presence and fame.
Several men tried to persuade Erik and his men to join them for a drink at the ale house just off the beach. Eyiolf and Helgi accepted the invitation but Erik begged off. He had whale meat to get home and a wife to greet. There was more back slapping and laughter and then everyone dispersed and went about their business.
Erik secured a horse for Leif and sent him home to bring news of his arrival and to fetch Tyrker and his men and a cart to carry their haul. The large red bearded Norseman hoisted Leif into the saddle and slapped the rump of the horse which startled it into a good trot. The tow-headed youth kicked the horse into a gallop....
Leif and Thorvald [sons of Erik] sat with Tyrker in the loaded down cart. It was a good day. The sun was shining, the men were singing a bawdy drinking song and his father was with them once again, riding his horse before them, leading the way home. As they neared the small lake that bordered Haukadal, a bird-call sounded to their right. It came from behind a rocky outcropping, and from that very place a group of twelve men emerged, each astride an Icelandic horse. The leader dismounted, took up his shield and held his axe aloft, “Erik Thorvaldsson, I have come to give you a proper welcome! But this shall be the closest you come to your dear home. Tonight this bloody patch of ground shall be your bed .” The one who challenged them was none other than Thorgest, the father of Illugi whom Erik killed when he went to reclaim what was his. Thorgest had come to avenge his son.
“Go home, Thorgest! I would not spill your blood today. I have served out my exile, so let this be done.”
“It will not be done until I take your life from you, as you took my son from me.” With that Thorgest shouted and started down the slope toward Erik and his men.
Erik leapt off his horse and called out to Tyrker who threw to him first his shield and then his Dane Axe. Armed and bristling for a fight, the red haired giant of a man roared in defiance.
Tyrker hissed at Leif and Thorvald, “Hide under the cart.” Without looking back at them, he grabbed a spear and leaping to the ground, sprinted to Erik’s side. The two thralls riding in the back of the cart also joined their master. Thorsteinn [Erik's eldest son], taking his place beside his father made five.
Leif wanted to fight alongside his father, but he did as Tyrker told him and he grabbed his younger brother and ducked beneath the cart as the battle began.
Thorsteinn was the first to act. As the enemy ran toward them he lofted his spear and felled one man in the midst of his battle-cry. Moments later, the two forces collided. Leif could hear the clash of iron, the rending of flesh and the roaring of men. Blood began to flow under the cart as men died. As a whole, Erik’s men were outnumbered and ill-equipped. But it was a dangerous thing to underestimate Erik the Red. Each swing of his mighty Dane Axe was a mortal blow. Those who came at him he swept away like annoying midges and soon a trail of dead men lay behind him as he strode toward Thorgest.
Tyrker with spear in hand, dispatched three warriors himself and was in a deadly grappling match with a fourth. The other combatants had stopped fighting to watch Erik and Thorgest duel. Thorgest banged his axe against his shield in defiance, laughing like a madman. “It shall be your blood soaked corpse people will recall whenever they hear the name Erik the Red.” He rushed at Erik with his shield to knock him off his feet. Erik sidestepped him and as he did, he swung his Dane Axe down in what would have been a killing blow, but Thorgest quickly threw his shield over his head to block it. A great cracking sound split the air. The shield quivered and Thorgest was knocked to his knees. Erik swung at the shield again and this time it broke it in two, shattering the arm beneath. Thorgest’s cry of pain and rage was cut short when Erik swiftly lifted his axe one final time and dropped the blade down on Thorgest’s head. With their leader lying lifeless on the field, Thorgest’s two remaining men turned to flee. They were dropped with spears in their backs. One of those spears was thrown by Thorsteinn, the other by Tyrker.
"how did you know all this stuff about me Freyja ?!"
Just then, the Wave Swine [Erik's ship] came around a spit of land and there before them was the town of Budardal [modern Budardalur, Iceland] with its squat turf hovels that looked more like earthen mounds than dwellings. Two wooden piers thrust out into the fjord and several knarrs and other smaller fishing vessels were tied up to them. As they drew near, a young man who was unloading a basket of fish from his Feraering looked up and seeing them, he stood staring. Eyjolf recognized the man as his cousin and cried out to him. That’s when a smile spread across the young fisherman’s face and he waved. He then set his basket down and ran into the village. By the time their knarr drew alongside the pier, many had gathered to greet Erik and his men. There was much back slapping and arm grasping, joyful shouting and hearty laughter. It was as if Erik was a hero welcomed home. And for Leif and his brothers who were for so long without their father, so long relegated to the shadows, this was glorious and they basked in the brightness of their father’s presence and fame.
Several men tried to persuade Erik and his men to join them for a drink at the ale house just off the beach. Eyiolf and Helgi accepted the invitation but Erik begged off. He had whale meat to get home and a wife to greet. There was more back slapping and laughter and then everyone dispersed and went about their business.
Erik secured a horse for Leif and sent him home to bring news of his arrival and to fetch Tyrker and his men and a cart to carry their haul. The large red bearded Norseman hoisted Leif into the saddle and slapped the rump of the horse which startled it into a good trot. The tow-headed youth kicked the horse into a gallop....
Leif and Thorvald [sons of Erik] sat with Tyrker in the loaded down cart. It was a good day. The sun was shining, the men were singing a bawdy drinking song and his father was with them once again, riding his horse before them, leading the way home. As they neared the small lake that bordered Haukadal, a bird-call sounded to their right. It came from behind a rocky outcropping, and from that very place a group of twelve men emerged, each astride an Icelandic horse. The leader dismounted, took up his shield and held his axe aloft, “Erik Thorvaldsson, I have come to give you a proper welcome! But this shall be the closest you come to your dear home. Tonight this bloody patch of ground shall be your bed .” The one who challenged them was none other than Thorgest, the father of Illugi whom Erik killed when he went to reclaim what was his. Thorgest had come to avenge his son.
“Go home, Thorgest! I would not spill your blood today. I have served out my exile, so let this be done.”
“It will not be done until I take your life from you, as you took my son from me.” With that Thorgest shouted and started down the slope toward Erik and his men.
Erik leapt off his horse and called out to Tyrker who threw to him first his shield and then his Dane Axe. Armed and bristling for a fight, the red haired giant of a man roared in defiance.
Tyrker hissed at Leif and Thorvald, “Hide under the cart.” Without looking back at them, he grabbed a spear and leaping to the ground, sprinted to Erik’s side. The two thralls riding in the back of the cart also joined their master. Thorsteinn [Erik's eldest son], taking his place beside his father made five.
Leif wanted to fight alongside his father, but he did as Tyrker told him and he grabbed his younger brother and ducked beneath the cart as the battle began.
Thorsteinn was the first to act. As the enemy ran toward them he lofted his spear and felled one man in the midst of his battle-cry. Moments later, the two forces collided. Leif could hear the clash of iron, the rending of flesh and the roaring of men. Blood began to flow under the cart as men died. As a whole, Erik’s men were outnumbered and ill-equipped. But it was a dangerous thing to underestimate Erik the Red. Each swing of his mighty Dane Axe was a mortal blow. Those who came at him he swept away like annoying midges and soon a trail of dead men lay behind him as he strode toward Thorgest.
Tyrker with spear in hand, dispatched three warriors himself and was in a deadly grappling match with a fourth. The other combatants had stopped fighting to watch Erik and Thorgest duel. Thorgest banged his axe against his shield in defiance, laughing like a madman. “It shall be your blood soaked corpse people will recall whenever they hear the name Erik the Red.” He rushed at Erik with his shield to knock him off his feet. Erik sidestepped him and as he did, he swung his Dane Axe down in what would have been a killing blow, but Thorgest quickly threw his shield over his head to block it. A great cracking sound split the air. The shield quivered and Thorgest was knocked to his knees. Erik swung at the shield again and this time it broke it in two, shattering the arm beneath. Thorgest’s cry of pain and rage was cut short when Erik swiftly lifted his axe one final time and dropped the blade down on Thorgest’s head. With their leader lying lifeless on the field, Thorgest’s two remaining men turned to flee. They were dropped with spears in their backs. One of those spears was thrown by Thorsteinn, the other by Tyrker.
From: Leif Eriksson - Part One: Early Life, by Andrew Boynton, http://skrawl.com/skrawls/2524-Leif-Eriksson-Part-One-Early-Life/read/5