Saga of the People of Laxárdalur

Gudrun Osvifsdottir was riding to the Althing and Thord Ingunnarson went with her. One day, as they were riding over the grasslands of Blaskogar—the weather was good—Gudrun asked him: “is the rumor true about Aud, your wife? Does she often wear trousers, with a codpiece and long pant-legs?” He replied that he hadn’t really noticed. “You must not be paying enough attention then,” she said, “if you haven’t noticed, for why else would everyone call her Trouser-Aud?” Thord answered, “she can’t have had that nickname for very long.” Gudrun said, “it’s more important how long she keeps it.” After that people arrived at the Althing and things went on without incident. Thord spent his time in Gest’s tent, talking to Gudrun. One day he asked her what should happen to a woman who wore pants like a man. Gudrun replied: “women who go about dressed like men earn the same treatment as men who wear too revealing a shirt that shows their nipples: both are grounds for divorce.” Thord said, “would you advise me to announce my divorce from Aud here at the Althing, or wait and do it back home? I’d have to get men to support me here, because I’ll offend her relatives and they’ll want revenge.” Gudrun replied quickly: “the early bird catches the worm.” Thord leapt up and went to the law rock, named witnesses, and announced he was divorcing Aud because she had started wearing a codpiece and trousers like a man-woman (karlkonur). Aud’s brothers weren’t too pleased, but did nothing. Thord went home with Gudrun’s family. When Aud hear what had happened, she said [sarcastically]: “How wonderful it is to hear I’ve been abandoned.”