g
bolt on the door! People say that the King is the wisest of men. If he
were as clever in things of this kind as they say he would not sleep
so soundly."

After that he vanished through the door, locked as it was.

Early next morning the King sent his servant to find out who had
occupied that bed over night, and it proved to have been the stranger.
The King ordered him to be summoned before him and asked him whose son
he was.

He answered: "My father's name was Thorth. He was a Dane and was
called 'The Contentious,' and lived at a place called Groening in
Denmark."

"You are a well set-up man," said the King.

Guest was bold of speech, and bigger in build than most men. He looked
strong but was somewhat advanced in years. He asked the King if he
might stay for a while in his retinue. The King asked if he were
baptised. Guest said that he had been prime-signed but not baptised.
The King said that he was free to remain in his retinue, but added:

"You will not remain long unbaptised with me."

The reason for the elf's remark about the bolt was that Guest had
crossed himself, that evening like other men, but was in reality still
a heathen.

The King said: "Can you do anything in the way of sport or music?"

He replied that he could play the harp and tell stories which people
enjoyed.

Then said the King: "King Svein has no right to let unbaptised men
leave his kingdom and wander about from one country to another."

Guest replied: "You must not blame the King of the Danes for this,
for it is a long time since I left Denmark. In fact it was a long time
before the Emperor Otto burnt the Dane-work and forced King Harold
Gormsson and Earl Haakon the Heathen to become Christians."

The King questioned Guest about many subjects and he always gave him
good and intelligent answers. Men say that it was in the third year of
King Olaf's reign that Guest came to him.

In this year also there came to him two men called Grim who were sent
by Guthmund from Glasisvellir. They brought to the King as a present
from Guthmund two horns which were also called 'Grim.' They had also
some further business with the King which we will return later.

As for Guest, he remained with the King, and had a place at the far
end of the visitors' seats. He was a man of breeding and had good
manners, and was popular and much respected by everyone.

II. A little before Yule, Ulf the Red and his following came home. He
had been engaged on th