said, "It is
now most fitting that I should take the ring, since thou behavest
so handsomely; and now thou mayest make up thy mind that I will
undertake the defence, and do all things needful."

"Now," said Bjarni, "ye behave handsomely on both sides, and here
are men well fitted to be witnesses, since I and Hallbjorn are
here, that thou hast undertaken the suit."

Then Eyjolf arose, and Flosi too, and they took one another by
the hand; and so Eyjolf undertook the whole defence of the suit
off Flosi's hands, and so, too, if any suit arose out of the
defence, for it often happens that what is a defence in one suit,
is a plaintiff's plea in another. So he took upon him all the
proofs and proceedings which belonged to those suits, whether
they were to be pleaded before the Quarter Court or the Fifth
Court. Flosi handed them over in lawful form, and Eyjolf took
them in lawful form, and then he said to Flosi and Bjarni, "Now I
have undertaken this defence just as ye asked, but my wish it is
that ye should still keep it secret at first; but if the matter
comes into the Fifth Court, then be most careful not to say that
ye have given goods for my help."

Then Flosi went home to his booth, and Bjarni with him, but
Eyjolf went to the booth of Snorri the Priest, and sate down by
him, and they talked much together.

Snorri the Priest caught hold of Eyjolf's arm, and turned up the
sleeve, and sees that he had a great ring of gold on his arm.
Then Snorri the Priest said, "Pray, was this ring bought or
given?"

Eyjolf was put out about it, and had never a word to say. Then
Snorri said, "I see plainly that thou must have taken it as a
gift, and may this ring not be thy death!"

Eyjolf jumped up and went away, and would not speak about it; and
Snorri said, as Eyjolf arose, "It is very likely that thou wilt
know what kind of gift thou hast taken by the time this Thing is
ended."

Then Eyjolf went to his booth.

ENDNOTES:

(1) Eyjolf the Guileful was the son of Thord Gellir, the son of
Oleif Feilan. The mother of Eyjolf the Guileful was Rodny,
the daughter of Skeggi of Midfirth.

138. OF ASGRIM, AND GIZUR, AND KARI

Now Asgrim Ellidagrim's son talks to Gizur the White, and Kari
Solmund's son, and to Hjallti Skeggi's son, Mord Valgard's son,
and Thorgeir Craggeir, and says, "There is no need to have any
secrets here, for only those men are by who know all our counsel.
Now I will ask you if ye know any