he lodging awoke; and the
king said to Thorarin, "I have been awake for a while, and have seen a
sight which was worth seeing; and that is a man's foot so ugly that I
do not think an uglier can be found in this merchant town." Thereupon he
told the others to look at it, and see if it was not so; and all agreed
with the king. When Thorarin observed what they were talking about, he
said, "There are few things for which you cannot find a match, and that
may be the case here."

The king says, "I would rather say that such another ugly foot cannot be
found in the town, and I would lay any wager upon it."

Then said Thorarin, "I am willing to bet that I shall find an uglier
foot still in the town."

The king--"Then he who wins shall have the right to get any demand from
the other he chooses to make."

"Be it so," said Thorarin. Thereupon he stretches out his other foot
from under the bed-clothes, and it was in no way handsomer than the
other, and moreover, wanted the little toe. "There," said Thorarin, "see
now, king, my other foot, which is so much uglier; and, besides, has no
little toe. Now I have won."

The king replies, "That other foot was so much uglier than this one by
having five ugly toes upon it, and this has only four; and now I have
won the choice of asking something from thee."

"The sovereign's decision must be right," says Thorarin; "but what does
the king require of me?"

"To take Hrorek," said the king, "to Greenland, and deliver him to Leif
Eirikson."

Thorarin replies, "I have never been in Greenland."

The king--"Thou, who art a far-travelled man, wilt now have an
opportunity of seeing Greenland, if thou hast never been there before."

At first Thorarin did not say much about it; but as the king insisted
on his wish he did not entirely decline, but said, "I will let you hear,
king, what my desire would have been had I gained the wager. It would
have been to be received into your body of court-men; and if you
will grant me that, I will be the more zealous now in fulfilling your
pleasure." The king gave his consent, and Thorarin was made one of the
court-men. Then Thorarin rigged out his vessel, and when he was ready
he took on board King Hrorek. When Thorarin took leave of King Olaf,
he said, "Should it now turn out, king, as is not improbable, and often
happens, that we cannot effect the voyage to Greenland, but must run for
Iceland or other countries, how shall I get rid of this king in a way