which was done. They sailed the
same day past Jadar with the best wind, and in the evening reached
Hirtingsey, from whence the king proceeded to Hordaland, and was
entertained there in guest-quarters.

145. THORALF'S MURDER.

The same summer (A.D. 1026) a ship sailed from Norway to the Farey
Islands, with messengers carrying a verbal message from King Olaf, that
one of his court-men, Leif Ossurson, or Lagman Gille, or Thoralf of
Dimun, should come over to him from the Farey Islands. Now when this
message came to the Farey Islands, and was delivered to those whom it
concerned, they held a meeting among themselves, to consider what might
lie under this message, and they were all of opinion that the king
wanted to inquire into the real state of the event which some said had
taken place upon the islands; namely, the failure and disappearance of
the former messengers of the king, and the loss of the two ships, of
which not a man had been saved. It was resolved that Thoralf should
undertake the journey. He got himself ready, and rigged out a
merchant-vessel belonging to himself, manned with ten or twelve men.
When it was ready, waiting a wind, it happened, at Austrey, in the house
of Thrand of Gata, that he went one fine day into the room where his
brother's two sons, Sigurd and Thord, sons of Thorlak, were lying upon
the benches in the room. Gaut the Red was also there, who was one of
their relations and a man of distinction. Sigurd was the oldest, and
their leader in all things. Thord had a distinguished name, and was
called Thord the Low, although in reality he was uncommonly tall, and
yet in proportion more strong than large. Then Thrand said, "How many
things are changed in the course of a man's life! When we were young,
it was rare for young people who were able to do anything to sit or lie
still upon a fine day, and our forefathers would scarcely have believed
that Thoralf of Dimun would be bolder and more active than ye are. I
believe the vessel I have standing here in the boat-house will be so old
that it will rot under its coat of tar. Here are all the houses full of
wool, which is neither used nor sold. It should not be so if I were a
few winters younger." Sigurd sprang up, called upon Gaut and Thord,
and said he would not endure Thrand's scoffs. They went out to the
houseservants, and launched the vessel upon the water, brought down a
cargo, and loaded the ship. They had no want of a cargo at home, and
th