when some
men came toward him, and he who was walking foremost greeted the King.

The King asked of the man his name, and the latter said he was hight
Hallfrod.

Then said the King, 'Art thou a skald?' 'I can make verses,' said he.
Then the King answered: 'Thou wilt accept baptism as I trow and
thereafter be my man?'

Quoth Hallfrod: 'There must be a bargain on that matter if I am to
suffer myself to be baptized, to wit, that thou, King, holdest me
thyself at the font, for from no man else will I take it.' 'So be it,'
said the King, & so Hallfrod was baptized and the King held him himself
at the font. Thereafter the King asked Hallfrod: 'Wilt thou be my man?'
& Hallfrod made answer: 'I was of Earl Hakon's body-guard; and now will
I not be the liege-man of thee or of any other chief unless thou givest
me thy word that such a thing shall never befall as that thou shouldst
drive me away from thee.'

'From all that is told me of thee, Hallfrod,' said the King, 'thou art
neither so wise nor so meek but that thou mightest not do a thing which
I could in no wise suffer.'

'Slay me then,' said Hallfrod. The King said, 'Thou art a troublesome
skald, but my man shalt thou be all the same.' Hallfrod answered: 'What
wilt thou give me, King, as a name-gift if I am to be called
"Troublous-Skald"?' Then did the King give him a sword, but it had no
scabbard; and the King said, 'Make now a stave about the sword, & let
"sword" be in every line.' Hallfrod sang:

'One sword alone of all swords
Hath made me now sword-wealthy;
For the swinger of swords
Will there now be swords in plenty.
No lack of swords will there be,
--Worthy of three swords am I--
Lord of the land were but
The sheath of that sword to be mine.'

'There is not sword in every line,' quoth the King. Then answered
Hallfrod: 'But there are three in one line.' 'So be it,' said the King.
Then did the King give him the scabbard. Now from that which is told in
the lays of Hallfrod have we much knowledge & testimony concerning King
Olaf Tryggvason.

|| That same autumn came back Thangbrand the priest from Iceland to King
Olaf and related to him how that his journey had borne no fruit, 'for,'
said he, 'the Icelanders made lampoons about me and some wished to slay
me, and to my mind it cannot be expected that that country will ever be
made Christian.'

At these words King Olaf waxed so hasty and wrathful that he summoned to
him forthwith all the Icel