had a good voyage, and made land in
Norway; and Olaf's journey became very famous. They set up their
ship; and Olaf got horses for himself, and went, together with his
followers, to find King Harald.

CHAP. XXII

Olaf the Peacock comes Home to Iceland, A.D. 957

Olaf Hoskuldson then went to the court of King Harald. The king gave
him a good welcome, but Gunnhild a much better. With many fair words
they begged him to stay with them, and Olaf agreed to it, and both he
and Orn entered the king's court. King Harald and Gunnhild set so
great a store by Olaf that no foreigner had ever been held in such
honour by them. Olaf gave to the king and Gunnhild many rare gifts,
which he had got west in Ireland. King Harald gave Olaf at Yule a set
of clothes made out of scarlet stuff. So now Olaf stayed there quietly
all the winter. [Sidenote: Olaf goes home] In the spring, as it was
wearing on, Olaf and the king had a conversation together, and Olaf
begged the king's leave to go to Iceland in the summer, "For I have
noble kinsfolk there I want to go and see." The king answered, "It
would be more to my mind that you should settle down with us, and take
whatever position in our service you like best yourself." Olaf
thanked the king for all the honour he was offering him, but said he
wished very much to go to Iceland, if that was not against the king's
will. The king answered, "Nothing shall be done in this in an
unfriendly manner to you, Olaf. You shall go out to Iceland in the
summer, for I see you have set your heart on it; but neither trouble
nor toil shall you have over your preparations, for I will see after
all that," and thereupon they part talking. King Harald had a ship
launched in the spring; it was a merchant ship, both great and good.
This ship the king ordered to be laden with wood, and fitted out with
full rigging. When the ship was ready the king had Olaf called to him,
and said, "This ship shall be your own, Olaf, for I should not like
you to start from Norway this summer as a passenger in any one else's
ship." Olaf thanked the king in fair words for his generosity. After
that Olaf got ready for his journey; and when he was ready and a fair
wind arose, Olaf sailed out to sea, and King Harald and he parted with
the greatest affection. That summer Olaf had a good voyage. He brought
his ship into Ramfirth, to Board-Ere. The arrival of the ship was soon
heard of, and also who the captain was. Hoskuld heard of the