he land belonged." So the freedman went home, and goes on
with his household just as before. A little later, Thorliek, Hoskuld's
son, went at the advice of his father to the dwelling of the freedman
and took him and killed him, and Thorliek claimed as his and his
father's own all the money the freedman had made. Hrut heard this, and
he and his sons liked it very ill. They were most of them grown up,
and the band of kinsmen was deemed a most forbidding one to grapple
with. Hrut fell back on the law as to how this ought to turn out, and
when the matter was searched into by lawyers, Hrut and his son stood
at but little advantage, for it was held a matter of great weight that
Hrut had set the freedman down without leave on Hoskuld's land, where
he had made money, Thorliek having slain the man within his and his
father's own lands. Hrut took his lot very much to heart; but things
remained quiet. [Sidenote: The birth of Bolli] After that Thorliek had
a homestead built on the boundary of Hrut and Hoskuld's lands, and it
was called Combness. There Thorliek lived for a while, as has been
told before. Thorliek begat a son of his wife. The boy was sprinkled
with water and called Bolli. He was at an early age a very promising
man.

CHAP. XXVI

The Death of Hoskuld, A.D. 985

[Sidenote: Hoskuld's death] Hoskuld, Koll o' Dales' son, fell ill in
his old age, and he sent for his sons and other kinsfolk, and when
they were come Hoskuld spoke to the brothers Bard and Thorliek, and
said, "I have taken some sickness, and as I have not been much in the
way of falling ill before, I think this may bring me to death; and
now, as you know, you are both begotten in wedlock, and are entitled
to all inheritance left by me. But there is a third son of mine, one
who is not born in wedlock, and I will ask you brothers to allow him,
Olaf to wit, to be adopted, so that he take of my means one-third with
you." Bard answered first, and said that he would do as his father
wished, "for I look for honour from Olaf in every way, the more so the
wealthier he becomes." Then Thorliek said, "It is far from my wish
that Olaf be adopted; he has plenty of money already; and you, father,
have for a long time given him a great deal, and for a very long time
dealt unevenly with us. I will not freely give up the honour to which
I am born." Hoskuld said, "Surely you will not rob me of the law that
allows me to give twelve ounces to my son, seeing how high-bor