Gudrun unto Thickshaw. The next morning Gudrun rode from Thickshaw and
her sons with her, and when they ride west along Shawstrand they see
that men are riding after them. They ride on quickly and catch them up
swiftly, and lo, there was Thorgils Hallason. They greeted each other
well, and now ride on in the day all together, out to Holyfell.

CHAP. LX

The Egging of Gudrun

[Sidenote: Gudrun and her sons] A few nights after Gudrun had come
home she called her sons to her to have a talk with them in her
orchard; and when they were come there they saw how there were lying
out some linen clothes, a shirt and linen breeches, and they were much
stained with blood. Then spake Gudrun: "These same clothes you see
here cry to you for your father's revenge. I will not say many words
on this matter, for it is past hope that you will heed an egging-on by
words alone if you bring not home to your minds such hints and
reminders as these." The brothers were much startled as this, and at
what Gudrun had to say; but yet this way they made answer that they
had been too young to seek for revenge without a leader; they knew
not, they felt, how to frame a counsel for themselves or others
either. "But we might well bear in mind what we have lost." Gudrun
said, "They would be likely to give more thought to horse-fights or
sports." After that they went away. The next night the brothers could
not sleep. Thorgils got aware of this, and asked them what was the
matter. They told him all the talk they had had with their mother, and
this withal that they could no longer bear their grief or their
mother's taunts. "We will seek revenge," said Bolli, "now that we
brothers have come to so ripe an age that men will be much after us if
we do not take the matter in hand." [Sidenote: Thorgils promises to
help in the revenge] The next day Gudrun and Thorgils had a talk
together, and Gudrun started speaking in this wise: "I am given to
think, Thorgils, that my sons brook it ill to sit thus quietly on any
longer without seeking revenge for their father's death. But what
mostly has delayed the matter hitherto is that up to now I deemed
Thorleik and Bolli too young to be busy in taking men's lives. But
need enough there has been to call this to mind a good long time
before this. Thorgils answered, "There is no use in your talking this
matter over with me, because you have given a flat denial to 'walking
with me' (marrying me). But I am in just the sa