me." Then Thorgils asked where he was. The man
answered, "He is at his out-dairy called Sarp." Thorgils asked where
that was, and what men were with him. He said his son Hardbien was
there, and two other men, both outlaws, whom he had taken in to
shelter. Thorgils bade him show the nearest way to the dairy, "for I
want to meet Helgi at once, when I can get to him and plead my errand
to him." The house-carle did so and showed him the way, and after that
they parted. Thorgils returned to the wood to his companions, and told
them what he had found out about Helgi. "We must tarry here through
the night, and not go to the dairy till to-morrow morning." They did as
he ordained, and in the morning Thorgils and his band rode up through
the wood till they were within a short way from the dairy. Then
Thorgils bade them get off their horses and eat their morning meal,
and so they did, and kept them for a while.

CHAP. LXIII

The Description of his Enemies brought to Helgi

[Sidenote: Helgi and his shepherd] Now we must tell what happened at
the dairy where Helgi was, and with him the men that were named
before. In the morning Helgi told his shepherd to go through the woods
in the neighbourhood of the dairy and look out for people passing, and
take heed of whatever else he saw, to tell news of, "for my dreams
have gone heavily to-night." The lad went even as Helgi told him. He
was away awhile, and when he came back Helgi asked what he had seen to
tell tidings of. He answered, "I have seen what I think is stuff for
tidings." Helgi asked what that was. He said he had seen men, "and
none so few either, and I think they must have come from beyond this
countryside." Helgi spoke: "Where were they when you saw them, and
what were they doing, or did you take heed of the manner of raiment,
or their looks?" He answered, "I was not so much taken aback at the
sight as not to mind those matters, for I knew you would ask about
them." He also said they were but short away from the dairy, and were
eating their morning meal. Helgi asked if they sat in a ring or side
by side in a line. He said they sat in a ring, on their saddles.
[Sidenote: The description of Helgi's enemies] Helgi said, "Tell me
now of their looks, and I will see if I can guess from what they
looked like who the men may be." The lad said, "There sat a man in a
stained saddle, in a blue cloak. He was great of growth, and
valiant-looking; he was bald in front and somewhat