wrestling was begun by the less strong ones in pairs, and there was
great sport. When most of them had wrestled except the strongest, there
was much talk as to who should tackle the two Thords mentioned above,
and there was no one who would do it. They went round inviting men to
wrestle, but the more they asked the more their invitation was declined.
Thorbjorn Angle looked round and saw a big man sitting there, but could
not clearly see his face. He seized hold of him and gave a violent tug,
but the man sat still and did not move.

Thorbjorn said: "Nobody has held so firm against me to-day as you. But
who is this fellow?"

"My name is Gest."

Thorbjorn said: "You will be wanting to play with us. You are a welcome
Guest."

"Things may change quickly," he said. "I cannot join in your games for I
have no knowledge of them."

Many of them said that they would take it kindly of him if he, a
stranger, would play a little with the men. He asked what they wanted
him to do, and they asked him to wrestle with some one. He said he had
given up wrestling, though he once used to take pleasure in it. As he
did not directly refuse they pressed him all the more.

"Well," he said, "if you want to drag me in you must do one thing for me
and grant me peace here at the Thing until I reach my home."

They all shouted and said they would gladly do that. The man who was
foremost in urging that peace should be given was one Haf the son of
Thorarin, the son of Haf, the son of Thord Knapp, who had settled in the
land between Stifla in Fljot and Tungua. He lived at Knappsstad and
was a man of many words. He spoke in favour of the peace with great
authority and said:

"Hereby do I declare PEACE between all men, in particular between this
man here seated who is named Gest and all Godord's men, full bondis, all
men of war and bearers of arms, all other men of this district of the
Hegranes Thing whencesoever they have come, both named and unnamed.
I declare PEACE and full Immunity in behoof of this newcomer to us
unknown, Gest yclept, for the practice of games, wrestling and all kinds
of sport, while abiding here, and during his journey home, whether he
sail or whether he travel, whether by land or whether by sea. He shall
have PEACE in all places, named and unnamed, for such time as he needeth
to reach his home in safety, by our faith confirmed. And I establish
this PEACE on the part of ourselves and of our kinsmen, our friends and
belongi