so. At last, one day
when the brothers and others who were at the Thing went to the Hill of
Laws, Mord took witness and declared that he had a money-suit against
Hrut for his daughter's dower, and reckoned the amount at ninety
hundreds in goods, calling on Hrut at the same time to pay and hand it
over to him, and asking for a fine of three marks. He laid the suit in
the Quarter Court, into which it would come by law, and gave lawful
notice, so that all who stood on the Hill of Laws might hear.

But when he had thus spoken, Hrut said--

"Thou hast undertaken this suit, which belongs to thy daughter, rather
for the greed of gain and love of strife than in kindliness and
manliness. But I shall have something to say against it; for the goods
which belong to me are not yet in thy hands. Now, what I have to say is
this, and I say it out, so that all who hear me on this hill may bear
witness: I challenge thee to fight on the island; there on one side
shall be laid all thy daughter's dower, and on the other I will lay down
goods worth as much, and whoever wins the day shall have both dower and
goods; but if thou wilt not fight with me, then thou shalt give up all
claim to these goods."

Then Mord held his peace, and took counsel with his friends about going
to fight on the island, and Jorund the priest gave him an answer.

"There is no need for thee to come to ask us for counsel in this matter,
for thou knowest if thou fightest with Hrut thou wilt lose both life and
goods. He has a good cause, and is besides mighty in himself and one of
the boldest of men."

Then Mord spoke out, that he would not fight with Hrut, and there arose
a great shout and hooting on the hill, and Mord got the greatest shame
by his suit.

After that men ride home from the Thing, and those brothers Hauskuld and
Hrut ride west to Reykiardale, and turned in as guests at Lund, where
Thiostolf, Biorn Gullbera's son, then dwelt. There had been much rain
that day, and men got wet, so long-fires were made down the length of
the hall. Thiostolf, the master of the house, sat between Hauskuld and
Hrut, and two boys, of whom Thiostolf had the rearing, were playing on
the floor, and a girl was playing with them. They were great
chatterboxes, for they were too young to know better. So one of them
said--

"Now, I will be Mord, and summon thee to lose thy wife because thou hast
not been a good husband to her."

Then the other answered--

"I will be Hrut, an