Sigurd's son; then each of the others took his place
right and left; for the house-earles were all at home.

Skarphedinn and his men walk up from below, and he went first, then
Kari, then Hauskuld, then Grim, then Helgi. But when they had come up to
the door, then not a word of welcome passed the lips of those who stood
before them.

"May we all be welcome here?" said Skarphedinn.

Hallgerda stood in the porch, and had been talking low to Hrapp, then
she spoke out loud--

"None of those who are here will say that ye are welcome."

Then Skarphedinn sang a song.

Prop of sea-waves' fire,[38] thy fretting
Cannot cast a weight on us,
Warriors wight; yes, wolf and eagle
Willingly I feed to-day;
Carline thrust into the ingle,
Or a tramping whore, art thou;
Lord of skates that skim the sea-belt,[39]
Odin's mocking cup[40] I mix.

"Thy words," said Skarphedinn, "will not be worth much, for thou art
either a hag, only fit to sit in the ingle, or a harlot."

"These words of thine thou shalt pay for," she says, "ere thou farest
home."

"Thee am I come to see, Thrain," said Helgi, "and to know if thou will
make me any amends for those wrongs and hardships which befell me for
thy sake in Norway."

"I never knew," said Thrain, "that ye two brothers were wont to measure
your manhood by money; or, how long shall such a claim for amends stand
over?"

"Many will say," says Helgi, "that thou oughtest to offer us atonement,
since thy life was at stake."

Then Hrapp said, "'Twas just luck that swayed the balance, when he got
stripes who ought to bear them; and she dragged you under disgrace and
hardship, but us away from them."

"Little good luck was there in that," says Helgi, "to break faith with
the Earl, and to take to thee instead."

"Thinkest thou not that thou hast some amends to seek from me?" says
Hrapp, "I will atone thee in a way that, methinks, were fitting."

"The only dealings we shall have," says Helgi, "will be those which will
not stand thee in good stead."

"Don't bandy words with Hrapp," said Skarphedinn, "but give him a red
skin for a grey."[41]

"Hold thy tongue, Skarphedinn," said Hrapp, "or I will not spare to
bring my axe on thy head."

"'Twill be proved soon enough, I dare say," says Skarphedinn, "which of
us is to scatter gravel over the other's head."

"Away with you home, ye 'Dung-beardlings!'" says Hallgerda, "and so we
will call you always from this day forth; but y