e moor round rocky Swinestye,[77]
As men run and shake their shields,
With another grunt shall rattle
When this Thing is past and gone.

Then there was great laughter. Snorri the priest smiled, and sang this
between his teeth, but so that many heard--

Skill hath Skapti us to tell
Whether Asgrim's shaft flew well;
Holmstein hurried swift to flight,
Thorstein turned him soon to fight.

Now men burst out in great fits of laughter.

Then Hall of the Side said--

"All men know what a grief I have suffered in the loss of my son Ljot;
many will think that he would be valued dearest of all those men who
have fallen here; but I will do this for the sake of an atonement--I
will put no price on my son, and yet will come forward and grant both
pledges and peace to those who are my adversaries. I beg thee, Snorri
the priest, and other of the best men, to bring this about, that there
may be an atonement between us."

Now he sits him down, and a great hum in his favour followed, and all
praised his gentleness and good-will.

Then Snorri the priest stood up and made a long and clever speech, and
begged Asgrim and the others who took the lead in the quarrel to look
towards an atonement.

Then Asgrim said--

"I made up my mind when Flosi made an inroad on my house that I would
never be atoned with him; but now Snorri the priest, I will take an
atonement from him for thy word's sake and other of our friends."

In the same way spoke Thorleif crow and Thorgrim the big, that they were
willing to be atoned, and they urged in every way their brother Thorgeir
Craggeir to take an atonement also; but he hung back, and says he would
never part from Kari.

Then Gizur the white said--

"Now Flosi must see that he must make his choice, whether he will be
atoned on the understanding that some will be out of the atonement."

Flosi says he will take that atonement; "and methinks it is so much the
better," he says, "that I have fewer good men and true against me".

Then Gudmund the powerful said--

"I will offer to hansel peace on my behalf for the slayings that have
happened here at the Thing, on the understanding that the suit for the
Burning is not to fall to the ground."

In the same way spoke Gizur the white and Hjallti Skeggi's son, Asgrim
Ellidagrim's son and Mord Valgard's son.

In this way the atonement came about, and then hands were shaken on it,
and twelve men were to utter the award; and Snorri the prie