hem into his booth to drink, so their horses were
unsaddled, and they went in and drank, and while they were drinking,
Hrut said to Auzur, "Now, kinsman, thou must ride west with me, and stay
with me this winter."

"That cannot be, kinsman, for I have to tell thee the death of thy
brother Eyvind, and he has left thee his heir at the Gula Thing, and now
thy foes will seize thy heritage, unless thou comest to claim it."

"What's to be done now, brother?" said Hrut to Hauskuld, "for this seems
a hard matter, coming just as I have fixed my bridal day."

"Thou must ride south," said Hauskuld, "and see Mord, and ask him to
change the bargain which ye two have made, and to let his daughter sit
for thee three winters as thy betrothed, but I will ride home and bring
down thy wares to the ship."

Then said Hrut, "My wish is that thou shouldest take meal and timber,
and whatever else thou needest out of the lading". So Hrut had his
horses brought out, and he rode south, while Hauskuld rode home west.
Hrut came east to the Rangrivervales to Mord, and had a good welcome,
and he told Mord all his business, and asked his advice what he should
do.

"How much money is this heritage?" asked Mord, and Hrut said it would
come to a hundred marks, if he got it all.

"Well," said Mord, "that is much when set against what I shall leave
behind me, and thou shalt go for it, if thou wilt."

After that they broke their bargain, and Unna was to sit waiting for
Hrut three years as his betrothed. Now Hrut rides back to the ship, and
stays by her during the summer, till she was ready to sail, and Hauskuld
brought down all Hrut's wares and money to the ship, and Hrut placed all
his other property in Hauskuld's hands to keep for him while he was
away. Then Hauskuld rode home to his house, and a little while after
they got a fair wind and sail away to sea. They were out three weeks,
and the first land they made was Hern, near Bergen, and so sail eastward
to the Bay.

CHAPTER III.

HRUT AND GUNNHILLDA, KINGS MOTHER.

At that time Harold Grayfell reigned in Norway; he was the son of Eric
Bloodaxe, who was the son of Harold Fairhair; his mother's name was
Gunnhillda, a daughter of Auzur Toti, and they had their abode east, at
the King's Crag. Now the news was spread, how a ship had come thither
east into the Bay, and as soon as Gunnhillda heard of it, she asked
what men from Iceland were aboard, and they told her Hrut was the man's
name