“Take care
    If you go forward,
    And be wary
    Of Snorri’s wiles,
    No one can escape,
    For so wise is Snorri.”

And after that she went her way.  Then Thorgils said, “It has seldom happened so before, when luck was with me, that you were leaving the Thing when I was riding to it.”  He now rode to the Thing and to his own booth.  And through the early part the Thing was quiet. [Sidenote:  Thorgils’ cloak] It happened one day during the Thing that folk’s clothes were hung out to dry.  Thorgils had a blue hooded cloak, which was spread out on the booth wall, and men heard the cloak say thus—­

    “Hanging wet on the wall,
    A hooded cloak knows a braid (trick);
    I do not say he does not know two,
    He has been lately washed.”

This was thought a most marvellous thing.  The next day Thorgils went west over the river to pay the money to the sons of Helgi. [Sidenote:  Thorgils’ death] He sat down on the lava above the booths, and with him was his foster-brother Halldor and sundry more of them were there together.  The sons of Helgi came to the meeting.  Thorgils now began to count out the money.  Audgisl Thorarinson came near, and when Thorgils had counted ten Audgisl struck at him, and all thought they heard the head say eleven as it flew off the neck.  Audgisl ran to the booth of the Waterfirthers and Halldor rushed after him and struck him his death-blow in the door of the booth.  These tidings came to the booth of Snorri Godi how Thorgils was slain.  Snorri said, “You must be mistaken; it must be that Thorgils Hallason has slain some one.”  The man replied, “Why, the head flew off his trunk.”  “Then perhaps it is time,” said Snorri.  This manslaughter was peacefully atoned, as is told in the Saga of Thorgils Hallason.

CHAP.  LXVIII

Gudrun’s Marriage with Thorkell Eyjolfson

The same summer that Thorgils Hallason was killed a ship came to Bjorn’s-haven.  It belonged to Thorkell Eyjolfson.  He was by then such a rich man that he had two merchant ships on voyages.  The other ship came to Ramfirth to Board-Eyr; they were both laden with timber.  When Snorri heard of the coming of Thorkell he rode at once to where the ship was.  Thorkell gave him a most blithe welcome; he had a great deal of drink with him in his ship, and right unstintedly it was served, and many things they found to talk about.  Snorri asked tidings of Norway, and Thorkell told him everything well and truthfully.  Snorri told in return the tidings of all that had happened here while Thorkell had been away. [Sidenote:  Thorkell proposes to Gudrun] “Now it seems to me,” said Snorri, “you had better follow the counsel I set forth to you before you went abroad, and should give up voyaging about and settle down in quiet, and get for yourself the same woman to wife of whom we spoke then.”  Thorkell replied, “I understand what you are