with him.  The king took his greeting well, and said he had had a thoroughly clear news as to what his errand must be, “and that matter will be easily settled by you.”  Kjartan begged they should not delay fetching the water, and said that a great deal would be needed.  The king answered and smiled.  “Yes, Kjartan,” says he, “on this matter I do not think your eager-mindedness would part us, not even if you put the price higher still.”  After that Kjartan and Bolli were baptized and all their crew, and a multitude of other men as well.  This was on the second day of Yule before Holy Service.  After that the king invited Kjartan to his Yule feast with Bolli his kinsman.  It is the tale of most men that Kjartan on the day he laid aside his white baptismal-robes became a liegeman of the king’s, he and Bolli both.  Hallfred was not baptized that day, for he made it a point that the king himself should be his godfather, so the king put it off till the next day.  Kjartan and Bolli stayed with Olaf the king the rest of the winter. [Sidenote:  Kalf wishes to leave Norway] The king held Kjartan before all other men for the sake of his race and manly prowess, and it is by all people said that Kjartan was so winsome that he had not a single enemy within the court.  Every one said that there had never before come from Iceland such a man as Kjartan.  Bolli was also one of the most stalwart of men, and was held in high esteem by all good men.  The winter now passes away, and, as spring came on, men got ready for their journeys, each as he had a mind to.

CHAP.  XLI

Bolli returns to Iceland, A.D. 999

Kalf Asgeirson went to see Kjartan and asks what he was minded to do that summer.  Kjartan said, “I have been thinking chiefly that we had better take our ship to England, where there is a good market for Christian men.  But first I will go and see the king before I settle this, for he did not seem pleased at my going on this journey when we talked about it in the spring.”  Then Kalf went away and Kjartan went to speak to the king, greeting him courteously.  The king received him most kindly, and asked what he and his companion (Kalf) had been talking about. [Sidenote:  Kjartan stays in Norway] Kjartan told what they had mostly in mind to do, but said that his errand to the king was to beg leave to go on this journey.  “As to that matter, I will give you your choice, Kjartan.  Either you will go to Iceland this summer, and bring men to Christianity by force or by expedients; but if you think this too difficult a journey, I will not let you go away on any account, for you are much better suited to serve noble men than to turn here into a chapman.”  Kjartan chose rather to stay with the king than to go to Iceland and preach the faith to them there, and said he could not be contending by force against his own kindred.  “Moreover, it would be more likely that my father and other chiefs, who are near