of anxiety to many. Gudmund, Solmund’s
son, Kjartan’s brother-in-law, and Thurid, his
sister, came to his ship, and Kjartan gave them a
cheery welcome. [Sidenote: Hrefna and the coif]
Asgeir Eider-drake came to the ship too to meet his
son Kalf, and journeying with him was Hrefna his daughter,
the fairest of women. Kjartan bade his sister
Thurid have such of his wares as she liked, and the
same Kalf said to Hrefna. Kalf now unlocked a
great chest and bade them go and have a look at it.
That day a gale sprang up, and Kjartan and Kalf had
to go out to moor their ship, and when that was done
they went home to the booths. Kalf was the first
to enter the booth, where Thurid and Hrefna had turned
out most of the things in the chest. Just then
Hrefna snatched up the coif and unfolded it, and they
had much to say as to how precious a thing it was.
Then Hrefna said she would coif herself with it, and
Thurid said she had better, and Hrefna did so.
When Kalf saw that he gave her to understand that
she had done amiss, and bade her take it off at her
swiftest. “For that is the one thing that
we, Kjartan and I, do not own in common.”
And as he said this Kjartan came into the booth.
He had heard their talk, and fell in at once and told
them there was nothing amiss. So Hrefna sat still
with the head-dress on. Kjartan looked at her
heedfully and said, “I think the coif becomes
you very well, Hrefna,” says he, “and
I think it fits the best that both together, coif
and maiden, be mine.” Then Hrefna answered,
“Most people take it that you are in no hurry
to marry, and also that the woman you woo, you will
be sure to get for wife.” Kjartan said it
would not matter much whom he married, but he would
not stand being kept long a waiting wooer by any woman.
“Now I see that this gear suits you well, and
it suits well that you become my wife.”
Hrefna now took off the head-dress and gave it to
Kjartan, who put it away in a safe place. Gudmund
and Thurid asked Kjartan to come north to them for
a friendly stay some time that winter, and Kjartan
promised the journey. Kalf Asgeirson betook himself
north with his father. Kjartan and he now divided
their partnership, and that went off altogether in
good-nature and friendship. [Sidenote: Kjartan
goes to Herdholt] Kjartan also rode from his ship
westward to the Dales, and they were twelve of them
together. Kjartan now came home to Herdholt, and
was joyfully received by everybody. Kjartan had
his goods taken to the west from the ship during the
autumn. The twelve men who rode with Kjartan
stayed at Herdholt all the winter. Olaf and Osvif
kept to the same wont of asking each other to their
house, which was that each should go to the other
every other autumn. That autumn the wassail was
to be at Laugar, and Olaf and all the Herdholtings
were to go thither. Gudrun now spoke to Bolli,
and said she did not think he had told her the truth
in all things about the coming back of Kjartan.
Bolli said he had told the truth about it as best