he knew it.  Gudrun spoke little on this matter, but it could be easily seen that she was very displeased, and most people would have it that she still was pining for Kjartan, although she tried to hide it.  Now time glides on till the autumn feast was to be held at Laugar.  Olaf got ready and bade Kjartan come with him.  Kjartan said he would stay at home and look after the household.  Olaf bade him not to show that he was angry with his kinsmen.  “Call this to mind, Kjartan, that you have loved no man so much as your foster-brother Bolli, and it is my wish that you should come, for things will soon settle themselves between you, kinsmen, if you meet each other.” [Sidenote:  They ride to Laugar] Kjartan did as his father bade him.  He took the scarlet clothes that King Olaf had given him at parting, and dressed himself gaily; he girded his sword, the king’s gift, on; and he had a gilt helm on his head, and on his side a red shield with the Holy Cross painted on it in gold; he had in his hand a spear, with the socket inlaid with gold.  All his men were gaily dressed.  There were in all between twenty and thirty men of them.  They now rode out of Herdholt and went on till they came to Laugar.  There were a great many men gathered together already.

CHAP.  XLV

Kjartan marries Hrefna, A.D. 1002

Bolli, together with the sons of Osvif, went out to meet Olaf and his company, and gave them a cheery welcome.  Bolli went to Kjartan and kissed him, and Kjartan took his greeting.  After that they were seen into the house, Bolli was of the merriest towards them, and Olaf responded to that most heartily, but Kjartan was rather silent.  The feast went off well. [Sidenote:  Bolli’s gift refused] Now Bolli had some stud-horses which were looked upon as the best of their kind.  The stallion was great and goodly, and had never failed at fight; it was light of coat, with red ears and forelock.  Three mares went with it, of the same hue as the stallion.  These horses Bolli wished to give to Kjartan, but Kjartan said he was not a horsey man, and could not take the gift.  Olaf bade him take the horses, “for these are most noble gifts.”  Kjartan gave a flat refusal.  They parted after this nowise blithely, and the Herdholtings went home, and all was quiet.  Kjartan was rather gloomy all the winter, and people could have but little talk of him.  Olaf thought this a great misfortune.  That winter after Yule Kjartan got ready to leave home, and there were twelve of them together, bound for the countrysides of the north.  They now rode on their way till they came to Asbjornness, north in Willowdale, and there Kjartan was greeted with the greatest blitheness and cheerfulness.  The housing there was of the noblest.  Hall, the son of Gudmund, was about twenty winters old, and took much after the kindred of the men of Salmon-river-Dale; and it is all men’s say, there was no more valiant-looking a man in all the north land. [Sidenote:  The games