high degree, whilst you, Cable-hound, will pass, this summer, into the power of trolls.”  Audun Cable-hound went out a voyage that summer and the ship was wrecked amongst the Faroe Isles and every man’s child on board perished, and Osvif’s prophecy was thought to have come thoroughly home.  The sons of Osvif went abroad that summer, and none ever came back again.  In such a manner the blood-suit came to an end that Olaf was held to have shown himself all the greater a man, because where it was due, in the case of the sons of Osvif, to wit, he drove matters home to the very bone, but spared Bolli for the sake of their kinship.  Olaf thanked men well for the help they had afforded him.  By Olaf’s counsel Bolli bought the land at Tongue.  It is told that Olaf lived three winters after Kjartan was slain.  After he was dead his sons shared the inheritance he left behind.  Halldor took over the manor of Herdholt.  Thorgerd, their mother, lived with Halldor; she was most hatefully-minded towards Bolli, and thought the reward he paid for his fostering a bitter one.

CHAP.  LII

The Killing of Thorkell of Goat’s Peak

In the spring Bolli and Gudrun set up householding at Saelingsdale-Tongue, and it soon became a stately one.  Bolli and Gudrun begat a son.  To that boy a name was given, and he was called Thorleik; he was early a very fine lad, and a right nimble one.  Halldor Olafson lived at Herdholt, as has before been written, and he was in most matters at the head of his brothers. [Sidenote:  Thorgerd and the shepherd lad] The spring that Kjartan was slain Thorgerd Egil’s daughter placed a lad, as kin to her, with Thorkell of Goat-Peaks, and the lad herded sheep there through the summer.  Like other people he was much grieved over Kjartan’s death.  He could never speak of Kjartan if Thorkell was near, for he always spoke ill of him, and said he had been a “white” man and of no heart; he often mimicked how Kjartan had taken his death-wound.  The lad took this very ill, and went to Herdholt and told Halldor and Thorgerd and begged them to take him in.  Thorgerd bade him remain in his service till the winter.  The lad said he had no strength to bear being there any longer.  “And you would not ask this of me if you knew what heart-burn I suffer from all this.”  Then Thorgerd’s heart turned at the tale of his grief, and she said that as far as she was concerned, she would make a place for him there. [Sidenote:  The killing of Thorkell] Halldor said, “Give no heed to this lad, he is not worth taking in earnest.”  Then Thorgerd answered, “The lad is of little account,” says she, “but Thorkell has behaved evilly in every way in this matter, for he knew of the ambush the men of Laugar laid for Kjartan, and would not warn him, but made fun and sport of their dealings together, and has since said many unfriendly things about the matter; but it seems a matter far beyond you brothers ever to seek revenge where odds are against you, now