CHAPTER LXXX.

OF KOLSKEGG:  HOW HE WAS BAPTISED.

Now it is to be told of Kolskegg how he comes to Norway, and is in the Bay east that winter.  But the summer after he fares east to Denmark, and bound himself to Sweyn Forkbeard the Dane-king, and there he had great honour.

One night he dreamt that a man came to him; he was bright and glistening, and he thought he woke him up.  He spoke, and said to him—­

“Stand up and come with me.”

“What wilt thou with me?” he asks.

“I will get thee a bride, and thou shalt be my knight.”

He thought he said yea to that, and after that he woke up.

Then he went to a wizard and told him the dream, but he read it so that he should fare to southern lands and become God’s knight.

Kolskegg was baptised in Denmark, but still he could not rest there, but fared east to Russia, and was there one winter.  Then he fared thence out to Micklegarth,[31] and there took service with the Emperor.  The last that was heard of him was, that he wedded a wife there, and was captain over the Varangians, and stayed there till his death-day; and he, too, is out of this story.

CHAPTER LXXXI.

OF THRAIN:  HOW HE SLEW KOL.

Now we must take up the story, and say how Thrain Sigfus’ son came to Norway.  They made the land north in Helgeland, and held on south to Drontheim, and so to Hlada.[32] But as soon as Earl Hacon heard of that, he sent men to them, and would know what men were in the ship.  They came back and told him who the men were.  Then the Earl sent for Thrain Sigfus’ son, and he went to see him.  The Earl asked of what stock he might be.  He said that he was Gunnar of Lithend’s near kinsman.  The Earl said—­

“That shall stand thee in good stead; for I have seen many men from Iceland, but none his match.”

“Lord,” said Thrain, “is it your will that I should be with you this winter?”

The Earl took to him, and Thrain was there that winter, and was thought much of.

There was a man named Kol, he was a great sea-rover.  He was the son of Asmund Ashside, east out of Smoland.  He lay east in the Goeta-Elf, and had five ships, and much force.

Thence Kol steered his course out of the river to Norway, and landed at Fold,[33] in the bight of the “Bay,” and came on Hallvard Soti unawares, and found him in a loft.  He kept them off bravely till they set fire to the house, then he gave himself up; but they slew him, and took there much goods, and sailed thence to Loedese.[34]

Earl Hacon heard these tidings, and made them make Kol an outlaw over all his realm, and set a price upon his head.

Once on a time it so happened that the Earl began to speak thus—­

“Too far off from us now is Gunnar of Lithend.  He would slay my outlaw if he were here; but now the Icelanders will slay him, and it is ill that he hath not fared to us.”