Now King Sigtrygg and Earl Gilli wished to hear of these tidings which had happened at the Burning, and so, also, what had befallen since.

Then Gunnar Lambi’s son was got to tell the tale, and a stool was set for him to sit upon.

CHAPTER CLIV.

GUNNAR LAMBI’S SON’S SLAYING.

Just at that very time Kari and Kolbein and David the white came to Hrossey unawares to all men.  They went straightway up on land, but a few men watched their ship.

Kari and his fellows went straight to the Earl’s homestead, and came to the hall about drinking time.

It so happened that just then Gunnar was telling the story of the Burning, but they were listening to him meanwhile outside.  This was on Yule-day itself.

Now King Sigtrygg asked—­

“How did Skarphedinn bear the Burning?”

“Well at first for a long time,” said Gunnar, “but still the end of it was that he wept.”  And so he went on giving an unfair leaning in his story, but every now and then he laughed out loud.

Kari could not stand this, and then he ran in with his sword drawn, and sang this song—­

  Men of might, in battle eager,
  Boast of burning Njal’s abode,
  Have the Princes heard how sturdy
  Seahorse racers sought revenge? 
  Hath not since, on foemen holding
  High the shield’s broad orb aloft,
  All that wrong been fully wroken? 
  Raw flesh ravens got to tear.

So he ran in up the hall, and smote Gunnar Lambi’s son on the neck with such a sharp blow, that his head spun off on to the board before the king and the earls, and the board was all one gore of blood, and the Earl’s clothing too.

Earl Sigurd knew the man that had done the deed, and called out—­

“Seize Kari and kill him.”

Kari had been one of Earl Sigurd’s bodyguard, and he was of all men most beloved by his friends; and no man stood up a whit more for the Earl’s speech.

“Many would say, Lord,” said Kari, “that I have done this deed on your behalf, to avenge your henchman.”

Then Flosi said—­“Kari hath not done this without a cause; he is in no atonement with us, and he only did what he had a right to do”.

So Kari walked away, and there was no hue and cry after him.  Kari fared to his ship, and his fellows with him.  The weather was then good, and they sailed off at once south to Caithness, and went on shore at Thraswick to the house of a worthy man whose name was Skeggi, and with him they stayed a very long while.

Those behind in the Orkneys cleansed the board, and bore out the dead man.

The Earl was told that they had set sail south for Scotland, and King Sigtrygg said—­

“This was a mighty bold fellow, who dealt his stroke so stoutly, and never thought twice about it!”

Then Earl Sigurd answered—­

“There is no man like Kari for dash and daring.”