after, Thorarin Ragi’s brother hears of his brother Glum’s death, then he rides with eleven men behind him west to Hauskuldstede, and Hauskuld welcomed him with both hands, and he is there the night.  Hauskuld sent at once for Hrut to come to him, and he went at once, and next day they spoke much of the slaying of Glum, and Thorarin said—­“Wilt thou make me any atonement for my brother, for I have had a great loss?”

Hauskuld answered—­“I did not slay thy brother, nor did my daughter plot his death; but as soon as ever Hrut knew it he slew Thiostolf”.

Then Thorarin held his peace, and thought the matter had taken a bad turn.  But Hrut said—­“Let us make his journey good; he has indeed had a heavy loss, and if we do that we shall be well spoken of.  So let us give him gifts, and then he will be our friend ever afterwards.”

So the end of it was that those brothers gave him gifts, and he rode back south.  He and Hallgerda changed homesteads in the spring, and she went south to Laugarness and he to Varmalek.  And now Thorarin is out of the story.

CHAPTER XVIII.

FIDDLE MORD’S DEATH.

Now it must be told how Fiddle Mord took a sickness and breathed his last; and that was thought great scathe.  His daughter Unna took all the goods he left behind him.  She was then still unmarried the second time.  She was very lavish, and unthrifty of her property; so that her goods and ready money wasted away, and at last she had scarce anything left but land and stock.

CHAPTER XIX.

GUNNAR COMES INTO THE STORY.

There was a man whose name was Gunnar.  He was one of Unna’s kinsmen, and his mother’s name was Rannveig.  Gunnar’s father was named Hamond.  Gunnar Hamond’s son dwelt at Lithend, in the Fleetlithe.  He was a tall man in growth, and a strong man—­best skilled in arms of all men.  He could cut or thrust or shoot if he chose as well with his left as with his right hand, and he smote so swiftly with his sword, that three seemed to flash through the air at once.  He was the best shot with the bow of all men, and never missed his mark.  He could leap more than his own height, with all his war-gear, and as far backwards as forwards.  He could swim like a seal, and there was no game in which it was any good for anyone to strive with him; and so it has been said that no man was his match.  He was handsome of feature, and fair skinned.  His nose was straight, and a little turned up at the end.  He was blue-eyed and bright-eyed, and ruddy-cheeked.  His hair thick, and of good hue, and hanging down in comely curls.  The most courteous of men was he, of sturdy frame and strong will, bountiful and gentle, a fast friend, but hard to please when making them.  He was wealthy in goods.  His brother’s name was Kolskegg; he was a tall strong man, a noble fellow, and undaunted in everything.  Another brother’s name was Hjort; he was then in his childhood.  Orm Skogarnef was a base-born brother of Gunnar’s; he does not come into this story.  Arnguda was the name of Gunnar’s sister.  Hroar, the priest at Tongue, had her to wife.