They were well pleased at that, and bade him have his way.  So Gunnar sailed from the east with much goods.  He had ten ships, and ran in with them to Heidarby in Denmark.  King Harold Gorm’s son was there up the country, and he was told about Gunnar, and how too that there was no man his match in all Iceland.  He sent men to him to ask him to come to him, and Gunnar went at once to see the king, and the king made him a hearty welcome, and sat him down next to himself.  Gunnar was there half a month.  The king made himself sport by letting Gunnar prove himself in divers feats of strength against his men, and there were none that were his match even in one feat.

Then the king said to Gunnar, “It seems to me as though thy peer is not to be found far or near,” and the king offered to get Gunnar a wife, and to raise him to great power if he would settle down there.

Gunnar thanked the king for his offer and said—­“I will first of all sail back to Iceland to see my friends and kinsfolk”.

“Then thou wilt never come back to us,” says the king.

“Fate will settle that, lord,” says Gunnar.

Gunnar gave the king a good long-ship, and much goods besides, and the king gave him a robe of honour, and golden-seamed gloves, and a fillet with a knot of gold on it, and a Russian hat.

Then Gunnar fared north to Hisingen.  Oliver welcomed him with both hands, and he gave back to Oliver his ships, with their lading, and said that was his share of the spoil.  Oliver took the goods, and said Gunnar was a good man and true, and bade him stay with him some while.  Hallvard asked Gunnar if he had a mind to go to see Earl Hacon.  Gunnar said that was near his heart, “for now I am somewhat proved, but then I was not tried at all when thou badest me do this before”.

After that they fared north to Drontheim to see Earl Hacon, and he gave Gunnar a hearty welcome, and bade him stay with him that winter, and Gunnar took that offer, and every man thought him a man of great worth.  At Yule the Earl gave him a gold ring.

Gunnar set his heart on Bergliota, the Earl’s kinswoman, and it was often to be seen from the Earl’s way, that he would have given her to him to wife if Gunnar had said anything about that.

CHAPTER XXXII.

GUNNAR COMES OUT TO ICELAND.

When the spring came, the Earl asks Gunnar what course he meant to take.  He said he would go to Iceland.  The Earl said that had been a bad year for grain, “and there will be little sailing out to Iceland, but still thou shalt have meal and timber both in thy ship”.

Gunnar fitted out his ship as early as he could, and Hallvard fared out with him and Kolskegg.  They came out early in the summer, and made Arnbael’s Oyce before the Thing met.

Gunnar rode home from the ship, but got men to strip her and lay her up.  But when they came home all men were glad to see them.  They were blithe and merry to their household, nor had their haughtiness grown while they were away.