Summary

Chapter 1 begins with the first-person narration of Ragnvald Eysteinsson. He is running across the oars in a game that Solvi Hunthiofsson, the captain, has set up. Solvi had promised any man who could run down the ship and back across the oars a gold armband. Ragnvald had gone first because he knew that Solvi valued a daring man. Solvi praised Ragnvald for his run. Ragnvald watched as other men, such as Ulfarr and Egil, tried to beat his run. Ragnvald also watches Solvi and remembers how he had studied Solvi during the raiding season to learn how he was such a good leader. Ragnvald's narration then gives the readers some background information on Solvi. His legs were badly burned as a child which caused his growth to be stunted. He was called Solvi the Short-Legged but he only liked that name when his...