the scarlet clothes King Harald had given him, and a golden helmet on his head, and the gold-adorned sword in his hand that King Myrkjartan had given him.  Then Hoskuld and Olaf went to Egil’s booth.  Hoskuld went first, and Olaf followed close on his heels.  Egil greeted him well, and Hoskuld sat down by him, but Olaf stood up and looked about him.  He saw a woman sitting on the dais in the booth, she was goodly and had the looks of one of high degree, and very well dressed.  He thought to himself this must be Thorgerd, Egil’s daughter.  Olaf went up to the dais and sat down by her.  Thorgerd greeted the man, and asked who he was.  Olaf told his own and his father’s name, and “You must think it very bold that the son of a slave should dare to sit down by you and presume to talk to you!” She said, “You cannot but mean that you must be thinking you have done deeds of greater daring than that of talking to women.” [Sidenote:  Thorgerd accepts Olaf] Then they began to talk together, and they talked all day.  But nobody heard their conversation.  And before they parted Egil and Hoskuld were called to them; and the matter of Olaf’s wooing was now talked over again, and Thorgerd came round to her father’s wish.  Now the affair was all easily settled and the betrothal took place.  The honour was conceded to the Salmon-river-Dale men that the bride should be brought home to them, for by law the bride-groom should have gone to the bride’s home to be married.  The wedding was to take place at Hoskuldstead when seven weeks summer had passed.  After that Egil and Hoskuld separated.  The father and son rode home to Hoskuldstead, and all was quiet the rest of the summer.  After that things were got ready for the wedding at Hoskuldstead, and nothing was spared, for means were plentiful.  The guests came at the time settled, and the Burgfirthmen mustered in a great company.  Egil was there, and Thorstein, his son.  The bride was in the journey too, and with her a chosen company out of all the countryside.  Hoskuld had also a great company awaiting them.  The feast was a brave one, and the guests were seen off with good gifts on leaving.  Olaf gave to Egil the sword, Myrkjartan’s gift, and Egil’s brow brightened greatly at the gift.  Nothing in the way of tidings befell, and every one went home.

CHAP.  XXIV

The Building of Herdholt, A. D. 960

Olaf and Thorgerd lived at Hoskuldstead and loved each other very dearly; it was easily seen by every one that she was a woman of very high mettle, though she meddled little with every-day things, but whatever Thorgerd put her hand to must be carried through as she wished.  Olaf and Thorgerd spent that winter turn and turn about at Hoskuldstead, or with Olaf’s foster-father.  In the spring Olaf took over the household business at Goddistead. [Sidenote:  Thord’s death] The following summer Thord fell ill, and the illness ended in his death.  Olaf had a cairn