Olaf the Peacock comes Home to Iceland, A.D. 957

Olaf Hoskuldson then went to the court of King Harald.  The king gave him a good welcome, but Gunnhild a much better.  With many fair words they begged him to stay with them, and Olaf agreed to it, and both he and Orn entered the king’s court.  King Harald and Gunnhild set so great a store by Olaf that no foreigner had ever been held in such honour by them.  Olaf gave to the king and Gunnhild many rare gifts, which he had got west in Ireland.  King Harald gave Olaf at Yule a set of clothes made out of scarlet stuff.  So now Olaf stayed there quietly all the winter. [Sidenote:  Olaf goes home] In the spring, as it was wearing on, Olaf and the king had a conversation together, and Olaf begged the king’s leave to go to Iceland in the summer, “For I have noble kinsfolk there I want to go and see.”  The king answered, “It would be more to my mind that you should settle down with us, and take whatever position in our service you like best yourself.”  Olaf thanked the king for all the honour he was offering him, but said he wished very much to go to Iceland, if that was not against the king’s will.  The king answered, “Nothing shall be done in this in an unfriendly manner to you, Olaf.  You shall go out to Iceland in the summer, for I see you have set your heart on it; but neither trouble nor toil shall you have over your preparations, for I will see after all that,” and thereupon they part talking.  King Harald had a ship launched in the spring; it was a merchant ship, both great and good.  This ship the king ordered to be laden with wood, and fitted out with full rigging.  When the ship was ready the king had Olaf called to him, and said, “This ship shall be your own, Olaf, for I should not like you to start from Norway this summer as a passenger in any one else’s ship.”  Olaf thanked the king in fair words for his generosity.  After that Olaf got ready for his journey; and when he was ready and a fair wind arose, Olaf sailed out to sea, and King Harald and he parted with the greatest affection.  That summer Olaf had a good voyage.  He brought his ship into Ramfirth, to Board-Ere.  The arrival of the ship was soon heard of, and also who the captain was.  Hoskuld heard of the arrival of Olaf, his son, and was very much pleased, and rode forthwith north to Hrutafjord with some men, and there was a joyful meeting between the father and son.  Hoskuld invited Olaf to come to him, and Olaf said he would agree to that; so he set up his ship, but his goods were brought (on horseback) from the north.  And when this business was over Olaf himself rode with twelve men home to Hoskuldstead, and Hoskuld greeted his son joyfully, and his brothers also received him fondly, as well as all his kinsfolk; but between Olaf and Bard was love the fondest. [Sidenote:  Melkorka receives Olaf] Olaf became very renowned for this journey; and now was proclaimed the descent of Olaf, that he was the daughter’s son of Myrkjartan,