at Asbjornness] Hall greeted Kjartan, his uncle, with the greatest blitheness.  Sports are now at once started at Asbjornness, and men were gathered together from far and near throughout the countrysides, and people came from the west from Midfirth and from Waterness and Waterdale all the way and from out of Longdale, and there was a great gathering together.  It was the talk of all folk how strikingly Kjartan showed above other men.  Now the sports were set going, and Hall took the lead.  He asked Kjartan to join in the play, “and I wish, kinsman, you would show your courtesy in this.”  Kjartan said, “I have been training for sports but little of late, for there were other things to do with King Olaf, but I will not refuse you this for once.”  So Kjartan now got ready to play, and the strongest men there were chosen out to go against him.  The game went on all day long, but no man had either strength or litheness of limb to cope with Kjartan.  And in the evening when the games were ended, Hall stood up and said, “It is the wish and offer of my father concerning those men who have come from the farthest hither, that they all stay here over night and take up the pastime again to-morrow.”  At this message there was made a good cheer, and the offer deemed worthy of a great man.  Kalf Asgeirson was there, and he and Kjartan were dearly fond of each other.  His sister Hrefna was there also, and was dressed most showily.  There were over a hundred (i.e. over 120) men in the house that night.  And the next day sides were divided for the games again. [Sidenote:  Thurid’s advice] Kjartan sat by and looked on at the sports.  Thurid, his sister, went to talk to him, and said, “It is told me, brother, that you have been rather silent all the winter, and men say it must be because you are pining after Gudrun, and set forth as a proof thereof that no fondness now is shown between you and Bolli, such as through all time there had been between you.  Do now the good and befitting thing, and don’t allow yourself to take this to heart, and grudge not your kinsman a good wife.  To me it seems your best counsel to marry, as you bespoke it last summer, although the match be not altogether even for you, where Hrefna is, for such a match you cannot find within this land.  Asgeir, her father, is a noble and a high-born man, and he does not lack wealth wherewith to make this match fairer still; moreover, another daughter of his is married to a mighty man.  You have also told me yourself that Kalf Asgeirson is the doughtiest of men, and their way of life is of the stateliest.  It is my wish that you go and talk to Hrefna, and I ween you will find that there great wits and goodliness go together.”  Kjartan took this matter up well, and said she had ably pleaded the case.  After this Kjartan and Hrefna are brought together that they may have their talk by themselves, and they talked together all day.  In the evening Thurid asked Kjartan how he liked the manner in which Hrefna turned her speech.  He was