“What counsel dost thou give me,” said Flosi, “in the strait in
which I now am.”
“Thou shalt fare,” said Hall, “north, right up to Weaponfirth,
and ask all the chiefs for aid, and thou wilt yet need it all
before the Thing is over.”
Flosi stayed there three nights, and rested him, and fared thence
east to Geitahellna, and so to Berufirth; there they were the
night. Thence they fared east to Broaddale in Haydale. There
Hallbjorn the Strong dwelt. He had to wife Oddny the sister of
Saurli Broddhelgi’s son, and Flosi had a hearty welcome there.
Hallbjorn asked how far north among the firths Flosi meant to go.
He said he meant to go as far as Weaponfirth. Then Flosi took a
purse of money from his belt, and said he would give it to
Hallbjorn. He took the money, but yet said he had no claim on
Flosi for gifts, “But still I would be glad to know in what thou
wilt that I repay thee.”
“I have no need of money,” says Flosi, “but I wish thou wouldst
ride to the Thing with me, and stand by me in my quarrel, but
still I have no ties or kinship to tell towards thee.”
“I will grant thee that,” said Hallbjorn, “to ride to the Thing
with thee, and to stand by thee in thy quarrel as I would by my
brother.”
Flosi thanked him, and Hallbjorn asked much about the burning,
but they told him all about it at length.
Thence Flosi fared to Broaddale’s heath, and so to Hrafnkelstede,
there dwelt Hrafnkell, the son of Thorir, the son of Hrafnkell
Raum. Flosi had a hearty welcome there, and sought for help and
a promise to ride to the Thing from Hrafnkell, but he stood out a
long while, though the end of it was that he gave his word that
his son Thorir should ride with all their Thingmen, and yield him
such help as the other priests of the same district.
Flosi thanked him and fared away to Bersastede. There Holmstein
son of Bersi the Wise dwelt, and he gave Flosi a very hearty
welcome. Flosi begged him for help. Holmstein said he had been
long in his debt for help.
Thence they fared to Waltheofstede — there Saurli Broddhelgi’s
son, Bjarni’s brother, dwelt. He had to wife Thordisa, a
daughter of Gudmund the Powerful, of Modruvale. They had a
hearty welcome there. But next morning Flosi raised the question
with Saurli that he should ride to the Althing with him, and bid
him money for it.
“I cannot tell about that,” says Saurli, “so long as I do not
know on which side my father-in-law Gudmund the Powerful stands,
for I mean to stand by him on whichever side he stands.”
“Oh!” said Flosi, “I see by thy answer that a woman rules in this
house.”
Then Flosi stood up and bade his men take their upper clothing
and weapons, and then they fared away, and got no help there. So
they fared below Lagarfleet and over the heath to Njardwick;
there two brothers dwelt, Thorkel the Allwise, and Thorwalld his
