Flosi rode into the “town,” and bade men alight from their horses
and go in. They did so, and Flosi and his men went into the
hall. Asgrim sate on the crossbench on the dais. Flosi looked
at the benches and saw that all was made ready that men needed to
have. Asgrim gave them no greeting, but said to Flosi, “The
boards are set, so that meat may be free to those that need it.”
Flosi sat down to the board, and all his men; but they laid their
arms up against the wainscot. They sat on the stools who found
no room on the benches; but four men stood with weapons just
before where Flosi sat while they ate.
Asgrim kept his peace during the meat, but was as red to look on
as blood.
But when they were full, some women cleared away the boards,
while others brought in water to wash their hands. Flosi was in
no greater hurry than if he had been at home. There lay a
pole-axe in the corner of the dais. Asgrim caught it up with
both hands, and ran up to the rail at the edge of the dais, and
made a blow at Flosi’s head. Glum Hilldir’s son happened to see
what he was about to do, and sprang up at once, and got hold of
the axe above Asgrim’s hands, and turned the edge at once on
Asgrim; for Glum was very strong. Then many more men ran up and
seized Asgrim, but Flosi said that no man was to do Asgrim any
harm, “For we put him to too hard a trial, and he only did what
he ought, and showed in that that he had a big heart.”
Then Flosi said to Asgrim, “Here, now, we shall part safe and
sound, and meet at the Thing, and there begin our quarrel over
again.”
“So it will be,” says Asgrim; “and I would wish that, ere this
Thing be over, ye should have to take in some of your sails.”
Flosi answered him never a word, and then they went out, and
mounted their horses, and rode away. They rode till they came to
Laugarwater, and were there that night; but next morning they
rode on to Baitvale, and baited their horses there, and there
many bands rode to meet them. There was Hall of the Side, and
all the Eastfirthers. Flosi gretted them well, and told them of
his journeys and dealings with Asgrim. Many praised him for
that, and said such things were bravely done.
Then Hall said, “I look on this in another way than ye do, for
methinks it was a foolish prank — they were sure to bear in mind
their griefs, even though they were not reminded of them anew;
but those men who try others so heavily must look for all evil.”
It was seen from Hall’s way that he thought this deed far too
strong. They rode thence all together, till they came to the
Upper Field, and there they set their men in array, and rode down
on the Thing.
Flosi had made them fit out Byrgir’s booth ere be rode to the
Thing; but the Eastfirthers rode to their own booths.
136. OF THORGEIR CRAGGEIR
Thorgeir Craggier rode from the east with much people. His
