Bjorn Gullbera of Reykriverdale, rode to meet them, and told them
how a ship had come out from Norway to the White River, and how
aboard of her was Auzur Hrut’s father’s brother, and he wished
Hrut to come to him as soon as ever he could. When Hrut heard
this, he asked Hauskuld to go with him to the ship, so Hauskuld
went with his brother, and when they reached the ship, Hrut gave
his kinsman Auzur a kind and hearty welcome. Auzur asked them
into his booth to drink, so their horses were unsaddled, and they
went in and drank, and while they were drinking, Hrut said to
Auzur, “Now, kinsman, thou must ride west with me, and stay with
me this winter.”
“That cannot be, kinsman, for I have to tell thee the death of
thy brother Eyvind, and he has left thee his heir at the Gula
Thing, and now thy foes will seize thy heritage, unless thou
comest to claim it.”
“What’s to be done now, brother?” said Hrut to Hauskuld, “for
this seems a hard matter, coming just as I have fixed my bridal
day.”
“Thou must ride south,” said Hauskuld, “and see Mord, and ask him
to change the bargain which ye two have made, and to let his
daughter sit for thee three winters as thy betrothed, but I will
ride home and bring down thy wares to the ship.”
Then said Hrut, “My wish is that thou shouldest take meal and
timber, and whatever else thou needest out of the lading.” So
Hrut had his horses brought out, and he rode south, while
Hauskuld rode home west. Hrut came east to the Rangrivervales to
Mord, and had a good welcome, and he told Mord all his business,
and asked his advice what he should do.
“How much money is this heritage,” asked Mord, and Hrut said it
would come to a hundred marks, if he got it all.
“Well,” said Mord, “that is much when set against what I shall
leave behind me, and thou shalt go for it, if thou wilt.”
After that they broke their bargain, and Unna was to sit waiting
for Hrut three years as his betrothed. Now Hrut rides back to
the ship, and stays by her during the summer, till she was ready
to sail, and Hauskuld brought down all Hrut’s wares and money to
the ship, and Hrut placed all his other property in Hauskuld’s
hands to keep for him while he was away. Then Hauskuld rode home
to his house, and a little while after they got a fair wind and
sail away to sea. They were out three weeks, and the first land
they made was Hern, near Bergen, and so sail eastward to the Bay.
3. HRUT AND GUNNHILLDA, KING’S MOTHER
At that time Harold Grayfell reigned in Norway; he was the son of
Eric Bloodaxe, who was the son of Harold Fair-hair; his mother’s
name was Gunnhillda, a daughter of Auzur Toti, and they had their
abode east, at the King’s Crag. Now the news was spread, how a
ship had come thither east into the Bay, and as soon as
Gunnhillda heard of it, she asked what men from Iceland were
abroad, and they told her Hrut was the man’s name, Auzur’s
