With a chestnut filly’s tail-locks,

And her head-dress shows her temper.

Ragna said: “Now the saying comes true, ‘that few are so wise that they see everything as it is,’ for this [hair] is of a horse, and not of a mare.”

Then she took a silken kerchief and wrapped it round her head, continuing, nevertheless, her business with the Earl. He gave her a rather cold answer at first, but became more pleasant as they spoke longer, and she obtained what she wanted—namely, to procure for Hall a place at the (Earl’s) court. He remained a long time with Earl Rögnvald. They made jointly the “Old Metrekey,”[[362]] with five verses for each different metre. Afterwards that was thought too much, and now two verses only are made for each different metre.

CHAPTER LXXVI
OF EARL ROGNVALD AND SWEIN, ASLEIF’S SON.

Swein, Asleif’s son, is said to have heard that Höldbodi had arrived in the Sudreyar. Then he asked Earl Rögnvald to give him troops to avenge himself. The Earl gave him five ships, and Thorbiörn Klerk was the commander of one of them; Haflidi, the son of Thorkel Flettir, of another; Dúfniál, the son of Hávard, Gunni’s son, the third; Rikgard (Richard), Thorleif’s son, the fourth; and Swein, Asleif’s son, the fifth. When Höldbodi heard of Swein, he fled from the Sudreyar. Swein and his men killed many people in the Sudreyar, and ravaged and burnt far and wide. They obtained great booty, but could not catch Höldbodi, and he never came to the Sudreyar after that. Swein wished to remain in the Sudreyar during the winter, but Thorbiörn and the others wished to go home, and went in the autumn to Caithness, and arrived at Dungalsbæ. When they were going to divide their booty, Swein said they should all share equally, but that he himself should have a chief’s share besides, saying that he had been the chief, and that the Earl had sent the others to his assistance. Besides, he added further that he alone had the quarrel with the Sudreyarmen, while the others had none. Thorbiörn, however, said he did not deserve less than Swein, and had not been less a leader than he. They also wished that all the ships’ commanders should have equal shares; but they had to submit to Swein, because his men were by far the most numerous there on the Ness (in Caithness).

Thorbiörn went out to the Orkneys and told Earl Rögnvald how matters had gone between him and Swein, and that they were very much displeased to have been deprived by him of their just proportion of the spoil.

The Earl said it would not be only once that Swein had turned out not to be an equitable man, yet he would in the end receive retribution for his injustice; but, he added: “You shall not quarrel about this. I shall give you as much money of my own as you have lost through him, and it is my will that you do not claim it of him. It will be a good thing if this does not lead to greater difficulties with him.”

Thorbiörn replied: “May God reward you, my lord, for the honour you do us, and we shall not quarrel with Swein about this; but I shall never be his friend any more, and I shall do him some despite in return.” And after that Thorbiörn divorced himself from Ingirid, Swein’s sister, and sent her to him over to Ness (Caithness). Swein received her well, but considered Thorbiörn’s conduct a great insult to himself. There was then fierce enmity between them. Then the saying proved true that monsters are best matched together.

When Swein was in the Sudreyar, he had placed Margad, Grím’s son, over his affairs at Dungalsbæ, and transferred to him the office (of deputy or factor) which he held from Earl Rögnvald, but Margad was resentful and overbearing, and became unpopular on account of his violence. Those who were the first objects of his oppression ran to Hróald (at Wick), and remained there. From this enmity arose between the two. Shortly after Margad went south to Vík (Wick) on business with nineteen men, and before he left he attacked Hróald, and killed him and several others. Then he went to Dungalsbæ to see Swein. The latter gathered men together, and went to Lambaborg,[[363]] where he fortified himself. It was a strong place, and there he remained, with sixty men, and brought thither provisions and other necessaries. The borg (castle) was situated on a sea-girt rock, and on the landward side there was a well-built stone wall. The crags ran a long way along the sea on either side. Swein and his men committed many violent robberies in Caithness, and brought everything into the stronghold, and became greatly hated.