The king took hold of his chin under his beard, and considered. Then he said, "Sigurd, do you go into Sweden and witness some of the doings of Frey. If you are right in what you suspect—and I think that you are—you will see Gunnar, and maybe he will tell you the truth of the matter. It is an old story by now, but I don't say that I shall not have a word with the slayer of Halward hereafter if I happen to meet with him." Sigurd said that he would gladly go to Sweden. It was settled that he should set out in the summer when the passes were open and Frey at home again.
SIGURD IN SWEDEN. THE BATTLE OF THE FORD
CHAPTER XIX SIGURD IN SWEDEN. THE BATTLE OF THE FORD
Sigurd said that he should go to Sweden by sea, as that was the quicker way for one who did not know the land ways. He had a ship fitted out, and was often down on the hard, either going to his ship or coming from it.
One day he saw, or thought he saw, Gunnar sitting there in the sun. It was a man of about his size in a cloak which he had been fond of wearing; a faded red cloak with a hood to it which stuck out in a bunch upon his shoulders. After a good look at him he knew that it could not be Gunnar, but was still curious about the cloak. He went up to the man until he could touch him, and then did touch him by lifting up the hem of the cloak to see if the braid was like that of Gunnar's. It was the very same.
"Good day to you," Sigurd said, and the man, seeing a lord beside him, rose up and saluted him. He looked like a fisherman or seafarer.