¶ And now will I next write what there is to tell of the men of Iceland.
¶ That same autumn there came to Nidaros from Iceland Kiartan, the son of Olaf Hoskuldson and the grandson, on his mother’s side, of Eigil Skallagrimson, who hath been called the likeliest man of those born in Iceland. ¤ There was also Halldor the son of Gudmund of Modruvellir, and Kolbein the son of Thord Frey’s-priest, the brother of Burning-Flosi, and fourthly Sverting the son of Runolf the Priest. ¤ These were all heathen, as were many others: some powerful, and others not so powerful. ¤ There came also from Iceland noble men who had accepted the true Faith from Thangbrand, and one that was of these was Gizur the White, the son of Teit Ketilbiarnson, whose mother was Alof, the daughter of Bodvar Viking-Karason the ‘hersir.’ Bodvar’s brother was Sigurd the father of Eirik Biodaskalli, the father of Astrid, who was the mother of King Olaf. Another Icelander was named Hialti Skeggiason, and he had to wife Vilborg the daughter of Gizur the White; Hialti was a Christian, and King Olaf received with pleasure Gizur and his son-in-law Hialti, and with the King did they abide. Those of the Icelanders, however, who were captains of the ships and were heathens to boot, sought to sail away even so soon as the King was come to town, for it was told them that the King constrained all men to embrace the faith of Christ. It so befell natheless that the wind was set against them, & drave them back off Nidarholm. The captains of the ships were hight Thorarin Nefiolfson, Hallfrod the Skald, the son of Ottar, Brand the Bountiful and Thorleik Brandson. Now it being told to King Olaf that some of the Icelanders, and they heathens, were hard by with their ships and were about to flee the town, he sent to them and forbade them to sail, but commanded them instead to come and lie off the town, and this they did but unloaded not their ships.
¶ Then came the holy season of Michaelmas,[§] and the King caused the feast to be well kept and a solemn Mass was said. Thereat were the Icelanders witnesses and hearkened to the fair singing and the ringing of bells. ¤ When they were come back to their ships each of them said what he had thought of the Christian men’s ways & Kiartan praised them, but most of the others mocked at them, & it befell that the King heard of this, for as the saying goes, ‘many are the King’s ears.’ Then forthwith that self-same day sent he an emissary to Kiartan, and bade him come unto him, & Kiartan went unto him with but few men, and the King bade him welcome. Now Kiartan was one of the biggest and fairest of men, with a great gift of speech. When they had parleyed a while did the King make proffer to Kiartan that he should embrace the true Faith, and Kiartan made answer unto him that he would not say nay to this if he might thus gain the friendship of the King, whereupon swore the King to him & pledged him his hearty friendship, & after this fashion was a compact struck between them. On the morrow was Kiartan baptized, and with him Bolli Thorleikson his kinsman, and all their fellows. ¤ Kiartan and Bolli were the guests of the King as long as they went in white weeds,[§] and the King was of kindly countenance toward them.
¶ It befell one day that King Olaf was walking in the street when some men came toward him, and he who was walking foremost greeted the King. ¤ The King asked of the man his name, and the latter said he was hight Hallfrod. ¤ Then said the King, ‘Art thou a skald?’ ‘I can make verses,’ said he. Then the King answered: ‘Thou wilt accept baptism as I trow and thereafter be my man?’ ¤ Quoth Hallfrod: ‘There must be a bargain on that matter if I am to suffer myself to be baptized, to wit, that thou, King, holdest me thyself at the font, for from no man else will I take it.’ ‘So be it,’ said the King, & so Hallfrod was baptized and the King held him himself at the font. Thereafter the King asked Hallfrod: ‘Wilt thou be my man?’ & Hallfrod made answer: ‘I was of Earl Hakon’s body-guard; and now will I not be the liege-man of thee or of any other chief unless thou givest me thy word that such a thing shall never befall as that thou shouldst drive me away from thee.’ ¤ ‘From all that is told me of thee, Hallfrod,’ said the King, ‘thou art neither so wise nor so meek but that thou mightest not do a thing which I could in no wise suffer.’ ¤ ‘Slay me then,’ said Hallfrod. The King said, ‘Thou art a troublesome skald, but my man shalt thou be all the same.’ Hallfrod answered: ‘What wilt thou give me, King, as a name-gift if I am to be called “Troublous-Skald”?’ Then did the King give him a sword, but it had no scabbard; and the King said, ‘Make now a stave about the sword, & let “sword” be in every line.’ Hallfrod sang:
‘One sword alone of all swords
Hath made me now sword-wealthy;
For the swinger of swords
Will there now be swords in plenty.
No lack of swords will there be,
Lord of the land were but