The Earl took to him, and Thrain was there that winter, and was thought much of.
There was a man named Kol, he was a great sea-rover. He was the son of Asmund Ashside, east out of Smoland. He lay east in the Göta-Elf, and had five ships, and much force.
Thence Kol steered his course out of the river to Norway, and landed at Fold,[33] in the bight of the "Bay," and came on Hallvard Soti unawares, and found him in a loft. He kept them off bravely till they set fire to the house, then he gave himself up; but they slew him, and took there much goods, and sailed thence to Lödese.[34]
Earl Hacon heard these tidings, and made them make Kol an outlaw over all his realm, and set a price upon his head.
Once on a time it so happened that the Earl began to speak thus—
"Too far off from us now is Gunnar of Lithend. He would slay my outlaw if he were here; but now the Icelanders will slay him, and it is ill that he hath not fared to us."
Then Thrain Sigfus' son answered—
"I am not Gunnar, but still I am near akin to him, and I will undertake this voyage."
The Earl said, "I should be glad of that, and thou shalt be very well fitted out for the journey".
After that his son Eric began to speak, and said—