"I will give you leave, if ye play him no trick."
They said they would be sure to do what their father said.
Now they rode to Lithend; Gunnar was at home, and went out, and Kolskegg and Hjort went with him, and they gave them a hearty welcome, and asked whither they meant to go?
"No farther than hither," they say. "We are told that thou hast a good horse, and we wish to challenge thee to a horse-fight."
"Small stories can go about my horse," says Gunnar; "he is young and untried in every way."
"But still thou wilt be good enough to have the fight, for Hildigunna guessed that thou wouldest be easy in matching thy horse."
"How came ye to talk about that?" says Gunnar.
"There were some men," say they, "who were sure that no one would dare to fight his horse with ours."
"I would dare to fight him," says Gunnar; "but I think that was spitefully said."
"Shall we look upon the match as made, then?" they asked.