"I was taken by sea-rovers," says Tofi, "and they put me on land here in Osel, and here I have been ever since."
ENDNOTES:
(1) Rill of wolf — stream of blood. (2) A province of Sweden. (3) An island in the Baltic, off the coast of Esthonia. (4) "Endil's courser" — periphrasis for a ship. (5) "Sigar's storm" — periphrasis for a sea-fight.
31. GUNNAR GOES TO KING HAROLD GORM'S SON AND EARL HACON
Gunnar took Tofi on board, and said to Kolskegg and Hallvard,
"Now we will hold our course for the north lands."
They were well pleased at that, and bade him have his way. So Gunnar sailed from the east with much goods. He had ten ships, and ran in with them to Heidarby in Denmark. King Harold Gorm's son was there up the country, and he was told about Gunnar, and how too that there was no man his match in all Iceland. He sent men to him to ask him to come to him, and Gunnar went at once to see the king, and the king made him a hearty welcome, and sat him down next to himself. Gunnar was there half a month. The king made himself sport by letting Gunnar prove himself in divers feats of strength against his men, and there were none that were his match even in one feat.
Then the king said to Gunnar, "It seems to me as though thy peer is not to be found far or near," and the king offered to get Gunnar a wife, and to raise him to great power if he would settle down there.
Gunnar thanked the king for his offer and said, "I will first of all sail back to Iceland to see my friends and kinsfolk."
"Then thou wilt never come back to us," says the king.
"Fate will settle that, lord," says Gunnar.