od cheer was made Thorstein, as was like to be; and one day at the
feast it is said that Thorgerd sat in the high seat talking with her
brother Thorstein, while Olaf was talking to other men; but on the bench
right over against them sat three little maidens. Then said Thorgerd,--

"How dost thou, brother, like the look of these three little maidens
sitting straight before us?"

"Right well," he answers, "but one is by far the fairest; she has all
the goodliness of Olaf, but the whiteness and the countenance of us, the
Mere-men."

Thorgerd answered: "Surely this is true, brother, wherein thou sayest
that she has the fairness and countenance of us Mere-folk, but
the goodliness of Olaf Peacock she has not got, for she is not his
daughter."

"How can that be," says Thorstein, "being thy daughter none the less?"

She answered: "To say sooth, kinsman," quoth she, "this fair maiden is
not my daughter, but thine."

And therewith she told him all as it had befallen, and prayed him to
forgive her and his own wife that trespass.

Thorstein said: "I cannot blame you two for having done this; most
things will fall as they are fated, and well have ye covered over my
folly: so look I on this maiden that I deem it great good luck to have
so fair a child. But now, what is her name?"

"Helga she is called," says Thorgerd.

"Helga the Fair," says Thorstein. "But now shalt thou make her ready to
come home with me."

She did so, and Thorstein was led out with good gifts, and Helga rode
with him to his home, and was brought up there with much honour and
great love from father and mother and all her kin.

CHAPTER IV. Of Gunnlaug Worm-tongue and his Kin.

Now at this time there dwelt at Gilsbank, up in White-water-side, Illugi
the Black, son of Hallkel, the son of Hrosskel. The mother of Illugi was
Thurid Dandle, daughter of Gunnlaug Worm-tongue.

Illugi was the next greatest chief in Burg-firth after Thorstein
Egilson. He was a man of broad lands and hardy of mood, and wont to do
well to his friends; he had to wife Ingibiorg, the daughter of Asbiorn
Hordson, from Ornolfsdale; the mother of Ingibiorg was Thorgerd, the
daughter of Midfirth-Skeggi. The children of Illugi and Ingibiorg were
many, but few of them have to do with this story. Hermund was one of
their sons, and Gunnlaug another; both were hopeful men, and at this
time of ripe growth.

It is told of Gunnlaug that he was quick of growth in his early youth,
b