ave never seen before. Now I wish you to tell me which of
those young men will be the mightiest man." [Sidenote: Gest's prophecy]
Gest replied, "That will fall out much in keeping with your own love,
for Kjartan will be the most highly accounted of so long as he lives."
Then Gest smote his horse and rode away. A little while after Thord the
Low rode up to his side, and said, "What has now come to pass, father,
that you are shedding tears?" Gest answered, "It is needless to tell it,
yet I am loath to keep silence on matters that will happen in your own
days. To me it will not come unawares if Bolli one day should _have_ at
his feet the head of Kjartan slain, and should by the deed bring about
his own death, and this is an ill thing to know of such sterling men."
Then they rode on to the Thing, and it was an uneventful meeting.

CHAP. XXXIV

Gudrun's First Marriage, A.D. 989

Thorvald was the name of a man, son of Haldor Garpdale's Priest. He
lived at Garpsdale in Gilsfirth, a wealthy man, but not much of a
hero. At the Thing he wooed Gudrun, Osvif's daughter, when she was
fifteen years old. [Sidenote: Gudrun marries Thorvald] The matter was
not taken up in a very adverse manner, yet Osvif said that against
the match it would tell, that he and Gudrun were not of equal
standing. Thorvald spoke gently, and said he was wooing a wife, not
money. After that Gudrun was betrothed to Thorvald, and Osvif settled
alone the marriage contract, whereby it was provided that Gudrun
should alone manage their money affairs straightway when they came
into one bed, and be entitled to one-half thereof as her own, whether
their married life were long or short. He should also buy her jewels,
so that no woman of equal wealth should have better to show. Yet he
should retain his farm-stock unimpaired by such purchases. And now men
ride home from the Thing. Gudrun was not asked about it, and took it
much to heart; yet things went on quietly. The wedding was at
Garpsdale, in Twinmonth (latter part of August to the latter part of
September). Gudrun loved Thorvald but little, and was extravagant in
buying finery. There was no jewel so costly in all the West-firths
that Gudrun did not deem it fitting that it should be hers, and
rewarded Thorvald with anger if he did not buy it for her, however
dear it might be. [Sidenote: Her friendship with Thord] Thord, Ingun's
son, made himself very friendly with Thorvald and Gudrun, and stayed
with them