er the household. Olaf bade him not to show that he was angry with
his kinsmen. "Call this to mind, Kjartan, that you have loved no man
so much as your foster-brother Bolli, and it is my wish that you
should come, for things will soon settle themselves between you,
kinsmen, if you meet each other." [Sidenote: They ride to Laugar]
Kjartan did as his father bade him. He took the scarlet clothes that
King Olaf had given him at parting, and dressed himself gaily; he
girded his sword, the king's gift, on; and he had a gilt helm on his
head, and on his side a red shield with the Holy Cross painted on it
in gold; he had in his hand a spear, with the socket inlaid with gold.
All his men were gaily dressed. There were in all between twenty and
thirty men of them. They now rode out of Herdholt and went on till
they came to Laugar. There were a great many men gathered together
already.

CHAP. XLV

Kjartan marries Hrefna, A.D. 1002

Bolli, together with the sons of Osvif, went out to meet Olaf and his
company, and gave them a cheery welcome. Bolli went to Kjartan and
kissed him, and Kjartan took his greeting. After that they were seen
into the house, Bolli was of the merriest towards them, and Olaf
responded to that most heartily, but Kjartan was rather silent. The
feast went off well. [Sidenote: Bolli's gift refused] Now Bolli had
some stud-horses which were looked upon as the best of their kind.
The stallion was great and goodly, and had never failed at fight; it
was light of coat, with red ears and forelock. Three mares went with
it, of the same hue as the stallion. These horses Bolli wished to give
to Kjartan, but Kjartan said he was not a horsey man, and could not
take the gift. Olaf bade him take the horses, "for these are most
noble gifts." Kjartan gave a flat refusal. They parted after this
nowise blithely, and the Herdholtings went home, and all was quiet.
Kjartan was rather gloomy all the winter, and people could have but
little talk of him. Olaf thought this a great misfortune. That winter
after Yule Kjartan got ready to leave home, and there were twelve of
them together, bound for the countrysides of the north. They now rode
on their way till they came to Asbjornness, north in Willowdale, and
there Kjartan was greeted with the greatest blitheness and
cheerfulness. The housing there was of the noblest. Hall, the son of
Gudmund, was about twenty winters old, and took much after the kindred
of the men of Salmon