-river-Dale; and it is all men's say, there was no
more valiant-looking a man in all the north land. [Sidenote: The games
at Asbjornness] Hall greeted Kjartan, his uncle, with the greatest
blitheness. Sports are now at once started at Asbjornness, and men
were gathered together from far and near throughout the countrysides,
and people came from the west from Midfirth and from Waterness and
Waterdale all the way and from out of Longdale, and there was a great
gathering together. It was the talk of all folk how strikingly Kjartan
showed above other men. Now the sports were set going, and Hall took
the lead. He asked Kjartan to join in the play, "and I wish, kinsman,
you would show your courtesy in this." Kjartan said, "I have been
training for sports but little of late, for there were other things to
do with King Olaf, but I will not refuse you this for once." So
Kjartan now got ready to play, and the strongest men there were chosen
out to go against him. The game went on all day long, but no man had
either strength or litheness of limb to cope with Kjartan. And in the
evening when the games were ended, Hall stood up and said, "It is the
wish and offer of my father concerning those men who have come from
the farthest hither, that they all stay here over night and take up
the pastime again to-morrow." At this message there was made a good
cheer, and the offer deemed worthy of a great man. Kalf Asgeirson was
there, and he and Kjartan were dearly fond of each other. His sister
Hrefna was there also, and was dressed most showily. There were over a
hundred (_i.e._ over 120) men in the house that night. And the next
day sides were divided for the games again. [Sidenote: Thurid's
advice] Kjartan sat by and looked on at the sports. Thurid, his
sister, went to talk to him, and said, "It is told me, brother, that
you have been rather silent all the winter, and men say it must be
because you are pining after Gudrun, and set forth as a proof thereof
that no fondness now is shown between you and Bolli, such as through
all time there had been between you. Do now the good and befitting
thing, and don't allow yourself to take this to heart, and grudge not
your kinsman a good wife. To me it seems your best counsel to marry,
as you bespoke it last summer, although the match be not altogether
even for you, where Hrefna is, for such a match you cannot find within
this land. Asgeir, her father, is a noble and a high-born man, and he
does not l