n always
treasured the sword less hereafter than heretofore. This affair
Kjartan took much to heart, and would not let the matter rest there.
Olaf said, "Do not let it pain you; true, they have done a nowise
pretty trick, but you have got no harm from it. We shall not let
people have this to laugh at, that we make a quarrel about such a
thing, these being but friends and kinsmen on the other side." And
through these reasonings of Olaf, Kjartan let matters rest in quiet.
After that Olaf got ready to go to the feast at Laugar at "winter
nights," and told Kjartan he must go too. Kjartan was very unwilling
thereto, but promised to go at the bidding of his father. Hrefna was
also to go, but she wished to leave her coif behind. "Goodwife,"
Thorgerd said, "whenever will you take out such a peerless keepsake if
it is to lie down in chests when you go to feasts?" Hrefna said, "Many
folk say that it is not unlikely that I may come to places where I
have fewer people to envy me than at Laugar." Thorgerd said, "I have
no great belief in people who let such things fly here from house to
house." [Sidenote: Hrefna misses the coif] And because Thorgerd urged
it eagerly Hrefna took the coif, and Kjartan did not forbid it when he
saw how the will of his mother went. After that they betake themselves
to the journey and came to Laugar in the evening, and had a goodly
welcome there. Thorgerd and Hrefna handed out their clothes to be
taken care of. But in the morning when the women should dress
themselves Hrefna looked for the coif and it was gone from where she
had put it away. It was looked for far and near, and could not be
found. Gudrun said it was most likely the coif had been left behind at
home, or that she had packed it so carelessly that it had fallen out
on the way. Hrefna now told Kjartan that the coif was lost. He
answered and said it was no easy matter to try to make them take care
of things, and bade her now leave matters quiet; and told his father
what game was up. Olaf said, "My will is still as before, that you
leave alone and let pass by this trouble and I will probe this matter
to the bottom in quiet; for I would do anything that you and Bolli
should not fall out. Best to bind up a whole flesh, kinsman," says he.
Kjartan said, "I know well, father, that you wish the best for
everybody in this affair; yet I know not whether I can put up with
being thus overborne by these folk of Laugar." [Sidenote: Kjartan
complains to Boll