ays he. After that they exchanged but few words, for both
sides were yet more fulfilled of ill-will than before. Lambi now rode
home to his manor. Thorgils Hallason rode out to Holyfell, and with
him the sons of Gudrun and his foster-brothers Halldor and Ornolf.
[Sidenote: Gudrun receives them] They came late in the evening to
Holyfell, when all men were in bed. Gudrun rose up and bade the
household get up and wait upon them. She went into the guest-chamber
and greeted Thorgils and all the others, and asked for tidings.
Thorgils returned Gudrun's greeting; he had laid aside his cloak and
his weapons as well, and sat then up against the pillars. Thorgils had
on a red-brown kirtle, and had round his waist a broad silver belt.
Gudrun sat down on the bench by him. Then Thorgils said this stave--

"To Helgi's home a raid we led,
Gave ravens corpse-repast to swallow,
We dyed shield-wands[9] with blood all red,
As Thorleik's lead our band did follow.
And at our hands there perished three
Keen helmet-stems,[10] accounted truly
As worthies of the folk--and we
Claim Bolli now's avenged full duly."

Gudrun asked them most carefully for the tidings of what had happened
on their journey. Thorgils told her all she wished. Gudrun said the
journey had been most stirringly carried out, and bade them have her
thanks for it. After that food was set before them, and after they had
eaten they were shown to bed, and slept the rest of the night. The
next day Thorgils went to talk to Gudrun, and said, "Now the matter
stands thus, as you know, Gudrun, that I have brought to an end the
journey you bade me undertake, and I must claim that, in a full manly
wise, that matter has been turned out of hand; you will also call to
mind what you promised me in return, and I think I am now entitled to
that prize." [Sidenote: Thorgils discovers Gudrun's trick] Then
Gudrun said, "It is not such a long time since we last talked together
that I should have forgotten what we said, and my only aim is to hold
to all I agreed to as concerning you. Or what does your mind tell you
as to how matters were bespoken between us?" Thorgils said she must
remember that, and Gudrun answered, "I think I said that of men within
this land I would marry none but you; or have you aught to say against
that?" Thorgils said she was right. "That is well then," said Gudrun,
"that our memory should be one and the same on this matter. And I will
not p