Page:The Heimskringla; or, Chronicle of the Kings of Norway Vol 2.djvu/112

 104 CHRONICLE OF THE saga vii. AV ilt now have an opportunity of seeing Greenland, if thou hast never been there before." At first Thorarin did not say much about it ; but as the king insisted on his wish he did not entirely decline, but said, " I will let you hear, king, what my desire would have been had I gained the wager. It would have been to be received into your body of court-men ; and if you will grant me that, I will be the more zealous now in fulfilling your pleasure." The king gave his consent, and Thorarin was made one of the court-men. Then Thorarin rigged out his vessel, and when he was ready he took on board King Rserek. When Thorarin took leave of King Olaf, he said, " Should it now turn out, king, as is not impro- bable, and often happens, that we cannot effect the voyage to Greenland, but must run for Iceland or other countries, how shall I get rid of this king in a way that will be satisfactory to you?" The king — "If thou comest to Iceland, deliver him into the hands of Gudmund Eyolfsson, or of Skopte the lagman, or of some other chief who will receive my tokens and message of friendship. But if thou comest to other countries nearer to this, do so with him that thou canst know with certainty that King Raarek never again shall appear in Norway ; but do so only when thou seest no other way of doing what- soever." When Thorarin was ready for sea, and got a wind, he sailed outside of all the rocks and islands, and when he was to the north of the Naze set right out into the ocean. He did not immediately get a good wind, but he avoided coming near the land. He sailed until he made land which he knew, in the south part of Iceland, and sailed west around the land out into the Greenland ocean. There he encountered heavy storms, and drove long about upon the ocean ; but when summer was coming to an end he landed