Page:The Heimskringla; or, Chronicle of the Kings of Norway Vol 2.djvu/192

 184 CHRONICLE OF THE SAGA GA V IL King Olaf, to which Aasmund encouraged him much, promising his influence with the king for obtaining for Carl such a situation as he desired ; and Carl ac- cordingly accompanied Aasmund. Aasmund heard that Asbiorn, who had killed Thorer Sel, had gone to the market-meeting of Vaage with a large ship of burden manned with nearly twenty men, and that he was now expected from the south. Aasmund and his retinue proceeded on their way southwards along the coast with a contrary wind, but there was little of it. They saw some of the fleet for Vaage sailing towards them; and they privately inquired of them about Asbiorn, and were told he was upon the way coming from the south. Aasmund and Carl were bedfellows, and excellent friends. One day, as Aasmund and his people were rowing through a sound, a ship of burden came sailing towards them. The ship was easily known, having high bulwarks, was painted with white and red colours, and coloured cloth was woven in the sail. Carl said to Aasmund, " Thou hast often said thou wast curious to see Asbiorn who killed Thorer Sel ; and if I know one ship from another, that is his which is coming sailing along." Aasmund replies, " Be so good, comrade, and tell me which is be when thou seest him." When the ships came alongside of each other, " That is Asbiorn," said Carl; " the man sitting at the helm in a blue cloak." Aasmund replies, " I shall make his blue cloak red ;" threw a spear at Asbiorn, and hit him in the middle of the body, so that it flew through and through him, and stuck fast in the upper part of the stern-post, and Asbiorn fell down dead from the helm. Then each ves- sel sailed on its course, and Asbiorn's body was carried north to Thrandarnaes. Then Sigrid sent a message to Biarko Isle to Thorer Hund, who came to her while they were, in the usual way, dressing the corpse of