Page:The Heimskringla; or, Chronicle of the Kings of Norway Vol 3.djvu/196

 184 CHRONICLE OF THE SAGA XII. who is called Morstrut*; and speak about that sur- name in thy song." The man who spoke to him was called Arne FioruskefF. Then they went into the room ; and when Thorarin came before the king^s seat he recited these verses: — ^' Drontheim's warrior-king has said The scald should be by gifts repaid, If he before this meeting gave The king's friend Serke a passing stave. The generous king has let me know My stave, to please, must be framed so That my poor verse extol the fame Of one called Hakon Lump by name." Then said the king, " I never said so, and some- body has been making a mock of thee. Hakon him- self shall determine what punishment thou shalt have. Go into his suite." Hakon said, '' He shall be welcome among us, for I can see where the joke came from ; " and he placed the Icelander at his side next to himself, and they were very merry. The day was drawing to a close, and the liquor began to get into their heads, when Hakon said, '' Dost thou not think, Icelander, that thou owest me some penalty ? and dost thou not see that some trick has been played upon thee ? " Thorarin replies, "It is true, indeed, that I owe thee some compensation." Hakon says, " Then we shall be quits, if thou wilt make me another stave about Arne." He said he was ready to do so ; and they crossed over to the side of the room where Arne was sitting, und Thorarin gave these verses : — " FioruskefF has often spread. With evil heart and idle head. The eagle's voidings* round the land, Lampoons and lies, with ready hand. + The eagle's voidings is an allusion to the story in the Edda. When Odin, in the shape of an eagle, stole the poet's drink from its
 * Morstrutr is a short, fat, punchy fellow.