Page:The Story of Egil Skallagrimsson.djvu/79

 Swan-ness, when men sat there a-drinking. He went into the room, but when Yngvar saw Egil he received him joyfully, and asked why he had come so late. Egil told of his words with Skallagrim. Yngvar made Egil sit by him, they two sat opposite Skallagrim and Thorolf. For merriment over their ale they fell to reciting staves. Then Egil recited a stave:

'Hasting I came to the hearth fire Of Yngvar, right fain so to find him, Him who on heroes bestoweth Gold that the heather-worm guardeth. Thou, of the snake's shining treasure Always a generous giver, Wilt not than me of three winters Doughtier song-smith discover.'

Yngvar praised this stave, and thanked Egil much therefor, but on the morrow he brought to Egil as reward for the poem three sea-snail shells and a duck's egg. And next day at the drinking Egil recited another stave about his poem's reward:

'The wielder of keen-biting wound-fowl Gave unto Egil the talker Three silent dogs of the surf-swell, Meet for the praise in his poem. He, the skilled guide of the sea-horse, Knowing to please with a present, Gave as fourth gift to young Egil Round egg, the brook-bird's bed-bolster.'

Egil's poetry won him thanks from many men. No more tidings were there of that journey. Egil went home with Skallagrim.

Chapter 32 - Of lord Brynjolf and Bjorn, his son.

There was in Sogn a lord named Bjorn, a rich man; he dwelt at Aurland. His son was Brynjolf, who was sole heir to all his father's wealth. Brynjolf's sons were Bjorn and Thord. They were young when what has been just told happened. Bjorn was a great traveller, sometimes on free-booting, sometimes on trading voyages.