business, and I went to him unarmed, as was right, save for helm
and Sigurd's sword. He was in the jarl's own chamber, and with him
were Thiodolf and a young scald named Harek, who sat with things
for writing before him, which was what I had never seen before.

We talked for some time, and all went well for peace; but one more
message was to go and come between the king and Einar, and so I
said I would sail at once.

"Not so much need for haste but that you can bide here for a day or
two," Harald said. "I will not have you complain of my hospitality
hereafter. And Thiodolf and Harek here want to learn more about
Sigurd's sword and its winning."

"If I tell them the truth, I shall spoil their saga, lord king!" I
said, laughing.

"Trust the scalds to mind you do not," he answered. "There are
times when I have to ask them which of my own doings they are
singing about now. But is there no wonder in the tale?"

So I told him just how the matter was. And when he heard of the
noise, and the stroke with which the ships were smitten, he said,
looking troubled, as I thought:

"Sigurd is stronger now that he is dead than when he lived. We felt
that stroke even here."

But when I told how I had seen the dead jarl, his face grew
thoughtful, and at last he said: