of great worth throughout life. And there we close the story of
Thorliek.




CHAP. XXXIX

Of Kjartan's Friendship for Bolli


[Sidenote: Osvif's counsel] At that time, as concerning the strife
between Hrut and Thorliek, it was ever the greatest gossip throughout
the Broadfirth-Dales how that Hrut had had to abide a heavy lot at the
hands of Kotkell and his sons. Then Osvif spoke to Gudrun and her
brothers, and bade them call to mind whether they thought now it would
have been the best counsel aforetime then and there to have plunged
into the danger of dealing with such "hell-men" (terrible people) as
Kotkell and his were. Then said Gudrun, "He is not counsel-bereft,
father, who has the help of thy counsel." Olaf now abode at his manor
in much honour, and all his sons are at home there, as was Bolli,
their kinsman and foster-brother. Kjartan was foremost of all the sons
of Olaf. Kjartan and Bolli loved each other the most, and Kjartan went
nowhere that Bolli did not follow. Often Kjartan would go to the
Sælingdale-spring, and mostly it happened that Gudrun was at the
spring too. Kjartan liked talking to Gudrun, for she was both a woman
of wits and clever of speech. It was the talk of all folk that of all
men who were growing up at the time Kjartan was the most even match
for Gudrun. Between Olaf and Osvif there was also great friendship,
and often they would invite one another, and not the less frequently