them together, bound for the countrysides of the north. They now rode
on their way till they came to Asbjornness, north in Willowdale, and
there Kjartan was greeted with the greatest blitheness and
cheerfulness. The housing there was of the noblest. Hall, the son of
Gudmund, was about twenty winters old, and took much after the kindred
of the men of Salmon-river-Dale; and it is all men's say, there was no
more valiant-looking a man in all the north land. [Sidenote: The games
at Asbjornness] Hall greeted Kjartan, his uncle, with the greatest
blitheness. Sports are now at once started at Asbjornness, and men
were gathered together from far and near throughout the countrysides,
and people came from the west from Midfirth and from Waterness and
Waterdale all the way and from out of Longdale, and there was a great
gathering together. It was the talk of all folk how strikingly Kjartan
showed above other men. Now the sports were set going, and Hall took
the lead. He asked Kjartan to join in the play, "and I wish, kinsman,
you would show your courtesy in this." Kjartan said, "I have been
training for sports but little of late, for there were other things to
do with King Olaf, but I will not refuse you this for once." So
Kjartan now got ready to play, and the strongest men there were chosen
out to go against him. The game went on all day long, but no man had
either strength or litheness of limb to cope with Kjartan. And in the
evening when the games were ended, Hall stood up and said, "It is the
wish and offer of my father concerning those men who have come from
the farthest hither, that they all stay here over night and take up
the pastime again to-morrow." At this message there was made a good
cheer, and the offer deemed worthy of a great man. Kalf Asgeirson was
there, and he and Kjartan were dearly fond of each other. His sister
Hrefna was there also, and was dressed most showily. There were over a
hundred (_i.e._ over 120) men in the house that night. And the next
day sides were divided for the games again. [Sidenote: Thurid's