followed the footprints of Thorolf to a certain ditch or bog. He
groped down with his hand, and grasped the hilt of a sword. An wished
to have witnesses with him to this, and rode for Thorarin in
Sælingsdale Tongue, and he went with An to take up the sword. After
that An brought the sword back to Kjartan. Kjartan wrapt it in a
cloth, and laid it in a chest. The place was afterwards called
Sword-ditch, where An and Thorarin had found the "King's-gift." This
was all kept quiet. The scabbard was never found again. Kjartan always
treasured the sword less hereafter than heretofore. This affair
Kjartan took much to heart, and would not let the matter rest there.
Olaf said, "Do not let it pain you; true, they have done a nowise
pretty trick, but you have got no harm from it. We shall not let
people have this to laugh at, that we make a quarrel about such a
thing, these being but friends and kinsmen on the other side." And
through these reasonings of Olaf, Kjartan let matters rest in quiet.
After that Olaf got ready to go to the feast at Laugar at "winter
nights," and told Kjartan he must go too. Kjartan was very unwilling
thereto, but promised to go at the bidding of his father. Hrefna was
also to go, but she wished to leave her coif behind. "Goodwife,"
Thorgerd said, "whenever will you take out such a peerless keepsake if
it is to lie down in chests when you go to feasts?" Hrefna said, "Many
folk say that it is not unlikely that I may come to places where I
have fewer people to envy me than at Laugar." Thorgerd said, "I have
no great belief in people who let such things fly here from house to
house." [Sidenote: Hrefna misses the coif] And because Thorgerd urged
it eagerly Hrefna took the coif, and Kjartan did not forbid it when he
saw how the will of his mother went. After that they betake themselves
to the journey and came to Laugar in the evening, and had a goodly
welcome there. Thorgerd and Hrefna handed out their clothes to be
taken care of. But in the morning when the women should dress