to the Salmon-river-Dale men that the bride should be brought home to
them, for by law the bride-groom should have gone to the bride's home
to be married. The wedding was to take place at Hoskuldstead when
seven weeks summer had passed. After that Egil and Hoskuld separated.
The father and son rode home to Hoskuldstead, and all was quiet the
rest of the summer. After that things were got ready for the wedding
at Hoskuldstead, and nothing was spared, for means were plentiful. The
guests came at the time settled, and the Burgfirthmen mustered in a
great company. Egil was there, and Thorstein, his son. The bride was
in the journey too, and with her a chosen company out of all the
countryside. Hoskuld had also a great company awaiting them. The feast
was a brave one, and the guests were seen off with good gifts on
leaving. Olaf gave to Egil the sword, Myrkjartan's gift, and Egil's
brow brightened greatly at the gift. Nothing in the way of tidings
befell, and every one went home.




CHAP. XXIV

The Building of Herdholt, A. D. 960


Olaf and Thorgerd lived at Hoskuldstead and loved each other very
dearly; it was easily seen by every one that she was a woman of very
high mettle, though she meddled little with every-day things, but
whatever Thorgerd put her hand to must be carried through as she
wished. Olaf and Thorgerd spent that winter turn and turn about at
Hoskuldstead, or with Olaf's foster-father. In the spring Olaf took