the Salmon-river. The foster-brothers had been swimming there during the
day, and at this sport the sons of Olaf mostly took the lead. There were
many other young men from the other houses swimming too. Kjartan and
Bolli leapt out of the water as the company rode down and were nearly
dressed when Olaf and Gest came up to them. Gest looked at these young
men for a while, and told Olaf where Kjartan was sitting as well as
Bolli, and then Gest pointed his spear shaft to each one of Olaf's sons
and named by name all of them that were there. But there were many other
handsome young men there who had just left off swimming and sat on the
river-bank with Kjartan and Bolli. Gest said he did not discover the
family features of Olaf in any of these young men. Then said Olaf:
"Never is there too much said about your wits, Gest, knowing, as you
do, men you have never seen before. Now I wish you to tell me which of
those young men will be the mightiest man." [Sidenote: Gest's prophecy]
Gest replied, "That will fall out much in keeping with your own love,
for Kjartan will be the most highly accounted of so long as he lives."
Then Gest smote his horse and rode away. A little while after Thord the
Low rode up to his side, and said, "What has now come to pass, father,
that you are shedding tears?" Gest answered, "It is needless to tell it,
yet I am loath to keep silence on matters that will happen in your own
days. To me it will not come unawares if Bolli one day should _have_ at
his feet the head of Kjartan slain, and should by the deed bring about
his own death, and this is an ill thing to know of such sterling men."
Then they rode on to the Thing, and it was an uneventful meeting.




CHAP. XXXIV