CHAPTER III.

HRUT AND GUNNHILLDA, KINGS MOTHER.


At that time Harold Grayfell reigned in Norway; he was the son of Eric
Bloodaxe, who was the son of Harold Fairhair; his mother's name was
Gunnhillda, a daughter of Auzur Toti, and they had their abode east, at
the King's Crag. Now the news was spread, how a ship had come thither
east into the Bay, and as soon as Gunnhillda heard of it, she asked
what men from Iceland were aboard, and they told her Hrut was the man's
name, Auzur's brother's son. Then Gunnhillda said, "I see plainly that
he means to claim his heritage, but there is a man named Soti, who has
laid his hands on it".

After that she called her waiting-man, whose name was Augmund, and
said--

"I am going to send thee to the Bay to find out Auzur and Hint, and tell
them that I ask them both to spend this winter with me. Say, too, that I
will be their friend, and if Hrut will carry out my counsel, I will see
after his suit, and anything else he takes in hand, and I will speak a
good word, too, for him to the king."

After that he set off and found them; and as soon as they knew that he
was Gunnhillda's servant, they gave him good welcome. He took them aside
and told them his errand, and after that they talked over their plans by
themselves. Then Auzur said to Hrut--