Thing, and they told him he was; and all thought they would come to
words at once about their matter, but it was not so. At last, one day
when the brothers and others who were at the Thing went to the Hill of
Laws, Mord took witness and declared that he had a money-suit against
Hrut for his daughter's dower, and reckoned the amount at ninety
hundreds in goods, calling on Hrut at the same time to pay and hand it
over to him, and asking for a fine of three marks. He laid the suit in
the Quarter Court, into which it would come by law, and gave lawful
notice, so that all who stood on the Hill of Laws might hear.

But when he had thus spoken, Hrut said--

"Thou hast undertaken this suit, which belongs to thy daughter, rather
for the greed of gain and love of strife than in kindliness and
manliness. But I shall have something to say against it; for the goods
which belong to me are not yet in thy hands. Now, what I have to say is
this, and I say it out, so that all who hear me on this hill may bear
witness: I challenge thee to fight on the island; there on one side
shall be laid all thy daughter's dower, and on the other I will lay down
goods worth as much, and whoever wins the day shall have both dower and
goods; but if thou wilt not fight with me, then thou shalt give up all
claim to these goods."

Then Mord held his peace, and took counsel with his friends about going
to fight on the island, and Jorund the priest gave him an answer.

"There is no need for thee to come to ask us for counsel in this matter,
for thou knowest if thou fightest with Hrut thou wilt lose both life and
goods. He has a good cause, and is besides mighty in himself and one of
the boldest of men."