Then Mord spoke out, that he would not fight with Hrut, and there arose
a great shout and hooting on the hill, and Mord got the greatest shame
by his suit.

After that men ride home from the Thing, and those brothers Hauskuld and
Hrut ride west to Reykiardale, and turned in as guests at Lund, where
Thiostolf, Biorn Gullbera's son, then dwelt. There had been much rain
that day, and men got wet, so long-fires were made down the length of
the hall. Thiostolf, the master of the house, sat between Hauskuld and
Hrut, and two boys, of whom Thiostolf had the rearing, were playing on
the floor, and a girl was playing with them. They were great
chatterboxes, for they were too young to know better. So one of them
said--

"Now, I will be Mord, and summon thee to lose thy wife because thou hast
not been a good husband to her."

Then the other answered--

"I will be Hrut, and I call on thee to give up all claim to thy goods,
if thou darest not to fight with me."

This they said several times, and all the household burst out laughing.
Then Hauskuld got wroth, and struck the boy who called himself Mord with
a switch, and the blow fell on his face, and graced the skin.

"Get out with thee," said Hauskuld to the boy, "and make no game of us;"
but Hrut said, "Come hither to me," and the boy did so. Then Hrut drew a
ring from his finger and gave it to him, and said--