They then went to bed; but the king watched all night in prayer. When
day dawned the king went to mass; then to table, and from thence to
the Thing. The weather was such as Gudbrand desired. Now the Bishop
stood up in his choir-robes, with bishop's coif on his head, and
bishop's crosier in his hand. He spoke to the Bonders of the true
faith, told the many wonderful acts of God, and concluded his speech
well.

"Thord Potbelly replies, 'Many things we are told of by this learned
man with the staff in his hand, crooked at the top like a ram's horn.
But since you say, comrades, that your God is so powerful, and can do
so many wonders, tell him to make it clear sunshine to-morrow
forenoon, and then we shall meet here again, and do one of two
things,--either agree with you about this business, or fight you.'
And they separated for the day."

Overnight the king instructed Kolbein the Strong, an immense fellow,
the same who killed Gunhild's two brothers, that he, Kolbein, must
stand next him to-morrow; people must go down to where the ships of
the Bonders lay, and punctually bore holes in every one of them;
_item_, to the farms where their horses wore, and punctually unhalter
the whole of them, and let them loose: all which was done. Snorro
continues:--

"Now the king was in prayer all night, beseeching God of his goodness
and mercy to release him from evil. When mass was ended, and morning
was gray, the king went to the Thing. When he came thither, some
Bonders had already arrived, and they saw a great crowd coming along,
and bearing among them a huge man's image, glancing with gold and
silver. When the Bonders who were at the Thing saw it, they started