that I would still not be penniless if I kept it, even if my ship
were wrecked off Iceland.

The King said: That was magnificent, and more than I should have
done. I would have thought my debt discharged if I had given you the
ship. Did he give you anything else?

Certainly he gave me something else, my Lord, said Audunn; he gave
me this ring which I am wearing on my arm, and said that I might
chance to lose all my property, and yet not be destitute if I had
this ring. But he advised me not to part with it unless I were under
such an obligation to some noble man that I wished to give it to
him. And now I have come to the right man, for it was in your power
to take from me both my bear and my life, but you allowed me to go
to Denmark in peace when others could not go there.

The King received the gift graciously and gave Audunn fine presents
in exchange before they parted. Audunn laid out his merchandise on
his voyage to Iceland, and sailed out that same summer, and people
thought him the luckiest of men.

From this man Audunn was descended Thorsteinn Gyduson. [Footnote:
Thorsteinn Gyduson was drowned in the year 1190. Unless
interpolated, the allusion to him shows that the story was written
after that date.]




EINAR H. KVARAN