"Little do I remember of these matters, which befell while yet I was
a babe in arms. This that I tell you was taught to me by Thorgils,
my foster brother, who is the thrall of Biorn the merchant; and
he can tell you more than I know, for he is older than I, and the
son of our faithful Thoralf. Thorgils has said that when Gunnhild
got tidings that I had come into the world she sent forth many armed
messengers, and bade them fare into the Uplands in search of this
son of King Triggvi, that they might prevent my growing up to
manhood and claiming my father's realm. But in good time the friends
of Erik were aware of the messengers; so Erik arrayed Astrid for
departure, and gave her good guides, and sent her east--away into
the Swede realm to one Hakon Gamle, a friend of his and a man of
might, with whom we abode in all welcome for a long while."

"And what then?" urged Sigurd. For the boy had paused, and had pulled
a tangle of brown seaweed from the rock where he was sitting, and
was cracking the little air bladders between his fingers.

"Now it chanced," continued Olaf, "that even again Queen Gunnhild
secretly learned our hiding place. So she sent a goodly company
east to the Swede king with good gifts and fair words, asking that
he might send Olaf Triggvison back with them into Norway, where
Gunnhild would foster me, and bring me up as became a king's son.
And the king sent to Ofrestead. But my mother Astrid knew that there
was treachery in this--for in like manner had Gunnhild beguiled
my father,--and she would by no means let me go into the care'
of my father's murderers, and so Gunnhild's messengers went back
empty handed.

"By this time I was full three winters old and strong of limb, and