GUNNAR GOES TO KING HAROLD GORM'S SON AND EARL HACON.
Gunnar took Tofi on board, and said to Kolskegg and Hallvard, "Now we
will hold our course for the north lands".
They were well pleased at that, and bade him have his way. So Gunnar
sailed from the east with much goods. He had ten ships, and ran in with
them to Heidarby in Denmark. King Harold Gorm's son was there up the
country, and he was told about Gunnar, and how too that there was no man
his match in all Iceland. He sent men to him to ask him to come to him,
and Gunnar went at once to see the king, and the king made him a hearty
welcome, and sat him down next to himself. Gunnar was there half a
month. The king made himself sport by letting Gunnar prove himself in
divers feats of strength against his men, and there were none that were
his match even in one feat.
Then the king said to Gunnar, "It seems to me as though thy peer is not
to be found far or near," and the king offered to get Gunnar a wife, and
to raise him to great power if he would settle down there.
Gunnar thanked the king for his offer and said--"I will first of all
sail back to Iceland to see my friends and kinsfolk".
"Then thou wilt never come back to us," says the king.
"Fate will settle that, lord," says Gunnar.
Gunnar gave the king a good long-ship, and much goods besides, and the
king gave him a robe of honour, and golden-seamed gloves, and a fillet
with a knot of gold on it, and a Russian hat.
Then Gunnar fared north to Hisingen. Oliver welcomed him with both
hands, and he gave back to Oliver his ships, with their lading, and said
that was his share of the spoil. Oliver took the goods, and said Gunnar
was a good man and true, and bade him stay with him some while. Hallvard
asked Gunnar if he had a mind to go to see Earl Hacon. Gunnar said that
was near his heart, "for now I am somewhat proved, but then I was not
tried at all when thou badest me do this before".
After that they fared north to Drontheim to see Earl Hacon, and he gave
Gunnar a hearty welcome, and bade him stay with him that winter, and
Gunnar took that offer, and every man thought him a man of great worth.
At Yule the Earl gave him a gold ring.
Gunnar set his heart on Bergliota, the Earl's kinswoman, and it was
often to be seen from the Earl's way, that he would have given her to
him to wife if Gunnar had said anything about that.