There was a man called Thorstein, the son of Egil, the son of
Skallagrim, the son of Kveldulf the Hersir of Norway. Asgerd was the
mother of Thorstein; she was the daughter of Biorn Hold. Thorstein dwelt
at Burg in Burg-firth; he was rich of fee, and a great chief, a wise
man, meek and of measure in all wise. He was nought of such wondrous
growth and strength as his father Egil had been; yet was he a right
mighty man, and much beloved of all folk.
Thorstein was goodly to look on, flaxen-haired, and the best-eyed of
men; and so say men of lore that many of the kin of the Mere-men, who
are come of Egil, have been the goodliest folk; yet, for all that, this
kindred have differed much herein, for it is said that some of them have
been accounted the most ill-favoured of men: but in that kin have been
also many men of great prowess in many wise, such as Kiartan, the son of
Olaf Peacock, and Slaying-Bardi, and Skuli, the son of Thorstein. Some
have been great bards, too, in that kin, as Biorn, the champion of
Hit-dale, priest Einar Skulison, Snorri Sturluson, and many others.
Now, Thorstein had to wife Jofrid, the daughter of Gunnar, the son of
Hlifar. This Gunnar was the best skilled in weapons, and the lithest of
limb of all bonderfolk who have been in Iceland; the second was Gunnar
of Lithend; but Steinthor of Ere was the third. Jofrid was eighteen
winters old when Thorstein wedded her; she was a widow, for Thorodd,
son of Odd of Tongue, had had her to wife aforetime. Their daughter was
Hungerd, who was brought up at Thorstein’s at Burg. Jofrid was a very
stirring woman; she and Thorstein had many children betwixt them, but
few of them come into this tale. Skuli was the eldest of their sons,
Kollsvein the second, Egil the third.