Thereafter Gunnlaug sailed from England with chapmen north to Dublin. In
those days King Sigtrygg Silky-beard, son of King Olaf Kvaran and Queen
Kormlada, ruled over Ireland; and he had then borne sway but a little
while. Gunnlaug went before the king, and greeted him well and worthily.
The king received him as was meet. Then Gunnlaug said, “I have made a
song on thee, and I would fain have silence therefor.”
The king answered, “No men have before now come forward with songs for
me, and surely will I hearken to thine.” Then Gunnlaug brought the song,
whereof this is the burden,--
“Swaru’s steed
Doth Sigtrygg feed.”
And this is therein also:--
“Praise-worth I can
Well measure in man,
And kings, one by one--
Lo here, Kvararis son!
Gruageth the king
Gift of gold ring?
I, singer, know
His wont to bestow.
Let the high king say,
Heard he or this day,
Song drapu-measure
Dearer a treasure?”
The king thanked him for the song, and called his treasurer to him, and
said, “How shall the song be rewarded?”
“What hast thou will to give, lord?” says he.
“How will it be rewarded if I give him two ships for it?” said the king.
Then said the treasurer, “This is too much, lord; other kings give in
regard of songs good keepsakes, fair swords, or golden rings.”
So the king gave him his own raiment of new scarlet, a gold-embroidered
kirtle, and a cloak lined with choice furs, and a gold ring which
weighed a mark. Gunnlaug thanked him well.
He dwelt a short time here, and then went thence to the Orkneys.
Then was lord in Orkney, Earl Sigurd, the son of Hlodver; he was
friendly to Icelanders. Now Gunnlaug greeted the earl well, and said he
had a song to bring him. The earl said he would listen thereto, since he
was of such great kin in Iceland.
Then Gunnlaug brought the song; it was a shorter lay, and well done. The
earl gave him for lay-reward a broad axe, all inlaid with silver, and
bade him abide with him.
Gunnlaug thanked him both for his gift and his offer, but said he was
bound east for Sweden; and thereafter he went on board ship with chapmen
who sailed to Norway.
In the autumn they came east to King’s Cliff, Thorkel, his kinsman,
being with him all the time. From King’s Cliff they got a guide up to
West Gothland, and came upon a cheaping-stead, called Skarir: there
ruled an earl called Sigurd, a man stricken in years. Gunnlaug went
before him, and told him he had made a song on him; the earl gave a
willing ear hereto, and Gunnlaug brought the song, which was a shorter
lay.
The earl thanked him, and rewarded the song well, and bade him abide
there that winter.
Earl Sigurd had a great Yule-feast in the winter, and on Yule-eve came
thither men sent from Earl Eric of Norway, twelve of them together, and
brought gifts to Earl Sigurd. The earl made them good cheer, and bade
them sit by Gunnlaug through the Yule-tide; and there was great mirth at
drinks.
Now the Gothlanders said that no earl was greater or of more fame than
Earl Sigurd; but the Norwegians thought that Earl Eric was by far the
foremost of the two. Hereon would they bandy words, till they both took
Gunnlaug to be umpire in the matter.
Then he sang this stave:--
“Tell ye, staves of spear-din,
How on sleek-side sea-horse
Oft this earl hath proven
Over-toppling billows;
But Eric, victory’s ash-tree,
Oft hath seen in east-seas
More of high blue billows
Before the bows a-roaring.”
Both sides were content with his finding, but the Norwegians the best.
But after Yule-tide those messengers left with gifts of goodly things,
which Earl Sigurd sent to Earl Eric.
Now they told Earl Eric of Gunnlaug’s finding: the earl thought that he
had shown upright dealing and friendship to him herein, and let out some
words, saying that Gunnlaug should have good peace throughout his land.
What the earl had said came thereafter to the ears of Gunnlaug.
But now Earl Sigurd gave Gunnlaug a guide east to Tenthland, in Sweden,
as he had asked.