It is told that one day in the spring the King invited Audunn to
stay with him for good, and said he would make him his cup-bearer,
and do him great honour.
Audunn answered: May God reward you, my Lord, for all the favours
you would show me, but my heart is set on sailing out to Iceland.
The King said: This seems a strange choice to me,--but Audunn
answered: My Lord, I cannot bear to think that I should be enjoying
high honour here with you, while my mother is living the life of a
beggar out in Iceland. For by now, all that I contributed for her
subsistence before I left Iceland, has been used up.
The King answered: That is well spoken and like a man, and good
fortune will go with you. This was the one reason for your departure
which would not have offended me. So stay with me until the ships
are made ready for sea.--And this Audunn did.
One day towards the end of spring King Sveinn walked down to the
quay, where men were getting ships ready to sail to various lands,
to the Baltic lands and Germany, to Sweden and Norway. The King and
Audunn came to a fine vessel, and there were some men busy fitting
her out. The King asked:
How do you like this ship, Audunn?
Audunn answered: I like her well, my Lord.
The King said: I will give you this ship and reward you for the
white bear.
Audunn thanked the King for his gift as well as he knew how.
After a time, when the ship was quite ready to sail, King Sveinn
said to Audunn:
If you wish to go now, I shall not hinder you, but I have heard that
you are badly off for harbours in your country, and that there are
many shelterless coasts, dangerous to shipping. Now, supposing you
are wrecked, and lose your ship and your goods, there will be little
to show that you have visited King Sveinn and brought him a precious
gift.
Then the King handed him a leather purse full of silver: You will
not be altogether penniless, said he, even if you wreck your ship,
so long as you can hold on to this. But yet it may be, said the
King, that you will lose this money, and then it will be of little
use to you that you have been to see King Sveinn and given him a
precious gift.
Then the King drew a ring from his arm and gave it to Audunn,
saying: Even if it turns out so badly that you wreck your ship and
lose your money, you will still not be a pauper if you reach land,
for many men have gold about them in a shipwreck, and if you keep
this ring there will be something to show that you have been to see
King Sveinn. But I will give you this advice, said the King, do not
give this ring away, unless you should feel yourself so much
indebted to some distinguished man--then give the ring to him, for
it is a fitting gift for a man of rank. And now farewell.