It happened once that those brothers, Hauskuld and Hrut, rode to
the Althing, and there was much people at it. Then Hauskuld said
to Hrut, "One thing I wish, brother, and that is, that thou
wouldst better thy lot and woo thyself a wife."
Hrut answered, "That has been long on my mind, though there
always seemed to be two sides to the matter; but now I will do as
thou wishest; whither shall we turn our eyes?"
Hauskuld answered, "Here now are many chiefs at the Thing, and
there is plenty of choice, but I have already set my eyes on a
spot where a match lies made to thy hand. The woman's name is
Unna, and she is a daughter of Fiddle Mord, one of the wisest of
men. He is here at the Thing and his daughter too, and thou
mayest see her if it pleases thee."
Now the next day, when men were going to the High Court, they saw
some well-dressed women standing outside the booths of the men
from the Rangrivervales. Then Hauskuld said to Hrut "Yonder now
is Unna, of whom I spoke; what thinkest thou of her?"
"Well," answered Hrut; "but yet I do not know whether we should
get on well together."
After that they went to the High Court, where Fiddle Mord was
laying down the law as was his wont, and after he had done he
went home to his booth.
Then Hauskuld and Hrut rose, and went to Mord's booth. They went
in and found Mord sitting in the innermost part of the booth, and
they bade him "Good-day." He rose to meet them, and took
Hauskuld by the hand and made him sit down by his side, and Hrut
sat next to Hauskuld. So after they had talked much of this and
that, at last Hauskuld said, "I have a bargain to speak to thee
about; Hrut wishes to become thy son-in-law, and buy thy
daughter, and I, for my part, will not be sparing in the matter."
Mord answered, "I know that thou art a great chief, but thy
brother is unknown to me."
"He is a better man than I," answered Hauskuld.
"Thou wilt need to lay down a large sum with him, for she is heir
to all I leave behind me," said Mord.
"There is no need," said Hauskuld, "to wait long before thou
hearest what I give my word he shall have. He shall have
Kamness and Hrutstede, up as far as Thrandargil, and a trading-
ship beside, now on her voyage."
Then said Hrut to Mord, "Bear in mind, now, husband, that my
brother has praised me much more than I deserve for love's sake;
but if after what thou hast heard, thou wilt make the match, I am
willing to let thee lay down the terms thyself."
Mord answered, "I have thought over the terms; she shall have
sixty hundreds down, and this sum shall be increased by a third
more in thine house, but if ye two have heirs, ye shall go halves
in the goods."
Then said Hrut, "I agree to these terms, and now let us take
witness." After that they stood up and shook hands, and Mord
betrothed his daughter Unna to Hrut, and the bridal feast was to
be at Mord's house, half a month after Midsummer.
Now both sides ride home from the Thing, and Hauskuld and Hrut
ride westward by Hallbjorn's beacon. Then Thiostolf, the son of
Bjorn Gullbera of Reykriverdale, rode to meet them, and told them
how a ship had come out from Norway to the White River, and how
aboard of her was Auzur Hrut's father's brother, and he wished
Hrut to come to him as soon as ever he could. When Hrut heard
this, he asked Hauskuld to go with him to the ship, so Hauskuld
went with his brother, and when they reached the ship, Hrut gave
his kinsman Auzur a kind and hearty welcome. Auzur asked them
into his booth to drink, so their horses were unsaddled, and they
went in and drank, and while they were drinking, Hrut said to
Auzur, "Now, kinsman, thou must ride west with me, and stay with
me this winter."
"That cannot be, kinsman, for I have to tell thee the death of
thy brother Eyvind, and he has left thee his heir at the Gula
Thing, and now thy foes will seize thy heritage, unless thou
comest to claim it."
"What's to be done now, brother?" said Hrut to Hauskuld, "for
this seems a hard matter, coming just as I have fixed my bridal
day."
"Thou must ride south," said Hauskuld, "and see Mord, and ask him
to change the bargain which ye two have made, and to let his
daughter sit for thee three winters as thy betrothed, but I will
ride home and bring down thy wares to the ship."
Then said Hrut, "My wish is that thou shouldest take meal and
timber, and whatever else thou needest out of the lading." So
Hrut had his horses brought out, and he rode south, while
Hauskuld rode home west. Hrut came east to the Rangrivervales to
Mord, and had a good welcome, and he told Mord all his business,
and asked his advice what he should do.
"How much money is this heritage," asked Mord, and Hrut said it
would come to a hundred marks, if he got it all.
"Well," said Mord, "that is much when set against what I shall
leave behind me, and thou shalt go for it, if thou wilt."
After that they broke their bargain, and Unna was to sit waiting
for Hrut three years as his betrothed. Now Hrut rides back to
the ship, and stays by her during the summer, till she was ready
to sail, and Hauskuld brought down all Hrut's wares and money to
the ship, and Hrut placed all his other property in Hauskuld's
hands to keep for him while he was away. Then Hauskuld rode home
to his house, and a little while after they got a fair wind and
sail away to sea. They were out three weeks, and the first land
they made was Hern, near Bergen, and so sail eastward to the Bay.