After that they busked them from home all together. Flosi was in
long-hose because he meant to go on foot, and then he knew that
it would seem less hard to the others to walk.
Then they fared from home to Knappvale, but the evening after to
Broadwater, and then to Calffell, thence by Bjornness to
Hornfirth, thence to Staffell in Lon, and then to Thvattwater to
Hall of the Side.
Flosi had to wife Steinvora, his daughter.
Hall gave them a very hearty welcome, and Flosi said to Hall, "I
will ask thee, father-in-law, that thou wouldst ride to the Thing
with me with all thy Thingmen."
"Now," answered Hall, "it has turned out as the saw says, `but a
short while is hand fain of blow'; and yet it is one and the same
man in thy band who now hangs his head, and who then goaded thee
on to the worst of deeds when it was still undone. But my help I
am bound to lend thee in all such places as I may."
"What counsel dost thou give me," said Flosi, "in the strait in
which I now am."
"Thou shalt fare," said Hall, "north, right up to Weaponfirth,
and ask all the chiefs for aid, and thou wilt yet need it all
before the Thing is over."
Flosi stayed there three nights, and rested him, and fared thence
east to Geitahellna, and so to Berufirth; there they were the
night. Thence they fared east to Broaddale in Haydale. There
Hallbjorn the Strong dwelt. He had to wife Oddny the sister of
Saurli Broddhelgi's son, and Flosi had a hearty welcome there.
Hallbjorn asked how far north among the firths Flosi meant to go.
He said he meant to go as far as Weaponfirth. Then Flosi took a
purse of money from his belt, and said he would give it to
Hallbjorn. He took the money, but yet said he had no claim on
Flosi for gifts, "But still I would be glad to know in what thou
wilt that I repay thee."
"I have no need of money," says Flosi, "but I wish thou wouldst
ride to the Thing with me, and stand by me in my quarrel, but
still I have no ties or kinship to tell towards thee."
"I will grant thee that," said Hallbjorn, "to ride to the Thing
with thee, and to stand by thee in thy quarrel as I would by my
brother."
Flosi thanked him, and Hallbjorn asked much about the burning,
but they told him all about it at length.
Thence Flosi fared to Broaddale's heath, and so to Hrafnkelstede,
there dwelt Hrafnkell, the son of Thorir, the son of Hrafnkell
Raum. Flosi had a hearty welcome there, and sought for help and
a promise to ride to the Thing from Hrafnkell, but he stood out a
long while, though the end of it was that he gave his word that
his son Thorir should ride with all their Thingmen, and yield him
such help as the other priests of the same district.
Flosi thanked him and fared away to Bersastede. There Holmstein
son of Bersi the Wise dwelt, and he gave Flosi a very hearty
welcome. Flosi begged him for help. Holmstein said he had been
long in his debt for help.
Thence they fared to Waltheofstede -- there Saurli Broddhelgi's
son, Bjarni's brother, dwelt. He had to wife Thordisa, a
daughter of Gudmund the Powerful, of Modruvale. They had a
hearty welcome there. But next morning Flosi raised the question
with Saurli that he should ride to the Althing with him, and bid
him money for it.
"I cannot tell about that," says Saurli, "so long as I do not
know on which side my father-in-law Gudmund the Powerful stands,
for I mean to stand by him on whichever side he stands."
"Oh!" said Flosi, "I see by thy answer that a woman rules in this
house."
Then Flosi stood up and bade his men take their upper clothing
and weapons, and then they fared away, and got no help there. So
they fared below Lagarfleet and over the heath to Njardwick;
there two brothers dwelt, Thorkel the Allwise, and Thorwalld his
brother; they were sons of Kettle, the son of Thidrandi the Wise,
the son of Kettle Rumble, son of Thorir Thidrandi. The mother of
Thorkel the Allwise and Thorwalld was Yngvillda, daughter of
Thorkel the Wise. Flosi got a hearty welcome there, he told
those brothers plainly of his errand, and asked for their help;
but they put him off until he gave three marks of silver to each
of them for their aid; then they agreed to stand by Flosi.
Their mother Yngvillda was by when they gave their words to ride
to the Althing, and wept. Thorkel asked why she wept; and she
answered, "I dreamt that thy brother Thorwalld was clad in a red
kirtle, and methought it was so tight as though it were sewn on
him; methought too that he wore red hose on his legs and feet,
and bad shoethongs were twisted round them; methought it ill to
see when I knew he was so uncomfortable, but I could do naught
for him."
They laughed and told her she had lost her wits, and said her
babble should not stand in the way of their ride to the Thing.
Flosi thanked them kindly, and fared thence to Weaponfirth and
came to Hof. There dwelt Bjarni Broddhelgi's son (1). Bjarni
took Flosi by both hands, and Flosi bade Bjarni money for his
help.
"Never," said Bjarni, "have I sold my manhood or help for bribes,
but now that thou art in need of help, I will do thee a good turn
for friendship's sake, and ride to the Thing with thee, and stand
by thee as I would by my brother."
"Then thou hast thrown a great load of debt on my hands," said
Flosi, "but still I looked for as much from thee."
Thence Flosi and his men fared to Crosswick. Thorkell Geitis'
son was a great friend of his. Flosi told him his errand, and
Thorkel said it was but his duty to stand by him in every way in
his power, and not to part from his quarrel. Thorkel gave Flosi
good gifts at parting.
Thence they fared north to Weaponfirth and up into the Fleetdale
country, and turned in as guests at Holmstein's, the son of Bersi
the Wise. Flosi told him that all had backed him in his need and
business well, save Saurli Broddhelgi's son. Holmstein said the
reason of that was that he was not a man of strife. Holmstein
gave Flosi good gifts.
Flosi fared up Fleetdale, and thence south on the fell across
Oxenlaya and down Swinehorndale, and so out by Alftafirth to the
west, and did not stop till he came to Thvattwater to his father-
in-law Hall's house. There he stayed half a month, and his men
with him and rested him.
Flosi asked Hall what counsel he would now give him, and what he
should do next, and whether he should change his plans.
"My counsel," said Hall, "is this, that thou goest home to thy
house, and the sons of Sigfus with thee, but that they send men
to set their homesteads in order. But first of all fare home,
and when ye ride to the Thing, ride all together, and do not
scatter your band. Then let the sons of Sigfus go to see their
wives on the way. I too will ride to the Thing, and Ljot my son
with all our Thing-men, and stand by thee with such force as I
can gather to me."
Flosi thanked him, and Hall gave him good gifts at parting.
Then Flosi went away from Thvattwater, and nothing is to be told
of his journey till he comes home to Swinefell. There he stayed
at home the rest of the winter, and all the summer right up to
the Thing.