Those messmates Kari and Kolbein the Black put out to sea from
Eyrar half a month later than Flosi and his companions from
Hornfirth.
They got a fine fair wind, and were but a short time out. The
first land they made was the Fair Isle, it lies between Shetland
and the Orkneys. There that man whose name was David the White
took Kari into his house, and he told him all that he had heard
for certain about the doings of the burners. He was one of
Kari's greatest friends, and Kari stayed with him for the winter.
There they heard tidings from the west out of the Orkneys of all
that was done there.
Earl Sigurd bade to his feast at Yule Earl Gilli, his brother-
in-law, out of the Southern isles; he had to wife Swanlauga, Earl
Sigurd's sister; and then, too, came to see Earl Sigurd that king
from Ireland whose name was Sigtrygg. He was a son of Olaf
Rattle, but his mother's name was Kormlada; she was the fairest
of all women, and best gifted in everything that was not in her
own power, but it was the talk of men that she did all things ill
over which she had any power.
Brian was the name of the king who first had her to wife, but
they were then parted. He was the best-natured of all kings. He
had his seat in Connaught, in Ireland; his brother's name was
Wolf the Quarrelsome, the greatest champion and warrior; Brian's
foster-child's name was Kerthialfad. He was the son of King
Kylfi, who had many wars with King Brian, and fled away out of
the land before him, and became a hermit; but when King Brian
went south on a pilgrimage, then he met King Kylfi, and then they
were atoned, and King Brian took his son Kerthialfad to him, and
loved him more than his own sons. He was then full grown when
these things happened, and was the boldest of all men.
Duncan was the name of the first of King Brian's sons; the second
was Margad; the third, Takt, whom we call Tann, he was the
youngest of them; but the elder sons of King Brian were full
grown, and the briskest of men.
Kormlada was not the mother of King Brian's children, and so grim
was she against King Brian after their parting, that she would
gladly have him dead.
King Brian thrice forgave all his outlaws the same fault, but if
they misbehaved themselves oftener, then he let them be judged by
the law; and from this one may mark what a king he must have
been.
Kormlada egged on her son Sigtrygg very much to kill King Brian,
and she now sent him to Earl Sigurd to beg for help.
King Sigtrygg came before Yule to the Orkneys, and there, too,
came Earl Gilli, as was written before.
The men were so placed that King Sigtrygg sat in a high seat in
the middle, but on either side of the king sat one of the earls.
The men of King Sigtrygg and Earl Gilli sate on the inner side
away from him, but on the outer side away from Earl Sigurd, sate
Flosi and Thorstein, son of Hall of the Side, and the whole hall
was full.
Now King Sigtrygg and Earl Gilli wished to hear of these tidings
which had happened at the burning, and so, also, what had
befallen since.
Then Gunnar Lambi's son was got to tell the tale, and a stool was
set for him to sit upon.