It is told before of Sigurd that he passed some years in merchant
voyages, and he came thus to Iceland one winter, and took up his lodging
with Thorgils Odson in Saurby; but very few knew where he was. In
autumn, when the sheep were being driven into a fold to be slaughtered,
a sheep that was to be caught ran to Sigurd; and as Sigurd thought the
sheep ran to him for protection, he stretched out his hands to it and
lifted it over the fold dyke, and let it run to the hills, saying,
"There are not many who seek help from me, so I may well help this one."
It happened the same winter that a woman had committed a theft, and
Thorgils, who was angry at her for it, was going to punish her; but
she ran to Sigurd to ask his help, and he set her upon the bench by
his side. Thorgils told him to give her up, and told him what she had
committed; but Sigurd begged forgiveness for her since she had come
to him for protection, and that Thorgils would dismiss the complaint
against her, but Thorgils insisted that she should receive her
punishment. When Sigurd saw that Thorgils would not listen to his
entreaty, he started up, drew his sword, and bade him take her if he
dared; and Thorgils seeing that Sigurd would defend the woman by force
of arms, and observing his commanding mien, guessed who he must be,
desisted from pursuing the woman, and pardoned her. There were many
foreign men there, and Sigurd made the least appearance among them. One
day Sigurd came into the sitting-room, and a Northman who was splendidly
clothed was playing chess with one of Thorads house-servants. The
Northman called Sigurd, and asked him his advice how to play; but when
Sigurd looked at the board, he saw the game was lost. The man who
was playing against the Northman had a sore foot, so that one toe was
bruised, and matter was coming out of it. Sigurd, who was sitting on the
bench, takes a straw, and draws it along the floor, so that some young
kittens ran after it. He drew the straw always before them, until they
came near the house-servant's foot, who jumping up with a scream, threw
the chessmen in disorder on the board; and thus it was a dispute how the
game had stood. This is given as a proof of Sigurd's cunning. People did
not know that he was a learned clerk until the Saturday before Easter,
when he consecrated the holy water with chant; and the longer he stayed
there the more he was esteemed. The summer after, Sigurd told Thorgils
before they parted, that he might with all confidence address his
friends to Sigurd Slembidjakn. Thorgils asked how nearly he was related
to him, on which he replies, "I am Sigurd Slembidjakn, a son of King
Magnus Barefoot." He then left Iceland.