Friendly gifts of many kinds gave Arinbjorn at Yule to those who were his guests, for Arinbjorn was
beyond all men open-handed and noble.

Then Egil composed a stave:

’Warrior gave to poet

Silken robe gold-glistering:

Never shall I find me

Friend of better faith.

Arinbjorn untiring

Earneth well his honours:

For his like the ages

Long may look in vain.’

Chapter 71 - Egil’s sadness.
Egil after Yule-tide was taken with much sadness that he spake not a word. And when Arinbjorn
perceived this he began to talk with Egil, and asked what this sadness meant. ’I wish,’ said he, ’you
would let me know whether you are sick, or anything ails you, that I may find a remedy.’

Egil said: ’Sickness of body I have none; but I have much anxiety about this, how I shall get that
property which I won when I slew Ljot the Pale northwards in Mæra. I am told that the king’s
stewards have taken up all that property, and claimed ownership thereof for the king. Now I would
fain have your help in the recovery of this.’

Arinbjorn: ’I do not think your claim to the ownership of that property is against the law of the land;
yet methinks the property is now come into strong keeping. The king’s treasury hath a wide entrance,
but a narrow exit. We have urged many arduous claims of money against powerful persons, but we
were in more confidence with the king than now; for the friendship between me and king Hacon is
shallow; yet must I act after the old saw: He must tend the oak who is to dwell beneath it.’

’Yet,’ said Egil, ’my mind is that, if we have law to show, we should try. Maybe the king will grant us
right in this, for I am told that the king is just, and keeps well to the laws which he has made here in
the land. I am rather minded to go seek the king and try the matter with him.’

Arinbjorn said that he did not desire this. ’I think, Egil, that these things will be hard to reconcile, your
eagerness and daring, and the king’s temper and power. For I deem him to be no friend of yours, and
for good reason as he thinks. I would rather that we let this matter drop, and did not take it up. But if
you wish it, Egil, I will rather myself go to the king and moot the question.’

Egil said that he thanked him heartily, and would choose it to be so.

Hacon was then in Rogaland, but at times in Hordaland; there was no difficulty in finding him. And
not long after this talk Arinbjorn made ready for his journey. It was then publicly known that he
purposed to seek the king. He manned with his house-carles a twenty-oared galley that he had. Egil
was to stay at home; Arinbjorn would not have him go. Arinbjorn started when ready, and his journey
went well; he found king Hacon, and was well received.