Egil and Einar pledged them to friendship on parting. Einar was long abroad from Iceland with men of
rank. Einar was open-handed, and often short of money, but noble-hearted and manly. He was in the
body-guard of earl Hacon Sigurd’s son. At that time there was in Norway much war, the battles
between earl Hacon and Eric’s sons; and now one, now the other, was driven from the land. King
Harold, Eric’s son, fell south in Denmark, at Hals in Lima-firth; this was by treachery. He was then
fighting with Harold Knut’s son, who was called Gold-Harold, and earl Hacon was there. There fell
also with king Harold lord Arinbjorn, of whom much has already been told. And when Egil heard of
the fall of Arinbjorn, then he sang:

’Mead-givers, glorious men,

Gold-spending warrior wights

Are spent and gone. Where seek

Such lavish donors now?

Erewhile, beyond the sea,

Earth’s islet-studded belt,

Such on my high hawk-perch

Hailed down the silver shower.’

Einar Helgi’s son the poet was nicknamed Skala-glam. He composed a poem about earl Hacon, which
is called ’Dearth of Gold’; and for a long time the earl would not hear the poem because he was wroth
with Einar. Then Einar sang:

’Song made I on a chief

Supreme o’er land enthroned;

While others slept, I wrought,

Whereof I much repent.

Hither the earl to seek

Eager I came, nor thought

From brave free-handed prince

Far-comers worse would fare.’

And further he sang:

’Seek we that earl whose sword

Spreads banquet for the wolf:

To Sigvald’s ship well-oared,

Shield-fenced, my sword I lend.

Wielder of wound-snake, he

Will not my succour scorn: