This said, the king went down to his ships, and most of his force with him; and when they were come
on board men began to bind their wounds. The king went round the ship and looked at men’s wounds;
and when he saw a man binding a surface-wound, he said: ’Thorolf gave not that wound; his weapon
bites far otherwise; few, methinks, bind the wounds which he gave; and great loss have we in such
men.’

As soon as day dawned the king had his sail hoisted, and sailed south as fast as he could. As the day
wore on, they came upon many rowing-vessels in all the sounds between the islands; the forces on
board them had meant to join Thorolf, for spies of his had been southwards as far as Naumdale, and
far and wide about the islands. These had got to know how Hallvard and his brother were come from
the south with a large force meaning to attack Thorolf. Hallvard’s company had constantly met a head-
wind, and had waited about in various havens till news of them had gone the upper way overland, and
Thorolf’s spies had become aware of it, and this gathering of force was on this account.

The king sailed before a strong wind till he came to Naumdale; there he left the ships behind, and went
by land to Throndheim, where he took his own ships that he had left there, and thence stood out to
Hlada. These tidings were soon heard, and reached Hallvard and his men where they lay. They then
returned to the king, and their voyage was much mocked at.

The brothers Aulvir Hnuf and Eyvind Lambi remained awhile at Sandness and saw to the burial of the
slain. To Thorolf’s body they gave all the customary honours paid at the burial of a man of wealth and
renown, and set over him a memorial stone. They saw also to the healing of the wounded. They
arranged also the house with Sigridr; all the stock remained, but most of the house-furniture and table-
service and clothing was burnt. And when this was done, they went south and came to king Harold at
Throndheim, and were with him for awhile.

They were sad, and spoke little with others. And it was so that one day the brothers went before the
king, and Aulvir said:

’This permission we brothers claim of thee, O king, that we go home to our farms; for such things
have happened here that we have no heart to share drink and seat with those who drew weapon on our
kinsman Thorolf.’

The king looked at them, and answered curtly:

’I will not grant you this; ye shall be here with me.’

They went back to their place.

Next day, as the king sat in the audience hall, he had the brothers called to him, and said:

’Now shall ye know of that your business which ye began with me, craving to go home. Ye have been
some while here with me, and have borne you well, and always done your duty. I have thought well of
you in everything. Now will I, Eyvind, that thou go north to Halogaland. I will give thee in marriage
Sigridr of Sandness, her that Thorolf had to wife; and I will bestow on thee all the wealth that
belonged to Thorolf; thou shalt also have my friendship if thou canst keep it. But Aulvir shall remain
with me; for his skill as skald I cannot spare him.’

The brothers thanked the king for the honour granted to them, and said that they would willingly
accept it.