’I am,’ said he, ’as much akin to Yngvar as is Thorolf.’

’You shall not go,’ said Skallagrim, ’for you know not how to behave yourself in company where
there is much drinking, you who are not good to deal with though you be sober.’

Then Skallagrim mounted his horse and rode away, but Egil was ill content with his lot.

He went out of the yard, and found a draught horse of Skallagrim’s, got on its back and rode after
Skallagrim’s party. No easy way had he over the moor, for he did not know the road; but he kept his
eyes on the riders before him when copse or wood were not in the way. And this is to tell of his
journey, that late in the evening he came to Swan-ness, when men sat there a-drinking. He went into
the room, but when Yngvar saw Egil he received him joyfully, and asked why he had come so late.
Egil told of his words with Skallagrim. Yngvar made Egil sit by him, they two sat opposite Skallagrim
and Thorolf. For merriment over their ale they fell to reciting staves. Then Egil recited a stave:

’Hasting I came to the hearth fire

Of Yngvar, right fain so to find him,

Him who on heroes bestoweth

Gold that the heather-worm guardeth.

Thou, of the snake’s shining treasure

Always a generous giver,

Wilt not than me of three winters

Doughtier song-smith discover.’

Yngvar praised this stave, and thanked Egil much therefor, but on the morrow he brought to Egil as
reward for the poem three sea-snail shells and a duck’s egg. And next day at the drinking Egil recited
another stave about his poem’s reward:

’The wielder of keen-biting wound-fowl

Gave unto Egil the talker

Three silent dogs of the surf-swell,

Meet for the praise in his poem.

He, the skilled guide of the sea-horse,

Knowing to please with a present,

Gave as fourth gift to young Egil

Round egg, the brook-bird’s bed-bolster.’

Egil’s poetry won him thanks from many men. No more tidings were there of that journey. Egil went
home with Skallagrim.