Arinbjorn said, ’Thou wilt let us get law in this case.’

The king was rather peevish in this talk, but Arinbjorn could see that the queen was much worse-
willed.

Arinbjorn went back and said that things looked rather unpromising. Then winter wore away, and the
time came when men should go to the Gula-thing. Arinbjorn took to the Thing a numerous company,
among them went Egil.

Chapter 57 - Suit between Egil and Onund.
King Eric was there numerously attended. Bergonund was among his train, as were his brothers; there
was a large following. But when the meeting was to be held about men’s lawsuits, both the parties
went where the court was set, to plead their proofs. Then was Onund full of big words. Now where the
court sate was a level plot, with hazel-poles planted in a ring, and outside were twisted ropes all
around. This was called, ’the precincts.’ Within the ring sate twelve judges of the Firth-folk, twelve of
the Sogn-folk, twelve of the Horda-folk. These three twelves were to judge all the suits. Arinbjorn
ruled who should be judges from the Firth-folk, Thord of Aurland who should be so from the Sogn-
folk. All these were of one party. Arinbjorn had brought thither a long-ship full equipt, also many
small craft and store-ships. King Eric had six or seven long-ships all well equipt; a great number of
landowners were also there.

Egil began his cause thus: he craved the judges to give him lawful judgement in the suit between him
and Onund. He then set forth what proofs he held of his claim on the property that had belonged to
Bjorn Brynjolf’s son. He said that Asgerdr daughter of Bjorn, own wife of him Egil, was rightful
heiress, born noble, of landed gentry, even of titled family further back. And he craved of the judges
this, to adjudge to Asgerdr half of Bjorn’s inheritance, whether land or chattels.

And when he ceased speaking, then Bergonund took the word and spoke thus: ’Gunnhilda my wife is
the daughter of Bjorn and Alof, the wife whom Bjorn lawfully married. Gunnhilda is rightful heiress
of Bjorn. I for this reason took possession of all the property left by Bjorn, because I knew that that
other daughter of Bjorn had no right to inherit. Her mother was a captive of war, afterwards taken as
concubine, without her kinsmen’s consent, and carried from land to land. But thou, Egil, thinkest to go
on here, as everywhere else, with thy fierceness and wrongful dealing. This will not avail thee now;
for king Eric and queen Gunnhilda have promised me that I shall have right in every cause within the
bounds of their dominion. I will produce true evidence before the king and the judges that Thora Lace-
hand, Asgerdr’s mother, was taken captive from the house of Thorir her brother, and a second time
from Brynjolf’s house at Aurland. Then she went away out of the land with freebooters, and was
outlawed from Norway, and in this outlawry Bjorn and she had born to them this girl Asgerdr. A great
wonder now is this in Egil, that he thinks to make void all the words of king Eric. First, Egil, thou art
here in the land after Eric made thee an outlaw; secondly - which is worse - though, thou hast a
bondwoman to thy wife, thou claimest for her right of heritage. I demand this of the judges, that they
adjudge the inheritance to Gunnhilda, but adjudge Asgerdr to be the bondwoman of the king, because
she was begotten when her father and mother were outlawed by the king.’