’Have you,’ said Arinbjorn, ’before you came to this house met any men in the town who are likely to
have known you?’

’None,’ said Egil.

’Let men then take their weapons,’ said Arinbjorn.

They did so. But when all were armed, then went they to the king’s house. And when they came to the
hall, then Arinbjorn knocked at the door, asking them to open, and saying who was there. The door-
keepers at once opened the door. The king was sitting at table.

Arinbjorn then bade that they should go in twelve in number, naming for this Egil and ten others.
’Now shall you, Egil, bring the king your head and clasp his foot, but I will be your spokesman.’

Then they went in. Arinbjorn went before the king and saluted him. The king received him, and asked
what he would have.

Arinbjorn said: ’I lead hither one who has come a long way to seek thee in thy place, and to be
reconciled to thee. Great is this honour to thee, my lord, when thine enemies travel of their own free
will from other lands, and deem they cannot endure thy wrath though thou be nowhere near. Now
show thyself princely to this man. Let him get of thee good terms, seeing that he hath so magnified
thine honour, as thou now mayst see, by braving many seas and dangers to come hither from his own
home. No compulsion drove him to this journey, nought but goodwill to thee.’

Then the king looked round, and saw over men’s heads where Egil stood. The king knew him at once,
and, darting a keen glance at him, said: ’How wert thou so bold, Egil, that thou daredst to come before
me? Thy last parting from me was such that of life thou couldst have from me no hope.’

Then went Egil up to the table, and clasped the foot of the king. He then sang:

’With cross-winds far cruising

I came on my wave-horse,

Eric England’s warder

Eager soon to see.

Now wielder of wound-flash,

Wight dauntless in daring,

That strong strand of Harold’s

Stout lineage I meet.’

King Eric said: ’I need not to count the crimes on thy hands, for they are so many and great that each
one might well warrant that thou go not hence alive. Thou hast nothing else to expect but that here
thou must die. This thou mightest know before, that thou wouldst get no terms from me.’

Gunnhilda said: ’Why shall not Egil be slain at once? Rememberest thou no more, O king, what Egil
hath done to thee, slain thy friends and kin, ay, even thine own son to boot, and cursed thyself? Where
ever was it known that a king was thus dealt with?’

Arinbjorn said: ’If Egil have spoken evil of the king, for that he can now atone in words of praise that
shall live for all time.’