504 SLAVERY THRALDOM. 



" Leif (Ingolf's foster-brother) went on warfare in the west ; 

 he made war in Ireland, and there found a large underground 

 house ; he went into it, and it was dark, until a sword which a 

 man wore made it light. Leif slew him and took the sword 

 and much property ; then he was called Hjorleif (Sword- 

 Leif). Hjorleif made war widely in Ireland, and got much 

 booty ; he took there ten thralls, Dufthak, Geirrod, Skjald- 

 bjorn, Haldor, Drafdrit ; the others are not named " (Landnama). 



Purchases of slaves took place wherever the people traded. 



" Thangbrand (a priest) bought a fair Irish maiden ; he 

 went home to Brimaborg (Bremen) with Bishop Albertus, and 

 took the maiden with him " (Fornmanna Sogur, i., 81). 



" It happened in the beginning of the summer that King 

 Hakon the good went with a ship-host eastward to Brenneyjar 

 to make peace (renew treaties) on behalf of his country accord- 

 ing to the laws. This meeting between chiefs (hofdingi) 1 

 was to take place every third summer, and matters on winch 

 the kings (of Norway, Denmark, and Sweden) had to decide 

 were settled there. It was thought a pleasant journey to 

 go to this meeting, for men came there from almost all 

 lands of which we have tidings. Hoskuld (an Icelander) 

 launched his ship ; he also wanted to go there, for he had 

 not seen the king during the winter, and a fair was held 

 there at the same time. This meeting was very large ; there 

 was a great deal of amusement, drinking, and games, and all 

 kinds of merriment. Nothing remarkable happened there. 

 Hoskuld met with many of his kinsmen who lived in Den- 

 mark. One day when Hoskuld walked with some others to 

 amuse himself he saw a splendid tent far from the other 

 booths. He walked there and entered the tent, in which 

 sat a man in clothes of gudvef (a costly stuff), with a Gar- 

 dariki hat on his head. Hoskuld asked for his name. He 

 called himself Gilli, from Gardariki. Hoskuld said he had 

 often heard his name mentioned, and that he was the richest 

 of all traders. Hoskuld said : ' Thou art likely to have things 

 to sell us which we want to buy.' Gilli asked what they 

 wanted to buy. The followers of Hoskuld said that he wanted 

 to buy a bondmaid, if he had any to sell. Gilli said : ' You 

 mean to get me into difficulty, when you demand for pur- 

 chase things which you think I have not got ; but it is not 

 sure that I have them not.' Hoskuld saw that there was a 

 curtain hanging across the booth ; this Gilli lifted, and Hoskuld 



1 Here chief is = king. This meeting of kings seems like the meetings in our 

 times of moiiarchs fur alliance or treaties. 



