534 THE ORKNEYS AND HEBRIDES. 



ravage in Scotland. Thorkel thereupon marched secretly, for 

 all the people of Caithness were true and devoted to them, 

 and no news spread before he reached Thorsa at night and 

 the house of Moddan Jarl, which he set on fire. As he ran 

 out he was killed by Thorkel. Thereupon he rejoined the 

 Jarl, who thanked him greatly for his work. 



" King Karl gathered men all over Scotland, and also had 

 the force which came from Ireland to help Moddan Jarl. At 

 Torfnes, south of the Breidafjord, the two armies met ; and, 

 although the Scots were far more numerous, they were badly 

 defeated, and the king fled, or, as some say, was slain. 



" The Jarl then subjugated Scotland as far south as Fife 

 (Fifi). He sent Thorkel away with some of his men. When 

 the Scots found this out, they went to attack him, who, how- 

 ever, gathered the men he had, and defeated them ; where- 

 upon, to avenge their treachery, he ravaged the country, 

 killing all men he could find. 



" The Jarl then sailed northward to Caithness, and there 

 passed the winter" (Orkneyinga Saga). 



Hence we find the Northern chiefs ruling over Wales. 



" It is said that Palnatoki one summer, as usual, was on 

 Viking expeditions, and had twelve well- manned ships. At 

 this time Jarl Stefnir ruled over Bretland (Wales) ; he had a 

 daughter called Olof, who was a wise and well-liked Avoman, 

 and a very good match. It is said that Palnatoki landed his 

 ships there, and wanted to make warfare in the land of Stefnir 

 Jarl. When this was heard of, Olof, with Bjorn Brezki (the 

 Britisher), who was her foster-brother and often gave her advice, 

 took the resolve to invite Palnatoki home to a feast, with great 

 honours, and he should have there peaceland, and not ravage. 



" Palnatoki and his men accepted this, and went to the 

 feast; and at it Palnatoki asked in marriage the Jarl's 

 daughter ; he got her easily, and the woman was promised to 

 him, and then betrothed ; the betrothal lasted no longer than 

 that their wedding took place at this feast ; and moreover, the 

 name of Jarl was given to Palnatoki, and one half of the realm 

 of Stefnir Jarl if he would settle there ; and after his death he 

 should have all, for Olof was his only heir. Palnatoki stayed 

 in Bretland the rest of the summer, and also during the 

 winter. In the spring he announced that he wanted to go 

 home to Denmark ; but before he went, he said to Bjorn the 

 British : ' Now I want thee, Bjorn, to stay here with my father- 

 in-law, Stefuir, and rule the land with him on my behalf ; for 

 he begins to grow very old, and it is not unlikely that I may 



