Half red Vanrcedaskald 189 



They then came up, and swam to land. This Norseman 

 asked what the Icelander's name was. Kjartan tells 

 his name. 



He says : ' Thou art a good swimmer ; but art thou 

 expert also in other exercises ? ' 



Kjartan replied that such expertness was of no great 

 value. 



The Norseman asks : ' Why dost thou not inquire of 

 me such thimrs as I have asked thee about ? ' 



Kjartan replies : ' It is all one to me who thou art, 

 or what thy name is.' 



'Then will I,' says he, 'tell thee: I am Olaf 

 Tryggvason.' 



He asked Kjartan much about Iceland, which he 

 answered generally, and wanted to withdraw as hastily 

 as he could ; but the king said : ' Here is a cloak which 

 I will give thee, Kjartan,' and Kjartan took the cloak 

 with many thanks. 



When Michaelmas came the king had high mass 

 sung with great splendour. The Icelanders went there, 

 and listened to the fine sinoino- and the sound of the 

 bells ; and when they came back to their ships every 

 man told his opinion of the Christian men's worship. 

 Kjartan expressed his pleasure at it, but most of the 

 others scoffed at it ; and it went according to the 

 proverb, ' the king has many ears,' for this was told to 

 the king. He sent inmiediately — that very day — a 

 message to Kjartan to come to him. Kjartan went to 

 the king with some men, and the king received him 

 kindly. Kjartan was a very stout and handsome man, 

 and of ready and agreeable speech. After the king and 

 Kjartan had conversed a little, the king asked him to 



