CHAPTER I. OF MEN OF BURGFIRTH.

THERE was a man hight Odd, the son of Onund Broadbeard, the son of Wolf of Fitiar, the son of Thorir the Stamper ; he dwelt at Broadlairstead in Reekdale of Burgfirth. His wife was Jorun, a wise woman and well spoken of. Four children had they, two sons of good conditions, and two daughters : one of their sons hight Thorod, and the other Thorwald ; Thurid was one daughter of Odd, and Jofrid the other. Odd was by-named Odd-a-Tongue ; he was not held for a man of fair dealings.

A man named Torfi, the son of Valbrand, the son of Valthiof, the son of Orlyg of Esjuberg, had wedded Thurid, daughter of Odd-a-Tongue, and they dwelt at the other Broadlairstead.

There was a man hight Arngrim, the son of Helgi, the son of Hogni, who came out with Hromund ; he dwelt at Northtongue ; he was called Arngrim the priest, and his son was Helgi.

There was a man hight Blundketil, son of Geir the Wealthy, the son of Ketil Blund, after whom

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is Blundwater named: he dwelt at Ornolfsdale somewhat above where the house now standeth ; there were many steads upward from it ; and his son was Herstein. Blundketil was the wealthiest of all men, and the best conditioned of all men of the ancient faith ; thirty tenants he had, and was the best-beloved man of the countryside.

There was a man called Thorkel Welt, the son of Red Biorn; he dwelt at Swigniskarth, west-away of Northwater. Helgi his brother dwelt at Hwamm in Northwaterdale ; another brother was Gunnwald, who had to wife Helga, daughter of Thorgeir of Withymere. Thorkel Welt was a wise man and well-befriended, very wealthy of goods.

There was a certain man hight Thorir, needy of money, not well-loved of the folk : his wont it was to go a-huckstering in summer-tide from one countryside to the other, selling in one place what he had bought in another ; by which peddling his wealth waxed fast; and on a time when he went from the south over Holtbeacon Heath, he had hens with him in his journey to the north country, and sold them with his other wares, wherefore was he called Hen Thorir,

Now throve Thorir so much that he bought him land at a place called the Water, up from Northtongue, and but a few winters had he set up house before he became so very wealthy that he had moneys out with well-nigh every man. Yet though his fortune were amended, yet still prevailed his ill favour amongst men, for hardly was there any so well-hated as was Hen Thorir. '

Hen Thorir. 127

CHAPTER. II. HEN THORIR FOSTERS HELGI ARNGRIMSON.

ON a day Thorir went his ways from home and rode to North tongue to see Arngrim the priest, and craved to have the fostering of a child of his. "I would," said he, "take to me Helgi thy son, and heed him all I can, and have thy friendship in return, and furtherance herein, to wit, the getting of my rights from men."

Arngrim answered : " Little furtherance to me do I see in this fostering/' Answered Thorir : " I will give the lad my money to the half-part rather than lose the fostering of him : but thou shalt right me and be bound thereto, with whomsoever I may have to do."

Arngrim answered : " Sooth to say, I will not put from me so good an offer."

So Helgi went home with Thorir, and the stead has been called thenceforward Helgiwater. And now Arngrim gave an eye to Thorir 's business, and straightway men deemed him harder yet to deal with ; he got his rights now of every man, and throve exceedingly in wealth, and became an exceeding rich man, but his ill favour stuck to him.

On a summer came a ship into Burgfirth, but lay not in the river-mouth, but in the roads without. Erne was the shipmaster's name, a man well-liked, and the best of chapman-lads. Now Odd heard of the ship's coming, and he was wont to come in good time to the opening of markets, and settle the prices of men's ladings, for he had the rule of

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the countryside; neither durst any man fall to chaffer before they wotted what he would do. So now he went to the chapmen, and asked them what they had a mind to do about their voyage, and how soon they would have their market; and therewithal he told them of his wont of settling the prices of men's ladings. Erne answered : " We have a mind to be masters of our own for all thou mayst have to say; since not a penny's worth in the lading is thine ; so this time thy words will be mightier than thy deeds."

Odd answered : " I misdoubt me that it will do worse for thee than for me : so be it then ; for hereby I proclaim that I forbid all men to have any chaffer with you, or to land any goods ; yea, I shall take money from all such as give you any help ; and 1 know that ye shall not away out of the haven before the spring-tide."

Erne answered : " Say what thou wilt ; but none the more for that will we let ourselves be cowed*"

Now Odd rides home, but the Eastmen lie in the haven wind-bound.