CHAPTER XVI. THOROD ODDSON WOOETH GUNNAR's

DAUGHTER JOFRID.

GUNNAR HLIFARSON sitteth now at Ornolfsdale, and has housed himself well there ; he had much of mountain pastures, and ever had but few men at home ; Jofrid, Gun-

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nar's daughter, had a tent without doors, for she deemed it less dreary so.

It befell on a day that Thorod, son of Odd-aTongue, rode to Thwartwaterlithe ; he came to Ornolfsdale by the beaten way, and went into Jofrid's tent, and she greeted him well ; he sat down beside her, and they fell to talk together; but therewith in comes a lad from the mountain-pasture, and bids Jofrid help take off the loads. Thorod goes and takes off the loads, and then the lad goes his way, and comes to the mountain-stead ; there ^ Gunnar asked him why he was so speedily back, but he answered nought Gunnar said : " Sawest thou ought to tell of ? "

"Nought at all," said the lad "Nay," said Gunnar, " there is something in the look of thee as if a thing had passed before thine eyes which thou deemest worth talking of ; so tell me what it. is, or if any man has come to the house ? n

" I saw no one new-come/' said the lad.

" Nay, but thou shalt tell me/* said Gunnar , and took up a stout switch to beat the boy withal, but got no more out of him than before ; so then he mounts and rides swiftly down along the Lithe by the winter-fold. J ofrid caught sight of her father as he went, and told Thorod, and bade him ride away : " For I were loth for any ill to come to thee by me." Thorod said he would ride presently ; but Gunnar came on apace, and leaping from his horse went into the tent.

Thorod greeted him well, and Gunnar took his greeting, and then asked him why he was come thither. Thorod told him why he was come : " But

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this I do, not out of enmity to thee, but rather I would wot how thoti wouldst answer me, were I to woo Jofrid thy daughter of thee."

Gunnar answered : " I will not give her to thee amidst these goings-on ; for matters have long stood on a ticklish point betwixt us."

So therewithal rides Thorod home.