Swed KINGS OF NORWAY. 73 They rode through the merchant town of Skara*, SAGA vn and down the street to the earl's house. He sang: — " The shy sweet girls, from window high, In wonder peep at the sparks that fly From our horses' heels, as down the street Of the earl's town we ride so fleet. Spur on ! — that every pretty lass May hear our horse- hoofs as we pass Clatter upon the stones so hard, And echo round the paved court-yard." One day Hialte, and the scalds with him, went be- Chapter . LXXI fore the king, and he began thus: — "It has so ofHiaite happened, king, as is known to you, that I have come s^eggeson here after along and difficult journey ; but when I had was in once crossed the ocean and heard of your greatness, it appeared to me unwise to go back without having seen you in your splendour and glory. Now it is a law between Iceland and Norway, that Iceland men pay landing dues when they come into Norway, but while I was coming across the sea I took myself all the landing dues from my ship's people ; but knowing that you have the greatest right to all the power in Norway, I hastened hither to deliver to you the landing dues." With this he showed the silver to the kino;, and laid ten marks of silver in Gissur Black's lap. The king replies, " Few have brought us any such dues from Norway for some time ; and now, Hialte, I will return you my warmest thanks for having given yourself so much trouble to bring us the landing dues, rather than pay them to our ene- mies. But I will that thou shouldst take this money from me as a gift, and with it my friendship." Hialte thanked the king with many words, and from that day set himself in great favour with the
- At Skoram is the present town Skara, in Skaning barony, formerly
the chief town and the oldest in West Gotland, and the seat of the earls in former times.
