KINGS OF NORWAY. 191 He replies, "If it be well rewarded, sire, I shall saga xn. be glad ; but should it be otherwise, then •it is your concern." Then the king said, " Smaller is thy reward than thou hast deserved. I give thee three farms. It has turned out, what could not have been expected, that thou hast prevented me from a great crime, — thou, and not the lendermen, who are indebted to me for so much good." And so it ended. One Yule eve the king sat in the hall, and the Chapter tables- were laid out; and the king said, "Get me ofa flesh-meat." ^""^^" mi T / n* • • 1 brought I hey answered, " Sire, it is not the custom to eat one night flesh-meat on Yule eve." lhe"ng!' The king said, " If it be not the custom, I will make it the custom." They went out, and brought him a seal.* The king stuck his knife into it, but did not eat of it. Then the king said, " Bring me a girl here into the hall." They brought him a woman whose head-dress went far down her brows. The king took her hand in his hands, looked at her, and said, " An ill looking girl!"f Jb Jb Jb Jjb 41- ^ ?8F tP TT w Halkel Huk, a son of John Smiorbalt, who was Chapter lenderman in M^ere, made a voyage in the West sea, Haraid * all the way to the South Hebudes. A man came to ^iiie COTTIGS t0 him out of Ireland called Gille Krist J, and gave him- Norway.
- The flesh of seals and porpoises appears to have been in common
use in that age, and probably was not reckoned altogether flesh-meat not to be used on Fridays or fish-days. ■j" AVhat follows in this chapter is rather too coarse and indecent to be translated, and is not necessary, nor relevant, unless as showing the king's insanity. -: Query, Gilchrist?
