When the guests came from evensong, they were placed in their seats. The Earl had Swein, Asleif’s son, next to him. On the other side, next to the Earl, was Swein Brióstreip, and then Jón his kinsman. When the tables were removed, there came in men with the tidings of Valthióf’s drowning. This the Earl considered sad news. He said that no one should tell it to Swein while the Yule feast lasted, adding that he had cares enow already. In the evening, when they had finished drinking, the Earl went to bed, and so did most of his guests. Swein Brióstreip went out and sat out all night, as was his wont. In the night (at midnight?) the guests arose and heard mass, and after high mass they sat down to the table. Eyvind Melbrigdi’s son, shared the management of the feast with the Earl, and did not sit down to the table. Table-boys and candle-boys were standing before the Earl’s table,[333] but Eyvind handed drinking-cups to each of the Sweins. Swein Brióstreip thought Eyvind poured more into his cup than Swein, Asleif’s son’s, and that he took the cup away from the latter before he had emptied it, so he called Swein, Asleif’s son, a sluggard at his drink. There had long been a coldness between Swein Brióstreip and Olaf, Hrólf’s son, and also between him and Swein, Asleif’s son, since he grew up. When they had been drinking for a while, the guests went to nones’ service. When they came in again, memorial toasts[334] were proposed, and they drank out of horns. Then Swein Brióstreip wished to exchange horns with his namesake, saying his was a small one. Eyvind, however, put a big horn into Swein Asleif’s son’s hand, and this he offered to his namesake. Then Swein Brióstreip became angry, and was overheard by the Earl and some of the men muttering to himself, “Swein will be the death of Swein, and Swein shall be the death of Swein.” But nothing was said about it. The drinking went on until evensong; and when the Earl went out, Swein, Asleif’s son, walked before him; but Swein Brióstreip remained behind drinking. When they came out to the ale-room, Eyvind followed them, and craved a word alone with Swein, Asleif’s son. He said, “Did you not hear what your namesake said when you offered him the horn?” “No,” he replied. Then Eyvind repeated his words, and said that it was surely the devil that had spoken through his mouth in the night. “He intends to kill you,” he added, “but you should forestall him, and slay him.” Eyvind put an axe into his hand, and told him to stand in the shadow beside the flat stone; he should strike him in front if Jón preceded him; but from behind if Jón followed him.