When Harald Harfagri died, Eirík Blódöx (bloody-axe) was King for two winters. Then Hakon, Athelstan’s foster son, came to the land, and Eirík fled. Arnkell and Erlend, the sons of Torf Einar, fell with Eirík Blódöx in England. Gunnhild and her sons then went to the Orkneys, and took possession of them, and stayed there for a time. From thence they went to Denmark, but before they went away they married Ragnhild, the daughter of Gunnhild and Eirík, to Arnfinn, the son of Earl Thorfinn [Hausakliuf], and Earl Thorfinn took up his residence in the Islands: he was a great and warlike chief. He died on a sick-bed, and was buried in a mound on Hauga Heath,[468] in Rögnvaldsey, and was considered to have been a great man. THE MURDER OF HAVARD. 184. Thorfinn had five sons. One was named Hávard Arsæli (blessed with good seasons), the second Hlödver, the third Liót, the fourth Skúli, and the fifth Arnfinn. Ragnhild, the daughter of Eirík, killed her husband Arnfinn at Myrkhol (Murkle), in Caithness, and then she married Hávard Arsæli, his brother. He became Earl, and was a good chief, and blessed with good seasons. There was a man named Einar Klíning (buttered bread), the son of Hávard’s sister. He was a great chief, and had many men, and went usually on war expeditions during the summer. He accepted an invitation from Hávard, and at that feast he and Ragnhild talked much together. She said that it was more suitable that such a man as he should be chief and Earl than Hávard his kinsman, adding that the woman was well married who had him for a husband. Einar told her not to speak of such things, saying that Hávard was the noblest man in the Islands, and that she was well matched. Ragnhild replied: “Hávard and I shall not be long together after this. But it is true that men will be found in the Islands who will not stick at trifles if you grudge me the dignity.” By her persuasion Einar was moved to covetousness and treachery against his kinsman. They agreed that he should kill the Earl, and that she should marry him. Some time after Einar prepared to take out his men, but a certain spaeman who was with him said: “Do not engage in this business to-day; wait till to-morrow, or else family murders will be frequent in your family.” Einar pretended not to hear this. At this time Hávard was at Steinsness,[469] in Hrossey. There they met, and there was hard fighting, and it was not long till the Earl fell. The place is now called Hávard’s teigar.[470] When this became known, Einar was considered a great nithing[471] for the deed. Ragnhild would have nothing to do with him, saying it was a mere lie that she had given him any promises. Then she sent for Einar Hardkiöpt (hard mouth), who was the son of another sister of Hávard. And when they met, she said it was a great shame to Hávard’s kinsmen that they did not avenge him, adding that she would do anything that the Earl might be avenged. “It is