Sverting Hafr-Bjarnarson was going to marry Húngerd, Thorodd’s daughter, and invited Hlugi the black, father of Gunnlaug Ormstunga, and his sons to the wedding-feast. “The women sat on the cross-bench; Helga fagra (the fair) sat next to the bride, and her eyes often glanced at Gunnlaug, and there the saying was proved that ‘the eyes do not hide it if a woman loves a man.’ Gunnlaug was then well dressed, and wore the fine clothes which King Sigtrygg gave him; he was thought greatly superior to other men, both in strength, beauty, and stature” (Gunnlaug Ormstunga c. ii.).[28] We find that during the feast the bride was seated between the bridesmen and bridesmaids, a custom that has come down to this day; the _linfé_ was then presented to her as she sat under the bridal linen. “Then he (the bridegroom) shall sit between the bridesmen, and she between the bridesmaids. He shall walk across the floor and give her _linfé_. That is lawful whether the gift is small or great” (N. G. L., ii. 305, King Magnus’ Laws). It was the custom to offer to the bride a _bekkjar-gjöf_ (bench-gift) while she sat on the bridal bench. Kjartan Olafsson, a famous Icelandic champion, was taking leave of Ingibjörg, the sister of King Olaf Tryggvason, as he was going to Iceland. “At this moment Ingibjörg opened a mead-cask standing at her side, and took out of it a white and gold woven woman’s head-gear, which she gave to Kjartan, saying it would be only too good for Gudrún Osvifr’s daughter to wrap around her head; ‘and thou wilt give it to her as a bench-gift. I want the Icelandic women to see that she who has been talking with thee in Norway is not of thrall-kin. It was in a bag of _gudvef_,[29] and was most costly” (Laxdæla, c. 43). When Olaf Tryggvason kept his wedding-feast with Thyri of Denmark, he asked her whether he should choose a bench-gift befitting a maiden or a woman who has been married. She answered that he should do what seemed to him most beseeming for himself and her. He was pleased with her answer, and at once sent her a woman’s cloak with very fine furs and beautifully ornamented.[30] We see not only how particular people were in regard to precedence, but how jealously wives guarded the reputation of their husbands.