Thorolf Kveldulf's son and Eyvind Lambi came home from sea-roving in the autumn. Thorolf went to his father, and father and son had some talk together. Thorolf asked what had been the errand of the men whom Harold sent thither. Kveldulf said the king had sent them with this message, that Kveldulf or else one of his sons should become his man.

'How answeredst thou?' said Thorolf.

'I spake what was in my mind, that I would never take service with king Harold; and ye two will both do the same, if I may counsel: this I think will be the end, that we shall reap ruin from that king.'

'That,' said Thorolf, 'is quite contrary to what my mind tells me, for I think I shall get from him much advancement. And on this I am resolved, to seek the king, and become his man; and this I have learnt for true, that his guard is made up of none but valiant men. To join their company, if they will have me, seems to me most desirable; these men are in far better case than all others in the land. And 'tis told me of the king that he is most generous in money gifts to his men, and not slow to give them promotion and to grant rule to such as he deems meet for it. Whereas I hear this about all that turn their backs upon him and pay him not homage with friendship, that they all become men of nought, some flee abroad, some are made hirelings. It seems wonderful to me, father, in a man so wise and ambitious as thou art, that thou wouldst not thankfully take the dignity which the king offered thee. But if thou thinkest that thou hast prophetic foresight of this, that we shall get misfortune from this king, and that he will be our enemy, then why didst thou not go to battle against him with that king in whose service thou wert before? Now, methinks it is most unreasonable neither to be his friend nor his enemy.'

'It went,' said Kveldulf, 'just as my mind foreboded, that they marched not to victory who went northwards to fight with Harold Shockhead in Mæra; and equally true will this be, that Harold will work much scathe on my kin. But thou, Thorolf, wilt take thine own counsel in thine own business; nor do I fear, though thou enter into the company of Harold's guards, that thou wilt not be thought capable and equal to the foremost in all proofs of manhood. Only beware of this, keep within bounds, nor rival thy betters; thou wilt not, I am sure, yield to others overmuch.'

But when Thorolf made him ready to go, Kveldulf accompanied him down to the ship and embraced him, with wishes for his happy journey and their next merry meeting.

Þórólfr Kveld-Úlfsson ok Eyvindr lambi kómu um haustit heim ór víking. Fór Þórólfr til föður síns.

Taka þeir feðgar þá tal sín í milli. Spyrr Þórólfr eftir, hvat verit hefir í erendum þeira manna, er Haraldr sendi þangat. Kveld-Úlfr sagði, at konungr hafði til þess orð sent, at Kveld-Úlfr skyldi gerast maðr hans eða sonr hans annarr hvárr.

"Hvernig svaraðir þú?" kvað Þórólfr.

"Ek sagða svá, sem mér var í hug, at ek mynda aldri ganga á hönd Haraldi konungi ok svá myndið þit gera báðir, ef ek skylda ráða. Ætla ek, at þær lykðir muni á verða, at vér munim aldrtila hljóta af þeim konungi."

"Þá verðr allmjök á annan veg," sagði Þórólfr, "en mér segir hugr um, því at ek ætla mik skulu af honum hljóta inn mesta frama, ok til þess emek fastráðinn at fara á fund konungs ok gerast hans maðr, ok þat hefi ek sannspurt, at hirð hans er skipuð afreksmönnum einum. Þykkir mér þat allfýsiligt at koma í þeira sveit, ef þeir vilja við mér taka. Eru þeir menn haldnir miklu betr en allir aðrir í þessu landi. Er mér svá frá sagt konungi, at hann sé inn mildasti af fégjöfum við menn sína ok eigi síðr þess örr at gefa þeim framgang ok veita ríki þeim, er honum þykkja til þess fallnir. En mér spyrst á þann veg til um alla þá, er bakverpast vilja við honum ok þýðast eigi hann með vináttu, sem allir verði ekki at manna, stökkva sumir af landi á brott, en sumir gerast leigumenn. Þykkir mér þat undarligt, faðir, um svá vitran mann sem þú ert ok metnaðargjarnan, er þú vildir eigi með þökkum taka vegsemð þá, er konungr bauð þér. En ef þú þykkist vera forspár um þat, at vér munim hljóta af konungi þessum ófarnað ok hann muni vilja vera várr óvinr, hví fórtu eigi þá til orrostu í móti honum með konungi þeim, er þú ert áðr handgenginn? Nú þykkir mér þat ósæmiligast at vera hvárki vinr hans né óvinr."

"Eftir gekk þat," kvað Kveld-Úlfr, "er mér bauð hugr um, at þeir myndi engir sigrför fara, er börðust við Harald lúfu norðr á Mæri. En slíkt sama mun þat vera satt, at Haraldr mun verða at miklum skaða mínum frændum. En þú, Þórólfr, munt ráða vilja athöfnum þínum. Ekki óttumst ek þat, þóttú komir í sveit með hirðmönnum Haralds, at eigi þykkir þú hlutgengr eða jafn inum fremstum í öllum mannraunum. Varast þú þat, at eigi ætlir þú hóf fyrir þér eða keppist við þér meiri menn. En eigi muntu fyrir vægja at heldr."

En er Þórólfr bjóst á brott, þá leiddi Kveld-Úlfr hann ofan til skips, hvarf til hans ok bað hann vel fara ok bað þá heila hittast.