Just then, however, three men appeared through trees that grew about the hall, and came towards the bridge, whereon Ragnar's great wolfhounds, knowing them for strangers, set up a furious baying and sprang forward to tear them.

By the time the beasts were caught and quelled, these men, aged persons of presence, had crossed the bridge and were greeting us.
"This is the hall of Thorvald of Aar, is it not?
And a certain Steinar dwells here with him, does he not ?" asked their spokesman.
"It is, and I am Thorvald," answered my father.

"Also Steinar has dwelt here from his birth up, but is now away from home on a visit to the lord Athalbrand of Lesso.

Who are you, and what would you of Steinar, my fosterling" "When you have told us the story of Steinar we will tell you who we are and what we seek," answered the man, adding: "Fear not, we mean him no harm, but rather good if he is the man we think." "Wife," called my father, "come hither.

Here are men who would know the story of Steinar, and say that they mean him good." So my mother came, and the men bowed to her.
"The story of Steinar is short, sirs," she said.