Chapter 5

Following this, Hromund was very famous, and popular and generous. He gave a man named Hrok his good gold ring, which weighed eight ounces. Vali got to know this and he killed Hrok one night, but took the ring. The king learnt of this and said that some time he would reward Vali for his trick.

The king had two sisters, one named Dagny, and the other Svanhvit. Svanhvit was foremost of all women, and there was no one like her throughout Sweden and Halogaland. Hromund Gripsson now stayed at home, seeing much of Svanhvit, and avoiding neither Vali nor Bild. Svanhvit told Hromund that Vali and Bild would slander him to the king.

He said "I am not afraid of such cowardly paltry fellows, and as long as you love me, then I will speak with you."

But this slander grew so great that Hromund and his brothers abandoned the king's retinue and went home to their father. A little while later, Svanhvit spoke with King Olaf and said:

"Now Hromund has abandoned your retinue, through whom my honour was greatly increased, and in his place you have those two who have neither courage nor renown."

The king said: "I have heard it said that he had fooled you, and that your love shall know the sword."

"You remember little now," she said, "but he went into the barrow when no one else dared. But before long Vali and Bild will be slain," she added, and afterwards went away quickly.