Chapter LXXV: Earl Rognvald’s Pleasantries

AT this time there came a certain Icelandic ship to the Orkneys, in which was a man by name Hall, the son of Thórarinn Breidmagi (broad waist). He went to Rínarsey (North Ronaldsay), to stay with Thorstein and Ragna. He became tired of staying there, and asked Thorstein to bring him to Earl Rögnvald. They went to see him, but the Earl would not receive Hall. When they came home, Ragna asked how they had succeeded, and Hall replied by a ditty:

It was to thy own son, Ragna,
(Let truth be known among the people)
I gave the noble task of asking
My reception ’mong the courtiers;
But the generous ring-giver,
Who enjoys the highest honour,
Has declined my clownish service,
Having plenty of the bravest.

Shortly afterwards Ragna went to see Earl Rögnvald on this errand herself. She was so dressed that she had a red head-gear of horse’s hair; and when the Earl saw her he sang:

Never did I know before this
How the ladies of the cross-bench
Deck their heads with finest kerchiefs.
If I use the proper language,
Seems to me that this gold-wearer
Hides the tresses of her hind-head
With a chestnut filly’s tail-locks,
And her head-dress shows her temper.

Ragna said: “Now the saying comes true, ‘that few are so wise that they see everything as it is,’ for this [hair] is of a horse, and not of a mare.”

Then she took a silken kerchief and wrapped it round her head, continuing, nevertheless, her business with the Earl. He gave her a rather cold answer at first, but became more pleasant as they spoke longer, and she obtained what she wanted—namely, to procure for Hall a place at the (Earl’s) court. He remained a long time with Earl Rögnvald. They made jointly the “Old Metrekey,”[362] with five verses for each different metre. Afterwards that was thought too much, and now two verses only are made for each different metre.