That day men went to the Thing-brink and spoke their pleadings;
but in the evening the judges were to go out to try suits.
Thorstein was there with his train;
he had there chief authority as to the rules of the Thing,
for so it had been while Egil held priesthood and headship.
Both parties were fully armed.
And now it was seen from the Thing that a troop
of men was riding down along
Cleave-river with gleaming shields.
And when they rode into the Thing,
there rode foremost a man in a blue mantle.
He had on his head a gilded helm,
by his side a gold-decked shield,
in his hand a barbed spear whose
socket was overlaid with gold,
and a sword at his girdle.
Thither had come Egil Skallagrim's son with eighty men,
all well-weaponed, as if arrayed for battle.
A choice company it was:
Egil had brought with him
the best landowners' sons
from the southern Nesses,
those whom he thought the most warlike.
With this troop Egil rode to the booth which
Thorstein had had roofed,
a booth hitherto empty.
They dismounted.
And when Thorstein perceived his father's coming,
he with all his troop went to meet him,
and bade him welcome.
Egil and his force had their travelling gear carried into the booth,
and their horses turned out to pasture.
This done, Egil and Thorstein with the whole troop went up to the Thing-brink,
and sat them down where they were wont to sit.