ðə pɹɪzˈɜːvd tˈɛkst stˈɑːɹts wɪððə dˈɛθ ʌv hˈæfdən svˈɑːɹɾi sˈiː. ˈeɪthˈʌndɹɪd sˈɪksti ænd ˈɛndz wɪððɪ ɐksˈɛʃən ʌv ɪndʒˈaɪ kɹˈɑːkhɹɪɡɚ wˈʌn θˈaʊzənd wˈʌnhˈʌndɹɪd θˈɜːɾi sˈɪks bˌʌt ðɪ ɚɹˈɪdʒɪnəl ɪz θˈɔːt tə hæv kˈʌvɚd ɐ lˈɔŋɡɚ pˈiəɹɪəd, pɹˈɑːbəbli ˌʌp tə ðə ɹˈeɪn ʌv svˈɛɹɪɹ wˈʌn θˈaʊzənd wˈʌnhˈʌndɹɪd ˈeɪɾi fˈoːɹ wˈʌn θˈaʊzənd tˈuːhˈʌndɹɪd tˈuː.
The preserved text starts with the death of Hálfdan svarti (c. 860) and ends with the accession of Ingi krókhryggr (1136)  but the original is thought to have covered a longer period, probably up to the reign of Sverrir (1184–1202).