{"collection":"Northern European Mythology","html_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/browse/neu/heim/08stolaf.htm","path":"neu/heim/08stolaf.htm","source_url":"https://sacred-texts.com/neu/heim/08stolaf.htm","text":"SAGA OF OLAF HARALDSON. (1)\nPRELIMINARY REMARKS.\nOlaf Haraldson the Saint's Saga is the longest, the most\nimportant, and the most finished of all the sagas in\n\"Heimskringla\". The life of Olaf will be found treated more or\nless freely in \"Agrip\", in \"Historia Norvegiae\", in \"Thjodrek the\nMonk\", in the legendary saga, and in \"Fagrskinna\". Other old\nNorse literature relating to this epoch:\nAre's \"Islendingabok\", \"Landnama\", \"Kristni Saga\", \"Biskupa-\nsogur\", \"Njala\", \"Gunlaugs Saga\", \"Ormstungu\", \"Bjarnar Saga\nHitdaelakappa\", \"Hallfredar Thattr Vandraedaskalde\", \"Eyrbyggia\",\n\"Viga Styrs Saga\", \"Laxdaela\", \"Fostbraedra\", \"Gretla\",\n\"Liosvetninga\", \"Faereyinga\", \"Orkneyinga\".\nOlaf Haraldson was born 995, went as a viking at the age of\ntwelve, 1007; visited England, one summer and three winters,\n1009-1012; in France two summers and one winter, 1012-1013;\nspent the winter in Normandy, 1014; returned to Norway and was\nrecognized as King, April 3, 1015; fled from Norway the winter\nof 1028-1029; fell at Stiklestad, July 29 (or August 31), 1030.\nSkalds quoted in this saga are: -- Ottar Svarte, Sigvat Skald,\nThord Kolbeinson, Berse Torfason, Brynjolf, Arnor Jarlaskald,\nThord Siarekson, Harek, Thorarin Loftunga, Halvard Hareksblese,\nBjarne Gulbraskald, Jokul Bardson, Thormod Kolbrunarskald,\nGissur, Thorfin Mun, Hofgardaref.\nENDNOTES:\n(1) King Olaf the Saint reigned from about the year 1015 to\n1030. The death of King Olaf Trygvason was in the year\n1000: and Earl Eirik held the government for the Danish and\nSwedish kings about fifteen years. -- L.\n1. OF SAINT OLAF'S BRINGING UP.\nOlaf, Harald Grenske's son, was brought up by his stepfather\nSigurd Syr and his mother Asta. Hrane the Far-travelled lived in\nthe house of Asta, and fostered this Olaf Haraldson. Olaf came\nearly to manhood, was handsome in countenance, middle-sized in\ngrowth, and was even when very young of good understanding and\nready speech. Sigurd his stepfather was a careful householder,\nwho kept his people closely to their work, and often went about\nhimself to inspect his corn-rigs and meadowland, the cattle, and\nalso the smith-work, or whatsoever his people had on hand to do.\n2. OF OLAF AND KING SIGURD SYR.\nIt happened one day that King Sigurd wanted to ride from home,\nbut there was nobody about the house; so he told his stepson Olaf\nto saddle his horse. Olaf went to the goats' pen, took out the\nhe-goat that was the largest, led him forth, and put the king's\nsaddle on him, and then went in and told King Sigurd he had\nsaddled his riding horse. Now when King Sigurd came out and saw\nwhat Olaf had done, he said \"It is easy to see that thou wilt\nlittle regard my orders; and thy mother will think it right that\nI order thee to do nothing that is against thy own inclination.\nI see well enough that we are of different dispositions, and that\nthou art far more proud than I am.\" Olaf answered little, but\nwent his way laughing.\n3. OF RING OLAF'S ACCOMPLISHMENTS.\nWhen Olaf Haraldson grew up he was not tall, but middle-sized in\nheight, although very thick, and of good strength. He had light\nbrown hair, and a broad face, which was white and red. He had\nparticularly fine eyes, which were beautiful and piercing, so\nthat one was afraid to look him in the face when he was angry.\nOlaf was very expert in all bodily exercises, understood well to\nhandle his bow, and was distinguished particularly in throwing\nhis spear by hand: he was a great swimmer, and very handy, and\nvery exact and knowing in all kinds of smithwork, whether he\nhimself or others made the thing. He was distinct and acute in\nconversation, and was soon perfect in understanding and strength.\nHe was beloved by his friends and acquaintances, eager in his\namusements, and one who always liked to be the first, as it was\nsuitable he should be from his birth and dignity. He was called\nOlaf the Great.\n4. KING OLAF'S WAR EXPEDITION.\nOlaf Haraldson was twelve years old when he, for the first time,\nwent on board a ship of war (A.D. 1007). His mother Asta got\nHrane, who was called the foster-father of kings, to command a\nship of war and take Olaf under his charge; for Hrane had often\nbeen on war expeditions. When Olaf in this way got a ship and\nmen, the crew gave him the title of king; for it was the custom\nthat those commanders of troops who were of kingly descent, on\ngoing out upon a viking cruise, received the title of king\nimmediately although they had no land or kingdom. Hrane sat at\nthe helm; and some say that Olaf himself was but a common rower,\nalthough he was king of the men-at-arms. They steered east along\nthe land, and came first to Denmark. So says Ottar Svarte, in\nhis lay which he made about King Olaf: --\n\"Young was the king when from his home\nHe first began in ships to roam,\nHis ocean-steed to ride\nTo Denmark o'er the tide.\nWell exercised art thou in truth --\nIn manhood's earnest work, brave youth!\nOut from the distant north\nMighty hast thou come forth.\"\nTowards autumn he sailed eastward to the Swedish dominions, and\nthere harried and burnt all the country round; for he thought he\nhad good cause of hostility against the Swedes, as they killed\nhis father Harald. Ottar Svarte says distinctly that he came\nfrom the east, out by way of Denmark: --\n\"Thy ship from shore to shore,\nWith many a well-plied car,\nAcross the Baltic foam is dancing. --\nShields, and spears, and helms glancing!\nHoist high the swelling sail\nTo catch the freshening gale!\nThere's food for the raven-flight\nWhere thy sail-winged ship shall light;\nThy landing-tread\nThe people dread;\nAnd the wolf howls for a feast\nOn the shore-side in the east.\"\n5. OLAF'S FIRST BATTLE.\nThe same autumn Olaf had his first battle at Sotasker, which lies\nin the Swedish skerry circle. He fought there with some vikings,\nwhose leader was Sote. Olaf had much fewer men, but his ships\nwere larger, and he had his ships between some blind rocks, which\nmade it difficult for the vikings to get alongside; and Olaf's\nmen threw grappling irons into the ships which came nearest, drew\nthem up to their own vessels, and cleared them of men. The\nvikings took to flight after losing many men. Sigvat the skald\ntells of this fight in the lay in which he reckons up King Olaf's\nbattles: --\n\"They launch his ship where waves are foaming --\nTo the sea shore\nBoth mast and oar,\nAnd sent his o'er the seas a-roaming.\nWhere did the sea-king first draw blood?\nIn the battle shock\nAt Sote's rock;\nThe wolves howl over their fresh food.\"\n6. FORAY IN SVITHJOD.\nKing Olaf steered thereafter eastwards to Svithjod, and into the\nLag (the Maelar lake), and ravaged the land on both sides. He\nsailed all the way up to Sigtuna, and laid his ships close to the\nold Sigtuna. The Swedes say the stone-heaps are still to be seen\nwhich Olaf had laid under the ends of the gangways from the shore\nto the ships. When autumn was advanced, Olaf Haraldson heard\nthat Olaf the Swedish king was assembling an army, and also that\nhe had laid iron chains across Stoksund (the channel between the\nMaelar lake and the sea), and had laid troops there; for the\nSwedish king thought that Olaf Haraldson would be kept in there\ntill frost came, and he thought little of Olaf's force knowing he\nhad but few people. Now when King Olaf Haraldson came to\nStoksund he could not get through, as there was a castle west of\nthe sound, and men-at-arms lay on the south; and he heard that\nthe Swedish king was come there with a great army and many ships.\nHe therefore dug a canal across the flat land Agnafit out to the\nsea. Over all Svithjod all the running waters fall into the\nMaelar lake; but the only outlet of it to the sea is so small\nthat many rivers are wider, and when much rain or snow falls the\nwater rushes in a great cataract out by Stoksund, and the lake\nrises high and floods the land. It fell heavy rain just at this\ntime; and as the canal was dug out to the sea, the water and\nstream rushed into it. Then Olaf had all the rudders unshipped\nand hoisted all sail aloft. It was blowing a strong breeze\nastern, and they steered with their oars, and the ships came in a\nrush over all the shallows, and got into the sea without any\ndamage. Now went the Swedes to their king, Olaf, and told him\nthat Olaf the Great had slipped out to sea; on which the king was\nenraged against those who should have watched that Olaf did not\nget away. This passage has since been called King's Sound; but\nlarge vessels cannot pass through it, unless the waters are very\nhigh. Some relate that the Swedes were aware that Olaf had cut\nacross the tongue of land, and that the water was falling out\nthat way; and they flocked to it with the intention to hinder\nOlaf from getting away, but the water undermined the banks on\neach side so that they fell in with the people, and many were\ndrowned: but the Swedes contradict this as a false report, and\ndeny the loss of people. The king sailed to Gotland in harvest,\nand prepared to plunder; but the Gotlanders assembled, and sent\nmen to the king, offering him a scat. The king found this would\nsuit him, and he received the scat, and remained there all\nwinter. So says Ottar Svarte: --\n\"Thou seaman-prince! thy men are paid:\nThe scat on Gotlanders is laid;\nYoung man or old\nTo our seamen bold\nMust pay, to save his head:\nThe Yngling princes fled,\nEysvssel people bled;\nWho can't defend the wealth they have\nMust die, or share with the rover brave.\"\n7. THE SECOND BATTLE.\nIt is related here that King Olaf, when spring set in, sailed\neast to Eysyssel, and landed and plundered; the Eysyssel men came\ndown to the strand and grave him battle. King Olaf gained the\nvictory, pursued those who fled, and laid waste the land with\nfire and sword. It is told that when King Olaf first came to\nEysvssel they offered him scat, and when the scat was to be\nbrought down to the strand the king came to meet it with an armed\nforce, and that was not what the bondes there expected; for they\nhad brought no scat, but only their weapons with which they\nfought against the king, as before related. So says Sigvat the\nskald: --\n\"With much deceit and bustle\nTo the heath of Eysyssel\nThe bondes brought the king,\nTo get scat at their weapon-thing.\nBut Olaf was too wise\nTo be taken by surprise;\nTheir legs scarce bore them off\nO'er the common test enough.\"\n8. THE THIRD BATTLE.\nAfter this they sailed to Finland and plundered there, and went\nup the country. All the people fled to the forest, and they had\nemptied their houses of all household goods. The king went far\nup the country, and through some woods, and came to some\ndwellings in a valley called Herdaler, -- where, however, they\nmade but small booty, and saw no people; and as it was getting\nlate in the day, the king turned back to his ships. Now when\nthey came into the woods again people rushed upon them from all\nquarters, and made a severe attack. The king told his men to\ncover themselves with their shields, but before they got out of\nthe woods he lost many people, and many were wounded; but at\nlast, late in the evening, he got to the ships. The Finlanders\nconjured up in the night, by their witchcraft, a dreadful storm\nand bad weather on the sea; but the king ordered the anchors to\nbe weighed and sail hoisted, and beat off all night to the\noutside of the land. The king's luck prevailed more than the\nFinlanders' witchcraft; for he had the luck to beat round the\nBalagard's side in the night. and so got out to sea. But the\nFinnish army proceeded on land, making the same progress as the\nking made with his ships. So says Sigvat: --\n\"The third fight was at Herdaler, where\nThe men of Finland met in war\nThe hero of the royal race,\nWith ringing sword-blades face to face.\nOff Balagard's shore the waves\nRan hollow; but the sea-king saves\nHis hard-pressed ship, and gains the lee\nOf the east coast through the wild sea.\"\n9. THE FOURTH BATTLE IN SUDERVIK.\nKing Olaf sailed from thence to Denmark, where he met Thorkel the\nTall, brother of Earl Sigvalde, and went into partnership with\nhim; for he was just ready to set out on a cruise. They sailed\nsouthwards to the Jutland coast, to a place called Sudervik,\nwhere they overcame many viking ships. The vikings, who usually\nhave many people to command, give themselves the title of kings,\nalthough they have no lands to rule over. King Olaf went into\nbattle with them, and it was severe; but King Olaf gained the\nvictory, and a great booty. So says Sigvat: --\n\"Hark! hark! The war-shout\nThrough Sudervik rings,\nAnd the vikings bring out\nTo fight the two kings.\nGreat honour, I'm told,\nWon these vikings so bold:\nBut their bold fight was vain,\nFor the two brave kings gain.\"\n10. THE FIFTH BATTLE IN FRIESLAND.\nKing Olaf sailed from thence south to Friesland, and lay under\nthe strand of Kinlima in dreadful weather. The king landed with\nhis men; but the people of the country rode down to the strand\nagainst them, and he fought them. So says Sigvat: --\n\"Under Kinlima's cliff,\nThis battle is the fifth.\nThe brave sea-rovers stand\nAll on the glittering sand;\nAnd down the horsemen ride\nTo the edge of the rippling tide:\nBut Olaf taught the peasant band\nTo know the weight of a viking's hand.\"\n11. DEATH OF KING SVEIN FORKED BEARD.\nThe king sailed from thence westward to England. It was then the\ncase that the Danish king, Svein Forked Beard, was at that time\nin England with a Danish army, and had been fixed there for some\ntime, and had seized upon King Ethelred's kingdom. The Danes had\nspread themselves so widely over England, that it was come so far\nthat King Ethelred had departed from the country, and had gone\nsouth to Valland. The same autumn that King Olaf came to\nEngland, it happened that King Svein died suddenly in the night\nin his bed; and it is said by Englishmen that Edmund the Saint\nkilled him, in the same way that the holy Mercurius had killed\nthe apostate Julian. When Ethelred, the king of the English,\nheard this in Flanders, he returned directly to England; and no\nsooner was he come back, than he sent an invitation to all the\nmen who would enter into his pay, to join him in recovering the\ncountry. Then many people flocked to him; and among others, came\nKing Olaf with a great troop of Northmen to his aid. They\nsteered first to London, and sailed into the Thames with their\nfleet; but the Danes had a castle within. On the other side of\nthe river is a great trading place, which is called Sudvirke.\nThere the Danes had raised a great work, dug large ditches, and\nwithin had built a bulwark of stone, timber, and turf, where they\nhad stationed a strong army. King Ethelred ordered a great\nassault; but the Danes defended themselves bravely, and King\nEthelred could make nothing of it. Between the castle and\nSouthwark (Sudvirke) there was a bridge, so broad that two\nwagons could pass each other upon it. On the bridge were raised\nbarricades, both towers and wooden parapets, in the direction of\nthe river, which were nearly breast high; and under the bridge\nwere piles driven into the bottom of the river. Now when the\nattack was made the troops stood on the bridge everywhere, and\ndefended themselves. King Ethelred was very anxious to get\npossession of the bridge, and he called together all the chiefs\nto consult how they should get the bridge broken down. Then said\nKing Olaf he would attempt to lay his fleet alongside of it, if\nthe other ships would do the same. It was then determined in\nthis council that they should lay their war forces under the\nbridge; and each made himself ready with ships and men.\n12. THE SIXTH BATTLE.\nKing Olaf ordered great platforms of floating wood to be tied\ntogether with hazel bands, and for this he took down old houses;\nand with these, as a roof, he covered over his ships so widely,\nthat it reached over the ships' sides. Under this screen he set\npillars so high and stout, that there both was room for swinging\ntheir swords, and the roofs were strong enough to withstand the\nstones cast down upon them. Now when the fleet and men were\nready, they rode up along the river; but when they came near the\nbridge, there were cast down upon them so many stones and missile\nweapons, such as arrows and spears, that neither helmet nor\nshield could hold out against it; and the ships themselves were\nso greatly damaged, that many retreated out of it. But King\nOlaf, and the Northmen's fleet with him, rowed quite up under the\nbridge, laid their cables around the piles which supported it,\nand then rowed off with all the ships as hard as they could down\nthe stream. The piles were thus shaken in the bottom, and were\nloosened under the bridge. Now as the armed troops stood thick\nof men upon the bridge, and there were likewise many heaps of\nstones and other weapons upon it, and the piles under it being\nloosened and broken, the bridge gave way; and a great part of the\nmen upon it fell into the river, and all the ethers fled, some\ninto the castle, some into Southwark. Thereafter Southwark was\nstormed and taken. Now when the people in the castle saw that\nthe river Thames was mastered, and that they could not hinder the\npassage of ships up into the country, they became afraid,\nsurrendered the tower, and took Ethelred to be their king. So\nsays Ottar Svarte: --\n\"London Bridge is broken down. --\nGold is won, and bright renown.\nShields resounding,\nWar-horns sounding,\nHild is shouting in the din!\nArrows singing,\nMail-coats ringing --\nOdin makes our Olaf win!\"\nAnd he also composed these: --\n\"King Ethelred has found a friend:\nBrave Olaf will his throne defend --\nIn bloody fight\nMaintain his right,\nWin back his land\nWith blood-red hand,\nAnd Edmund's son upon his throne replace --\nEdmund, the star of every royal race!\"\nSigvat also relates as follows: --\n\"At London Bridge stout Olaf gave\nOdin's law to his war-men brave --\n`To win or die!'\nAnd their foemen fly.\nSome by the dyke-side refuge gain --\nSome in their tents on Southwark plain!\nThe sixth attack\nBrought victory back.\"\n13. THE SEVENTH BATTLE.\nKing Olaf passed all the winter with King Ethelred, and had a\ngreat battle at Hringmara Heath in Ulfkel's land, the domain\nwhich Ulfkel Snilling at that time held; and here again the king\nwas victorious. So says Sigvat the skald: --\n\"To Ulfkel's land came Olaf bold,\nA seventh sword-thing he would hold.\nThe race of Ella filled the plain --\nFew of them slept at home again!\nHringmara heath\nWas a bed of death:\nHarfager's heir\nDealt slaughter there.\"\nAnd Ottar sings of this battle thus: --\n\"From Hringmara field\nThe chime of war,\nSword striking shield,\nRings from afar.\nThe living fly;\nThe dead piled high\nThe moor enrich;\nRed runs the ditch.\"\nThe country far around was then brought in subjection to King\nEthelred: but the Thingmen (1) and the Danes held many castles,\nbesides a great part of the country.\nENDNOTES:\n(1) Thing-men were hired men-at-arms; called Thing-men probably\nfrom being men above the class of thralls or unfree men, and\nentitled to appear at Things, as being udal-born to land at\nhome.\n14. EIGHTH AND NINTH BATTLES OF OLAF.\nKing Olaf was commander of all the forces when they went against\nCanterbury; and they fought there until they took the town,\nkilling many people and burning the castle. So says Ottar\nSvarte: --\n\"All in the grey of morn\nBroad Canterbury's forced.\nBlack smoke from house-roofs borne\nHides fire that does its worst;\nAnd many a man laid low\nBy the battle-axe's blow,\nWaked by the Norsemen's cries,\nScarce had time to rub his eyes.\"\nSigvat reckons this King Olaf's eighth battle: --\n\"Of this eighth battle I can tell\nHow it was fought, and what befell,\nThe castle tower\nWith all his power\nHe could not take,\nNor would forsake.\nThe Perthmen fought,\nNor quarter sought;\nBy death or flight\nThey left the fight.\nOlaf could not this earl stout\nFrom Canterbury quite drive out.\"\nAt this time King Olaf was entrusted with the whole land defence\nof England, and he sailed round the land with his ships of War.\nHe laid his ships at land at Nyjamoda, where the troops of the\nThingmen were, and gave them battle and gained the victory. So\nsays Sigvat the skald: --\n\"The youthful king stained red the hair\nOf Angeln men, and dyed his spear\nAt Newport in their hearts' dark blood:\nAnd where the Danes the thickest stood --\nWhere the shrill storm round Olaf's head\nOf spear and arrow thickest fled.\nThere thickest lay the Thingmen dead!\nNine battles now of Olaf bold,\nBattle by battle, I have told.\"\nKing Olaf then scoured all over the country, taking scat of the\npeople and plundering where it was refused. So says Ottar: --\n\"The English race could not resist thee,\nWith money thou madest them assist thee;\nUnsparingly thou madest them pay\nA scat to thee in every way;\nMoney, if money could be got --\nGoods, cattle, household gear, if not.\nThy gathered spoil, borne to the strand,\nWas the best wealth of English land.\"\nOlaf remained here for three years (A.D. 1010-1012).\n15. THE TENTH BATTLE.\nThe third year King Ethelred died, and his sons Edmund and Edward\ntook the government (A.D. 1012). Then Olaf sailed southwards out\nto sea, and had a battle at Hringsfjord, and took a castle\nsituated at Holar, where vikings resorted, and burnt the castle.\nSo says Sigvat the skald: --\n\"Of the tenth battle now I tell,\nWhere it was fought, and what befell.\nUp on the hill in Hringsfjord fair\nA robber nest hung in the air:\nThe people followed our brave chief,\nAnd razed the tower of the viking thief.\nSuch rock and tower, such roosting-place,\nWas ne'er since held by the roving race.\"\n16. ELEVENTH, TWELFTH AND THIRTEENTH BATTLES.\nThen King Olaf proceeded westwards to Grislupollar, and fought\nthere with vikings at Williamsby; and there also King Olaf gained\nthe victory. So says Sigvat: --\n\"The eleventh battle now I tell,\nWhere it was fought, and what befell.\nAt Grislupol our young fir's name\nO'ertopped the forest trees in fame:\nBrave Olaf's name -- nought else was heard\nBut Olaf's name, and arm, and sword.\nOf three great earls, I have heard say,\nHis sword crushed helm and head that day.\"\nNext he fought westward on Fetlafjord, as Sigvat tells: --\n\"The twelfth fight was at Fetlafjord,\nWhere Olaf's honour-seeking sword\nGave the wild wolf's devouring teeth\nA feast of warriors doomed to death.\"\nFrom thence King Olaf sailed southwards to Seljupollar, where he\nhad a battle. He took there a castle called Gunvaldsborg, which\nwas very large and old. He also made prisoner the earl who ruled\nover the castle and who was called Geirfin. After a conference\nwith the men of the castle, he laid a scat upon the town and\nearl, as ransom, of twelve thousand gold shillings: which was\nalso paid by those on whom it was imposed. So says Sigvat: --\n\"The thirteenth battle now I tell,\nWhere it was fought, and what befell.\nIn Seljupol was fought the fray,\nAnd many did not survive the day.\nThe king went early to the shore,\nTo Gunvaldsborg's old castle-tower;\nAnd a rich earl was taken there,\nWhose name was Geridin, I am sure.\"\n17. FOURTEENTH BATTLE AND OLAF'S DREAM.\nThereafter King Olaf steered with his fleet westward to Karlsar,\nand tarried there and had a fight. And while King Olaf was lying\nin Karlsa river waiting a wind, and intending to sail up to\nNorvasund, and then on to the land of Jerusalem, he dreamt a\nremarkable dream -- that there came to him a great and important\nman, but of a terrible appearance withal, who spoke to him, and\ntold him to give up his purpose of proceeding to that land.\n\"Return back to thy udal, for thou shalt be king over Norway for\never.\" He interpreted this dream to mean that he should be king\nover the country, and his posterity after him for a long time.\n18. FIFTEENTH BATTLE.\nAfter this appearance to him he turned about, and came to Poitou,\nwhere he plundered and burnt a merchant town called Varrande. Of\nthis Ottar speaks: --\n\"Our young king, blythe and gay,\nIs foremost in the fray:\nPoitou he plunders, Tuskland burns, --\nHe fights and wins where'er he turns.\"\nAnd also Sigvat says: --\n\"The Norsemen's king is on his cruise,\nHis blue steel staining,\nRich booty gaining,\nAnd all men trembling at the news.\nThe Norsemen's kings up on the Loire:\nRich Partheney\nIn ashes lay;\nFar inland reached the Norsemen's spear.\"\n19. OF THE EARLS OF ROUEN.\nKing Olaf had been two summers and one winter in the west in\nValland on this cruise; and thirteen years had now passed since\nthe fall of King Olaf Trygvason. During this time earls had\nruled over Norway; first Hakon's sons Eirik and Svein, and\nafterwards Eirik's sons Hakon and Svein. Hakon was a sister's\nson of King Canute, the son of Svein. During this time there\nwere two earls in Valland, William and Robert; their father was\nRichard earl of Rouen. They ruled over Normandy. Their sister\nwas Queen Emma, whom the English king Ethelred had married; and\ntheir sons were Edmund, Edward the Good, Edwy, and Edgar.\nRichard the earl of Rouen was a son of Richard the son of William\nLong Spear, who was the son of Rolf Ganger, the earl who first\nconquered Normandy; and he again was a son of Ragnvald the\nMighty, earl of More, as before related. From Rolf Ganger are\ndescended the earls of Rouen, who have long reckoned themselves\nof kin to the chiefs in Norway, and hold them in such respect\nthat they always were the greatest friends of the Northmen; and\nevery Northman found a friendly country in Normandy, if he\nrequired it. To Normandy King Olaf came in autumn (A.D. 1013),\nand remained all winter (A.D. 1014) in the river Seine in good\npeace and quiet.\n20. OF EINAR TAMBASKELFER.\nAfter Olaf Trygvason's fall, Earl Eirik gave peace to Einar\nTambaskelfer, the son of Eindride Styrkarson; and Einar went\nnorth with the earl to Norway. It is said that Einar was the\nstrongest man and the best archer that ever was in Norway. His\nshooting was sharp beyond all others; for with a blunt arrow he\nshot through a raw, soft ox-hide, hanging over a beam. He was\nbetter than any man at running on snow-shoes, was a great man\nat all exercises, was of high family, and rich. The earls Eirik\nand Svein married their sister Bergliot to Einar. Their son was\nnamed Eindride. The earls gave Einar great fiefs in Orkadal, so\nthat he was one of the most powerful and able men in the\nThrondhjem country, and was also a great friend of the earls, and\na great support and aid to them.\n21. OF ERLING SKIALGSON.\nWhen Olaf Trygvason ruled over Norway, he gave his brother-in-law\nErling half of the land scat, and royal revenues between the Naze\nand Sogn. His other sister he married to the Earl Ragnvald\nUlfson, who long ruled over West Gautland. Ragnvald's father,\nUlf, was a brother of Sigrid the Haughty, the mother of Olaf the\nSwedish king. Earl Eirik was ill pleased that Erling Skialgson\nhad so large a dominion, and he took to himself all the king's\nestates, which King Olaf had given to Erling. But Erling levied,\nas before, all the land scat in Rogaland; and thus the\ninhabitants had often to pay him the land scat, otherwise he laid\nwaste their land. The earl made little of the business, for no\nbailiff of his could live there, and the earl could only come\nthere in guest-quarters, when he had a great many people with\nhim. So says Sigvat: --\n\"Olaf the king\nThought the bonde Erling\nA man who would grace\nHis own royal race.\nOne sister the king\nGave the bonde Erling;\nAnd one to an earl,\nAnd she saved him in peril.\"\nEarl Eirik did not venture to fight with Erling, because he had\nvery powerful and very many friends, and was himself rich and\npopular, and kept always as many retainers about him as if he\nheld a king's court. Erling vas often out in summer on\nplundering expeditions, and procured for himself means of living;\nfor he continued his usual way of high and splendid living,\nalthough now he had fewer and less convenient fiefs than in the\ntime of his brother-in-law King Olaf Trygvason. Erling was one\nof the handsomest, largest, and strongest men; a better warrior\nthan any other; and in all exercises he was like King Olaf\nhimself. He was, besides, a man of understanding, jealous in\neverything he undertook, and a deadly man at arms. Sigvat talks\nthus of him: --\n\"No earl or baron, young or old,\nMatch with this bonde brave can hold.\nMild was brave Erling, all men say,\nWhen not engaged in bloody fray:\nHis courage he kept hid until\nThe fight began, then foremost still\nErling was seen in war's wild game,\nAnd famous still is Erling's name.\"\nIt was a common saying among the people, that Erling had been the\nmost valiant who ever held lands under a king in Norway. Erlings\nand Astrid s children were these -- Aslak, Skialg, Sigurd, Lodin,\nThorer, and Ragnhild, who was married to Thorberg Arnason.\nErling had always with him ninety free-born men or more, and both\nwinter and summer it was the custom in his house to drink at the\nmid-day meal according to a measure (1), but at the night meal\nthere was no measure in drinking. When the earl was in the\nneighbourhood he had 200 (2) men or more. He never went to sea\nwith less than a fully-manned ship of twenty benches of rowers.\nErling had also a ship of thirty-two benches of rowers, which was\nbesides, very large for that size. and which he used in viking\ncruises, or on an expedition; and in it there were 200 men at the\nvery least.\nENDNOTES:\n(1) There were silver-studs in a row from the rim to the bottom\nof the drinking born or cup; and as it went round each drank\ntill the stud appeared above the liquor. This was drinking\nby measure. -- L.\n(2) I.e., 240.\n22. OF THE HERSE ERLING SKIALGSON.\nErling had always at home on his farm thirty slaves, besides\nother serving-people. He gave his slaves a certain day's work;\nbut after it he gave them leisure, and leave that each should\nwork in the twilight and at night for himself, and as he pleased.\nHe gave them arable land to sow corn in, and let them apply their\ncrops to their own use. He laid upon each a certain quantity of\nlabour to work themselves free by doing it; and there were many\nwho bought their freedom in this way in one year, or in the\nsecond year, and all who had any luck could make themselves free\nwithin three years. With this money he bought other slaves: and\nto some of his freed people he showed how to work in the herring-\nfishery, to others he showed some useful handicraft; and some\ncleared his outfields and set up houses. He helped all to\nprosperity.\n23. OF EARL EIRIK.\nWhen Earl Eirik had ruled over Norway for twelve years. there\ncame a message to him from his brother-in-law King Canute, the\nDanish king, that he should go with him on an expedition westward\nto England; for Eirik was very celebrated for his campaigns, as\nhe had gained the victory in the two hardest engagements which\nhad ever been fought in the north countries. The one was that in\nwhich the Earls Hakon and Eirik fought with the Jomsborg vikings;\nthe other that in which Earl Eirik fought with King Olaf\nTrygvason. Thord Kolbeinson speaks of this: --\n\"A song of praise\nAgain I raise.\nTo the earl bold\nThe word is told,\nThat Knut the Brave\nHis aid would crave;\nThe earl, I knew,\nTo friend stands true.\"\nThe earl would not sleep upon the message of the king, but sailed\nimmediately out of the country, leaving behind his son Earl Hakon\nto take care of Norway; and, as he was but seventeen years of\nage, Einar Tambaskelfer was to be at his hand to rule the country\nfor him.\nEirik met King Canute in England, and was with him when he took\nthe castle of London. Earl Eirik had a battle also to the\nwestward of the castle of London, and killed Ulfkel Snilling. So\nsays Thord Kolbeinson: --\n\"West of London town we passed,\nAnd our ocean-steeds made fast,\nAnd a bloody fight begin,\nEng1and's lands to lose or win.\nBlue sword and shining spear\nLaid Ulfkel's dead corpse there,\nOur Thingmen hear the war-shower sounding\nOur grey arrows from their shields rebounding.\"\nEarl Eirik was a winter in England, and had many battles there.\nThe following autumn he intended to make a pilgrimage to Rome,\nbut he died in England of a bloody flux.\n24. THE MURDER OF EDMUND.\nKing Canute came to England the summer that King Ethelred died,\nand had many battles with Ethelred's sons, in which the victory\nwas sometimes on one side, sometimes on the other. Then King\nCanute took Queen Emma in marriage; and their children were\nHarald, Hardacanute, and Gunhild. King Canute then made an\nagreement with King Edmund, that each of them should have a half\nof England. In the same month Henry Strion murdered King Edmund.\nKing Canute then drove all Ethelred's sons out of England. So\nsays Sigvat: --\n\"Now all the sons of Ethelred\nWere either fallen, or had fled:\nSome slain by Canute, -- some they say,\nTo save their lives had run away.\"\n25. OLAF AND ETHELRED'S SONS.\nKing Ethelred's sons came to Rouen in Valland from England, to\ntheir mother's brother, the same summer that King Olaf Haraldson\ncame from the west from his viking cruise, and they were all\nduring the winter in Normandy together. They made an agreement\nwith each other that King Olaf should have Northumberland, if\nthey could succeed in taking England from the Danes. Therefore\nabout harvest, Olaf sent his foster-father Hrane to England to\ncollect men-at-arms; and Ethelred's sons sent tokens to their\nfriends and relations with him. King Olaf, besides, gave him\nmuch money with him to attract people to them. Hrane was all\nwinter in England, and got promises from many powerful men of\nfidelity, as the people of the country would rather have native\nkings over them; but the Danish power had become so great in\nEngland, that all the people were brought under their dominion.\n26. BATTLE OF KING OLAF.\nIn spring (A.D. 1014) King Olaf and King Ethelred's sons set out\ntogether to the west, and came to a place in England called\nJungufurda, where they landed with their army and moved forward\nagainst the castle. Many men were there who had promised them\ntheir aid. They took the castle; and killed many people. Now\nwhen King Canute's men heard of this they assembled an army, and\nwere soon in such force that Ethelred's sons could not stand\nagainst it; and they saw no other way left but to return to\nRouen. Then King Olaf separated from them, and would not go back\nto Valland, but sailed northwards along England, all the way to\nNorthumberland, where he put into a haven at a place called\nValde; and in a battle there with the townspeople and merchants\nhe gained the victory, and a great booty.\n27. OLAF'S EXPEDITION TO NORWAY.\nKing Olaf left his long-ships there behind, but made ready two\nships of burden; and had with him 220 men in them, well-armed,\nand chosen people. He sailed out to sea northwards in harvest,\nbut encountered a tremendous storm and they were in danger of\nbeing lost; but as they had a chosen crew, and the king s luck\nwith them, all went on well. So says Ottar: --\n\"Olaf, great stem of kings, is brave --\nBold in the fight, bold on the wave.\nNo thought of fear\nThy heart comes near.\nUndaunted, 'midst the roaring flood,\nFirm at his post each shipman stood;\nAnd thy two ships stout\nThe gale stood out.\"\nAnd further he says: --\n\"Thou able chief! with thy fearless crew\nThou meetest, with skill and courage true,\nThe wild sea's wrath\nOn thy ocean path.\nThough waves mast-high were breaking round.\nThou findest the middle of Norway's ground,\nWith helm in hand\nOn Saela's strand.\"\nIt is related here that King Olaf came from the sea to the very\nmiddle of Norway; and the isle is called Saela where they landed,\nand is outside of Stad. King Olaf said he thought it must be a\nlucky day for them, since they had landed at Saela in Norway; and\nobserved it was a good omen that it so happened. As they were\ngoing up in the isle, the king slipped with one foot in a place\nwhere there was clay, but supported himself with the other foot.\nThen said he \"The king falls.\" \"Nay,\" replies Hrane, \"thou didst\nnot fall, king, but set fast foot in the soil.\" The king laughed\nthereat, and said, \"It may be so if God will.\" They went down\nagain thereafter to their ships, and sailed to Ulfasund, where\nthey heard that Earl Hakon was south in Sogn, and was expected\nnorth as soon as wind allowed with a single ship.\n28. HAKON TAKEN PRISONER BY OLAF.\nKing Olaf steered his ships within the ordinary ships' course\nwhen he came abreast of Fjaler district, and ran into\nSaudungssund. There he laid his two vessels one on each side of\nthe sound. with a thick cable between them. At the same moment\nHakon, Earl Eirik's son, came rowing into the sound with a manned\nship; and as they thought these were but two merchant-vessels\nthat were lying in the sound, they rowed between them. Then Olaf\nand his men draw the cable up right under Hakon's ship's keel and\nwind it up with the capstan. As soon as the vessel's course was\nstopped her stern was lifted up, and her bow plunged down; so\nthat the water came in at her fore-end and over both sides, and\nshe upset. King Olaf's people took Earl Hakon and all his men\nwhom they could get hold of out of the water, and made them\nprisoners; but some they killed with stones and other weapons,\nand some were drowned. So says Ottar: --\n\"The black ravens wade\nIn the blood from thy blade.\nYoung Hakon so gay,\nWith his ship, is thy prey:\nHis ship, with its gear,\nThou hast ta'en; and art here,\nThy forefather's land\nFrom the earl to demand.\"\nEarl Hakon was led up to the king's ship. He was the handsomest\nman that could be seen. He had long hair, as fine as silk, bound\nabout his bead with a gold ornament.\nWhen he sat down in the fore-hold, the king said to him, \"It is\nnot false what is said of your family, that ye are handsome\npeople to look at; but now your luck has deserted you.\"\nHakon the earl replied, \"It has always been the case that success\nis changeable; and there is no luck in the matter. It has gone\nwith your family as with mine, to have by turns the better lot.\nI am little beyond childhood in years; and at any rate we could\nnot have defended ourselves, as we did not expect any attack on\nthe way. It may turn out better with us another time.\"\nThen said King Olaf, \"Dost thou not apprehend that thou art in\nthat condition that, hereafter, there can be neither victory nor\ndefeat for thee?\"\nThe earl replies, \"That is what thou only canst determine, king,\naccording to thy pleasure.\"\nOlaf says, \"What wilt thou give me, earl, if for this time I let\nthee go, whole and unhurt?\"\nThe earl asks what he would take.\n\"Nothing,\" says the king, \"except that thou shalt leave the\ncountry, give up thy kingdom, and take an oath that thou shalt\nnever go into battle against me.\"\nThe earl answered, that he would do so. And now Earl Hakon took\nthe oath that he would never fight against Olaf, or seek to\ndefend Norway against him, or attack him; and King Olaf thereupon\ngave him and all his men life and peace. The earl got back the\nship which had brought him there, and he and his men rowed their\nway. Thus says Sigvat of him: --\n\"In old Saudungs sound\nThe king Earl Hakon found,\nWho little thought that there\nA foeman was so near.\nThe best and fairest youth\nEarl Hakon was in truth,\nThat speaks the Danish tongue,\nAnd of the race of great Hakon.\"\n29. HAKON'S DEPARTURE FROM NORWAY.\nAfter this (A.D. 1014) the earl made ready as fast as possible to\nleave the country and sail over to England. He met King Canute,\nhis mother's brother, there, and told him all that had taken\nplace between him and King Olaf. King Canute received him\nremarkably well, placed him in his court in his own house, and\ngave him great power in his kingdom. Earl Hakon dwelt a long\ntime with King Canute. During the time Svein and Hakon ruled\nover Norway, a reconciliation with Erling Skialgson was effected,\nand secured by Aslak, Erling's son, marrying Gunhild, Earl\nSvein's daughter; and the father and son, Erling and Aslak,\nretained all the fiefs which King Olaf Trygvason had given to\nErling. Thus Erling became a firm friend of the earl's, and\ntheir mutual friendship was confirmed by oath.\n30. ASTA RECEIVES HER SON OLAF.\nKing Olaf went now eastward along the land, holding Things with\nthe bondes all over the country. Many went willingly with him;\nbut some, who were Earl Svein's friends or relations, spoke\nagainst him. Therefore King Olaf sailed in all haste eastward to\nViken; went in there with his ships; set them on the land; and\nproceeded up the country, in order to meet his stepfather, Sigurd\nSyr. When he came to Vestfold he was received in a friendly way\nby many who had been his father's friends or acquaintances; and\nalso there and in Folden were many of his family. In autumn\n(A.D. 1014) he proceeded up the country to his stepfather King\nSigurd's, and came there one day very early. As Olaf was coming\nnear to the house, some of the servants ran beforehand to the\nhouse, and into the room. Olaf's mother, Asta, was sitting in\nthe room, and around her some of her girls. When the servants\ntold her of King Olaf's approach, and that he might soon be\nexpected, Asta stood up directly, and ordered the men and girls\nto put everything in the best order. She ordered four girls to\nbring out all that belonged to the decoration of the room and put\nit in order with hangings and benches. Two fellows brought straw\nfor the floor, two brought forward four-cornered tables and the\ndrinking-jugs, two bore out victuals and placed the meat on the\ntable, two she sent away from the house to procure in the\ngreatest haste all that was needed, and two carried in the ale;\nand all the other serving men and girls went outside of the\nhouse. Messengers went to seek King Sigurd wherever he might be,\nand brought to him his dress-clothes, and his horse with gilt\nsaddle, and his bridle, which was gilt and set with precious\nstones. Four men she sent off to the four quarters of the\ncountry to invite all the great people to a feast, which she\nprepared as a rejoicing for her son's return. All who were\nbefore in the house she made to dress themselves with the best\nthey had, and lent clothes to those who had none suitable.\n31. KING SIGURD'S DRESS.\nKing Sigurd Syr was standing in his corn-field when the\nmessengers came to him and brought him the news, and also told\nhim all that Asta was doing at home in the house. He had many\npeople on his farm. Some were then shearing corn, some bound it\ntogether, some drove it to the building, some unloaded it and put\nit in stack or barn; but the king, and two men with him, went\nsometimes into the field, sometimes to the place where the corn\nwas put into the barn. His dress, it is told, was this: -- he\nhad a blue kirtle and blue breeches; shoes which were laced about\nthe legs; a grey cloak, and a grey wide-brimmed hat; a veil\nbefore his face; a staff in his hand with a gilt-silver head on\nit and a silver ring around it. Of Sigurd's living and\ndisposition it is related that he was a very gain-making man who\nattended carefully to his cattle and husbandry, and managed his\nhousekeeping himself. He was nowise given to pomp, and was\nrather taciturn. But he was a man of the best understanding in\nNorway, and also excessively wealthy in movable property.\nPeaceful he was, and nowise haughty. His wife Asta was generous\nand high-minded. Their children were, Guthorm, the eldest; then\nGunhild; the next Halfdan, Ingerid, and Harald. The messengers\nsaid to Sigurd, \"Asta told us to bring thee word how much it lay\nat her heart that thou shouldst on this occasion comport thyself\nin the fashion of great men, and show a disposition more akin to\nHarald Harfager's race than to thy mother's father's, Hrane Thin-\nnose, or Earl Nereid the Old, although they too were very wise\nmen.\" The king replies, \"The news ye bring me is weighty, and ye\nbring it forward in great heat. Already before now Asta has been\ntaken up much with people who were not so near to her; and I see\nshe is still of the same disposition. She takes this up with\ngreat warmth; but can she lead her son out of the business with\nthe same splendour she is leading him into it? If it is to\nproceed so methinks they who mix themselves up in it regard\nlittle property or life. For this man, King Olaf, goes against a\ngreat superiority of power; and the wrath of the Danish and\nSwedish kings lies at the foot of his determination, if he\nventures to go against them.\"\n32. OF THE FEAST.\nWhen the king had said this he sat down, and made them take off\nhis shoes, and put corduvan boots on, to which he bound his gold\nspurs. Then he put off his cloak and coat, and dressed himself\nin his finest clothes, with a scarlet cloak over all; girded on\nhis sword, set a gilded helmet upon his head, and mounted his\nhorse. He sent his labouring people out to the neighbourhood,\nand gathered to him thirty well-clothed men, and rode home with\nthem. As they rode up to the house, and were near the room, they\nsaw on the other side of the house the banners of Olaf coming\nwaving; and there was he himself, with about 100 men all well\nequipped. People were gathered over all upon the house-tops.\nKing Sigurd immediately saluted his stepson from horseback in a\nfriendly way, and invited him and his men to come in and drink a\ncup with him. Asta, on the contrary, went up and kissed her son,\nand invited him to stay with her; and land, and people, and all\nthe good she could do for him stood at his service. King Olaf\nthanked her kindly for her invitation. Then she took him by the\nhand, and led him into the room to the high-seat. King Sigurd\ngot men to take charge of their clothes, and give their horses\ncorn; and then he himself went to his high-seat, and the feast\nwas made with the greatest splendour.\n33. CONVERSATION OF OLAF AND SIGURD.\nKing Olaf had not been long here before he one day called his\nstepfather King Sigurd, his mother Asta, and his foster-father\nHrane to a conference and consultation. Olaf began thus: \"It has\nso happened,\" said he, \"as is well known to you, that I have\nreturned to this country after a very long sojourn in foreign\nparts, during all which time I and my men have had nothing for\nour support but what we captured in war, for which we have often\nhazarded both life and soul: for many an innocent man have we\ndeprived of his property, and some of their lives; and foreigners\nare now sitting in the possessions which my father, his father,\nand their forefathers for a long series of generations owned, and\nto which I have udal right. They have not been content with\nthis, but have taken to themselves also the properties of all our\nrelations who are descended from Harald Harfager. To some they\nhave left little, to others nothing at all. Now I will disclose\nto you what I have long concealed in my own mind, that I intend\nto take the heritage of my forefathers; but I will not wait upon\nthe Danish or Swedish king to supplicate the least thing from\nthem, although they for the time call that their property which\nwas Harald Harfager's heritage. To say the truth, I intend\nrather to seek my patrimony with battle-axe and sword, and that\nwith the help of all my friends and relations, and of those who\nin this business will take my side. And in this matter I will so\nlay hand to the work that one of two things shall happen, --\neither I shall lay all this kingdom under my rule which they got\ninto their hands by the slaughter of my kinsman Olaf Trygvason,\nor I shall fall here upon my inheritance in the land of my\nfathers. Now I expect of thee, Sigurd, my stepfather, as well as\nother men here in the country who have udal right of succession\nto the kingdom, according to the law made by King Harald\nHarfager, that nothing shall be of such importance to you as to\nprevent you from throwing off the disgrace from our family of\nbeing slow at supporting the man who comes forward to raise up\nagain our race. But whether ye show any manhood in this affair\nor not, I know the inclination of the people well, -- that all\nwant to be free from the slavery of foreign masters, and will\ngive aid and strength to the attempt. I have not proposed this\nmatter to any before thee, because I know thou art a man of\nunderstanding, and can best judge how this my purpose shall be\nbrought forward in the beginning, and whether we shall, in all\nquietness, talk about it to a few persons, or instantly declare\nit to the people at large. I have already shown my teeth by\ntaking prisoner the Earl Hakon, who has now left the country, and\ngiven me, under oath, the part of the kingdom which he had\nbefore; and I think it will be easier to have Earl Svein alone to\ndeal with, than if both were defending the country against us.\"\nKing Sigurd answers, \"It is no small affair, King Olaf, thou hast\nin thy mind; and thy purpose comes more, methinks, from hasty\npride than from prudence. But it may be there is a wide\ndifference between my humble ways and the high thoughts thou\nhast; for whilst yet in thy childhood thou wast full always of\nambition and desire of command, and now thou art experienced in\nbattles, and hast formed thyself upon the manner of foreign\nchiefs. I know therefore well, that as thou hast taken this into\nthy head, it is useless to dissuade thee from it; and also it is\nnot to be denied that it goes to the heart of all who have\ncourage in them, that the whole Harfager race and kingdom should\ngo to the ground. But I will not bind myself by any promise,\nbefore I know the views and intentions of other Upland kings; but\nthou hast done well in letting me know thy purpose, before\ndeclaring it publicly to the people. I will promise thee,\nhowever, my interest with the kings, and other chiefs, and\ncountry people; and also, King Olaf, all my property stands to\nthy aid, and to strengthen thee. But we will only produce the\nmatter to the community so soon as we see some progress, and\nexpect some strength to this undertaking; for thou canst easily\nperceive that it is a daring measure to enter into strife with\nOlaf the Swedish king, and Canute, who is king both of Denmark\nand England; and thou requirest great support under thee, if it\nis to succeed. It is not unlikely, in my opinion, that thou wilt\nget good support from the people, as the commonalty always loves\nwhat is new; and it went so before, when Olaf Trygvason came here\nto the country, that all rejoiced at it, although he did not long\nenjoy the kingdom.\"\nWhen the consultation had proceeded so far, Asta took up the\nword. \"For my part, my son, I am rejoiced at thy arrival, but\nmuch more at thy advancing thy honour. I will spare nothing for\nthat purpose that stands in my power, although it be but little\nhelp that can be expected from me. But if a choice could be\nmade, I would rather that thou shouldst be the supreme king of\nNorway, even if thou shouldst not sit longer in thy kingdom than\nOlaf Trygvason did, than that thou shouldst not be a greater king\nthan Sigurd Syr is, and die the death of old age.\" With this the\nconference closed. King Olaf remained here a while with all his\nmen. King Sigurd entertained them, day about, the one day with\nfish and milk, the other day with flesh-meat and ale.\n34. KINGS IN THE UPLAND DISTRICTS.\nAt that time there were many kings in the Uplands who had\ndistricts to rule over, and the most of them were descended from\nHarald Harfager. In Hedemark two brothers ruled -- Hrorek and\nRing; in Gudbrandsdal, Gudrod; and there was also a king in\nRaumarike; and one had Hadaland and Thoten; and in Valders also\nthere was a king. With these district-kings Sigurd had a meeting\nup in Hadaland, and Olaf Haraldson also met with them. To these\ndistrict-kings whom Sigurd had assembled he set forth his stepson\nOlaf's purpose, and asked their aid, both of men and in counsel\nand consent; and represented to them how necessary it was to cast\noff the yoke which the Danes and Swedes had laid upon them. He\nsaid that there was now a man before them who could head such an\nenterprise; and he recounted the many brave actions which Olaf\nhad achieved upon his war-expeditions.\nThen King Hrorek says, \"True it is that Harald Harfager's kingdom\nhas gone to decay, none of his race being supreme king over\nNorway. But the people here in the country have experienced many\nthings. When King Hakon, Athelstan's foster-son, was king, all\nwere content; but when Gunhild's sons ruled over the country, all\nwere so weary of their tyranny and injustice that they would\nrather have foreign men as kings, and be themselves more their\nown rulers; for the foreign kings were usually abroad and cared\nlittle about the customs of the people if the scat they laid on\nthe country was paid. When enmity arose between the Danish king\nHarald and Earl Hakon, the Jomsborg vikings made an expedition\nagainst Norway; then the whole people arose, and threw the\nhostilities from themselves; and thereafter the people encouraged\nEarl Hakon to keep the country, and defend it with sword and\nspear against the Danish king. But when he had set himself fast\nin the kingdom with the help of the people, he became so hard and\noverbearing towards the country-folks, that they would no longer\nsuffer him. The Throndhjem people killed him, and raised to the\nkingly power Olaf Trygvason, who was of the udal succession to\nthe kingdom, and in all respects well fitted to be a chief. The\nwhole country's desire was to make him supreme king, and raise\nagain the kingdom which Harald Harfager had made for himself.\nBut when King Olaf thought himself quite firmly seated in his\nkingdom, no man could rule his own concerns for him. With us\nsmall kings he was so unreasonable, as to take to himself not\nonly all the scat and duties which Harald Harfager had levied\nfrom us, but a great deal more. The people at last had so little\nfreedom under him, that it was not allowed to every man to\nbelieve in what god he pleased. Now since he has been taken away\nwe have kept friendly with the Danish king; have received great\nhelp from him when we have had any occasion for it; and have been\nallowed to rule ourselves, and live in peace and quiet in the\ninland country, and without any overburden. I am therefore\ncontent that things be as they are, for I do not see what better\nrights I am to enjoy by one of my relations ruling over the\ncountry; and if I am to be no better off, I will take no part in\nthe affair.\"\nThen said King Ring, his brother, \"I will also declare my opinion\nthat it is better for me, if I hold the same power and property\nas now, that my relative is king over Norway, rather than a\nforeign chief, so that our family may again raise its head in the\nland. It is, besides, my opinion about this man Olaf, that his\nfate and luck must determine whether he is to obtain the kingdom\nor not; and if he succeed in making himself supreme king, then he\nwill be the best off who has best deserved his friendship. At\npresent he has in no respect greater power than any of us; nay,\nindeed, he has less; as we have lands and kingdoms to rule over,\nand he has nothing, and we are equally entitled by the udal right\nto the kingdom as he is himself. Now, if we will be his men,\ngive him our aid, allow him to take the highest dignity in the\ncountry, and stand by him with our strength, how should he not\nreward us well, and hold it in remembrance to our great\nadvantage, if he be the honourable man I believe him to be, and\nall say he is? Therefore let us join the adventure, say I, and\nbind ourselves in friendship with him.\"\nThen the others, one after the other, stood up and spoke; and the\nconclusion was, that the most of them determined to enter into a\nleague with King Olaf. He promised them his perfect friendship,\nand that he would hold by and improve the country's laws and\nrights, if he became supreme king of Norway. This league was\nconfirmed by oath.\n35. OLAF GETS THE TITLE OF KING FROM THE THING.\nThereafter the kings summoned a Thing, and there King Olaf set\nforth this determination to all the people, and his demand on the\nkingly power. He desires that the bondes should receive him as\nking; and promises, on the other hand, to allow them to retain\ntheir ancient laws, and to defend the land from foreign masters\nand chiefs. On this point he spoke well, and long; and he got\ngreat praise for his speech. Then the kings rose and spoke, the\none after the other, and supported his cause, and this message to\nthe people. At last it came to this, that King Olaf was\nproclaimed king over the whole country, and the kingdom adjudged\nto him according to law in the Uplands (A.D. 1014).\n36. KING OLAF TRAVELS IN THE UPLANDS.\nKing Olaf began immediately his progress through the country,\nappointing feasts before him wherever there were royal farms.\nFirst he travelled round in Hadaland, and then he proceeded north\nto Gudbrandsdal. And now it went as King Sigurd Syr had\nforetold, that people streamed to him from all quarters; and he\ndid not appear to have need for half of them, for he had nearly\n300 men. But the entertainments bespoken did not half serve; for\nit had been the custom that kings went about in guest-quarters in\nthe Uplands with 60 or 70 men only, and never with more than 100\nmen. The king therefore hastened over the country, only stopping\none night at the same place. When he came north to Dovrefield,\nhe arranged his journey so that he came over the mountain and\ndown upon the north side of it, and then came to Opdal, where he\nremained all night. Afterwards he proceeded through Opdal\nforest, and came out at Medaldal, where he proclaimed a Thing,\nand summoned the bondes to meet him at it. The king made a\nspeech to the Thing, and asked the bondes to accept him as king;\nand promised, on his part, the laws and rights which King Olaf\nTrygvason had offered them. The bondes had no strength to make\nopposition to the king; so the result was that they received him\nas king, and confirmed it by oath: but they sent word to Orkadal\nand Skaun of all that they knew concerning Olaf's proceedings.\n37. LEVY AGAINST OLAF IN THRONDHJEM.\nEinar Tambaskelfer had a farm and house at Husaby in Skaun; and\nnow when he got news of Olaf's proceedings, he immediately split\nup a war-arrow, and sent it out as a token to the four quarters\n-- north, south, east, west, -- to call together all free and\nunfree men in full equipment of war: therewith the message, that\nthey were to defend the land against King Olaf. The message-\nstick went to Orkadal, and thence to Gaulardal, where the whole\nwar-force was to assemble.\n38. OLAF'S PROGRESS IN THRONDHJEM.\nKing Olaf proceeded with his men down into Orkadal, and advanced\nin peace and with all gentleness; but when he came to Griotar he\nmet the assembled bondes, amounting to more than 700 men. Then\nthe king arrayed his army, for he thought the bondes were to give\nbattle. When the bondes saw this, they also began to put their\nmen in order; but it went on very slowly, for they had not agreed\nbeforehand who among them should be commander. Now when King\nOlaf saw there was confusion among the bondes, he sent to them\nThorer Gudbrandson; and when he came he told them King Olaf did\nnot want to fight them, but named twelve of the ablest men in\ntheir flock of people, who were desired to come to King Olaf.\nThe bondes agreed to this; and the twelve men went over a rising\nground which is there, and came to the place where the king's\narmy stood in array. The king said to them, \"Ye bondes have done\nwell to give me an opportunity to speak with you, for now I will\nexplain to you my errand here to the Throndhjem country. First I\nmust tell you, what ye already must have heard, that Earl Hakon\nand I met in summer; and the issue of our meeting was, that he\ngave me the whole kingdom he possessed in the Throndhjem country,\nwhich, as ye know, consists of Orkadal, Gaulardal, Strind, and\nEyna district. As a proof of this, I have here with me the very\nmen who were present, and saw the earl's and my own hands given\nupon it, and heard the word and oath, and witnessed the agreement\nthe earl made with me. Now I offer you peace and law, the same\nas King Olaf Trygvason offered before me.\"\nThe king spoke well, and long; and ended by proposing to the\nbondes two conditions -- either to go into his service and be\nsubject to him, or to fight him. Thereupon the twelve bondes\nwent back to their people, and told the issue of their errand,\nand considered with the people what they should resolve upon.\nAlthough they discussed the matter backwards and forwards for a\nwhile, they preferred at last to submit to the king; and it was\nconfirmed by the oath of the bondes. The king now proceeded on\nhis journey, and the bondes made feasts for him. The king then\nproceeded to the sea-coast, and got ships; and among others he\ngot a long-ship of twenty benches of rowers from Gunnar of\nGelmin; another ship of twenty benches he got from Loden of\nViggia; and three ships of twenty benches from the farm of Angrar\non the ness which farm Earl Hakon had possessed, but a steward\nmanaged it for him, by name Bard White. The king had, besides,\nfour or five boats; and with these vessels he went in all haste\ninto the fjord of Throndhjem.\n39. OF EARL SVEIN'S PROCEEDINGS.\nEarl Svein was at that time far up in the Throndhjem fjord at\nSteinker, which at that time was a merchant town, and was there\npreparing for the yule festival (A.D. 1015). When Einar\nTambaskelfer heard that the Orkadal people had submitted to King\nOlaf, he sent men to Earl Svein to bring him the tidings. They\nwent first to Nidaros, and took a rowing-boat which belonged to\nEinar, with which they went out into the fjord, and came one day\nlate in the evening to Steinker, where they brought to the earl\nthe news about all King Olaf's proceedings. The earl owned a\nlong-ship, which was lying afloat and rigged just outside the\ntown: and immediately, in the evening, he ordered all his movable\ngoods, his people's clothes, and also meat and drink, as much as\nthe vessel could carry, to be put on board, rowed immediately out\nin the night-time, and came with daybreak to Skarnsund. There he\nsaw King Olaf rowing in with his fleet into the fjord. The earl\nturned towards the land within Masarvik, where there was a thick\nwood, and lay so near the rocks that the leaves and branches hung\nover the vessel. They cut down some large trees, which they laid\nover the quarter on the sea-side, so that the ship could not be\nseen for leaves, especially as it was scarcely clear daylight\nwhen the king came rowing past them. The weather was calm, and\nthe king rowed in among the islands; and when the king's fleet\nwas out of sight the earl rowed out of the fjord, and on to\nFrosta, where his kingdom lay, and there he landed.\n40. EARL SVEIN'S AND EINAR'S CONSULTATIONS.\nEarl Svein sent men out to Gaulardal to his brother-in-law, Einar\nTambaskelfer; and when Einar came the earl told him how it had\nbeen with him and King Olaf, and that now he would assemble men\nto go out against King Olaf, and fight him.\nEinar answers, \"We should go to work cautiously, and find out\nwhat King Olaf intends doing; and not let him hear anything\nconcerning us but that we are quiet. It may happen that if he\nhears nothing about our assembling people, he may sit quietly\nwhere he is in Steinker all the Yule; for there is plenty\nprepared for him for the Yule feast: but if he hears we are\nassembling men, he will set right out of the fjord with his\nvessels, and we shall not get hold of him.\" Einar's advice was\ntaken; and the earl went to Stjoradal, into guest-quarters among\nthe bondes.\nWhen King Olaf came to Steinker he collected all the meat\nprepared for the Yule feast, and made it be put on board,\nprocured some transport vessels, took meat and drink with him,\nand got ready to sail as fast as possible, and went out all the\nway to Nidaros. Here King Olaf Trygvason had laid the foundation\nof a merchant town, and had built a king's house: but before that\nNidaros was only a single house, as before related. When Earl\nEirik came to the country, he applied all his attention to his\nhouse of Lade, where his father had had his main residence, and\nhe neglected the houses which Olaf had erected at the Nid; so\nthat some were fallen down, and those which stood were scarcely\nhabitable. King Olaf went now with his ships up the Nid, made\nall the houses to be put in order directly that were still\nstanding, and built anew those that had fallen down, and employed\nin this work a great many people. Then he had all the meat and\ndrink brought on shore to the houses, and prepared to hold Yule\nthere; so Earl Svein and Einar had to fall upon some other plan.\n41. OF SIGVAT THE SKALD.\nThere was an Iceland man called Thord Sigvaldaskald, who had been\nlong with Earl Sigvalde, and afterwards with the earl's brother,\nThorkel the Tall; but after the earl's death Thord had become a\nmerchant. He met King Olaf on his viking cruise in the west, and\nentered into his service, and followed him afterwards. He was\nwith the king when the incidents above related took place. Thord\nhad a son called Sigvat fostered in the house of Thorkel at\nApavatn, in Iceland. When he was nearly a grown man he went out\nof the country with some merchants; and the ship came in autumn\nto the Throndhjem country, and the crew lodged in the hered\n(district). The same winter King Olaf came to Throndhjem, as\njust now related by us. Now when Sigvat heard that his father\nThord was with the king, he went to him, and stayed a while with\nhim. Sigvat was a good skald at an early age. He made a lay in\nhonour of King Olaf, and asked the king to listen to it. The\nking said he did not want poems composed about him, and said he\ndid not understand the skald's craft. Then Sigvat sang: --\n\"Rider of dark-blue ocean's steeds!\nAllow one skald to sing thy deeds;\nAnd listen to the song of one\nWho can sing well, if any can.\nFor should the king despise all others,\nAnd show no favour to my brothers,\nYet I may all men's favour claim,\nWho sing, still of our great king's fame.\"\nKing Olaf gave Sigvat as a reward for his verse a gold ring that\nweighed half a mark, and Sigvat was made one of King Olaf's\ncourt-men. Then Sigvat sang: --\n\"I willingly receive this sword --\nBy land or sea, on shore, on board,\nI trust that I shall ever be\nWorthy the sword received from thee.\nA faithful follower thou hast bound --\nA generous master I have found;\nMaster and servant both have made\nJust what best suits them by this trade.\"\nEarl Svein had, according to custom, taken one half of the\nharbour-dues from the Iceland ship-traders about autumn (A.D.\n1014); for the Earls Eirik and Hakon had always taken one half of\nthese and all other revenues in the Throndhjem country. Now when\nKing Olaf came there, he sent his men to demand that half of the\ntax from the Iceland traders; and they went up to the king's\nhouse and asked Sigvat to help them. He went to the king, and\nsang: --\n\"My prayer, I trust, will not be vain --\nNo gold by it have I to gain:\nAll that the king himself here wins\nIs not red gold, but a few skins.\nit is not right that these poor men\nTheir harbour-dues should pay again.\nThat they paid once I know is true;\nRemit, great king, what scarce is due.\"\n42. OF EARL SVEIN.\nEarl Svein and Einar Tambaskelfer gathered a large armed force,\nwith which they came by the upper road into Gaulardal, and so\ndown to Nidaros, with nearly 2000 men. King Olaf's men were out\nupon the Gaular ridge, and had a guard on horseback. They became\naware that a force was coming down the Gaulardal, and they\nbrought word of it to the king about midnight. The king got up\nimmediately, ordered the people to be wakened, and they went on\nboard of the ships, bearing all their clothes and arms on board,\nand all that they could take with them, and then rowed out of the\nriver. Then came the earl's men to the town at the same moment,\ntook all the Christmas provision, and set fire to the houses.\nKing Olaf went out of the fjord down to Orkadal, and there landed\nthe men from their ships. From Orkadal they went up to the\nmountains, and over the mountains eastwards into Gudbrandsdal.\nIn the lines composed about Kleng Brusason, it is said that Earl\nEirik burned the town of Nidaros: --\n\"The king's half-finished hall,\nRafters, root, and all,\nIs burned down by the river's side;\nThe flame spreads o'er the city wide.\"\n43. OF KING OLAF.\nKing Olaf went southwards through Gudbrandsdal, and thence out to\nHedemark. In the depth of winter (A.D. 1015) he went about in\nguest-quarters; but when spring returned he collected men, and\nwent to Viken. He had with him many people from Hedemark, whom\nthe kings had given him; and also many powerful people from among\nthe bondes joined him, among whom Ketil Kalf from Ringanes. He\nhad also people from Raumarike. His stepfather, Sigurd Syr, gave\nhim the help also of a great body of men. They went down from\nthence to the coast, and made ready to put to sea from Viken.\nThe fleet, which was manned with many fine fellows, went out then\nto Tunsberg.\n44. OF EARL SVEIN'S FORCES.\nAfter Yule (A.D. 1015) Earl Svein gathers all the men of the\nThrondhjem country, proclaims a levy for an expedition, and fits\nout ships. At that time there were in the Throndhjem country a\ngreat number of lendermen; and many of them were so powerful and\nwell-born, that they descended from earls, or even from the royal\nrace, which in a short course of generations reckoned to Harald\nHarfager, and they were also very rich. These lendermen were of\ngreat help to the kings or earls who ruled the land; for it was\nas if the lenderman had the bonde-people of each district in his\npower. Earl Svein being a good friend of the lendermen, it was\neasy for him to collect people. His brother-in-law, Einar\nTambaskelfer, was on his side, and with him many other lendermen;\nand among them many, both lendermen and bondes, who the winter\nbefore had taken the oath of fidelity to King Olaf. When they\nwere ready for sea they went directly out of the fjord, steering\nsouth along the land, and drawing men from every district. When\nthey came farther south, abreast of Rogaland, Erling Skialgson\ncame to meet them, with many people and many lendermen with him.\nNow they steered eastward with their whole fleet to Viken, and\nEarl Svein ran in there towards the end of Easter. The earl\nsteered his fleet to Grenmar, and ran into Nesjar (A.D. 1015).\n45. KING OLAF S FORCES.\nKing Olaf steered his fleet out from Viken, until the two fleets\nwere not far from each other, and they got news of each other the\nSaturday before Palm Sunday. King Olaf himself had a ship called\nthe Carl's Head, on the bow of which a king's head was carved\nout, and he himself had carved it. This head was used long after\nin Norway on ships which kings steered themselves.\n46. KING OLAF'S SPEECH.\nAs soon as day dawned on Sunday morning, King Olaf got up, put on\nhis clothes, went to the land, and ordered to sound the signal\nfor the whole army to come on shore. Then he made a speech to\nthe troops, and told the whole assembly that he had heard there\nwas but a short distance between them and Earl Svein. \"Now,\"\nsaid he, \"we shall make ready; for it can be but a short time\nuntil we meet. Let the people arm, and every man be at the post\nthat has been appointed him, so that all may be ready when I\norder the signal to sound for casting off from the land. Then\nlet us row off at once; and so that none go on before the rest of\nthe ships, and none lag behind when I row out of the harbour: for\nwe cannot tell if we shall find the earl where he was lying, or\nif he has come out to meet us. When we do meet, and the battle\nbegins, let people be alert to bring all our ships in close\norder, and ready to bind them together. Let us spare ourselves\nin the beginning, and take care of our weapons, that we do not\ncast them into the sea, or shoot them away in the air to no\npurpose. But when the fight becomes hot and the ships are bound\ntogether, then let each man show what is in him of manly spirit.\"\n47. OF THE BATTLE AT NESJAR.\nKing Olaf had in his ship 100 men armed in coats of ring-mail,\nand in foreign helmets. The most of his men had white shields,\non which the holy cross was gilt; but some had painted it in blue\nor red. He had also had the cross painted in front on all the\nhelmets, in a pale colour. He had a white banner on which was a\nserpent figured. He ordered a mass to be read before him, went\non board ship, and ordered his people to refresh themselves with\nmeat and drink. He then ordered the war-horns to sound to\nbattle, to leave the harbour, and row off to seek the earl. Now\nwhen they came to the harbour where the earl had lain, the earl's\nmen were armed, and beginning to row out of the harbour; but when\nthey saw the king's fleet coming they began to bind the ships\ntogether, to set up their banners, and to make ready for the\nfight. When King Olaf saw this he hastened the rowing, laid his\nship alongside the earl's, and the battle began. So says Sigvat\nthe skald: --\n\"Boldly the king did then pursue\nEarl Svein, nor let him out of view.\nThe blood ran down the reindeer's flank\nOf each sea-king -- his vessel's plank.\nNor did the earl's stout warriors spare\nIn battle-brunt the sword and spear.\nEarl Svein his ships of war pushed on,\nAnd lashed their stout stems one to one.\"\nIt is said that King Olaf brought his ships into battle while\nSvein was still lying in the harbour. Sigvat the skald was\nhimself in the fight; and in summer, just after the battle, he\ncomposed a lay, which is called the \"Nesjar Song\", in which he\ntells particularly the circumstances: --\n\"In the fierce fight 'tis known how near\nThe scorner of the ice-cold spear\nLaid the Charles' head the earl on board,\nAll eastward of the Agder fjord.\"\nThen was the conflict exceedingly sharp, and it was long before\nit could be seen how it was to go in the end. Many fell on both\nsides, and many were the wounded. So says Sigvat: --\n\"No urging did the earl require,\nMidst spear and sword -- the battle's fire;\nNo urging did the brave king need\nThe ravens in this shield-storm to feed.\nOf limb-lopping enough was there,\nAnd ghastly wounds of sword and spear.\nNever, I think, was rougher play\nThan both the armies had that day.\"\nThe earl had most men, but the king had a chosen crew in his\nship, who had followed him in all his wars; and, besides, they\nwere so excellently equipped, as before related, that each man\nhad a coat of ring-mail, so that he could not be wounded. So\nsays Sigvat: --\n\"Our lads, broad-shouldered, tall, and hale,\nDrew on their cold shirts of ring-mail.\nSoon sword on sword was shrilly ringing,\nAnd in the air the spears were singing.\nUnder our helms we hid our hair,\nFor thick flew arrows through the air.\nRight glad was I our gallant crew,\nSteel-clad from head to foot, to view.\"\n48. EARL SVEIN'S FLIGHT.\nWhen the men began to fall on board the earl's ships, and many\nappeared wounded, so that the sides of the vessels were but\nthinly beset with men, the crew of King Olaf prepared to board.\nTheir banner was brought up to the ship that was nearest the\nearl's, and the king himself followed the banner. So says\nSigvat: --\n\"`On with the king!' his banners waving:\n`On with the king!' the spears he's braving!\n`On, steel-clad men! and storm the deck,\nSlippery with blood and strewed with wreck.\nA different work ye have to share,\nHis banner in war-storm to bear,\nFrom your fair girl's, who round the hall\nBrings the full mead-bowl to us all.'\"\nNow was the severest fighting. Many of Svein's men fell, and\nsome sprang overboard. So says Sigvat: --\n\"Into the ship our brave lads spring, --\nOn shield and helm their red blades ring;\nThe air resounds with stroke on stroke, --\nThe shields are cleft, the helms are broke.\nThe wounded bonde o'er the side\nFalls shrieking in the blood-stained tide --\nThe deck is cleared with wild uproar --\nThe dead crew float about the shore.\"\nAnd also these lines: --\n\"The shields we brought from home were white,\nNow they are red-stained in the fight:\nThis work was fit for those who wore\nRinged coats-of-mail their breasts before.\nWhere for the foe blunted the best sword\nI saw our young king climb on board.\nHe stormed the first; we followed him --\nThe war-birds now in blood may swim.\"\nNow defeat began to come down upon the earl's men. The king's\nmen pressed upon the earl's ship and entered it; but when the\nearl saw how it was going, he called out to his forecastle-men to\ncut the cables and cast the ship loose, which they did. Then the\nking's men threw grapplings over the timber heads of the ship,\nand so held her fast to their own; but the earl ordered the\ntimber heads to be cut away, which was done. So says Sigvat: --\n\"The earl, his noble ship to save,\nTo cut the posts loud order gave.\nThe ship escaped: our greedy eyes\nHad looked on her as a clear prize.\nThe earl escaped; but ere he fled\nWe feasted Odin's fowls with dead: --\nWith many a goodly corpse that floated\nRound our ship's stern his birds were bloated.\"\nEinar Tambaskelfer had laid his ship right alongside the earl's.\nThey threw an anchor over the bows of the earl's ship, and thus\ntowed her away, and they slipped out of the fjord together.\nThereafter the whole of the earl's fleet took to flight, and\nrowed out of the fjord. The skald Berse Torfason was on the\nforecastle of the earl's ship; and as it was gliding past the\nking's fleet, King Olaf called out to him -- for he knew Berse,\nwho was distinguished as a remarkably handsome man, always well\nequipped in clothes and arms -- \"Farewell, Berse!\" He replied,\n\"Farewell, king!\" So says Berse himself, in a poem he composed\nwhen he fell into King Olaf's power, and was laid in prison and\nin fetters on board a ship: --\n\"Olaf the Brave\nA `farewell' gave,\n(No time was there to parley long,)\nTo me who knows the art of song.\nThe skald was fain\n`Farewell' again\nIn the same terms back to send --\nThe rule in arms to foe or friend.\nEarl Svein's distress\nI well can guess,\nWhen flight he was compelled to take:\nHis fortunes I will ne'er forsake,\nThough I lie here\nIn chains a year,\nIn thy great vessel all forlorn,\nTo crouch to thee I still will scorn:\nI still will say,\nNo milder sway\nThan from thy foe this land e'er knew:\nTo him, my early friend, I'm true.\"\n49. EARL SVEIN LEAVES THE COUNTRY.\nNow some of the earl's men fled up the country, some surrendered\nat discretion; but Svein and his followers rowed out of the\nfjord, and the chiefs laid their vessels together to talk with\neach other, for the earl wanted counsel from his lendermen.\nErling Skialgson advised that they should sail north, collect\npeople, and fight King Olaf again; but as they had lost many\npeople, the most were of opinion that the earl should leave the\ncountry, and repair to his brother-in-law the Swedish King, and\nstrengthen himself there with men. Einar Tambaskelfer approved\nalso of that advice, as they had no power to hold battle against\nOlaf. So they discharged their fleet. The earl sailed across\nFolden, and with him Einar Tambaskelfer. Erling Skialgson again,\nand likewise many other lendermen who would not abandon their\nudal possessions, went north to their homes; and Erling had many\npeople that summer about him.\n50. OLAF'S AND SIGURD'S CONSULTATION.\nWhen King Olaf and his men saw that the earl had gathered his\nships together, Sigurd Syr was in haste for pursuing the earl,\nand letting steel decide their cause. But King Olaf replies,\nthat he would first see what the earl intended doing -- whether\nhe would keep his force together or discharge his fleet. Sigurd\nSyr said, \"It is for thee, king, to command; but,\" he adds, \"I\nfear, from thy disposition and wilfulness, that thou wilt some\nday be betrayed by trusting to those great people, for they are\naccustomed of old to bid defiance to their sovereigns.\" There\nwas no attack made, for it was soon seen that the earl's fleet\nwas dispersing. Then King Olaf ransacked the slain, and remained\nthere some days to divide the booty. At that time Sigvat made\nthese verses: --\n\"The tale I tell is true\nTo their homes returned but few\nOf Svein's men who came to meet\nKing Olaf's gallant fleet.\nFrom the North these warmen came\nTo try the bloody game, --\nOn the waves their corpses borne\nShow the game that Sunday morn.\nThe Throndhjem girls so fair\nTheir jeers, I think, will spare,\nFor the king's force was but small\nThat emptied Throndhjem's hall.\nBut if they will have their jeer,\nThey may ask their sweethearts dear,\nWhy they have returned shorn\nWho went to shear that Sunday morn.\"\nAnd also these: --\n\"Now will the king's power rise,\nFor the Upland men still prize\nThe king who o'er the sea\nSteers to bloody victory.\nEarl Svein! thou now wilt know\nThat our lads can make blood flow --\nThat the Hedemarkers hale\nCan do more than tap good ale.\"\nKing Olaf gave his stepfather King Sigurd Syr, and the other\nchiefs who had assisted him, handsome presents at parting. He\ngave Ketil of Ringanes a yacht of fifteen benches of rowers,\nwhich Ketil brought up the Raum river and into the Mjosen lake.\n51. OF KING OLAF.\nKing Olaf sent spies out to trace the earl's doings (A.D. 1015);\nand when he found that the earl had left the country he sailed\nout west, and to Viken, where many people came to him. At the\nThing there he was taken as king, and so he proceeded all the way\nto the Naze; and when he heard that Erling Skialgson had gathered\na large force, he did not tarry in North Agder, but sailed with a\nsteady fair wind to the Throndhjem country; for there it appeared\nto him was the greatest strength of the land, if he could subdue\nit for himself while the earl was abroad. When Olaf came to\nThrondhjem there was no opposition, and he was elected there to\nbe king. In harvest (A.D. 1015) he took his seat in the town of\nNidaros, and collected the needful winter provision (A.D. 1016).\nHe built a king's house, and raised Clement's church on the spot\non which it now stands. He parcelled out building ground, which\nhe gave to bondes, merchants, or others who he thought would\nbuild. There he sat down with many men-at-arms around him; for\nhe put no great confidence in the Throndhjem people, if the earl\nshould return to the country. The people of the interior of the\nThrondhjem country showed this clearly, for he got no land-scat\nfrom them.\n52. PLAN OF SVEIN AND THE SWEDISH KING.\nEarl Svein went first to Svithjod to his brother-in-law Olaf the\nSwedish king, told him all that had happened between him and Olaf\nthe Thick, and asked his advice about what he should now\nundertake. The king said that the earl should stay with him if\nhe liked, and get such a portion of his kingdom to rule over as\nshould seem to him sufficient; \"or otherwise,\" says he, \"I will\ngive thee help of forces to conquer the country again from Olaf.\"\nThe earl chose the latter; for all those among his men who had\ngreat possessions in Norway, which was the case with many who\nwere with him, were anxious to get back; and in the council they\nheld about this, it was resolved that in winter they should take\nthe land-way over Helsingjaland and Jamtaland, and so down into\nthe Throndhjem land; for the earl reckoned most upon the faithful\nhelp and strength of the Throndhjem people of the interior as\nsoon as he should appear there. In the meantime, however, it was\ndetermined to take a cruise in summer in the Baltic to gather\nproperty.\n53. EARL SVEIN'S DEATH.\nEarl Svein went eastward with his forces to Russia, and passed\nthe summer (A.D. 1015) in marauding there; but on the approach of\nautumn returned with his ships to Svithjod. There he fell into a\nsickness, which proved fatal. After the earl's death some of the\npeople who had followed him remained in Svithjod; others went to\nHelsingjaland, thence to Jamtaland, and so from the east over the\ndividing ridge of the country to the Throndhjem district, where\nthey told all that had happened upon their journey: and thus the\ntruth of Earl Svein's death was known (A.D. 1016).\n54. OF THE THRONDHJEM PEOPLE.\nEinar Tambaskelfer, and the people who had followed him went in\nwinter to the Swedish king, and were received in a friendly\nmanner. There were also among them many who had followed the\nearl. The Swedish king took it much amiss that Olaf the Thick\nhad set himself down in his scat-lands, and driven the earl out\nof them, and therefore he threatened the king with his heaviest\nvengeance when opportunity offered. He said that Olaf ought not\nto have had the presumption to take the dominions which the earl\nhad held of him; and all the Swedish king's men agreed with him.\nBut the Throndhjem people, when they heard for certain that the\nearl was dead. and could not be expected back to Norway, turned\nall to obedience to King Olaf. Many came from the interior of\nthe Throndhjem country, and became King Olaf's men; others sent\nword and tokens that they would service him. Then, in autumn, he\nwent into the interior of Throndhjem, and held Things with the\nbondes, and was received as king in each district. He returned\nto Nidaros, and brought there all the king's scat and revenue,\nand had his winter-seat provided there (A.D. 1016).\n55. OF KING OLAF'S HOUSEHOLD.\nKing Olaf built a king's house in Nidaros, and in it was a large\nroom for his court, with doors at both ends. The king's high-\nseat was in the middle of the room; and within sat his court-\nbishop, Grimkel, and next him his other priests; without them sat\nhis counsellors; and in the other high-seat opposite to the king\nsat his marshal, Bjorn, and next to him his pursuivants. When\npeople of importance came to him, they also had a seat of honour.\nThe ale was drunk by the fire-light. He divided the service\namong his men after the fashion of other kings. He had in his\nhouse sixty court-men and thirty pursuivants; and to them he gave\npay and certain regulations. He had also thirty house-servants\nto do the needful work about the house, and procure what was\nrequired. He had, besides, many slaves. At the house were many\noutbuildings, in which the court-men slept. There was also a\nlarge room, in which the king held his court-meetings.\n56. OF KING OLAF'S HABITS.\nIt was King Olaf's custom to rise betimes in the morning, put on\nhis clothes, wash his hands, and then go to the church and hear\nthe matins and morning mass. Thereafter he went to the Thing-\nmeeting, to bring people to agreement with each other, or to talk\nof one or the other matter that appeared to him necessary. He\ninvited to him great and small who were known to be men of\nunderstanding. He often made them recite to him the laws which\nHakon Athelstan's foster-son had made for Throndhjem; and after\nconsidering them with those men of understanding, he ordered laws\nadding to or taking from those established before. But Christian\nprivileges he settled according to the advice of Bishop Grimbel\nand other learned priests; and bent his whole mind to uprooting\nheathenism, and old customs which he thought contrary to\nChristianity. And he succeeded so far that the bondes accepted\nof the laws which the king proposed. So says Sigvat: --\n\"The king, who at the helm guides\nHis warlike ship through clashing tides,\nNow gives one law for all the land --\nA heavenly law, which long will stand.\"\nKing Olaf was a good and very gentle man, of little speech, and\nopen-handed although greedy of money. Sigvat the skald, as\nbefore related, was in King Olaf's house, and several Iceland\nmen. The king asked particularly how Christianity was observed\nin Iceland, and it appeared to him to be very far from where it\nought to be; for, as to observing Christian practices, it was\ntold the king that it was permitted there to eat horse-flesh, to\nexpose infants as heathens do, besides many other things contrary\nto Christianity. They also told the king about many principal\nmen who were then in Iceland. Skapte Thorodson was then the\nlagman of the country. He inquired also of those who were best\nacquainted with it about the state of people in other distant\ncountries; and his inquiries turned principally on how\nChristianity was observed in the Orkney, Shetland, and Farey\nIslands: and, as far as he could learn, it was far from being as\nhe could have wished. Such conversation was usually carried on\nby him; or else he spoke about the laws and rights of the\ncountry.\n57. KING OLAF'S MESSENGERS.\nThe same winter (A.D. 1016) came messengers from the Swedish\nking, Olaf the Swede, out of Svithjod: and their leaders were two\nbrothers, Thorgaut Skarde and Asgaut the bailiff; and they, had\ntwenty-four men with them, when they came from the eastward, over\nthe ridge of the country down into Veradal, they summoned a Thing\nof the bondes, talked to them, and demanded of them scat and\nduties upon account of the king of Sweden. But the bondes, after\nconsulting with each other, determined only to pay the scat which\nthe Swedish king required in so far as King Olaf required none\nupon his account, but refused to pay scat to both. The\nmessengers proceeded farther down the valley; but received at\nevery Thing they held the same answer, and no money. They went\nforward to Skaun, held a Thing there, and demanded scat; but it\nwent there as before. Then they came to Stjoradal, and summoned\na Thing, but the bondes would not come to it. Now the messengers\nsaw that their business was a failure; and Thorgaut proposed that\nthey should turn about, and go eastward again. \"I do not think,\"\nsays Asgaut, \"that we have performed the king's errand unless we\ngo to King Olaf the Thick, since the bondes refer the matter to\nhim.\" He was their commander; so they proceeded to the town\n(Nidaros), and took lodging there. The day after they presented\nthemselves to the king, just as he was seated at table, saluted\nhim, and said they came with a message of the Swedish king. The\nking told them to come to him next day. Next day the king,\nhaving heard mass, went to his Thing-house, ordered the\nmessengers of the Swedish king to be called, and told them to\nproduce their message. Then Thorgaut spoke, and told first what\nhis errand was, and next how the Throndhjem people of the\ninterior had replied to it; and asked the king's decision on the\nbusiness, that they might know what result their errand there was\nto have. The king answers, \"While the earls ruled over the\ncountry, it was not to be wondered at if the country people\nthought themselves bound to obey them, as they were at least of\nthe royal race of the kingdom. But it would have been more just\nif those earls had given assistance and service to the kings who\nhad a right to the country, rather than to foreign kings, or to\nstir up opposition to their lawful kings, depriving them of their\nland and kingdom. With regard to Olaf the Swede, who calls\nhimself entitled to the kingdom of Norway, I, who in fact am so\nentitled, can see no ground for his claim; but well remember the\nskaith and damage we have suffered from him and his relations.\"\nThen says Asgaut. \"It is not wonderful that thou art called Olaf\nthe Thick, seeing thou answerest so haughtily to such a prince's\nmessage, and canst not see clearly how heavy the king's wrath\nwill be for thee to support, as many have experienced who had\ngreater strength than thou appearest to have. But if thou\nwishest to keep hold of thy kingdom, it will be best for thee to\ncome to the king, and be his man; and we shall beg him to give\nthee this kingdom in fief under him.\"\nThe king replies with all gentleness, \"I will give thee an\nadvice, Asgaut, in return. Go back to the east again to thy\nking, and tell him that early in spring I will make myself ready,\nand will proceed eastward to the ancient frontier that divided\nformerly the kingdom of the kings of Norway from Sweden. There\nhe may come if he likes, that we may conclude a peace with each\nother; and each of us will retain the kingdom to which he is\nborn.\"\nNow the messengers turned back to their lodging, and prepared for\ntheir departure, and the king went to table. The messengers came\nback soon after to the king's house; but the doorkeepers saw it,\nand reported it to the king, who told them not to let the\nmessengers in. \"I will not speak with them,\" said he. Then the\nmessengers went off, and Thorgaut said he would now return home\nwith his men; but Asgaut insisted still that he would go forward\nwith the king's errand: so they separated. Thorgaut proceeded\naccordingly through Strind; but Asgaut went into Gaulardal and\nOrkadal, and intended proceeding southwards to More, to deliver\nhis king's message. When King Olaf came to the knowledge of this\nhe sent out his pursuivants after them, who found them at the\nness in Stein, bound their hands behind their backs, and led them\ndown to the point called Gaularas, where they raised a gallows,\nand hanged them so that they could be seen by those who travelled\nthe usual sea-way out of the fjord. Thorgaut heard this news\nbefore he had travelled far on his way home through the\nThrondhjem country; and he hastened on his journey until he came\nto the Swedish king, and told him how it had gone with them. The\nking was highly enraged when he heard the account of it; and he\nhad no lack of high words.\n58. OLAF AND ERLING RECONCILED.\nThe spring thereafter (A.D. 1016) King Olaf Haraldson calls out\nan army from the Throndhjem land, and makes ready to proceed\neastward. Some of the Iceland traders were then ready to sail\nfrom Norway. With them King Olaf sent word and token to Hjalte\nSkeggjason, and summoned him to come to him, and at the same time\nsent a verbal message to Skapte the lagman, and other men who\nprincipally took part in the lawgiving of Iceland, to take out of\nthe law whatever appeared contrary to Christianity. He sent,\nbesides, a message of friendship to the people in general. The\nking then proceeded southwards himself along the coast, stopping\nat every district, and holding Things with the bondes; and in\neach Thing he ordered the Christian law to be read, together with\nthe message of salvation thereunto belonging, and with which many\nill customs and much heathenism were swept away at once among the\ncommon people: for the earls had kept well the old laws and\nrights of the country; but with respect to keeping Christianity,\nthey had allowed every man to do as he liked. It was thus come\nso far that the people were baptized in the most places on the\nsea-coast, but the most of them were ignorant of Christian law.\nIn the upper ends of the valleys, and in the habitations among\nthe mountains, the greater part of the people were heathen; for\nwhen the common man is left to himself, the faith he has been\ntaught in his childhood is that which has the strongest hold over\nhis inclination. But the king threatened the most violent\nproceedings against great or small, who, after the king's\nmessage, would not adopt Christianity. In the meantime Olaf was\nproclaimed king in every Law Thing in the country, and no man\nspoke against him. While he lay in Karmtsund messengers went\nbetween him and Erling Skjalgson, who endeavoured to make peace\nbetween them; and the meeting was appointed in Whitings Isle.\nWhen they met they spoke with each other about agreement\ntogether; but Erling found something else than he expected in the\nconversation: for when he insisted on having all the fiefs which\nOlaf Trygvason, and afterwards the Earls Svein and Hakon, had\ngiven him, and on that condition would be his man and dutiful\nfriend, the king answered, \"It appears to me, Erling, that it\nwould be no bad bargain for thee to get as great fiefs from me\nfor thy aid and friendship as thou hadst from Earl Eirik, a man\nwho had done thee the greatest injury by the bloodshed of thy\nmen; but even if I let thee remain the greatest lenderman in\nNorway, I will bestow my fiefs according to my own will, and not\nact as if ye lendermen had udal right to my ancestor's heritage,\nand I was obliged to buy your services with manifold rewards.\"\nErling had no disposition to sue for even the smallest thing; and\nhe saw that the king was not easily dealt with. He saw also that\nhe had only two conditions before him: the one was to make no\nagreement with the king, and stand by the consequences; the other\nto leave it entirely to the king's pleasure. Although it was\nmuch against his inclination, he chose the latter, and merely\nsaid to the king, \"The service will be the most useful to thee\nwhich I give with a free will.\" And thus their conference ended.\nErling's relations and friends came to him afterwards, and\nadvised him to give way, and proceed with more prudence and less\npride. \"Thou wilt still,\" they said, \"be the most important and\nmost respected lenderman in Norway, both on account of thy own\nand thy relations' abilities and great wealth.\" Erling found\nthat this was prudent advice, and that they who gave it did so\nwith a good intention, and he followed it accordingly. Erling\nwent into the king's service on such conditions as the king\nhimself should determine and please. Thereafter they separated\nin some shape reconciled, and Olaf went his way eastward along\nthe coast (A.D. 1016).\n59. EILIF OF GAUTLAND'S MURDER.\nAs soon as it was reported that Olaf had come to Viken, the Danes\nwho had offices under the Danish king set off for Denmark,\nwithout waiting for King Olaf. But King Olaf sailed in along\nViken, holding Things with the bondes. All the people of the\ncountry submitted to him, and thereafter he took all the king's\ntaxes, and remained the summer (A.D. 1016) in Viken. He then\nsailed east from Tunsberg across the fjord, and all the way east\nto Svinasund. There the Swedish king's dominions begin, and he\nhad set officers over this country; namely, Eilif Gautske over\nthe north part, and Hroe Skialge over the east part, all the way\nto the Gaut river. Hroe had family friends on both sides of the\nriver, and also great farms on Hising Island, and was besides a\nmighty and very rich man. Eilif was also of great family, and\nvery wealthy. Now when King Olaf came to Ranrike he summoned the\npeople to a Thing, and all who dwelt on the sea-coast or in the\nout-islands came to him. Now when the Thing was seated the\nking's marshal, Bjorn, held a speech to them, in which he told\nthe bondes to receive Olaf as their king, in the same way as had\nbeen done in all other parts of Norway. Then stood up a bold\nbonde by name Brynjolf Ulfalde, and said, \"We bondes know where\nthe division-boundaries between the Norway and Danish and Swedish\nkings' lands have stood by rights in old times; namely, that the\nGaut river divided their lands between the Vener lake and the\nsea; but towards the north the forests until Eid forest, and from\nthence the ridge of the country all north to Finmark. We know,\nalso, that by turns they have made inroads upon each other's\nterritories, and that the Swedes have long had power all the way\nto Svinasund. But, sooth to say, I know that it is the\ninclination of many rather to serve the king of Norway, but they\ndare not; for the Swedish king's dominions surround us, both\neastward, southwards, and also up the country; and besides, it\nmay be expected that the king of Norway must soon go to the\nnorth, where the strength of his kingdom lies, and then we have\nno power to withstand the Gautlanders. Now it is for the king to\ngive us good counsel, for we have great desire to be his men.\"\nAfter the Thing, in the evening, Brynjolf was in the king's tent,\nand the day after likewise, and they had much private\nconversation together. Then the king proceeded eastwards along\nViken. Now when Eilif heard of his arrival, he sent out spies to\ndiscover what he was about; but he himself, with thirty men, kept\nhimself high up in the habitations among the hills, where he had\ngathered together bondes. Many of the bondes came to King Olaf,\nbut some sent friendly messages to him. People went between King\nOlaf and Eilif, and they entreated each separately to hold a\nThing-meeting between themselves, and make peace in one way or\nanother. They told Eilif that they might expect violent\ntreatment from King Olaf if they opposed his orders; but promised\nEilif he should not want men. It was determined that they should\ncome down from the high country, and hold a thing with the bondes\nand the king. King Olaf thereupon sent the chief of his\npursuivants, Thorer Lange, with six men, to Brynjolf. They were\nequipped with their coats-of-mail under their cloaks, and their\nhats over their helmets. The following day the bondes came in\ncrowds down with Eilif; and in his suite was Brynjolf, and with\nhim Thorer. The king laid his ships close to a rocky knoll that\nstuck out into the sea, and upon it the king went with his\npeople, and sat down. Below was a flat field, on which the\nbondes' force was; but Eilif's men were drawn up, forming a\nshield-fence before him. Bjorn the marshal spoke long and\ncleverly upon the king's account, and when he sat down Eilif\narose to speak; but at the same moment Thorer Lange rose, drew\nhis sword, and struck Eilif on the neck, so that his head flew\noff. Then the whole bonde-force started up; but the Gautland men\nset off in full flight and Thorer with his people killed several\nof them. Now when the crowd was settled again, and the noise\nover the king stood up, and told the bondes to seat themselves.\nThey did so, and then much was spoken. The end of it was that\nthey submitted to the king, and promised fidelity to him; and he,\non the other hand, promised not to desert them, but to remain at\nhand until the discord between him and the Swedish Olaf was\nsettled in one way or other. King Olaf then brought the whole\nnorthern district under his power, and went in summer eastward as\nfar as the Gaut river, and got all the king's scat among the\nislands. But when summer (A.D. 1016) was drawing towards an end\nhe returned north to Viken, and sailed up the Raum river to a\nwaterfall called Sarp. On the north side of the fall, a point of\nland juts out into the river. There the king ordered a rampart\nto be built right across the ness, of stone, turf, and wood, and\na ditch to be dug in front of it; so that it was a large earthen\nfort or burgh, which he made a merchant town of. He had a king's\nhouse put up, and ordered the building of Mary church. He also\nlaid out plans for other houses, and got people to build on them.\nIn harvest (A.D. 1016) he let everything be gathered there that\nwas useful for his winter residence (A.D. 1017), and sat there\nwith a great many people, and the rest he quartered in the\nneighbouring districts. The king prohibited all exports from\nViken to Gautland of herrings and salt, which the Gautland people\ncould ill do without. This year the king held a great Yule\nfeast, to which he invited many great bondes.\n60. THE HISTORY OF EYVIND URARHORN.\nThere was a man called Eyvind Urarhorn, who was a great man, of\nhigh birth, who had his descent from the East Agder country.\nEvery summer he went out on a viking cruise, sometimes to the\nWest sea, sometimes to the Baltic, sometimes south to Flanders,\nand had a well-armed cutter (snekkia) of twenty benches of\nrowers. He had been also at Nesjar, and given his aid to the\nking; and when they separated the king promised him his favour,\nand Eyvind, again, promised to come to the king's aid whenever he\nwas required. This winter (A.D. 1017) Eyvind was at the Yule\nfeast of the king, and received goodly gifts from him. Brynjolf\nUlfalde was also with the king, and he received a Yule present\nfrom the king of a gold-mounted sword, and also a farm called\nVettaland, which is a very large head-farm of the district.\nBrynjolf composed a song about these gifts, of which the refrain\nwas --\n\"The song-famed hero to my hand\nGave a good sword, and Vettaland.\"\nThe king afterwards gave him the title of Lenderman, and Brynjolf\nwas ever after the king's greatest friend.\n61. THRAND WHITE'S MURDER.\nThis winter (A.D. 1017) Thrand White from Throndhjem went east to\nJamtaland, to take up scat upon account of King Olaf. But when\nhe had collected the scat he was surprised by men of the Swedish\nking, who killed him and his men, twelve in all, and brought the\nscat to the Swedish king. King Olaf was very ill-pleased when he\nheard this news.\n62. CHRISTIANITY PROCLAIMED IN VIKEN.\nKing Olaf made Christian law to be proclaimed in Viken, in the\nsame way as in the North country. It succeeded well, because the\npeople of Viken were better acquainted with the Christian customs\nthan the people in the north; for, both winter and summer, there\nwere many merchants in Viken, both Danish and Saxon. The people\nof Viken, also, had much trading intercourse with England, and\nSaxony, and Flanders, and Denmark; and some had been on viking\nexpeditions, and had had their winter abode in Christian lands.\n63. HROE'S FALL.\nAbout spring-time (A.D. 1017) King Olaf sent a message that\nEyvind Urarhorn should come to him; and they spake together in\nprivate for a long time. Thereafter Eyvind made himself ready\nfor a viking cruise. He sailed south towards Viken, and brought\nup at the Eikreys Isles without Hising Isle. There he heard that\nHroe Skialge had gone northwards towards Ordost, and had there\nmade a levy of men and goods on account of the Swedish king, and\nwas expected from the north. Eyvind rowed in by Haugasund, and\nHroe came rowing from the north, and they met in the sound and\nfought. Hroe fell there, with nearly thirty men; and Eyvind took\nall the goods Hroe had with him. Eyvind then proceeded to the\nBaltic, and was all summer on a viking cruise.\n64. FALL OF GUDLEIK AND THORGAUT.\nThere was a man called Gudleik Gerske, who came originally from\nAgder. He was a great merchant, who went far and wide by sea,\nwas very rich, and drove a trade with various countries. He\noften went east to Gardarike (Russia), and therefore was called\nGudleik Gerske (the Russian). This spring (A.D. 1017) Gudleik\nfitted out his ship, and intended to go east in summer to Russia.\nKing Olaf sent a message to him that he wanted to speak to him;\nand when Gudleik came to the king he told him he would go in\npartnership with him, and told him to purchase some costly\narticles which were difficult to be had in this country. Gudleik\nsaid that it should be according to the king's desire. The king\nordered as much money to be delivered to Gudleik as he thought\nsufficient, and then Gudleik set out for the Baltic. They lay in\na sound in Gotland; and there it happened, as it often does, that\npeople cannot keep their own secrets, and the people of the\ncountry came to know that in this ship was Olaf the Thick's\npartner. Gudleik went in summer eastwards to Novgorod, where he\nbought fine and costly clothes, which he intended for the king as\na state dress; and also precious furs, and remarkably splendid\ntable utensils. In autumn (A.D. 1017), as Gudleik was returning\nfrom the east, he met a contrary wind, and lay for a long time at\nthe island Eyland. There came Thorgaut Skarde, who in autumn had\nheard of Gudleik's course, in a long-ship against him, and gave\nhim battle. They fought long, and Gudleik and his people\ndefended themselves for a long time; but the numbers against them\nwere great, and Gudleik and many of his ship's crew fell, and a\ngreat many of them were wounded. Thorgaut took all their goods,\nand King Olaf's, and he and his comrades divided the booty among\nthem equally; but he said the Swedish king ought to have the\nprecious articles of King Olaf, as these, he said, should be\nconsidered as part of the scat due to him from Norway.\nThereafter Thorgaut proceeded east to Svithjod. These tidings\nwere soon known; and as Eyvind Urarhorn came soon after to\nEyland, he heard the news, and sailed east after Thorgaut and his\ntroop, and overtook them among the Swedish isles on the coast,\nand gave battle. There Thorgaut and the most of his men were\nkilled, and the rest sprang overboard. Eyvind took all the goods\nand all the costly articles of King Olaf which they had captured\nfrom Gudleik, and went with these back to Norway in autumn, and\ndelivered to King Olaf his precious wares. The king thanked him\nin the most friendly way for his proceeding, and promised him\nanew his favour and friendship. At this time Olaf had been three\nyears king over Norway (A.D. 1015-1017).\n65. MEETING OF OLAF AND RAGNVALD.\nThe same summer (A.D. 1017) King Olaf ordered a levy, and went\nout eastwards to the Gaut river, where he lay a great part of the\nsummer. Messages were passing between King Olaf, Earl Ragnvald,\nand the earl's wife, Ingebjorg, the daughter of Trygve. She was\nvery zealous about giving King Olaf of Norway every kind of help,\nand made it a matter of her deepest interest. For this there\nwere two causes. She had a great friendship for King Olaf; and\nalso she could never forget that the Swedish king had been one at\nthe death of her brother, Olaf Trygvason; and also that he, on\nthat account only, had any presence to rule over Norway. The\nearl, by her persuasion, turned much towards friendship with King\nOlaf; and it proceeded so far that the earl and the king\nappointed a meeting, and met at the Gaut river. They talked\ntogether of many things, but especially of the Norwegian and\nSwedish kings' relations with each other; both agreeing, as was\nthe truth also, that it was the greatest loss, both to the people\nof Viken and of Gautland, that there was no peace for trade\nbetween the two countries; and at last both agreed upon a peace,\nand still-stand of arms between them until next summer; and they\nparted with mutual gifts and friendly speeches.\n66. KING OLAF THE SWEDE.\nThe king thereupon returned north to Viken, and had all the royal\nrevenues up to the Gaut river; and all the people of the country\nthere had submitted to him. King Olaf the Swede had so great a\nhatred of Olaf Haraldson, that no man dared to call him by his\nright name in the king's hearing. They called him the thick man;\nand never named him without some hard by-name.\n67. ACCOUNT OF THEIR RECONCILIATION.\nThe bondes in Viken spoke with each other about there being\nnothing for it but that the kings should make peace and a league\nwith each other, and insisted upon it that they were badly used\nby the kings going to war; but nobody was so bold as to bring\nthese murmurs before the king. At last they begged Bjorn the\nmarshal to bring this matter before the king, and entreat him to\nsend messengers to the Swedish king to offer peace on his side.\nBjorn was disinclined to do this, and put it off from himself\nwith excuses; but on the entreaties of many of his friends, he\npromised at last to speak of it to the king; but declared, at the\nsame time, that he knew it would be taken very ill by the king to\npropose that he should give way in anything to the Swedish king.\nThe same summer (A.D. 1017) Hjalte Skeggjason came over to Norway\nfrom Iceland, according to the message sent him by King Olaf, and\nwent directly to the king. He was well received by the king, who\ntold him to lodge in his house, and gave him a seat beside Bjorn\nthe marshal, and Hjalte became his comrade at table. There was\ngood-fellowship immediately between them.\nOnce, when King Olaf had assembled the people and bondes to\nconsult upon the good of the country, Bjorn the marshal said,\n\"What think you, king, of the strife that is between the Swedish\nking and you? Many people have fallen on both sides, without its\nbeing at all more determined than before what each of you shall\nhave of the kingdom. You have now been sitting in Viken one\nwinter and two summers, and the whole country to the north is\nlying behind your back unseen; and the men who have property or\nudal rights in the north are weary of sitting here. Now it is\nthe wish of the lendermen, of your other people, and of the\nbondes that this should come to an end. There is now a truce,\nagreement, and peace with the earl, and the West Gautland people\nwho are nearest to us; and it appears to the people it would be\nbest that you sent messengers to the Swedish king to offer a\nreconciliation on your side; and, without doubt, many who are\nabout the Swedish king will support the proposal, for it is a\ncommon gain for those who dwell in both countries, both here and\nthere.\" This speech of Bjorn's received great applause.\nThen the king said, \"It is fair, Bjorn, that the advice thou hast\ngiven should be carried out by thyself. Thou shalt undertake\nthis embassy thyself, and enjoy the good of it, if thou hast\nadvised well; and if it involve any man in danger, thou hast\ninvolved thyself in it. Moreover, it belongs to thy office to\ndeclare to the multitude what I wish to have told.\" Then the\nking stood up, went to the church, and had high mass sung before\nhim; and thereafter went to table.\nThe following day Hjalte said to Bjorn, \"Why art thou so\nmelancholy, man? Art thou sick, or art thou angry at any one?\"\nBjorn tells Hjalte his conversation with the king, and says it is\na very dangerous errand.\nHjalte says, \"It is their lot who follow kings that they enjoy\nhigh honours, and are more respected than other men, but stand\noften in danger of their lives: and they must understand how to\nbear both parts of their lot. The king's luck is great; and much\nhonour will be gained by this business, if it succeed.\"\nBjorn answered, \"Since thou makest so light of this business in\nthy speech, wilt thou go with me? The king has promised that I\nshall have companions with me on the journey.\"\n\"Certainly,\" says Hjalte; \"I will follow thee, if thou wilt: for\nnever again shall I fall in with such a comrade if we part.\"\n68. JOURNEY OF BJORN THE MARSHAL.\nA few days afterwards. when the king was at a Thing-meeting,\nBjorn came with eleven others. He says to the king that they\nwere now ready to proceed on their mission, and that their horses\nstood saddled at the door. \"And now,\" says he, \"I would know\nwith what errand I am to go, or what orders thou givest us.\"\nThe king replies, \"Ye shall carry these my words to the Swedish\nking -- that I will establish peace between our countries up to\nthe frontier which Olaf Trygvason had before me; and each shall\nbind himself faithfully not to trespass over it. But with regard\nto the loss of people, no man must mention it if peace there is\nto be; for the Swedish king cannot with money pay for the men the\nSwedes have deprived us of.\" Thereupon the king rose, and went\nout with Bjorn and his followers; and he took a gold-mounted\nsword and a gold ring, and said, in handing over the sword to\nBjorn, \"This I give thee: it was given to me in summer by Earl\nRagnvald. To him ye shall go; and bring him word from me to\nadvance your errand with his counsel and strength. This thy\nerrand I will think well fulfilled if thou hearest the Swedish\nking's own words, be they yea or nay: and this gold ring thou\nshalt give Earl Ragnvald. These are tokens (1) he must know\nwell.\"\nHjalte went up to the king, saluted him, and said, \"We need much,\nking, that thy luck attend us;\" and wished that they might meet\nagain in good health.\nThe king asked where Hjalte was going.\n\"With Bjorn,\" said he.\nThe king said, \"It will assist much to the good success of the\njourney that thou goest too, for thy good fortune has often been\nproved; and be assured that I shall wish that all my luck, if\nthat be of any weight, may attend thee and thy company.\"\nBjorn and his followers rode their way, and came to Earl\nRagnvald's court, where they were well received. Bjorn was a\ncelebrated and generally known man, -- known by sight and speech\nto all who had ever seen King Olaf; for at every Thing, Bjorn\nstood up and told the king's message. Ingebjorg, the earl's\nwife, went up to Hjalte and looked at him. She recognized him,\nfor she was living with her brother Olaf Trygvason when Hjalte\nwas there: and she knew how to reckon up the relationship between\nKing Olaf and Vilborg, the wife of Hjalte; for Eirik Bjodaskalle\nfather of Astrid, King Olaf Trygvason's mother, and Bodvar father\nof Olaf, mother of Gissur White the father of Vilborg, were\nbrother's sons of the lenderman Vikingakare of Vors.\nThey enjoyed here good entertainment. One day Bjorn entered into\nconversation with the earl and Ingebjorg, in which he set forth\nhis errand, and produced to the earl his tokens.\nThe earl replies, \"What hast thou done, Bjorn, that the king\nwishes thy death? For, so far from thy errand having any\nsuccess, I do not think a man can be found who could speak these\nwords to the Swedish king without incurring wrath and punishment.\nKing Olaf, king of Sweden, is too proud for any man to speak to\nhim on anything he is angry at.\"\nThen Bjorn says, \"Nothing has happened to me that King Olaf is\noffended at; but many of his disposition act both for themselves\nand others, in a way that only men who are daring can succeed in.\nBut as yet all his plans have had good success, and I think this\nwill turn out well too; so I assure you, earl, that I will\nactually travel to the Swedish king, and not turn back before I\nhave brought to his ears every word that King Olaf told me to say\nto him, unless death prevent me, or that I am in bonds, and\ncannot perform my errand; and this I must do, whether you give\nany aid or no aid to me in fulfilling the king's wishes.\"\nThen said IngebJorg, \"I will soon declare my opinion. I think,\nearl, thou must turn all thy attention to supporting King Olaf\nthe king of Norway's desire that this message be laid before the\nSwedish king, in whatever way he may answer it. Although the\nSwedish king's anger should be incurred, and our power and\nproperty be at stake, yet will I rather run the risk, than that\nit should be said the message of King Olaf was neglected from\nfear of the Swedish king. Thou hast that birth, strength of\nrelations, and other means, that here in the Swedish land it is\nfree to thee to tell thy mind, if it be right and worthy of being\nheard, whether it be listened to by few or many, great or little\npeople, or by the king himself.\"\nThe earl replies, \"It is known to every one how thou urgest me:\nit may be, according to thy counsel, that I should promise the\nking's men to follow them, so that they may get their errand laid\nbefore the Swedish king, whether he take it ill or take it well.\nBut I will have my own counsel followed, and will not run hastily\ninto Bjorn's or any other man's measures, in such a highly\nimportant matter. It is my will that ye all remain here with me,\nso long as I think it necessary for the purpose of rightly\nforwarding this mission.\" Now as the earl had thus given them to\nunderstand that he would support them in the business, Bjorn\nthanked him most kindly, and with the assurance that his advice\nshould rule them altogether. Thereafter Bjorn and his fellow-\ntravellers remained very long in the earl's house.\nENDNOTES:\n(1) Before writing was a common accomplishment in courts, the\nonly way of accrediting a special messenger between kings\nand great men was by giving the messenger a token; that is.\nsome article well known by the person receiving the message\nto be the property of and valued by the person sending it.\n69. CONVERSATION OF BJORN AND INGEBJORG.\nIngebjorg was particularly kind to them; and Bjorn often spoke\nwith her about the matter, and was ill at ease that their journey\nwas so long delayed. Hjalte and the others often spoke together\nalso about the matter; and Hjalte said; \"I will go to the king if\nye like; for I am not a man of Norway, and the Swedes can have\nnothing to say to me. I have heard that there are Iceland men in\nthe king's house who are my acquaintances, and are well treated;\nnamely, the skalds Gissur Black and Ottar Black. From them I\nshall get out what I can about the Swedish king; and if the\nbusiness will really be so difficult as it now appears, or if\nthere be any other way of promoting it, I can easily devise some\nerrand that may appear suitable for me.\"\nThis counsel appeared to Bjorn and Ingebjorg to be the wisest,\nand they resolved upon it among themselves. Ingebjorg put Hjalte\nin a position to travel; gave him two Gautland men with him, and\nordered them to follow him, and assist him with their service,\nand also to go wherever he might have occasion to send them.\nBesides, Ingebjorg gave him twenty marks of weighed silver money\nfor travelling expenses, and sent word and token by him to the\nSwedish king Olaf's daughter, Ingegerd, that she should give all\nher assistance to Hjalte's business, whenever he should find\nhimself under the necessity of craving her help. Hjalte set off\nas soon as he was ready. When he came to King Olaf he soon found\nthe skalds Gissur and Ottar, and they were very glad at his\ncoming. Without delay they went to the king, and told him that a\nman was come who was their countryman, and one of the most\nconsiderable in their native land, and requested the king to\nreceive him well. The king told them to take Hjalte and his\nfellow-travellers into their company and quarters. Now when\nHjalte had resided there a short time, and got acquainted with\npeople, he was much respected by everybody. The skalds were\noften in the king's house, for they were well-spoken men; and\noften in the daytime they sat in front of the king's high-seat,\nand Hjalte, to whom they paid the highest respect in all things,\nby their side. He became thus known to the king, who willingly\nentered into conversation with him, and heard from him news about\nIceland.\n70. OF SIGVAT THE SKALD.\nIt happened that before Bjorn set out from home he asked Sigvat\nthe skald, who at that time was with King Olaf, to accompany him\non his journey. It was a journey for which people had no great\ninclination. There was, however, great friendship between Bjorn\nand Sigvat. Then Sigvat sang: --\n\"With the king's marshals all have I,\nIn days gone by,\nLived joyously, --\nWith all who on the king attend,\nAnd knee before him humbly bend,\nBjorn, thou oft hast ta'en my part --\nPleaded with art,\nAnd touched the heart.\nBjorn! brave stainer of the sword,\nThou art my friend -- I trust thy word.\"\nWhile they were riding up to Gautland, Sigvat made these verses:\n--\n\"Down the Fjord sweep wind and rain,\nOur stout ship's sails and tackle strain;\nWet to the skin.\nWe're sound within,\nAnd gaily o'er the waves are dancing,\nOur sea-steed o'er the waves high prancing!\nThrough Lister sea\nFlying all free;\nOff from the wind with swelling sail,\nWe merrily scud before the gale,\nAnd reach the sound\nWhere we were bound.\nAnd now our ship, so gay and grand,\nGlides past the green and lovely land,\nAnd at the isle\nMoors for a while.\nOur horse-hoofs now leave hasty print;\nWe ride -- of ease there's scanty stint --\nIn heat and haste\nO'er Gautland's waste:\nThough in a hurry to be married,\nThe king can't say that we have tarried.\"\nOne evening late they were riding through Gautland, and Sigvat\nmade these verses: --\n\"The weary horse will at nightfall\nGallop right well to reach his stall;\nWhen night meets day, with hasty hoof\nHe plies the road to reach a roof.\nFar from the Danes, we now may ride\nSafely by stream or mountain-side;\nBut, in this twilight, in some ditch\nThe horse and rider both may pitch.\"\nThey rode through the merchant town of Skara, and down the street\nto the earl's house. He sang: --\n\"The shy sweet girls, from window high\nIn wonder peep at the sparks that fly\nFrom our horses heels, as down the street\nOf the earl's town we ride so fleet.\nSpur on! -- that every pretty lass\nMay hear our horse-hoofs as we pass\nClatter upon the stones so hard,\nAnd echo round the paved court-yard.\"\n71. HJALTE SKEGGJASON WHILE HE WAS IN SVITHIOD.\nOne day Hjalte, and the skalds with him, went before the king,\nand he began thus: -- \"It has so happened, king, as is known to\nyou, that I have come here after a long and difficult journey;\nbut when I had once crossed the ocean and heard of your\ngreatness, it appeared to me unwise to go back without having\nseen you in your splendour and glory. Now it is a law between\nIceland and Norway, that Iceland men pay landing due when they\ncome into Norway, but while I was coming across the sea I took\nmyself all the landing dues from my ship's people; but knowing\nthat thou have the greatest right to all the power in Norway, I\nhastened hither to deliver to you the landing dues.\" With this\nhe showed the silver to the king, and laid ten marks of silver in\nGissur Black's lap.\nThe king replies, \"Few have brought us any such dues from Norway\nfor some time; and now, Hjalte, I will return you my warmest\nthanks for having given yourself so much trouble to bring us the\nlanding dues, rather than pay them to our enemies. But I will\nthat thou shouldst take this money from me as a gift, and with it\nmy friendship.\"\nHjalte thanked the king with many words, and from that day set\nhimself in great favour with the king, and often spoke with him;\nfor the king thought, what was true, that he was a man of much\nunderstanding and eloquence. Now Hjalte told Gissur and Ottar\nthat he was sent with tokens to the king's daughter Ingegerd, to\nobtain her protection and friendship; and he begged of them to\nprocure him some opportunity to speak with her. They answered,\nthat this was an easy thing to do; and went one day to her house,\nwhere she sat at the drinking table with many men. She received\nthe skalds in a friendly manner, for they were known to her.\nHjalte brought her a salutation from the earl's wife, Ingebjorg;\nand said she had sent him here to obtain friendly help and\nsuccour from her, and in proof whereof produced his tokens. The\nking's daughter received him also kindly, and said he should be\nwelcome to her friendship. They sat there till late in the day\ndrinking. The king's daughter made Hjalte tell her much news,\nand invited him to come often and converse with her. He did so:\ncame there often, and spoke with the king's daughter; and at last\nentrusted her with the purpose of Bjorn's and his comrade's\njourney, and asked her how she thought the Swedish king would\nreceive the proposal that there should be a reconciliation\nbetween the kings. The king's daughter replied, that, in her\nopinion, it would be a useless attempt to propose to the king any\nreconciliation with Olaf the Thick; for the king was so enraged\nagainst him, that he would not suffer his name to be mentioned\nbefore him. It happened one day that Hjalte was sitting with the\nking and talking to him, and the king was very merry and drunk.\nThen Hjalte said, \"Manifold splendour and grandeur have I seen\nhere; and I have now witnessed with my eyes what I have often\nheard of, that no monarch in the north is so magnificent: but it\nis very vexatious that we who come so far to visit it have a road\nso long and troublesome, both on account of the great ocean, but\nmore especially because it is not safe to travel through Norway\nfor those who are coming here in a friendly disposition. But why\nis there no one to bring proposals for a peace between you and\nKing Olaf the Thick? I heard much in Norway, and in west\nGautland, of the general desire that this peace should have taken\nplace; and it has been told me for truth, as the Norway king's\nwords, that he earnestly desires to be reconciled to you; and the\nreason I know is, that he feels how much less his power is than\nyours. It is even said that he intends to pay his court to your\ndaughter Ingegerd; and that would lead to a useful peace, for I\nhave heard from people of credit that he is a remarkably\ndistinguished man.\"\nThe king answers. \"Thou must not speak thus, Hjalte; but for this\ntime I will not take it amiss of thee, as thou dost not know what\npeople have to avoid here. That fat fellow shall not be called\nking in my court, and there is by no means the stuff in him that\npeople talk of: and thou must see thyself that such a connection\nis not suitable; for I am the tenth king in Upsala who, relation\nafter relation, has been sole monarch over the Swedish, and many\nother great lands, and all have been the superior kings over\nother kings in the northern countries. But Norway is little\ninhabited, and the inhabitants are scattered. There have only\nbeen small kings there; and although Harald Harfager was the\ngreatest king in that country, and strove against the small\nkings, and subdued them, yet he knew so well his position that he\ndid not covet the Swedish dominions, and therefore the Swedish\nkings let him sit in peace, especially as there was relationship\nbetween them. Thereafter, while Hakon Athelstan's foster-son was\nin Norway he sat in peace, until he began to maraud in Gautland\nand Denmark; on which a war-force came upon him, and took from\nhim both life and land. Gunhild's sons also were cut off when\nthey became disobedient to the Danish kings; and Harald Gormson\njoined Norway to his own dominions, and made it subject to scat\nto him. And we reckon Harald Gormson to be of less power and\nconsideration than the Upsala kings, for our relation Styrbjorn\nsubdued him, and Harald became his man; and yet Eirik the\nVictorious, my father, rose over Styrbjorn's head when it came to\na trial between them. When Olaf Trygvason came to Norway and\nproclaimed himself king, we would not permit it, but we went with\nKing Svein, and cut him off; and thus we have appropriated\nNorway, as thou hast not heard, and with no less right than if I\nhad gained it in battle, and by conquering the kings who ruled it\nbefore. Now thou canst well suppose, as a man of sense, that I\nwill not let slip the kingdom of Norway for this thick fellow.\nIt is wonderful he does not remember how narrowly he made his\nescape, when we had penned him in in the Malar lake. Although he\nslipped away with life from thence, he ought, methinks, to have\nsomething else in his mind than to hold out against us Swedes.\nNow, Hjalte, thou must never again open thy mouth in my presence\non such a subject.\"\nHjalte saw sufficiently that there was no hope of the king's\nlistening to any proposal of a peace, and desisted from speaking\nof it, and turned the conversation to something else. When\nHjalte, afterwards, came into discourse with the king's daughter\nIngegerd, he tells her his conversation with the king. She told\nhim she expected such an answer from the king. Hjalte begged of\nher to say a good word to the king about the matter, but she\nthought the king would listen as little to what she said: \"But\nspeak about it I will, if thou requirest it.\" Hjalte assured her\nhe would be thankful for the attempt. One day the king's\ndaughter Ingegerd had a conversation with her father Olaf; and as\nshe found her father was in a particularly good humour, she said,\n\"What is now thy intention with regard to the strife with Olaf\nthe Thick? There are many who complain about it, having lost\ntheir property by it; others have lost their relations by the\nNorthmen, and all their peace and quiet; so that none of your men\nsee any harm that can be done to Norway. It would be a bad\ncounsel if thou sought the dominion over Norway; for it is a poor\ncountry, difficult to come at, and the people dangerous: for the\nmen there will rather have any other for their king than thee.\nIf I might advise, thou wouldst let go all thoughts about Norway,\nand not desire Olaf's heritage; and rather turn thyself to the\nkingdoms in the East country, which thy forefathers the former\nSwedish kings had, and which our relation Styrbjorn lately\nsubdued, and let the thick Olaf possess the heritage of his\nforefathers and make peace with him.\"\nThe king replies in a rage, \"It is thy counsel, Ingegerd, that I\nshould let slip the kingdom of Norway, and give thee in marriage\nto this thick Olaf. - No,\" says he, \"something else shall first\ntake place. Rather than that, I shall, at the Upsala Thing in\nwinter, issue a proclamation to all Swedes, that the whole people\nshall assemble for an expedition, and go to their ships before\nthe ice is off the waters; and I will proceed to Norway, and lay\nwaste the land with fire and sword, and burn everything, to\npunish them for their want of fidelity.\"\nThe king was so mad with rage that nobody ventured to say a word,\nand she went away. Hjalte, who was watching for her, immediately\nwent to her and asked how her errand to the king had turned out.\nShe answered, it turned out as she had expected; that none could\nventure to put in a word with the king; but, on the contrary, he\nhad used threats; and she begged Hjalte never to speak of the\nmatter again before the king. As Hjalte and Ingegerd spoke\ntogether often, Olaf the Thick was often the subject, and he told\nher about him and his manners; and Hjalte praised the king of\nNorway what he could, but said no more than was the truth, and\nshe could well perceive it. Once, in a conversation, Hjalte said\nto her, \"May I be permitted, daughter of the king, to tell thee\nwhat lies in my mind?\"\n\"Speak freely,\" says she; \"but so that I alone can hear it.\"\n\"Then,\" said Hjalte, \"what would be thy answer, if the Norway\nking Olaf sent messengers to thee with the errand to propose\nmarriage to thee?\"\nShe blushed, and answered slowly but gently, \"I have not made up\nmy mind to answer to that; but if Olaf be in all respects so\nperfect as thou tellest me, I could wish for no other husband;\nunless, indeed, thou hast gilded him over with thy praise more\nthan sufficiently.\"\nHjalte replied, that he had in no respect spoken better of the\nking than was true. They often spoke together on the same\nsubject. Ingegerd begged Hjalte to be cautious not to mention it\nto any other person, for the king would be enraged against him if\nit came to his knowledge. Hjalte only spoke of it to the skalds\nGissur and Ottar, who thought it was the most happy plan, if it\ncould but be carried into effect. Ottar, who was a man of great\npower of conversation, and much beloved in the court, soon\nbrought up the subject before the king's daughter, and recounted\nto her, as Hjalte had done, all King Olaf's excellent qualities.\nOften spoke Hjalte and the others about him; and now that Hjalte\nknew the result of his mission, he sent those Gautland men away\nwho had accompanied him, and let them return to the earl with\nletters (1) which the king's daughter Ingegerd sent to the earl\nand Ingebjorg. Hjalte also let them give a hint to the earl\nabout the conversation he had had with Ingegerd, and her answer\nthereto: and the messengers came with it to the earl a little\nbefore Yule.\nENDNOTES:\n(1) This seems the first notice we have in the sagas of written\nletters being sent instead of tokens and verbal messages. --\nL.\n72. OLAF'S JOURNEY TO THE UPLANDS.\nWhen King Olaf had despatched Bjorn and his followers to\nGautland, he sent other people also to the Uplands, with the\nerrand that they should have guest-quarters prepared for him, as\nhe intended that winter (A.D. 1018) to live as guest in the\nUplands; for it had been the custom of former kings to make a\nprogress in guest-quarters every third year in the Uplands. In\nautumn he began his progress from Sarpsborg, and went first to\nVingulmark. He ordered his progress so that he came first to\nlodge in the neighbourhood of the forest habitations, and\nsummoned to him all the men of the habitations who dwelt at the\ngreatest distance from the head-habitations of the district; and\nhe inquired particularly how it stood with their Christianity,\nand, where improvement was needful, he taught them the right\ncustoms. If any there were who would not renounce heathen ways,\nhe took the matter so zealously that he drove some out of the\ncountry, mutilated others of hands or feet, or stung their eyes\nout; hung up some, cut down some with the sword; but let none go\nunpunished who would not serve God. He went thus through the\nwhole district, sparing neither great nor small. He gave them\nteachers, and placed these as thickly in the country as he saw\nneedful. In this manner he went about in that district, and had\n300 deadly men-at-arms with him; and then proceeded to Raumarike.\nHe soon perceived that Christianity was thriving less the farther\nhe proceeded into the interior of the country. He went forward\neverywhere in the same way, converting all the people to the\nright faith, and severely punishing all who would not listen to\nhis word.\n73.TREACHERY OF THE UPLAND KINGS.\nNow when the king who at that time ruled in Raumarike heard of\nthis, he thought it was a very bad affair; for every day came men\nto him, both great and small, who told him what was doing.\nTherefore this king resolved to go up to Hedemark, and consult\nKing Hrorek, who was the most eminent for understanding of the\nkings who at that time were in the country. Now when these kings\nspoke with each other, they agreed to send a message to Gudrod,\nthe valley-king north in the Gudbrandsdal, and likewise to the\nking who was in Hadaland, and bid them to come to Hedemark, to\nmeet Hrorek and the other kings there. They did not spare their\ntravelling; for five kings met in Hedemark, at a place called\nRingsaker. Ring, King Hrorek's brother, was the fifth of these\nkings. The kings had first a private conference together, in\nwhich he who came from Raumarike first took up the word, and told\nof King Olaf's proceedings, and of the disturbance he was causing\nboth by killing and mutilating people. Some he drove out of the\ncountry, some he deprived of their offices or property if they\nspoke anything against him; and, besides, he was travelling over\nthe country with a great army, not with the number of people\nfixed by law for a royal progress in guest-quarters. He added,\nthat he had fled hither upon account of this disturbance, and\nmany powerful people with him had fled from their udal properties\nin Raumarike. \"But although as yet the evil is nearest to us, it\nwill be but a short time before ye will also be exposed to it;\ntherefore it is best that we all consider together what\nresolution we shall take.\" When he had ended his speech, Hrorek\nwas desired to speak; and he said, \"Now is the day come that I\nforetold when we had had our meeting at Hadaland, and ye were all\nso eager to raise Olaf over our heads; namely, that as soon as he\nwas the supreme master of the country we would find it hard to\nhold him by the horns. We have but two things now to do: the one\nis, to go all of us to him, and let him do with us as he likes,\nwhich I think is the best thing we can do; or the other is, to\nrise against him before he has gone farther through the country.\nAlthough he has 300 or 400 men, that is not too great a force for\nus to meet, if we are only all in movement together: but, in\ngeneral, there is less success and advantage to be gained when\nseveral of equal strength are joined together, than when one\nalone stands at the head of his own force; therefore it is my\nadvice, that we do not venture to try our luck against Olaf\nHaraldson.\"\nThereafter each of the kings spoke according to his own mind some\ndissuading from going out against King Olaf, others urging it;\nand no determination was come to, as each had his own reasons to\nproduce.\nThen Gudrod, the valley-king, took up the word, and spoke: -- \"It\nappears wonderful to me, that ye make such a long roundabout in\ncoming to a resolution; and probably ye are frightened for him.\nWe are here five kings, and none of less high birth than Olaf.\nWe gave him the strength to fight with Earl Svein, and with our\nforces he has brought the country under his power. But if he\ngrudges each of us the little kingdom he had before, and\nthreatens us with tortures, or gives us ill words, then, say I\nfor myself, that I will withdraw myself from the king's slavery;\nand I do not call him a man among you who is afraid to cut him\noff, if he come into your hands here up in Hedemark. And this I\ncan tell you, that we shall never bear our heads in safety while\nOlaf is in life.\" After this encouragement they all agreed to\nhis determination.\nThen said Hrorek, \"With regard to this determination, it appears\nto me necessary to make our agreement so strong that no one shall\nfail in his promise to the other. Therefore, if ye determine\nupon attacking Olaf at a fixed time, when he comes here to\nHedemark, I will not trust much to you if some are north in the\nvalleys, others up in Hedemark; but if our resolution is to come\nto anything, we must remain here assembled together day and\nnight.\"\nThis the kings agreed to, and kept themselves there all\nassembled, ordering a feast to be provided for them at Ringsaker,\nand drank there a cup to success; sending out spies to Raumarike,\nand when one set came in sending out others, so that day and\nnight they had intelligence of Olaf's proceedings, and of the\nnumbers of his men. King Olaf went about in Raumarike in\nguest-quarters, and altogether in the way before related; but as\nthe provision of the guest-quarter was not always sufficient,\nupon account of his numerous followers, he laid it upon the\nbondes to give additional contributions wherever he found it\nnecessary to stay. In some places he stayed longer, in others,\nshorter than was fixed; and his journey down to the lake Miosen\nwas shorter than had been fixed on. The kings, after taking\ntheir resolution, sent out message-tokens, and summoned all the\nlendermen and powerful bondes from all the districts thereabout;\nand when they had assembled the kings had a private meeting with\nthem, and made their determination known, setting a day for\ngathering together and carrying it into effect; and it was\nsettled among them that each of the kings should have 300 (1)\nmen. Then they sent away the lendermen to gather the people, and\nmeet all at the appointed place. The most approved of the\nmeasure; but it happened here, as it usually does, that every one\nhas some friend even among his enemies.\nENDNOTES:\n(1) I.e., 360.\n74. MUTILATING OF THE UPLAND KINGS.\nKetil of Ringanes was at this meeting. Now when he came home in\nthe evening he took his supper, put on his clothes, and went down\nwith his house-servants to the lake; took a light vessel which he\nhad, the same that King Olaf had made him a present of, and\nlaunched it on the water. They found in the boat-house\neverything ready to their hands; betook themselves to their oars,\nand rowed out into the lake. Ketil had forty well-armed men with\nhim, and came early in the morning to the end of the lake. He\nset off immediately with twenty men, leaving the other twenty to\nlook after the ship. King Olaf was at that time at Eid, in the\nupper end of Raumarike. Thither Ketil arrived just as the king\nwas coming from matins. The king received Ketil kindly. He said\nhe must speak with the king in all haste; and they had a private\nconference together. There Ketil tells the king the resolution\nwhich the kings had taken, and their agreement, which he had come\nto the certain knowledge of. When the king learnt this he called\nhis people together, and sent some out to collect riding-horses\nin the country; others he sent down to the lake to take all the\nrowing-vessels they could lay hold of, and keep them for his use.\nThereafter he went to the church, had mass sung before him, and\nthen sat down to table. After his meal he got ready, and\nhastened down to the lake, where the vessels were coming to meet\nhim. He himself went on board the light vessel, and as many men\nwith him as it could stow, and all the rest of his followers took\nsuch boats as they could get hold of; and when it was getting\nlate in the evening they set out from the land, in still and calm\nweather. He rowed up the water with 400 men, and came with them\nto Ringsaker before day dawned; and the watchmen were not aware\nof the army before they were come into the very court. Ketil\nknew well in what houses the kings slept, and the king had all\nthese houses surrounded and guarded, so that nobody could get\nout; and so they stood till daylight. The kings had not people\nenough to make resistance, but were all taken prisoners, and led\nbefore the king. Hrorek was an able but obstinate man, whose\nfidelity the king could not trust to if he made peace with him;\ntherefore he ordered both his eyes to be punched out, and took\nhim in that condition about with him. He ordered Gudrod's tongue\nto be cut out; but Ring and two others he banished from Norway,\nunder oath never to return. Of the lendermen and bondes who had\nactually taken part in the traitorous design, some he drove out\nof the country, some he mutilated, and with others he made peace.\nOttar Black tells of this: --\n\"The giver of rings of gold,\nThe army leader bold,\nIn vengeance springs\nOn the Hedemark kings.\nOlaf the bold and great,\nRepays their foul deceit --\nIn full repays\nTheir treacherous ways.\nHe drives with steel-clad hand\nThe small kings from the land, --\nGreater by far\nIn deed of war.\nThe king who dwelt most north\nTongueless must wander forth:\nAll fly away\nIn great dismay.\nKing Olaf now rules o'er\nWhat five kings ruled before.\nTo Eid's old bound\nExtends his ground.\nNo kings in days of yore\nE'er won so much before:\nThat this is so\nAll Norsemen know.\"\nKing Olaf took possession of the land these five kings had\npossessed, and took hostages from the lendermen and bondes in it.\nHe took money instead of guest-quarters from the country north of\nthe valley district, and from Hedemark; and then returned to\nRaumarike, and so west to Hadaland. This winter (A.D. 1018) his\nstepfather Sigurd Syr died; and King Olaf went to Ringerike,\nwhere his mother Asta made a great feast for him. Olaf alone\nbore the title of king now in Norway.\n75. KING OLAF'S HALF-BROTHERS.\nIt is told that when King Olaf was on his visit to his mother\nAsta, she brought out her children, and showed them to him. The\nking took his brother Guthorm on the one knee, and his brother\nHalfdan on the other. The king looked at Guthorm, made a wry\nface, and pretended to be angry at them: at which the boys were\nafraid. Then Asta brought her youngest son, called Harald, who\nwas three years old, to him. The king made a wry face at him\nalso; but he looked the king in the face without regarding it.\nThe king took the boy by the hair, and plucked it; but the boy\nseized the king's whiskers, and gave them a tug. \"Then,\" said\nthe king, \"thou wilt be revengeful, my friend, some day.\" The\nfollowing day the king was walking with his mother about the\nfarm, and they came to a playground, where Asta's sons, Guthorm\nand Halfdan, were amusing themselves. They were building great\nhouses and barns in their play, and were supposing them full of\ncattle and sheep; and close beside them, in a clay pool, Harald\nwas busy with chips of wood, sailing them, in his sport along the\nedge. The king asked him what these were; and he answered, these\nwere his ships of war. The king laughed, and said, \"The time may\ncome, friend, when thou wilt command ships.\"\nThen the king called to him Halfdan and Guthorm; and first he\nasked Guthorm, \"What wouldst thou like best to have?\"\n\"Corn land,\" replied he.\n\"And how great wouldst thou like thy corn land to be?\"\n\"I would have the whole ness that goes out into the lake sown\nwith corn every summer.\" On that ness there are ten farms.\nThe king replies, \"There would be a great deal of corn there.\"\nAnd, turning to Halfdan, he asked, \"And what wouldst thou like\nbest to have?\"\n\"Cows,\" he replied.\n\"How many wouldst thou like to have?\"\n\"When they went to the lake to be watered I would have so many,\nthat they stood as tight round the lake as they could stand.\"\n\"That would be a great housekeeping,\" said the king; \"and therein\nye take after your father.\"\nThen the king says to Harald, \"And what wouldst thou like best to\nhave?\"\n\"House-servants.\"\n\"And how many wouldst thou have?\"\n\"Oh! so many I would like to have as would eat up my brother\nHalfdan's cows at a single meal.\"\nThe king laughed, and said to Asta, \"Here, mother, thou art\nbringing up a king.\" And more is not related of them on this\noccasion.\n76. THE DIVISION OF THE COUNTRY.\nIn Svithjod it was the old custom, as long as heathenism\nprevailed, that the chief sacrifice took place in Goe month at\nUpsala. Then sacrifice was offered for peace, and victory to the\nking; and thither came people from all parts of Svithjod. All\nthe Things of the Swedes, also, were held there, and markets, and\nmeetings for buying, which continued for a week: and after\nChristianity was introduced into Svithjod, the Things and fairs\nwere held there as before. After Christianity had taken root in\nSvithjod, and the kings would no longer dwell in Upsala, the\nmarket-time was moved to Candlemas, and it has since continued\nso, and it lasts only three days. There is then the Swedish\nThing also, and people from all quarters come there. Svithjod is\ndivided into many parts. One part is West Gautland, Vermaland,\nand the Marks, with what belongs to them; and this part of the\nkingdom is so large, that the bishop who is set over it has 1100\nchurches under him. The other part is East Gautland, where there\nis also a bishop's seat, to which the islands of Gotland and\nEyland belong; and forming all together a still greater\nbishopric. In Svithjod itself there is a part of the country\ncalled Sudermanland, where there is also a bishopric. Then comes\nWestmanland, or Fiathrundaland, which is also a bishopric. The\nthird portion of Svithjod proper is called Tiundaland; the fourth\nAttandaland; the fifth Sialand, and what belongs to it lies\neastward along the coast. Tiundaland is the best and most\ninhabited part of Svithjod, under which the other kingdoms stand.\nThere Upsala is situated, the seat of the king and archbishop;\nand from it Upsala-audr, or the domain of the Swedish kings,\ntakes its name. Each of these divisions of the country has its\nLag-thing, and its own laws in many parts. Over each is a\nlagman, who rules principally in affairs of the bondes: for that\nbecomes law which he, by his speech, determines them to make law:\nand if king, earl, or bishop goes through the country, and holds\na Thing with the bondes, the lagmen reply on account of the\nbondes, and they all follow their lagmen; so that even the most\npowerful men scarcely dare to come to their Al-thing without\nregarding the bondes' and lagmen's law. And in all matters in\nwhich the laws differ from each other, Upsala-law is the\ndirecting law; and the other lagmen are under the lagman who\ndwells in Tiundaland.\n77. OF THE LAGMAN THORGNY.\nIn Tiundaland there was a lagman who was called Thorgny, whose\nfather was called Thorgny Thorgnyson. His forefathers had for a\nlong course of years, and during many kings' times, been lagmen\nof Tiundaland. At this time Thorgny was old, and had a great\ncourt about him. He was considered one of the wisest men in\nSweden, and was Earl Ragnvald's relation and foster-father.\n78. MEETING OF RAGNVALD AND INGEGERD.\nNow we must go back in our story to the time when the men whom\nthe king's daughter Ingegerd and Hjalte had sent from the east\ncame to Earl Ragnvald. They relate their errand to the earl and\nhis wife Ingebjorg, and tell how the king's daughter had oft\nspoken to the Swedish king about a peace between him and King\nOlaf the Thick, and that she was a great friend of King Olaf; but\nthat the Swedish king flew into a passion every time she named\nOlaf, so that she had no hopes of any peace. The Earl told Bjorn\nthe news he had received from the east; but Bjorn gave the same\nreply, that he would not turn back until he had met the Swedish\nking, and said the earl had promised to go with him. Now the\nwinter was passing fast, and immediately after Yule the earl made\nhimself ready to travel with sixty men, among whom where the\nmarshal Bjorn and his companions. The earl proceeded eastward\nall the way to Svithjod; but when he came a little way into the\ncountry he sent his men before him to Upsala with a message to\nIngegerd the king's daughter to come out to meet him at\nUllaraker, where she had a large farm. When the king's daughter\ngot the earl's message she made herself ready immediately to\ntravel with a large attendance, and Hjalte accompanied her. But\nbefore he took his departure he went to King Olaf, and said,\n\"Continue always to be the most fortunate of monarchs! Such\nsplendour as I have seen about thee I have in truth never\nwitnessed elsewhere, and wheresoever I come it shall not be\nconcealed. Now, king, may I entreat thy favour and friendship in\ntime to come?\"\nThe king replies, \"Why art thou in so great a haste, and where\nart thou going?\"\nHjalte replies, \"I am to ride out to Ullaraker with Ingegerd thy\ndaughter.\"\nThe king says, \"Farewell, then: a man thou art of understanding\nand politeness, and well suited to live with people of rank.\"\nThereupon Hjalte withdrew.\nThe king's daughter Ingegerd rode to her farm in Ullaraker, and\nordered a great feast to be prepared for the earl. When the earl\narrived he was welcomed with gladness, and he remained there\nseveral days. The earl and the king's daughter talked much, and\nof many things, but most about the Swedish and Norwegian kings;\nand she told the earl that in her opinion there was no hope of\npeace between them.\nThen said the earl, \"How wouldst thou like it, my cousin, if Olaf\nking of Norway were to pay his addresses to thee? It appears to\nus that it would contribute most towards a settled peace if there\nwas relationship established between the kings; but I would not\nsupport such a matter if it were against thy inclination.\"\nShe replies, \"My father disposes of my hand; but among all my\nother relations thou art he whose advice I would rather follow in\nweighty affairs. Dost thou think it would be advisable?\" The\nearl recommended it to her strongly, and reckoned up many\nexcellent achievements of King Olaf's. He told her, in\nparticular, about what had lately been done; that King Olaf in an\nhours time one morning had taken five kings prisoners, deprived\nthem all of their governments, and laid their kingdoms and\nproperties under his own power. Much they talked about the\nbusiness, and in all their conversations they perfectly agreed\nwith each other. When the earl was ready he took leave, and\nproceeded on his way, taking Hjalte with him.\n79. RAGNVALD AND THORGNY.\nEarl Ragnvald came towards evening one day to the house of Lagman\nThorgny. It was a great and stately mansion, and many people\nstood outside, who received the earl kindly, and took care of the\nhorses and baggage. The earl went into the room, where there was\na number of people. In the high-seat sat an old man; and never\nhad Bjorn or his companions seen a man so stout. His beard was\nso long that it lay upon his knee, and was spread over his whole\nbreast; and the man, moreover, was handsome and stately in\nappearance. The earl went forward and saluted him. Thorgny\nreceived him joyfully and kindly, and bade him go to the seat he\nwas accustomed to take. The earl seated himself on the other\nside, opposite Thorgny. They remained there some days before the\nearl disclosed his errand, and then he asked Thorgny to go with\nhim into the conversing room. Bjorn and his followers went there\nwith the earl. Then the earl began, and told how Olaf king of\nNorway had sent these men hither to conclude a peaceful\nagreement. He showed at great length what injury it was of to\nthe West Gautland people, that there was hostility between their\ncountry and Norway. He further related that Olaf the king of\nNorway had sent ambassadors, who were here present, and to whom\nhe had promised he would attend them to the Swedish king; but he\nadded, \"The Swedish king takes the matter so grievously, that he\nhas uttered menaces against those who entertain it. Now so it\nis, my foster-father, that I do not trust to myself in this\nmatter; but am come on a visit to thee to get good counsel and\nhelp from thee in the matter.\"\nNow when the earl had done speaking Thorgny sat silent for a\nwhile, and then took up the word. \"Ye have curious dispositions\nwho are so ambitious of honour and renown, and yet have no\nprudence or counsel in you when you get into any mischief. Why\ndid you not consider, before you gave your promise to this\nadventure, that you had no power to stand against King Olaf? In\nmy opinion it is not a less honourable condition to be in the\nnumber of bondes and have one's words free, and be able to say\nwhat one will, even if the king be present. But I must go to the\nUpsala Thing, and give thee such help that without fear thou\ncanst speak before the king what thou findest good.\"\nThe earl thanked him for the promise, remained with Thorgny, and\nrode with him to the Upsala Thing. There was a great assemblage\nof people at the Thing, and King Olaf was there with his court.\n80. OF THE UPSALA THING.\nThe first day the Thing sat, King Olaf was seated on a stool, and\nhis court stood in a circle around him. Right opposite to him\nsat Earl Ragnvald and Thorgny in the Thing upon one stool, and\nbefore them the earl's court and Thorgny's house-people. Behind\ntheir stool stood the bonde community, all in a circle around\nthem. Some stood upon hillocks and heights, in order to hear the\nbetter. Now when the king's messages, which are usually handled\nin the Things, were produced and settled, the marshal Bjorn rose\nbeside the earl's stool, and said aloud, \"King Olaf sends me here\nwith the message that he will offer to the Swedish king peace,\nand the frontiers that in old times were fixed between Norway and\nSvithjod.\" He spoke so loud that the Swedish king could\ndistinctly hear him; but at first, when he heard King Olaf's name\nspoken, he thought the speaker had some message or business of\nhis own to execute; but when he heard of peace, and the frontiers\nbetween Norway and Svithjod, he saw from what root it came, and\nsprang up, and called out that the man should be silent, for that\nsuch speeches were useless. Thereupon Bjorn sat down; and when\nthe noise had ceased Earl Ragnvald stood up and made a speech.\nHe spoke of Olaf the Thick's message, and proposal of peace to\nOlaf the Swedish king; and that all the West Gautland people sent\ntheir entreaty to Olaf that he would make peace with the king of\nNorway. He recounted all the evils the West Gautlanders were\nsuffering under; that they must go without all the things from\nNorway which were necessary in their households; and, on the\nother hand, were exposed to attack and hostility whenever the\nking of Norway gathered an army and made an inroad on them. The\nearl added, that Olaf the Norway king had sent men hither with\nthe intent to obtain Ingegerd the king's daughter in marriage.\nWhen the earl had done speaking Olaf the Swedish king stood up\nand replied, and was altogether against listening to any\nproposals of peace, and made many and heavy reproaches against\nthe earl for his impudence in entering into a peaceful truce with\nthe thick fellow, and making up a peaceful friendship with him,\nand which in truth he considered treason against himself. He\nadded, that it would be well deserved if Earl Ragnvald were\ndriven out of the kingdom. The earl had, in his opinion, the\ninfluence of his wife Ingebjorg to thank for what might happen;\nand it was the most imprudent fancy he could have fallen upon to\ntake up with such a wife. The king spoke long and bitterly,\nturning his speech always against Olaf the Thick. When he sat\ndown not a sound was to be heard at first.\n81. THORGNY'S SPEECH.\nThen Thorgny stood up; and when he arose all the bondes stood up\nwho had before been sitting, and rushed together from all parts\nto listen to what Lagman Thorgny would say. At first there was a\ngreat din of people and weapons; but when the noise was settled\ninto silent listening, Thorguy made his speech. \"The disposition\nof Swedish kings is different now from what it has been formerly.\nMy grandfather Thorgny could well remember the Upsala king Eirik\nEymundson, and used to say of him that when he was in his best\nyears he went out every summer on expeditions to different\ncountries, and conquered for himself Finland, Kirjalaland,\nCourland, Esthonia, and the eastern countries all around; and at\nthe present day the earth-bulwarks, ramparts, and other great\nworks which he made are to be seen. And, more over, he was not\nso proud that he would not listen to people who had anything to\nsay to him. My father, again, was a long time with King Bjorn,\nand was well acquainted with his ways and manners. In Bjorn's\nlifetime his kingdom stood in great power, and no kind of want\nwas felt, and he was gay and sociable with his friends. I also\nremember King Eirik the Victorious, and was with him on many a\nwar-expedition. He enlarged the Swedish dominion, and defended\nit manfully; and it was also easy and agreeable to communicate\nour opinions to him. But the king we have now got allows no man\nto presume to talk with him, unless it be what he desires to\nhear. On this alone he applies all his power, while he allows\nhis scat-lands in other countries to go from him through laziness\nand weakness. He wants to have the Norway kingdom laid under\nhim, which no Swedish king before him ever desired, and therewith\nbrings war and distress on many a man. Now it is our will, we\nbondes, that thou King Olaf make peace with the Norway king, Olaf\nthe Thick, and marry thy daughter Ingegerd to him. Wilt thou,\nhowever, reconquer the kingdoms in the east countries which thy\nrelations and forefathers had there, we will all for that purpose\nfollow thee to the war. But if thou wilt not do as we desire, we\nwill now attack thee, and put thee to death; for we will no\nlonger suffer law and peace to be disturbed. So our forefathers\nwent to work when they drowned five kings in a morass at the\nMula-thing, and they were filled with the same insupportable\npride thou hast shown towards us. Now tell us, in all haste,\nwhat resolution thou wilt take.\" Then the whole public approved,\nwith clash of arms and shouts, the lagman's speech.\nThe king stands up and says he will let things go according to\nthe desire of the bondes. \"All Swedish kings,\" he said, \"have\ndone so, and have allowed the bondes to rule in all according to\ntheir will.\" The murmur among the bondes then came to an end,\nand the chiefs, the king, the earl, and Thorgny talked together,\nand concluded a truce and reconciliation, on the part of the\nSwedish king, according to the terms which the king of Norway had\nproposed by his ambassadors; and it was resolved at the Thing\nthat Ingegerd, the king's daughter, should be married to Olaf\nHaraldson. The king left it to the earl to make the contract\nfeast, and gave him full powers to conclude this marriage affair;\nand after this was settled at the Thing, they separated. When\nthe earl returned homewards, he and the king's daughter Ingegerd\nhad a meeting, at which they talked between themselves over this\nmatter. She sent Olaf a long cloak of fine linen richly\nembroidered with gold, and with silk points. The earl returned\nto Gautland, and Bjorn with him; and after staying with him a\nshort time, Bjorn and his company returned to Norway. When he\ncame to King Olaf he told him the result of his errand, and the\nking returned him many thanks for his conduct, and said Bjorn had\nhad great success in bringing his errand to so favourabie a\nconclusion against such animosity.\n82. OF KING HROREK'S TREACHERY.\nOn the approach of spring (A.D. 1018) King Olaf went down to the\ncoast, had his ships rigged out, summoned troops to him, and\nproceeded in spring out from Viken to the Naze, and so north to\nHordaland. He then sent messages to all the lendermen, selected\nthe most considerable men in each district, and made the most\nsplendid preparations to meet his bride. The wedding-feast was\nto be in autumn, at the Gaut river, on the frontiers of the two\ncountries. King Olaf had with him the blind king Hrorek. When\nhis wound was healed, the king gave him two men to serve him, let\nhim sit in the high-seat by his side, and kept him in meat and\nclothes in no respect Norse than he had kept himself before.\nHrorek was taciturn, and answered short and cross when any one\nspoke to him. It was his custom to make his footboy, when he\nwent out in the daytime, lead him away from people, and then to\nbeat the lad until he ran away. He would then complain to King\nOlaf that the lad would not serve him. The king changed his\nservants, but it was as before; no servant would hold it out with\nKing Hrorek. Then the king appointed a man called Svein to wait\nupon and serve King Hrorek. He was Hrorek's relation, and had\nformerly been in his service. Hrorek continued with his habits\nof moroseness, and of solitary walks; but when he and Svein were\nalone together, he was merry and talkative. He used to bring up\nmany things which had happened in former days when he was king.\nHe alluded, too, to the man who had, in his former days, torn him\nfrom his kingdom and happiness, and made him live on alms. \"It\nis hardest of all,\" says he, \"that thou and my other relations,\nwho ought to be men of bravery, are so degenerated that thou wilt\nnot avenge the shame and disgrace brought upon our race.\" Such\ndiscourse he often brought out. Svein said, they had too great a\npower to deal with, while they themselves had but little means.\nHrorek said, \"Why should we live longer as mutilated men with\ndisgrace? I, a blind man, may conquer them as well as they\nconquered me when I was asleep. Come then, let us kill this\nthick Olaf. He is not afraid for himself at present. I will lay\nthe plan, and would not spare my hands if I could use them, but\nthat I cannot by reason of my blindness; therefore thou must use\nthe weapons against him, and as soon as Olaf is killed I can see\nwell enough that his power must come into the hands of his\nenemies, and it may well be that I shall be king, and thou shalt\nbe my earl.\" So much persuasion he used that Svein at last\nagreed to join in the deed. The plan was so laid that when the\nking was ready to go to vespers, Svein stood on the threshold\nwith a drawn dagger under his cloak. Now when the king came out\nof the room, it so happened that he walked quicker than Svein\nexpected; and when he looked the king in the face he grew pale,\nand then white as a corpse, and his hand sank down. The king\nobserved his terror and said, \"What is this, Svein? Wilt thou\nbetray me?\" Svein threw down his cloak and dagger, and fell at\nthe king's feet, saying, \"All is in Gods hands and thine, king!\"\nThe king ordered his men to seize Svein, and he was put in irons.\nThe king ordered Hrorek's seat to be moved to another bench. He\ngave Svein his life, and he left the country. The king appointed\na different lodging for Hrorek to sleep in from that in which he\nslept himself, and in which many of his court-people slept. He\nset two of his court-men, who had been long with him, and whose\nfidelity he had proof of, to attend Hrorek day and night; but it\nis not said whether they were people of high birth or not. King\nHrorek's mood was very different at different times. Sometimes\nhe would sit silent for days together, so that no man could get a\nword out of him; and sometimes he was so merry and gay, that\npeople found a joke in every word he said. Sometimes his words\nwere very bitter. He was sometimes in a mood that he would drink\nthem all under the benches, and made all his neighbours drunk;\nbut in general he drank but little. King Olaf gave him plenty of\npocket-money. When he went to his lodgings he would often,\nbefore going to bed, have some stoups of mead brought in, which\nhe gave to all the men in the house to drink, so that he was much\nliked.\n83. OF LITTLE FIN.\nThere was a man from the Uplands called Fin the Little, and some\nsaid of him that he was of Finnish (1) race. He was a remarkable\nlittle man, but so swift of foot that no horse could overtake\nhim. He was a particularly well-excercised runner with snow-\nshoes, and shooter with the bow. He had long been in the service\nof King Hrorek, and often employed in errands of trust. He knew\nthe roads in all the Upland hills, and was well known to all the\ngreat people. Now when King Hrorek was set under guards on the\njourney Fin would often slip in among the men of the guard, and\nfollowed, in general, with the lads and serving-men; but as often\nas he could he waited upon Hrorek, and entered into conversation\nwith him. The king, however, only spoke a word or two with him\nat a time, to prevent suspicion. In spring, when they came a\nlittle way beyond Viken, Fin disappeared from the army for some\ndays, but came back, and stayed with them a while. This happened\noften, without anyone observing it particularly; for there were\nmany such hangers-on with the army.\nENDNOTES:\n(1) The Laplanders are called Fins In Norway and Sweden. -- L.\n84. MURDER OF OLAF'S COURT-MEN.\nKing Olaf came to Tunsberg before Easter (A.D. 1018), and\nremained there late in spring. Many merchant vessels came to the\ntown, both from Saxon-land and Denmark, and from Viken, and from\nthe north parts of the country. There was a great assemblage of\npeople; and as the times were good, there was many a drinking\nmeeting. It happened one evening that King Hrorek came rather\nlate to his lodging; and as he had drunk a great deal, he was\nremarkably merry. Little Fin came to him with a stoup of mead\nwith herbs in it, and very strong. The king made every one in\nthe house drunk, until they fell asleep each in his berth. Fin\nhad gone away, and a light was burning in the lodging. Hrorek\nwaked the men who usually followed him, and told them he wanted\nto go out into the yard. They had a lantern with them, for\noutside it was pitch dark. Out in the yard there was a large\nprivy standing upon pillars, and a stair to go up to it. While\nHrorek and his guards were in the yard they heard a man say, \"Cut\ndown that devil;\" and presently a crash, as if somebody fell.\nHrorek said, \"These fellows must be dead drunk to be fighting\nwith each other so: run and separate them.\" They rushed out; but\nwhen they came out upon the steps both of them were killed: the\nman who went out the last was the first killed. There were\ntwelve of Hrorek's men there, and among them Sigurd Hit, who had\nbeen his banner-man, and also little Fin. They drew the dead\nbodies up between the houses, took the king with them, ran out to\na boat they had in readiness, and rowed away. Sigvat the skald\nslept in King Olaf's lodgings. He got up in the night, and his\nfootboy with him, and went to the privy. But as they were\nreturning, on going down the stairs Sigvat's foot slipped, and he\nfell on his knee; and when he put out his hands he felt the\nstairs wet. \"I think,\" said he, laughing, \"the king must have\ngiven many of us tottering legs tonight.\" When they came into\nthe house in which light was burning the footboy said, \"Have you\nhurt yourself that you are all over so bloody?\" He replied, \"I\nam not wounded, but something must have happened here.\"\nThereupon he wakened Thord Folason, who was standard-bearer, and\nhis bedfellow. They went out with a light, and soon found the\nblood. They traced it, and found the corpses, and knew them.\nThey saw also a great stump of a tree in which clearly a gash had\nbeen cut, which, as was afterwards known, had been done as a\nstratagem to entice those out who had been killed. Sigvat and\nThord spoke together and agreed it was highly necessary to let\nthe king know of this without delay. They immediately sent a lad\nto the lodging where Hrorek had been. All the men in it were\nasleep; but the king was gone. He wakened the men who were in\nthe house, and told them what had happened. The men arose, and\nran out to the yard where the bodies were; but, however needful\nit appeared to be that the king should know it, nobody dared to\nwaken him.\nThen said Sigvat to Thord, \"What wilt thou rather do, comrade,\nwaken the king, or tell him the tidings?\"\nThord replies, \"I do not dare to waken him, and I would rather\ntell him the news.\"\nThen said Sigvat, \"There is minch of the night still to pass, and\nbefore morning Hrorek may get himself concealed in such a way\nthat it may be difficult to find him; but as yet he cannot be\nvery far off, for the bodies are still warm. We must never let\nthe disgrace rest upon us of concealing this treason from the\nking. Go thou, up to the lodging, and wait for me there.\"\nSigvat then went to the church, and told the bell-ringer to toll\nfor the souls of the king's court-men, naming the men who were\nkilled. The-bell-ringer did as he was told. The king awoke at\nthe ringing, sat up in his bed, and asked if it was already the\nhours of matins.\nThord replies, \"It is worse than that, for there has occurred a\nvery important affair. Hrorek is fled, and two of the court-men\nare killed.\"\nThe king asked how this had taken place, and Thord told him all\nhe knew. The king got up immediately, ordered to sound the call\nfor a meeting of the court, and when the people were assembled he\nnamed men to go out to every quarter from the town, by sea and\nland, to search for Hrorek. Thorer Lange took a boat, and set\noff with thirty men; and when day dawned they saw two small boats\nbefore them in the channel, and when they saw each other both\nparties rowed as hard as they could. King Hrorek was there with\nthirty men. When they came quite close to each other Hrorek and\nhis men turned towards the land, and all sprang on shore except\nthe king, who sat on the aft seat. He bade them farewell, and\nwished they might meet each other again in better luck. At the\nsame moment Thorer with his company rowed to the land. Fin the\nLittle shot off an arrow, which hit Thorer in the middle of the\nbody, and was his death; and Sigurd Hit, with his men, ran up\ninto the forest. Thorer's men took his body, and transported it,\ntogether with Hrorek, to Tunsberg. King Olaf undertook himself\nthereafter to look after King Hrorek, made him be carefully\nguarded, and took good care of his treason, for which reason he\nhad a watch over him night and day. King Hrorek thereafter was\nvery gay, and nobody could observe but that he was in every way\nwell satisfied.\n85. OF HROREK'S ASSAULT.\nIt happened on Ascension-day that King Olaf went to high mass,\nand the bishop went in procession around the church, and\nconducted the king; and when they came back to the church the\nbishop led the king to his seat on the north side of the choir.\nThere Hrorek sat next to the king, and concealed his countenance\nin his upper cloak. When Olaf had seated himself Hrorek laid his\nhand on the king's shoulder, and felt it.\n\"Thou hast fine clothes on, cousin, today,\" said he.\nKing Olaf replies, \"It is a festival today, in remembrance that\nJesus Christ ascended to heaven from earth.\"\nKing Hrorek says, \"I understand nothing about it so as to hold in\nmy mind what ye tell me about Christ. Much of what ye tell me\nappears to me incredible, although many wonderful things may have\ncome to pass in old times.\"\nWhen the mass was finished Olaf stood up, held his hands up over\nhis head, and bowed down before the altar, so that his cloak hung\ndown behind his shoulders. Then King Hrorek started up hastily\nand sharply, and struck at the king with a long knife of the kind\ncalled ryting; but the blow was received in the upper cloak at\nthe shoulder, because the king was bending himself forwards. The\nclothes were much cut, but the king was not wounded. When the\nking perceived the attack he sprang upon the floor; and Hrorek\nstruck at him again with the knife, but did not reach him, and\nsaid, \"Art thou flying, Olaf, from me, a blind men?\" The king\nordered his men to seize him and lead him out of the church,\nwhich was done. After this attempt many hastened to King Olaf,\nand advised that King Hrorek should be killed. \"It is,\" said\nthey, \"tempting your luck in the highest degree, king, to keep\nhim with you, and protect him, whatever mischief he may\nundertake; for night and day he thinks upon taking your life.\nAnd if you send him away, we know no one who can watch him so\nthat he will not in all probability escape; and if once he gets\nloose he will assemble a great multitude, and do much evil.\"\nThe king replies, \"You say truly that many a one has suffered\ndeath for less offence than Hrorek's; but willingly I would not\ndarken the victory I gained over the Upland kings, when in one\nmorning hour I took five kings prisoners, and got all their\nkingdoms: but yet, as they were my relations, I should not be\ntheir murderer but upon need. As yet I can scarcely see whether\nHrorek puts me in the necessity of killing him or not.\"\nIt was to feel if King Olaf had armour on or not that Hrorek had\nlaid his hand on the king's shoulder.\n86. KING HROREK'S JOURNEY TO ICELAND.\nThere was an Iceland man, by name Thorarin Nefiulfson, who had\nhis relations in the north of the country. He was not of high\nbirth, but particularly prudent, eloquent, and agreeable in\nconversation with people of distinction. He was also a far-\ntravelled man, who had been long in foreign parts. Thorarin was\na remarkably ugly man, principally because he had very ungainly\nlimbs. He had great ugly hands, and his feet were still uglier.\nThorarin was in Tunsberg when this event happened which has just\nbeen related, and he was known to King Olaf by their having had\nconversations together. Thorarin was just then done with rigging\nout a merchant vessel which he owned, and with which he intended\nto go to Iceland in summer. King Olaf had Thorarin with him as a\nguest for some days, and conversed much with him; and Thorarin\neven slept in the king's lodgings. One morning early the king\nawoke while the others were still sleeping. The sun had newly\nrisen in the sky, and there was much light within. The king saw\nthat Thorarin had stretched out one of his feet from under the\nbed-clothes, and he looked at the foot a while. In the meantime\nthe others in the lodging awoke; and the king said to Thorarin,\n\"I have been awake for a while, and have seen a sight which was\nworth seeing; and that is a man's foot so ugly that I do not\nthink an uglier can be found in this merchant town.\" Thereupon\nhe told the others to look at it, and see if it was not so; and\nall agreed with the king. When Thorarin observed what they were\ntalking about, he said, \"There are few things for which you\ncannot find a match, and that may be the case here.\"\nThe king says, \"I would rather say that such another ugly foot\ncannot be found in the town, and I would lay any wager upon it.\"\nThen said Thorarin, \"I am willing to bet that I shall find an\nuglier foot still in the town.\"\nThe king -- \"Then he who wins shall have the right to get any\ndemand from the other he chooses to make.\"\n\"Be it so,\" said Thorarin. Thereupon he stretches out his other\nfoot from under the bed-clothes, and it was in no way handsomer\nthan the other, and moreover, wanted the little toe. \"There,\"\nsaid Thorarin, \"see now, king, my other foot, which is so much\nuglier; and, besides, has no little toe. Now I have won.\"\nThe king replies, \"That other foot was so much uglier than this\none by having five ugly toes upon it, and this has only four; and\nnow I have won the choice of asking something from thee.\"\n\"The sovereign's decision must be right,\" says Thorarin; \"but\nwhat does the king require of me?\"\n\"To take Hrorek,\" said the king, \"to Greenland, and deliver him\nto Leif Eirikson.\"\nThorarin replies, \"I have never been in Greenland.\"\nThe king -- \"Thou, who art a far-travelled man, wilt now have an\nopportunity of seeing Greenland, if thou hast never been there\nbefore.\"\nAt first Thorarin did not say much about it; but as the king\ninsisted on his wish he did not entirely decline, but said, \"I\nwill let you hear, king, what my desire would have been had I\ngained the wager. It would have been to be received into your\nbody of court-men; and if you will grant me that, I will be the\nmore zealous now in fulfilling your pleasure.\" The king gave his\nconsent, and Thorarin was made one of the court-men. Then\nThorarin rigged out his vessel, and when he was ready he took on\nboard King Hrorek. When Thorarin took leave of King Olaf, he\nsaid, \"Should it now turn out, king, as is not improbable, and\noften happens, that we cannot effect the voyage to Greenland, but\nmust run for Iceland or other countries, how shall I get rid of\nthis king in a way that will be satisfactory to you?\"\nThe king -- \"If thou comest to Iceland, deliver him into the\nhands of Gudmund Eyolfson, or of Skapte, the lagman, or of some\nother chief who will receive my tokens and message of friendship.\nBut if thou comest to other countries nearer to this, do so with\nhim that thou canst know with certainty that King Hrorek never\nagain shall appear in Norway; but do so only when thou seest no\nother way of doing whatsoever.\"\nWhen Thorarin was ready for sea, and got a wind, he sailed\noutside of all the rocks and islands, and when he was to the\nnorth of the Naze set right out into the ocean. He did not\nimmediately get a good wind, but he avoided coming near the land.\nHe sailed until he made land which he knew, in the south part of\nIceland, and sailed west around the land out into the Greenland\nocean.\nThere he encountered heavy storms, and drove long about upon the\nocean; but when summer was coming to an end he landed again in\nIceland in Breidafjord. Thorgils Arason (1) was the first man of\nany consequence who came to him. Thorarin brings him the king's\nsalutation, message, and tokens, with which was the desire about\nKing Hrorek's reception. Thorgils received these in a friendly\nway, and invited King Hrorek to his house, where he stayed all\nwinter. But he did not like being there, and begged that\nThorgils would let him go to Gudmund; saying he had heard some\ntime or other that there in Gudmund's house, was the most\nsumptuous way of living in Iceland, and that it was intended he\nshould be in Gudmund's hands. Thorgils let him have his desire,\nand conducted him with some men to Gudmund at Modruveller.\nGudmund received Hrorek kindly on account of the king's message,\nand he stayed there the next winter. He did not like being there\neither; and then Gudmund gave him a habitation upon a small farm\ncalled Kalfskin, where there were but few neighbours. There\nHrorek passed the third winter, and said that since he had laid\ndown his kingdom he thought himself most comfortably situated\nhere; for here he was most respected by all. The summer after\nHrorek fell sick, and died; and it is said he is the only king\nwhose bones rest in Iceland. Thorarin Nefiulfson was afterwards\nfor a long time upon voyages; but sometimes he was with King\nOlaf.\nENDNOTES:\n(1) Thorgils was the son of Are Marson, who visited America\n(Vindland). Thorgils, who was still alive in the year 1024,\nwas noted for his kindness toward all persecuted persons.\n87. BATTLE IN ULFREKS-FJORD.\nThe summer that Thorarin went with Hrorek to Iceland, Hjalte\nSkeggjason went also to Iceland, and King Olaf gave him many\nfriendly gifts with him when they parted. The same summer Eyvind\nUrarhorn went on an expedition to the west sea, and came in\nautumn to Ireland, to the Irish king Konofogor (1). In autumn\nEinar earl of Orkney and this Irish king met in Ulfreks-fjord,\nand there was a great battle, in which Konofogor gained the\nvictory, having many more people. The earl fled with a single\nship and came back about autumn to Orkney, after losing most of\nhis men and all the booty they had made. The earl was much\ndispleased with his expedition, and threw the blame upon the\nNorthmen, who had been in the battle on the side of the Irish\nking, for making him lose the victory.\nENDNOTES:\n(1) Konofogor's Irish name was Connor.\n88. OLAF PREPARES FOR HIS BRIDAL JOURNEY.\nNow we begin again our story where we let it slip -- at King\nOlaf's travelling to his bridal, to receive his betrothed\nIngegerd the king's daughter. The king had a great body of men\nwith him, and so chosen a body that all the great people he could\nlay hold of followed him; and every man of consequence had a\nchosen band of men with him distinguished by birth or other\nqualifications. The whole were well appointed, and equipped in\nships, weapons, and clothes. They steered the fleet eastwards to\nKonungahella; but when they arrived there they heard nothing of\nthe Swedish king and none of his men had come there. King Olaf\nremained a long time in summer (A.D. 1018) at Konungahella, and\nendeavored carefully to make out what people said of the Swedish\nking's movements, or what were his designs; but no person could\ntell him anything for certain about it. Then he sent men up to\nGautland to Earl Ragnvald, to ask him if he knew how it came to\npass that the Swedish king did not come to the meeting agreed on.\nThe earl replies, that he did not know. \"But as soon,\" said he,\n\"as I hear, I shall send some of my men to King Olaf, to let him\nknow if there be any other cause for the delay than the multitude\nof affairs; as it often happens that the Swedish king's movements\nare delayed by this more than he could have expected.\"\n89. OF THE SWEDISH KING'S CHILDREN.\nThis Swedish king, Olaf Eirikson, had first a concubine who was\ncalled Edla, a daughter of an earl of Vindland, who had been\ncaptured in war, and therefore was called the king's slave-girl.\nTheir children were Emund, Astrid, Holmfrid.... They had,\nbesides, a son, who was born the day before St. Jacob's-day.\nWhen the boy was to be christened the bishop called him Jacob,\nwhich the Swedes did not like, as there never had been a Swedish\nking called Jacob. All King Olaf's children were handsome in\nappearance, and clever from childhood. The queen was proud, and\ndid not behave well towards her step-children; therefore the king\nsent his son Emund to Vindland, to be fostered by his mother's\nrelations, where he for a long time neglected his Christianity.\nThe king's daughter, Astrid, was brought up in West Gautland, in\nthe house of a worthy man called Egil. She was a very lovely\ngirl: her words came well into her conversation; she was merry,\nbut modest, and very generous. When she was grown up she was\noften in her father's house, and every man thought well of her.\nKing Olaf was haughty and harsh in his speech. He took very ill\nthe uproar and clamour the country people had raised against him\nat the Upsala Thing, as they had threatened him with violence,\nfor which he laid the chief blame on Earl Ragnvald. He made no\npreparation for the bridal, according to the agreement to marry\nhis daughter Ingegerd to Olaf the king of Norway, and to meet him\non the borders for that purpose. As the summer advanced many of\nhis men were anxious to know what the kings intentions were;\nwhether to keep to the agreement with King Olaf, or break his\nword, and with it the peace of the country. But no one was so\nbold as to ask the king, although they complained of it to\nIngegerd, and besought her to find out what the king intended.\nShe replied \"I have no inclination to speak to the king again\nabout the matters between him and King Olaf; for he answered me\nill enough once before when I brought forward Olaf's name.\" In\nthe meantime Ingegerd, the king's daughter, took it to heart,\nbecame melancholy and sorrowful and yet very curious to know what\nthe king intended. She had much suspicion that he would not keep\nhis word and promise to King Olaf; for he appeared quite enraged\nwhenever Olaf the Thick's name was in any way mentioned.\n90. OF THE SWEDISH KING OLAF'S HUNTING.\nOne morning early the king rode out with his dogs and falcons,\nand his men around him. When they let slip the falcons the\nking's falcon killed two black-cocks in one flight, and three in\nanother. The dogs ran and brought the birds when they had fallen\nto the ground. The king ran after them, took the game from them\nhimself, was delighted with his sport, and said, \"It will be long\nbefore the most of you have such success.\" They agreed in this;\nadding, that in their opinion no king had such luck in hunting as\nhe had. Then the king rode home with his followers in high\nspirits. Ingegerd, the king's daughter, was just going out of\nher lodging when the king came riding into the yard, and she\nturned round and saluted him. He saluted her in return,\nlaughing; produced the birds, and told her the success of his\nchase.\n\"Dost thou know of any king,\" said he, \"who made so great a\ncapture in so short a time?\"\n\"It is indeed,\" replied she, \"a good morning's hunting, to have\ngot five black-cocks; but it was a still better when, in one\nmorning, the king of Norway, Olaf, took five kings, and subdued\nall their kingdoms.\"\nWhen the king heard this he sprang from his horse, turned to\nIngegerd, and said, \"Thou shalt know, Ingegerd, that however\ngreat thy love may be for this man, thou shalt never get him, nor\nhe get thee. I will marry thee to some chief with whom I can be\nin friendship; but never can I be a friend of the man who has\nrobbed me of my kingdom, and done me great mischief by marauding\nand killing through the land.\" With that their conversation\nbroke off, and each went away.\n91. OLAF THE NORWAY KING'S COUNSELS.\nIngegerd, the king's daughter, had now full certainty of King\nOlaf's intention, and immediately sent men to West Gautland to\nEarl Ragnvald, and let him know how it stood with the Swedish\nking, and that the agreement made with the king of Norway was\nbroken; and advising the earl and people of West Gautland to be\nupon their guard, as no peace from the people of Norway was to be\nexpected. When the earl got this news he sent a message through\nall his kingdom, and told the people to be cautious, and prepared\nin case of war or pillage from the side of Norway. He also sent\nmen to King Olaf the Thick, and let him know the message he had\nreceived, and likewise that he wished for himself to hold peace\nand friendship with King Olaf; and therefore he begged him not to\npillage in his kingdom. When this message came to King Olaf it\nmade him both angry and sorry; and for some days nobody got a\nword from him. He then held a House-Thing with his men, and in\nit Bjorn arose, and first took the word. He began his speech by\ntelling that he had proceeded eastward last winter to establish a\npeace, and he told how kindly Earl Ragnvald had received him;\nand, on the other hand, how crossly and heavily the Swedish king\nhad accepted the proposal. \"And the agreement,\" said he, \"which\nwas made, was made more by means of the strength of the people,\nthe power of Thorgny, and the aid of the earl, than by the king's\ngood-will. Now, on these grounds, we know for certain that it is\nthe king who has caused the breach of the agreement; therefore we\nought by no means to make the earl suffer, for it is proved that\nhe is King Olaf's firm friend.\" The king wished now to hear from\nthe chiefs and other leaders of troops what course he should\nadopt. \"Whether shall we go against Gautland, and maraud there\nwith such men as we have got; or is there any other course that\nappears to you more advisable?\" He spoke both long and well.\nThereafter many powerful men spoke, and all were at last agreed\nin dissuading from hostilities. They argued thus: -- \"Although\nwe are a numerous body of men who are assembled here, yet they\nare all only people of weight and power; but, for a war\nexpedition, young men who are in quest of property and\nconsideration are more suitable. It is also the custom of people\nof weight and power, when they go into battle or strife, to have\nmany people with them whom they can send out before them for\ntheir defence; for the men do not fight worse who have little\nproperty, but even better than those who are brought up in the\nmidst of wealth.\" After these considerations the king resolved\nto dismiss this army from any expedition, and to give every man\nleave to return home; but proclaimed, at the same time, that next\nsummer the people over the whole country would be called out in a\ngeneral levy, to march immediately against the Swedish king, and\npunish him for his want of faith. All thought well of this plan.\nThen the king returned northwards to Viken, and took his abode at\nSarpsborg in autumn, and ordered all things necessary for winter\nprovision to be collected there; and he remained there all winter\n(A.D. 1019) with a great retinue.\n92. SIGVAT THE SKALD'S JOURNEY EASTWARDS.\nPeople talked variously about Earl Ragnvald; some said he was\nKing Olaf's sincere friend; others did not think this likely, and\nthought it stood in his power to warn the Swedish king to keep\nhis word, and the agreement concluded on between him and King\nOlaf. Sigvat the poet often expressed himself in conversation as\nEarl Ragnvald's great friend, and often spoke of him to King\nOlaf; and he offered to the king to travel to Earl Ragnvald's and\nspy after the Swedish kings doings, and to attempt, if possible,\nto get the settlement of the agreement. The king thought well of\nthis plan; for he oft, and with pleasure, spoke to his\nconfidential friends about Ingegerd, the king's daughter. Early\nin winter (A.D. 1019) Sigvat the skald, with two companions, left\nSarpsborg, and proceeded eastwards over the moors to Gautland.\nBefore Sigvat and King Olaf parted he composed these verses: --\n\"Sit happy in thy hall, O king!\nTill I come back, and good news bring:\nThe skald will bid thee now farewell,\nTill he brings news well worth to tell.\nHe wishes to the helmed hero\nHealth, and long life, and a tull flow\nOf honour, riches. and success --\nAnd, parting, ends his song with this.\nThe farewell word is spoken now __\nThe word that to the heart lies nearest;\nAnd yet, O king! before I go,\nOne word on what I hold the dearest,\nI fain would say, \"O! may God save\nTo thee the bravest of the brave,\nThe land, which is thy right by birth!\"\nThis is my dearest with on earth.\"\nThen they proceeded eastwards towards Eid, and had difficulty in\ncrossing the river in a little cobble; but they escaped, though\nwith danger: and Sigvat sang: --\n\"On shore the crazy boat I drew,\nWet to the skin, and frightened too;\nFor truly there was danger then;\nThe mocking hill elves laughed again.\nTo see us in this cobble sailing,\nAnd all our sea-skill unavailing.\nBut better did it end, you see,\nThan any of us could foresee.\"\nThen they went through the Eid forest, and Sigvat sang: --\n\"A hundred miles through Eid's old wood,\nAnd devil an alehouse, bad or good, --\nA hundred miles, and tree and sky\nWere all that met the weary eye.\nWith many a grumble, many a groan.\nA hundred miles we trudged right on;\nAnd every king's man of us bore\nOn each foot-sole a bleeding sore.\"\nThey came then through Gautland, and in the evening reached a\nfarm-house called Hof. The door was bolted so that they could\nnot come in; and the servants told them it was a fast-day, and\nthey could not get admittance. Sigvat sang: --\n\"Now up to Hof in haste I hie,\nAnd round the house and yard I pry.\nDoors are fast locked -- but yet within,\nMethinks, I hear some stir and din.\nI peep, with nose close to the ground.\nBelow the door, but small cheer found.\nMy trouble with few words was paid --\n\"`Tis holy time,' the house-folkd said.\nHeathens! to shove me thus away!\nI' the foul fiend's claws may you all lay.\"\nThen they came to another farm, where the good-wife was standing\nat the door. and told them not to come in, for they were busy\nwith a sacrifice to the elves. Sigvat sang of it thus: --\n\"`My poor lad, enter not, I pray!'\nThus to me did the old wife say;\n`For all of us are heathens here,\nAnd I for Odin's wrath do fear.'\nThe ugly witch drove me away,\nLike scared wolf sneaking from his prey.\nWhen she told me that there within\nWas sacrifice to foul Odin.\"\nAnother evening, they came to three bondes, all of them of the\nname of Olver, who drove them away. Sigvat sang: --\n\"Three of one name,\nTo their great shame,\nThe traveller late\nDrove from their gate!\nTravellers may come\nFrom our viking-home,\nUnbidden guests\nAt these Olvers' feasts.\"\nThey went on farther that evening, and came to a fourth bonde,\nwho was considered the most hospitable man in the country; but he\ndrove them away also. Then Sigvat sang: --\n\"Then on I went to seek night's rest\nFrom one who was said to be the best,\nThe kindest host in the land around,\nAnd there I hoped to have quarters found.\nBut, faith,'twas little use to try;\nFor not so much as raise an eye\nWould this huge wielder of the spade:\nIf he's the hest, it must he said\nBad is the best, and the skald's praise\nCannot be given to churls like these.\nI almost wished that Asta's son\nIn the Eid forest had been one\nWhen we, his men, were even put\nLodging to crave in a heathen's hut.\nI knew not where the earl to find;\nFour times driven off by men unkind,\nI wandered now the whole night o'er,\nDriven like a dog from door to door.\"\nNow when they came to Earl Ragnvald's the earl said they must\nhave had a severe journey. Then Sigvat sang: --\n\"The message-bearers of the king\nFrom Norway came his words to bring;\nAnd truly for their master they\nHard work have done before to-day.\nWe did not loiter on the road,\nBut on we pushed for thy abode:\nThy folk, in sooth, were not so kind\nThat we cared much to lag hehind.\nBut Eid to rest safe we found,\nFrom robbers free to the eastern bound:\nThis praise to thee, great earl, is due --\nThe skald says only what is true.\"\nEarl Ragnvald gave Sigvat a gold arm-ring, and a woman said \"he\nhad not made the journey with his black eyes for nothing.\"\nSigvat sang: --\n\"My coal-black eyes\nDost thou despise?\nThey have lighted me\nAcross the sea\nTo gain this golden prize:\nThey have lighted me,\nThy eyes to see,\nO'er Iceland's main,\nO'er hill and plain:\nWhere Nanna's lad would fear to be\nThey have lighted me.\"\nSigvat was long entertained kindly and well in the house of Earl\nRagnvald. The earl heard by letters, sent by Ingegerd the king's\ndaughter, that ambassadors from King Jarisleif were come from\nRussia to King Olaf of Svithjod to ask his daughter Ingegerd in\nmarriage, and that King Olaf had given them hopes that he would\nagree to it. About the same time King Olaf's daughter Astrid\ncame to Earl Ragnvald's court, and a great feast was made for\nher. Sigvat soon became acquainted by conversation with the\nking's daughter, and she knew him by name and family, for Ottar\nthe skald, Sigvat's sister's son, had long intimate acquaintance\nwith King Olaf, the Swedish king. Among other things talked of,\nEarl Ragnvald asked Sigvat if the king of Norway would not marry\nthe king's daughter Astrid. \"If he would do that,\" said he, \"I\nthink we need not ask the Swedish king for his consent.\"\nAstrid, the kings daughter, said exactly the same. Soon after\nSigvat returns home, and comes to King Olaf at Sarpsborg a little\nbefore Yule.\nWhen Sigvat came home to King Olaf he went into the hall, and,\nlooking around on the walls, he sang: --\n\"When our men their arms are taking\nThe raven's wings with greed are shaking;\nWhen they come back to drink in hall\nBrave spoil they bring to deck the wall --\nShield, helms, and panzers (1), all in row,\nStripped in the field from lifeless fow.\nIn truth no royal nail comes near\nThy splendid hall in precious gear.\"\nAfterwards Sigvat told of his journey, and sang these verses: --\n\"The king's court-guards desire to hear\nAbout our journey and our cheer,\nOur ships in autumn reach the sound,\nBut long the way to Swedish ground.\nWith joyless weather, wind and raind,\nAnd pinching cold, and feet in pain --\nWith sleep, fatigue, and want oppressed,\nNo songs had we -- we scarce had rest.\"\nAnd when he came into conversation with the king he sang: --\n\"When first I met the earl I told\nHow our king loved a friend so bold;\nHow in his heart he loved a man\nWith hand to do, and head to plan.\nThou generous king! with zeal and care\nI sought to advance thy great affair;\nFor messengers from Russian land\nHad come to ask Ingegerd's hand.\nThe earl, thy friend, bids thee, who art\nSo mild and generous of heart,\nHis servants all who here may come\nTo cherish in thy royal home;\nAnd thine who may come to the east\nIn Ragnvald's hall shall find a feast --\nIn Ragnvald's house shall find a home --\nAt Ragnvald's court be still welcome.\nWhen first I came the people's mind\nIncensed by Eirik's son I find;\nAnd he refused the wish to meet,\nAlleging treachery and deceit.\nBut I explained how it was here,\nFor earl and king, advantage clear\nWith thee to hold the strictest peace,\nAnd make all force and foray cease.\nThe earl is wise, and understands\nThe need of peace for both the lands;\nAnd he entreats thee not to break\nThe present peace for vengeance's sake!\"\nHe immediately tells King Olaf the news he had heard; and at\nfirst the king was much cast down when he heard of King\nJarisleif's suit, and he said he expected nothing but evil from\nKing Olaf; but wished he might be able to return it in such a way\nas Olaf should remember. A while afterwards the king asks Sigvat\nabout various news from Gautland. Sigvat spoke a great deal\nabout Astrid, the kings daughter; how beautiful she was, how\nagreeable in her conversation; and that all declared she was in\nno respect behind her sister Ingegerd. The king listened with\npleasure to this. Then Sigvat told him the conversation he and\nAstrid had had between themselves, and the king was delighted at\nthe idea. \"The Swedish king,\" said he, \"will scarcely think that\nI will dare to marry a daughter of his without his consent.\" But\nthis speech of his was not known generally. King Olaf and Sigvat\nthe skald often spoke about it. The king inquired particularly\nof Sigvat what he knew about Earl Ragnvald, and \"if he be truly\nour friend,\" said the king. Sigvat said that the earl was King\nOlaf's best friend, and sang these verses: --\n\"The mighty Olaf should not cease\nWith him to hold good terms and peace;\nFor this good earl unwearied shows\nHe is thy friend where all are foes.\nOf all who dwell by the East Sea\nSo friendly no man is as he:\nAt all their Things he takes thy part,\nAnd is thy firm friend, hand and heart.\"\nENDNOTES:\n(1) The Pantzer -- a complete suit of plate-armour.\n93. RAGNVALD AND ASTRA'S JOURNEY.\nAfter Yule (A.D. 1019), Thord Skotakol, a sister's son of Sigvat,\nattended by one of Sigvat's footboys, who had been with Sigvat\nthe autumn before in Gautland, went quite secretly from the\ncourt, and proceeded to Gautland. When they came to Earl\nRagnvald's court, they produced the tokens which Olaf himself had\nsent to the earl, that he might place confidence in Thord.\nWithout delay the earl made himself ready for a journey, as did\nAstrid, the king's daughter; and the earl took with him 120 men,\nwho were chosen both from among his courtmen and the sons of\ngreat bondes, and who were carefully equipped in all things,\nclothes, weapons, and horses. Then they rode northwards to\nSarpsborg, and came there at Candlemas.\n94. OF KING OLAF'S MARRIAGE.\nKing Olaf had put all things in order in the best style. There\nwere all sorts of liquors of the best that could be got, and all\nother preparations of the same quality. Many people of\nconsequence were summoned in from their residences. When the\nearl arrived with his retinue the king received him particularly\nwell; and the earl was shown to a large, good, and remarkably\nwell-furnished house for his lodging; and serving-men and others\nwere appointed to wait on him; and nothing was wanting, in any\nrespect, that could grace a feast. Now when the entertainment\nhad lasted some days, the king, the earl, and Astrid had a\nconference together; and the result of it was, that Earl Ragnvald\ncontracted Astrid, daughter of the Swedish king Olaf, to Olaf\nking of Norway, with the same dowry which had before been settled\nthat her sister Ingegerd should have from home. King Olaf, on\nhis part, should give Astrid the same bride-gift that had been\nintended for her sister Ingegerd. Thereupon an eke was made to\nthe feast, and King Olaf and Queen Astrid's wedding was drunk in\ngreat festivity. Earl Ragnvald then returned to Gautland, and\nthe king gave the earl many great and good gifts at parting; and\nthey parted the dearest of friends, which they continued to be\nwhile they lived.\n95. THE AGREEMENT BROKEN BY OLAF.\nThe spring (A.D. 1019) thereafter came ambassadors from King\nJarisleif in Novgorod to Svithjod, to treat more particularly\nabout the promise given by King Olaf the preceding summer to\nmarry his daughter Ingegerd to King Jarisleif. King Olaf tallied\nabout the business with Ingegerd, and told her it was his\npleasure that she should marry King Jarisleif. She replied. \"If\nI marry King Jarisleif, I must have as my bride-gift the town and\nearldom of Ladoga.\" The Russian ambassadors agreed to this, on\nthe part of their sovereign. Then said Ingegerd, \"If I go east\nto Russia, I must choose the man in Svithjod whom I think most\nsuitable to accompany me; and I must stipulate that he shall not\nhave any less title, or in any respect less dignity, privilege,\nand consideration there, than he has, here.\" This the king and\nthe ambassadors agreed to, and gave their hands upon it in\nconfirmation of the condition.\n\"And who,\" asked the king, \"is the man thou wilt take with thee\nas thy attendant?\"\n\"That man,\" she replied, \"is my relation Earl Ragnvald.\"\nThe king replies, \"I have resolved to reward Earl Ragnvald in a\ndifferent manner for his treason against his master in going to\nNorway with my daughter, and giving her as a concubine to that\nfellow, who he knew was my greatest enemy. I shall hang him up\nthis summer.\"\nThen Ingegerd begged her father to be true to the promise he had\nmade her, and had confirmed by giving his hand upon it. By her\nentreaties it was at last agreed that the king should promise to\nlet Earl Ragnvald go in peace from Svithjod, but that he should\nnever again appear in the king's presence, or come back to\nSvithjod while Olaf reigned. Ingegerd then sent messengers to\nthe earl to bring him these tidings, and to appoint a place of\nmeeting. The earl immediately prepared for his journey; rode up\nto East Gautland; procured there a vessel, and, with his retinue,\njoined Ingegerd, and they proceeded together eastward to Russia.\nThere Ingegerd was married to King Jarisleif; and their children\nwere Valdemar, Vissivald, and Holte the Bold. Queen Ingegerd\ngave Earl Ragnvald the town of Ladoga, and earldom belonging to\nit. Earl Ragnvald was there a long time, and was a celebrated\nman. His sons and Ingebjorg's were Earl Ulf and Earl Eilif.\n96. HISTORY OF THE LAGMAN EMUND.\nThere was a man called Emund of Skara, who was lagman of west\nGautland, and was a man of great understanding and eloquence, and\nof high birth, great connection, and very wealthy; but was\nconsidered deceitful, and not to be trusted. He was the most\npowerful man in West Gautland after the earl was gone. The same\nspring (A.D. 1019) that Earl Ragnvald left Gautland the Gautland\npeople held a Thing among themselves, and often expressed their\nanxiety to each other about what the Swedish king might do. They\nheard he was incensed because they had rather held in friendship\nwith the king of Norway than striven against him; and he was also\nenraged against those who had attended his daughter Astrid to\nNorway. Some proposed to seek help and support from the king of\nNorway, and to offer him their services; others dissuaded from\nthis measure, as West Gautland had no strength to oppose to the\nSwedes. \"And the king of Norway,\" said they, \"is far from us,\nthe chief strength of his country very distant; and therefore let\nus first send men to the Swedish king to attempt to come to some\nreconciliation with him. If that fail, we can still turn to the\nking of Norway.\" Then the bondes asked Emund to undertake this\nmission, to which he agreed; and he proceeded with thirty men to\nEast Gautland, where there were many of his relations and\nfriends, who received him hospitably. He conversed there with\nthe most prudent men about this difficult business; and they were\nall unanimous on one point, -- that the king's treatment of them\nwas against law and reason. From thence Emund went into\nSvithjod, and conversed with many men of consequence, who all\nexpressed themselves in the same way. Emund continued his\njourney thus, until one day, towards evening, he arrived at\nUpsala, where he and his retinue took a good lodging, and stayed\nthere all night. The next day Emund waited upon the king, who\nwas just then sitting in the Thing surrounded by many people.\nEmund went before him, bent his knee, and saluted him. The king\nlooked at him, saluted him, and asked him what news he brought.\nEmund replies, \"There is little news among us Gautlanders; but it\nappears to us a piece of remarkable news that the proud, stupid\nAtte, in Vermaland, whom we look upon as a great sportsman, went\nup to the forest in winter with his snow-shoes and his bow.\nAfter he had got as many furs in the mountains as filled his\nhand-sledge so full that he could scarcely drag it, he returned\nhome from the woods. But on the way he saw a squirrel in the\ntrees, and shot at it, but did not hit; at which he was so angry,\nthat he left the sledge to run after the squirrel: but still the\nsquirrel sprang where the wood was thickest, sometimes among the\nroots of the trees, sometimes in the branches, sometimes among\nthe arms that stretch from tree to tree. When Atte shot at it\nthe arrows flew too high or too low, and the squirrel never\njumped so that Atte could get a fair aim at him. He was so eager\nupon this chase that he ran the whole day after the squirrel, and\nyet could not get hold of it. It was now getting dark; so he\nthrew himself down upon the snow, as he was wont, and lay there\nall night in a heavy snow-storm. Next day Atte got up to look\nafter his sledge, but never did he find it again; and so he\nreturned home. And this is the only news, king, I have to tell.\"\nThe king says, \"This is news of but little importance, if it be\nall thou hast to tell.\"\nErnund replies, \"Lately something happened which may well be\ncalled news. Gaute Tofason went with five warships out of the\nGaut river, and when he was lying at the Eikrey Isles there came\nfive large Danish merchant-ships there. Gaute and his men\nimmediately took four of the great vessels, and made a great\nbooty without the loss of a man: but the fifth vessel slipped out\nto sea, and sailed away. Gaute gave chase with one ship, and at\nfirst came nearer to them; but as the wind increased, the Danes\ngot away. Then Gaute wanted to turn back; but a storm came on so\nthat he lost his ship at Hlesey, with all the goods, and the\ngreater part of his crew. In the meantime his people were\nwaiting for him at the Eikrey Isles: but the Danes came over in\nfifteen merchant-ships, killed them all, and took all the booty\nthey had made. So but little luck had they with their greed of\nplunder.\"\nThe king replied. \"That is great news, and worth being told; but\nwhat now is thy errand here?\"\nEmund replies, \"I travel, sire, to obtain your judgment in a\ndifficult case, in which our law and the Upsala law do not\nagree.\"\nThe king asks, \"What is thy appeal case?\"\nEmund replies, \"There were two noble-born men of equal birth, but\nunequal in property and disposition. They quarrelled about some\nland, and did each other much damage; but most was done to him\nwho was the more powerful of the two. This quarrel, however, was\nsettled, and judged of at a General Thing; and the judgment was,\nthat the most powerful should pay a compensation. But at the\nfirst payment, instead of paying a goose, he paid a gosling; for\nan old swine he paid a sucking pig; and for a mark of stamped\ngold only a half- mark, and for the other half-mark nothing but\nclay and dirt; and, moreover, threatened, in the most violent\nway, the people whom he forced to receive such goods in payment.\nNow, sire, what is your judgment?\"\nThe king replies, \"He shall pay the full equivalent whom the\njudgment ordered to do so, and that faithfully; and further,\nthreefold to his king: and if payment be not made within a year\nand a day, he shall be cut off from all his property, his goods\nconfiscated, and half go the king's house, and half to the other\nparty.\"\nEmund took witnesses to this judgment among the most considerable\nof the men who were present, according to the laws which were\nheld in the Upsala Thing. He then saluted the king, and went his\nway; and other men brought their cases before the king, and he\nsat late in the day upon the cases of the people. Now when the\nking came to table, he asked where Lagman Emund was. It was\nanswered, he was home at his lodgings. \"Then,\" said the king,\n\"go after him, and tell him to be my guest to-day.\" Thereafter\nthe dishes were borne in; then came the musicians with harps,\nfiddles, and musical instruments; and lastly, the cup-bearers.\nThe king was particularly merry, and had many great people at\ntable with him, so that he thought little of Emund. The king\ndrank the whole day, and slept all the night after; but in the\nmorning the king awoke, and recollected what Emund had said the\nday before: and when he had put on his clothes, he let his wise\nmen be summoned to him; for he had always twelve of the wisest\nmen who sat in judgment with him, and treated the more difficult\ncases; and that was no easy business, for the king was ill-\npleased if the judgment was not according to justice, and yet it\nwas of no use to contradict him. In this meeting the king\nordered Lagman Emund to be called before them. The messenger\nreturned, and said, \"Sire, Lagman Emund rode away yesterday as\nsoon as he had dined.\" \"Then,\" said the king, \"tell me, ye good\nchiefs, what may have been the meaning of that law-case which\nEmund laid before us yesterday?\"\nThey replied, \"You must have considered it yourself, if you think\nthere was any other meaning under it than what he said.\"\nThe king replied, \"By the two noble-born men whom he spoke of,\nwho were at variance, and of whom one was more powerful than the\nother, and who did each other damage, he must have meant us and\nOlaf the Thick.\"\nThey answered, \"It is, sire, as you say.\"\nThe king -- \"Our case was judged at the Upsala Thing. But what\nwas his meaning when he said that bad payment was made; namely, a\ngosling for a goose, a pig for a swine, and clay and dirt for\nhalf of the money instead of gold?\"\nArnvid the Blind replied, \"Sire, red gold and clay are things\nvery unlike; but the difference is still greater between king and\nslave. You promised Olaf the Thick your daughter Ingegerd, who,\nin all branches of her descent, is born of kings, and of the\nUpland Swedish race of kings, which is the most noble in the\nNorth; for it is traced up to the gods themselves. But now Olaf\nhas got Astrid; and although she is a king's child, her mother\nwas but a slave-woman, and, besides, of Vindish race. Great\ndifference, indeed, must there be between these kings, when the\none takes thankfully such a match; and now it is evident, as\nmight be expected, that no Northman is to be placed by the side\nof the Upsala kings. Let us all give thanks that it has so\nturned out; for the gods have long protected their descendants,\nalthough many now neglect this faith.\"\nThere were three brothers: -- Arnvid the Blind, who had a great\nunderstanding, but was so weak-sighted that he was scarcely fit\nfor war; the second was Thorvid the Stammerer, who could not\nutter two words together at one time, but was remarkably bold and\ncourageous; the third was Freyvid the Deaf, who was hard of\nhearing. All these brothers were rich and powerful men, of noble\nbirth, great wisdom, and all very dear to the king.\nThen said King Olaf, \"What means that which Emund said about Atte\nthe Dull?\"\nNone made any reply, but the one looked at the other.\n\"Speak freely,\" said the king.\nThen said Thorvid the Stammerer, \"Atte -- quarrel -- some --\ngreedy -- jealous -- deceitful -- dull.\"\nThen said the king, \"To whom are these words of reproach and\nmockery applied?\"\nFreyvid the Deaf replied, \"We will speak more clearly if we have\nyour permission.\"\nThe king -- \"Speak freely, Freyvid, what you will.\"\nFreyvid took up the word, and spoke. \"My brother Thorvid, who is\nconsidered to be the wisest of us brothers, holds the words\n`quarrelsome, greedy, jealous, dull,' to be one and the same\nthing; for it applies to him who is weary of peace, longs for\nsmall things without attaining them, while he lets great and\nuseful things pass away as they came. I am deaf; yet so loud\nhave many spoken out, that I can perceive that all men, both\ngreat and small, take it ill that you have not kept your promise\nto the king of Norway; and, worse than that, that you broke the\ndecision of the community as it was delivered at Upsala Thing.\nYou need not fear either the king of Norway, or the king of\nDenmark, or any other, so long as the Swedish army will follow\nyou; but if the people of the country unanimously turn against\nyou, we, your friends, see no counsel that can be of advantage to\nyou.\"\nThe king asks, \"Who is the chief who dares to betray the country\nand me?\"\nFreyvid replies, \"All Swedes desire to have the ancient laws, and\ntheir full rights. Look but here, sire, how many chiefs are\nsitting in council with you. I think, in truth, we are but six\nwhom you call your councillors: all the others, so far as I know,\nhave ridden forth through the districts to hold Things with the\npeople; and we will not conceal it from you, that the message-\ntoken has gone forth to assemble a Retribution-thing (1). All of\nus brothers have been invited to take part in the decisions of\nthis council, but none of us will bear the name of traitor to the\nsovereign; for that our father never was.\"\nThen the king said, \"What council shall we take in this dangerous\naffair that is in our hands? Good chiefs give me council, that I\nmay keep my kingdom, and the heritage of my forefathers; for I\ncannot enter into strife against the whole Swedish force.\"\nArnvid the Blind replies, \"Sire, it is my advice that you ride\ndown to Aros with such men as will follow you; take your ship\nthere and go out into the Maeler lake; summon all people to meet\nyou; proceed no longer with haughtiness, but promise every man\nthe law and rights of old established in the country; keep back\nin this way the message-token, for it cannot as yet, in so short\na time have travelled far through the land. Send, then those of\nyour men in whom you have the most confidence to those who have\nthis business on hand, and try if this uproar can be appeased.\"\nThe king says that he will adopt this advice. \"I will,\" says he,\n\"that ye brothers undertake this business; for I trust to you the\nmost among my men.\"\nThorvid the Stammerer said, \"I remain behind. Let Jacob, your\nson, go with them, for that is necessary.\"\nThen said Freyvid, \"Let us do as Thorvid says: he will not leave\nyou, and I and Arnvid must travel.\"\nThis counsel was followed. Olaf went to his ships, and set out\ninto the Maelar lake, and many people came to him. The brothers\nArnvid and Freyvid rode out to Ullaraker, and had with them the\nking's son Jacob; but they kept it a secret that he was there.\nThe brothers observed that there was a great concourse and war-\ngathering, for the bondes held the Thing night and day. When\nArnvid and Freyvid met their relations and friends, they said\nthey would join with the people; and many agreed to leave the\nmanagement of the business in the hands of the brothers. But\nall, as one man, declared they would no longer have King Olaf\nover them, and no longer suffer his unlawful proceedings, and\nover-weening pride which would not listen to any man's\nremonstrances, even when the great chiefs spoke the truth to him.\nWhen Freyvid observed the heat of the people, he saw in what a\nbad situation the king's cause was. He summoned the chiefs of\nthe land to a meeting with him and addressed them thus: -- \"It\nappears to me, that if we are to depose Olaf Eirikson from his\nkingdom, we Swedes of the Uplands should be the leading men in\nit: for so it has always been, that the counsel which the Upland\nchiefs have resolved among themselves has always been followed\nby the men of the rest of the country. Our forefathers did not\nneed to take advice from the West Gautlanders about the\ngovernment of the Swedes. Now we will not be so degenerate as to\nneed Emund to give us counsel; but let us, friends and relations,\nunite ourselves for the purpose of coming to a determination.\"\nAll agreed to this, and thought it was well said. Thereafter the\npeople joined this union which the Upland chiefs made among\nthemselves, and Freyvid and Arnvid were chiefs of the whole\nassemblage. When Emund heard this he suspected how the matter\nwould end, and went to both the brothers to have a conversation\nwith them. Then Freyvid asked Emund, \"Who, in your opinion,\nshould we take for king, in case Olaf Eirikson's days are at an\nend?\"\nEmund -- \"He whom we think best suited to it, whether he be of\nthe race of chiefs or not.\"\nFreyvid answers, \"We Uplanders will not, in our time, have the\nkingdom go out of the old race of our ancestors, which has given\nus kings for a long course of generations, so long as we have so\ngood a choice as now. King Olaf has two sons, one of whom we\nwill choose for king, although there is a great difference\nbetween them. The one is noble-born, and of Swedish race on both\nsides; the other is a slave-woman's son, and of Vindish race on\nthe mother's side.\"\nThis decision was received with loud applause, and all would have\nJacob for king.\nThen said Emund. \"Ye Upland Swedes have the power this time to\ndeterminate the matter; but I will tell you what will happen: --\nsome of those who now will listen to nothing but that the kingdom\nremain in the old race will live to see the day when they will\nwish the kingdom in another race, as being of more advantage.\"\nThereupon the brothers Freyvid and Arnvid led the king's son\nJacob into the Thing, and saluted him with the title of king; and\nthe Swedes gave him the name of Onund, which he afterwards\nretained as long as he lived. He was then ten or twelve years\nold. Thereafter King Onund took a court, and chose chiefs to be\naround him; and they had as many attendants in their suite as\nwere thought necessary, so that he gave the whole assemblage of\nbondes leave to return home. After that ambassadors went between\nthe two kings; and at last they had a meeting, and came to an\nagreement. Olaf was to remain king over the country as long as\nhe lived; but should hold peace and be reconciled with King Olaf\nof Norway, and also with all who had taken part in this business.\nOnund should also be king, and have a part of the land, such as\nthe father and son should agree upon; but should be bound to\nsupport the bondes in case King Olaf did anything which the\nbondes would not suffer.\nENDNOTES:\n(1) Refsithing -- a Thing for punishment by penalty or death for\ncrimes and misdemeanours. -- L.\n97. MEETING OF RECONCILIATION BETWEEN THE KINGS, AND THEIR GAME\nAT DICE.\nThereafter ambassadors were sent to Norway to King Olaf, with the\nerrand that he should come with his retinue to a meeting at\nKonungahella with the Swedish kings, and that the Swedish kings\nwould there confirm their reconciliation. When King Olaf heard\nthis message, he was willing, now as formerly, to enter into the\nagreement, and proceeded to the appointed place. There the\nSwedish kings also came; and the relations, when they met, bound\nthemselves mutually to peace and agreement. Olaf the Swedish\nking was then remarkably mild in manner, and agreeable to talk\nwith. Thorstein Frode relates of this meeting, that there was an\ninhabited district in Hising which had sometimes belonged to\nNorway, and sometimes to Gautland. The kings came to the\nagreement between themselves that they would cast lots by the\ndice to determine who should have this property, and that he who\nthrew the highest should have the district. The Swedish king\nthrew two sixes, and said King Olaf need scarcely throw. He\nreplied, while shaking the dice in his hand, \"Although there be\ntwo sixes on the dice, it would be easy, sire, for God Almighty\nto let them turn up in my favour.\" Then he threw, and had sixes\nalso. Now the Swedish king threw again, and had again two sixes.\nOlaf king of Norway then threw, and had six upon one dice, and\nthe other split in two, so as to make seven eyes in all upon it;\nand the district was adjudged to the king of Norway. We have\nheard nothing else of any interest that took place at this\nmeeting; and the kings separated the dearest of friends with each\nother.\n98. OF OLAF OF NORWAY, AFTER THE MEETING.\nAfter the events now related Olaf returned with his people to\nViken. He went first to Tunsberg, and remained there a short\ntime, and then proceeded to the north of the country. In\nharvest-time he sailed north to Throndhjem, and had winter\nprovision laid in there, and remained there all winter (A.D.\n1090). Olaf Haraldson was now sole and supreme king of Norway,\nand the whole of that sovereignty, as Harald Harfager had\npossessed it, and had the advantage over that monarch of being\nthe only king in the land. By a peaceful agreement he had also\nrecovered that part of the country which Olaf the Swedish king\nhad before occupied; and that part of the country which the\nDanish king had got he retook by force, and ruled over it as\nelsewhere in the country. The Danish king Canute ruled at that\ntime both over Denmark and England; but he himself was in England\nfor the most part, and set chiefs over the country in Denmark,\nwithout at that time making any claim upon Norway.\n99. HISTORY OF THE EARLS OF ORKNEY.\nIt is related that in the days of Harald Harfager, the king of\nNorway, the islands of Orkney, which before had been only a\nresort for vikings, were settled . The first earl in the Orkney\nIslands was called Sigurd, who was a son of Eystein Giumra, and\nbrother of Ragnvald earl of More. After Sigurd his son Guthorm\nwas earl for one year. After him Torf-Einar, a son of Ragnvald,\ntook the earldom, and was long earl, and was a man of great\npower. Halfdan Haleg, a son of Harald Harfager, assaulted Torf-\nEinar, and drove him from the Orkney Islands; but Einar came back\nand killed Halfdan in the island Ronaldsha. Thereafter King\nHarald came with an army to the Orkney Islands. Einar fled to\nScotland, and King Harald made the people of the Orkney Islands\ngive up their udal properties, and hold them under oath from him.\nThereafter the king and earl were reconciled, so that the earl\nbecame the king's man, and took the country as a fief from him;\nbut that it should pay no scat or feu-duty, as it was at that\ntime much plundered by vikings. The earl paid the king sixty\nmarks of gold; and then King Harald went to plunder in Scotland,\nas related in the \"Glym Drapa\". After Torf-Einar, his sons\nArnkel, Erlend, and Thorfin Hausakljufer (1) ruled over these\nlands. In their days came Eirik Blood-axe from Norway, and\nsubdued these earls. Arnkel and Erlend fell in a war expedition;\nbut Thorfin ruled the country long, and became an old man. His\nsons were Arnfin, Havard, Hlodver, Liot, and Skule. Their mother\nwas Grelad, a daughter of Earl Dungad of Caithness. Her mother\nwas Groa, a daughter of Thorstein Raud. In the latter days of\nEarl Thorfin came Eirik Blood-axe's sons, who had fled from Earl\nHakon out of Norway, and committed great excesses in Orkney.\nEarl Thorfin died on a bed of sickness, and his sons after him\nruled over the country, and there are many stories concerning\nthem. Hlodver lived the longest of them, and ruled alone over\nthis country. His son was Sigurd the Thick, who took the earldom\nafter him, and became a powerful man and a great warrior. In his\ndays came Olaf Trygvason from his viking expedition in the\nwestern ocean, with his troops, landed in Orkney and took Earl\nSigurd prisoner in South Ronaldsha, where he lay with one ship.\nKing Olaf allowed the earl to ransom his life by letting himself\nbe baptized, adopting the true faith, becoming his man, and\nintroducing Christianity into all the Orkney Islands. As a\nhostage, King Olaf took his son, who was called Hunde or Whelp.\nThen Olaf went to Norway, and became king; and Hunde was several\nyears with King Olaf in Norway, and died there. After his death\nEarl Sigurd showed no obedience or fealty to King Olaf. He\nmarried a daughter of the Scottish king Malcolm, and their son\nwas called Thorfin. Earl Sigurd had, besides, older sons;\nnamely, Sumarlide, Bruse, and Einar Rangmund. Four or five years\nafter Olaf Tryrgvason's fall Earl Sigurd went to Ireland, leaving\nhis eldest sons to rule the country, and sending Thorfin to his\nmother's father, the Scottish king. On this expedition Earl\nSigurd fell in Brian's battle (l). When the news was received in\nOrkney, the brothers Sumarlide, Bruse, and Einar were chosen\nearls, and the country was divided into three parts among them.\nThorfin Sigurdson was five years old when Earl Sigurd fell. When\nthe Scottish king heard of the earl's death he gave his relation\nThorfin Caithness and Sutherland, with the title of earl, and\nappointed good men to rule the land for him. Earl Thorfin was\nripe in all ways as soon as he was grown up: he was stout and\nstrong, but ugly; and as soon as he was a grown man it was easy\nto see that he was a severe and cruel but a very clever man. So\nsays Arnor, the earls' skald: --\n\"Under the rim of heaven no other,\nSo young in years as Einar's brother,\nIn battle had a braver hand,\nOr stouter, to defend the land.\"\nENDNOTES:\n(1) Hausakljufer -- the splitter of skulls. -- L.\n(2) Brian's battle is supposed to have taken place on the 23rd\nApril 1014, at Clontart, near Dublin; and is known in Irish\nhistory as the battle of Clontarf, and was one of the\nbloodiest of the age. It was fought between a viking called\nSigtryg and Brian king of Munster, who gained the victory,\nbut lost his life. -- L.\n100. OF THE EARLS EINAR AND BRUSE.\nThe brothers Einar and Bruse were very unlike in disposition.\nBruse was a soft-minded, peaceable man, -- sociable, eloquent,\nand of good understanding. Einar was obstinate, taciturn, and\ndull; but ambitious, greedy of money, and withal a great warrior.\nSumarlide, the eldest of the brothers, was in disposition like\nBruse, and lived not long, but died in his bed. After his death\nThorfin claimed his share of the Orkney Islands. Einar replied,\nthat Thorfin had the dominions which their father Sigurd had\npossessed, namely, Caithness and Sutherland, which he insisted\nwere much larger than a third part of Orkney; therefore he would\nnot consent to Thorfin's having any share. Bruse, on the other\nhand, was willing, he said, to divide with him. \"I do not-\ndesire,\" he said, \"more than the third part of the land, and\nwhich of right belongs to me.\" Then Einar took possession of two\nparts of the country, by which he became a powerful man,\nsurrounded by many followers. He was often in summer out on\nmarauding expeditions, and called out great numbers of the people\nto join him; but it went always unpleasantly with the division of\nthe booty made on his viking cruises. Then the bondes grew weary\nof all these burdens; but Earl Einar held fast by them with\nseverity, calling in all services laid upon the people, and\nallowing no opposition from any man; for he was excessively proud\nand overbearing. And now there came dearth and scarcity in his\nlands, in consequence of the services and money outlay exacted\nfrom the bondes; while in the part of the country belonging to\nBruse there were peace and plenty, and therefore he was the best\nbeloved by the bondes.\n101. OF THORKEL AMUNDASON.\nThere was a rich and powerful man who was called Amunde, who\ndwelt in Hrossey at Sandvik, in Hlaupandanes. His son, called\nThorkel, was one of the ablest men in the islands. Amunde was a\nman of the best understanding, and most respected in Orkney. One\nspring Earl Einar proclaimed a levy for an expedition, as usual.\nThe bondes murmured greatly against it, and applied to Amunde\nwith the entreaty that he would intercede with the earl for them.\nHe replied, that the earl was not a man who would listen to other\npeople, and insisted that it was of no use to make any entreaty\nto the earl about it. \"As things now stand, there is a good\nunderstanding between me and the earl; but, in my opinion, there\nwould be much danger of our quarrelling, on account of our\ndifferent dispositions and views on both sides; therefore I will\nhave nothing to do with it.\" They then applied to Thorkel, who\nwas also very loath to interfere, but promised at last to do so,\nin consequence of the great entreaty of the people. Amunde\nthought he had given his promise too hastily. Now when the earl\nheld a Thing, Thorkel spoke on account of the people, and\nentreated the earl to spare the people from such heavy burdens,\nrecounting their necessitous condition. The earl replies\nfavourably, saying that he would take Thorkel's advice. \"I had\nintended to go out from the country with six ships, but now I\nwill only take three with me; but thou must not come again,\nThorkel, with any such request.\" The bondes thanked Thorkel for\nhis assistance, and the earl set out on a viking cruise, and came\nback in autumn. The spring after, the earl made the same levy as\nusual, and held a Thing with the bondes. Then Thorkel again made\na speech, in which he entreated the earl to spare the people.\nThe earl now was angry, and said the lot of the bondes should be\nmade worse in consequence of his intercession; and worked himself\nup into such a rage, that he vowed they should not both come next\nspring to the Thing in a whole skin. Then the Thing was closed.\nWhen Amunde heard what the earl and Thorkel had said at the\nThing, he told Thorkel to leave the country, and he went over to\nCaithness to Earl Thorfin. Thorkel was afterwards a long time\nthere, and brought up the earl in his youth, and was on that\naccount called Thorkel the Fosterer; and he became a very\ncelebrated man.\n102. THE AGREEMENT OF THE EARLS.\nThere were many powerful men who fled from their udal properties\nin Orkney on account of Earl Einar's violence, and the most fled\nover to Caithness to Earl Thorfin: but some fled from the Orkney\nIslands to Norway, and some to other countries. When Earl\nThorfin was grown up he sent a message to his brother Einar, and\ndemanded the part of the dominion which he thought belonged to\nhim in Orkney; namely, a third of the islands. Einar was nowise\ninclined to diminish his possessions. When Thorfin found this he\ncollected a warforce in Caithness, and proceeded to the islands.\nAs soon as Earl Einar heard of this he collected people, and\nresolved to defend his country. Earl Bruse also collected men,\nand went out to meet them, and bring about some agreement between\nthem. An agreement was at last concluded, that Thorfin should\nhave a third part of the islands, as of right belonging to him,\nbut that Bruse and Einar should lay their two parts together, and\nEinar alone should rule over them; but if the one died before the\nother, the longest liver should inherit the whole. This\nagreement seemed reasonable, as Bruse had a son called Ragnvald,\nbut Einar had no son. Earl Thorfin set men to rule over his land\nin Orkney, but he himself was generally in Caithness. Earl Einar\nwas generally on viking expeditions to Ireland, Scotland, and\nBretland.\n103. EYVIND URARHORN'S MURDER.\nOne summer (A.D. 1018) that Earl Einar marauded in Ireland, he\nfought in Ulfreks-fjord with the Irish king Konofogor, as has\nbeen related before, and suffered there a great defeat. The\nsummer after this (A.D. 1019) Eyvind Urarhorn was coming from the\nwest from Ireland, intending to go to Norway; but the weather was\nboisterous, and the current against him, so he ran into\nOsmundwall, and lay there wind-bound for some time. When Earl\nEinar heard of this, he hastened thither with many people, took\nEyvind prisoner, and ordered him to be put to death, but spared\nthe lives of most of his people. In autumn they proceeded to\nNorway to King Olaf, and told him Eyvind was killed. The king\nsaid little about it, but one could see that he considered it a\ngreat and vexatious loss; for he did not usually say much if\nanything turned out contrary to his wishes. Earl Thorfin sent\nThorkel Fosterer to the islands to gather in his scat. Now, as\nEinar gave Thorkel the greatest blame for the dispute in which\nThorfin had made claim to the islands, Thorkel came suddenly back\nto Caithness from Orkney, and told Earl Thorfin that he had\nlearnt that Earl Einar would have murdered him if his friends and\nrelations had not given him notice to escape. \"Now,\" says he,\n\"it is come so far between the earl and me, that either some\nthing decisive between us must take place if we meet, or I must\nremove to such a distance that his power will not reach me.\" The\nearl encouraged Thorkel much to go east to Norway to King Olaf.\n\"Thou wilt be highly respected,\" says he, \"wherever thou comest\namong honourable men; and I know so well thy disposition and the\nearl's, that it will not be long before ye come to extremities.\"\nThereupon Thorkel made himself ready, and proceeded in autumn to\nNorway, and then to King Olaf, with whom he stayed the whole\nwinter (A.D. 1020), and was in high favour. The king often\nentered into conversation with him, and he thought, what was\ntrue, that Thorkel was a high-minded man, of good understanding.\nIn his conversations with Thorkel, the king found a great\ndifference in his description of the two earls; for Thorkel was a\ngreat friend of Earl Thorfin, but had much to say against Einar.\nEarly in spring (A.D. 1020) the king sent a ship west over the\nsea to Earl Thorfin, with the invitation to come east and visit\nhim in Norway. The earl did not decline the invitation, for it\nwas accompanied by assurances of friendship.\n104. EARL EINAR'S MURDER.\nEarl Thorfin went east to Norway, and came to King Olaf, from\nwhom he received a kind reception, and stayed till late in the\nsummer. When he was preparing to return westwards again, King\nOlaf made him a present of a large and fully-rigged long-ship.\nThorkel the Fosterer joined company with the earl, who gave him\nthe ship which he brought with him from the west. The king and\nthe earl took leave of each other tenderly. In autumn Earl\nThorfin came to Orkney, and when Earl Einar heard of it he went\non board his ships with a numerous band of men. Earl Bruse came\nup to his two brothers, and endeavoured to mediate between them,\nand a peace was concluded and confirmed by oath. Thorkel\nFosterer was to be in peace and friendship with Earl Einar; and\nit was agreed that each of them should give a feast to the other,\nand that the earl should first be Thorkel's guest at Sandwick.\nWhen the earl came to the feast he was entertained in the best\nmanner; but the earl was not cheerful. There was a great room,\nin which there were doors at each end. The day the earl should\ndepart Thorkel was to accompany him to the other feast; and\nThorkel sent men before, who should examine the road they had to\ntravel that day. The spies came back, and said to Thorkel they\nhad discovered three ambushes. \"And we think,\" said they, \"there\nis deceit on foot.\" When Thorkel heard this he lengthened out\nhis preparations for the journey, and gathered people about him.\nThe earl told him to get ready, as it was time to be on\nhorseback. Thorkel answered, that he had many things to put in\norder first, and went out and in frequently. There was a fire\nupon the floor. At last he went in at one door, followed by an\nIceland man from Eastfjord, called Halvard, who locked the door\nafter him. Thorkel went in between the fire and the place where\nthe earl was sitting. The earl asked, \"Art thou ready at last,\nThorkel?\"\nThorkel answers, \"Now I am ready;\" and struck the earl upon the\nhead so that he fell upon the floor.\nThen said the Icelander, \"I never saw people so foolish as not to\ndrag the earl out of the fire;\" and took a stick, which he set\nunder the earl's neck, and put him upright on the bench. Thorkel\nand his two comrades then went in all haste out of the other door\nopposite to that by which they went in, and Thorkel's men were\nstanding without fully armed. The earl's men now went in, and\ntook hold of the earl. He was already dead, so nobody thought of\navenging him: and also the whole was done so quickly; for nobody\nexpected such a deed from Thorkel, and all supposed that there\nreally was, as before related, a friendship fixed between the\nearl and Thorkel. The most who were within were unarmed, and\nthey were partly Thorkel's good friends; and to this may be\nadded, that fate had decreed a longer life to Thorkel. When\nThorkel came out he had not fewer men with him than the earl's\ntroop. Thorkel went to his ship, and the earl's men went their\nway. The same day Thorkel sailed out eastwards into the sea.\nThis happened after winter; but he came safely to Norway, went as\nfast as he could to Olaf, and was well received by him. The king\nexpressed his satisfaction at this deed, and Thorkel was with him\nall winter (A.D. 1091).\n105. AGREEMENT BETWEEN KING OLAF AND EARL BRUSE.\nAfter Earl Einar's fall Bruse took the part of the country which\nhe had possessed; for it was known to many men on what conditions\nEinar and Bruse had entered into a partnership. Although Thorfin\nthought it would be more just that each of them had half of the\nislands, Bruse retained the two-thirds of the country that winter\n(A.D. 1021). In spring, however, Thorfin produced his claim, and\ndemanded the half of the country; but Bruse would not consent.\nThey held Things and meetings about the business; and although\ntheir friends endeavoured to settle it, Thorfin would not be\ncontent with less than the half of the islands, and insisted that\nBruse, with his disposition, would have enough even with a third\npart. Bruse replies, \"When I took my heritage after my father I\nwas well satisfied with a third part of the country, and there\nwas nobody to dispute it with me; and now I have succeeded to\nanother third in heritage after my brother, according to a lawful\nagreement between us; and although I am not powerful enough to\nmaintain a feud against thee, my brother, I will seek some other\nway, rather than willingly renounce my property.\" With this\ntheir meeting ended. But Bruse saw that he had no strength to\ncontend against Thorfin, because Thorfin had both a greater\ndominion and also could have aid from his mother's brother, the\nScottish king. He resolved, therefore, to go out of the country;\nand he went eastward to King Olaf, and had with him his son\nRagnvald, then ten years old. When the earl came to the king he\nwas well received. The earl now declared his errand, and told\nthe king the circumstances of the whole dispute between him and\nhis brother, and asked help to defend his kingdom of Orkney;\npromising, in return, the fullest friendship towards King Olaf.\nIn his answer, the king began with showing how Harald Harfager\nhad appropriated to himself all udal rights in Orkney, and that\nthe earls, since that time, have constantly held the country as a\nfief, not as their udal property. \"As a sufficient proof of\nwhich,\" said he, \"when Eirik Blood-axe and his sons were in\nOrkney the earls were subject to them; and also when my relation\nOlaf Trygvason came there thy father, Earl Sigurd, became his\nman. Now I have taken heritage after King Olaf, and I will give\nthee the condition to become my man and then I will give thee the\nislands as a fief; and we shall try if I cannot give thee aid\nthat will he more to the purpose than Thorfin can get from the\nScottish king. If thou wilt not accept of these terms, then will\nI win back my udal property there in the West, as our forefathers\nand relations of old possessed it.\"\nThe earl carefully considered this speech, laid it before his\nfriends, and demanded their advice if he should agree to it, and\nenter into such terms with King Olaf and become his vassal. \"But\nI do not see what my lot will be at my departure if I say no; for\nthe king has clearly enough declared his claim upon Orkney; and\nfrom his great power, and our being in his hands, it is easy for\nhim to make our destiny what he pleases.\"\nAlthough the earl saw that there was much to be considered for\nand against it he chose the condition to deliver himself and his\ndominion into the king's power. Thereupon the king took the\nearl's power, and the government over all the earl's lands, and\nthe earl became his vassal under oath of fealty.\n106. THE EARL'S AGREEMENT TO THE KING'S TERMS.\nThorfin the earl heard that his brother Bruse had gone east to\nKing Olaf to seek support from him; but as Thorfin had been on a\nvisit to King Olaf before, and had concluded a friendship with\nhim, he thought his case would stand well with the king, and that\nmany would support it; but he believed that many more would do so\nif he went there himself. Earl Thorfin resolved, therefore, to\ngo east himself without delay; and he thought there would be so\nlittle difference between the time of his arrival and Bruse's,\nthat Bruse's errand could not be accomplished before he came to\nKing Olaf. But it went otherwise than Earl Thorfin had expected;\nfor when he came to the king the agreement between the king and\nBruse was already concluded and settled, and Earl Thorfin did not\nknow a word about Bruse's having surrendered his udal domains\nuntil he came to King Olaf. As soon as Earl Thorfin and King\nOlaf met, the king made the same demand upon the kingdom of\nOrkney that he had done to Earl Bruse, and required that Thorfin\nshould voluntarily deliver over to the king that part of the\ncountry which he had possessed hitherto. The earl answered in a\nfriendly and respectful way, that the king's friendship lay near\nto his heart: \"And if you think, sire, that my help against other\nchiefs can be of use, you have already every claim to it; but I\ncannot be your vessel for service, as I am an earl of the\nScottish king, and owe fealty to him.\"\nAs the king found that the earl, by his answer, declined\nfulfilling the demand he had made, he said, \"Earl, if thou wilt\nnot become my vassal, there is another condition; namely, that I\nwill place over the Orkney Islands the man I please, and require\nthy oath that thou wilt make no claim upon these lands, but allow\nwhoever I place over them to sit in peace. If thou wilt not\naccept of either of these conditions, he who is to rule over\nthese lands may expect hostility from thee, and thou must not\nthink it strange if like meet like in this business.\"\nThe earl begged of the king some time to consider the matter.\nThe king did so, and gave the earl time to take the counsel of\nhis friends on the choosing one or other of these conditions.\nThen the earl requested a delay until next summer, that he might\ngo over the sea to the west, for his proper counsellors were all\nat home, and he himself was but a child in respect of age; but\nthe king required that he should now make his election of one or\nother of the conditions. Thorkel Fosterer was then with the\nking, and he privately sent a person to Earl Thorfin, and told\nhim, whatever his intentions might be, not to think of leaving\nOlaf without being reconciled with him, as he stood entirely in\nOlaf's power. From such hints the earl saw there was no other\nway than to let the king have his own will. It was no doubt a\nhard condition to have no hope of ever regaining his paternal\nheritage, and moreover to bind himself by oath to allow those to\nenjoy in peace his domain who had no hereditary right to it; but\nseeing it was uncertain how he could get away, he resolved to\nsubmit to the king and become his vassal, as Bruse had done. The\nking observed that Thorfin was more high-minded, and less\ndisposed to suffer subjection than Bruse, and therefore he\ntrusted less to Thorfin than to Bruse; and he considered also\nthat Thorfin would trust to the aid of the Scottish king, if he\nbroke the agreement. The king also had discernment enough to\nperceive that Bruse, although slow to enter into an agreement,\nwould promise nothing but what he intended to keep; but as to\nThorfin when he had once made up his mind he went readily into\nevery proposal and made no attempt to obtain any alteration of\nthe king's first conditions: therefore the king had his\nsuspicions that the earl would infringe the agreement.\n107. EARL THORFIN'S DEPARTURE, AND RECONCILIATION WITH THORKEL.\nWhen the king had carefully considered the whole matter by\nhimself, he ordered the signal to sound for a General Thing, to\nwhich he called in the earls. Then said the king, \"I will now\nmake known to the public our agreement with the Orkney earls.\nThey have now acknowledged my right of property to Orkney and\nShetland, and have both become my vassals, all which they have\nconfirmed by oath; and now I will invest them with these lands as\na fief: namely, Bruse with one third part and Thorfin with one\nthird, as they formerly enjoyed them; but the other third which\nEinar Rangmund had, I adjudge as fallen to my domain, because he\nkilled Eyvind Urarhorn, my court-man, partner, and dear friend;\nand that part of the land I will manage as I think proper. I\nhave also my earls, to tell you it is my pleasure that ye enter\ninto an agreement with Thorkel Amundason for the murder of your\nbrother Einar, for I will take that business, if ye agree\nthereto, within my own jurisdiction.\" The earls agreed to this,\nas to everything else that the king proposed. Thorkel came\nforward, and surrendered to the king's judgment of the case, and\nthe Thing concluded. King Olaf awarded as great a penalty for\nEarl Einar's murder as for three lendermen; but as Einar himself\nwas the cause of the act, one third of the mulct fell to the\nground. Thereafter Earl Thorfin asked the king's leave to\ndepart, and as soon as he obtained it made ready for sea with all\nspeed. It happened one day, when all was ready for the voyage,\nthe earl sat in his ship drinking; and Thorkel Amundason came\nunexpectedly to him, laid his head upon the earl's knee, and bade\nhim do with him what he pleased. The earl asked why he did so.\n\"We are, you know, reconciled men, according to the king's\ndecision; so stand up, Thorkel.\"\nThorkel replied, \"The agreement which the king made as between me\nand Bruse stands good; but what regards the agreement with thee\nthou alone must determine. Although the king made conditions for\nmy property and safe residence in Orkney, yet I know so well thy\ndisposition that there is no going to the islands for me, unless\nI go there in peace with thee, Earl Thorfin; and therefore I am\nwilling to promise never to return to Orkney, whatever the king\nmay desire.\"\nThe earl remained silent; and first, after a long pause, he said,\n\"If thou wilt rather, Thorkel, that I shall judge between us than\ntrust to the king's judgment, then let the beginning of our\nreconciliation be, that you go with me to the Orkney Islands,\nlive with me, and never leave me but with my will, and be bound\nto defend my land, and execute all that I want done, as long as\nwe both are in life.\"\nThorkel replies, \"This shall be entirely at thy pleasure, earl,\nas well as everything else in my power.\" Then Thorkel went on,\nand solemnly ratified this agreement. The earl said he would\ntalk afterwards about the mulct of money, but took Thorkel's oath\nupon the conditions. Thorkel immediately made ready to accompany\nthe earl on his voyage. The earl set off as soon as all was\nready, and never again were King Olaf and Thorfin together.\n108. EARL BRUSE'S DEPARTURE.\nEarl Bruse remained behind, and took his time to get ready.\nBefore his departure the king sent for him, and said, \"It appears\nto me, earl, that in thee I have a man on the west side of the\nsea on whose fidelity I can depend; therefore I intend to give\nthee the two parts of the country which thou formerly hadst to\nrule over; for I will not that thou shouldst be a less powerful\nman after entering into my service than before: but I will secure\nthy fidelity by keeping thy son Ragnvald with me. I see well\nenough that with two parts of the country and my help, thou wilt\nbe able to defend what is thy own against thy brother Thorfin.\"\nBruse was thankful for getting two thirds instead of one third of\nthe country, and soon after he set out, and came about autumn to\nOrkney; but Ragnvald, Bruse's son, remained behind in the East\nwith King Olaf. Ragnvald was one of the handsomest men that\ncould be seen, -- his hair long, and yellow as silk; and he soon\ngrew up, stout and tall, and he was a very able and superb man,\nboth of great understanding and polite manners. He was long with\nKing Olaf. Otter Svarte speaks of these affairs in the poem he\ncomposed about King Olaf: --\n\"From Shetland, far off in the cold North Sea,\nCome chiefs who desire to be subject to thee:\nNo king so well known for his will, and his might,\nTo defend his own people from scaith or unright.\nThese isles of the West midst the ocean's wild roar,\nScarcely heard the voice of their sovereign before;\nOur bravest of sovereigns before could scarce bring\nThese islesmen so proud to acknowledge their king.\"\n109. OF THE EARLS THORFIN AND BRUSE.\nThe brothers Thorfin and Bruse came west to Orkney; and Bruse\ntook the two parts of the country under his rule, and Thorfin the\nthird part. Thorfin was usually in Caithness and elsewhere in\nScotland; but placed men of his own over the islands. It was\nleft to Bruse alone to defend the islands, which at that time\nwere severely scourged by vikings; for the Northmen and Danes\nwent much on viking cruises in the west sea, and frequently\ntouched at Orkney on the way to or from the west, and plundered,\nand took provisions and cattle from the coast. Bruse often\ncomplained of his brother Thorfin, that he made no equipment of\nwar for the defence of Orkney and Shetland, yet levied his share\nof the scat and duties. Then Thorfin offered to him to exchange,\nand that Bruse should have one third and Thorfin two thirds of\nthe land, but should undertake the defence of the land, for the\nwhole. Although this exchange did not take place immediately, it\nis related in the saga of the earls that it was agreed upon at\nlast; and that Thorfin had two parts and Bruse only one, when\nCanute the Great subdued Norway and King Olaf fled the country.\nEarl Thorfin Sigurdson has been the ablest earl of these islands,\nand has had the greatest dominion of all the Orkney earls; for he\nhad under him Orkney, Shetland, and the Hebudes, besides very\ngreat possessions in Scotland and Ireland. Arnor, the earls'\nskald, tells of his possessions: --\n\"From Thurso-skerry to Dublin,\nAll people hold with good Thorfin --\nAll people love his sway,\nAnd the generous chief obey.\"\nThorfin was a very great warrior. He came to the earldom at five\nyears of age, ruled more than sixty years, and died in his bed\nabout the last days of Harald Sigurdson. But Bruse died in the\ndays of Canute the Great, a short time after the fall of Saint\nOlaf.\n110. OF HAREK OF THJOTTA.\nHaving now gone through this second story, we shall return to\nthat which we left, -- at King Olaf Haraldson having concluded\npeace with King Olaf the Swedish king, and having the same summer\ngone north to Throndhjem (1019). He had then been king in Norway\nfive years (A.D. 1015-1019). In harvest time he prepared to take\nhis winter residence at Nidaros, and he remained all winter there\n(A.D. 1020). Thorkel the Fosterer, Amunde's son, as before\nrelated, was all that winter with him. King Olaf inquired very\ncarefully how it stood with Christianity throughout the land, and\nlearnt that it was not observed at all to the north of\nHalogaland, and was far from being observed as it should be in\nNaumudal, and the interior of Throndhjem. There was a man by\nname Harek, a son of Eyvind Skaldaspiller, who dwelt in an island\ncalled Thjotta in Halogaland. Eyvind had not been a rich man,\nbut was of high family and high mind. In Thjotta, at first,\nthere dwelt many small bondes; but Harek began with buying a farm\nnot very large and lived on it, and in a few years he had got all\nthe bondes that were there before out of the way; so that he had\nthe whole island, and built a large head-mansion. He soon became\nvery rich; for he was a very prudent man, and very successful.\nHe had long been greatly respected by the chiefs; and being\nrelated to the kings of Norway, had been raised by them to high\ndignities. Harek's father's mother Gunhild was a daughter of\nEarl Halfdan, and Ingebjorg, Harald Harfager's daughter. At the\ntime the circumstance happened which we are going to relate he\nwas somewhat advanced in years. Harek was the most respected man\nin Halogaland, and for a long time had the Lapland trade, and did\nthe king's business in Lapland; sometimes alone, sometimes with\nothers joined to him. He had not himself been to wait on King\nOlaf, but messages had passed between them, and all was on the\nmost friendly footing. This winter (A.D. 1020) that Olaf was in\nNidaros, messengers passed between the king and Harek of Thjotta.\nThen the king made it known that he intended going north to\nHalogaland, and as far north as the land's end; but the people of\nHalogaland expected no good from this expedition.\n111. OF THE PEOPLE OF HALOGALAND.\nOlaf rigged out five ships in spring (A.D. 1020), and had with\nhim about 300 men. When he was ready for sea he set northwards\nalong the land; and when he came to Naumudal district he summoned\nthe bondes to a Thing, and at every Thing was accepted as king.\nHe also made the laws to be read there as elsewhere, by which the\npeople are commanded to observe Christianity; and he threatened\nevery man with loss of life, and limbs, and property who would\nnot subject himself to Christian law. He inflicted severe\npunishments on many men, great as well as small, and left no\ndistrict until the people had consented to adopt the holy faith.\nThe most of the men of power and of the great bondes made feasts\nfor the king, and so he proceeded all the way north to\nHalogaland. Harek of Thjotta also made a feast for the king, at\nwhich there was a great multitude of guests, and the feast was\nvery splendid. Harek was made lenderman, and got the same\nprivileges he had enjoyed under the former chiefs of the country.\n112. OF ASMUND GRANKELSON.\nThere was a man called Grankel, or Granketil, who was a rich\nbonde, and at this time rather advanced in age. In his youth he\nhad been on viking cruises, and had been a powerful fighter; for\nhe possessed great readiness in all sorts of bodily exercises.\nHis son Asmund was equal to his father in all these, and in some,\nindeed, he excelled him. There were many who said that with\nrespect to comeliness, strength, and bodily expertness, he might\nbe considered the third remarkably distinguished for these that\nNorway had ever produced. The first was Hakon Athelstan's\nfoster-son; the second, Olaf Trygvason. Grankel invited King\nOlaf to a feast, which was very magnificent; and at parting\nGrankel presented the king with many honourable gifts and tokens\nof friendship. The king invited Asmund, with many persuasions,\nto follow him; and as Asmund could not decline the honours\noffered him, he got ready to travel with the king, became his\nman, and stood in high favour with him. The king remained in\nHalogaland the greater part of the summer, went to all the\nThings, and baptized all the people. Thorer Hund dwelt at that\ntime in the island Bjarkey. He was the most powerful man in the\nNorth, and also became one of Olaf's lendermen. Many sons of\ngreat bondes resolved also to follow King Olaf from Halogaland.\nTowards the end of summer King Olaf left the North, and sailed\nback to Throndhjem, and landed at Nidaros, where he passed the\nwinter (A.D. 1021). It was then that Thorkel the Fosterer came\nfrom the West from Orkney, after killing Einar Rangmumd, as\nbefore related. This autumn corn was dear in Throndhjem, after a\nlong course of good seasons, and the farther north the dearer was\nthe corn; but there was corn enough in the East country, and in\nthe Uplands, and it was of great help to the people of Throndhjem\nthat many had old corn remaining beside them.\n113. OF THE SACRIFICES OF THE THRONDHJEM PEOPLE.\nIn autumn the news was brought to King Olaf that the bondes had\nhad a great feast on the first winter-day's eve, at which there\nwas a numerous attendance and much drinking; and it was told the\nking that all the remembrance-cups to the Asas, or old gods, were\nblessed according to the old heathen forms; and it was added,\nthat cattle and horses had been slain, and the altars sprinkled\nwith their blood, and the sacrifices accompanied with the prayer\nthat was made to obtain good seasons. It was also reported that\nall men saw clearly that the gods were offended at the Halogaland\npeople turning Christian. Now when the king heard this news he\nsent men into the Throndhjem country, and ordered several bondes,\nwhose names he gave, to appear before him. There was a man\ncalled Olver of Eggja, so called after his farm on which he\nlived. He was powerful, of great family, and the head-man of\nthose who on account of the bondes appeared before the king.\nNow, when they came to the king, he told them these accusations;\nto which Olver, on behalf of the bondes, replied, that they had\nhad no other feasts that harvest than their usual entertainments,\nand social meetings, and friendly drinking parties. \"But as to\nwhat may have been told you of the words which may have fallen\nfrom us Throndhjem people in our drinking parties, men of\nunderstanding would take good care not to use such language; but\nI cannot hinder drunken or foolish people's talk.\" Olver was a\nman of clever speech, and bold in what he said, and defended the\nbondes against such accusations. In the end, the king said the\npeople of the interior of Thorndhjem must themselves give the\nbest testimony to their being in the right faith. The bondes got\nleave to return home, and set off as soon as they were ready.\n114. OF THE SACRIFICES BY THE PEOPLE OF THE INTERIOR OF THE\nTHRONDHJEM DISTRICT.\nAfterwards, when winter was advanced, it was told the king that\nthe people of the interior of Throndhjem had assembled in great\nnumber at Maerin, and that there was a great sacrifice in the\nmiddle of winter, at which they sacrificed offerings for peace\nand a good season. Now when the king knew this on good authority\nto be true, he sent men and messages into the interior, and\nsummoned the bondes whom he thought of most understanding into\nthe town. The bondes held a council among themselves about this\nmessage; and all those who had been upon the same occasion in the\nbeginning of winter were now very unwilling to make the journey.\nOlver, however, at the desire of all the bondes, allowed himself\nto be persuaded. When he came to the town he went immediately\nbefore the king, and they talked together. The king made the\nsame accusation against the bondes, that they had held a mid-\nwinter sacrifice. Olver replies, that this accusation against\nthe bondes was false. \"We had,\" said he, \"Yule feasts and\ndrinking feasts wide around in the districts; and the bondes do\nnot prepare their feasts so sparingly, sire, that there is not\nmuch left over, which people consume long afterwards. At Maerin\nthere is a great farm, with a large house on it, and a great\nneighbourhood all around it, and it is the great delight of the\npeople to drink many together in company.\" The king said little\nin reply, but looked angry, as he thought he knew the truth of\nthe matter better than it was now represented. He ordered the\nbondes to return home. \"I shall some time or other,\" said he,\n\"come to the truth of what you are now concealing, and in such a\nway that ye shall not be able to contradict it. But, however,\nthat may be, do not try such things again.\" The bondes returned\nhome, and told the result of their journey, and that the king was\naltogether enraged.\n115. MURDER OF OLVER OF EGGJA.\nAt Easter (A.D. 1021) the king held a feast, to which he had\ninvited many of the townspeople as well as bondes. After Easter\nhe ordered his ships to be launched into the water, oars and\ntackle to be put on board, decks to be laid in the ships, and\ntilts (1) and rigging to be set up, and to be laid ready for sea\nat the piers. Immediately after Easter he sent men into Veradal.\nThere was a man called Thoralde, who was the king's bailiff, and\nwho managed the king's farm there at Haug; and to him the king\nsent a message to come to him as quickly as possible. Thoralde\ndid not decline the journey, but went immediately to the town\nwith the messenger. The king called him in and in a private\nconversation asked him what truth there was in what had been told\nhim of the principles and living of the people of the interior\nof Throndhjem, and if it really was so that they practised\nsacrifices to heathen gods. \"I will,\" says the king, \"that thou\ndeclare to me the things as they are, and as thou knowest to be\ntrue; for it is thy duty to tell me the truth, as thou art my\nman.\"\nThoralde replies, \"Sire, I will first tell you that I have\nbrought here to the town my two children, my wife, and all my\nloose property that I could take with me, and if thou desirest to\nknow the truth it shall be told according to thy command; but\nif I declare it, thou must take care of me and mine.\"\nThe king replies, \"Say only what is true on what I ask thee, and\nI will take care that no evil befall thee.\"\nThen said Thoralde, \"If I must say the truth, king, as it is, I\nmust declare that in the interior of the Throndhjem land almost\nall the people are heathen in faith, although some of them are\nbaptized. It is their custom to offer sacrifice in autumn for a\ngood winter, a second at mid-winter, and a third in summer. In\nthis the people of Eyna, Sparby, Veradal, and Skaun partake.\nThere are twelve men who preside over these sacrifice-feasts; and\nin spring it is Olver who has to get the feast in order, and he\nis now busy transporting to Maerin everything needful for it.\"\nNow when the king had got to the truth with a certainty, he\nordered the signal to be sounded for his men to assemble, and for\nthe men-at-arms to go on board ship. He appointed men to steer\nthe ships, and leaders for the people, and ordered how the people\nshould be divided among the vessels. All was got ready in haste,\nand with five ships and 300 men he steered up the fjord. The\nwind was favourable, the ships sailed briskly before it, and\nnobody could have thought that the king would be so soon there.\nThe king came in the night time to Maerin, and immediately\nsurrounded the house with a ring of armed men. Olver was taken,\nand the king ordered him to be put to death, and many other men\nbesides. Then the king took all the provision for the feast, and\nhad it brought to his ships; and also all the goods, both\nfurniture, clothes, and valuables, which the people had brought\nthere, and divided the booty among his men. The king also let\nall the bondes he thought had the greatest part in the business\nbe plundered by his men-at-arms. Some were taken prisoners and\nlaid in irons, some ran away, and many were robbed of their\ngoods. Thereafter the bondes were summoned to a Thing; but\nbecause he had taken many powerful men prisoners, and held them\nin his power, their friends and relations resolved to promise\nobedience to the king, so that there was no insurrection against\nthe king on this occasion. He thus brought the whole people back\nto the right faith, gave them teachers, and built and consecrated\nchurches. The king let Olver lie without fine paid for his\nbloodshed, and all that he possessed was adjudged to the king;\nand of the men he judged the most guilty, some he ordered to be\nexecuted, some he maimed, some he drove out of the country, and\ntook fines from others. The king then returned to Nidaros.\nENDNOTES:\n(1) The ships appear to have been decked fore and aft only; and\nin the middle, where the rowers sat, to have had tilts or\ntents set up at night to sleep under. -- L.\n116. OF THE SONS OF ARNE.\nThere was a man called Arne Arnmodson, who was married to Thora,\nThorstein Galge's daughter. Their children were Kalf, Fin,\nThorberg, Amunde, Kolbjorn, Arnbjorn, and Arne. Their daughter,\nwho was called Ragnhild, was married to Harek of Thjotta. Arne\nwas a lenderman, powerful, and of ability, and a great friend of\nKing Olaf. At that time his sons Kalf and Fin were with the\nking, and in great favour. The wife whom Olver of Eggja had left\nwas young and handsome, of great family, and rich, so that he who\ngot her might be considered to have made an excellent marriage;\nand her land was in the gift of the king. She and Olver had two\nsons, who were still in infancy. Kalf Arneson begged of the king\nthat he would give him to wife the widow of Olver; and out of\nfriendship the king agreed to it, and with her he got all the\nproperty Olver had possessed. The king at the same time made him\nhis lenderman, and gave him an office in the interior of the\nThrondhjem country. Kalf became a great chief, and was a man of\nvery great understanding.\n117. KING OLAF'S JOURNEY TO THE UPLANDS.\nWhen King Olaf had been seven years (A.D. 1015-1021) in Norway\nthe earls Thorfin and Bruse came to him, as before related, in\nthe summer, from Orkney, and he became master of their land. The\nsame summer Olaf went to North and South More, and in autumn to\nRaumsdal. He left his ships there, and came to the Uplands, and\nto Lesjar. Here he laid hold of all the best men, and forced\nthem, both at Lesjar and Dovre, either to receive Christianity or\nsuffer death, if they were not so lucky as to escape. After they\nreceived Christianity, the king took their sons in his hands as\nhostages for their fidelity. The king stayed several nights at a\nfarm in Lesjar called Boar, where he placed priests. Then he\nproceeded over Orkadal and Lorodal, and came down from the\nUplands at a place called Stafabrekka. There a river runs along\nthe valley, called the Otta, and a beautiful hamlet, by name\nLoar, lies on both sides of the river, and the king could see far\ndown over the whole neighbourhood. \"A pity it is,\" said the\nking, \"so beautiful a hamlet should be burnt.\" And he proceeded\ndown the valley with his people, and was all night on a farm\ncalled Nes. The king took his lodging in a loft, where he slept\nhimself; and it stands to the present day, without anything in it\nhaving been altered since. The king was five days there, and\nsummoned by message-token the people to a Thing, both for the\ndistricts of Vagar, Lear, and Hedal; and gave out the message\nalong with the token, that they must either receive Christianity\nand give their sons as hostages, or see their habitations burnt.\nThey came before the king, and submitted to his pleasure; but\nsome fled south down the valley.\n118. THE STORY OF DALE-GUDBRAND.\nThere was a man called Dale-Gudbrand, who was like a king in the\nvalley (Gudbrandsdal), but was only herse in title. Sigvat the\nskald compared him for wealth and landed property to Erling\nSkjalgson. Sigvat sang thus concerning Erling: --\n\"I know but one who can compare\nWith Erling for broad lands and gear --\nGudbrand is he, whose wide domains\nAre most like where some small king reigns.\nThese two great bondes, I would say,\nEqual each other every way.\nHe lies who says that he can find\nOne by the other left behind.\"\nGudbrand had a son, who is here spoken of. Now when Gudbrand\nreceived the tidings that King Olaf was come to Lear, and obliged\npeople to accept Christianity, he sent out a message-token, and\nsummoned all the men in the valley to meet him at a farm called\nHundthorp. All came, so that the number could not be told; for\nthere is a lake in the neighbourhood called Laugen, so that\npeople could come to the place both by land and by water. There\nGudbrand held a Thing with them, and said, \"A man is come to Loar\nwho is called Olaf, and will force upon us another faith than\nwhat we had before, and will break in pieces all our gods. He\nsays that he has a much greater and more powerful god; and it is\nwonderful that the earth does not burst asunder under him, or\nthat our god lets him go about unpunished when he dares to talk\nsuch things. I know this for certain, that if we carry Thor, who\nhas always stood by us, out of our temple that is standing upon\nthis farm, Olaf's god will melt away, and he and his men be made\nnothing so soon as Thor looks upon them.\" Then the bondes all\nshouted as one person that Olaf should never get away with life\nif he came to them; and they thought he would never dare to come\nfarther south through the valley. They chose out 700 men to go\nnorthwards to Breida, to watch his movements. The leader of this\nband was Gudbrand's son, eighteen years of age, and with him were\nmany other men of importance. When they came to a farm called\nHof they heard of the king; and they remained three nights there.\nPeople streamed to them from all parts, from Lesjar, Loar, and\nVagar, who did not wish to receive Christianity. The king and\nBishop Sigurd fixed teachers in Loaf and in Vagar. From thence\nthey went round Vagarost, and came down into the valley at Sil,\nwhere they stayed all night, and heard the news that a great\nforce of men were assembled against them. The bondes who were in\nBreida heard also of the king's arrival, and prepared for battle.\nAs soon as the king arose in the morning he put on his armour,\nand went southwards over the Sil plains, and did not halt until\nhe came to Breida, where he saw a great army ready for battle.\nThen the king drew up his troops, rode himself at the head of\nthem, and began a speech to the bondes, in which he invited them\nto adopt Christianity. They replied, \"We shall give thee\nsomething else to do to-day than to be mocking us;\" and raised a\ngeneral shout, striking also upon their shields with their\nweapons. Then the king's men ran forward and threw their spears;\nbut the bondes turned round instantly and fled, so that only few\nmen remained behind. Gudbrand's son was taken prisoner; but the\nking gave him his life, and took him with him. The king was four\ndays here. Then the king said to Gudbrand's son, \"Go home now to\nthy father, and tell him I expect to be with him soon.\"\nHe went accordingly, and told his father the news, that they had\nfallen in with the king, and fought with him; but that their\nwhole army, in the very beginning, took flight. \"I was taken\nprisoner,\" said he, \"but the king gave me my life and liberty,\nand told me to say to thee that he will soon be here. And now we\nhave not 200 men of the force we raised against him; therefore I\nadvise thee, father, not to give battle to that man.\"\nSays Gudbrand, \"It is easy to see that all courage has left thee,\nand it was an unlucky hour ye went out to the field. Thy\nproceeding will live long in the remembrance of people, and I see\nthat thy fastening thy faith on the folly that man is going about\nwith has brought upon thee and thy men so great a disgrace.\"\nBut the night after, Gudbrand dreamt that there came to him a man\nsurrounded by light, who brought great terror with him, and said\nto him, \"Thy son made no glorious expedition against King Olaf;\nbut still less honour wilt thou gather for thyself by holding a\nbattle with him. Thou with all thy people wilt fall; wolves will\ndrag thee, and all thine, away; ravens wilt tear thee in\nstripes.\" At this dreadful vision he was much afraid, and tells\nit to Thord Istermage, who was chief over the valley. He\nreplies, \"The very same vision came to me.\" In the morning they\nordered the signal to sound for a Thing, and said that it\nappeared to them advisable to hold a Thing with the man who had\ncome from the north with this new teaching, to know if there was\nany truth in it. Gudbrand then said to his son, \"Go thou, and\ntwelve men with thee, to the king who gave thee thy life.\" He\nwent straightway, and found the king, and laid before him their\nerrand; namely, that the bondes would hold a Thing with him, and\nmake a truce between them and him. The king was content; and\nthey bound themselves by faith and law mutually to hold the peace\nso long as the Thing lasted. After this was settled the men\nreturned to Gudbrand and Thord, and told them there was made a\nfirm agreement for a truce. The king, after the battle with the\nson of Gudbrand, had proceeded to Lidstad, and remained there for\nfive days: afterwards he went out to meet the bondes, and hold a\nThing with them. On that day there fell a heavy rain. When the\nThing was seated, the king stood up and said that the people in\nLesjar, Loaf, and Vagar had received Christianity, broken down\ntheir houses of sacrifice, and believed now in the true God who\nhad made heaven and earth and knows all things.\nThereupon the king sat down, and Gudbrand replies, \"We know\nnothing of him whom thou speakest about. Dost thou call him God,\nwhom neither thou nor any one else can see? But we have a god\nwho call be seen every day, although he is not out to-day,\nbecause the weather is wet, and he will appear to thee terrible\nand very grand; and I expect that fear will mix with your very\nblood when he comes into the Thing. But since thou sayest thy\nGod is so great, let him make it so that to-morrow we have a\ncloudy day but without rain, and then let us meet again.\"\nThe king accordingly returned home to his lodging, taking\nGudbrand's son as a hostage; but he gave them a man as hostage in\nexchange. In the evening the king asked Gudbrand's son what like\ntheir god was. He replied, that he bore the likeness of Thor;\nhad a hammer in his hand; was of great size, but hollow within;\nand had a high stand, upon which he stood when he was out.\n\"Neither gold nor silver are wanting about him, and every day he\nreceives four cakes of bread, besides meat.\" They then went to\nbed, but the king watched all night in prayer. When day dawned\nthe king went to mass, then to table, and from thence to the\nThing. The weather was such as Gudbrand desired. Now the bishop\nstood up in his choir-robes, with bishop's coif upon his head,\nand bishop's staff in his hands. He spoke to the bondes of the\ntrue faith, told the many wonderful acts of God, and concluded\nhis speech well.\nThord Istermage replies, \"Many things we are told of by this\nhorned man with the staff in his hand crooked at the top like a\nram's horn; but since ye say, comrades, that your god is so\npowerful, and can do so many wonders, tell him to make it clear\nsunshine to-morrow forenoon, and then we shall meet here again,\nand do one of two things, -- either agree with you about this\nbusiness, or fight you.\" And they separated for the day.\n119. DALE-GUDBRAND IS BAPTIZED.\nThere was a man with King Olaf called Kolbein Sterke (the\nstrong), who came from a family in the Fjord district. Usually\nhe was so equipped that he was girt with a sword, and besides\ncarried a great stake, otherwise called a club, in his hands.\nThe king told Kolbein to stand nearest to him in the morning; and\ngave orders to his people to go down in the night to where the\nships of the bondes lay and bore holes in them, and to set loose\ntheir horses on the farms where they were; all which was done.\nNow the king was in prayer all the night, beseeching God of His\ngoodness and mercy to release him from evil. When mass was\nended, and morning was grey, the king went to the Thing. When he\ncame there some bondes had already arrived, and they saw a great\ncrowd coming along, and bearing among them a huge man's image\nglancing with gold and silver. When the bondes who were at the\nThing saw it they started up, and bowed themselves down before\nthe ugly idol. Thereupon it was set down upon the Thing-field;\nand on the one side of it sat the bondes, and on the other the\nking and his people.\nThen Dale-Gudbrand stood up, and said, \"Where now, king, is thy\ngod? I think he will now carry his head lower; and neither thou,\nnor the man with the horn whom ye call bishop, and sits there\nbeside thee, are so bold to-day as on the former days; for now\nour god, who rules over all, is come, and looks on you with an\nangry eye; and now I see well enough that ye are terrified, and\nscarcely dare to raise your eyes. Throw away now all your\nopposition, and believe in the god who has all your fate in his\nhands.\"\nThe king now whispers to Kolbein Sterke, without the bondes\nperceiving it, \"If it come so in the course of my speech that the\nbondes look another way than towards their idol, strike him as\nhard as thou canst with thy club.\"\nThe king then stood up and spoke. \"Much hast thou talked to us\nthis morning, and greatly hast thou wondered that thou canst not\nsee our God; but we expect that he will soon come to us. Thou\nwouldst frighten us with thy god, who is both blind and deaf, and\ncan neither save himself nor others, and cannot even move about\nwithout being carried; but now I expect it will be but a short\ntime before he meets his fate: for turn your eyes towards the\neast, -- behold our God advancing in great light.\"\nThe sun was rising, and all turned to look. At that moment\nKolbein gave their god a stroke, so that the idol burst asunder;\nand there ran out of it mice as big almost as cats, and reptiles,\nand adders. The bondes were so terrified that some fled to their\nships; but when they sprang out upon them they filled with water,\nand could not get away. Others ran to their horses, but could\nnot find them. The king then ordered the bondes to be called\ntogether, saying he wanted to speak with them; on which the\nbondes came back, and the Thing was again seated.\nThe king rose up and said, \"I do not understand what your noise\nand running mean. Ye see yourselves what your god can do, -- the\nidol ye adorned with gold and silver, and brought meat and\nprovisions to. Ye see now that the protecting powers who used it\nwere the mice and adders, reptiles and paddocks; and they do ill\nwho trust to such, and will not abandon this folly. Take now\nyour gold and ornaments that are lying strewed about on the\ngrass, and give them to your wives and daughters; but never hang\nthem hereafter upon stock or stone. Here are now two conditions\nbetween us to choose upon, -- either accept Christianity, or\nfight this very day; and the victory be to them to whom the God\nwe worship gives it.\"\nThen Dale-Gudbrand stood up and said, \"We have sustained great\ndamage upon our god; but since he will not help us, we will\nbelieve in the God thou believest in.\"\nThen all received Christianity. The bishop baptized Gudbrand and\nhis son. King Olaf and Bishop Sigurd left behind them teachers,\nand they who met as enemies parted as friends; and Gudbrand built\na church in the valley.\n120. HEDEMARK BAPTIZED.\nKing Olaf proceeded from thence to Hedemark, and baptized there;\nbut as he had formerly carried away their kings as prisoners, he\ndid not venture himself, after such a deed, to go far into the\ncountry with few people at that time, but a small part of\nHedemark was baptized; but the king did not desist from his\nexpedition before he had introduced Christianity over all\nHedemark, consecrated churches, and placed teachers. He then\nwent to Hadaland and Thoten, improving the customs of the people,\nand persisting until all the country was baptized. He then went\nto Ringerike, where also all people went over to Christianity.\nThe people of Raumarike then heard that Olaf intended coming to\nthem, and they gathered a great force. They said among\nthemselves that the journey Olaf had made among them the last\ntime was not to be forgotten, and he should never proceed so\nagain. The king, notwithstanding, prepared for the journey. Now\nwhen the king went up into Raumarike with his forces, the\nmultitude of bondes came against him at a river called Nitja; and\nthe bondes had a strong army, and began the battle as soon as\nthey met; but they soon fell short, and took to flight. They\nwere forced by this battle into a better disposition, and\nimmediately received Christianity; and the king scoured the whole\ndistrict, and did not leave it until all the people were made\nChristians. He then went east to Soleys, and baptized that\nneighbourhood. The skald Ottar Black came to him there, and\nbegged to be received among his men. Olaf the Swedish king had\ndied the winter before (A.D. 1021), and Onund, the son of Olaf,\nwas now the sole king over all Sweden. King Olaf returned, when\nthe winter (A.D. 1022) was far advanced, to Raumarike. There he\nassembled a numerous Thing, at a place where the Eidsvold Things\nhave since been held. He made a law, that the Upland people\nshould resort to this Thing, and that Eidsvold laws should be\ngood through all the districts of the Uplands, and wide around in\nother quarters, which also has taken place. As spring was\nadvancing, he rigged his ships, and went by sea to Tunsberg. He\nremained there during the spring, and the time the town was most\nfrequented, and goods from other countries were brought to the\ntown for sale. There had been a good year in Viken, and\ntolerable as far north as Stad; but it was a very dear time in\nall the country north of there.\n121. RECONCILIATION OF THE KING AND EINAR.\nIn spring (A.D. 1022) King Olaf sent a message west to Agder, and\nnorth all the way to Hordaland and Rogaland, prohibiting the\nexporting or selling of corn, malt, or meal; adding, that he, as\nusual, would come there with his people in guest-quarters. The\nmessage went round all the districts; but the king remained in\nViken all summer, and went east to the boundary of the country.\nEinar Tambaskelfer had been with the Swedish king Olaf since the\ndeath of his relation Earl Svein, and had, as the khag's man,\nreceived great fiefs from him. Now that the king was dead, Einar\nhad a great desire to come into friendship agreement with Olaf;\nand the same spring messages passed between them about it. While\nthe king was lying in the Gaut river, Einar Tambaskelfer came\nthere with some men; and after treating about an agreement, it\nwas settled that Einar should go north to Throndhjem, and there\ntake possession of all the lands and property which Bergliot had\nreceived in dower. Thereupon Einar took his way north; but the\nking remained behind in Viken, and remained long in Sarpsborg in\nautumn (A.D. 1022), and during the first part of winter.\n122. RECONCILIATION OF THE KING AND ERLING.\nErling Skjalgson held his dominion so, that all north from Sogn\nLake, and east to the Naze, the bondes stood under him; and\nalthough he had much smaller royal fiefs than formerly, still so\ngreat a dread of him prevailed that nobody dared to do anything\nagainst his will, so that the king thought his power too great.\nThere was a man called Aslak Fitiaskalle, who was powerful and of\nhigh birth. Erling's father Skjalg, and Aslak's father Askel,\nwere brother's sons. Aslak was a great friend of King Olaf, and\nthe king settled him in South Hordaland, where he gave him a\ngreat fief, and great income, and ordered him in no respect to\ngive way to Erling. But this came to nothing when the king was\nnot in the neighbourhood; for then Erling would reign as he used\nto do, and was not more humble because Aslak would thrust himself\nforward as his equal. At last the strife went so far that Aslak\ncould not keep his place, but hastened to King Olaf, and told him\nthe circumstances between him and Erling. The king told Aslak to\nremain with him until he should meet Erling; and sent a message\nto Erling that he should come to him in spring at Tunsberg. When\nthey all arrived there they held a meeting at which the king said\nto him, \"It is told me concerning thy government, Erling, that no\nman from Sogn Lake to the Naze can enjoy his freedom for thee;\nalthough there are many men there who consider themselves born to\nudal rights, and have their privileges like others born as they\nare. Now, here is your relation Aslak, who appears to have\nsuffered great inconvenience from your conduct; and I do not know\nwhether he himself is in fault, or whether he suffers because I\nhave placed him to defend what is mine; and although I name him,\nthere are many others who have brought the same complaint before\nus, both among those who are placed in office in our districts,\nand among the bailiffs who have our farms to manage, and are\nobliged to entertain me and my people.\"\nErling replies to this, \"I will answer at once. I deny\naltogether that I have ever injured Aslak, or any one else, for\nbeing in your service; but this I will not deny, that it is now,\nas it has long been, that each of us relations will willingly be\ngreater than the other: and, moreover, I freely acknowledge that\nI am ready to bow my neck to thee, King Olaf; but it is more\ndifficult for me to stoop before one who is of slave descent in\nall his generation, although he is now your bailiff, or before\nothers who are but equal to him in descent, although you bestow\nhonours on them.\"\nNow the friends of both interfered, and entreated that they would\nbe reconciled; saying, that the king never could have such\npowerful aid as from Erling, \"if he was your friend entirely.\"\nOn the other hand, they represent to Erling that he should give\nup to the king; for if he was in friendship with the king, it\nwould be easy to do with all the others what he pleased. The\nmeeting accordingly ended so that Erling should retain the fiefs\nhe formerly had, and every complaint the king had against Erling\nshould be dropped; but Skjalg, Erling's son, should come to the\nking, and remain in his power. Then Aslak returned to his\ndominions, and the two were in some sort reconciled. Erling\nreturned home also to his domains, and followed his own way of\nruling them.\n123. HERE BEGINS THE STORY OF ASBJORN SELSBANE.\nThere was a man named Sigurd Thoreson, a brother of Thorer Hund\nof Bjarkey Island. Sigurd was married to Sigrid Skjalg's\ndaughter, a sister of Erling. Their son, called Asbjorn, became\nas he grew up a very able man. Sigurd dwelt at Omd in\nThrandarnes, and was a very rich and respected man. He had not\ngone into the king's service; and Thorer in so far had attained\nhigher dignity than his brother, that he was the king's\nlenderman. But at home, on his farm, Sigurd stood in no respect\nbehind his brother in splendour and magnificence. As long as\nheathenism prevailed, Sigurd usually had three sacrifices every\nyear: one on winter-night's eve, one on mid-winter's eve, and the\nthird in summer. Although he had adopted Christianity, he\ncontinued the same custom with his feasts: he had, namely, a\ngreat friendly entertainment at harvest time; a Yule feast in\nwinter, to which he invited many; the third feast he had about\nEaster, to which also he invited many guests. He continued this\nfashion as long as he lived. Sigurd died on a bed of sickness\nwhen Asbjorn was eighteen years old. He was the only heir of his\nfather, and he followed his father's custom of holding three\nfestivals every year. Soon after Asbjorn came to his heritage\nthe course of seasons began to grow worse, and the corn harvests\nof the people to fail; but Asbjorn held his usual feasts, and\nhelped himself by having old corn, and an old provision laid up\nof all that was useful. But when one year had passed and another\ncame, and the crops were no better than the year before, Sigrid\nwished that some if not all of the feasts should be given up.\nThat Asbjorn would not consent to, but went round in harvest\namong his friends, buying corn where he could get it, and some he\nreceived in presents. He thus kept his feasts this winter also;\nbut the spring after people got but little seed into the ground,\nfor they had to buy the seed-corn. Then Sigurd spoke of\ndiminishing the number of their house-servants. That Asbjorn\nwould not consent to, but held by the old fashion of the house in\nall things. In summer (A.D. 1022) it appeared again that there\nwould be a bad year for corn; and to this came the report from\nthe south that King Olaf prohibited all export of corn, malt, or\nmeal from the southern to the northern parts of the country.\nThen Asbjorn perceived that it would be difficult to procure what\nwas necessary for a house-keeping, and resolved to put into the\nwater a vessel for carrying goods which he had, and which was\nlarge enough to go to sea with. The ship was good, all that\nbelonged to her was of the best, and in the sails were stripes of\ncloth of various colours. Asbjorn made himself ready for a\nvoyage, and put to sea with twenty men. They sailed from the\nnorth in summer; and nothing is told of their voyage until one\nday, about the time the days begin to shorten, they came to\nKarmtsund, and landed at Augvaldsnes. Up in the island Karmt\nthere is a large farm, not far from the sea, and a large house\nupon it called Augvaldsnes, which was a king's house, with an\nexcellent farm, which Thorer Sel, who was the king's bailiff, had\nunder his management. Thorer was a man of low birth, but had\nswung himself up in the world as an active man; and he was polite\nin speech, showy in clothes, and fond of distinction, and not apt\nto give way to others, in which he was supported by the favour of\nthe king. He was besides quick in speech, straightforward, and\nfree in conversation. Asbjorn, with his company, brought up\nthere for the night; and in the morning, when it was light,\nThorer went down to the vessel with some men, and inquired who\ncommanded the splendid ship. Asbjorn named his own and his\nfather's name. Thorer asks where the voyage was intended for,\nand what was the errand.\nAsbjorn replies, that he wanted to buy corn and malt; saying, as\nwas true, that it was a very dear time north in the country.\n\"But we are told that here the seasons are good; and wilt thou,\nfarmer, sell us corn? I see that here are great corn stacks, and\nit would be very convenient if we had not to travel farther.\"\nThorer replies, \"I will give thee the information that thou\nneedst not go farther to buy corn, or travel about here in\nRogaland; for I can tell thee that thou must turn about, and not\ntravel farther, for the king forbids carrying corn out of this to\nthe north of the country. Sail back again, Halogalander, for\nthat will be thy safest course.\"\nAsbjorn replies, \"If it be so, bonde, as thou sayest, that we can\nget no corn here to buy, I will, notwithstanding, go forward upon\nmy errand, and visit my family in Sole, and see my relation\nErling's habitation.\"\nThorer: \"How near is thy relationship to Erling?\"\nAsbjorn: \"My mother is his sister.\"\nThorer: \"It may be that I have spoken heedlessly, if so be that\nthou art sister's son of Erling.\"\nThereupon Asbjorn and his crew struck their tents, and turned the\nship to sea. Thorer called after them. \"A good voyage, and come\nhere again on your way back.\" Asbjorn promised to do so, sailed\naway, and came in the evening to Jadar. Asbjorn went on shore\nwith ten men; the other ten men watched the ship. When Asbjorn\ncame to the house he was very well received, and Erling was very\nglad to see him, placed him beside himself, and asked him all the\nnews in the north of the country. Asbjorn concealed nothing of\nhis business from him; and Erling said it happened unfortunately\nthat the king had just forbid the sale of corn. \"And I know no\nman here.\" says he, \"who has courage to break the king's order,\nand I find it difficult to keep well with the king, so many are\ntrying to break our friendship.\"\nAsbjorn replies, \"It is late before we learn the truth. In my\nchildhood I was taught that my mother was freeborn throughout her\nwhole descent, and that Erling of Sole was her boldest relation;\nand now I hear thee say that thou hast not the freedom, for the\nking's slaves here in Jadar, to do with thy own corn what thou\npleasest.\"\nErling looked at him, smiled through his teeth, and said, \"Ye\nHalogalanders know less of the king's power than we do here; but\na bold man thou mayst be at home in thy conversation. Let us now\ndrink, my friend, and we shall see tomorrow what can be done in\nthy business.\"\nThey did so, and were very merry all the evening. The following\nday Erling and Asbjorn talked over the matter again, and Erling\nsaid. \"I have found out a way for you to purchase corn, Asbjorn.\nIt is the same thing to you whoever is the seller.\" He answered\nthat he did not care of whom he bought the corn, if he got a good\nright to his purchase. Erling said. \"It appears to me probable\nthat my slaves have quite as much corn as you require to buy; and\nthey are not subject to law, or land regulation, like other men.\"\nAsbjorn agreed to the proposal. The slaves were now spoken to\nabout the purchase, and they brought forward corn and malt, which\nthey sold to Asbjorn, so that he loaded his vessel with what he\nwanted. When he was ready for sea Erling followed him on the\nroad, made him presents of friendship, and they took a kind\nfarewell of each other. Asbjorn got a good breeze, landed in the\nevening at Karmtsund, near to Augvaldsnes, and remained there for\nthe night. Thorer Sel had heard of Asbjorn's voyage, and also\nthat his vessel was deeply laden. Thorer summoned people to him\nin the night, so that before daylight he had sixty men; and with\nthese he went against Asbjorn as soon as it was light, and went\nout to the ship just as Asbjorn and his men were putting on their\nclothes. Asbjorn saluted Thorer, and Thorer asked what kind of\ngoods Asbjorn had in the vessel.\nHe replied, \"Corn and malt.\"\nThorer said, \"Then Erling is doing as he usually does, and\ndespising the king's orders, and is unwearied in opposing him in\nall things, insomuch that it is wonderful the king suffers it.\"\nThorer went on scolding in this way, and when he was silent\nAsbjorn said that Erling's slaves had owned the corn.\nThorer replied hastily, that he did not regard Erling's tricks.\n\"And now, Asbjorn, there is no help for it; ye must either go on\nshore, or we will throw you overboard; for we will not be\ntroubled with you while we are discharging the cargo.\"\nAsbjorn saw that he had not men enough to resist Thorer;\ntherefore he and his people landed, and Thorer took the whole\ncargo out of the vessel. When the vessel was discharged Thorer\nwent through the ship, and observed. \"Ye Halogalanders have good\nsails: take the old sail of our vessel and give it them; it is\ngood enough for those who are sailing in a light vessel.\" Thus\nthe sails were exchanged. When this was done Asbjorn and his\ncomrades sailed away north along the coast, and did not stop\nuntil they reached home early in whiter. This expedition was\ntalked of far and wide, and Asbjorn had no trouble that winter in\nmaking feasts at home. Thorer Hund invited Asbjorn and his\nmother, and also all whom they pleased to take along with him, to\na Yule feast; but Asbjorn sat at home, and would not travel, and\nit was to be seen that Thorer thought Asbjorn despised his\ninvitation, since he would not come. Thorer scoffed much at\nAsbjorn's voyage. \"Now,\" said he, \"it is evident that Asbjorn\nmakes a great difference in his respect towards his relations;\nfor in summer he took the greatest trouble to visit his relation\nErling in Jadar, and now will not take the trouble to come to me\nin the next house. I don't know if he thinks there may be a\nThorer Sel in his way upon every holm.\" Such words, and the like\nsarcasms, Asbjorn heard of; and very ill satisfied he was with\nhis voyage, which had thus made him a laughing-stock to the\ncountry, and he remained at home all winter, and went to no\nfeasts.\n124. MURDER OF THORER SEL.\nAsbjorn had a long-ship standing in the noust (shipshed), and it\nwas a snekke (cutter) of twenty benches; and after Candlemas\n(February 2, 1023), he had the vessel put in the water, brought\nout all his furniture, and rigged her out. He then summoned to\nhim his friends and people, so that he had nearly ninety men all\nwell armed. When he was ready for sea, and got a wind, he sailed\nsouth along the coast, but as the wind did not suit, they\nadvanced but slowly. When they came farther south they steered\noutside the rocks, without the usual ships' channel, keeping to\nsea as much as it was possible to do so. Nothing is related of\nhis voyage before the fifth day of Easter (April 18, 1023), when,\nabout evening, they came on the outside of Karmt Island. This\nisland is so shaped that it is very long, but not broad at its\nwidest part; and without it lies the usual ships' channel. It is\nthickly inhabited; but where the island is exposed to the ocean\ngreat tracts of it are uncultivated. Asbjorn and his men landed\nat a place in the island that was uninhabited. After they had\nset up their ship-tents Asbjorn said, \"Now ye must remain here\nand wait for me. I will go on land in the isle, and spy what\nnews there may be which we know nothing of.\" Asbjorn had on mean\nclothes, a broadbrimmed hat, a fork in his hand, but had girt on\nhis sword under his clothes. He went up to the land, and in\nthrough the island; and when he came upon a hillock, from which\nhe could see the house on Augvaldsnes, and on as far as\nKarmtsund, he saw people in all quarters flocking together by\nland and by sea, and all going up to the house of Augvaldsnes.\nThis seemed to him extraordinary; and therefore he went up\nquietly to a house close by, in which servants were cooking meat.\nFrom their conversation he discovered immediately that the king\nOlaf had come there to a feast, and that he had just sat down to\ntable. Asbjorn turned then to the feasting-room, and when he\ncame into the ante-room one was going in and another coming out;\nbut nobody took notice of him. The hall-door was open, and he\nsaw that Thorer Sel stood before the table of the high-seat. It\nwas getting late in the evening, and Asbjorn heard people ask\nThorer what had taken place between him and Asbjorn; and Thorer\nhad a long story about it, in which he evidently departed from\nthe truth. Among other things he heard a man say, \"How did\nAsbjorn behave when you discharged his vessel?\" Thorer replied,\n\"When we were taking out the cargo he bore it tolerably, but not\nwell; and when we took the sail from him he wept.\" When Asbjorn\nheard this he suddenly drew his sword, rushed into the hall, and\ncut at Thorer. The stroke took him in the neck, so that the head\nfell upon the table before the king, and the body at his feet,\nand the table-cloth was soiled with blood from top to bottom.\nThe king ordered him to be seized and taken out. This was done.\nThey laid hands on Asbjorn, and took him from the hall. The\ntable-furniture and table-cloths were removed, and also Thorer's\ncorpse, and all the blood wiped up. The king was enraged to the\nhighest; but remained quiet in speech, as he always was when in\nanger.\n125. OF SKJALG, THE SON OF ERLING SKJALGSON.\nSkjalg Erlingson stood up, went before the king, and said, \"Now\nmay it go, as it often does, that every case will admit of\nalleviation. I will pay thee the mulct for the bloodshed on\naccount of this man, so that he may retain life and limbs. All\nthe rest determine and do, king, according to thy pleasure.\"\nThe king replies, \"Is it not a matter of death, Skjalg, that a\nman break the Easter peace; and in the next place that he kills a\nman in the king's lodging; and in the third that he makes my feet\nhis execution-block, although that may appear a small matter to\nthee and thy father?\"\nSkjalg replies, \"It is ill done, king, in as far as it displeases\nthee; but the deed is, otherwise, done excellently well. But if\nthe deed appear to thee so important, and be so contrary to thy\nwill, yet may I expect something for my services from thee; and\ncertainly there are many who will say that thou didst well.\"\nThe king replies, \"Although thou hast made me greatly indebted to\nthee, Skjalg, for thy services, yet I will not for thy sake break\nthe law, or cast away my own dignity.\"\nThen Skjalg turned round, and went out of the hall. Twelve men\nwho had come with Skjalg all followed him, and many others went\nout with him. Skjalg said to Thorarin Nefiulfson, \"If thou wilt\nhave me for a friend, take care that this man be not killed\nbefore Sunday.\" Thereupon Skjalg and his men set off, took a\nrowing boat which he had, and rowed south as fast as they could,\nand came to Jadar with the first glimpse of morning. They went\nup instantly to the house, and to the loft in which Erling slept.\nSkjalg rushed so hard against the door that it burst asunder at\nthe nails. Erling and the others who were within started up. He\nwas in one spring upon his legs, grasped his shield and sword,\nand rushed to the door, demanding who was there. Skjalg named\nhimself, and begs him to open the door. Erling replies, \"It was\nmost likely to be thee who hast behaved so foolishly; or is there\nany one who is pursuing thee?\" Thereupon the door was unlocked.\nThen said Skjalg, \"Although it appears to thee that I am so\nhasty, I suppose our relation Asbjorn will not think my\nproceedings too quick; for he sits in chains there in the north\nat Augvaldsnes, and it would be but manly to hasten back and\nstand by him.\" The father and son then had a conversation\ntogether, and Skjalg related the whole circumstances of Thorer\nSel's murder.\n126. OF THORARIN NEFIULFSON.\nKing Olaf took his seat again when everything in the hall was put\nin order, and was enraged beyond measure. He asked how it was\nwith the murderer. He was answered, that he was sitting out upon\nthe doorstep under guard.\nThe king says, \"Why is he not put to death?\"\nThorarin Nefiulfson replies, \"Sire, would you not call it murder\nto kill a man in the night-time?\"\nThe king answers, \"Put him in irons then, and kill him in the\nmorning.\"\nThen Asbjorn was laid in chains, and locked up in a house for the\nnight. The day after the king heard the morning mass, and then\nwent to the Thing, where he sat till high mass. As he was going\nto mass he said to Thorarin, \"Is not the sun high enough now in\nthe heavens that your friend Asbjorn may be hanged?\"\nThorarin bowed before the king, and said, \"Sire, it was said by\nBishop Sigurd on Friday last, that the King who has all things in\nhis power had to endure great temptation of spirit; and blessed\nis he who rather imitates him, than those who condemned the man\nto death, or those who caused his slaughter. It is not long till\ntomorrow, and that is a working day.\"\nThe king looked at him, and said, \"Thou must take care then that\nhe is not put to death to-day; but take him under thy charge, and\nknow for certain that thy own life shall answer for it if he\nescape in any way.\"\nThen the king went away. Thorarin went also to where Asbjorn lay\nin irons, took off his chains, and brought him to a small room,\nwhere he had meat and drink set before him, and told him what the\nking had determined in case Asbjorn ran away. Asbjorn replies,\nthat Thorarin need not be afraid of him. Thorarin sat a long\nwhile with him during the day, and slept there all night. On\nSaturday the king arose and went to the early mass, and from\nthence he went to the Thing, where a great many bondes were\nassembled, who had many complaints to be determined. The king\nsat there long in the day, and it was late before the people went\nto high mass. Thereafter the king went to table. When he had\ngot meat he sat drinking for a while, so that the tables were not\nremoved. Thorarin went out to the priest who had the church\nunder his care, and gave him two marks of silver to ring in the\nSabbath as soon as the king's table was taken away. When the\nking had drunk as much as he wished the tables were removed.\nThen said the king, that it was now time for the slaves to go to\nthe murderer and put him to death. In the same moment the bell\nrang in the Sabbath.\nThen Thorarin went before the king, and said, \"The Sabbath-peace\nthis man must have, although he has done evil.\"\nThe king said, \"Do thou take care, Thorarin, that he do not\nescape.\"\nThe king then went to the church, and attended the vesper\nservice, and Thorarin sat the whole day with Asbjorn. On Sunday\nthe bishop visited Asbjorn, confessed him, and gave him orders to\nhear high mass. Thorarin then went to the king, and asked him to\nappoint men to guard the murderer. \"I will now,\" he said, \"be\nfree of this charge.\" The king thanked him for his care, and\nordered men to watch over Asbjorn, who was again laid in chains.\nWhen the people went to high mass Asbjorn was led to the church,\nand he stood outside of the church with his guard; but the king\nand all the people stood in the church at mass.\n127. ERLING'S RECONCILIATION WITH KING OLAF.\nNow we must again take up our story where we left it, -- that\nErling and his son Skjalg held a council on this affair, and\naccording to the resolution of Erling, and of Skjalg and his\nother sons, it was determined to assemble a force and send out\nmessage-tokens. A great multitude of people accordingly came\ntogether. They got ready with all speed, rigged their ships, and\nwhen they reckoned upon their force they found they had nearly\n1500 men. With this war-force they set off, and came on Sunday\nto Augvaldsnes on Karmt Island. They went straight up to the\nhouse with all the men, and arrived just as the Scripture lesson\nwas read. They went directly to the church, took Asbjorn, and\nbroke off his chains. At the tumult and clash of arms all who\nwere outside of the church ran into it; but they who were in the\nchurch looked all towards them, except the king, who stood still,\nwithout looking around him. Erling and his sons drew up their\nmen on each side of the path which led from the church to the\nhall, and Erling with his sons stood next to the hall. When high\nmass was finished the king went immediately out of the church,\nand first went through the open space between the ranks drawn up,\nand then his retinue, man by man; and as he came to the door\nErling placed himself before the door, bowed to the king, and\nsaluted him. The king saluted him in return, and prayed God to\nhelp him. Erling took up the word first, and said, \"My relation,\nAsbjorn, it is reported to me, has been guilty of misdemeanor,\nking; and it is a great one, if he has done anything that incurs\nyour displeasure. Now I am come to entreat for him peace, and\nsuch penalties as you yourself may determine; but that thereby he\nredeem life and limb, and his remaining here in his native land.\"\nThe king replies, \"It appears to me, Erling, that thou thinkest\nthe case of Asbjorn is now in thy own power, and I do not\ntherefore know why thou speakest now as if thou wouldst offer\nterms for him. I think thou hast drawn together these forces\nbecause thou are determined to settle what is between us.\"\nErling replies, \"Thou only, king, shalt determine, and determine\nso that we shall be reconciled.\"\nThe king: \"Thinkest thou, Erling, to make me afraid? And art\nthou come here in such force with that expectation? No, that\nshall not be; and if that be thy thought, I must in no way turn\nand fly.\"\nErling replies, \"Thou hast no occasion to remind me how often I\nhave come to meet thee with fewer men than thou hadst. But now I\nshall not conceal what lies in my mind, namely, that it is my\nwill that we now enter into a reconciliation; for otherwise I\nexpect we shall never meet again.\" Erling was then as red as\nblood in the face.\nNow Bishop Sigurd came forward to the king and said, \"Sire, I\nentreat you on God Almighty's account to be reconciled with\nErling according to his offer, -- that the man shall retain life\nand limb, but that thou shalt determine according to thy pleasure\nall the other conditions.\"\nThe king replies, \"You will determine.\"\nThen said the bishop, \"Erling, do thou give security for Asbjorn,\nsuch as the king thinks sufficient, and then leave the conditions\nto the mercy of the king, and leave all in his power.\"\nErling gave a surety to the king on his part, which he accepted.\nThereupon Asbjorn received his life and safety, and delivered\nhimself into the king's power, and kissed his hand.\nErling then withdrew with his forces, without exchanging\nsalutation with the king; and the king went into the hall,\nfollowed by Asbjorn. The king thereafter made known the terms of\nreconciliation to be these: -- \"In the first place, Asbjorn, thou\nmust submit to the law of the land, which commands that the man\nwho kills a servant of the king must undertake his service, if\nthe king will. Now I will that thou shalt undertake the office\nof bailiff which Thorer Sel had, and manage my estate here in\nAugvaldsnes.\" Asbjorn replies, that it should be according to\nthe king's will; \"but I must first go home to my farm, and put\nthings in order there.\" The king was satisfied with this, and\nproceeded to another guest-quarter. Asbjorn made himself ready\nwith his comrades, who all kept themselves concealed in a quiet\ncreek during the time Asbjorn was away from them. They had had\ntheir spies out to learn how it went with him, and would not\ndepart without having some certain news of him.\n128. OF THORER HUND AND ASBJORN SELSBANE.\nAsbjorn then set out on his voyage, and about spring (A.D. 1023)\ngot home to his farm. After this exploit he was always called\nAsbjorn Selsbane. Asbjorn had not been long at home before he\nand his relation Thorer met and conversed together, and Thorer\nasked Asbjorn particularly all about his journey, and about all\nthe circumstances which had happened on the course of it.\nAsbjorn told everything as it had taken place.\nThen said Thorer, \"Thou thinkest that thou hast well rubbed out\nthe disgrace of having been plundered in last harvest.\"\n\"I think so,\" replies Asbjorn; \"and what is thy opinion, cousin?\"\n\"That I will soon tell thee,\" said Thorer. \"Thy first expedition\nto the south of the country was indeed very disgraceful, and that\ndisgrace has been redeemed; but this expedition is both a\ndisgrace to thee and to thy family, if it end in thy becoming the\nking's slave, and being put on a footing with that worst of men,\nThorer Sel. Show that thou art manly enough to sit here on thy\nown property, and we thy relations shall so support thee that\nthou wilt never more come into such trouble.\"\nAsbjorn found this advice much to his mind; and before they\nparted it was firmly, determined that Asbjorn should remain on\nhis farm, and not go back to the king or enter into his service.\nAnd he did so, and sat quietly at home on his farm.\n129. KING OLAF BAPTIZES IN VORS AND VALDERS.\nAfter King Olaf and Erling Skjalgson had this meeting at\nAugvaldsnes, new differences arose between them, and increased\nso much that they ended in perfect enmity. In spring (A.D. 1023)\nthe king proceeded to guest-quarters in Hordaland, and went up\nalso to Vors, because he heard there was but little of the true\nfaith among the people there. He held a Thing with the bondes at\na place called Vang, and a number of bondes came to it fully\narmed. The king ordered them to adopt Christianity; but they\nchallenged him to battle, and it proceeded so far that the men\nwere drawn up on both sides. But when it came to the point such\na fear entered into the blood of the bondes that none would\nadvance or command, and they chose the part which was most to\ntheir advantage; namely, to obey the king and receive\nChristianity; and before the king left them they were all\nbaptized. One day it happened that the king was riding on his\nway a singing of psalms, and when he came right opposite some\nhills he halted and said, \"Man after man shall relate these my\nwords, that I think it not advisable for any king of Norway to\ntravel hereafter between these hills.\" And it is a saying among\nthe people that the most kings since that time have avoided it.\nThe king proceeded to Ostrarfjord, and came to his ships, with\nwhich he went north to Sogn, and had his living in guest-quarters\nthere in summer (A.D. 1023); when autumn approached he turned in\ntowards the Fjord district, and went from thence to Valders,\nwhere the people were still heathen. The king hastened up to the\nlake in Valders, came unexpectedly on the bondes, seized their\nvessels, and went on board of them with all his men. He then\nsent out message-tokens, and appointed a Thing so near the lake\nthat he could use the vessels if he found he required them. The\nbondes resorted to the Thing in a great and well-armed host; and\nwhen he commanded them to accept Christianity the bondes shouted\nagainst him, told him to be silent, and made a great uproar and\nclashing of weapons. But when the king saw that they would not\nlisten to what he would teach them, and also that they had too\ngreat a force to contend with, he turned his discourse, and asked\nif there were people at the Thing who had disputes with each\nother which they wished him to settle. It was soon found by the\nconversation of the bondes that they had many quarrels among\nthemselves, although they had all joined in speaking against\nChristianity. When the bondes began to set forth their own\ncases, each endeavored to get some upon his side to support him;\nand this lasted the whole day long until evening, when the Thing\nwas concluded. When the bondes had heard that the king had\ntravelled to Valders, and was come into their neighborhood, they\nhad sent out message-tokens summoning the free and the unfree to\nmeet in arms, and with this force they had advanced against the\nking; so that the neighbourhood all around was left without\npeople. When the Thing was concluded the bondes still remained\nassembled; and when the king observed this he went on board his\nships, rowed in the night right across the water, landed in the\ncountry there, and began to plunder and burn. The day after the\nking's men rowed from one point of land to another, and over all\nthe king ordered the habitations to be set on fire. Now when the\nbondes who were assembled saw what the king was doing, namely,\nplundering and burning, and saw the smoke and flame of their\nhouses, they dispersed, and each hastened to his own home to see\nif he could find those he had left. As soon as there came a\ndispersion among the crowd, the one slipped away after the other,\nuntil the whole multitude was dissolved. Then the king rowed\nacross the lake again, burning also on that side of the country.\nNow came the bondes to him begging for mercy, and offering to\nsubmit to him. He gave every man who came to him peace if he\ndesired it, and restored to him his goods; and nobody refused to\nadopt Christianity. The king then had the people christened, and\ntook hostages from the bondes. He ordered churches to be built\nand consecrated, and placed teachers in them. He remained a long\ntime here in autumn, and had his ships drawn across the neck of\nland between the two lakes. The king did not go far from the\nsides of the lakes into the country, for he did not much trust\nthe bondes. When the king thought that frost might be expected,\nhe went further up the country, and came to Thoten. Arnor, the\nearl's skald, tells how King Olaf burnt in the Uplands, in the\npoem he composed concerning the king's brother King Harald: --\n\"Against the Upland people wroth,\nOlaf, to most so mild, went forth:\nThe houses burning,\nAll people mourning;\nWho could not fly\nHung on gallows high.\nIt was, I think, in Olaf's race\nThe Upland people to oppress.\"\nAfterwards King Olaf went north through the valleys to\nDovrefield, and did not halt until he reached the Throndhjem\ndistrict and arrived at Nidaros, where he had ordered winter\nprovision to be collected, and remained all winter (A.D. 1024).\nThis was the tenth year of his reign.\n130. OF EINAR TAMBASKELFER.\nThe summer before Einar Tambaskelfer left the country, and went\nwestward to England (A.D. 1023). There he met his relative Earl\nHakon, and stayed some time with him. He then visited King\nCanute, from whom he received great presents. Einar then went\nsouth all the way to Rome, and came back the following summer\n(A.D. 1024), and returned to his house and land. King Olaf and\nEinar did not meet this time.\n131. THE BIRTH OF KING MAGNUS.\nThere was a girl whose name was Alfhild, and who was usually\ncalled the king's slave-woman, although she was of good descent.\nShe was a remarkably handsome girl, and lived in King Olaf's\ncourt. It was reported this spring that Alfhild was with child,\nand the king's confidential friends knew that he was father of\nthe child. It happened one night that Alfhild was taken ill, and\nonly few people were at hand; namely, some women, priests, Sigvat\nthe skald, and a few others. Alfhild was so ill that she was\nnearly dead; and when she was delivered of a man-child, it was\nsome time before they could discover whether the child was in\nlife. But when the infant drew breath, although very weak, the\npriest told Sigvat to hasten to the king, and tell him of the\nevent.\nHe replies, \"I dare not on any account waken the king; for he has\nforbid that any man should break his sleep until he awakens of\nhimself.\"\nThe priest replies, \"It is of necessity that this child be\nimmediately baptized, for it appears to me there is but little\nlife in it.\"\nSigvat said, \"I would rather venture to take upon me to let thee\nbaptize the child, than to awaken the king; and I will take it\nupon myself if anything be amiss, and will give the child a\nname.\"\nThey did so; and the child was baptized, and got the name of\nMagnus. The next morning, when the king awoke and had dressed\nhimself, the circumstance was told him. He ordered Sigvat to be\ncalled, and said. \"How camest thou to be so bold as to have my\nchild baptized before I knew anything about it?\"\nSigvat replies, \"Because I would rather give two men to God than\none to the devil.\"\nThe king -- \"What meanest thou?\"\nSigvat -- \"The child was near death, and must have been the\ndevil's if it had died as a heathen, and now it is God's. And I\nknew besides that if thou shouldst be so angry on this account\nthat it affected my life, I would be God's also.\"\nThe king asked, \"But why didst thou call him Magnus, which is not\na name of our race?\"\nSigvat -- \"I called him after King Carl Magnus, who, I knew, had\nbeen the best man in the world.\"\nThen said the king, \"Thou art a very lucky man, Sigvat; but it is\nnot wonderful that luck should accompany understanding. It is\nonly wonderful how it sometimes happens that luck attends\nignorant men, and that foolish counsel turns out lucky.\" The\nking was overjoyed at the circumstance. The boy grew up, and\ngave good promise as he advanced in age.\n132. THE MURDER OF ASBJORN SELSBANE.\nThe same spring (A.D. 1024) the king gave into the hands of\nAsmund Grankelson the half of the sheriffdom of the district of\nHalogaland, which Harek of Thjotta had formerly held, partly in\nfief, partly for defraying the king's entertainment in guest-\nquarters. Asmund had a ship manned with nearly thirty well-armed\nmen. When Asmund came north he met Harek, and told him what the\nking had determined with regard to the district, and produced to\nhim the tokens of the king's full powers. Harek said, \"The king\nhad the right to give the sheriffdom to whom he pleased; but the\nformer sovereigns had not been in use to diminish our rights who\nare entitled by birth to hold powers from the king, and to give\nthem into the hands of the peasants who never before held such\noffices.\" But although it was evident that it was against\nHarek's inclination, he allowed Asmund to take the sheriffdom\naccording to the king's order. Then Asmund proceeded home to his\nfather, stayed there a short time, and then went north to\nHalogaland to his sheriffdom; and he came north to Langey Island,\nwhere there dwelt two brothers called Gunstein and Karle, both\nvery rich and respectable men. Gunstein, the eldest of the\nbrothers, was a good husbandman. Karle was a handsome man in\nappearance, and splendid in his dress; and both were, in many\nrespects, expert in all feats. Asmund was well received by them,\nremained with them a while, and collected such revenues of his\nsheriffdom as he could get. Karle spoke with Asmund of his wish\nto go south with him and take service in the court of King Olaf,\nto which Asmund encouraged him much, promising his influence with\nthe king for obtaining for Karle such a situation as he desired;\nand Karle accordingly accompanied Asmund. Asmund heard that\nAsbjorn, who had killed Thorer Sel, had gone to the market-\nmeeting of Vagar with a large ship of burden manned with nearly\ntwenty men, and that he was now expected from the south. Asmund\nand his retinue proceeded on their way southwards along the coast\nwith a contrary wind, but there was little of it. They saw some\nof the fleet for Vagar sailing towards them; and they privately\ninquired of them about Asbjorn, and were told he was upon the way\ncoming from the south. Asmund and Karle were bedfellows, and\nexcellent friends. One day, as Asmund and his people were rowing\nthrough a sound, a ship of burden came sailing towards them. The\nship was easily known, having high bulwarks, was painted with\nwhite and red colours, and coloured cloth was woven in the sail.\nKarle said to Asmund, \"Thou hast often said thou wast curious to\nsee Asbjorn who killed Thorer Sel; and if I know one ship from\nanother, that is his which is coming sailing along.\"\nAsmund replies, \"Be so good, comrade, and tell me which is he\nwhen thou seest him.\"\nWhen the ships came alongside of each other, \"That is Asbjorn,\"\nsaid Karle; \"the man sitting at the helm in a blue cloak.\"\nAsmund replies, \"I shall make his blue cloak red;\" threw a spear\nat Asbjorn, and hit him in the middle of the body, so that it\nflew through and through him, and stuck fast in the upper part of\nthe stern-post; and Asbjorn fell down dead from the helm. Then\neach vessel sailed on its course, and Asbjorn's body was carried\nnorth to Thrandarnes. Then Sigrid sent a message to Bjarkey Isle\nto Thorer Hund, who came to her while they were, in the usual\nway, dressing the corpse of Asbjorn. When he returned Sigrid\ngave presents to all her friends, and followed Thorer to his\nship; but before they parted she said, \"It has so fallen out,\nThorer, that my son has suffered by thy friendly counsel, but he\ndid not retain life to reward thee for it; but although I have\nnot his ability yet will I show my good will. Here is a gift I\ngive thee, which I expect thou wilt use. Here is the spear which\nwent through Asbjorn my son, and there is still blood upon it, to\nremind thee that it fits the wound thou hast seen on the corpse\nof thy brother's son Asbjorn. It would be a manly deed, if thou\nshouldst throw this spear from thy hand so that it stood in\nOlaf's breast; and this I can tell thee, that thou wilt be named\ncoward in every man's mouth, if thou dost not avenge Asbjorn.\"\nThereupon she turned about, and went her way.\nThorer was so enraged at her words that he could not speak. He\nneither thought of casting the spear from him, nor took notice of\nthe gangway; so that he would have fallen into the sea, if his\nmen had not laid hold of him as he was going on board his ship.\nIt was a feathered spear; not large, but the handle was gold-\nmounted. Now Thorer rowed away with his people, and went home to\nBjarkey Isle. Asmund and his companions also proceeded on their\nway until they came south to Throndhjem, where they waited on\nKing Olaf; and Asmund related to the king all that had happened\non the voyage. Karle became one of the king's court-men, and the\nfriendship continued between him and Asmund. They did not keep\nsecret the words that had passed between Asmund and Karle before\nAsbjorn was killed; for they even told them to the king. But\nthen it happened, according to the proverb, that every one has a\nfriend in the midst of his enemies. There were some present who\ntook notice of the words, and they reached Thorer Hund's ears.\n133. OF KING OLAF.\nWhen spring (A.D. 1024) was advanced King Olaf rigged out his\nships, and sailed southwards in summer along the land. He held\nThings with the bondes on the way, settled the law business of\nthe people, put to rights the faith of the country, and collected\nthe king's taxes wherever he came. In autumn he proceeded south\nto the frontier of the country; and King Olaf had now made the\npeople Christians in all the great districts, and everywhere, by\nlaws, had introduced order into the country. He had also, as\nbefore related, brought the Orkney Islands under his power, and\nby messages had made many friends in Iceland, Greenland, and the\nFarey Islands. King Olaf had sent timber for building a church\nto Iceland, of which a church was built upon the Thing-field\nwhere the General Thing is held, and had sent a bell for it,\nwhich is still there. This was after the Iceland people had\naltered their laws, and introduced Christianity, according to the\nword King Olaf had sent them. After that time, many considerable\npersons came from Iceland, and entered into King Olaf's service;\nas Thorkel Eyjolfson, and Thorleif Bollason, Thord Kolbeinson,\nThord Barkarson, Thorgeir Havarson, Thormod Kalbrunar-skald.\nKing Olaf had sent many friendly presents to chief people in\nIceland; and they in return sent him such things as they had\nwhich they thought most acceptable. Under this show of\nfriendship which the king gave Iceland were concealed many things\nwhich afterwards appeared.\n134. KING OLAF'S MESSAGE TO ICELAND, AND THE COUNSELS OF THE\nICELANDERS.\nKing Olaf this summer (A.D. 1024) sent Thorarin Nefiulfson to\nIceland on his errands; and Thorarin went out of Throndhjem fjord\nalong with the king, and followed him south to More. From thence\nThorarin went out to sea, and got such a favourable breeze that\nafter four days sail he landed at the Westman Isles, in Iceland.\nHe proceeded immediately to the Althing, and came just as the\npeople were upon the Lawhillock, to which he repaired. When the\ncases of the people before the Thing had been determined\naccording to law, Thorarin Nefiulfson took up the word as\nfollows: -- \"We parted four days ago from King Olaf Haraldson,\nwho sends God Almighty's and his own salutation to all the chiefs\nand principal men of the land; as also to all the people in\ngeneral, men and women, young and old, rich and poor. He also\nlets you know that he will be your sovereign if ye will become\nhis subjects, so that he and you will be friends, assisting each\nother in all that is good.\"\nThe people replied in a friendly way, that they would gladly be\nthe king's friends, if he would be a friend of the people of\ntheir country.\nThen Thorarin again took up the word: -- \"This follows in\naddition to the king's message, that he will in friendship desire\nof the people of the north district that they give him the\nisland, or out-rock, which lies at the mouth of Eyfjord, and is\ncalled Grimsey, for which he will give you from his country\nwhatever good the people of the district may desire. He sends\nthis message particularly to Gudmund of Modruvellir to support\nthis matter, because he understands that Gudmund has most\ninfluence in that quarter.\"\nGudmund replies, \"My inclination is greatly for King Olaf's\nfriendship, and that I consider much more useful than the out-\nrock he desires. But the king has not heard rightly if he think\nI have more power in this matter than any other, for the island\nis a common. We, however, who have the most use of the isle,\nwill hold a meeting among ourselves about it.\"\nThen the people went to their tent-houses; and the Northland\npeople had a meeting among themselves, and talked over the\nbusiness, and every one spoke according to his judgment. Gudmund\nsupported the matter, and many others formed their opinions by\nhis. Then some asked why his brother Einar did not speak on the\nsubject. \"We think he has the clearest insight into most\nthings.\"\nEinar answers, \"I have said so little about the matter because\nnobody has asked me about it; but if I may give my opinion, our\ncountrymen might just as well make themselves at once liable to\nland-scat to King Olaf, and submit to all his exactions as he has\nthem among his people in Norway; and this heavy burden we will\nlay not only upon ourselves, but on our sons, and their sons, and\nall our race, and on all the community dwelling and living in\nthis land, which never after will be free from this slavery. Now\nalthough this king is a good man, as I well believe him to be,\nyet it must be hereafter, when kings succeed each other, that\nsome will be good. and some bad. Therefore if the people of this\ncountry will preserve the freedom they have enjoyed since the\nland was first inhabited, it is not advisable to give the king\nthe smallest spot to fasten himself upon the country by, and not\nto give him any kind of scat or service that can have the\nappearance of a duty. On the other hand, I think it very proper\nthat the people send the king such friendly presents of hawks or\nhorses, tents or sails, or such things which are suitable gifts;\nand these are well applied if they are repaid with friendship.\nBut as to Grimsey Isle, I have to say, that although nothing is\ndrawn from it that can serve for food, yet it could support a\ngreat war-force cruising from thence in long-ships; and then, I\ndoubt not, there would be distress enough at every poor peasant's\ndoor.\"\nWhen Einar had thus explained the proper connection of the\nmatter, the whole community were of one mind that such a thing\nshould not be permitted; and Thorarin saw sufficiently well what\nthe result of his errand was to be.\n135. THE ANSWER OF THE ICELANDERS.\nThe day following, Thorarin went again to the Lawhill, and\nbrought forward his errand in the following words: -- \"King Olaf\nsends his message to his friends here in the country, among whom\nhe reckons Gudmund Eyjolfson, Snorre Gode, Thorkel Eyjolfson,\nSkapte the lagman, and Thorstein Halson, and desires them by me\nto come to him on a friendly visit; and adds, that ye must not\nexcuse yourselves, if you regard his friendship as worth\nanything.\" In their answer they thanked the king for his message\nand added, that they would afterwards give a reply to it by\nThorarin when they had more closely considered the matter with\ntheir friends. The chiefs now weighed the matter among\nthemselves, and each gave his own opinion about the journey.\nSnorre and Skapte dissuaded from such a dangerous proceeding with\nthe people of Norway; namely, that all the men who had the most\nto say in the country should at once leave Iceland. They added,\nthat from this message, and from what Einar had said, they had\nthe suspicion that the king intended to use force and strong\nmeasures against the Icelanders if he ruled in the country.\nGudmund and Thorkel Eyjolfson insisted much that they should\nfollow King Olaf's invitation, and called it a journey of honour.\nBut when they had considered the matter on all sides, it was at\nlast resolved that they should not travel themselves, but that\neach of them should send in his place a man whom they thought\nbest suited for it. After this determination the Thing was\nclosed, and there was no journey that summer. Thorarin made two\nvoyages that summer, and about harvest was back again at King\nOlaf's, and reported the result of his mission, and that some of\nthe chiefs, or their sons, would come from Iceland according to\nhis message.\n136. OF THE PEOPLE OF THE FAREY ISLANDS.\nThe same summer (A.D. 1024) there came from the Farey Islands to\nNorway, on the king's invitation, Gille the lagman, Leif\nOssurson, Thoralf of Dimun, and many other bondes' sons. Thord\nof Gata made himself ready for the voyage; but just as he was\nsetting out he got a stroke of palsy, and could not come, so he\nremained behind. Now when the people from the Farey Isles\narrived at King Olaf's, he called them to him to a conference,\nand explained the purpose of the journey he had made them take,\nnamely, that he would have scat from the Farey Islands, and also\nthat the people there should be subject to the laws which the\nking should give them. In that meeting it appeared from the\nking's words that he would make the Farey people who had come\nanswerable, and would bind them by oath to conclude this union.\nHe also offered to the men whom he thought the ablest to take\nthem into his service, and bestow honour and friendship on them.\nThese Farey men understood the king's words so, that they must\ndread the turn the matter might take if they did not submit to\nall that the king desired. Although they held several meetings\nabout the business before it ended, the king's desire at last\nprevailed. Leif, Gille, and Thoralf went into the king's\nservice, and became his courtmen; and they, with all their\ntravelling companions, swore the oath to King Olaf, that the law\nand land privilege which he set them should be observed in the\nFarey Islands, and also the scat be levied that he laid upon\nthem. Thereafter the Farey people prepared for their return\nhome, and at their departure the king gave those who had entered\ninto his service presents in testimony of his friendship, and\nthey went their way. Now the king ordered a ship to be rigged,\nmanned it, and sent men to the Farey Islands to receive the scat\nfrom the inhabitants which they should pay him. It was late\nbefore they were ready; but they set off at last: and of their\njourney all that is to be told is, that they did not come back,\nand no scat either, the following summer; for nobody had come to\nthe Farey Isles, and no man had demanded scat there.\n137. OF THE MARRIAGE OF KETIL AND OF THORD TO THE KING'S SISTERS.\nKing Olaf proceeded about harvest time to Viken, and sent a\nmessage before him to the Uplands that they should prepare guest-\nquarters for him, as he intended to be there in winter.\nAfterwards he made ready for his journey, and went to the\nUplands, and remained the winter there; going about in guest-\nquarters, and putting things to rights where he saw it needful,\nadvancing also the cause of Christianity wheresoever it was\nrequisite. It happened while King Olaf was in Hedemark that\nKetil Kalf of Ringanes courted Gunhild, a daughter of Sigurd Syr\nand of King Olaf's mother Asta. Gunhild was a sister of King\nOlaf, and therefore it belonged to the king to give consent and\ndetermination to the business. He took it in a friendly way; for\nhe know Ketil, that he was of high birth, wealthy, and of good\nunderstanding, and a great chief; and also he had long been a\ngreat friend of King Olaf, as before related. All these\ncircumstances induced the king to approve of the match, and so it\nwas that Ketil got Gunhild. King Olaf was present at the\nwedding. From thence the king went north to Gudbrandsdal, where\nhe was entertained in guest-quarters. There dwelt a man, by name\nThord Guthormson, on a farm called Steig; and he was the most\npowerful man in the north end of the valley. When Thord and the\nking met, Thord made proposals for Isrid, the daughter of\nGudbrand, and the sister of King Olaf's mother, as it belonged to\nthe king to give consent. After the matter was considered, it\nwas determined that the marriage should proceed, and Thord got\nIsrid. Afterwards Thord was the king's faithful friend, and also\nmany of Thord's relations and friends, who followed his\nfootsteps. From thence King Olaf returned south through Thoten\nand Hadaland, from thence to Ringerike, and so to Viken. In\nspring (A.D. 1025) he went to Tunsberg, and stayed there while\nthere was the market-meeting, and a great resort of people. He\nthen had his vessels rigged out, and had many people about him.\n138. OF THE ICELANDERS.\nThe same summer (A.D. 1025) came Stein, a son of the lagman\nSkapte, from Iceland, in compliance with King Olaf's message; and\nwith him Thorod, a son of Snorre the gode, and Geller, a son of\nThorkel Eyjolfson, and Egil, a son of Hal of Sida, brother of\nThorstein Hal. Gudmund Eyjolfson had died the winter before.\nThese Iceland men repaired to King Olaf as soon as they had\nopportunity; and when they met the king they were well received,\nand all were in his house. The same summer King Olaf heard that\nthe ship was missing which he had sent the summer before to the\nFarey Islands after the scat, and nobody knew what had become of\nit. The king fitted out another ship, manned it, and sent it to\nthe Farey Islands for the scat. They got under weigh, and\nproceeded to sea; but as little was ever heard of this vessel as\nof the former one, and many conjectures were made about what had\nbecome of them.\n139. HERE BEGINS THE STORY OF CANUTE THE GREAT.\nDuring this time Canute the Great, called by some Canute the Old,\nwas king of England and Denmark. Canute the Great was a son of\nSvein Haraldson Forkedbeard, whose forefathers, for a long course\nof generations, had ruled over Denmark. Harald Gormson, Canute's\ngrandfather, had conquered Norway after the fall of Harald\nGrafeld, Gunhild's son, had taken scat from it, and had placed\nEarl Hakon the Great to defend the country. The Danish King,\nSvein Haraldson, ruled also over Norway, and placed his son-in-\nlaw Earl Eirik, the son of Earl Hakon, to defend the country.\nThe brothers Eirik and Svein, Earl Hakon's sons, ruled the land\nuntil Earl Eirik went west to England, on the invitation of his\nbrother-in-law Canute the Great, when he left behind his son Earl\nHakon, sister's son of Canute the Great, to govern Norway. But\nwhen Olaf the Thick came first to Norway, as before related, he\ntook prisoner Earl Hakon the son of Eirik, and deposed him from\nthe kingdom. Then Hakon proceeded to his mother's brother,\nCanute the Great, and had been with him constantly until the time\nto which here in our saga we have now come. Canute the Great had\nconquered England by blows and weapons, and had a long struggle\nbefore the people of the land were subdued. But when he had set\nhimself perfectly firm in the government of the country, he\nremembered that he also had right to a kingdom which he had not\nbrought under his authority; and that was Norway. He thought he\nhad hereditary right to all Norway; and his sister's son Hakon,\nwho had held a part of it, appeared to him to have lost it with\ndisgrace. The reason why Canute and Hakon had remained quiet\nwith respect to their claims upon Norway was, that when King Olaf\nHaraldson landed in Norway the people and commonalty ran together\nin crowds, and would hear of nothing but that Olaf should be king\nover all the country, although some afterwards, who thought that\nthe people upon account of his power had no self-government left\nto them, went out of the country. Many powerful men, or rich\nbondes sons, had therefore gone to Canute the Great, and\npretended various errands; and every one who came to Canute and\ndesired his friendship was loaded with presents. With Canute,\ntoo, could be seen greater splendour and pomp than elsewhere,\nboth with regard to the multitude of people who were daily in\nattendance, and also to the other magnificent things about the\nhouses he owned and dwelt in himself. Canute the Great drew scat\nand revenue from the people who were the richest of all in\nnorthern lands; and in the same proportion as he had greater\nrevenues than other kings, he also made greater presents than\nother kings. In his whole kingdom peace was so well established,\nthat no man dared break it. The people of the country kept the\npeace towards each other, and had their old country law: and for\nthis he was greatly celebrated in all countries. And many of\nthose who came from Norway represented their hardships to Earl\nHakon, and some even to King Canute himself; and that the Norway\npeople were ready to turn back to the government of King Canute,\nor Earl Hakon, and receive deliverance from them. This\nconversation suited well the earl's inclination, and he carried\nit to the king, and begged of him to try if King Olaf would not\nsurrender the kingdom, or at least come to an agreement to divide\nit; and many supported the earl's views.\n140. CANUTE'S MESSAGE TO KING OLAF.\nCanute the Great sent men from the West, from England, to Norway,\nand equipped them magnificently for the journey. They were\nbearers of the English king Canute's letter and seal. They came\nabout spring (A.D. 1025) to the king of Norway, Olaf Haraldson,\nin Tunsberg. Now when it was told the king that ambassadors had\narrived from Canute the Great he was ill at ease, and said that\nCanute had not sent messengers hither with any messages that\ncould be of advantage to him or his people; and it was some days\nbefore the ambassadors could come before the king. But when they\ngot permission to speak to him they appeared before the king, and\nmade known King Canute's letter, and their errand which\naccompanied it; namely, \"that King Canute considers all Norway as\nhis property, and insists that his forefathers before him have\npossessed that kingdom; but as King Canute offers peace to all\ncountries, he will also offer peace to all here, if it can be so\nsettled, and will not invade Norway with his army if it can be\navoided. Now if King Olaf Haraldson wishes to remain king of\nNorway, he will come to King Canute, and receive his kingdom as a\nfief from him, become his vassal, and pay the scat which the\nearls before him formerly paid.\" Thereupon they presented their\nletters, which contained precisely the same conditions.\nThen King Olaf replies, \"I have heard say, by old stories, that\nthe Danish king Gorm was considered but a small king of a few\npeople, for he ruled over Denmark alone; but the kings who\nsucceeded him thought that was too little. It has since come so\nfar that King Canute rules over Denmark and England, and has\nconquered for himself a great part of Scotland. Now he claims\nalso my paternal heritage, and will then show some moderation in\nhis covetousness. Does he wish to rule over all the countries of\nthe North? Will he eat up all the kail in England? He shall do\nso, and reduce that country to a desert, before I lay my head in\nhis hands, or show him any other kind of vassalage. Now ye shall\ntell him these my words, -- I will defend Norway with battle-axe\nand sword as long as life is given me, and will pay scat to no\nman for my kingdom.\"\nAfter this answer King Canute's ambassadors made themselves ready\nfor their journey home, and were by no means rejoiced at the\nsuccess of their errand.\nSigvat the skald had been with King Canute, who had given him a\ngold ring that weighed half a mark. The skald Berse\nSkaldtorfason was also there, and to him King Canute gave two\ngold rings, each weighing two marks, and besides a sword inlaid\nwith gold. Sigvat made this song about it: --\n\"When we came o'er the wave, you cub,\nWhen we came o'er the wave,\nTo me one ring, to thee two rings,\nThe mighty Canute gave:\nOne mark to me,\nFour marks to thee, --\nA sword too, fine and brave.\nNow God knows well,\nAnd skalds can tell,\nWhat justice here would crave.\"\nSigvat the skald was very intimate with King Canute's messengers,\nand asked them many questions. They answered all his inquiries\nabout their conversation with King Olaf, and the result of their\nmessage. They said the king listened unwillingly to their\nproposals. \"And we do not know,\" say they, \"to what he is\ntrusting when he refuses becoming King Canute's vassal, and going\nto him, which would be the best thing he could do; for King\nCanute is so mild that however much a chief may have done against\nhim, he is pardoned if he only show himself obedient. It is but\nlately that two kings came to him from the North, from Fife in\nScotland, and he gave up his wrath against them, and allowed them\nto retain all the lands they had possessed before, and gave them\nbesides very valuable gifts.\" Then Sigvat sang: --\n\"From the North land, the midst of Fife,\nTwo kings came begging peace and life;\nCraving from Canute life and peace, --\nMay Olaf's good luck never cease!\nMay he, our gallant Norse king, never\nBe brought, like these, his head to offer\nAs ransom to a living man\nFor the broad lands his sword has won.\"\nKing Canute's ambassadors proceeded on their way back, and had a\nfavourable breeze across the sea. They came to King Canute, and\ntold him the result of their errand, and King Olaf's last words.\nKing Canute replies, \"King Olaf guesses wrong, if he thinks I\nshall eat up all the kail in England; for I will let him see that\nthere is something else than kail under my ribs, and cold kail it\nshall be for him.\" The same summer (A.D. 1025) Aslak and Skjalg,\nthe sons of Erling of Jadar, came from Norway to King Canute, and\nwere well received; for Aslak was married to Sigrid, a daughter\nof Earl Svein Hakonson, and she and Earl Hakon Eirikson were\nbrothers' children. King Canute gave these brothers great fiefs\nover there, and they stood in great favour.\n141. KING OLAF'S ALLIANCE WITH ONUND THE KING OF SVITHJOD.\nKing Olaf summoned to him all the lendermen, and had a great many\npeople about him this summer (A.D. 1025), for a report was abroad\nthat King Canute would come from England. People had heard from\nmerchant vessels that Canute was assembling a great army in\nEngland. When summer was advanced, some affirmed and others\ndenied that the army would come. King Olaf was all summer in\nViken, and had spies out to learn if Canute was come to Denmark.\nIn autumn (A.D. 1025) he sent messengers eastward to Svithjod to\nhis brother-in-law King Onund, and let him know King Canute's\ndemand upon Norway; adding, that, in his opinion, if Canute\nsubdued Norway, King Onund would not long enjoy the Swedish\ndominions in peace. He thought it advisable, therefore, that\nthey should unite for their defence. \"And then,\" said he, \"we\nwill have strength enough to hold out against Canute.\" King\nOnund received King Olaf's message favourably, and replied to it,\nthat he for his part would make common cause with King Olaf, so\nthat each of them should stand by the one who first required help\nwith all the strength of his kingdom. In these messages between\nthem it was also determined that they should have a meeting, and\nconsult with each other. The following winter (A.D. 1026) King\nOnund intended to travel across West Gautland, and King Olaf made\npreparations for taking his winter abode at Sarpsborg.\n142. KING CANUTE'S AMBASSADORS TO ONUND OF SVITHJOD.\nIn autumn King Canute the Great came to Denmark, and remained\nthere all winter (A.D. 1026) with a numerous army. It was told\nhim that ambassadors with messages had been passing between the\nSwedish and Norwegian kings, and that some great plans must be\nconcerting between them. In winter King Canute sent messengers\nto Svithjod, to King Onund, with great gifts and messages of\nfriendship. He also told Onund that he might sit altogether\nquiet in this strife between him and Olaf the Thick; \"for thou,\nOnund,\" says he, \"and thy kingdom, shall be in peace as far as I\nam concerned.\" When the ambassadors came to King Onund they\npresented the gifts which King Canute sent him, together with the\nfriendly message. King Onund did not hear their speech very\nwillingly, and the ambassadors could observe that King Onund was\nmost inclined to a friendship with King Olaf. They returned\naccordingly, and told King Canute the result of their errand, and\ntold him not to depend much upon the friendship of King Onund.\n143. THE EXPEDITION TO BJARMALAND.\nThis winter (A.D. 1026) King Olaf sat in Sarpsborg, and was\nsurrounded by a very great army of people. He sent the\nHalogalander Karle to the north country upon his business. Karle\nwent first to the Uplands, then across the Dovrefield, and came\ndown to Nidaros, where he received as much money as he had the\nking's order for, together with a good ship, such as he thought\nsuitable for the voyage which the king had ordered him upon; and\nthat was to proceed north to Bjarmaland. It was settled that the\nking should be in partnership with Karle, and each of them have\nthe half of the profit. Early in spring Karle directed his\ncourse to Halogaland, where his brother Gunstein prepared to\naccompany him, having his own merchant goods with him. There\nwere about twenty-five men in the ship; and in spring they sailed\nnorth to Finmark. When Thorer Hund heard this, he sent a man to\nthe brothers with the verbal message that he intended in summer\nto go to Bjarmaland, and that he would sail with them, and that\nthey should divide what booty they made equally between them.\nKarle sent him back the message that Thorer must have twenty-five\nmen as they had, and they were willing to divide the booty that\nmight be taken equally, but not the merchant goods which each had\nfor himself. When Thorer's messenger came back he had put a\nstout long-ship he owned into the water, and rigged it, and he\nhad put eighty men on board of his house-servants. Thorer alone\nhad the command over this crew, and he alone had all the goods\nthey might acquire on the cruise. When Thorer was ready for sea\nhe set out northwards along the coast, and found Karle a little\nnorth of Sandver. They then proceeded with good wind. Gunstein\nsaid to his brother, as soon as they met Thorer, that in his\nopinion Thorer was strongly manned. \"I think,\" said he, \"we had\nbetter turn back than sail so entirely in Thorer's power, for I\ndo not trust him.\" Karle replies, \"I will not turn back,\nalthough if I had known when we were at home on Langey Isle that\nThorer Hund would join us on this voyage with so large a crew as\nhe has, I would have taken more hands with us.\" The brothers\nspoke about it to Thorer, and asked what was the meaning of his\ntaking more people with him than was agreed upon between them.\nHe replies, \"We have a large ship which requires many hands, and\nmethinks there cannot be too many brave lads for so dangerous a\ncruise.\" They went in summer as fast in general as the vessels\ncould go. When the wind was light the ship of the brothers\nsailed fastest, and they separated; but when the wind freshened\nThorer overtook them. They were seldom together, but always in\nsight of each other. When they came to Bjarmaland they went\nstraight to the merchant town, and the market began. All who had\nmoney to pay with got filled up with goods. Thorer also got a\nnumber of furs, and of beaver and sable skins. Karle had a\nconsiderable sum of money with him, with which he purchased skins\nand furs. When the fair was at an end they went out of the Vina\nriver, and then the truce of the country people was also at an\nend. When they came out of the river they held a seaman's\ncouncil, and Thorer asked the crews if they would like to go on\nthe land and get booty.\nThey replied, that they would like it well enough, if they saw\nthe booty before their eyes.\nThorer replies, that there was booty to be got, if the voyage\nproved fortunate; but that in all probability there would be\ndanger in the attempt.\nAll said they would try, if there was any chance of booty.\nThorer explained, that it was so established in this land, that\nwhen a rich man died all his movable goods were divided between\nthe dead man and his heirs. He got the half part, or the third\npart, or sometimes less, and that part was carried out into the\nforest and buried, -- sometimes under a mound, sometimes in the\nearth, and sometimes even a house was built over it. He tells\nthem at the same time to get ready for this expedition at the\nfall of day. It was resolved that one should not desert the\nother, and none should hold back when the commander ordered them\nto come on board again. They now left people behind to take care\nof the ships, and went on land, where they found flat fields at\nfirst, and then great forests. Thorer went first, and the\nbrothers Karle and Gunstein in rear. Thorer commanded the people\nto observe the utmost silence. \"And let us peel the bark off the\ntrees,\" says he, \"so that one tree-mark can be seen from the\nother.\" They came to a large cleared opening, where there was a\nhigh fence upon which there was a gate that was locked. Six men\nof the country people held watch every night at this fence, two\nat a time keeping guard, each two for a third part of the night,\nwhen Thorer and his men came to the fence the guard had gone\nhome, and those who should relieve them had not yet come upon\nguard. Thorer went to the fence, stuck his axe up in it above\nhis head, hauled himself up by it, and so came over the fence,\nand inside the gate. Karle had also come over the fence, and to\nthe inside of the gate; so that both came at once to the port,\ntook the bar away, and opened the port; and then the people got\nin within the fence. Then said Thorer, \"Within this fence there\nis a mound in which gold, and silver, and earth are all mixed\ntogether: seize that. But within here stands the Bjarmaland\npeople's god Jomala: let no one be so presumptuous as to rob\nhim.\" Thereupon they went to the mound and took as much of the\nmoney as they could carry away in their clothes, with which, as\nmight be expected, much earth was mixed. Thereafter Thorer said\nthat the people now should retreat. \"And ye brothers, Karle and\nGunstein,\" says he, \"do ye lead the way, and I will go last.\"\nThey all went accordingly out of the gate: but Thorer went back\nto Jomala, and took a silver bowl that stood upon his knee full\nof silver money. He put the silver in his purse, and put his arm\nwithin the handle of the bowl, and so went out of the gate. The\nwhole troop had come without the fence; but when they perceived\nthat Thorer had stayed behind, Karle returned to trace him, and\nwhen they met upon the path Thorer had the silver bowl with him.\nThereupon Karle immediately ran to Jomala; and observing he had a\nthick gold ornament hanging around his neck, he lifted his axe,\ncut the string with which the ornament was tied behind his neck,\nand the stroke was so strong that the head of Jomala rang with\nsuch a great sound that they were all astonished. Karle seized\nthe ornament, and they all hastened away. But the moment the\nsound was made the watchmen came forward upon the cleared space,\nand blew their horns. Immediately the sound of the loor (1) was\nheard all around from every quarter, calling the people together.\nThey hastened to the forest, and rushed into it; and heard the\nshouts and cries on the other side of the Bjarmaland people in\npursuit. Thorer Hund went the last of the whole troop; and\nbefore him went two men carrying a great sack between them, in\nwhich was something that was like ashes. Thorer took this in his\nhand, and strewed it upon the footpath, and sometimes over the\npeople. They came thus out of the woods, and upon the fields,\nbut heard incessantly the Bjarmaland people pursuing with shouts\nand dreadful yells. The army of the Bjarmaland people rushed out\nafter them upon the field, and on both sides of them; but neither\nthe people nor their weapons came so near as to do them any harm:\nfrom which they perceived that the Bjarmaland people did not see\nthem. Now when they reached their ships Karle and his brother\nwent on board; for they were the foremost, and Thorer was far\nbehind on the land. As soon as Karle and his men were on board\nthey struck their tents, cast loose their land ropes, hoisted\ntheir sails, and their ship in all haste went to sea. Thorer and\nhis people, on the other hand, did not get on so quickly, as\ntheir vessel was heavier to manage; so that when they got under\nsail, Karle and his people were far off from land. Both vessels\nsailed across the White sea (Gandvik) . The nights were clear, so\nthat both ships sailed night and day; until one day, towards the\ntime the day turns to shorten, Karle and his people took up the\nland near an island, let down the sail, cast anchor, and waited\nuntil the slack-tide set in, for there was a strong rost before\nthem. Now Thorer came up, and lay at anchor there also. Thorer\nand his people then put out a boat, went into it, and rowed to\nKarle's ship. Thorer came on board, and the brothers saluted\nhim. Thorer told Karle to give him the ornament. \"I think,\"\nsaid he, \"that I have best earned the ornaments that have been\ntaken, for methinks ye have to thank me for getting away without\nany loss of men; and also I think thou, Karle, set us in the\ngreatest fright.\"\nKarle replies, \"King Olaf has the half part of all the goods I\ngather on this voyage, and I intend the ornament for him. Go to\nhim, if you like, and it is possible he will give thee the\nornament, although I took it from Jomala.\"\nThen Thorer insisted that they should go upon the island, and\ndivide the booty.\nGunstein says, \"It is now the turn of the tide, and it is time to\nsail.\" Whereupon they began to raise their anchor.\nWhen Thorer saw that, he returned to his boat and rowed to his\nown ship. Karle and his men had hoisted sail, and were come a\nlong way before Thorer got under way. They now sailed so that\nthe brothers were always in advance, and both vessels made all\nthe haste they could. They sailed thus until they came to\nGeirsver, which is the first roadstead of the traders to the\nNorth. They both came there towards evening, and lay in the\nharbour near the landing-place. Thorer's ship lay inside, and\nthe brothers' the outside vessel in the port. When Thorer had\nset up his tents he went on shore, and many of his men with him.\nThey went to Karle's ship, which was well provided. Thorer\nhailed the ship, and told the commanders to come on shore; on\nwhich the brothers, and some men with them, went on the land.\nNow Thorer began the same discourse, and told them to bring the\ngoods they got in booty to the land to have them divided. The\nbrothers thought that was not necessary, until they had arrived\nat their own neighbourhood. Thorer said it was unusual not to\ndivide booty but at their own home, and thus to be left to the\nhonour of other people. They spoke some words about it, but\ncould not agree. Then Thorer turned away; but had not gone far\nbefore he came back, and tells his comrades to wait there.\nThereupon he calls to Karle, and says he wants to speak with him\nalone. Karle went to meet him; and when he came near, Thorer\nstruck at him with a spear, so that it went through him.\n\"There,\" said Thorer, \"now thou hast learnt to know a Bjarkey\nIsland man. I thought thou shouldst feel Asbjorn's spear.\"\nKarle died instantly, and Thorer with his people went immediately\non board their ship. When Gunstein and his men saw Karle fall\nthey ran instantly to him, took his body and carried it on board\ntheir ship, struck their tents, and cast off from the pier, and\nleft the land. When Thorer and his men saw this, they took down\ntheir tents and made preparations to follow. But as they were\nhoisting the sail the fastenings to the mast broke in two, and\nthe sail fell down across the ship, which caused a great delay\nbefore they could hoist the sail again. Gunstein had already got\na long way ahead before Thorer's ship fetched way, and now they\nused both sails and oars. Gunstein did the same. On both sides\nthey made great way day and night; but so that they did not gain\nmuch on each other, although when they came to the small sounds\namong the islands Gunstein's vessel was lighter in turning. But\nThorer's ship made way upon them, so that when they came up to\nLengjuvik, Gunstein turned towards the land, and with all his men\nran up into the country, and left his ship. A little after\nThorer came there with his ship, sprang upon the land after them,\nand pursued them. There was a woman who helped Gunstein to\nconceal himself, and it is told that she was much acquainted with\nwitchcraft. Thorer and his men returned to the vessels, and took\nall the goods out of Gunstein's vessel, and put on board stones\nin place of the cargo, and then hauled the ship out into the\nfjord, cut a hole in its bottom, and sank it to the bottom.\nThereafter Thorer, with his people, returned home to Bjarkey\nIsle. Gunstein and his people proceeded in small boats at first,\nand lay concealed by day, until they had passed Bjarkey, and had\ngot beyond Thorer's district. Gunstein went home first to Langey\nIsle for a short time, and then proceeded south without any halt,\nuntil he came south to Throndhjem, and there found King Olaf, to\nwhom he told all that had happened on this Bjarmaland expedition.\nThe king was ill-pleased with the voyage, but told Gunstein to\nremain with him, promising to assist him when opportunity\noffered. Gunstein took the invitation with thanks, and stayed\nwith King Olaf.\nENDNOTES:\n(1) Ludr -- the loor -- is a long tube or roll of birch-bark\nused as a horn by the herdboys in the mountains in Norway.\n-- L.\n144. MEETING OF KING OLAF AND KING ONUND.\nKing Olaf was, as before related, in Sarpsborg the winter (A.D.\n1026) that King Canute was in Denmark. The Swedish king Onund\nrode across West Gautland the same winter, and had thirty hundred\n(3600) men with him. Men and messages passed between them; and\nthey agreed to meet in spring at Konungahella. The meeting had\nbeen postponed, because they wished to know before they met what\nKing Canute intended doing. As it was now approaching towards\nwinter, King Canute made ready to go over to England with his\nforces, and left his son Hardaknut to rule in Denmark, and with\nhim Earl Ulf, a son of Thorgils Sprakaleg. Ulf was married to\nAstrid, King Svein's daughter, and sister of Canute the Great.\nTheir son Svein was afterwards king of Denmark. Earl Ulf was a\nvery distinguished man. When the kings Olaf and Onund heard that\nCanute the Great had gone west to England, they hastened to hold\ntheir conference, and met at Konungahella, on the Gaut river.\nThey had a joyful meeting, and had many friendly conversations,\nof which something might become known to the public; but they\nalso spake often a great deal between themselves, with none but\nthemselves two present, of which only some things afterwards were\ncarried into effect, and thus became known to every one. At\nparting the kings presented each other with gifts, and parted the\nbest of friends. King Onund went up into Gautland, and Olaf\nnorthwards to Viken, and afterwards to Agder, and thence\nnorthwards along the coast, but lay a long time at Egersund\nwaiting a wind. Here he heard that Erling Skjalgson, and the\ninhabitants of Jadar with him, had assembled a large force. One\nday the king's people were talking among themselves whether the\nwind was south or south-west, and whether with that wind they\ncould sail past Jadar or not. The most said it was impossible to\nfetch round. Then answers Haldor Brynjolfson, \"I am of opinion\nthat we would go round Jadar with this wind fast enough if Erling\nSkjalgson had prepared a feast for us at Sole.\" Then King Olaf\nordered the tents to be struck, and the vessels to be hauled out,\nwhich was done. They sailed the same day past Jadar with the\nbest wind, and in the evening reached Hirtingsey, from whence the\nking proceeded to Hordaland, and was entertained there in guest-\nquarters.\n145. THORALF'S MURDER.\nThe same summer (A.D. 1026) a ship sailed from Norway to the\nFarey Islands, with messengers carrying a verbal message from\nKing Olaf, that one of his court-men, Leif Ossurson, or Lagman\nGille, or Thoralf of Dimun, should come over to him from the\nFarey Islands. Now when this message came to the Farey Islands,\nand was delivered to those whom it concerned, they held a meeting\namong themselves, to consider what might lie under this message,\nand they were all of opinion that the king wanted to inquire into\nthe real state of the event which some said had taken place upon\nthe islands; namely, the failure and disappearance of the former\nmessengers of the king, and the loss of the two ships, of which\nnot a man had been saved. It was resolved that Thoralf should\nundertake the journey. He got himself ready, and rigged out a\nmerchant-vessel belonging to himself, manned with ten or twelve\nmen. When it was ready, waiting a wind, it happened, at Austrey,\nin the house of Thrand of Gata, that he went one fine day into\nthe room where his brother's two sons, Sigurd and Thord, sons of\nThorlak, were lying upon the benches in the room. Gaut the Red\nwas also there, who was one of their relations and a man of\ndistinction. Sigurd was the oldest, and their leader in all\nthings. Thord had a distinguished name, and was called Thord the\nLow, although in reality he was uncommonly tall, and yet in\nproportion more strong than large. Then Thrand said, \"How many\nthings are changed in the course of a man's life! When we were\nyoung, it was rare for young people who were able to do anything\nto sit or lie still upon a fine day, and our forefathers would\nscarcely have believed that Thoralf of Dimun would be bolder and\nmore active than ye are. I believe the vessel I have standing\nhere in the boat-house will be so old that it will rot under its\ncoat of tar. Here are all the houses full of wool, which is\nneither used nor sold. It should not be so if I were a few\nwinters younger.\" Sigurd sprang up, called upon Gaut and Thord,\nand said he would not endure Thrand's scoffs. They went out to\nthe houseservants, and launched the vessel upon the water,\nbrought down a cargo, and loaded the ship. They had no want of a\ncargo at home, and the vessel's rigging was in good order, so\nthat in a few days they were ready for sea. There were ten or\ntwelve men in the vessel. Thoralf's ship and theirs had the same\nwind, and they were generally in sight of each other. They came\nto the land at Herna in the evening, and Sigurd with his vessel\nlay outside on the strand, but so that there was not much\ndistance between the two ships. It happened towards evening,\nwhen it was dark, that just as Thoralf and his people were\npreparing to go to bed, Thoralf and another went on shore for a\ncertain purpose. When they were ready, they prepared to return\non board. The man who had accompanied Thoralf related afterwards\nthis story, -- that a cloth was thrown over his head, and that he\nwas lifted up from the ground, and he heard a great bustle. He\nwas taken away, and thrown head foremost down; but there was sea\nunder him, and he sank under the water. When he got to land, he\nwent to the place where he and Thoralf had been parted, and there\nhe found Thoralf with his head cloven down to his shoulders, and\ndead. When the ship's people heard of it they carried the body\nout to the ship, and let it remain there all night. King Olaf\nwas at that time in guest-quarters at Lygra, and thither they\nsent a message. Now a Thing was called by message-token, and the\nking came to the Thing. He had also ordered the Farey people of\nboth vessels to be summoned, and they appeared at the Thing. Now\nwhen the Thing was seated, the king stood up and said, \"Here an\nevent has happened which (and it is well that it is so) is very\nseldom heard of. Here has a good man been put to death, without\nany cause. Is there any man upon the Thing who can say who has\ndone it?\"\nNobody could answer.\n\"Then,\" said the king, \"I cannot conceal my suspicion that this\ndeed has been done by the Farey people themselves. It appears to\nme that it has been done in this way, -- that Sigurd Thorlakson\nhas killed the man, and Thord the Low has cast his comrade into\nthe sea. I think, too, that the motives to this must have been\nto hinder Thoralf from telling about the misdeed of which he had\ninformation; namely, the murder which I suspect was committed\nupon my messengers.\"\nWhen he had ended his speech, Sigurd Thorlakson stood up, and\ndesired to be heard. \"I have never before,\" said he, \"spoken at\na Thing, and I do not expect to be looked upon as a man of ready\nwords. But I think there is sufficient necessity before me to\nreply something to this. I will venture to make a guess that the\nspeech the king has made comes from some man's tongue who is of\nfar less understanding and goodness than he is, and has evidently\nproceeded from those who are our enemies. It is speaking\nimprobabilities to say that I could be Thoralf's murderer; for\nhe was my foster-brother and good friend. Had the case been\notherwise, and had there been anything outstanding between me and\nThoralf, yet I am surely born with sufficient understanding to\nhave done this deed in the Farey Islands, rather than here\nbetween your hands, sire. But I am ready to clear myself, and my\nwhole ship's crew, of this act, and to make oath according to\nwhat stands in your laws. Or, if ye find it more satisfactory, I\noffer to clear myself by the ordeal of hot iron; and I wish,\nsire, that you may be present yourself at the proof.\"\nWhen Sigurd had ceased to speak there were many who supported his\ncase, and begged the king that Sigurd might be allowed to clear\nhimself of this accusation. They thought that Sigurd had spoken\nwell, and that the accusation against him might be untrue.\nThe king replies, \"It may be with regard to this man very\ndifferently, and if he is belied in any respect he must be a good\nman; and if not, he is the boldest I have ever met with: and I\nbelieve this is the case, and that he will bear witness to it\nhimself.\"\nAt the desire of the people, the king took Sigurd's obligation to\ntake the iron ordeal; he should come the following day to Lygra,\nwhere the bishop should preside at the ordeal; and so the Thing\nclosed. The king went back to Lygra, and Sigurd and his comrades\nto their ship.\nAs soon as it began to be dark at night Sigurd said to his ship's\npeople. \"To say the truth, we have come into a great misfortune;\nfor a great lie is got up against us, and this king is a\ndeceitful, crafty man. Our fate is easy to be foreseen where he\nrules; for first he made Thoralf be slain, and then made us the\nmisdoers, without benefit of redemption by fine. For him it is\nan easy matter to manage the iron ordeal, so that I fear he will\ncome ill off who tries it against him. Now there is coming a\nbrisk mountain breeze, blowing right out of the sound and off the\nland; and it is my advice that we hoist our sail, and set out to\nsea. Let Thrand himself come with his wool to market another\nsummer; but if I get away, it is my opinion I shall never think\nof coming to Norway again.\"\nHis comrades thought the advice good, hoisted their sail, and in\nthe night-time took to the open sea with all speed. They did not\nstop until they came to Farey, and home to Gata. Thrand was ill-\npleased with their voyage, and they did not answer him in a very\nfriendly way; but they remained at home, however, with Thrand.\nThe morning after, King Olaf heard of Sigurd's departure, and\nheavy reports went round about this case; and there were many who\nbelieved that the accusation against Sigurd was true, although\nthey had denied and opposed it before the king. King Olaf spoke\nbut little about the matter, but seemed to know of a certainty\nthat the suspicion he had taken up was founded in truth. The\nking afterwards proceeded in his progress, taking up his abode\nwhere it was provided for him.\n146. OF THE ICELANDERS.\nKing Olaf called before him the men who had come from Iceland,\nThorod Snorrason, Geller Thorkelson, Stein Skaptason, and Egil\nHalson, and spoke to them thus: -- \"Ye have spoken to me much in\nsummer about making yourselves ready to return to Iceland, and I\nhave never given you a distinct answer. Now I will tell you what\nmy intention is. Thee, Geller, I propose to allow to return, if\nthou wilt carry my message there; but none of the other\nIcelanders who are now here may go to Iceland before I have heard\nhow the message which thou, Geller, shalt bring thither has been\nreceived.\"\nWhen the king had made this resolution known, it appeared to\nthose who had a great desire to return, and were thus forbidden,\nthat they were unreasonably and hardly dealt with, and that they\nwere placed in the condition of unfree men. In the meantime\nGeller got ready for his journey, and sailed in summer (A.D.\n1026) to Iceland, taking with him the message he was to bring\nbefore the Thing the following summer (A.D. 1027). The king's\nmessage was, that he required the Icelanders to adopt the laws\nwhich he had set in Norway, also to pay him thane-tax and nose-\ntax (1); namely, a penny for every nose, and the penny at the\nrate of ten pennies to the yard of wadmal (2). At the same time\nhe promised them his friendship if they accepted, and threatened\nthem with all his vengeance if they refused his proposals.\nThe people sat long in deliberation on this business; but at last\nthey were unanimous in refusing all the taxes and burdens which\nwere demanded of them. That summer Geller returned back from\nIceland to Norway to King Olaf, and found him in autumn in the\neast in Viken, just as he had come from Gautland; of which I\nshall speak hereafter in this story of King Olaf. Towards the\nend of autumn King Olaf repaired north to Throndhjem, and went\nwith his people to Nidaros, where he ordered a winter residence\nto be prepared for him. The winter (A.D. 1027) that he passed\nhere in the merchant-town of Nidaros was the thirteenth year of\nhis reign.\nENDNOTES:\n(1) Nefgildi (nef=nose), a nose-tax or poll-tax payable to the\nking. This ancient \"nose-tax\" was also imposed by the\nNorsemen on conquered countries, the penalty for defaulters\nbeing the loss of their nose.\n(2) Wadmal was the coarse woollen cloth made in Iceland, and so\ngenerally used for clothing that it was a measure of value\nin the North, like money, for other commodities. -- L.\n147. OF THE JAMTALAND PEOPLE.\nThere was once a man called Ketil Jamte, a son of Earl Onund of\nSparby, in the Throndhjem district. He fled over the ridge of\nmountains from Eystein Illrade, cleared the forest, and settled\nthe country now called the province of Jamtaland. A great many\npeople joined him from the Throndhjem land, on account of the\ndisturbances there; for this King Eystein had laid taxes on the\nThrondhjem people, and set his dog, called Saur, to be king over\nthem. Thorer Helsing was Ketil's grandson, and he colonised the\nprovince called Helsingjaland, which is named after him. When\nHarald Harfager subdued the kingdom by force, many people fled\nout of the country from him, both Throndhjem people and Naumudal\npeople, and thus new settlements were added to Jamtaland; and\nsome settlers went even eastwards to Helsingjaland and down to\nthe Baltic coast, and all became subjects of the Swedish king.\nWhile Hakon Athelstan's foster-son was over Norway there was\npeace, and merchant traffic from Throndhjem to Jamtaland; and, as\nhe was an excellent king, the Jamtalanders came from the east to\nhim, paid him scat, and he gave them laws and administered\njustice. They would rather submit to his government than to the\nSwedish king's, because they were of Norwegian race; and all the\nHelsingjaland people, who had their descent from the north side\nof the mountain ridge, did the same. This continued long after\nthose times, until Olaf the Thick and the Swedish king Olaf\nquarrelled about the boundaries. Then the Jamtaland and\nHelsingjaland people went back to the Swedish king; and then the\nforest of Eid was the eastern boundary of the land, and the\nmountain ridge, or keel of the country, the northern: and the\nSwedish king took scat of Helsingjaland, and also of Jamtaland.\nNow, thought the king of Norway, Olaf, in consequence of the\nagreement between him and the Swedish king, the scat of Jamtaland\nshould be paid differently than before; although it had long been\nestablished that the Jamtaland people paid their scat to the\nSwedish king, and that he appointed officers over the country.\nThe Swedes would listen to nothing, but that all the land to the\neast of the keel of the country belonged to the Swedish king.\nNow this went so, as it often happens, that although the kings\nwere brothers-in-law and relations, each would hold fast the\ndominions which he thought he had a right to. King Olaf had sent\na message round in Jamtaland, declaring it to be his will that\nthe Jamtaland people should be subject to him, threatening them\nwith violence if they refused; but the Jamtaland people preferred\nbeing subjects of the Swedish king.\n148. STEIN'S STORY.\nThe Icelanders, Thorod Snorrason and Stein Skaptason, were ill-\npleased at not being allowed to do as they liked. Stein was a\nremarkably handsome man, dexterous at all feats, a great poet,\nsplendid in his apparel, and very ambitious of distinction. His\nfather, Skapte, had composed a poem on King Olaf, which he had\ntaught Stein, with the intention that he should bring it to King\nOlaf. Stein could not now restrain himself from making the king\nreproaches in word and speech, both in verse and prose. Both he\nand Thorod were imprudent in their conversation, and said the\nking would be looked upon as a worse man than those who, under\nfaith and law, had sent their sons to him, as he now treated them\nas men without liberty. The king was angry at this. One day\nStein stood before the king, and asked if he would listen to the\npoem which his father Skapte had composed about him. The king\nreplies, \"Thou must first repeat that, Stein, which thou hast\ncomposed about me.\" Stein replies, that it was not the case that\nhe had composed any. \"I am no skald, sire,\" said he; \"and if I\neven could compose anything, it, and all that concerns me, would\nappear to thee of little value.\" Stein then went out, but\nthought he perceived what the king alluded to. Thorgeir, one of\nthe king's land-bailiffs, who managed one of his farms in\nOrkadal, happened to be present, and heard the conversation of\nthe king and Stein, and soon afterwards Thorgeir returned home.\nOne night Stein left the city, and his footboy with him. They\nwent up Gaularas and into Orkadal. One evening they came to one\nof the king's farms which Thorgeir had the management of, and\nThorgeir invited Stein to pass the night there, and asked where\nhe was travelling to. Stein begged the loan of a horse and\nsledge, for he saw they were just driving home corn.\nThorgeir replies, \"I do not exactly see how it stands with thy\njourney, and if thou art travelling with the king's leave. The\nother day, methinks, the words were not very sweet that passed\nbetween the king and thee.\"\nStein said, \"If it be so that I am not my own master for the\nking, yet I will not submit to such treatment from his slaves;\"\nand, drawing his sword, he killed the landbailiff. Then he took\nthe horse, put the boy upon him, and sat himself in the sledge,\nand so drove the whole night. They travelled until they came to\nSurnadal in More. There they had themselves ferried across the\nfjord, and proceeded onwards as fast as they could. They told\nnobody about the murder, but wherever they came called themselves\nking's men, and met good entertainment everywhere. One day at\nlast they came towards evening to Giske Isle, to Thorberg\nArnason's house. He was not at home himself, but his wife\nRagnhild, a daughter of Erling Skjalgson, was. There Stein was\nwell received, because formerly there had been great friendship\nbetween them. It had once happened, namely, that Stein, on his\nvoyage from Iceland with his own vessel, had come to Giske from\nsea, and had anchored at the island. At that time Ragnhild was\nin the pains of childbirth, and very ill, and there was no priest\non the island, or in the neighbourhood of it. There came a\nmessage to the merchant-vessel to inquire if, by chance, there\nwas a priest on board. There happened to be a priest in the\nvessel, who was called Bard; but he was a young man from\nWestfjord, who had little learning. The messengers begged the\npriest to go with them, but he thought it was a difficult matter:\nfor he knew his own ignorance, and would not go. Stein added his\nword to persuade the priest. The priest replies, \"I will go if\nthou wilt go with me; for then I will have confidence, if I\nshould require advice.\" Stein said he was willing; and they went\nforthwith to the house, and to where Ragnhild was in labour.\nSoon after she brought forth a female child, which appeared to be\nrather weak. Then the priest baptized the infant, and Stein held\nit at the baptism, at which it got the name of Thora; and Stein\ngave it a gold ring. Ragnhild promised Stein her perfect\nfriendship, and bade him come to her whenever he thought he\nrequired her help. Stein replied that he would hold no other\nfemale child at baptism, and then they parted. Now it was come\nto the time when Stein required this kind promise of Ragnhild to\nbe fulfilled, and he told her what had happened, and that the\nking's wrath had fallen upon him. She answered, that all the aid\nshe could give should stand at his service; but bade him wait for\nThorberg's arrival. She then showed him to a seat beside her son\nEystein Orre, who was then twelve years old. Stein presented\ngifts to Ragnhild and Eystein. Thorberg had already heard how\nStein had conducted himself before he got home, and was rather\nvexed at it. Ragnhild went to him, and told him how matters\nstood with Stein, and begged Thorberg to receive him, and take\ncare of him.\nThorberg replies, \"I have heard that the king, after sending out\na message-token, held a Thing concerning the murder of Thorgeir,\nand has condemned Stein as having fled the country, and likewise\nthat the king is highly incensed: and I have too much sense to\ntake the cause of a foreigner in hand, and draw upon myself the\nking's wrath. Let Stein, therefore, withdraw from hence as\nquickly as thou canst.\"\nRagnhild replied, that they should either both go or both stay.\nThorberg told her to go where she pleased. \"For I expect,\" said\nhe, \"that wherever thou goest thou wilt soon come back, for here\nis thy importance greatest.\"\nHer son Eystein Orre then stood forward, and said he would not\nstay behind if Ragnhild goes.\nThorberg said that they showed themselves very stiff and\nobstinate in this matter. \"And it appears that ye must have your\nway in it, since ye take it so near to heart; but thou art\nreckoning too much, Ragnhild, upon thy descent, in paying so\nlittle regard to King Olaf's word.\"\nRagnhild replied, \"If thou art so much afraid to keep Stein with\nthee here, go with him to my father Erling, or give him\nattendants, so that he may get there in safety.\" Thorberg said\nhe would not send Stein there; \"for there are enough of things\nbesides to enrage the king against Erling.\" Stein thus remained\nthere all winter (A.D. 1027).\nAfter Yule a king's messenger came to Thorberg, with the order\nthat Thorberg should come to him before midsummer; and the order\nwas serious and severe. Thorberg laid it before his friends, and\nasked their advice if he should venture to go to the king after\nwhat had taken place. The greater number dissuaded him, and\nthought it more advisable to let Stein slip out of his hands than\nto venture within the king's power: but Thorberg himself had\nrather more inclination not to decline the journey. Soon after\nThorberg went to his brother Fin, told him the circumstances, and\nasked him to accompany him. Fin replied, that he thought it\nfoolish to be so completely under woman's influence that he dared\nnot, on account of his wife, keep the fealty and law of his\nsovereign.\n\"Thou art free,\" replied Thorberg, \"to go with me or not; but I\nbelieve it is more fear of the king than love to him that keeps\nthee back.\" And so they parted in anger.\nThen Thorberg went to his brother Arne Arnason, and asked him to\ngo with him to the king. Arne says, \"It appears to me wonderful\nthat such a sensible, prudent man, should fall into such a\nmisfortune, without necessity, as to incur the king's\nindignation. It might be excused if it were thy relation or\nfoster-brother whom thou hadst thus sheltered; but not at all\nthat thou shouldst take up an Iceland man, and harbour the king's\noutlaw, to the injury of thyself and all thy relations.\"\nThorberg replies, \"It stands good, according to the proverb, -- a\nrotten branch will be found in every tree. My father's greatest\nmisfortune evidently was that he had such ill luck in producing\nsons that at last he produced one incapable of acting, and\nwithout any resemblance to our race, and whom in truth I never\nwould have called brother, if it were not that it would have been\nto my mother's shame to have refused.\"\nThorberg turned away in a gloomy temper, and went home.\nThereafter he sent a message to his brother Kalf in the\nThrondhjem district, and begged him to meet him at Agdanes; and\nwhen the messengers found Kalf he promised, without more ado, to\nmake the journey. Ragnhild sent men east to Jadar to her father\nErling, and begged him to send people. Erling's sons, Sigurd and\nThord, came out, each with a ship of twenty benches of rowers and\nninety men. When they came north Thorberg received them\njoyfully, entertained them well, and prepared for the voyage with\nthem. Thorberg had also a vessel with twenty benches, and they\nsteered their course northwards. When they came to the mouth of\nthe Throndhjem fjord Thorberg's two brothers, Fin and Arne, were\nthere already, with two ships each of twenty benches. Thorberg\nmet his brothers with joy, and observed that his whetstone had\ntaken effect; and Fin replied he seldom needed sharpening for\nsuch work. Then they proceeded north with all their forces to\nThrondhjem, and Stein was along with them. When they came to\nAgdanes, Kaff Arnason was there before them; and he also had a\nwellmanned ship of twenty benches. With this war-force they\nsailed up to Nidaros, where they lay all night. The morning\nafter they had a consultation with each other. Kalf and Erling's\nsons were for attacking the town with all their forces, and\nleaving the event to fate; but Thorberg wished that they should\nfirst proceed with moderation, and make an offer; in which\nopinion Fin and Arne also concurred. It was accordingly resolved\nthat Fin and Arne, with a few men, should first wait upon the\nking. The king had previously heard that they had come so strong\nin men, and was therefore very sharp in his speech. Fin offered\nto pay mulct for Thorberg, and also for Stein, and bade the king\nto fix what the penalties should be, however large; stipulating\nonly for Thorberg safety and his fiefs, and for Stein life and\nlimb.\nThe king replies, \"It appears to me that ye come from home so\nequipped that ye can determine half as much as I can myself, or\nmore; but this I expected least of all from you brothers, that ye\nshould come against me with an army; and this counsel, I can\nobserve, has its origin from the people of Jadar; but ye have no\noccasion to offer me money in mulct.\"\nFin replies, \"We brothers have collected men, not to offer\nhostility to you, sire, but to offer rather our services; but if\nyou will bear down Thorberg altogether, we must all go to King\nCanute the Great with such forces as we have.\"\nThen the king looked at him, and said, \"If ye brothers will give\nyour oaths that ye will follow me in the country and out of the\ncountry, and not part from me without my leave and permission,\nand shall not conceal from me any treasonable design that may\ncome to your knowledge against me, then will I agree to a peace\nwith you brothers.\"\nThen Fin returned to his forces, and told the conditions which\nthe king had proposed to them. Now they held a council upon it,\nand Thorberg, for his part, said he would accept the terms\noffered. \"I have no wish,\" says he, \"to fly from my property,\nand seek foreign masters; but, on the contrary, will always\nconsider it an honour to follow King Olaf, and be where he is.\"\nThen says Kalf, \"I will make no oath to King Olaf, but will be\nwith him always, so long as I retain my fiefs and dignities, and\nso long as the king will be my friend; and my opinion is that we\nshould all do the same.\" Fin says, \"we will venture to let King\nOlaf himself determine in this matter.\" Arne Arnason says, \"I\nwas resolved to follow thee, brother Thorberg, even if thou hadst\ngiven battle to King Olaf, and I shall certainly not leave thee\nfor listening to better counsel; so I intend to follow thee and\nFin, and accept the conditions ye have taken.\"\nThereupon the brothers Thorberg, Fin, and Arne, went on board a\nvessel, rowed into the fjord, and waited upon the king. The\nagreement went accordingly into fulfillment, so that the brothers\ngave their oaths to the king. Then Thorberg endeavored to make\npeace for Stein with the king; but the king replied that Stein\nmight for him depart in safety, and go where he pleased, but \"in\nmy house he can never be again.\" Then Thorberg and his brothers\nwent back to their men. Kalf went to Eggja, and Fin to the king;\nand Thorberg, with the other men, went south to their homes.\nStein went with Erling's sons; but early in the spring (A.D.\n1027) he went west to England into the service of Canute the\nGreat, and was long with him, and was treated with great\ndistinction.\n149. FIN ARNASON\"S EXPEDITION TO HALOGALAND.\nNow when Fin Arnason had been a short time with King Olaf, the\nking called him to a conference, along with some other persons he\nusually held consultation with; and in this conference the king\nspoke to this effect: -- \"The decision remains fixed in my mind\nthat in spring I should raise the whole country to a levy both of\nmen and ships, and then proceed, with all the force I can muster,\nagainst King Canute the Great: for I know for certain that he\ndoes not intend to treat as a jest the claim he has awakened upon\nmy kingdom. Now I let thee know my will, Fin Arnason, that thou\nproceed on my errand to Halogaland, and raise the people there to\nan expedition, men and ships, and summon that force to meet me at\nAgdanes.\" Then the king named other men whom he sent to\nThrondhjem, and some southwards in the country, and he commanded\nthat this order should be circulated through the whole land. Of\nFin's voyage we have to relate that he had with him a ship with\nabout thirty men, and when he was ready for sea he prosecuted his\njourney until he came to Halogaland. There he summoned the\nbondes to a Thing, laid before them his errand, and craved a\nlevy. The bondes in that district had large vessels, suited to a\nlevy expedition, and they obeyed the king's message, and rigged\ntheir ships. Now when Fin came farther north in Halogaland he\nheld a Thing again, and sent some of his men from him to crave a\nlevy where he thought it necessary. He sent also men to Bjarkey\nIsland to Thorer Hund, and there, as elsewhere, craved the quota\nto the levy. When the message came to Thorer he made himself\nready, and manned with his house-servants the same vessel he had\nsailed with on his cruise to Bjarmaland, and which he equipped at\nhis own expense. Fin summoned all the people of Halogaland who\nwere to the north to meet at Vagar. There came a great fleet\ntogether in spring, and they waited there until Fin returned from\nthe North. Thorer Hund had also come there. When Fin arrived he\nordered the signal to sound for all the people of the levy to\nattend a House-Thing; and at it all the men produced their\nweapons, and also the fighting men from each ship-district were\nmustered. When that was all finished Fin said, \"I have also to\nbring thee a salutation, Thorer Hund, from King Olaf, and to ask\nthee what thou wilt offer him for the murder of his court-man\nKarle, or for the robbery in taking the king's goods north in\nLengjuvik. I have the king's orders to settle that business, and\nI wait thy answer to it.\"\nThorer looked about him, and saw standing on both sides many\nfully armed men, among whom were Gunstein and others of Karle's\nkindred. Then said Thorer, \"My proposal is soon made. I will\nrefer altogether to the king's pleasure the matter he thinks he\nhas against me.\"\nFin replies, \"Thou must put up with a less honour; for thou must\nrefer the matter altogether to my decision, if any agreement is\nto take place.\"\nThorer replies, \"And even then I think it will stand well with my\ncase, and therefore I will not decline referring it to thee.\"\nThereupon Thorer came forward, and confirmed what he said by\ngiving his hand upon it; and Fin repeated first all the words he\nshould say.\nFin now pronounced his decision upon the agreement, -- that\nThorer should pay to the king ten marks of gold, and to Gunstein\nand the other kindred ten marks, and for the robbery and loss of\ngoods ten marks more; and all which should be paid immediately.\nThorer says, \"This is a heavy money mulct.\"\n\"Without it,\" replies Fin, \"there will be no agreement.\"\nThorer says, there must time be allowed to gather so much in loan\nfrom his followers; but Fin told him to pay immediately on the\nspot; and besides, Thorer should lay down the great ornament\nwhich he took from Karle when he was dead. Thorer asserted that\nhe had not got the ornament. Then Gunstein pressed forward, and\nsaid that Karle had the ornament around his neck when they\nparted, but it was gone when they took up his corpse. Thorer\nsaid he had not observed any ornament; but if there was any such\nthing, it must be lying at home in Bjarkey. Then Fin put the\npoint of his spear to Thorer's breast, and said that he must\ninstantly produce the ornament; on which Thorer took the ornament\nfrom his neck and gave it to Fin. Thereafter Thorer turned away,\nand went on board his ship. Fin, with many other men, followed\nhim, went through the whole vessel, and took up the hatches. At\nthe mast they saw two very large casks; and Fin asked, \"What are\nthese puncheons?\"\nThorer replies, \"It is my liquor.\"\nFin says, \"Why don't you give us something to drink then,\ncomrade, since you have so much liquor?\"\nThorer ordered his men to run off a bowlfull from the puncheons,\nfrom which Fin and his people got liquor of the best quality.\nNow Fin ordered Thorer to pay the mulcts. Thorer went backwards\nand forwards through the ship, speaking now to the one, now to\nthe other, and Fin calling out to produce the pence. Thorer\nbegged him to go to the shore, and said he would bring the money\nthere, and Fin with his men went on shore. Then Thorer came and\npaid silver; of which, from one purse, there were weighed ten\nmarks. Thereafter Thorer brought many knotted nightcaps; and in\nsome was one mark, in others half a mark, and in others some\nsmall money. \"This is money my friends and other good people\nhave lent me,\" said he; \"for I think all my travelling money is\ngone.\" Then Thorer went back again to his ship, and returned,\nand paid the silver by little and little; and this lasted so long\nthat the day was drawing towards evening. When the Thing had\nclosed the people had gone to their vessels, and made ready to\ndepart; and as fast as they were ready they hoisted sail and set\nout, so that most of them were under sail. When Fin saw that\nthey were most of them under sail, he ordered his men to get\nready too; but as yet little more than a third part of the mulct\nhad been paid. Then Fin said, \"This goes on very slowly, Thorer,\nwith the payment. I see it costs thee a great deal to pay money.\nI shall now let it stand for the present, and what remains thou\nshalt pay to the king himself.\" Fin then got up and went away.\nThorer replies, \"I am well enough pleased, Fin, to part now; but\nthe good will is not wanting to pay this debt, so that both thou\nand the king shall say it is not unpaid.\"\nThen Fin went on board his ship, and followed the rest of his\nfleet. Thorer was late before he was ready to come out of the\nharbour. When the sails were hoisted he steered out over\nWestfjord, and went to sea, keeping south along the land so far\noff that the hill-tops were half sunk, and soon the land\naltogether was sunk from view by the sea. Thorer held this\ncourse until he got into the English sea, and landed in England.\nHe betook himself to King Canute forthwith, and was well received\nby him. It then came out that Thorer had with him a great deal\nof property; and, with other things, all the money he and Karle\nhad taken in Bjarmaland. In the great liquor-casks there were\nsides within the outer sides, and the liquor was between them.\nThe rest of the casks were filled with furs, and beaver and sable\nskins. Thorer was then with King Canute. Fin came with his\nforces to King Olaf, and related to him how all had gone upon his\nvoyage, and told at the same time his suspicion that Thorer had\nleft the country, and gone west to England to King Canute. \"And\nthere I fear he will cause as much trouble.\"\nThe king replies, \"I believe that Thorer must be our enemy, and\nit appears to me always better to have him at a distance than\nnear.\"\n150. DISPUTE BETWEEN HAREK AND ASMUND.\nAsmund Grankelson had been this winter (A.D. 1027) in Halogaland\nin his sheriffdom, and was at home with his father Grankel.\nThere lies a rock out in the sea, on which there is both seal and\nbird catching, and a fishing ground, and egg-gathering; and from\nold times it had been an appendage to the farm which Grankel\nowned, but now Harek of Thjotta laid claim to it. It had gone so\nfar, that some years he had taken by force all the gain of this\nrock; but Asmund and his father thought that they might expect\nthe king's help in all cases in which the right was upon their\nside. Both father and son went therefore in spring to Harek, and\nbrought him a message and tokens from King Olaf that he should\ndrop his claim. Harek answered Asmund crossly, because he had\ngone to the king with such insinuations -- \"for the just right is\nupon my side. Thou shouldst learn moderation, Asmund, although\nthou hast so much confidence in the king's favour. It has\nsucceeded with thee to kill some chiefs, and leave their\nslaughter unpaid for by any mulct; and also to plunder us,\nalthough we thought ourselves at least equal to all of equal\nbirth, and thou art far from being my equal in family.\"\nAsmund replies, \"Many have experienced from thee, Harek, that\nthou art of great connections, and too great power; and many in\nconsequence have suffered loss in their property through thee.\nBut it is likely that now thou must turn thyself elsewhere, and\nnot against us with thy violence, and not go altogether against\nlaw, as thou art now doing.\" Then they separated.\nHarek sent ten or twelve of his house-servants with a large\nrowing boat, with which they rowed to the rock, took all that was\nto be got upon it, and loaded their boat. But when they were\nready to return home, Asmund Grankelson came with thirty men, and\nordered them to give up all they had taken. Harek's house-\nservants were not quick in complying, so that Asmund attacked\nthem. Some of Harek's men were cudgelled, some wounded, some\nthrown into the sea, and all they had caught was taken from on\nboard of their boat, and Asmund and his people took it along with\nthem. Then Harek's servants came home, and told him the event.\nHarek replies, \"That is called news indeed that seldom happens;\nnever before has it happened that my people have been beaten.\"\nThe matter dropped. Harek never spoke about it, but was very\ncheerful. In spring, however, Harek rigged out a cutter of\ntwenty seats of rowers, and manned it with his house-servants,\nand the ship was remarkably well fitted out both with people and\nall necessary equipment; and Harek went to the levy; but when he\ncame to King Olaf, Asmund was there before him. The king\nsummoned Harek and Asmund to him, and reconciled them so that\nthey left the matter entirely to him. Asmund then produced\nwitnesses to prove that Grankel had owned the rock, and the king\ngave judgment accordingly. The case had a one-sided result. No\nmulct was paid for Harek's house-servants, and the rock was\ndeclared to be Grankel's. Harek observed it was no disgrace to\nobey the king's decision, whatever way the case itself was\ndecided.\n151. THOROD'S STORY.\nThorod Snorrason had remained in Norway, according to King Olaf's\ncommands, when Geller Thorkelson got leave to go to Iceland, as\nbefore related. He remained there (A.D. 1027) with King Olaf,\nbut was ill pleased that he was not free to travel where he\npleased. Early in winter, King Olaf, when he was in Nidaros,\nmade it known that he would send people to Jamtaland to collect\nthe scat; but nobody had any great desire to go on this business,\nafter the fate of those whom King Olaf had sent before, namely,\nThrand White and others, twelve in number, who lost their lives,\nas before related; and the Jamtalanders had ever since been\nsubject to the Swedish king. Thorod Snorrason now offered to\nundertake this journey, for he cared little what became of him if\nhe could but become his own master again. The king consented,\nand Thorod set out with eleven men in company. They came east to\nJamtaland, and went to a man called Thorar, who was lagman, and a\nperson in high estimation. They met with a hospitable reception;\nand when they had been there a while, they explained their\nbusiness to Thorar. He replied, that other men and chiefs of the\ncountry had in all respects as much power and right to give an\nanswer as he had, and for that purpose he would call together a\nThing. It was so done; the message-token was sent out, and a\nnumerous Thing assembled. Thorar went to the Thing, but the\nmessengers in the meantime remained at home. At the Thing,\nThorar laid the business before the people, but all were\nunanimous that no scat should be paid to the king of Norway; and\nsome were for hanging the messengers, others for sacrificing them\nto the gods. At last it was resolved to hold them fast until the\nking of Sweden's sheriffs arrived, and they could treat them as\nthey pleased with consent of the people; and that, in the\nmeantime, this decision should be concealed, and the messengers\ntreated well, and detained under pretext that they must wait\nuntil the scat is collected; and that they should be separated,\nand placed two and two, as if for the convenience of boarding\nthem. Thorod and another remained in Thorar's house. There was\na great Yule feast and ale-drinking, to which each brought his\nown liquor; for there were many peasants in the village, who all\ndrank in company together at Yule. There was another village not\nfar distant, where Thorar's brother-in-law dwelt, who was a rich\nand powerful man, and had a grown-up son. The brothers-in-law\nintended to pass the Yule in drinking feasts, half of it at the\nhouse of the one and half with the other; and the feast began at\nThorar's house. The brothers-in-law drank together, and Thorod\nand the sons of the peasants by themselves; and it was a drinking\nmatch. In the evening words arose, and comparisons between the\nmen of Sweden and of Norway, and then between their kings both of\nformer times and at the present, and of the manslaughters and\nrobberies that had taken place between the countries. Then said\nthe peasants sons, \"If our king has lost most people, his\nsheriffs will make it even with the lives of twelve men when they\ncome from the south after Yule; and ye little know, ye silly\nfools, why ye are kept here.\" Thorod took notice of these words,\nand many made jest about it, and scoffed at them and their king.\nWhen the ale began to talk out of the hearts of the Jamtalanders,\nwhat Thorod had before long suspected became evident. The day\nafter Thorod and his comrade took all their clothes and weapons,\nand laid them ready; and at night, when the people were all\nasleep, they fled to the forest. The next morning, when the\nJamtalanders were aware of their flight, men set out after them\nwith dogs to trace them, and found them in a wood in which they\nhad concealed themselves. They brought them home to a room in\nwhich there was a deep cellar, into which they were thrown, and\nthe door locked upon them. They had little meat, and only the\nclothes they had on them. In the middle of Yule, Thorar, with\nall his freeborn men, went to his brother's-in-law, where he was\nto be a guest until the last of Yule. Thorar's slaves were to\nkeep guard upon the cellar, and they were provided with plenty of\nliquor; but as they observed no moderation in drinking, they\nbecame towards evening confused in the head with the ale. As\nthey were quite drunk, those who had to bring meat to the\nprisoners in the cellar said among themselves that they should\nwant for nothing. Thorod amused the slaves by singing to them.\nThey said he was a clever man, and gave him a large candle that\nwas lighted; and the slaves who were in went to call the others\nto come in; but they were all so confused with the ale, that in\ngoing out they neither locked the cellar nor the room after them.\nNow Thorod and his comrades tore up their skin clothes in strips,\nknotted them together, made a noose at one end, and threw up the\nrope on the floor of the room. It fastened itself around a\nchest, by which they tried to haul themselves up. Thorod lifted\nup his comrade until he stood on his shoulders, and from thence\nscrambled up through the hatchhole. There was no want of ropes\nin the chamber, and he threw a rope down to Thorod; but when he\ntried to draw him up, he could not move him from the spot. Then\nThorod told him to cast the rope over a cross-beam that was in\nthe house, make a loop in it, and place as much wood and stones\nin the loop as would outweigh him; and the heavy weight went down\ninto the cellar, and Thorod was drawn up by it. Now they took as\nmuch clothes as they required in the room; and among other things\nthey took some reindeer hides, out of which they cut sandals, and\nbound them under their feet, with the hoofs of the reindeer feet\ntrailing behind. But before they set off they set fire to a\nlarge corn barn which was close by, and then ran out into the\npitch-dark night. The barn blazed, and set fire to many other\nhouses in the village. Thorod and his comrade travelled the\nwhole night until they came to a lonely wood, where they\nconcealed themselves when it was daylight. In the morning they\nwere missed. There was chase made with dogs to trace the\nfootsteps all round the house; but the hounds always came back to\nthe house, for they had the smell of the reindeer hoofs, and\nfollowed the scent back on the road that the hoofs had left, and\ntherefore could not find the right direction. Thorod and his\ncomrade wandered long about in the desert forest, and came one\nevening to a small house, and went in. A man and a woman were\nsitting by the fire. The man called himself Thorer, and said it\nwas his wife who was sitting there, and the hut belonged to them.\nThe peasant asked them to stop there, at which they were well\npleased. He told them that he had come to this place, because he\nhad fled from the inhabited district on account of a murder.\nThorod and his comrade were well received, and they all got their\nsupper at the fireside; and then the benches were cleared for\nthem, and they lay down to sleep, but the fire was still burning\nwith a clear light. Thorod saw a man come in from another house,\nand never had he seen so stout a man. He was dressed in a\nscarlet cloak beset with gold clasps, and was of very handsome\nappearance. Thorod heard him scold them for taking guests, when\nthey had scarcely food for themselves. The housewife said, \"Be\nnot angry, brother; seldom such a thing happens; and rather do\nthem some good too, for thou hast better opportunity to do so\nthan we.\" Thorod heard also the stout man named by the name of\nArnliot Gelline, and observed that the woman of the house was his\nsister. Thorod had heard speak of Arnliot as the greatest-of\nrobbers and malefactors. Thorod and his companion slept the\nfirst part of the night, for they were wearied with walking; but\nwhen a third of the night was still to come, Arnliot awoke them,\ntold them to get up, and make ready to depart. They arose\nimmediately, put on their clothes, and some breakfast was given\nthem; and Arnliot gave each of them also a pair of skees.\nArnliot made himself ready to accompany them, and got upon his\nskees, which were both broad and long; but scarcely had he swung\nhis skee-staff before he was a long way past them. He waited for\nthem, and said they would make no progress in this way, and told\nthem to stand upon the edge of his skees beside him. They did\nso. Thorod stood nearest to him, and held by Arnliot's belt, and\nhis comrade held by him. Arnliot strode on as quickly with them\nboth, as if he was alone and without any weight. The following\nday they came, towards night, to a lodge for travellers, struck\nfire, and prepared some food; but Arnliot told them to throw away\nnothing of their food, neither bones nor crumbs. Arnliot took a\nsilver plate out of the pocket of his cloak, and ate from it.\nWhen they were done eating, Arnliot gathered up the remains of\ntheir meal, and they prepared to go to sleep. In the other end\nof the house there was a loft upon cross-beams, and Arnliot and\nthe others went up, and laid themselves down to sleep. Arnliot\nhad a large halberd, of which the upper part was mounted with\ngold, and the shaft was so long that with his arm stretched out\nhe could scarcely touch the top of it; and he was girt with a\nsword. They had both their weapons and their clothes up in the\nloft beside them. Arnliot, who lay outermost in the loft, told\nthem to be perfectly quiet. Soon after twelve men came to the\nhouse, who were merchants going with their wares to Jamtaland;\nand when they came into the house they made a great disturbance,\nwere merry, and made a great fire before them; and when they took\ntheir supper they cast away all the bones around them. They then\nprepared to go to sleep, and laid themselves down upon the\nbenches around the fire. When they, had been asleep a short\ntime, a huge witch came into the house; and when she came in, she\ncarefully swept together all the bones and whatever was of food\nkind into a heap, and threw it into her mouth. Then she gripped\nthe man who was nearest to her, riving and tearing him asunder,\nand threw him upon the fire. The others awoke in dreadful\nfright, and sprang up, but she took them, and put them one by one\nto death, so that only one remained in life. He ran under the\nloft calling for help, and if there was any one on the loft to\nhelp him. Arnliot reached down his hand, seized him by the\nshoulder, and drew him up into the loft. The witch-wife had\nturned towards the fire, and began to eat the men who were\nroasting. Now Arnliot stood up, took his halberd, and struck her\nbetween the shoulders, so that the point came out at her breast.\nShe writhed with it, gave a dreadful shriek, and sprang up. The\nhalberd slipped from Arnliot's hands, and she ran out with it.\nArnliot then went in; cleared away the dead corpses out of the\nhouse; set the door and the door-posts up, for she had torn them\ndown in going out; and they slept the rest of the night. When\nthe day broke they got up; and first they took their breakfast.\nWhen they had got food, Arnliot said, \"Now we must part here. Ye\ncan proceed upon the new-traced path the merchants have made in\ncoming here yesterday. In the meantime I will seek after my\nhalberd, and in reward for my labour I will take so much of the\ngoods these men had with them as I find useful to me. Thou,\nThorod, must take my salutation to King Olaf; and say to him that\nhe is the man I am most desirous to see, although my salutation\nmay appear to him of little worth.\" Then he took his silver\nplate, wiped it dry with a cloth, and said, \"Give King Olaf this\nplate; salute him, and say it is from me.\" Then they made\nthemselves ready for their journey, and parted. Thorod went on\nwith his comrade and the man of the merchants company who had\nescaped. He proceeded until he came to King Olaf in the town\n(Nidaros); told the king all that had happened, and presented to\nhim the silver plate. The king said it was wrong that Arnliot\nhimself had not come to him; \"for it is a pity so brave a hero,\nand so distinguished a man, should have given himself up to\nmisdeeds.\"\nThorod remained the rest of the winter with the king, and in\nsummer got leave to return to Iceland; and he and King Olaf\nparted the best of friends.\n152. KING OLAF'S LEVY OF MEN.\nKing Olaf made ready in spring (A.D. 1027) to leave Nidaros, and\nmany people were assembled about him, both from Throndhjem and\nthe Northern country; and when he was ready he proceeded first\nwith his men to More, where he gathered the men of the levy, and\ndid the same at Raumsdal. He went from thence to South More. He\nlay a long time at the Herey Isles waiting for his forces; and he\noften held House-things, as many reports came to his ears about\nwhich he thought it necessary to hold councils. In one of these\nThings he made a speech, in which he spoke of the loss he\nsuffered from the Farey islanders. \"The scat which they promised\nme,\" he said, \"is not forthcoming; and I now intend to send men\nthither after it.\" Then he proposed to different men to\nundertake this expedition; but the answer was, that all declined\nthe adventure.\nThen there stood up a stout and very remarkable looking man in\nthe Thing. He was clad in a red kirtle, had a helmet on his\nhead, a sword in his belt, and a large halberd in his hands. He\ntook up the word and said, \"In truth here is a great want of men.\nYe have a good king; but ye are bad servants who say no to this\nexpedition he offers you, although ye have received many gifts of\nfriendship and tokens of honour from him. I have hitherto been\nno friend of the king, and he has been my enemy, and says,\nbesides, that he has good grounds for being so. Now, I offer,\nsire, to go upon this expedition, if no better will undertake\nit.\"\nThe king answers, \"Who is this brave man who replies to my offer?\nThou showest thyself different from the other men here present,\nin offering thyself for this expedition from which they excuse\nthemselves, although I expected they would willingly have\nundertaken it; but I do not know thee in the least, and do not\nknow thy name.\"\nHe replies, \"My name, sire, is not difficult to know, and I think\nthou hast heard my name before. I am Karl Morske.\"\nThe king -- \"So this is Karl! I have indeed heard thy name\nbefore; and, to say the truth, there was a time when our meeting\nmust have been such, if I had had my will; that thou shouldst not\nhave had to tell it now. But I will not show myself worse than\nthou, but will join my thanks and my favour to the side of the\nhelp thou hast offered me. Now thou shalt come to me, Karl, and\nbe my guest to-day; and then we shall consult together about this\nbusiness.\" Karl said it should be so.\n153. KARL MORSKE'S STORY.\nKarl Morske had been a viking, and a celebrated robber. Often\nhad the king sent out men against him, and wished to make an end\nof him; but Karl, who was a man of high connection, was quick in\nall his doing's, and besides a man of great dexterity, and expert\nin all feats. Now when Karl had undertaken this business the\nking was reconciled to him, gave him his friendship, and let him\nbe fitted out in the best manner for this expedition. There were\nabout twenty men in the ship; and the king sent messages to his\nfriends in the Farey Islands, and recommended him also to Leif\nOssurson and Lagman Gille, for aid and defence; and for this\npurpose furnished Karl with tokens of the full powers given him.\nKarl set out as soon as he was ready; and as he got a favourable\nbreeze soon came to the Farey Islands, and landed at Thorshavn,\nin the island Straumey. A Thing was called, to which there came\na great number of people. Thrand of Gata came with a great\nretinue, and Leif and Gille came there also, with many in their\nfollowing. After they had set up their tents, and put themselves\nin order, they went to Karl Morske, and saluted each other on\nboth sides in a friendly way. Then Karl produced King Olaf's\nwords, tokens, and friendly message to Leif and Gille, who\nreceived them in a friendly manner, invited Karl to come to them,\nand promised him to support his errand, and give him all the aid\nin their power, for which he thanked them. Soon after came\nThrand of Gata, who also received Karl in the most friendly\nmanner, and said he was glad to see so able a man coming to their\ncountry on the king's business, which they were all bound to\npromote. \"I will insist, Karl,\" says he, \"on thy taking-up thy\nwinter abode with me, together with all those of thy people who\nmay appear to thee necessary for thy dignity.\"\nKarl replies, that he had already settled to lodge with Leif;\n\"otherwise I would with great pleasure have accepted thy\ninvitation.\"\n\"Then fate has given great honour to Leif,\" says Thrand; \"but is\nthere any other way in which I can be of service?\"\nKarl replies, that he would do him a great service by collecting\nthe scat of the eastern island, and of all the northern islands.\nThrand said it was both his duty and interest to assist in the\nking's business, and thereupon Thrand returned to his tent; and\nat that Thing nothing else worth speaking of occurred. Karl took\nup his abode with Leif Ossurson, and was there all winter (A.D.\n1028). Leif collected the scat of Straumey Island, and all the\nislands south of it. The spring after Thrand of Gata fell ill,\nand had sore eyes and other complaints; but he prepared to attend\nthe Thing, as was his custom. When he came to the Thing he had\nhis tent put up, and within it another black tent, that the light\nmight not penetrate. After some days of the Thing had passed,\nLeif and Karl came to Thrand's tent, with a great many people,\nand found some persons standing outside. They asked if Thrand\nwas in the tent, and were told he was. Leif told them to bid\nThrand come out, as he and Karl had some business with him. They\ncame back, and said that Thrand had sore eyes, and could not come\nout; \"but he begs thee, Leif, to come to him within.\" Leif told\nhis comrades to come carefully into the tent, and not to press\nforward, and that he who came last in should go out first. Leif\nwent in first, followed by Karl, and then his comrades; and all\nfully armed as if they were going into battle. Leif went into\nthe black tent and asked if Thrand was there. Thrand answered\nand saluted Leif. Leif returned his salutation, and asked if he\nhad brought the scat from the northern islands, and if he would\npay the scat that had been collected. Thrand replies, that he\nhad not forgotten what had been spoken of between him and Karl,\nand that he would now pay over the scat. \"Here is a purse, Leif,\nfull of silver, which thou canst receive.\" Leif looked around,\nand saw but few people in the tent, of whom some were lying upon\nthe benches, and a few were sitting up. Then Leif went to\nThrand, and took the purse, and carried it into the outer tent,\nwhere it was light, turned out the money on his shield, groped\nabout in it with his hand, and told Karl to look at the silver.\nWhen they had looked at it a while, Karl asked Leif what he\nthought of the silver. He replied, \"I am thinking where the bad\nmoney that is in the north isles can have come from.\" Thrand\nheard this, and said, \"Do you not think, Leif, the silver is\ngood?\" \"No,\" says he. Thrand replies, \"Our relations, then, are\nrascals not to be trusted. I sent them in spring to collect the\nscat in the north isles, as I could not myself go anywhere, and\nthey have allowed themselves to be bribed by the bondes to take\nfalse money, which nobody looks upon as current and good; it is\nbetter, therefore, Leif, to look at this silver which has been\npaid me as land-rent.\" Leif thereupon carried back this silver,\nand received another bag, which he carried to Karl, and they\nlooked over the money together. Karl asked Leif what he thought\nof this money. He answered, that it appeared to him so bad that\nit would not be taken in payment, however little hope there might\nbe of getting a debt paid in any other way: \"therefore I will not\ntake this money upon the king's account.\" A man who had been\nlying on the bench now cast the skin coverlet off which he had\ndrawn over his head, and said, \"True is the old word, -- he grows\nworse who grows older: so it is with thee, Thrand, who allowest\nKarl Morske to handle thy money all the day.\" This was Gaut the\nRed. Thrand sprang up at Gaut's words, and reprimanded his\nrelation with many angry words. At last he said that Leif should\nleave this silver, and take a bag which his own peasants had\nbrought him in spring. \"And although I am weak-sighted, yet my\nown hand is the truest test.\" Another man who was lying on the\nbench raised himself now upon his elbow; and this was Thord the\nLow. He said, \"These are no ordinary reproaches we suffer from\nKarl Morske, and therefore he well deserves a reward for them.\"\nLeif in the meantime took the bag, and carried it to Karl; and\nwhen they cast their eyes on the money, Leif said, \"We need not\nlook long at this silver, for here the one piece of money is\nbetter than the other; and this is the money we will have. Let a\nman come to be present at the counting it out.\" Thrand says that\nhe thought Leif was the fittest man to do it upon his account.\nLeif and Karl thereupon went a short way from the tent, sat down.\nand counted and weighed the silver. Karl took the helmet off his\nhead, and received in it the weighed silver. They saw a man\ncoming to them who had a stick with an axe-head on it in his\nhand, a hat low upon his head, and a short green cloak. He was\nbare-legged, and had linen breeches on tied at the knee. He laid\nhis stick down in the field, and went to Karl and said, \"Take\ncare, Karl Morske, that thou does not hurt thyself against my\naxe-stick.\" Immediately a man came running and calls with great\nhaste to Leif Ossurson, telling him to come as quickly as\npossible to Lagman Gille's tent; \"for,\" says he, \"Sirurd\nThorlakson ran in just now into the mouth of the tent, and gave\none of Gille's men a desperate wound.\" Leif rose up instantly,\nand went off to Gille's tent along with his men. Karl remained\nsitting, and the Norway people stood around in all corners. Gaut\nimmediately sprang up, and struck with a hand-axe over the heads\nof the people, and the stroke came on Karl's head; but the wound\nwas slight. Thord the Low seized the stick-axe, which lay in the\nfield at his side, and struck the axe-blade right into Karl's\nskull. Many people now streamed out of Thrand's tent. Karl was\ncarried away dead. Thrand was much grieved at this event, and\noffered money-mulcts for his relations; but Leif and Gille, who\nhad to prosecute the business, would accept no mulct. Sigurd was\nbanished the country for having wounded Gille's tent comrade, and\nGaut and Thord for the murder of Karl. The Norway people rigged\nout the vessel which Karl had with him, and sailed eastward to\nOlaf, and gave him these tidings. He was in no pleasant humour\nat it, and threatened a speedy vengeance; but it was not allotted\nby fate to King Olaf to revenge himself on Thrand and his\nrelations, because of the hostilities which had begun in Norway,\nand which are now to be related. And there is nothing more to be\ntold of what happened after King Olaf sent men to the Farey\nIslands to take scat of them. But great strife arose after\nKarl's death in the Farey Islands between the family of Thrand of\nGata and Leif Ossurson, and of which there are great sagas.\n154. KING OLAF'S EXPEDITION WITH HIS LEVY.\nNow we must proceed with the relation we began before, -- that\nKing Olaf set out with his men, and raised a levy over the whole\ncountry (A.D. 1027). All lendermen in the North followed him\nexcepting Einar Tambaskelfer, who sat quietly at home upon his\nfarm since his return to the country, and did not serve the king.\nEinar had great estates and wealth, although he held no fiefs\nfrom the king, and he lived splendidly. King Olaf sailed with\nhis fleet south around Stad, and many people from the districts\naround joined him. King Olaf himself had a ship which he had got\nbuilt the winter before (A.D. 1027), and which was called the\nVisund (1). It was a very large ship, with a bison's head gilded\nall over upon the bow. Sigvat the skald speaks thus of it: --\n\"Trygvason's Long Serpent bore,\nGrim gaping o'er the waves before,\nA dragon's head with open throat,\nWhen last the hero was afloat:\nHis cruise was closed,\nAs God disposed.\nOlaf has raised a bison's head,\nWhich proudly seems the waves to tread.\nWhile o'er its golden forehead dashing\nThe waves its glittering horns are washing:\nMay God dispose\nA luckier close.\"\nThe king went on to Hordaland; there he heard the news that\nErling Skjalgson had left the country with a great force, and\nfour or five ships. He himself had a large war-ship, and his\nsons had three of twenty rowing-banks each; and they had sailed\nwestward to England to Canute the Great. Then King Olaf sailed\neastward along the land with a mighty war-force, and he inquired\neverywhere if anything was known of Canute's proceedings; and all\nagreed in saying he was in England but added that he was fitting\nout a levy, and intended coming to Norway. As Olaf had a large\nfleet, and could not discover with certainty where he should go\nto meet King Canute, and as his people were dissatisfied with\nlying quiet in one place with so large an armament, he resolved\nto sail with his fleet south to Denmark, and took with him all\nthe men who were best appointed and most warlike; and he gave\nleave to the others to return home. Now the people whom he\nthought of little use having gone home, King Olaf had many\nexcellent and stout men-at-arms besides those who, as before\nrelated, had fled the country, or sat quietly at home; and most\nof the chief men and lendermen of Norway were along with him.\nENDNOTES:\n(1) Visundr is the buffalo; although the modern bison, or\nAmerican animal of that name, might have been known through\nthe Greenland colonists, who in this reign had visited some\nparts of America. -- L.\n155. OF KING OLAF AND KING ONUND.\nWhen King Olaf sailed to Denmark, he set his course for Seeland;\nand when he came there he made incursions on the land, and began\nto plunder. The country people were severely treated; some were\nkilled, some bound and dragged to the ships. All who could do so\ntook to flight, and made no opposition. King Olaf committed\nthere the greatest ravages. While Olaf was in Seeland, the news\ncame that King Onund Olafson of Sweden had raised a levy, and\nfallen upon Scania, and was ravaging there; and then it became\nknown what the resolution had been that the two kings had taken\nat the Gaut river, where they had concluded a union and\nfriendship, and had bound themselves to oppose King Canute. King\nOnund continued his march until he met his brother-in-law King\nOlaf. When they met they made proclamation both to their own\npeople and to the people of the country, that they intended to\nconquer Denmark; and asked the support of the people of the\ncountry for this purpose. And it happened, as we find examples\nof everywhere, that if hostilities are brought upon the people of\na country not strong enough to withstand, the greatest number\nwill submit to the conditions by which peace can be purchased at\nany rate. So it happened here that many men went into the\nservice of the kings, and agreed to submit to them. Wheresoever\nthey went they laid the country all round subjection to them, and\notherwise laid waste all with fire and sword.\nOf this foray Sigvat the skald speaks, in a ballad he composed\nconcerning King Canute the Great: --\n\"`Canute is on the sea!'\nThe news is told,\nAnd the Norsemen bold\nRepeat it with great glee.\nAnd it runs from mouth to mouth --\n`On a lucky day\nWe came away\nFrom Throndhjem to the south.'\nAcross the cold East sea,\nThe Swedish king\nHis host did bring,\nTo gain great victory.\nKing Onund came to fight,\nIn Seeland's plains,\nAgainst the Danes,\nWith his steel-clad men so bright.\nCanute is on the land;\nSide to side\nHis long-ships ride\nAlong the yellow strand.\nWhere waves wash the green banks,\nMast to mast,\nAll bound fast,\nHis great fleet lies in ranks.\"\n154. OF KING CANUTE THE GREAT.\nKing Canute had heard in England that King Olaf of Norway had\ncalled out a levy, and had gone with his forces to Denmark, and\nwas making great ravages in his dominions there. Canute began to\ngather people, and he had speedily collected a great army and a\nnumerous fleet. Earl Hakon was second in command over the whole.\nSigvat the skald came this summer (A.D. 1027) from the West, from\nRuda (Rouen) in Valland, and with him was a man called Berg.\nThey had made a merchant voyage there the summer before. Sigvat\nhad made a little poem about this journey, called \"The Western\nTraveller's Song,\" which begins thus: --\n\"Berg! many a merry morn was pass'd,\nWhen our vessel was made fast,\nAnd we lay on the glittering tide\nor Rouen river's western side.\"\nWhen Sigvat came to England he went directly to King Canute, and\nasked his leave to proceed to Norway; for King Canute had\nforbidden all merchant vessels to sail until he himself was ready\nwith his fleet. When Sigvat arrived he went to the house in\nwhich the king was lodged; but the doors were locked, and he had\nto stand a long time outside, but when he got admittance he\nobtained the permission he desired. He then sang: --\n\"The way to Jutland's king I sought;\nA little patience I was taught.\nThe doors were shut -- all full within;\nThe udaller could not get in.\nBut Gorm's great son did condescend\nTo his own chamber me to send,\nAnd grant my prayer -- although I'm one\nWhose arms the fetters' weight have known.\"\nWhen Sigvat became aware that King Canute was equipping an\narmament against King Olaf, and knew what a mighty force King\nCanute had, he made these lines: --\n\"The mighty Canute, and Earl Hakon,\nHave leagued themselves, and counsel taken\nAgainst King Olaf's life,\nAnd are ready for the strife.\nIn spite of king and earl, I say,\n`I love him well -- may he get away:'\nOn the Fields, wild and dreary,\nWith him I'd live, and ne'er be weary.\"\nSigvat made many other songs concerning this expedition of Canute\nand Hakon. He made this among others: --\n\"`Twas not the earl's intention then\n'Twixt Olaf and the udalmen\nPeace to establish, and the land\nUpright to hold with Northman's hand;\nBut ever with deceit and lies\nEirik's descendant, Hakon, tries\nTo make ill-will and discontent,\nTill all the udalmen are bent\nAgainst King Olaf's rule to rise.\"\n157. OF KING CANUTE'S SHIP THE DRAGON.\nCanute the Great was at last ready with his fleet, and left the\nland; and a vast number of men he had, and ships frightfully\nlarge. He himself had a dragon-ship, so large that it had sixty\nbanks of rowers, and the head was gilt all over. Earl Hakon had\nanother dragon of forty banks, and it also had a gilt figure-\nhead. The sails of both were in stripes of blue, red, and green,\nand the vessels were painted all above the water-stroke; and all\nthat belonged to their equipment was most splendid. They had\nalso many other huge ships remarkably well fitted out, and grand.\nSigvat the skald talks of this in his song on Canute: --\n\"Canute is out beneath the sky --\nCanute of the clear blue eye!\nThe king is out on the ocean's breast,\nLeading his grand fleet from the West.\nOn to the East the ship-masts glide,\nGlancing and bright each long-ship's side.\nThe conqueror of great Ethelred,\nCanute, is there, his foemen's dread:\nHis dragon with her sails of blue,\nAll bright and brilliant to the view,\nHigh hoisted on the yard arms wide,\nCarries great Canute o'er the tide.\nBrave is the royal progress -- fast\nThe proud ship's keel obeys the mast,\nDashes through foam, and gains the land,\nRaising a surge on Limfjord's strand.\"\nIt is related that King Canute sailed with this vast force from\nEngland, and came with all his force safely to Denmark, where he\nwent into Limfjord, and there he found gathered besides a large\narmy of the men of the country.\n158. HARDAKNUT TAKEN TO BE KING IN DENMARK.\nEarl Ulf Sprakalegson had been set as protector over Denmark when\nKing Canute went to England, and the king had intrusted his son\nHardaknut in the earl's hands. This took place the summer before\n(A.D. 1026), as we related. But the earl immediately gave it out\nthat King Canute had, at parting, made known to him his will and\ndesire that the Danes should take his son Hardaknut as king over\nthe Danish dominions. \"On that account,\" says the earl, \"he gave\nthe matter into our hands; as I, and many other chiefs and\nleading men here in the country, have often complained to King\nCanute of the evil consequences to the country of being without a\nking, and that former kings thought it honour and power enough to\nrule over the Danish kingdom alone; and in the times that are\npast many kings have ruled over this kingdom. But now there are\ngreater difficulties than have ever been before; for we have been\nso fortunate hitherto as to live without disturbance from foreign\nkings, but now we hear the king of Norway is going to attack us,\nto which is added the fear of the people that the Swedish king\nwill join him; and now King Canute is in England.\" The earl then\nproduced King Canute's letter and seal, confirming all that the\nearl asserted. Many other chiefs supported this business; and in\nconsequence of all these persuasions the people resolved to take\nHardaknut as king, which was done at the same Thing. The Queen\nEmma had been principal promoter of this determination; for she\nhad got the letter to be written, and provided with the seal,\nhaving cunningly got hold of the king's signet; but from him it\nwas all concealed. Now when Hardaknut and Earl Ulf heard for\ncertain that King Olaf was come from Norway with a large army,\nthey went to Jutland, where the greatest strength of the Danish\nkingdom lies, sent out message-tokens, and summoned to them a\ngreat force; but when they heard the Swedish king was also come\nwith his army, they thought they would not have strength enough\nto give battle to both, and therefore kept their army together in\nJutland, and resolved to defend that country against the kings.\nThe whole of their ships they assembled in Limfjord, and waited\nthus for King Canute. Now when they heard that King Canute had\ncome from the West to Limfjord they sent men to him, and to Queen\nEmma, and begged her to find out if the king was angry at them or\nnot, and to let them know. The queen talked over the matter with\nhim, and said, \"Your son Hardaknut will pay the full mulct the\nking may demand, if he has done anything which is thought to be\nagainst the king.\" He replies, that Hardaknut has not done this\nof his own judgement. \"And therefore,\" says he, \"it has turned\nout as might have been expected, that when he, a child, and\nwithout understanding, wanted to be called king, the country,\nwhen any evil came and an enemy appeared, must be conquered by\nforeign princes, if our might had not come to his aid. If he\nwill have any reconciliation with me let him come to me, and lay\ndown the mock title of king he has given himself.\" The queen\nsent these very words to Hardaknut, and at the same time she\nbegged him not to decline coming; for, as she truly observed, he\nhad no force to stand against his father. When this message came\nto Hardaknut he asked the advice of the earl and other chief\npeople who were with him; but it was soon found that when the\npeople heard King Canute the Old was arrived they all streamed to\nhim, and seemed to have no confidence but in him alone. Then\nEarl Ulf and his fellows saw they had but two roads to take;\neither to go to the king and leave all to his mercy, or to fly\nthe country. All pressed Hardaknut to go to his father, which\nadvice he followed. When they met he fell at his father's feet,\nand laid his seal, which accompanied the kingly title, on his\nknee. King Canute took Hardaknut by the hand, and placed him in\nas high a seat as he used to sit in before. Earl UIf sent his\nson Svein, who was a sister's son of King Canute, and the same\nage as Hardaknut, to the king. He prayed for grace and\nreconciliation for his father, and offered himself as hostage for\nthe earl. King Canute ordered him to tell the earl to assemble\nhis men and ships, and come to him, and then they would talk of\nreconciliation. The earl did so.\n159. FORAY IN SCANIA.\nWhen King Olaf and King Onund heard that King Canute was come\nfrom the West, and also that he had a vast force, they sailed\neast to Scania, and allowed themselves to ravage and burn in the\ndistricts there, and then proceeded eastward along the land to\nthe frontier of Sweden. As soon as the country people heard that\nKing Canute was come from the West, no one thought of going into\nthe service of the two kings.\nNow the kings sailed eastward along the coast, and brought up in\na river called Helga, and remained there some time. When they\nheard that King Canute was coming eastward with his forces\nagainst them, they held a council; and the result was, that King\nOlaf with his people went up the country to the forest, and to\nthe lake out of which the river Helga flows. There at the\nriverhead they made a dam of timber and turf, and dammed in the\nlake. They also dug a deep ditch, through which they led several\nwaters, so that the lake waxed very high. In the river-bed they\nlaid large logs of timber. They were many days about this work,\nand King Olaf had the management of this piece of artifice; but\nKing Onund had only to command the fleet and army. When King\nCanute heard of the proceedings of the two kings, and of the\ndamage they had done to his dominions, he sailed right against\nthem to where they lay in Helga river. He had a War-force which\nwas one half greater than that of both the kings together.\nSigvat speaks of these things: --\n\"The king, who shields\nHis Jutland fields\nFrom scaith or harm\nBy foeman's arm,\nWill not allow\nWild plundering now:\n`The greatest he,\nOn land or sea.'\"\n160. BATTLE IN HELGA RIVER.\nOne day, towards evening, King Onund's spies saw King Canute\ncoming sailing along, and he was not far off. Then King Onund\nordered the war-horns to sound; on which his people struck their\ntents, put on their weapons, rowed out of the harbour and east\nround the land, bound their ships together, and prepared for\nbattle. King Onund made his spies run up the country to look for\nKing Olaf, and tell him the news. Then King Olaf broke up the\ndam, and let the river take its course. King Olaf travelled down\nin the night to his ships. When King Canute came outside the\nharbour, he saw the forces of the kings ready for battle. He\nthought that it would be too late in the day to begin the fight\nby the time his forces could be ready; for his fleet required a\ngreat deal of room at sea, and there was a long distance between\nthe foremost of his ships and the hindmost, and between those\noutside and those nearest the land, and there was but little\nwind. Now, as Canute saw that the Swedes and Norwegians had\nquitted the harbour, he went into it with as many ships as it\ncould hold; but the main strength of the fleet lay without the\nharbour. In the morning, when it was light, a great part of the\nmen went on shore; some for amusement, some to converse with the\npeople of other ships. They observed nothing until the water\ncame rushing over them like a waterfall, carrying huge trees,\nwhich drove in among their ships, damaging all they struck; and\nthe water covered all the fields. The men on shore perished, and\nmany who were in the ships. All who could do it cut their\ncables; so that the ships were loose, and drove before the\nstream, and were scattered here and there. The great dragon,\nwhich King Canute himself was in, drove before the stream; and as\nit could not so easily be turned with oars, drove out among\nOlaf's and Onund's ships. As they knew the ship, they laid her\non board on all quarters. But the ship was so high in the hull,\nas if it were a castle, and had besides such a numerous and\nchosen crew on board, well armed and exercised, that it was not\neasy to attack her. After a short time also Earl Ulf came up\nwith his fleet; and then the battle began, and King Canute's\nfleet gathered together from all quarters. But the kings Olaf\nand Onund, seeing they had for this time got all the victory that\nfate permitted them to gain, let their ships retreat, cast\nthemselves loose from King Canute's ship, and the fleets\nseparated. But as the attack had not been made as King Canute\nhad determined, he made no further attempt; and the kings on each\nside arranged their fleets and put their ships in order. When\nthe fleets were parted, and each sailing its course, Olaf and\nOnund looked over their forces, and found they had suffered no\nloss of men. In the meantime they saw that if they waited until\nKing Canute got his large fleet in order to attack them, the\ndifference of force was so great that for them there was little\nchance of victory. It was also evident that if the battle was\nrenewed, they must suffer a great loss of men. They took the\nresolution, therefore, to row with the whole fleet eastward along\nthe coast. Observing that King Canute did not pursue them, they\nraised up their masts and set sail. Ottar Svarte tells thus of\nit in the poem he composed upon King Canute the Great: --\n\"The king, in battle fray,\nDrove the Swedish host away:\nThe wolf did not miss prey,\nNor the raven on that day.\nGreat Canute might deride\nTwo kings if he had pride,\nFor at Helga river's side\nThey would not his sword abide.\"\nThord Sjarekson also sang these lines in his death song of King\nOlaf: --\n\"King Olaf, Agder's lord,\nNe'er shunned the Jutland king,\nBut with his blue-edged sword\nBroke many a panzer ring.\nKing Canute was not slow:\nKing Onund filled the plain\nWith dead, killed by his bow:\nThe wolf howled o'er the slain.\"\n161. KING OLAF AND KING ONUND'S PLANS.\nKing Olaf and King Onund sailed eastward to the Swedish king's\ndominions; and one day, towards evening, landed at a place called\nBarvik, where they lay all night. But then it was observed of\nthe Swedes that they were home-sick; for the greater part of\ntheir forces sailed eastward along the land in the night, and did\nnot stop their course until they came home to their houses. Now\nwhen King Onund observed this he ordered, as soon as the day\ndawned, to sound the signal for a House-thing; and the whole\npeople went on shore, and the Thing sat down. Then King Onund\ntook up the word, and spake thus: \"So it is, King Olaf, that, as\nyou know, we have been assembled in summer, and have forayed wide\naround in Denmark, and have gained much booty, but no land. I\nhad 350 vessels, and now have not above 100 remaining with me.\nNow it appears to me we can make no greater progress than we have\nmade, although you have still the 60 vessels which have followed\nyou the whole summer. It therefore appears to me best that we\ncome back to my kingdom; for it is always good to drive home with\nthe wagon safe. In this expedition we have won something, and\nlost nothing. Now I will offer you, King Olaf, to come with me,\nand we shall remain assembled during the winter. Take as much of\nmy kingdom as you will, so that you and the men who follow you\nmay support yourselves well; and when spring comes let us take\nsuch measures as we find serviceable. If you, however, will\nprefer to travel across our country, and go overland to Norway,\nit shall be free for you to do so.\"\nKing Olaf thanked King Onund for his friendly offer. \"But if I\nmay advise,\" says he, \"then we should take another resolution,\nand keep together the forces we have still remaining. I had in\nthe first of summer, before I left Norway, 350 ships; but when I\nleft the country I chose from among the whole war-levy those I\nthought to be the best, and with them I manned 60 ships; and\nthese I still have. Now it appears to me that the part of your\nwar-force which has now run away is the most worthless, and of\nleast resistance; but now I see here all your chiefs and leaders,\nand I know well that the people who belong to the court-troops\n(1) are by far the best suited to carry arms. We have here\nchosen men and superb ships, and we can very well lie all winter\nin our ships, as viking's custom is. But Canute cannot lie long\nin Helga river; for the harbour will not hold so many vessels as\nhe has. If he steers eastward after us, we can escape from him,\nand then people will soon gather to us; but if he return to the\nharbours where his fleet can lie, I know for certain that the\ndesire to return home will not be less in his army than in ours.\nI think, also, we have ravaged so widely in summer, that the\nvillagers, both in Scania and in Halland, know well whose favour\nthey have to seek. Canute's army will thus be dispersed so\nwidely, that it is uncertain to whom fate may at the last give\nthe victory; but let us first find out what resolution he takes.\"\nThus King Olaf ended his speech, and it found much applause, and\nhis advice was followed. Spies were sent into King Canute's\narmy, and both the kings Olaf and Onund remained lying where they\nwere.\nENDNOTES:\n(1) The thingmen, or hired body-guard attending the court. -- L.\n162. OF KING CANUTE AND EARL ULF.\nWhen King Canute saw that the kings of Norway and Sweden steered\neastward with their forces along the coast, he sent men to ride\nnight and day on the land to follow their movements. Some spies\nwent forward, others returned; so that King Canute had news every\nday of their progress. He had also spies always in their army.\nNow when he heard that a great part of the fleet had sailed away\nfrom the kings, he turned back with his forces to Seeland, and\nlay with his whole fleet in the Sound; so that a part lay on the\nScania side, and a part on the Seeland side. King Canute\nhimself, the day before Michaelmas, rode with a great retinue to\nRoeskilde. There his brother-in-law, Earl Ulf, had prepared a\ngreat feast for him. The earl was the most agreeable host, but\nthe king was silent and sullen. The earl talked to him in every\nway to make him cheerful, and brought forward everything which he\nthought would amuse him; but the king remained stern, and\nspeaking little. At last the earl proposed to him a game at\nchess, which he agreed to; and a chess-board was produced, and\nthey played together. Earl Ulf was hasty in temper, stiff, and\nin nothing yielding; but everything he managed went on well in\nhis hands; and he was a great warrior, about whom there are many\nstories. He was the most powerful man in Denmark next to the\nking. Earl Ulf's sister Gyda was married to Earl Gudin (Godwin)\nUlfnadson; and their sons were Harald king of England, and Earl\nToste, Earl Valthiof, Earl Morukare, and Earl Svein. Gyda was\nthe name of their daughter, who was married to the English king\nEdward the Good.\n163. OF THE EARL'S MURDER.\nWhen they had played a while the king made a false move, at which\nthe earl took a knight from the king; but the king set the piece\nagain upon the board, and told the earl to make another move; but\nthe earl grew angry, threw over the chess-board, stood up, and\nwent away. The king said, \"Runnest thou away, Ulf the coward?\"\nThe earl turned round at the door and said, \"Thou wouldst have\nrun farther at Helga river, if thou hadst come to battle there.\nThou didst not call me Ulf the coward, when I hastened to thy\nhelp while the Swedes were beating thee like a dog.\" The earl\nthen went out, and went to bed. A little later the king also\nwent to bed. The following morning while the king was putting on\nhis clothes he said to his footboy, \"Go thou to Earl Ulf, and\nkill him.\"\nThe lad went, was away a while, and then came back.\nThe king said, \"Hast thou killed the earl?\"\n\"I did not kill him, for he was gone to Saint Lucius' church.\"\nThere was a man called Ivar White, a Norwegian by birth, who was\nthe king's courtman and chamberlain. The king said to him, \"Go\nthou and kill the earl.\"\nIvar went to the church, and in at the choir, and thrust his\nsword through the earl, who died on the spot. Then Ivar went to\nthe king, with the bloody sword in his hand.\nThe king said, \"Hast thou killed the earl?\"\n\"I have killed him,\" says he.\n\"Thou didst well.\"\nAfter the earl was killed the monks closed the church, and locked\nthe doors. When that was told the king he sent a message to the\nmonks, ordering them to open the church and sing high mass. They\ndid as the king ordered; and when the king came to the church he\nbestowed on it great property, so that it had a large domain, by\nwhich that place was raised very high; and these lands have since\nalways belonged to it. King Canute rode down to his ships, and\nlay there till late in harvest with a very large army.\n164. OF KING OLAF AND THE SWEDES.\nWhen King Olaf and King Onund heard that King Canute had sailed\nto the Sound, and lay there with a great force, the kings held a\nHouse-thing, and spoke much about what resolution they should\nadopt. King Olaf wished they should remain there with all the\nfleet, and see what King Canute would at last resolve to do. But\nthe Swedes held it to be unadvisable to remain until the frost\nset in, and so it was determined; and King Onund went home with\nall his army, and King Olaf remained lying after them.\n165. OF EGIL AND TOFE.\nWhile King Olaf lay there, he had frequently conferences and\nconsultations with his people. One night Egil Halson and Tofe\nValgautson had the watch upon the king's ship. Tofe came from\nWest Gautland, and was a man of high birth. While they sat on\nwatch they heard much lamentation and crying among the people who\nhad been taken in the war, and who lay bound on the shore at\nnight. Tofe said it made him ill to hear such distress, and\nasked Egil to go with him, and let loose these people. This work\nthey set about, cut the cords, and let the people escape, and\nthey looked upon it as a piece of great friendship; but the king\nwas so enraged at it, that they themselves were in the greatest\ndanger. When Egil afterwards fell sick the king for a long time\nwould not visit him, until many people entreated it of him. It\nvexed Egil much to have done anything the king was angry at, and\nhe begged his forgiveness. The king now dismissed his wrath\nagainst Egil, laid his hands upon the side on which Egil's pain\nwas, and sang a prayer; upon which the pain ceased instantly, and\nEgil grew better. Tofe came, after entreaty, into reconciliation\nwith the king, on condition that he should exhort his father\nValgaut to come to the king. He was a heathen; but after\nconversation with the king he went over to Christianity, and died\ninstantly when he was baptized.\n166. TREACHERY TOWARDS KING OLAF.\nKing Olaf had now frequent conferences with his people, and asked\nadvice from them, and from his chiefs, as to what he should\ndetermine upon. But there was no unanimity among them -- some\nconsidering that unadvisable which others considered highly\nserviceable; and there was much indecision in their councils.\nKing Canute had always spies in King Olaf's army, who entered\ninto conversation with many of his men, offering them presents\nand favour on account of King Canute. Many allowed themselves to\nbe seduced, and gave promises of fidelity, and to be King\nCanute's men, and bring the country into his hands if he came to\nNorway. This was apparent, afterwards, of many who at first kept\nit concealed. Some took at once money bribes, and others were\npromised money afterwards; and a great many there were who had\ngot great presents of money from him before: for it may be said\nwith truth of King Canute, that every man who came to him, and\nwho he thought had the spirit of a man and would like his favour,\ngot his hands full of gifts and money. On this account he was\nvery popular, although his generosity was principally shown to\nforeigners, and was greatest the greater distance they came from.\n167. KING OLAF'S CONSULTATIONS.\nKing Olaf had often conferences and meetings with his people, and\nasked their counsel; but as he observed they gave different\nopinions, he had a suspicion that there must be some who spoke\ndifferently from what they really thought advisable for him, and\nhe was thus uncertain if all gave him due fidelity in council.\nSome pressed that with the first fair wind they should sail to\nthe Sound, and so to Norway. They said the Danes would not dare\nto attack them, although they lay with so great a force right in\nthe way. But the king was a man of too much understanding not to\nsee that this was impracticable. He knew also that Olaf\nTrygvason had found it quite otherwise, as to the Danes not\ndaring to fight, when he with a few people went into battle\nagainst a great body of them. The king also knew that in King\nCanute's army there were a great many Norwegians; therefore he\nentertained the suspicion that those who gave this advice were\nmore favourable to King Canute than to him. King Olaf came at\nlast to the determination, from all these considerations, that\nthe people who would follow him should make themselves ready to\nproceed by land across Gautland, and so to Norway. \"But our\nships,\" said he, \"and all things that we cannot take with us, I\nwill send eastward to the Swedish king's dominions, and let them\nbe taken care of for us there.\"\n168. HAREK OF THJOTTA'S VOYAGE.\nHarek of Thjotta replied thus to the king's speech: \"It is\nevident that I cannot travel on foot to Norway. I am old and\nheavy, and little accustomed to walking. Besides, I am unwilling\nto part with my ship; for on that ship and its apparel I have\nbestowed so much labour, that it would go much against my\ninclination to put her into the hands of my enemies.\" The king\nsaid, \"Come along with us, Harek, and we shall carry thee when\nthou art tired of walking.\" Then Harek sang these lines :--\n\"I'11 mount my ocean steed,\nAnd o'er the sea I'll speed;\nForests and hills are not for me, --\nI love the moving sea,\nThough Canute block the Sound,\nRather than walk the ground,\nAnd leave my ship, I'll see\nWhat my ship will do for me.\"\nThen King Olaf let everything be put in order for the journey.\nThe people had their walking clothing and weapons, but their\nother clothes and effects they packed upon such horses as they\ncould get. Then he sent off people to take his ships east to\nCalmar. There he had the vessels laid up, and the ships' apparel\nand other goods taken care of. Harek did as he had said, and\nwaited for a wind, and then sailed west to Scania, until, about\nthe decline of the day, he came with a fresh and fair wind to the\neastward of Holar. There he let the sail and the vane, and flag\nand mast be taken down, and let the upper works of the ship be\ncovered over with some grey tilt-canvas, and let a few men sit at\nthe oars in the fore part and aft, but the most were sitting low\ndown in the vessel.\nWhen Canute's watchmen saw the ship, they talked with each other\nabout what ship it might be, and made the guess that it must be\none loaded with herrings or salt, as they only saw a few men at\nthe oars; and the ship, besides, appeared to them grey, and\nwanting tar, as if burnt up by the sun, and they saw also that it\nwas deeply loaded. Now when Harek came farther through the\nSound, and past the fleet, he raised the mast, hoisted sail, and\nset up his gilded vane. The sail was white as snow, and in it\nwere red and blue stripes of cloth interwoven. When the king's\nmen saw the ship sailing in this state, they told the king that\nprobably King Olaf had sailed through them. But King Canute\nreplies, that King Olaf was too prudent a man to sail with a\nsingle ship through King Canute's fleet, and thought it more\nlikely to be Harek of Thjotta, or the like of him. Many believed\nthe truth to be that King Canute knew of this expedition of\nHarek, and that it would not have succeeded so if they had not\nconcluded a friendship beforehand with each other; which seemed\nlikely, after King Canute's and Harek's friendly understanding\nbecame generally known.\nHarek made this song as he sailed northward round the isle of\nVedrey: --\n\"The widows of Lund may smile through their tears,\nThe Danish girls may have their jeers;\nThey may laugh or smile,\nBut outside their isle\nOld Harek still on to his North land steers.\"\nHarek went on his way, and never stopped till he came north to\nHalogaland, to his own house in Thjotta.\n169. KING OLAF'S COURSE FROM SVITHJOD.\nWhen King Olaf began his journey, he came first into Smaland, and\nthen into West Gautland. He marched quietly and peaceably, and\nthe country people gave him all assistance on his journey. Thus\nhe proceeded until he came into Viken, and north through Viken to\nSarpsborg, where he remained, and ordered a winter abode to be\nprepared (A.D. 1028). Then he gave most of the chiefs leave to\nreturn home, but kept the lendermen by him whom he thought the\nmost serviceable. There were with him also all the sons of Arne\nArnmodson, and they stood in great favour with the king. Geller\nThorkelson, who the summer before had come from Iceland, also\ncame there to the king, as before related.\n170. OF SIGVAT THE SKALD.\nSigvat the skald had long been in King Olaf's household, as\nbefore related, and the king made him his marshal. Sigvat had no\ntalent for speaking in prose; but in skaldcraft he was so\npractised, that the verses came as readily from his tongue as if\nhe were speaking in usual language. He had made a mercantile\njourney to Normandy, and in the course of it had come to England,\nwhere he met King Canute, and obtained permission from him to\nsail to Norway, as before related. When he came to Norway he\nproceeded straight to King Olaf, and found him at Sarpsborg. He\npresented himself before the king just as he was sitting down to\ntable. Sigvat saluted him. The king looked at Sigvat and was\nsilent. Then Sigvat sang: --\n\"Great king! thy marshal is come home,\nNo more by land or sea to roam,\nBut by thy side\nStill to abide.\nGreat king! what seat here shall be take\nFor the king's honour -- not his sake?\nFor all seats here\nTo me are dear.\"\nThen was verified the old saying, that \"many are the ears of a\nking;\" for King Olaf had heard all about Sigvat's journey, and\nthat he had spoken with Canute. He says to Sigvat, \"I do not\nknow if thou art my marshal, or hast become one of Canute's men.\"\nSigvat said: --\n\"Canute, whose golden gifts display\nA generous heart, would have me stay,\nService in his great court to take,\nAnd my own Norway king forsake.\nTwo masters at a time, I said,\nWere one too many for men bred\nWhere truth and virtue, shown to all,\nMake all men true in Olaf's hall.\"\nThen King Olaf told Sigvat to take his seat where he before used\nto sit; and in a short time Sigvat was in as high favour with the\nking as ever.\n171. OF ERLING SKJALGSON AND HIS SONS.\nErling Skjalgson and all his sons had been all summer in King\nCanute's army, in the retinue of Earl Hakon. Thorer Hund was\nalso there, and was in high esteem. Now when King Canute heard\nthat King Olaf had gone overland to Norway, he discharged his\narmy, and gave all men leave to go to their winter abodes. There\nwas then in Denmark a great army of foreigners, both English,\nNorwegians, and men of other countries, who had joined the\nexpedition in summer. In autumn (A.D. 1027) Erling Skjalgson\nwent to Norway with his men, and received great presents from\nKing Canute at parting; but Thorer Hund remained behind in King\nCanute's court. With Erling went messengers from King Canute\nwell provided with money; and in winter they travelled through\nall the country, paying the money which King Canute had promised\nto many in autumn for their assistance. They gave presents in\nmoney, besides, to many whose friendship could be purchased for\nKing Canute. They received much assistance in their travels from\nErling. In this way it came to pass that many turned their\nsupport to King Canute, promised him their services, and agreed\nto oppose King Olaf. Some did this openly, but many more\nconcealed it from the public. King Olaf heard this news, for\nmany had something to tell him about it; and the conversation in\nthe court often turned upon it. Sigvat the skald made a song\nupon it: --\n\"The base traitors ply\nWith purses of gold,\nWanting to buy\nWhat is not to be sold, --\nThe king's life and throne\nWanting to buy:\nBut our souls are our own,\nAnd to hell we'll not hie.\nNo pleasure in heaven,\nAs we know full well,\nTo the traitor is given, --\nHis soul is his hell.\"\nOften also the conversation turned upon how ill it beseemed Earl\nHakon to raise his hand in arms against King Olaf, who had given\nhim his life when he fell into the king's power; but Sigvat was a\nparticular friend of Earl Hakon, and when he heard the earl\nspoken against he sang: --\n\"Our own court people we may blame,\nIf they take gold to their own shame,\nTheir king and country to betray.\nWith those who give it's not the same,\nFrom them we have no faith to claim:\n'Tis we are wrong, if we give way.\"\n172. OF KING OLAF'S PRESENTS AT YULE.\nKing Olaf gave a great feast at Yule, and many great people had\ncome to him. It was the seventh day of Yule, that the king, with\na few persons, among whom was Sigvat, who attended him day and\nnight, went to a house in which the king's most precious\nvaluables were kept. He had, according to his custom, collected\nthere with great care the valuable presents he was to make on New\nYear's eve. There was in the house no small number of gold-\nmounted swords; and Sigvat sang: --\n\"The swords stand there,\nAll bright and fair, --\nThose oars that dip in blood:\nIf I in favour stood,\nI too might have a share.\nA sword the skald would gladly take,\nAnd use it for his master's sake:\nIn favour once he stood,\nAnd a sword has stained in blood.\"\nThe king took a sword of which the handle was twisted round with\ngold, and the guard was gold-mounted, and gave it to him. It was\na valuable article; but the gift was not seen without envy, as\nwill appear hereafter.\nImmediately after Yule (1028) the king began his journey to the\nUplands; for he had a great many people about him, but had\nreceived no income that autumn from the North country, for there\nhad been an armament in summer, and the king had laid out all the\nrevenues he could command; and also he had no vessels with which\nhe and his people could go to the North. At the same time he had\nnews from the North, from which he could see that there would be\nno safety for him in that quarter, unless he went with a great\nforce. For these reasons he determined to proceed through the\nUplands, although it was not so long a time since he had been\nthere in guest-quarters as the law prescribes, and as the kings\nusually had the custom of observing in their visits. When he\ncame to the Uplands the lendermen and the richest bondes invited\nhim to be their guest, and thus lightened his expenses.\n173. OF BJORN THE BAILIFF.\nThere was a man called Bjorn who was of Gautland family, and a\nfriend and acquaintance of Queen Astrid, and in some way related\nto her. She had given him farm-management and other offices in\nthe upper part of Hedemark. He had also the management of\nOsterdal district. Bjorn was not in esteem with the king, nor\nliked by the bondes. It happened in a hamlet which Bjorn ruled\nover, that many swine and cattle were missing: therefore Bjorn\nordered a Thing to be called to examine the matter. Such pillage\nhe attributed chiefly to the people settled in forest-farms far\nfrom other men; by which he referred particularly to those who\ndwelt in Osterdal, for that district was very thinly inhabited,\nand full of lakes and forest-cleanings, and but in few places was\nany great neighbourhood together.\n174. OF RAUD'S SONS.\nThere was a man called Raud who dwelt in Osterdal. His wife was\ncalled Ragnhild; and his sons, Dag and Sigurd, were men of great\ntalent. They were present at the Thing, made a reply in defence\nof the Osterdal people, and removed the accusation from them.\nBjorn thought they were too pert in their answer, and too fine in\ntheir clothes and weapons; and therefore turned his speech\nagainst these brothers, and said it was not unlikely they may\nhave committed these thefts. They denied it, and the Thing\nclosed. Soon after King Olaf, with his retinue, came to guest-\nquarters in the house of bailiff Bjorn. The matter which had\nbeen before the Thing was then complained of to the king; and\nBjorn said that Raud's sons appeared to him to have committed\nthese thefts. A messenger was sent for Raud's sons; and when\nthey appeared before the king he said they had not at all the\nappearance of thieves, and acquitted them. Thereupon they\ninvited the king, with all his retinue, to a three days'\nentertainment at their father's; and although Bjorn dissuaded him\nfrom it, the king went. At Raud's there was a very excellent\nfeast. The king asked Raud what people he and his wife were.\nRaud answered that he was originally a Swedish man, rich and of\nhigh birth; \"but I ran away with the wife I have ever since had,\nand she is a sister of King Hring Dagson.\" The king then\nremembered both their families. He found that father and sons\nwere men of understanding, and asked them what they could do.\nSigurd said he could interpret dreams, and determine the time of\nthe day although no heavenly bodies could be seen. The king made\ntrial of his art, and found it was as Sigurd had said. Dag\nstated, as his accomplishment, that he could see the misdeeds and\nvices of every man who came under his eye, when he chose to\nobserve him closely. The king told him to declare what faults of\ndisposition he saw in the king himself. Dag mentioned a fault\nwhich the king was sensible he really had. Then the king asked\nwhat fault the bailiff Bjorn had. Dag said Bjorn was a thief;\nand told also where Bjorn had concealed on his farm the bones,\nhorns, and hides of the cattle he had stolen in autumn; \"for he\ncommitted,\" said Dag, \"all the thefts in autumn which he accuses\nother people of.\" Dag also told the king the places where the\nking should go after leaving them. When the king departed from\nRaud's house he was accompanied on the way, and presented with\nfriendly gifts; and Raud's sons remained with the king. The king\nwent first to Bjorn's, and found there that all Dag had told him\nwas true. Upon which he drove Bjorn out of the country; and he\nhad to thank the queen that he preserved life and limbs.\n175. THORER'S DEATH.\nThorer, a son of Olver of Eggja, a stepson of Kalf Arnason, and a\nsister's son of Thorer Hund, was a remarkably handsome man, stout\nand strong. He was at this time eighteen years old; had made a\ngood marriage in Hedemark, by which he got great wealth; and was\nbesides one of the most popular of men, and formed to be a chief.\nHe invited the king and his retinue home to him to a feast. The\nking accepted the invitation, went to Thorer's, and was well\nreceived. The entertainment was very splendid; they were\nexcellently treated, and all that was set before the guests was\nof the best that could be got. The king and his people talked\namong themselves of the excellence of everything, and knew not\nwhat they should admire the most, -- whether Thorer's house\noutside, or the inside furniture, the table service, or the\nliquors, or the host who gave them such a feast. But Dag said\nlittle about it. The king used often to speak to Dag, and ask\nhim about various things; and he had proved the truth of all that\nDag had said, both of things that had happened or were to happen,\nand therefore the king had much confidence in what he said. The\nking called Dag to him to have a private conversation together,\nand spoke to him about many things. Afterwards the king turned\nthe conversation on Thorer, -- what an excellent man Thorer was,\nand what a superb feast he had made for them. Dag answered but\nlittle to this, but agreed it was true what the king said. The\nking then asked Dag what disposition or faith he found in Thorer.\nDag replied that he must certainly consider Thorer of a good\ndisposition, if he be really what most people believe him to be.\nThe king told him to answer direct what he was asked, and said\nthat it was his duty to do so. Dag replies, \"Then thou must\nallow me to determine the punishment if I disclose his faith.\"\nThe king replied that he would not submit his decision to another\nman, but again ordered Dag to reply to what he asked.\nDag replies, \"The sovereign's order goes before all. I find this\ndisposition in Thorer, as in so many others, that he is too\ngreedy of money.\"\nThe king: \"Is he then a thief, or a robber?\"\n\"He is neither.\"\n\"What is he then?\"\n\"To win money he is a traitor to his sovereign. He has taken\nmoney from King Canute the Great for thy head.\"\nThe king asks, \"What proof hast thou of the truth of this?\"\nDag: \"He has upon his right arm, above the elbow, a thick gold\nring, which King Canute gave him, and which he lets no man see.\"\nThis ended their conference, and the king was very wroth. Now as\nthe king sat at table, and the guests had drunk a while with\ngreat mirth, and Thorer went round to see the guests well served,\nthe king ordered Thorer to be called to him. He went up before\nthe table, and laid his hands upon it.\nThe king asked, \"How old a man art thou, Thorer?\"\nHe answered, \"I am eighteen years old.\"\n\"A stout man thou art for those years, and thou hast been\nfortunate also.\"\nThen the king took his right hand, and felt it towards the elbow.\nThorer said, \"Take care, for I have a boil upon my arm.\"\nThe king held his hand there, and felt there was something hard\nunder it. \"Hast thou not heard,\" said he, \"that I am a\nphysician? Let me see the boil.\"\nAs Thorer saw it was of no use to conceal it longer, he took off\nthe ring and laid it on the table.\nThe king asked if that was the gift of King Canute.\nThorer replied that he could not deny it was.\nThe king ordered him to be seized and laid in irons. Kalf came\nup and entreated for mercy, and offered money for him, which also\nwas seconded by many; but the king was so wroth that nobody could\nget in a word. He said Thorer should suffer the doom he had\nprepared for himself. Thereupon he ordered Thorer to be killed.\nThis deed was much detested in the Uplands, and not less in the\nThrondhjem country, where many of Thorer's connections were.\nKalf took the death of this man much to heart, for he had been\nhis foster-son in childhood.\n176. THE FALL OF GRJOTGARD.\nGrjotgard Olverson, Thorer's brother, and the eldest of the\nbrothers, was a very wealthy man, and had a great troop of people\nabout him. He lived also at this time in Hedemark. When he\nheard that Thorer had been killed, he made an attack upon the\nplaces where the king's goods and men were; but, between whiles,\nhe kept himself in the forest and other secret places. When the\nking heard of this disturbance, he had inquiry made about\nGrjotgard's haunts, and found out that he had taken up night-\nquarters not far from where the king was. King Olaf set out in\nthe night-time, came there about day-dawn, and placed a circle of\nmen round the house in which Grjotgard was sleeping. Grjotgard\nand his men, roused by the stir of people and clash of arms, ran\nto their weapons, and Grjotgard himself sprang to the front room.\nHe asked who commanded the troop; and it was answered him, \"King\nOlaf was come there.\" Grjotgard asked if the king would hear his\nwords. The king, who stood at the door, said that Grjotgard\nmight speak what he pleased, and he would hear his words.\nGrjotgard said, \"I do not beg for mercy;\" and at the same moment\nhe rushed out, having his shield over his head, and his drawn\nsword in his hand. It was not so much light that he could see\nclearly. He struck his sword at the king; but Arnbjorn ran in,\nand the thrust pierced him under his armour into his stomach, and\nArnbjorn got his deathwound. Grjotgard was killed immediately,\nand most of his people with him. After this event the king\nturned back to the south to Viken.\n177. KING OLAF SENDS FOR HIS SHIPS AND GOODS.\nNow when the king came to Tunsberg he sent men out to all the\ndistricts, and ordered the people out upon a levy. He had but a\nsmall provision of shipping, and there were only bondes' vessels\nto be got. From the districts in the near neighbourhood many\npeople came to him, but few from any distance; and it was soon\nfound that the people had turned away from the king. King Olaf\nsent people to Gautland for his ships, and other goods and wares\nwhich had been left there in autumn; but the progress of these\nmen was very slow, for it was no better now than in autumn to\nsail through the Sound, as King Canute had in spring fitted out\nan army throughout the whole of the Danish dominions, and had no\nfewer than 1200 vessels.\n178. KING OLAF'S COUNSELS.\nThe news came to Norway that King Canute had assembled an immense\narmament through all Denmark, with which he intended to conquer\nNorway. When this became known the people were less willing to\njoin King Olaf, and he got but little aid from the bondes. The\nking's men often spoke about this among themselves. Sigvat tells\nof it thus: --\n\"Our men are few, our ships are small,\nWhile England's king is strong in all;\nBut yet our king is not afraid --\nO! never be such king betrayed!\n'Tis evil counsel to deprive\nOur king of countrymen to strive\nTo save their country, sword in hand:\nTis money that betrays our land.\"\nThe king held meetings with the men of the court, and sometimes\nHouse-things with all his people, and consulted with them what\nthey should, in their opinion, undertake. \"We must not conceal\nfrom ourselves,\" said he, \"that Canute will come here this\nsummer; and that he has, as ye all know, a large force, and we\nhave at present but few men to oppose to him; and, as matters now\nstand, we cannot depend much on the fidelity of the country\npeople.\" The king's men replied to his speech in various ways;\nbut it is said that Sigvat the skald replied thus, advising\nflight, as treachery, not cowardice, was the cause of it: --\n\"We may well fly, when even our foe\nOffers us money if we go.\nI may be blamed, accused of fear;\nBut treachery, not faith, rules here.\nMen may retire who long have shown\nTheir faith and love, and now alone\nRetire because they cannot save --\nThis is no treachery in the brave.\"\n179. HAREK OF THJOTTA BURNS GRANKEL AND HIS MEN.\nThe same spring (A.D. 1028) it happened in Halogaland that Harek\nof Thjotta remembered how Asmund Grankelson had plundered and\nbeaten his house-servants. A cutter with twenty rowing-benches,\nwhich belonged to Harek, was afloat in front of the house, with\ntent and deck, and he spread the report that he intended to go\nsouth to Throndhjem. One evening Harek went on board with his\nhouse-servants, about eighty men, who rowed the whole night; and\nhe came towards morning to Grankel's house, and surrounded it\nwith his men. They then made an attack on the house, and set\nfire to it; and Grankel with his people were burnt, and some were\nkilled outside; and in all about thirty men lost their lives.\nAfter this deed Harek returned home, and sat quietly in his farm.\nAsmund was with King Olaf when he heard of it; therefore there\nwas nobody in Halogaland to sue Harek for mulct for this deed,\nnor did he offer any satisfaction.\n180. KING CANUTE'S EXPEDITION TO NORWAY.\nCanute the Great collected his forces, and went to Limfjord.\nWhen he was ready with his equipment he sailed from thence with\nhis whole fleet to Norway; made all possible speed, and did not\nland to the eastward of the Fjords, but crossed Folden, and\nlanded in Agder, where he summoned a Thing. The bondes came down\nfrom the upper country to hold a Thing with Canute, who was\neverywhere in that country accepted as king. Then he placed men\nover the districts, and took hostages from the bondes, and no man\nopposed him. King Olaf was in Tunsberg when Canute's fleet\nsailed across the mouth of the fjord. Canute sailed northwards\nalong the coast, and people came to him from all the districts,\nand promised him fealty. He lay a while in Egersund, where\nErling Skjalgson came to him with many people, and King Canute\nand Erling renewed their league of friendship. Among other\nthings, Canute promised Erling the whole country between Stad and\nRygiarbit to rule over. Then King Canute proceeded; and, to be\nshort in our tale, did not stop until he came to Throndhjem, and\nlanded at Nidaros. In Throndhjem he called together a Thing for\nthe eight districts, at which King Canute was chosen king of all\nNorway. Thorer Hund, who had come with King Canute from Denmark,\nwas there, and also Harek of Thjotta; and both were made sheriffs\nof the king, and took the oath of fealty to him. King Canute\ngave them great fiefs, and also right to the Lapland trade, and\npresented them besides with great gifts. He enriched all men who\nwere inclined to enter into friendly accord with him both with\nfiefs and money, and gave them greater power than they had\nbefore.\n181. OF KING CANUTE.\nWhen King Canute had laid the whole of Norway trader his\nauthority, he called together a numerous Thing, both of his own\npeople and of the people of the country; and at it he made\nproclamation, that he made his relation Earl Hakon the governor-\nin-chief of all the land in Norway that he had conquered in this\nexpedition. In like manner he led his son Hardaknut to the high-\nseat at his side, gave him the title of king, and therewith the\nwhole Danish dominion. King Canute took as hostages from all\nlendermen and great bondes in Norway either their sons, brothers,\nor other near connections, or the men who were dearest to them\nand appeared to him most suitable; by which he, as before\nobserved, secured their fidelity to him. As soon as Earl Hakon\nhad attained this power in Norway his brother-in-law, Einar\nTambaskelfer, made an agreement with him, and received back all\nthe fiefs he formerly had possessed while the earls ruled the\ncountry. King Canute gave Einar great gifts, and bound him by\ngreat kindness to his interests; and promised that Einar should\nbe the greatest and most important man in Norway, among those who\ndid not hold the highest dignity, as long as he had power over\nthe country. He added to this, that Einar appeared to him the\nmost suitable man to hold the highest title of honour in Norway\nif no earls remained, and his son Eindride also, on account of\nhis high birth. Einar placed a great value on these promises,\nand, in return, promised the greatest fidelity. Einar's\nchiefship began anew with this.\n182. OF THORARIN LOFTUNGA.\nThere was a man by name Thorarin Loftunga, an Icelander by birth,\nand a great skald, who had been much with the kings and other\ngreat chiefs. He was now with King Canute the Great, and had\ncomposed a flock, or short poem, in his praise. When the king\nheard of this he was very angry, and ordered him to bring the\nnext day a drapa, or long poem, by the time he went to table; and\nif he failed to do so, said the king, \"he shall be hanged for his\nimpudence in composing such a small poem about King Canute.\"\nThorarin then composed a stave as a refrain, which he inserted in\nthe poem, and also augmented it with several other strophes or\nverses. This was the refrain: --\n\"Canute protects his realm, as Jove,\nGuardian of Greece, his realm above.\"\nKing Canute rewarded him for the poem with fifty marks of silver.\nThe poem was called the \"Headransom\" (\"Hofudlausn\"). Thorarin\ncomposed another poem about King Canute, which was called the\n\"Campaign Poem\" (\"Togdrapa\"); and therein he tells King Canute's\nexpedition when he sailed from Denmark to Norway; and the\nfollowing are strophes from one of the parts of this poem: --\n\"Canute with all his men is out,\nUnder the heavens in war-ships stout, --\n'Out on the sea, from Limfjord's green,\nMy good, my brave friend's fleet is seen.\nThe men of Adger on the coast\nTremble to see this mighty host:\nThe guilty tremble as they spy\nThe victor's fleet beneath the sky.\n\"The sight surpasses far the tale,\nAs glacing in the sun they sail;\nThe king's ship glittering all with gold,\nAnd splendour there not to be told.\nRound Lister many a coal-black mast\nOf Canute's fleet is gliding past.\nAnd now through Eger sound they ride,\nUpon the gently heaving tide.\n\"And all the sound is covered o'er\nWith ships and sails, from shore to shore,\nA mighty king, a mighty host,\nHiding the sea on Eger coast.\nAnd peaceful men in haste now hie\nUp Hiornagla-hill the fleet to spy,\nAs round the ness where Stad now lies\nEach high-stemmed ship in splendour flies.\n\"Nor seemed the voyage long, I trow,\nTo warrior on the high-built bow,\nAs o'er the ocean-mountains riding\nThe land and hill seem past him gliding.\nWith whistling breeze and flashing spray\nPast Stein the gay ships dashed away;\nIn open sea, the southern gale\nFilled every wide out-bellying sail.\n\"Still on they fly, still northward go,\nTill he who conquers every foe,\nThe mighty Canute, came to land,\nFar in the north on Throndhjem's strand.\nThere this great king of Jutland race,\nWhose deeds and gifts surpass in grace\nAll other kings, bestowed the throne\nOf Norway on his sister's son.\n\"To his own son he gave the crown\n(This I must add to his renown)\nOf Denmark -- land of shadowy vales,\nIn which the white swan trims her sails.\"\nHere it is told that King Canute's expedition was grander than\nsaga can tell; but Thorarin sang thus because he would pride\nhimself upon being one of King Canute's retinue when he came to\nNorway.\n153. OF THE MESSENGERS SENT BY KING OLAF FOR HIS SHIPS.\nThe men whom King Olaf had sent eastwards to Gautland after his\nships took with them the vessels they thought the best, and burnt\nthe rest. The ship-apparel and other goods belonging to the king\nand his men they also took with them; and when they heard that\nKing Canute had gone to Norway they sailed west through the\nSound, and then north to Viken to King Olaf, to whom they\ndelivered his ships. He was then at Tunsberg. When King Olaf\nlearnt that King Canute was sailing north along the coast, King\nOlaf steered with his fleet into Oslo fjord, and into a branch of\nit called Drafn, where he lay quiet until King Canute's fleet had\nsailed southwards again. On this expedition which King Canute\nmade from the North along the coast, he held a Thing in each\ndistrict, and in every Thing the country was bound by oath in\nfealty to him, and hostages were given him. He went eastward\nacross the mouths of the fjords to Sarpsborg, and held a Thing\nthere, and, as elsewhere, the country was surrendered to him\nunder oath of fidelity. King Canute then returned south to\nDenmark, after having conquered Norway without stroke of sword,\nand he ruled now over three kingdoms. So says Halvard\nHareksblese when he sang of King Canute: --\n\"The warrior-king, whose blood-stain'd shield\nHas shone on many a hard-fought field,\nEngland and Denmark now has won,\nAnd o'er three kingdoms rules alone.\nPeace now he gives us fast and sure,\nSince Norway too is made secure\nBy him who oft, in days of yore,\nGlutted the hawk and wolf with gore.\"\n154. OF KING OLAF IN HIS PROCEEDINGS.\nKing Olaf sailed with his ships out to Tunsberg, as soon as he\nheard that King Canute had turned back, and was gone south to\nDenmark. He then made himself ready with the men who liked to\nfollow him, and had then thirteen ships. Afterwards he sailed\nout along Viken; but got little money, and few men, as those only\nfollowed him who dwelt in islands, or on outlying points of land.\nThe king landed in such places, but got only the money and men\nthat fell in his way; and he soon perceived that the country had\nabandoned him. He proceeded on according to the winds. This was\nin the beginning of winter (A.D. 1029). The wind turned very\nlate in the season in their favour, so that they lay long in the\nSeley islands, where they heard the news from the North, through\nmerchants, who told the king that Erling Skjalgson had collected\na great force in Jadar, and that his ship lay fully rigged\noutside of the land, together with many other vessels belonging\nto\nthe bondes; namely, skiffs, fisher-yachts, and great row-boats.\nThen the king sailed with his fleet from the East, and lay a\nwhile in Egersund. Both parties heard of each other now, and\nErling assembled all the men he could.\n155. OF KING OLAF'S VOYAGE.\nOn Thomasmas, before Yule (Dec. 21), the king left the harbour as\nsoon as day appeared. With a good but rather strong gale he\nsailed northwards past Jadar. The weather was rainy, with dark\nflying clouds in the sky. The spies went immediately in through\nthe Jadar country when the king sailed past it; and as soon as\nErling heard that the king was sailing past from the East, he let\nthe war-horn call all the people on board, and the whole force\nhastened to the ships, and prepared for battle. The king's ship\npassed by Jadar at a great rate; but thereafter turned in towards\nthe land, intending to run up the fjords to gather men and money.\nErling Skjalgson perceived this, and sailed after him with a\ngreat force and many ships. Swiftly their vessels flew, for they\nhad nothing on board but men and arms: but Erling's ship went\nmuch faster than the others; therefore he took in a reef in the\nsails, and waited for the other vessels. Then the king saw that\nErling with his fleet gained upon him fast; for the king's ships\nwere heavily laden, and were besides water-soaked, having been in\nthe sea the whole summer, autumn, and winter, up to this time.\nHe saw also that there would be a great want of men, if he should\ngo against the whole of Erling's fleet when it was assembled. He\nhailed from ship to ship the orders to let the sails gently sink,\nand to unship the booms and outriggers, which was done. When\nErling saw this he calls out to his people, and orders them to\nget on more sail. \"Ye see,\" says he, \"that their sails are\ndiminishing, and they are getting fast away from our sight.\" He\ntook the reef out of the sails of his ship, and outsailed all the\nothers immediately; for Erling was very eager in his pursuit of\nKing Olaf.\n186. OF ERLING SKJALGSON'S FALL.\nKing Olaf then steered in towards the Bokn fjord, by which the\nships came out of sight of each other. Thereafter the king\nordered his men to strike the sails, and row forwards through a\nnarrow sound that was there, and all the ships lay collected\nwithin a rocky point. Then all the king's men put on their\nweapons. Erling sailed in through the sound, and observed\nnothing until the whole fleet was before him, and he saw the\nking's men rowing towards him with all their ships at once.\nErling and his crew let fall the sails, and seized their weapons;\nbut the king's fleet surrounded his ship on all sides. Then the\nfight began, and it was of the sharpest; but soon the greatest\nloss was among Erling's men. Erling stood on the quarter-deck of\nhis ship. He had a helmet on his head, a shield before him, and\na sword in his hand. Sigvat the skald had remained behind in\nViken, and heard the tidings. He was a great friend of Erling,\nhad received presents from him, and had been at his house.\nSigvat composed a poem upon Erling's fall, in which there is the\nfollowing verse: --\n\"Erling has set his ship on sea --\nAgainst the king away is he:\nHe who oft lets the eagle stain\nHer yellow feet in blood of slain.\nHis little war-ship side by side\nWith the king's fleet, the fray will bide.\nNow sword to sword the fight is raging,\nWhich Erling with the king is waging.\"\nThen Erling's men began to fall, and at the same moment his ship\nwas carried by boarding, and every man of his died in his place.\nThe king himself was amongst the foremost in the fray. So says\nSigvat: --\n\"The king's men hewed with hasty sword, --\nThe king urged on the ship to board, --\nAll o'er the decks the wounded lay:\nRight fierce and bloody was that fray.\nIn Tungur sound, on Jadar shore,\nThe decks were slippery with red gore;\nWarm blood was dropping in the sound,\nWhere the king's sword was gleaming round.\"\nSo entirely had Erling's men fallen, that not a man remained\nstanding in his ship but himself alone; for there was none who\nasked for quarter, or none who got it if he did ask. There was\nno opening for flight, for there lay ships all around Erling's\nship on every side, and it is told for certain that no man\nattempted to fly; and Sigvat says: --\n\"All Erling's men fell in the fray,\nOff Bokn fjord, this hard-fought day.\nThe brave king boarded, onward cheered,\nAnd north of Tungur the deck was cleared.\nErling alone, the brave, the stout,\nCut off from all, yet still held out;\nHigh on the stern -- a sight to see --\nIn his lone ship alone stood he.\"\nThen Erling was attacked both from the forecastle and from the\nother ships. There was a large space upon the poop which stood\nhigh above the other ships, and which nobody could reach but by\narrow-shot, or partly with the thrust of spear, but which he\nalways struck from him by parrying. Erling defended himself so\nmanfully, that no example is known of one man having sustained\nthe attack of so many men so long. Yet he never tried to get\naway, nor asked for quarter. So says Sigvat: --\n\"Skjalg's brave son no mercy craves, --\nThe battle's fury still he braves;\nThe spear-storm, through the air sharp singing,\nAgainst his shield was ever ringing.\nSo Erling stood; but fate had willed\nHis life off Bokn should be spilled.\nNo braver man has, since his day,\nPast Bokn fjord ta'en his way.\"\nWhen Olaf went back a little upon the fore-deck he saw Erling's\nbehaviour; and the king accosted him thus: -- \"Thou hast turned\nagainst me to-day, Erling.\"\nHe replies, \"The eagle turns his claws in defence when torn\nasunder.\" Sigvat the skald tells thus of these words of Erling:\n--\n\"Erling. our best defence of old, --\nErling the brave, the brisk, the bold, --\nStood to his arms, gaily crying,\n`Eagles should show their claws, though dying:'\nThe very words which once before\nTo Olaf he had said on shore,\nAt Utstein when they both prepared\nTo meet the foe, and danger shared.\"\nThen said the king, \"Wilt thou enter into my service, Erling?\"\n\"That I will,\" said he; took the helmet off his head, laid down\nhis sword and shield, and went forward to the forecastle deck.\nThe king struck him in the chin with the sharp point of his\nbattle-axe, and said, \"I shall mark thee as a traitor to thy\nsovereign.\"\nThen Aslak Fitiaskalle rose up, and struck Erling in the head\nwith an axe, so that it stood fast in his brain, and was\ninstantly his death-wound. Thus Erling lost his life.\nThe king said to Aslak, \"May all ill luck attend thee for that\nstroke; for thou hast struck Norway out of my hands.\"\nAslak replied, \"It is bad enough if that stroke displease thee,\nfor I thought it was striking Norway into thy hands; and if I\nhave given thee offence, sire, by this stroke, and have thy ill-\nwill for it, it will go badly with me, for I will get so many\nmen's ill-will and enmity for this deed that I would need all\nyour protection and favour.\"\nThe king replied that he should have it.\nThereafter the king ordered every man to return to his ship, and\nto get ready to depart as fast as he could. \"We will not plunder\nthe slain,\" says he, \"and each man may keep what he has taken.\"\nThe men returned to the ships and prepared themselves for the\ndeparture as quickly as possible; and scarcely was this done\nbefore the vessels of the bondes ran in from the south into the\nsound. It went with the bonde-army as is often seen, that the\nmen, although many in numbers, know not what to do when they have\nexperienced a check, have lost their chief, and are without\nleaders. None of Erling's sons were there, and the bondes\ntherefore made no attack, and the king sailed on his way\nnorthwards. But the bondes took Erling's corpse, adorned it, and\ncarried it with them home to Sole, and also the bodies of all who\nhad fallen. There was great lamentation over Erling; and it has\nbeen a common observation among people, that Erling Skjalgson was\nthe greatest and worthiest man in Norway of those who had no high\ntitle. Sigvat made these verses upon the occasion: --\n\"Thus Erling fell -- and such a gain\nTo buy with such a loss was vain;\nFor better man than he ne'er died,\nAnd the king's gain was small beside.\nIn truth no man I ever knew\nWas, in all ways, so firm and true;\nFree from servility and pride,\nHonoured by all, yet thus he died.\"\nSigvat also says that Aslak had very unthinkingly committed this\nmurder of his own kinsman: --\n\"Norway's brave defender's dead!\nAslak has heaped on his own head\nThe guilt of murdering his own kin:\nMay few be guilty of such sin!\nHis kinsman's murder on him lies --\nOur forefathers, in sayings wise,\nHave said, what is unknown to few,\n`Kinsmen to kinsmen should be true.'\"\n187. OF THE INSURRECTION OF AGDER DISTRICT.\nOf Erling's sons some at that time were north in Throndhjem, some\nin Hordaland, and some in the Fjord district, for the purpose of\ncollecting men. When Erling's death was reported, the news came\nalso that there was a levy raising in Agder, Hordaland, and\nRogaland. Forces were raised and a great army assembled, under\nErling's sons, to pursue King Olaf.\nWhen King Olaf retired from the battle with Erling he went\nnorthward through the sounds, and it was late in the day. It is\nrelated that the king then made the following verses: --\n\"This night, with battle sounds wild ringing,\nSmall joy to the fair youth is bringing\nWho sits in Jadar, little dreaming\nO'er what this night the raven's screaming.\nThe far-descended Erling's life\nToo soon has fallen; but, in the strife\nHe met the luck they well deserve\nWho from their faith and fealty swerve.\"\nAfterwards the king sailed with his fleet along the land\nnorthwards, and got certain tidings of the bondes assembling an\narmy. There were many chiefs and lendermen at this time with\nKing Olaf, and all the sons of Arne. Of this Bjarne\nGullbrarskald speaks in the poem he composed about Kalf Arnason:\n--\n\"Kalf! thou hast fought at Bokn well;\nOf thy brave doings all men tell:\nWhen Harald's son his men urged on\nTo the hard strife, thy courage shone.\nThou soon hadst made a good Yule feast\nFor greedy wolf there in the East:\nWhere stone and spear were flying round,\nThere thou wast still the foremost found.\nThe people suffered in the strife\nWhen noble Erling lost his life,\nAnd north of Utstein many a speck\nOf blood lay black upon the deck.\nThe king, 'tis clear, has been deceived,\nBy treason of his land bereaved;\nAnd Agder now, whose force is great.\nWill rule o'er all parts of the state.\"\nKing O1af continued his voyage until he came north of Stad, and\nbrought up at the Herey Isles. Here he heard the news that Earl\nHakon had a great war-force in Throndhjem, and thereupon the king\nheld a council with his people. Kalf Arnason urged much to\nadvance to Throndhjem, and fight Earl Hakon, notwithstanding the\ndifference of numbers. Many others supported this advice, but\nothers dissuaded from it, and the matter was left to the king's\njudgment.\n188. DEATH OF ASLAK FITIASKALLE.\nAfterwards the king went into Steinavag, and remained there all\nnight; but Aslak Fitiaskalle ran into Borgund, where he remained\nthe night, and where Vigleik Arnason was before him. In the\nmorning, when Aslak was about returning on board, Vigleik\nassaulted him, and sought to avenge Erling's murder. Aslak fell\nthere. Some of the king's court-men, who had been home all\nsummer, joined the king here. They came from Frekeysund, and\nbrought the king tidings that Earl Hakon, and many lendermen with\nhim, had come in the morning to Frekeysund with a large force;\n\"and they will end thy days, sire, if they have strength enough.\"\nNow the king sent his men up to a hill that was near; and when\nthey came to the top, and looked northwards to Bjarney Island,\nthey perceived that a great armament of many ships was coming\nfrom the north, and they hastened back to the king with this\nintelligence. The king, who was lying there with only twelve\nships, ordered the war-horn to sound, the tents to be taken down\non his ships, and they took to their oars. When they were quite\nready, and were leaving the harbour, the bonde army sailed north\naround Thiotande with twenty-five ships. The king then steered\ninside of Nyrfe Island, and inside of Hundsver. Now when King\nOlaf came right abreast of Borgund, the ship which Aslak had\nsteered came out to meet him, and when they found the king they\ntold him the tidings, -- that Vigleik Arnason had killed Aslak\nFitiaskalle, because he had killed Erling Skjalgson. The king\ntook this news very angrily, but could not delay his voyage on\naccount of the enemy and he sailed in by Vegsund and Skor. There\nsome of his people left him; among others, Kalf Arnason, with\nmany other lendermen and ship commanders, who all went to meet\nEarl Hakon. King Olaf, however, proceeded on his way without\nstopping until he came to Todar fjord, where he brought up at\nValdal, and landed from his ship. He had then five ships with\nhim, which he drew up upon the shore, and took care of their\nsails and materials. Then he set up his land-tent upon a point\nof land called Sult, where there are pretty flat fields, and set\nup a cross near to the point of land. A bonde, by name Bruse,\nwho dwelt there in More, and was chief over the valley, came down\nto King Olaf, together with many other bondes, and received him\nwell, and according to his dignity; and he was friendly, and\npleased with their reception of him. Then the king asked if\nthere was a passable road up in the country from the valley to\nLesjar; and Bruse replied, that there was an urd in the valley\ncalled Skerfsurd not passable for man or beast. King Olaf\nanswers, \"That we must try, bonde, and it will go as God pleases.\nCome here in the morning with your yoke, and come yourself with\nit, and let us then see. When we come to the sloping precipice,\nwhat chance there may be, and if we cannot devise some means of\ncoming over it with horses and people.\"\n189. CLEARING OF THE URD.\nNow when day broke the bondes drove down with their yokes, as the\nking had told them. The clothes and weapons were packed upon\nhorses, but the king and all the people went on foot. He went\nthus until he came to a place called Krosbrekka, and when he came\nup upon the hill he rested himself, sat down there a while,\nlooked down over the fjord, and said, \"A difficult expedition ye\nhave thrown upon my hands, ye lendermen, who have now changed\nyour fealty, although but a little while ago ye were my friends\nand faithful to me.\" There are now two crosses erected upon the\nbank on which the king sat. Then the king mounted a horse, and\nrode without stopping up the valley, until he came to the\nprecipice. Then the king asked Bruse if there was no summer hut\nof cattle-herds in the neighbourhood, where they could remain.\nHe said there was. The king ordered his land-tent to be set up,\nand remained there all night. In the morning the king ordered\nthem to drive to the urd, and try if they could get across it\nwith the waggons. They drove there, and the king remained in the\nmeantime in his tent. Towards evening the king's court-men and\nthe bondes came back, and told how they had had a very fatiguing\nlabour, without making any progress, and that there never could\nbe a road made that they could get across: so they continued\nthere the second night, during which, for the whole night, the\nking was occupied in prayer. As soon as he observed day dawning\nhe ordered his men to drive again to the urd, and try once more\nif they could get across it with the waggons; but they went very\nunwillingly, saying nothing could be gained by it. When they\nwere gone the man who had charge of the king's kitchen came, and\nsaid there were only two carcasses of young cattle remaining of\nprovision: \"Although you, sire, have 400 men, and there are 100\nbondes besides.\" Then the king ordered that he should set all\nthe kettles on the fire, and put a little bit of meat in each\nkettle, which was done. Then the king went there, and made the\nsign of the cross over each kettle, and told them to make ready\nthe meat. The king then went to the urd called Skerfsurd, where\na road should be cleared. When the king came all his people were\nsitting down, quite worn out with the hard labour. Bruse said,\n\"I told you, sire, but you would not believe me, that we could\nmake nothing of this urd.\" The king laid aside his cloak, and\ntold them to go to work once more at the urd. They did so, and\nnow twenty men could handle stones which before 100 men could not\nmove from the place; and thus before midday the road was cleared\nso well that it was as passable for men, and for horses with\npacks, as a road in the plain fields. The king, after this, went\ndown again to where the meat was, which place is called Olaf's\nRock. Near the rock is a spring, at which Olaf washed himself;\nand therefore at the present day, when the cattle in the valley\nare sick, their illness is made better by their drinking at this\nwell. Thereafter the king sat down to table with all the others;\nand when he was satisfied he asked if there was any other\nsheeling on the other side of the urd, and near the mountains,\nwhere they could pass the night. Bruse said there was such a\nsheeling, called Groningar; but that nobody could pass the night\nthere on account of witchcraft, and evil beings who were in the\nsheeling. Then the king said they must get ready for their\njourney, as he wanted to be at the sheeling for the night. Then\ncame the kitchen-master to the king, and tells that there was\ncome an extraordinary supply of provisions, and he did not know\nwhere it had come from, or how. The king thanked God for this\nblessing, and gave the bondes who drove down again to their\nvalley some rations of food, but remained himself all night in\nthe sheeling. In the middle of the night, while the people were\nasleep, there was heard in the cattle-fold a dreadful cry, and\nthese words: \"Now Olaf's prayers are burning me,\" says the\nspirit, \"so that I can no longer be in my habitation; now must I\nfly, and never more come to this fold.\" When the king's people\nawoke in the morning the king proceeded to the mountains, and\nsaid to Bruse, \"Here shall now a farm be settled, and the bonde\nwho dwells here shall never want what is needful for the support\nof life; and never shall his crop be destroyed by frost, although\nthe crops be frozen on the farms both above it and below it.\"\nThen the king proceeded over the mountains, and came to a farm\ncalled Einby, where he remained for the night. King Olaf had\nthen been fifteen years king of Norway (A.D. 1015-1029),\nincluding the year both he and Svein were in the country, and\nthis year we have now been telling about. It was, namely, a\nlittle past Yule when the king left his ships and took to the\nland, as before related. Of this portion of his reign the priest\nAre Thorgilson the Wise was the first who wrote; and he was both\nfaithful in his story, of a good memory, and so old a man that he\ncould remember the men, and had heard their accounts, who were so\nold that through their age they could remember these\ncircumstances as he himself wrote them in his books, and he named\nthe men from whom he received his information. Otherwise it is\ngenerally said that King Olaf had been fifteen years king of\nNorway when he fell; but they who say so reckon to Earl Svein's\ngovernment, the last year he was in the country, for King Olaf\nlived fifteen years afterwards as king.\n190. OLAF'S PROPHECIES.\nWhen the king had been one night at Lesjar he proceeded on his\njourney with his men, day by day; first into Gudbrandsdal, and\nfrom thence out to Redemark. Now it was seen who had been his\nfriends, for they followed him; but those who had served him with\nless fidelity separated from him, and some showed him even\nindifference, or even full hostility, which afterwards was\napparent; and also it could be seen clearly in many Upland people\nthat they took very ill his putting Thorer to death, as before\nrelated. King Olaf gave leave to return home to many of his men\nwho had farms and children to take care of; for it seemed to them\nuncertain what safety there might be for the families and\nproperty of those who left the country with him. Then the king\nexplained to his friends his intention of leaving the country,\nand going first east into Svithjod, and there taking his\ndetermination as to where he should go; but he let his friends\nknow his intention to return to the country, and regain his\nkingdoms, if God should grant him longer life; and he did not\nconceal his expectation that the people of Norway would again\nreturn to their fealty to him. \"I think,\" says he, \"that Earl\nHakon will have Norway but a short time under his power, which\nmany will not think an extraordinary expectation, as Earl Hakon\nhas had but little luck against me; but probably few people will\ntrust to my prophecy, that Canute the Great will in the course of\na few years die, and his kingdoms vanish; and there will he no\nrisings in favour of his race.\" When the king had ended his\nspeech, his men prepared themselves for their departure. The\nking, with the troop that followed him, turned east to Eid\nforest. And there were along with him the Queen Astrid; their\ndaughter Ulfhild; Magnus, King Olaf's son; Ragnvald Brusason; the\nthree sons of Arne, Thorberg, Fin, and Arne, with many lendermen;\nand the king's attendants consisted of many chosen men. Bjorn\nthe marshal got leave to go home, and he went to his farm, and\nmany others of the king's friends returned home with his\npermission to their farms. The king begged them to let him know\nthe events which might happen in the country, and which it might\nbe important for him to know; and now the king proceeded on his\nway.\n191. KING OLAF PROCEEDS TO RUSSIA.\nIt is to be related of King Olaf's journey, that he went first\nfrom Norway eastward through Eid forest to Vermaland, then to\nVatnsby, and through the forests in which there are roads, until\nhe came out in Nerike district. There dwelt a rich and powerful\nman in that part called Sigtryg, who had a son, Ivar, who\nafterwards became a distinguished person. Olaf stayed with\nSigtryg all spring (A.D. 1029); and when summer came he made\nready for a journey, procured a ship for himself, and without\nstopping went on to Russia to King Jarisleif and his queen\nIngegerd; but his own queen Astrid, and their daughter Ulfhild,\nremained behind in Svithjod, and the king took his son Magnus\neastward with him. King Jarisleif received King Olaf in the\nkindest manner, and made him the offer to remain with him, and to\nhave so much land as was necessary for defraying the expense of\nthe entertainment of his followers. King Olaf accepted this\noffer thankfully, and remained there. It is related that King\nOlaf was distinguished all his life for pious habits, and zeal in\nhis prayers to God. But afterwards, when he saw his own power\ndiminished, and that of his adversaries augmented, he turned all\nhis mind to God's service; for he was not distracted by other\nthoughts, or by the labour he formerly had upon his hands, for\nduring all the time he sat upon the throne he was endeavouring to\npromote what was most useful: and first to free and protect the\ncountry from foreign chiefs' oppressions, then to convert the\npeople to the right faith; and also to establish law and the\nrights of the country, which he did by letting justice have its\nway, and punishing evil-doers.\n192. CAUSES OF THE REVOLT AGAINST KING OLAF.\nIt had been an old custom in Norway that the sons of lendermen,\nor other great men, went out in war-ships to gather property, and\nthey marauded both in the country and out of the country. But\nafter King Olaf came to the sovereignty he protected the country,\nso that he abolished all plundering there; and even if they were\nthe sons of powerful men who committed any depredation, or did\nwhat the king considered against law, he did not spare them at\nall, but they must suffer in life or limbs; and no man's\nentreaties, and no offer of money-penalties, could help them. So\nsays Sigvat: --\n\"They who on viking cruises drove\nWith gifts of red gold often strove\nTo buy their safety -- but our chief\nHad no compassion for the thief.\nHe made the bravest lose his head\nWho robbed at sea, and pirates led;\nAnd his just sword gave peace to all,\nSparing no robber, great or small.\"\nAnd he also says: --\n\"Great king! whose sword on many a field\nFood to the wandering wolf did yield,\nAnd then the thief and pirate band\nSwept wholly off by sea and land --\nGood king! who for the people's sake\nSet hands and feet upon a stake,\nWhen plunderers of great name and bold\nHarried the country as of old.\nThe country's guardian showed his might\nWhen oft he made his just sword bite\nThrough many a viking's neck and hair,\nAnd never would the guilty spare.\nKing Magnus' father, I must say,\nDid many a good deed in his day.\nOlaf the Thick was stern and stout,\nMuch good his victories brought out.\"\nHe punished great and small with equal severity, which appeared\nto the chief people of the country too severe; and animosity rose\nto the highest when they lost relatives by the king's just\nsentence, although they were in reality guilty. This was the\norigin of the hostility of the great men of the country to King\nOlaf, that they could not bear his just judgments. He again\nwould rather renounce his dignity than omit righteous judgment.\nThe accusation against him, of being stingy with his money, was\nnot just, for he was a most generous man towards his friends; but\nthat alone was the cause of the discontent raised against him,\nthat he appeared hard and severe in his retributions. Besides,\nKing Canute offered great sums of money, and the great chiefs\nwere corrupted by this, and by his offering them greater\ndignities than they had possessed before. The inclinations of\nthe people, also, were all in favour of Earl Hakon, who was much\nbeloved by the country folks when he ruled the country before.\n193. OF JOKUL BARDSON.\nEarl Hakon had sailed with his fleet from Throndhjem, and gone\nsouth to More against King Olaf, as before related. Now when the\nking bore away, and ran into the fjord, the earl followed him\nthither; and then Kalf Arnason came to meet him, with many of the\nmen who had deserted King Olaf. Kalf was well received. The\nearl steered in through Todar fjord to Valdal, where the king had\nlaid up his ships on the strand. He took the ships which\nbelonged to the king, had them put upon the water and rigged, and\ncast lots, and put commanders in charge of them according to the\nlots. There was a man called Jokul, who was an Icelander, a son\nof Bard Jokulson of Vatnsdal; the lot fell upon Jokul to command\nthe Bison, which King Olaf himself had commanded. Jokul made\nthese verses upon it: --\n\"Mine is the lot to take the helm\nWhich Olaf owned, who owned the realm;\nFrom Sult King Olaf's ship to steer\n(Ill luck I dread on his reindeer).\nMy girl will never hear the tidings,\nTill o'er the wild wave I come riding\nIn Olaf's ship, who loved his gold,\nAnd lost his ships with wealth untold.\"\nWe may here shortly tell what happened a long time after. -- that\nthis Jokul fell in with King Olaf's men in the island of Gotland,\nand the king ordered him to be taken out to be beheaded. A\nwillow twig accordingly was plaited in with his hair, and a man\nheld him fast by it. Jokul sat down upon a bank, and a man swung\nthe axe to execute him; but Jokul hearing the sound, raised his\nhead, and the blow struck him in the head, and made a dreadful\nwound. As the king saw it would be his death-wound, he ordered\nthem to let him lie with it. Jokul raised himself up, and he\nsang: --\n\"My hard fate I mourn, --\nAlas! my wounds burn,\nMy red wounds are gaping,\nMy life-blood escaping.\nMy wounds burn sore;\nBut I suffer still more\nFrom the king's angry word,\nThan his sharp-biting sword.\"\n194. OF KALF ARNASON.\nKalf Arnason went with Earl Hakon north to Throndhjem, and the\nearl invited him to enter into his service. Kalf said he would\nfirst go home to his farm at Eggja, and afterwards make his\ndetermination; and Kalf did so. When he came home he found his\nwife Sigrid much irritated; and she reckoned up all the sorrow\ninflicted on her, as she insisted, by King Olaf. First, he had\nordered her first husband Olver to be killed. \"And now since,\"\nsays she, \"my two sons; and thou thyself, Kalf, wert present when\nthey were cut off, and which I little expected from thee.\" Kalf\nsays, it was much against his will that Thorer was killed. \"I\noffered money-penalty for him,\" says he; \"and when Grjotgard was\nkilled I lost my brother Arnbjorn at the same time.\" She\nreplies, \"It is well thou hast suffered this from the king; for\nthou mayest perhaps avenge him, although thou wilt not avenge my\ninjuries. Thou sawest how thy foster-son Thorer was killed, with\nall the regard of the king for thee.\" She frequently brought out\nsuch vexatious speeches to Kalf, to which he often answered\nangrily; but yet he allowed himself to be persuaded by her to\nenter into the earl's service, on condition of renewing his fiefs\nto him. Sigrid sent word to the earl how far she had brought the\nmatter with Kalf. As soon as the earl heard of it, he sent a\nmessage to Kalf that he should come to the town to him. Kalf did\nnot decline the invitation, but came directly to Nidaros, and\nwaited on the earl, who received him kindly. In their\nconversation it was fully agreed upon that Kalf should go into\nthe earl's service, and should receive great fiefs. After this\nKalf returned home, and had the greater part of the interior of\nthe Throndhjem country under him. As soon as it was spring Kalf\nrigged out a ship that belonged to him, and when she was ready he\nput to sea, and sailed west to England; for he had heard that in\nspring King Canute was to sail from Denmark to England, and that\nKing Canute had given Harald, a son of Thorkel the High, an\nearldom in Denmark. Kalf Arnason went to King Canute as soon as\nhe arrived in England. Bjarne Gullbrarskald tells of this: --\n\"King Olaf eastward o'er the sea\nTo Russia's monarch had to flee;\nOur Harald's brother ploughed the main,\nAnd furrowed white its dark-blue plain.\nWhilst thou -- the truth I still will say,\nNor fear nor favour can me sway --\nThou to King Canute hastened fast,\nAs soon as Olaf's luck was past.\"\nNow when Kalf came to King Canute the king received him\nparticularly well, and had many conversations with him. Among\nother things, King Canute, in a conference, asked Kalf to bind\nhimself to raise a warfare against King Olaf, if ever he should\nreturn to the country. \"And for which,\" says the king, \"I will\ngive thee the earldom, and place thee to rule over Norway; and my\nrelation Hakon shall come to me, which will suit him better, for\nhe is so honourable and trustworthy that I believe he would not\neven throw a spear against the person of King Olaf if he came\nback to the country.\" Kalf lent his ear to what the king\nproposed, for he had a great desire to attain this high dignity;\nand this conclusion was settled upon between King Canute and\nKalf. Kalf then prepared to return home, and on his departure he\nreceived splendid presents from King Canute. Bjarne the skald\ntells of these circumstances: --\n\"Sprung from old earls! -- to England's lord\nThou owest many a thankful word\nFor many a gift: if all be true,\nThy interest has been kept in view;\nFor when thy course was bent for home,\n(Although that luck is not yet come,)\n`That Norway should be thine,' 'tis said,\nThe London king a promise made.\"\nKalf thereafter returned to Norway, and came to his farm.\n195. OF THE DEATH OF EARL HAKON.\nEarl Hakon left the country this summer (A.D. 1029), and went to\nEngland, and when he came there was well received by the king.\nThe earl had a bride in England, and he travelled to conclude\nthis marriage, and as he intended holding his wedding in Norway,\nhe came to procure those things for it in England which it was\ndifficult to get in Norway. In autumn he made ready for his\nreturn, but it was somewhat late before he was clear for sea; but\nat last he set out. Of his voyage all that can be told is, that\nthe vessel was lost, and not a man escaped. Some relate that the\nvessel was seen north of Caithness in the evening in a heavy\nstorm, and the wind blowing out of Pentland Firth. They who\nbelieve this report say the vessel drove out among the breakers\nof the ocean; but with certainty people knew only that Earl Hakon\nwas missing in the ocean, and nothing belonging to the ship ever\ncame to land. The same autumn some merchants came to Norway, who\ntold the tidings that were going through the country of Earl\nHakon being missing; and all men knew that he neither came to\nNorway nor to England that autumn, so that Norway that winter was\nwithout a head.\n196. OF BJORN THE MARSHAL.\nBjorn the marshal sat at home on his farm after his parting from\nKing Olaf. Bjorn was a celebrated man; therefore it was soon\nreported far and wide that he had set himself down in quietness.\nEarl Hakon and the other chiefs of the country heard this also,\nand sent persons with a verbal message to Bjorn. When the\nmessengers arrived Bjorn received them well; and afterwards Bjorn\ncalled them to him to a conference, and asked their business. He\nwho was their foreman presented to Bjorn the salutations of King\nCanute, Earl Hakon, and of several chiefs. \"King Canute,\" says\nhe, \"has heard much of thee, and that thou hast been long a\nfollower of King Olaf the Thick, and hast been a great enemy of\nKing Canute; and this he thinks not right, for he will be thy\nfriend, and the friend of all worthy men, if thou wilt turn from\nthy friendship to King Olaf and become his enemy. And the only\nthing now thou canst do is to seek friendship and protection\nthere where it is most readily to be found, and which all men in\nthis northern world think it most honourable to be favoured with.\nYe who have followed Olaf the Thick should consider how he is now\nseparated from you; and that now ye have no aid against King\nCanute and his men, whose lands ye plundered last summer, and\nwhose friends ye murdered. Therefore ye ought to accept, with\nthanks, the friendship which the king offers you; and it would\nbecome you better if you offered money even in mulct to obtain\nit.\"\nWhen he had ended his speech Bjorn replies, \"I wish now to sit\nquietly at home, and not to enter into the service of any chief.\"\nThe messenger answers, \"Such men as thou art are just the right\nmen to serve the king; and now I can tell thee there are just two\nthings for thee to choose, -- either to depart in peace from thy\nproperty, and wander about as thy comrade Olaf is doing; or,\nwhich is evidently better, to accept King Canute's and Earl\nHakon's friendship, become their man, and take the oaths of\nfealty to them. Receive now thy reward.\" And he displayed to\nhim a large bag full of English money.\nBjorn was a man fond of money, and self-interested; and when he\nsaw the silver he was silent, and reflected with himself what\nresolution he should take. It seemed to him much to abandon his\nproperty, as he did not think it probable that King Olaf would\never have a rising in his favour in Norway. Now when the\nmessenger saw that Bjorn's inclinations were turned towards the\nmoney, he threw down two thick gold rings, and said, \"Take the\nmoney at once, Bjorn, and swear the oaths to King Canute; for I\ncan promise thee that this money is but a trifle, compared to\nwhat thou wilt receive if thou followest King Canute.\"\nBy the heap of money, the fine promises, and the great presents,\nhe was led by covetousness, took the money, went into King\nCanute's service, and gave the oaths of fealty to King Canute and\nEarl Hakon, and then the messengers departed.\n197. BJORN THE MARSHAL'S JOURNEY.\nWhen Bjorn heard the tidings that Earl Hakon was missing he soon\naltered his mind, and was much vexed with himself for having been\na traitor in his fidelity to King Olaf. He thought, now, that\nhe was freed from the oath by which he had bound himself to Earl\nHakon. It seemed to Bjorn that now there was some hope that King\nOlaf might again come to the throne of Norway if he came back, as\nthe country was without a head. Bjorn therefore immediately made\nhimself ready to travel, and took some men with him. He then set\nout on his journey, travelling night and day, on horseback when\nhe could, and by ship when he found occasion; and never halted\nuntil he came, after Yule, east to Russia to King Olaf, who was\nvery glad to see Bjorn. Then the king inquired much about the\nnews from Norway. Bjorn tells him that Earl Hakon was missing,\nand the kingdom left without a head. At this news the men who\nhad followed King Olaf were very glad, -- all who had left\nproperty, connections, and friends in Norway; and the longing for\nhome was awakened in them. Bjorn told King Olaf much news from\nNorway, and very anxious the king was to know, and asked much how\nhis friends had kept their fidelity towards him. Bjorn answered,\nit had gone differently with different people.\nThen Bjorn stood up, fell at the king's feet, held his foot, and\nsaid, \"All is in your power, sire, and in God's! I have taken\nmoney from King Canute's men, and sworn them the oaths of fealty;\nbut now will I follow thee, and not part from thee so long as we\nboth live.\"\nThe king replies, \"Stand up, Bjorn' thou shalt be reconciled with\nme; but reconcile thy perjury with God. I can see that but few\nmen in Norway have held fast by their fealty, when such men as\nthou art could be false to me. But true it is also that people\nsit in great danger when I am distant, and they are exposed to\nthe wrath of my enemies.\"\nBjorn then reckoned up those who had principally bound themselves\nto rise in hostility against the king and his men; and named,\namong others, Erling's son in Jadar and their connections, Einar\nTambaskelfer, Kalf Arnason, Thorer Hund, and Harek of Thjotta.\n105. OF KING OLAF.\nAfter King Olaf came to Russia he was very thoughtful, and\nweighed what counsel he now should follow. King Jarisleif and\nQueen Ingegerd offered him to remain with them, and receive a\nkingdom called Vulgaria, which is a part of Russia, and in which\nland the people were still heathen. King Olaf thought over this\noffer; but when he proposed it to his men they dissuaded him from\nsettling himself there, and urged the king to betake himself to\nNorway to his own kingdom: but the king himself had resolved\nalmost in his own mind to lay down his royal dignity, to go out\ninto the world to Jerusalem, or other holy places, and to enter\ninto some order of monks. But yet the thought lay deep in his\nsoul to recover again, if there should be any opportunity for\nhim, his kingdom in Norway. When he thought over this, it\nrecurred to his mind how all things had gone prosperously with\nhim during the first ten years of his reign, and how afterwards\nevery thing he undertook became heavy, difficult, and hard; and\nthat he had been unlucky, on all occasions in which he had tried\nhis luck. On this account he doubted if it would be prudent to\ndepend so much upon his luck, as to go with so little strength\ninto the hands of his enemies, seeing that all the people of the\ncountry had taken part with them to oppose King Olaf. Such cares\nhe had often on his mind, and he left his cause to God, praying\nthat He would do what to Him seemed best. These thoughts he\nturned over in his mind, and knew not what to resolve upon; for\nhe saw how evidently dangerous that was which his inclination was\nmost bent upon.\n199. OF KING OLAF'S DREAM.\nOne night the king lay awake in his bed, thinking with great\nanxiety about his determination, and at last, being tired of\nthinking, sleep came over him towards morning; but his sleep was\nso light that he thought he was awake, and could see all that was\ndoing in the house. Then he saw a great and superb man, in\nsplendid clothes, standing by his bed; and it came into the\nking's mind that this was King Olaf Trygvason who had come to\nhim. This man said to him, \"Thou are very sick of thinking about\nthy future resolutions; and it appears to me wonderful that these\nthoughts should be so tumultuous in thy soul that thou shouldst\neven think of laying down the kingly dignity which God hath given\nthee, and of remaining here and accepting of a kingdom from\nforeign and unknown kings. Go back rather to that kingdom which\nthou hast received in heritage, and rule over it with the\nstrength which God hath given thee, and let not thy inferiors\ntake it from thee. It is the glory of a king to be victorious\nover his enemies, and it is a glorious death to die in battle.\nOr art thou doubtful if thou hast right on thy side in the strife\nwith thine enemies? Thou must have no doubts, and must not\nconceal the truth from thyself. Thou must go back to thy\ncountry, and God will give open testimony that the kingdom is\nthine by property.\" When the king awoke he thought he saw the\nman's shoulders going out. From this time the king's courage\nrose, and he fixed firmly his resolution to return to Norway; to\nwhich his inclination also tended most, and which he also found\nwas the desire of all his men. He bethought himself also that\nthe country being without a chief could be easily attacked, from\nwhat he had heard, and that after he came himself many would turn\nback towards him. When the king told his determination to his\npeople they all gave it their approbation joyfully.\n200. OF KING OLAF'S HEALING POWERS.\nIt is related that once upon a time, while King Olaf was in\nRussia, it happened that the son of an honest widow had a sore\nboil upon his neck, of which the lad lay very ill; and as he\ncould not swallow any food, there was little hope of his life.\nThe boy's mother went to Queen Ingegerd, with whom she was\nacquainted, and showed her the lad. The queen said she knew no\nremedy for it. \"Go,\" said she, \"to King Olaf, he is the best\nphysician here; and beg him to lay his hands on thy lad, and\nbring him my words if he will not otherwise do it.\" She did as\nthe queen told her; and when she found the king she says to him\nthat her son is dangerously ill of a boil in his neck, and begs\nhim to lay his hand on the boil. The king tells her he is not a\nphysician, and bids her go to where there were physicians. She\nreplies, that the queen had told her to come to him; \"and told me\nto add the request from her, that you would would use the remedy\nyou understood, and she said that thou art the best physician\nhere in the town.\" Then the king took the lad, laid his hands\nupon his neck, and felt the boil for a long time, until the boy\nmade a very wry face. Then the king took a piece of bread, laid\nit in the figure of the cross upon the palm of his hand, and put\nit into the boy's mouth. He swallowed it down, and from that\ntime all the soreness left his neck, and in a few days he was\nquite well, to the great joy of his mother and all his relations.\nThen first came Olaf into the repute of having as much healing\npower in his hands as is ascribed to men who have been gifted by\nnature with healing by the touch; and afterwards when his\nmiracles were universally acknowledged, this also was considered\none of his miracles.\n201. KING OLAF BURNS THE WOOD SHAVINGS ON HIS HAND FOR HIS\nSABBATH BREACH.\nIt happened one Sunday that the king sat in his highseat at the\ndinner table, and had fallen into such deep thought that he did\nnot observe how time went. In one hand he had a knife, and in\nthe other a piece of fir-wood from which he cut splinters from\ntime to time. The table-servant stood before him with a bowl in\nhis hands; and seeing what the king was about, and that he was\ninvolved in thought, he said, \"It is Monday, sire, to-morrow.\"\nThe king looked at him when he heard this, and then it came into\nhis mind what he was doing on the Sunday. Then the king ordered\na lighted candle to be brought him, swept together all the\nshavings he had made, set them on fire, and let them burn upon\nhis naked hand; showing thereby that he would hold fast by God's\nlaw and commandment, and not trespass without punishment on what\nhe knew to be right.\n202. OF KING OLAF.\nWhen King Olaf had resolved on his return home, he made known his\nintention to King Jarisleif and Queen Ingegerd. They dissuaded\nhim from this expedition, and said he should receive as much\npower in their dominions as he thought desirable; but begged him\nnot to put himself within the reach of his enemies with so few\nmen as he had. Then King Olaf told them of his dream; adding,\nthat he believed it to be God's will and providence that it\nshould be so. Now when they found he was determined on\ntravelling to Norway, they offered him all the assistance to his\njourney that he would accept from them. The king thanked them in\nmany fine words for their good will; and said that he accepted\nfrom them, with no ordinary pleasure, what might be necessary for\nhis undertaking.\n203. OF KING OLAF'S JOURNEY FROM RUSSIA.\nImmediately after Yule (A.D. 1080), King Olaf made himself ready;\nand had about 200 of his men with him. King Jarisleif gave him\nall the horses, and whatever else he required; and when he was\nready he set off. King Jarisleif and Queen Ingegerd parted from\nhim with all honour; and he left his son Magnus behind with the\nking. The first part of his journey, down to the sea-coast, King\nOlaf and his men made on the ice; but as spring approached, and\nthe ice broke up, they rigged their vessels, and when they were\nready and got a wind they set out to sea, and had a good voyage.\nWhen Olaf came to the island of Gotland with his ships he heard\nthe news -- which was told as truth, both in Svithjod, Denmark,\nand over all Norway -- that Earl Hakon was missing, and Norway\nwithout a head. This gave the king and his men good hope of the\nissue of their journey. From thence they sailed, when the wind\nsuited, to Svithjod, and went into the Maelar lake, to Aros, and\nsent men to the Swedish King Onund appointing a meeting. King\nOnund received his brother-in-law's message in the kindest\nmanner, and went to him according to his invitation. Astrid also\ncame to King Olaf, with the men who had attended her; and great\nwas the joy on all sides at this meeting. The Swedish king also\nreceived his brother-in-law King Olaf with great joy when they\nmet.\n204. OF THE LENDERMEN IN NORWAY.\nNow we must relate what, in the meantime, was going on in Norway.\nThorer Hund, in these two winters (A.D. 1029-1030), had made a\nLapland journey, and each winter had been a long time on the\nmountains, and had gathered to himself great wealth by trading in\nvarious wares with the Laplanders. He had twelve large coats of\nreindeer-skin made for him, with so much Lapland witchcraft that\nno weapon could cut or pierce them any more than if they were\narmour of ring-mail, nor so much. The spring thereafter Thorer\nrigged a long-ship which belonged to him, and manned it with his\nhouse-servants. He summoned the bondes, demanded a levy from the\nmost northern Thing district, collected in this way a great many\npeople, and proceeded with this force southwards. Harek of\nThjotta had also collected a great number of people; and in this\nexpedition many people of consequence took a part, although these\ntwo were the most distinguished. They made it known publicly\nthat with this war-force they were going against King Olaf, to\ndefend the country against him, in case he should come from the\neastward.\n205. OF EINAR TAMBASKELFER.\nEinar Tambaskelfer had most influence in the outer part of the\nThrondhjem country after Earl Hakon's death was no longer\ndoubtful; for he and his son Eindride appeared to be the nearest\nheirs to the movable property the earl had possessed. Then Einar\nremembered the promises and offers of friendship which King\nCanute had made him at parting; and he ordered a good vessel\nwhich belonged to him to be got ready, and embarked with a great\nretinue, and when he was ready sailed southwards along the coast,\nthen set out to sea westwards, and sailed without stopping until\nhe came to England. He immediately waited on King Canute, who\nreceived him well and joyfully. Then Einar opened his business\nto the king, and said he was come there to see the fulfillment of\nthe promises the king had made him; namely, that he, Einar,\nshould have the highest title of honour in Norway if Earl Hakon\nwere no more. King Canute replies, that now the circumstances\nwere altered. \"I have now,\" said he, \"sent men and tokens to my\nson Svein in Denmark, and promised him the kingdom of Norway; but\nthou shalt retain my friendship, and get the dignity and title\nwhich thou art entitled by birth to hold. Thou shalt be\nlenderman with great fiefs, and be so much more raised above\nother lendermen as thou art more able than they.\" Einar saw\nsufficiently how matters stood with regard to his business, and\ngot ready to return home; but as he now knew the king's\nintentions, and thought it probable if King Olaf came from the\nEast the country would not be very peaceable, it came into his\nmind that it would be better to proceed slowly, and not to be\nhastening his voyage, in order to fight against King Olaf,\nwithout his being advanced by it to any higher dignity than he\nhad before. Einar accordingly went to sea when he was ready; but\nonly came to Norway after the events were ended which took place\nthere during that summer.\n206. OF THE CHIEF PEOPLE IN NORWAY.\nThe chiefs in Norway had their spies east in Svithjod, and south\nin Denmark, to find out if King Olaf had come from Russia. As\nsoon as these men could get across the country, they heard the\nnews that King Olaf was arrived in Svithjod; and as soon as full\ncertainty of this was obtained, the war message-token went round\nthe land. The whole people were called out to a levy, and a\ngreat army was collected. The lendermen who were from Agder,\nRogaland, and Hordaland, divided themselves, so that some went\ntowards the north, and some towards the east; for they thought\nthey required people on both sides. Erling's sons from Jadar\nwent eastward, with all the men who lived east of them, and over\nwhom they were chiefs; Aslak of Finey, and Erlend of Gerde, with\nthe lendermen north of them, went towards the north. All those\nnow named had sworn an oath to King Canute to deprive Olaf of\nlife, if opportunity should offer.\n207. OF HARALD SIGURDSON'S PROCEEDINGS.\nNow when it was reported in Norway that King Olaf was come from\nthe East to Svithjod, his friends gathered together to give him\naid. The most distinguished man in this flock was Harald\nSigurdson, a brother of King Olaf, who then was fifteen years of\nage, very stout, and manly of growth as if he were full-grown.\nMany other brave men were there also; and there were in all 600\nmen when they proceeded from the uplands, and went eastward with\ntheir force through Eid forest to Vermaland. From thence they\nwent eastward through the forests to Svithjod and made inquiry\nabout King Olaf's proceedings.\n208. OF KING OLAF'S PROCEEDINGS IN SVITHJOD.\nKing Olaf was in Svithjod in spring (A.D. 1030), and had sent\nspies from thence to Norway. All accounts from that quarter\nagreed that there was no safety for him if he went there, and the\npeople who came from the north dissuaded him much from\npenetrating into the country. But he had firmly resolved within\nhimself, as before stated, to go into Norway; and he asked King\nOnund what strength King Onund would give him to conquer his\nkingdom. King Onund replied, that the Swedes were little\ninclined to make an expedition against Norway. \"We know,\" says\nhe, \"that the Northmen are rough and warlike, and it is dangerous\nto carry hostility to their doors, but I will not be slow in\ntelling thee what aid I can give. I will give thee 400 chosen\nmen from my court-men, active and warlike, and well equipt for\nbattle; and moreover will give thee leave to go through my\ncountry, and gather to thyself as many men as thou canst get to\nfollow thee.\" King Olaf accepted this offer, and got ready for\nhis march. Queen Astrid, and Ulfhild the king's daughter,\nremained behind in Svithjod.\n209. KING OLAF ADVANCES TO JARNBERALAND.\nJust as King Olaf began his journey the men came to him whom the\nSwedish king had given, in all 400 men, and the king took the\nroad the Swedes showed him. He advanced upwards in the country\nto the forests, and came to a district called Jarnberaland. Here\nthe people joined him who had come out of Norway to meet him, as\nbefore related; and he met here his brother Harald, and many\nother of his relations, and it was a joyful meeting. They made\nout together 1200 men.\n210. OF DAG HRINGSON.\nThere was a man called Dag, who is said to have been a son of\nKing Hring, who fled the country from King Olaf. This Hring, it\nis said further, had been a son of Dag, and grandson of Hring,\nHarald Harfager's son. Thus was Dag King Olaf's relative. Both\nHring the father, and Dag the son, had settled themselves in\nSvithjod, and got land to rule over. In spring, when Olaf came\nfrom the East to Svithjod, he sent a message to his relation Dag,\nthat he should join him in this expedition with all the force he\ncould collect; and if they gained the country of Norway again,\nDag should have no smaller part of the kingdom under him than his\nforefathers had enjoyed. When this message came to Dag it suited\nhis inclination well, for he had a great desire to go to Norway\nand get the dominion his family had ruled over. He was not slow,\ntherefore, to reply, and promised to come. Dag was a quick-\nspeaking, quick-resolving man, mixing himself up in everything;\neager, but of little understanding. He collected a force of\nalmost 1200 men, with which he joined King Olaf.\n211. OF KING OLAF'S JOURNEY.\nKing Olaf sent a message before him to all the inhabited places\nhe passed through, that the men who wished to get goods and\nmoney, and share of booty, and the lands besides which now were\nin the hands of his enemies, should come to him, and follow him.\nThereafter King Olaf led his army through forests, often over\ndesert moors, and often over large lakes; and they dragged, or\ncarried the boats, from lake to lake. On the way a great many\nfollowers joined the king, partly forest settlers, partly\nvagabonds. The places at which he halted for the night are since\ncalled Olaf's Booths. He proceeded without any break upon his\njourney until he came to Jamtaland, from which he marched north\nover the keel or ridge of the land. The men spread themselves\nover the hamlets, and proceeded, much scattered, so long as no\nenemy was expected; but always, when so dispersed, the Northmen\naccompanied the king. Dag proceeded with his men on another line\nof march, and the Swedes on a third with their troop.\n212. OF VAGABOND-MEN.\nThere were two men, the one called Gauka-Thorer, the other\nAfrafaste, who were vagabonds and great robbers, and had a\ncompany of thirty men such as themselves. These two men were\nlarger and stronger than other men, and they wanted neither\ncourage nor impudence. These men heard speak of the army that\nwas crossing the country, and said among themselves it would be a\nclever counsel to go to the king, follow him to his country, and\ngo with him into a regular battle, and try themselves in this\nwork; for they had never been in any battle in which people were\nregularly drawn up in line, and they were curious to see the\nking's order of battle. This counsel was approved of by their\ncomrades, and accordingly they went to the road on which King\nOlaf was to pass. When they came there they presented themselves\nto the king, with their followers, fully armed. They saluted\nhim, and he asked what people they were. They told their names,\nand said they were natives of the place; and told their errand,\nand that they wished to go with the king. The king said, it\nappeared to him there was good help in such folks. \"And I have a\ngreat inclination,\" said he, \"to take such; but are ye Christian\nmen?\"\nGauka-Thorer replies, that he is neither Christian nor heathen.\n\"I and my comrades have no faith but on ourselves, our strength,\nand the luck of victory; and with this faith we slip through\nsufficiently well.\"\nThe king replies, \"A great pity it is that such brave\nslaughtering fellows did not believe in Christ their Creator.\"\nThorer replies, \"Is there any Christian man, king, in thy\nfollowing, who stands so high in the air as we two brothers?\"\nThe king told them to let themselves be baptized, and to accept\nthe true faith. \"Follow me then, and I will advance you to great\ndignities; but if ye will not do so, return to your former\nvocation.\"\nAfrafaste said he would not take on Christianity, and he turned\naway.\nThen said Gauka-Thorer, \"It is a great shame that the king drives\nus thus away from his army, and I never before came where I was\nnot received into the company of other people, and I shall never\nreturn back on this account.\" They joined accordingly the rear\nwith other forest-men, and followed the troops. Thereafter the\nking proceeded west up to the keel-ridge of the country.\n213. OF KING OLAF'S VISION.\nNow when King Olaf, coming from the east, went over the keel-\nridge and descended on the west side of the mountain, where it\ndeclines towards the sea, he could see from thence far over the\ncountry. Many people rode before the king and many after, and he\nhimself rode so that there was a free space around him. He was\nsilent, and nobody spoke to him, and thus he rode a great part of\nthe day without looking much about him. Then the bishop rode up\nto him, asked him why he was so silent, and what he was thinking\nof; for, in general, he was very cheerful, and very talkative on\na journey to his men, so that all who were near him were merry.\nThe king replied, full of thought, \"Wonderful things have come\ninto my mind a while ago. As I just now looked over Norway, out\nto the west from the mountains, it came into my mind how many\nhappy days I have had in that land. It appeared to me at first\nas if I saw over all the Throndhjem country, and then over all\nNorway; and the longer this vision was before my eyes the\nfarther, methought, I saw, until I looked over the whole wide\nworld, both land and sea. Well I know the places at which I have\nbeen in former days; some even which I have only heard speak of,\nand some I saw of which I had never heard, both inhabited and\nuninhabited, in this wide world.\" The bishop replied that this\nwas a holy vision, and very remarkable.\n214. OF THE MIRACLE ON THE CORN LAND.\nWhen the king had come lower down on the mountain, there lay a\nfarm before him called Sula, on the highest part of Veradal\ndistrict; and as they came nearer to the house the corn-land\nappeared on both sides of the path. The king told his people to\nproceed carefully, and not destroy the corn to the bondes. The\npeople observed this when the king was near; but the crowd behind\npaid no attention to it, and the people ran over the corn, so\nthat it was trodden flat to the earth. There dwelt a bonde there\ncalled Thorgeir Flek, who had two sons nearly grown up. Thorgeir\nreceived the king and his people well, and offered all the\nassistance in his power. The king was pleased with his offer,\nand asked Thorgeir what was the news of the country, and if any\nforces were assembled against him. Thorgeir says that a great\narmy was drawn together in the Throndhjem country, and that there\nwere some lendermen both from the south of the country, and from\nHalogaland in the north; \"but I do not know,\" says he. \"if they\nare intended against you, or going elsewhere.\" Then he\ncomplained to the king of the damage and waste done him by the\npeople breaking and treading down all his corn fields. The king\nsaid it was ill done to bring upon him any loss. Then the king\nrode to where the corn had stood, and saw it was laid flat on the\nearth; and he rode round the field, and said, \"I expect, bonde,\nthat God will repair thy loss, so that the field, within a week,\nwill be better;\" and it proved the best of the corn, as the king\nhad said. The king remained all night there, and in the morning\nhe made himself ready, and told Thorgeir the bonde to accompany\nhim and Thorgear offered his two sons also for the journey; and\nalthough the king said that he did not want them with him, the\nlads would go. As they would not stay behind, the king's court-\nmen were about binding them; but the king seeing it said, \"Let\nthem come with us; the lads will come safe back again.\" And it\nwas with the lads as the king foretold.\n215. OF THE BAPTISM OF THE VAGABOND FOREST-MEN.\nThereafter the army advanced to Staf, and when the king reached\nStaf's moor he halted. There he got the certain information that\nthe bondes were advancing with an army against him, and that he\nmight soon expect to have a battle with them. He mustered his\nforce here, and, after reckoning them up, found there were in\nthe army 900 heathen men, and when he came to know it he ordered\nthem to allow themselves to be baptized, saying that he would\nhave no heathens with him in battle. \"We must not,\" says he,\n\"put our confidence in numbers, but in God alone must we trust;\nfor through his power and favour we must be victorious, and I\nwill not mix heathen people with my own.\" When the heathens\nheard this, they held a council among themselves, and at last 400\nmen agreed to be baptized; but 500 men refused to adopt\nChristianity, and that body returned home to their land. Then\nthe brothers Gauka-Thorer and Afrafaste presented themselves to\nthe king, and offered again to follow him. The king asked if\nthey had now taken baptism. Gauka-Thorer replied that they had\nnot. Then the king ordered them to accept baptism and the true\nfaith, or otherwise to go away. They stepped aside to talk with\neach other on what resolution they should take. Afrafaste said,\n\"To give my opinion, I will not turn back, but go into the\nbattle, and take a part on the one side or the other; and I don't\ncare much in which army I am.\" Gauka-Thorer replies, \"If I go\ninto battle I will give my help to the king, for he has most need\nof help. And if I must believe in a God, why not in the white\nChrist as well as in any other? Now it is my advice, therefore,\nthat we let ourselves be baptized, since the king insists so much\nupon it, and then go into the battle with him.\" They all agreed\nto this, and went to the king, and said they would receive\nbaptism. Then they were baptized by a priest, and the baptism\nwas confirmed by the bishop. The king then took them into the\ntroop of his court-men, and said they should fight under his\nbanner in the battle.\n216. KING OLAF'S SPEECH.\nKing Olaf got certain intelligence now that it would be but a\nshort time until he had a battle with the bondes; and after he\nhad mustered his men, and reckoned up the force, he had more than\n3000 men, which appears to be a great army in one field. Then\nthe king made the following speech to the people: \"We have a\ngreat army, and excellent troops; and now I will tell you, my\nmen, how I will have our force drawn up. I will let my banner go\nforward in the middle of the army, and my-court-men, and\npursuivants shall follow it, together with the war forces that\njoined us from the Uplands, and also those who may come to us\nhere in the Throndhjem land. On the right hand of my banner\nshall be Dag Hringson, with all the men he brought to our aid;\nand he shall have the second banner. And on the left hand of our\nline shall the men be whom the Swedish king gave us, together\nwith all the people who came to us in Sweden; and they shall have\nthe third banner. I will also have the people divide themselves\ninto distinct flocks or parcels, so that relations and\nacquaintances should be together; for thus they defend each other\nbest, and know each other. We will have all our men\ndistinguished by a mark, so as to be a field-token upon their\nhelmets and shields, by painting the holy cross thereupon with\nwhite colour. When we come into battle we shall all have one\ncountersign and field-cry, -- `Forward, forward, Christian men!\ncross men! king's men!' We must draw up our meal in thinner\nranks, because we have fewer people, and I do not wish to let\nthem surround us with their men. Now let the men divide\nthemselves into separate flocks, and then each flock into ranks;\nthen let each man observe well his proper place, and take notice\nwhat banner he is drawn up under. And now we shall remain drawn\nup in array; and our men shall be fully armed, night and day,\nuntil we know where the meeting shall be between us and the\nbondes.\" When the king had finished speaking, the army arrayed,\nand arranged itself according to the king's orders.\n217. KING OLAF'S COUNSEL.\nThereafter the king had a meeting with the chiefs of the\ndifferent divisions, and then the men had returned whom the king\nhad sent out into the neighbouring districts to demand men from\nthe bondes. They brought the tidings from the inhabited places\nthey had gone through, that all around the country was stripped\nof all men able to carry arms, as all the people had joined the\nbondes' army; and where they did find any they got but few to\nfollow them, for the most of them answered that they stayed at\nhome because they would not follow either party: they would not\ngo out against the king, nor yet against their own relations.\nThus they had got but few people. Now the king asked his men\ntheir counsel, and what they now should do. Fin Arnason answered\nthus to the king's question: \"I will say what should be done, if\nI may advise. We should go with armed hand over all the\ninhabited places, plunder all the goods, and burn all the\nhabitations, and leave not a hut standing, and thus punish the\nbondes for their treason against their sovereign. I think many a\nman will then cast himself loose from the bondes' army, when he\nsees smoke and flame at home on his farm, and does not know how\nit is going with children, wives. or old men, fathers, mothers,\nand other connections. I expect also,\" he added, \"that if we\nsucceed in breaking the assembled host, their ranks will soon be\nthinned; for so it is with the bondes, that the counsel which is\nthe newest is always the dearest to them all, and most followed.\"\nWhen Fin had ended his speech it met with general applause; for\nmany thought well of such a good occasion to make booty, and all\nthought the bondes well deserved to suffer damage; and they also\nthought it probable, what Fin said, that many would in this way\nbe brought to forsake the assembled army of the bondes.\nNow when the king heard the warm expressions of his people he\ntold them to listen to him, and said, \"The bondes have well\ndeserved that it should be done to them as ye desire. They also\nknow that I have formerly done so, burning their habitations, and\npunishing them severely in many ways; but then I proceeded\nagainst them with fire and sword because they rejected the true\nfaith, betook themselves to sacrifices, and would not obey my\ncommands. We had then God's honour to defend. But this treason\nagainst their sovereign is a much less grievous crime, although\nit does not become men who have any manhood in them to break the\nfaith and vows they have sworn to me. Now, however, it is more\nin my power to spare those who have dealt ill with me, than those\nwhom God hated. I will, therefore, that my people proceed\ngently, and commit no ravage. First, I will proceed to meet the\nbondes; if we can then come to a reconciliation, it is well; but\nif they will fight with us, then there are two things before us;\neither we fail in the battle, and then it will be well advised\nnot to have to retire encumbered with spoil and cattle; or we\ngain the victory, and then ye will be the heirs of all who fight\nnow against us; for some will fall, and others will fly, but both\nwill have forfeited their goods and properties, and then it will\nbe good to enter into full houses and well-stocked farms; but\nwhat is burnt is of use to no man, and with pillage and force\nmore is wasted than what turns to use. Now we will spread out\nfar through the inhabited places, and take with us all the men we\ncan find able to carry arms. Then men will also capture cattle\nfor slaughter, or whatever else of provision that can serve for\nfood; but not do any other ravage. But I will see willingly that\nye kill any spies of the bonde army ye may fall in with. Dag and\nhis people shall go by the north side down along the valley, and\nI will go on along the country road, and so we shall meet in the\nevening, and all have one night quarter.\"\n218. OF KING OLAF'S SKALDS.\nIt is related that when King Olaf drew up his men in battle\norder, he made a shield rampart with his troop that should defend\nhim in battle, for which he selected the strongest and boldest.\nThereafter he called his skalds, and ordered them to go in within\nthe shield defence. \"Ye shall.\" says the king, \"remain here, and\nsee the circumstances which may take place, and then ye will not\nhave to follow the reports of others in what ye afterwards tell\nor sing concerning it.\" There were Thormod Kolbrunarskald,\nGissur Gulbraskald, a foster-son of Hofgardaref, and Thorfin Mun.\nThen said Thormod to Gissur, \"Let us not stand so close together,\nbrother, that Sigvat the skald should not find room when he\ncomes. He must stand before the king, and the king will not have\nit otherwise.\" The king heard this, and said, \"Ye need not sneer\nat Sigvat, because he is not here. Often has he followed me\nwell, and now he is praying for us, and that we greatly need.\"\nThormod replies, \"It may be, sire, that ye now require prayers\nmost; but it would be thin around the banner-staff if all thy\ncourt-men were now on the way to Rome. True it was what we spoke\nabout, that no man who would speak with you could find room for\nSigvat.\"\nThereafter the skalds talked among themselves that it would be\nwell to compose a few songs of remembrance about the events which\nwould soon be taking place.\nThen Gissur sang: --\n\"From me shall bende girl never hear\nA thought of sorrow, care, or fear:\nI wish my girl knew how gay\nWe arm us for our viking fray.\nMany and brave they are, we know,\nWho come against us there below;\nBut, life or death, we, one and all,\nBy Norway's king will stand or fall.\"\nAnd Thorfin Mun made another song, viz.: --\n\"Dark is the cloud of men and shields,\nSlow moving up through Verdal's fields:\nThese Verdal folks presume to bring\nTheir armed force against their king.\nOn! let us feed the carrion crow, --\nGive her a feast in every blow;\nAnd, above all, let Throndhjem's hordes\nFeel the sharp edge of true men's swords.\"\nAnd Thorrood sang: --\n\"The whistling arrows pipe to battle,\nSword and shield their war-call rattle.\nUp! brave men, up! the faint heart here\nFinds courage when the danger's near.\nUp! brave men, up! with Olaf on!\nWith heart and hand a field is won.\nOne viking cheer! -- then, stead of words,\nWe'll speak with our death-dealing swords.\"\nThese songs were immediately got by heart by the army.\n219. OF KING OLAF'S GIFTS FOR THE SOULS OF THOSE WHO SHOULD BE\nSLAIN.\nThereafter the king made himself ready, and marched down through\nthe valley. His whole forces took up their night-quarter in one\nplace, and lay down all night under their shields; but as soon as\nday broke the king again put his army in order, and that being\ndone they proceeded down through the valley. Many bondes then\ncame to the king, of whom the most joined his army; and all, as\none man, told the same tale, -- that the lendermen had collected\nan enormous army, with which they intended to give battle to the\nking.\nThe king took many marks of silver, and delivered them into the\nhands of a bonde, and said, \"This money thou shalt conceal, and\nafterwards lay out, some to churches, some to priests, some to\nalms-men, -- as gifts for the life and souls of those who fight\nagainst us, and may fall in battle.\"\nThe bonde replies, \"Should you not rather give this money for the\nsoul-mulct of your own men?\"\nThe king says, \"This money shall be given for the souls of those\nwho stand against us in the ranks of the bondes' army, and fall\nby the weapons of our own men. The men who follow us to battle,\nand fall therein, will all be saved together with ourself.\"\n220. OF THORMOD KOLBRUNARSKALD.\nThis night the king lay with his army around him on the field, as\nbefore related, and lay long awake in prayer to God, and slept\nbut little. Towards morning a slumber fell on him, and when he\nawoke daylight was shooting up. The king thought it too early to\nawaken the army, and asked where Thormod the skald was. Thormod\nwas at hand, and asked what was the king's pleasure. \"Sing us a\nsong,\" said the king. Thormod raised himself up, and sang so\nloud that the whole army could hear him. He began to sing the\nold \"Bjarkamal\", of which these are the first verses: --\n\"The day is breaking, --\nThe house cock, shaking\nHis rustling wings,\nWhile priest-bell rings,\nCrows up the morn,\nAnd touting horn\nWakes thralls to work and weep;\nYe sons of Adil, cast off sleep,\nWake up! wake up!\nNor wassail cup,\nNor maiden's jeer,\nAwaits you here.\nHrolf of the bow!\nHar of the blow!\nUp in your might! the day is breaking;\n'Tis Hild's game (1) that bides your waking.\"\nThen the troops awoke, and when the song was ended the people\nthanked him for it; and it pleased many, as it was suitable to\nthe time and occasion, and they called it the house-carle's whet.\nThe king thanked him for the pleasure, and took a gold ring that\nweighed half a mark and gave it him. Thormod thanked the king\nfor the gift, and said, \"We have a good king; but it is not easy\nto say how long the king's life may be. It is my prayer, sire,\nthat thou shouldst never part from me either in life or death.\"\nThe king replies, \"We shall all go together so long as I rule,\nand as ye will follow me.\"\nThormod says, \"I hope, sire, that whether in safety or danger I\nmay stand near you as long as I can stand, whatever we may hear\nof Sigvat travelling with his gold-hilted sword.\" Then Thormod\nmade these lines: --\n\"To thee, my king, I'll still be true,\nUntil another skald I view,\nHere in the field with golden sword,\nAs in thy hall, with flattering word.\nThy skald shall never be a craven,\nThough he may feast the croaking raven,\nThe warrior's fate unmoved I view, --\nTo thee, my king, I'll still be true.\"\nENDNOTES:\n(1) Hild's game is the battle, from the name of the war-goddess\nHild. -- L.\n221. KING OLAF COMES TO STIKLESTAD.\nKing O1af led his army farther down through the valley, and Dag\nand his men went another way, and the king did not halt until he\ncame to Stiklestad. There he saw the bonde army spread out all\naround; and there were so great numbers that people were going on\nevery footpath, and great crowds were collected far and near.\nThey also saw there a troop which came down from Veradal, and had\nbeen out to spy. They came so close to the king's people that\nthey knew each other. It was Hrut of Viggia, with thirty men.\nThe king ordered his pursuivants to go out against Hrut, and make\nan end of him, to which his men were instantly ready. The king\nsaid to the Icelanders, \"It is told me that in Iceland it is the\ncustom that the bondes give their house-servants a sheep to\nslaughter; now I give you a ram to slaughter (1). The Icelanders\nwere easily invited to this, and went out immediately with a few\nmen against Hrut, and killed him and the troop that followed him.\nWhen the king came to Stiklestad he made a halt, and made the\narmy stop, and told his people to alight from their horses and\nget ready for battle; and the people did as the king ordered.\nThen he placed his army in battle array, and raised his banner.\nDag was not yet arrived with his men, so that his wing of the\nbattle array was wanting. Then the king said the Upland men\nshould go forward in their place, and raise their banner there.\n\"It appears to me advisable,\" says the king, \"that Harald my\nbrother should not be in the battle, for he is still in the years\nof childhood only.\" Harald replies, \"Certainly I shall be in the\nbattle, for I am not so weak that I cannot handle the sword; and\nas to that, I have a notion of tying the sword-handle to my hand.\nNone is more willing than I am to give the bondes a blow; so I\nshall go with my comrades.\" It is said that Harald made these\nlines: --\n\"Our army's wing, where I shall stand,\nI will hold good with heart and hand;\nMy mother's eye shall joy to see\nA battered, blood-stained shield from me.\nThe brisk young skald should gaily go\nInto the fray, give blow for blow,\nCheer on his men, gain inch by inch,\nAnd from the spear-point never flinch.\"\nHarald got his will, and was allowed to be in the battle.\nENDNOTES:\n(1) Hrut means a young ram. -- L.\n222. OF THORGILS HALMASON.\nA bonde, by name Thorgils Halmason, father to Grim the Good,\ndwelt in Stiklestad farm. Thorgils offered the king his\nassistance, and was ready to go into battle with him. The king\nthanked him for the offer. \"I would rather,\" says the king,\n\"thou shouldst not be in the fight. Do us rather the service to\ntake care of the people who are wounded, and to bury those who\nmay fall, when the battle is over. Should it happen, bonde, that\nI fall in this battle, bestow the care on my body that may be\nnecessary, if that be not forbidden thee.\" Thorgils promised the\nking what he desired.\n223. OLAF'S SPEECH.\nNow when King Olaf had drawn up his army in battle array he made\na speech, in which he told the people to raise their spirit, and\ngo boldly forward, if it came to a battle. \"We have,\" says he,\n\"many men, and good; and although the bondes may have a somewhat\nlarger force than we, it is fate that rules over victory. This I\nwill make known to you solemnly, that I shall not fly from this\nbattle, but shall either be victorious over the bondes, or fall\nin the fight. I will pray to God that the lot of the two may\nbefall me which will be most to my advantage. With this we may\nencourage ourselves, that we have a more just cause than the\nbondes; and likewise that God must either protect us and our\ncause in this battle, or give us a far higher recompense for what\nwe may lose here in the world than what we ourselves could ask.\nShould it be my lot to have anything to say after the battle,\nthen shall I reward each of you according to his service, and to\nthe bravery he displays in the battle; and if we gain the\nvictory, there must be land and movables enough to divide among\nyou, and which are now in the hands of your enemies. Let us at\nthe first make the hardest onset, for then the consequences are\nsoon seen. There being a great difference in the numbers, we\nhave to expect victory from a sharp assault only; and, on the\nother hand, it will be heavy work for us to fight until we are\ntired, and unable to fight longer; for we have fewer people to\nrelieve with than they, who can come forward at one time and\nretreat and rest at another. But if we advance so hard at the\nfirst attack that those who are foremost in their ranks must turn\nround, then the one will fall over the other, and their\ndestruction will be the greater the greater numbers there are\ntogether.\" When the king had ended his speech it was received\nwith loud applause, and the one encouraged the other.\n224. OF THORD FOLASON.\nThord Folason carried King Olaf's banner. So says Sigvat the\nskald, in the death-song which he composed about King Olaf, and\nput together according to resurrection saga: --\n\"Thord. I have heard, by Olaf's side,\nWhere raged the battle's wildest tide,\nMoved on, and, as by one accord\nMoved with them every heart and sword.\nThe banner of the king on high,\nFloating all splendid in the sky\nFrom golden shaft, aloft he bore, --\nThe Norsemen's rallying-point of yore.\"\n225. OF KING OLAF'S ARMOUR.\nKing Olaf was armed thus: -- He had a gold-mounted helmet on his\nhead; and had in one hand a white shield, on which the holy cross\nwas inlaid in gold. In his other hand he had a lance, which to\nthe present day stands beside the altar in Christ Church. In his\nbelt he had a sword, which was called Hneiter, which was\nremarkably sharp, and of which the handle was worked with gold.\nHe had also a strong coat of ring-mail. Sigvat the skald, speaks\nof this: --\n\"A greater victory to gain,\nOlaf the Stout strode o'er the plain\nIn strong chain armour, aid to bring\nTo his brave men on either wing.\nHigh rose the fight and battle-heat, --\nthe clear blood ran beneath the feet\nOf Swedes, who from the East came there,\nIn Olaf's gain or loss to share.\"\n226. KING OLAF'S DREAM.\nNow when King Olaf had drawn up his men the army of the bondes\nhad not yet come near upon any quarter, so the king said the\npeople should sit down and rest themselves. He sat down himself,\nand the people sat around him in a widespread crowd. He leaned\ndown, and laid his head upon Fin Arnason's knee. There a slumber\ncame upon him, and he slept a little while; but at the same time\nthe bondes' army was seen advancing with raised banners, and the\nmultitude of these was very great.\nThen Fin awakened the king, and said that the bonde-army advanced\nagainst them.\nThe king awoke, and said, \"Why did you waken me, Fin, and did not\nallow me to enjoy my dream?\"\nFin: \"Thou must not be dreaming; but rather thou shouldst be\nawake, and preparing thyself against the host which is coming\ndown upon us; or, dost thou not see that the whole bonde-crowd is\ncoming?\"\nThe king replies, \"They are not yet so near to us, and it would\nhave been better to have let me sleep.\"\nThen said Fin, \"What was the dream, sire, of which the loss\nappears to thee so great that thou wouldst rather have been left\nto waken of thyself?\"\nNow the king told his dream, -- that he seemed to see a high\nladder, upon which he went so high in the air that heaven was\nopen: for so high reached the ladder. \"And when you awoke me, I\nwas come to the highest step towards heaven.\"\nFin replies, \"This dream does not appear to me so good as it does\nto thee. I think it means that thou art fey (1); unless it be\nthe mere want of sleep that has worked upon thee.\"\nENDNOTES:\n(1) Fey means doomed to die.\n227. OF ARNLJOT GELLINE'S BAPTISM.\nWhen King Olaf was arrived at Stiklestad, it happened, among\nother circumstances, that a man came to him; and although it was\nnowise wonderful that there came many men from the districts, yet\nthis must be regarded as unusual, that this man did not appear\nlike the other men who came to him. He was so tall that none\nstood higher than up to his shoulders: very handsome he was in\ncountenance, and had beautiful fair hair. He was well armed; had\na fine helmet, and ring armour; a red shield; a superb sword in\nhis belt; and in his hand a gold-mounted spear, the shaft of it\nso thick that it was a handful to grasp. The man went before the\nking, saluted him, and asked if the king would accept his\nservices.\nThe king asked his name and family, also what countryman he was.\nHe replies, \"My family is in Jamtaland and Helsingjaland, and my\nname is Arnljot Gelline; but this I must not forget to tell you,\nthat I came to the assistance of those men you sent to Jamtaland\nto collect scat, and I gave into their hands a silver dish, which\nI sent you as a token that I would be your friend.\"\nThen the king asked Arnljot if he was a Christian or not. He\nreplied, \"My faith has been this, to rely upon my power and\nstrength, and which faith hath hitherto given me satisfaction;\nbut now I intend rather to put my faith, sire, in thee.\"\nThe king replies, \"If thou wilt put faith in me thou must also\nput faith in what I will teach thee. Thou must believe that\nJesus Christ has made heaven and earth, and all mankind, and to\nhim shall all those who are good and rightly believing go after\ndeath.\"\nArnljot answers, \"I have indeed heard of the white Christ, but\nneither know what he proposes, nor what he rules over; but now I\nwill believe all that thou sayest to me, and lay down my lot in\nyour hands.\"\nThereupon Arnljot was baptized. The king taught him so much of\nthe holy faith as appeared to him needful, and placed him in the\nfront rank of the order of battle, in advance of his banner,\nwhere also Gauka-Thorer and Afrafaste, with their men, were.\n228. CONCERNING THE ARMY COLLECTED IN NORWAY.\nNow shall we relate what we have left behind in our tale, -- that\nthe lendermen and bondes had collected a vast host as soon as it\nwas reported that King Olaf was come from Russia, and had arrived\nin Svithjod; but when they heard that he had come to Jamtaland,\nand intended to proceed westwards over the keel-ridge to Veradal,\nthey brought their forces into the Throndhjem country, where they\ngathered together the whole people, free and unfree, and\nproceeded towards Veradal with so great a body of men that there\nwas nobody in Norway at that time who had seen so large a force\nassembled. But the force, as it usually happens in so great a\nmultitude, consisted of many different sorts of people. There\nwere many lendermen, and a great many powerful bondes; but the\ngreat mass consisted of labourers and cottars. The chief\nstrength of this army lay in the Throndhjem land, and it was the\nmost warm in enmity and opposition to the king.\n229. OF BISHOP SIGURD.\nWhen King Canute had, as before related, laid all Norway under\nhis power, he set Earl Hakon to manage it, and gave the earl a\ncourt-bishop, by name Sigurd, who was of Danish descent, and had\nbeen long with King Canute. This bishop was of a very hot\ntemper, and particularly obstinate, and haughty in his speech;\nbut supported King Canute all he could in conversation, and was a\ngreat enemy of King Olaf. He was now also in the bondes' army,\nspoke often before the people, and urged them much to\ninsurrection against King Olaf.\n230. BISHOP SIGURD'S SPEECH.\nAt a House-thing, at which a great many people were assembled,\nthe bishop desired to be heard, and made the following speech:\n\"Here are now assembled a great many men, so that probably there\nwill never be opportunity in this poor country of seeing so great\na native army; but it would be desirable if this strength and\nmultitude could be a protection; for it will all be needed, if\nthis Olaf does not give over bringing war and strife upon you.\nFrom his very earliest youth he has been accustomed to plunder\nand kill: for which purposes he drove widely around through all\ncountries, until he turned at last against this, where he began\nto show hostilities against the men who were the best and most\npowerful; and even against King Canute, whom all are bound to\nserve according to their ability, and in whose scat-lands he set\nhimself down. He did the same to Olaf the Swedish king. He\ndrove the earls Svein and Hakon away from their heritages; and\nwas even most tyrannical towards his own connections, as he drove\nall the kings out of the Uplands: although, indeed, it was but\njust reward for having been false to their oaths of fealty to\nKing Canute, and having followed this King Olaf in all the folly\nhe could invent; so their friendship ended according to their\ndeserts, by this king mutilating some of them, taking their\nkingdoms himself, and ruining every man in the country who had an\nhonourable name. Ye know yourselves how he has treated the\nlendermen, of whom many of the worthlest have been murdered, and\nmany obliged to fly from their country; and how he has roamed far\nand wide through the land with robber-bands, burning and\nplundering houses, and killing people. Who is the man among us\nhere of any consideration who has not some great injury from him\nto avenge? Now he has come hither with a foreign troop,\nconsisting mostly of forest-men, vagabonds, and such marauders.\nDo ye think he will now be more merciful to you, when he is\nroaming about with such a bad crew, after committing devastations\nwhich all who followed him dissuaded him from? Therefore it is\nnow my advice, that ye remember King Canute's words when he told\nyou, if King Olaf attempted to return to the country ye should\ndefend the liberty King Canute had promised you, and should\noppose and drive away such a vile pack. Now the only thing to be\ndone is to advance against them, and cast forth these malefactors\nto the wolves and eagles, leaving their corpses on the spot they\ncover, unless ye drag them aside to out-of-the-way corners in the\nwoods or rocks. No man would be so imprudent as to remove them\nto churches, for they are all robbers and evil-doers.\" When he\nhad ended his speech it was hailed with the loudest applause, and\nall unanimously agreed to act according to his recommendation.\n231. OF THE LENDERMEN.\nThe lendermen who had come together appointed meetings with each\nother, and consulted together how they should draw up their\ntroops, and who should be their leader. Kalf Arnason said that\nHarek of Thjotta was best fitted to be the chief of this army,\nfor he was descended from Harald Harfager's race. \"The king also\nis particularly enraged against him on account of the murder of\nGrankel, and therefore he would be exposed to the severest fate\nif Olaf recovered the kingdom; and Harek withal is a man\nexperienced in battles, and a man who does much for honour\nalone.\"\nHarek replies, that the men are best suited for this who are in\nthe flower of their age. \"I am now,\" says he, \"an old and\ndecaying man, not able to do much in battle: besides, there is\nnear relationship between me and King Olaf; and although he seems\nnot to put great value upon that tie, it would not beseem me to\ngo as leader of the hostilities against him, before any other in\nthis meeting. On the other hand, thou, Thorer, art well suited\nto be our chief in this battle against King Olaf; and thou hast\ndistinct grounds for being so, both because thou hast to avenge\nthe death of thy relation, and also hast been driven by him as an\noutlaw from thy property. Thou hast also promised King Canute,\nas well as thy connections, to avenge the murder of thy relative\nAsbjorn; and dost thou suppose there ever will be a better\nopportunity than this of taking vengeance on Olaf for all these\ninsults and injuries?\"\nThorer replies thus to his speech: \"I do not confide in myself so\nmuch as to raise the banner against King Olaf, or, as chief, to\nlead on this army; for the people of Throndhjem have the greatest\npart in this armament, and I know well their haughty spirit, and\nthat they would not obey me, or any other Halogaland man,\nalthough I need not be reminded of my injuries to be roused to\nvengeance on King Olaf. I remember well my heavy loss when King\nOlaf slew four men, all distinguished both by birth and personal\nqualities; namely, my brother's son Asbjorn, my sister's sons\nThorer and Grjotgard, and their father Olver; and it is my duty\nto take vengeance for each man of them. I will not conceal that\nI have selected eleven of my house-servants for that purpose, and\nof those who are the most daring; and I do not think we shall be\nbehind others in exchanging blows with King Olaf, should\nopportunity be given.\"\n232. KALF ARNASON'S SPEECH.\nThen Kalf Arnason desired to speak. \"It is highly necessary,\"\nsays he, \"that this business we have on hand do not turn out a\nmockery and child-work, now that an army is collected. Something\nelse is needful, if we are to stand battle with King Olaf, than\nthat each should shove the danger from himself; for we must\nrecollect that although King Olaf has not many people compared to\nthis army of ours, the leader of them is intrepid, and the whole\nbody of them will be true to him, and obedient in the battle.\nBut if we who should be the leaders of this army show any fear,\nand will not encourage the army and go at the head of it, it must\nhappen that with the great body of our people the spirit will\nleave their hearts, and the next thing will be that each will\nseek his own safety. Although we have now a great force\nassembled, we shall find our destruction certain, when we meet\nKing Olaf and his troops, if we, the chiefs of the people, are\nnot confident in our cause, and have not the whole army\nconfidently and bravely going along with us. If it cannot be so,\nwe had better not risk a battle; and then it is easy to see that\nnothing would be left us but to shelter ourselves under King\nOlaf's mercy, however hard it might be, as then we would be less\nguilty than we now may appear to him to be. Yet I know there are\nmen in his ranks who would secure my life and peace if I would\nseek it. Will ye now adopt my proposal -- then shalt thou,\nfriend Thorer, and thou, Harek, go under the banner which we will\nall of us raise up, and then follow. Let us all be speedy and\ndetermined in the resolution we have taken, and put ourselves so\nat the head of the bondes' army that they see no distrust in us;\nfor then will the common man advance with spirit when we go\nmerrily to work in placing the army in battle-order, and in\nencouraging the people to the strife.\"\nWhen Kalf had ended they all concurred in what he proposed, and\nall would do what Kalf thought of advantage. All desired Kalf to\nbe the leader of the army, and to give each what place in it he\nchose.\n233. HOW THE LENDERMEN SET UP THEIR BANNERS.\nKalf Arnason then raised his banner, and drew up his house-\nservants along with Harek of Thjotta and his men. Thorer Hund,\nwith his troop, was at the head of the order of battle in front\nof the banner; and on both sides of Thorer was a chosen body of\nbondes, all of them the most active and best armed in the forces.\nThis part of the array was long and thick, and in it were drawn\nup the Throndhjem people and the Halogalanders. On the right\nwing was another array; and on the left of the main array were\ndrawn up the men from Rogaland, Hordaland, the Fjord districts,\nand Scgn, and they had the third banner.\n234. OF THORSTEIN KNARRARSMID.\nThere was a man called Thorstein Knarrarsmid, who was a merchant\nand master ship-carpenter, stout and strong, very passionate, and\na great manslayer. He had been in enmity against King Olaf, who\nhad taken from him a new and large merchant-vessel he had built,\non account of some manslaughter-mulct, incurred in the course of\nhis misdeeds, which he owed to the king. Thorstein, who was with\nthe bondes' army, went forward in front of the line in which\nThorer Hund stood, and said, \"Here I will be, Thorer, in your\nranks; for I think, if I and King Olaf meet, to be the first to\nstrive a weapon at him, if I can get so near, to repay him for\nthe robbery of the ship he took from me, which was the best that\never went on merchant voyage.\" Thorer and his men received\nThorstein, and he went into their ranks.\n235. OF THE PREPARATIONS OF THE BONDES.\nWhen the bondes' men and array were drawn up the lendermen\naddressed the men, and ordered them to take notice of the place\nto which each man belonged, under which banner each should be,\nwho there were in front of the banner, who were his side-men, and\nthat they should be brisk and quick in taking up their places in\nthe array; for the army had still to go a long way, and the array\nmight be broken in the course of march. Then they encouraged the\npeople; and Kalf invited all the men who had any injury to avenge\non King Olaf to place themselves under the banner which was\nadvancing against King Olaf's own banner. They should remember\nthe distress he had brought upon them; and, he said, never was\nthere a better opportunity to avenge their grievances, and to\nfree themselves from the yoke and slavery he had imposed on them.\n\"Let him,\" says he, \"be held a useless coward who does not fight\nthis day boldly; and they are not innocents who are opposed to\nyou, but people who will not spare you if ye spare them.\"\nKalf's speech was received with loud applause, and shouts of\nencouragement were heard through the whole army.\n236. OF THE KING'S AND THE BONDES' ARMIES.\nThereafter the bondes' army advanced to Stiklestad, where King\nOlaf was already with his people. Kalf and Harek went in front,\nat the head of the army under their banners. But the battle did\nnot begin immediately on their meeting; for the bondes delayed\nthe assault, because all their men were not come upon the plain,\nand they waited for those who came after them. Thorer Hund had\ncome up with his troop the last, for he had to take care that the\nmen did not go off behind when the battlecry was raised, or the\narmies were closing with each other; and therefore Kalf and Harek\nwaited for Thorer. For the encouragement of their men in the\nbattle the bondes had the field-cry -- \"Forward, forward,\nbondemen!\" King Olaf also made no attack, for he waited for Dag\nand the people who followed him. At last the king saw Dag and\nhis men approaching. It is said that the army of the bondes was\nnot less on this day than a hundred times a hundred men. Sigvat\nthe skald speaks thus of the numbers: --\n\"I grieve to think the king had brought\nToo small a force for what he sought:\nHe held his gold too fast to bring\nThe numbers that could make him king.\nThe foemen, more than two to one,\nThe victory by numbers won;\nAnd this alone, as I've heard say,\nAgainst King Olaf turned the day.\"\n237. MEETING OF THE KING AND THE BONDES.\nAs the armies on both sides stood so near that people knew each\nother, the king said, \"Why art thou here, Kalf, for we parted\ngood friends south in More? It beseems thee ill to fight against\nus, or to throw a spear into our army; for here are four of thy\nbrothers.\"\nKalf replied, \"Many things come to pass differently from what may\nappear seemly. You parted from us so that it was necessary to\nseek peace with those who were behind in the country. Now each\nmust remain where he stands; but if I might advise, we should be\nreconciled.\"\nThen Fin, his brother, answered, \"This is to be observed of Kalf,\nthat when he speaks fairly he has it in his mind to do ill.\"\nThe king answered, \"It may be, Kalf, that thou art inclined to\nreconciliation; but, methinks, the bondes do not appear so\npeaceful.\"\nThen Thorgeir of Kviststad said, \"You shall now have such peace\nas many formerly have received at your hands, and which you shall\nnow pay for.\"\nThe king replies, \"Thou hast no occasion to hasten so much to\nmeet us; for fate has not decreed to thee to-day a victory over\nme, who raised thee to power and dignity from a mean station.\"\n238. BEGINNING OF THE BATTLE OF STIKLESTAD.\nNow came Thorer Hund, went forward in front of the banner with\nhis troop, and called out, \"Forward, forward, bondemen!\"\nThereupon the bondemen raised the war-cry, and shot their arrows\nand spears. The king's men raised also a war-shout; and that\ndone, encouraged each other to advance, crying out, \"Forward,\nforward, Christ-men! cross-men! king's men!\" When the bondes\nwho stood outermost on the wings heard it, they repeated the same\ncry; but when the other bondes heard them they thought these were\nking's men, turned their arms against them, and they fought\ntogether, and many were slain before they knew each other. The\nweather was beautiful, and the sun shone clear; but when the\nbattle began the heaven and the sun became red, and before the\nbattle ended it became as dark as at night. King Olaf had drawn\nup his army upon a rising ground, and it rushed down from thence\nupon the bonde-army with such a fierce assault, that the bondes'\narray went before it; so that the breast of the king's array came\nto stand upon the ground on which the rear of the bondes' array\nhad stood, and many of the bondes' army were on the way to fly,\nbut the lendermen and their house-men stood fast, and the battle\nbecame very severe. So says Sigvat: --\n\"Thundered the ground beneath their tread,\nAs, iron-clad, thick-tramping, sped\nThe men-at-arms, in row and rank,\nPast Stiklestad's sweet grassy bank.\nThe clank of steel, the bowstrings' twang,\nThe sounds of battle, loudly rang;\nAnd bowman hurried on advancing,\nTheir bright helms in the sunshine glancing.\"\nThe lendermen urged their men, and forced them to advance.\nSigvat speaks of this: --\n\"Midst in their line their banner flies,\nThither the stoutest bonde hies:\nBut many a bonde thinks of home,\nAnd many wish they ne'er had come.\"\nThen the bonde-army pushed on from all quarters. They who stood\nin front hewed down with their swords; they who stood next thrust\nwith their spears; and they who stood hindmost shot arrows, cast\nspears, or threw stones, hand-axes, or sharp stakes. Soon there\nwas a great fall of men in the battle. Many were down on both\nsides. In the first onset fell Arnljot Gelline, Gauka-Thorer,\nand Afrafaste, with all their men, after each had killed a man or\ntwo, and some indeed more. Now the ranks in front of the king's\nbanner began to be thinned, and the king ordered Thord to carry\nthe banner forward, and the king himself followed it with the\ntroop he had chosen to stand nearest to him in battle; and these\nwere the best armed men in the field, and the most expert in the\nuse of their weapons. Sigvat the skald tells of this: --\n\"Loud was the battle-storm there,\nWhere the king's banner flamed in air.\nThe king beneath his banner stands,\nAnd there the battle he commands.\"\nOlaf came forth from behind the shield-bulwark, and put himself\nat the head of the army; and when the bondes looked him in the\nface they were frightened, and let their hands drop. So says\nSigvat: --\n\"I think I saw them shrink with fear\nWho would not shrink from foeman's spear,\nWhen Olaf's lion-eye was cast\nOn them, and called up all the past.\nClear as the serpent's eye -- his look\nNo Throndhjem man could stand, but shook\nBeneath its glance, and skulked away,\nKnowing his king, and cursed the day.\"\nThe combat became fierce, and the king went forward in the fray.\nSo says Sigvat: --\n\"When on they came in fierce array,\nAnd round the king arose the fray,\nWith shield on arm brave Olaf stood,\nDyeing his sword in their best blood.\nFor vengeance on his Throndhjem foes,\nOn their best men he dealt his blows;\nHe who knew well death's iron play,\nTo his deep vengeance gave full sway.\"\n239. THORGEIR OF KVISTSTAD'S FALL.\nKing Olaf fought most desperately. He struck the lenderman\nbefore mentioned (Thorgeir of Kviststad) across the face, cut off\nthe nose-piece of his helmet, and clove his head down below the\neyes so that they almost fell out. When he fell the king said,\n\"Was it not true, Thorgeir, what I told thee, that thou shouldst\nnot be victor in our meeting?\" At the same instant Thord stuck\nthe banner-pole so fast in the earth that it remained standing.\nThord had got his death-wound, and fell beneath the banner.\nThere also fell Thorfin Mun, and also Gissur Gullbrarskald, who\nwas attacked by two men, of whom he killed one, but only wounded\nthe other before he fell. So says Hofgardaref: --\n\"Bold in the Iron-storm was he,\nFirm and stout as forest tree,\nThe hero who, 'gainst two at once,\nMade Odin's fire from sword-edge glance;\nDealing a death-blow to the one,\nKnown as a brave and generous man,\nWounding the other, ere he fell, --\nHis bloody sword his deeds showed well.\"\nIt happened then, as before related, that the sun, although the\nair was clear, withdrew from the sight, and it became dark. Of\nthis Sigvat the skald speaks: --\n\"No common wonder in the sky\nFell out that day -- the sun on high,\nAnd not a cloud to see around,\nShone not, nor warmed Norway's ground.\nThe day on which fell out this fight\nWas marked by dismal dusky light,\nThis from the East I heard -- the end\nOf our great king it did portend.\"\nAt the same time Dag Hringson came up with his people, and began\nto put his men in array, and to set up his banner; but on account\nof the darkness the onset could not go on so briskly, for they\ncould not see exactly whom they had before them. They turned,\nhowever, to that quarter where the men of Hordaland and Rogaland\nstood. Many of these circumstances took place at the same time,\nand some happened a little earlier, and some a little later.\n240. KING OLAF'S FALL.\nOn the one side of Kalf Arnason stood his two relations, Olaf and\nKalf, with many other brave and stout men. Kalf was a son of\nArnfin Arnmodson, and a brother's son of Arne Arnmodson. On the\nother side of Kalf Arnason stood Thorer Hund. King Olaf hewed at\nThorer Hund, and struck him across the shoulders; but the sword\nwould not cut, and it was as if dust flew from his reindeer-skin\ncoat. So says Sigvat: --\n\"The king himself now proved the power\nOf Fin-folk's craft in magic hour,\nWith magic song; for stroke of steel\nThor's reindeer coat would never feel,\nBewitched by them it turned the stroke\nOf the king's sword, -- a dust-like smoke\nRose from Thor's shoulders from the blow\nWhich the king though would end his foe.\"\nThorer struck at the king, and they exchanged some blows; but the\nking's sword would not cut where it met the reindeer skin,\nalthough Thorer was wounded in the hands. Sigvat sang thus of\nit: --\n\"Some say that Thorer's not right bold;\nWhy never yet have I been told\nOf one who did a bolder thing\nThan to change blows with his true king.\nAgainst his king his sword to wield,\nLeaping across the shield on shield\nWhich fenced the king round in the fight,\nShows the dog's (1) courage -- brave, not bright.\"\nThe king said to Bjorn the marshal, \"Do thou kill the dog on whom\nsteel will not bite.\" Bjorn turned round the axe in his hands,\nand gave Thorer a blow with the hammer of it on the shoulder so\nhard that he tottered. The king at the same moment turned\nagainst Kalf and his relations, and gave Olaf his death-wound.\nThorer Hund struck his spear right through the body of Marshal\nBjorn, and killed him outright; and Thorer said, \"It is thus we\nhunt the bear.\" (2) Thorstein Knarrarsmid struck at King Olaf\nwith his axe, and the blow hit his left leg above the knee. Fin\nArnason instantly killed Thorstein. The king after the wound\nstaggered towards a stone, threw down his sword, and prayed God\nto help him. Then Thorer Hund struck at him with his spear, and\nthe stroke went in under his mail-coat and into his belly. Then\nKalf struck at him on the left side of the neck. But all are not\nagreed upon Kalf having been the man who gave him the wound in\nthe neck. These three wounds were King Olaf's death; and after\nthe king's death the greater part of the forces which had\nadvanced with him fell with the king. Bjarne Gullbrarskald sang\nthese verses about Kalf Arnason: --\n\"Warrior! who Olaf dared withstand,\nWho against Olaf held the land,\nThou hast withstood the bravest, best,\nWho e'er has gone to his long rest.\nAt Stiklestad thou wast the head;\nWith flying banners onwards led\nThy bonde troops, and still fought on,\nUntil he fell -- the much-mourned one.\"\nSigvat also made these verses on Bjorn: --\n\"The marshal Bjorn, too, I find,\nA great example leaves behind,\nHow steady courage should stand proof,\nThough other servants stand aloof.\nTo Russia first his steps he bent,\nTo serve his master still intent;\nAnd now besides his king he fell, --\nA noble death for skalds to tell.\"\nENDNOTES:\n(1) Thorer's name was Hund -- the dog; and a play upon Thorer\nHund's name was intended by the skald. -- L.\n(2) Bjorn, the marshal's name, signifies a bear. -- L.\n241. BEGINNING OF DAG HRINGSON'S ATTACK.\nDag Hringson still kept up the battle, and made in the beginning\nso fierce an assault that the bondes gave way, and some betook\nthemselves to flight. There a great number of the bondes fell,\nand these lendermen, Erlend of Gerde and Aslak of Finey; and the\nbanner also which they had stood under was cut down. This onset\nwas particularly hot, and was called Dag's storm. But now Kalf\nArnason, Harek of Thjotta, and Thorer Hund turned against Dag,\nwith the array which had followed them, and then Dag was\noverwhelmed with numbers; so he betook himself to flight with the\nmen still left him. There was a valley through which the main\nbody of the fugitives fled, and men lay scattered in heaps on\nboth sides; and many were severely wounded, and many so fatigued\nthat they were fit for nothing. The bondes pursued only a short\nway; for their leaders soon returned back to the field of battle,\nwhere they had their friends and relations to look after.\n240. KING OLAF'S MIRACLE SHOWN TO THORER HUND.\nThorer Hund went to where King Olaf's body lay, took care of it,\nlaid it straight out on the ground, and spread a cloak over it.\nHe told since that when he wiped the blood from the face it was\nvery beautiful; and there was red in the cheeks, as if he only\nslept, and even much clearer than when he was in life. The\nking's blood came on Thorer's hand, and ran up between his\nfingers to where he had been wounded, and the wound grew up so\nspeedily that it did not require to be bound up. This\ncircumstance was testified by Thorer himself when King Olaf's\nholiness came to be generally known among the people; and Thorer\nHund was among the first of the king's powerful opponents who\nendeavoured to spread abroad the king's sanctity.\n243. OF KALF ARNASON'S BROTHERS.\nKalf Arnason searched for his brothers who had fallen, and found\nThorberg and Fin. It is related that Fin threw his dagger at\nhim, and wanted to kill him, giving him hard words, and calling\nhim a faithless villain, and a traitor to his king. Kalf did not\nregard it, but ordered Fin and Thorberg to be carried away from\nthe field. When their wounds were examined they were found not\nto be deadly, and they had fallen from fatigue, and under the\nweight of their weapons. Thereafter Kalf tried to bring his\nbrothers down to a ship, and went himself with them. As soon as\nhe was gone the whole bonde-army, having their homes in the\nneighbourhood, went off also, excepting those who had friends or\nrelations to look after, or the bodies of the slain to take care\nof. The wounded were taken home to the farms, so that every\nhouse was full of them; and tents were erected over some. But\nwonderful as was the number collected in the bonde-army, no less\nwonderful was the haste with which this vast body was dispersed\nwhen it was once free; and the cause of this was, that the most\nof the people gathered together from the country places were\nlonging for their homes.\n244. OF THE BONDES OF VERADAL.\nThe bondes who had their homes in Veradal went to the chiefs\nHarek and Thorer, and complained of their distress, saying, \"The\nfugitives who have escaped from the battle have proceeded up over\nthe valley of Veradal, and are destroying our habitations, and\nthere is no safety for us to travel home so long as they are in\nthe valley. Go after them with war-force, and let no mother's\nson of them escape with life; for that is what they intended for\nus if they had got the upper hand in the battle, and the same\nthey would do now if they met us hereafter, and had better luck\nthan we. It may also be that they will linger in the valley if\nthey have nothing to be frightened for, and then they would not\nproceed very gently in the inhabited country.\" The bondes made\nmany words about this, urging the chiefs to advance directly, and\nkill those who had escaped. Now when the chiefs talked over this\nmatter among themselves, they thought there was much truth in\nwhat the bondes said. They resolved, therefore, that Thorer Hund\nshould undertake this expedition through Veradal, with 600 men of\nhis own troops. Then, towards evening, he set out with his men;\nand Thorer continued his march without halt until he came in the\nnight to Sula, where he heard the news that Dag Hringson had come\nthere in the evening, with many other flocks of the king's men,\nand had halted there until they took supper, but were afterwards\ngone up to the mountains. Then Thorer said he did not care to\npursue them up through the mountains, and he returned down the\nvalley again, and they did not kill many of them this time. The\nbondes then returned to their homes, and the following day\nThorer, with his people, went to their ships. The part of the\nking's men who were still on their legs concealed themselves in\nthe forests, and some got help from the people.\n245. OF THE KING'S BROTHER, HARALD SIGURDSON.\nHarald Sigurdson was severely wounded; but Ragnvald Brusason\nbrought him to a bonde's the night after the battle, and the\nbonde took in Harald, and healed his wound in secret, and\nafterwards gave him his son to attend him. They went secretly\nover the mountains, and through the waste forests, and came out\nin Jamtaland. Harald Sigurdson was fifteen years old when King\nOlaf fell. In Jamtaland Harald found Ragnvald Brusason; and they\nwent both east to King Jarisleif in Russia, as is related in the\nSaga of Harald Sigurdson.\n246. OF THORMOD KOLBRUNARSKALD.\nThormod Kolbrunarskald was under King Olaf's banner in the\nbattle; but when the king had fallen, the battle was raging so\nthat of the king's men the one fell by the side of the other, and\nthe most of those who stood on their legs were wounded. Thormod\nwas also severely wounded, and retired, as all the others did,\nback from where there was most danger of life, and some even\nfled. Now when the onset began which is called Dag's storm, all\nof the king's men who were able to combat went there; but Thormod\ndid not come into that combat, being unable to fight, both from\nhis wound and from weariness, but he stood by the side of his\ncomrade in the ranks, although he could do nothing. There he was\nstruck by an arrow in the left side; but he broke off the shaft\nof the arrow, went out of the battle, and up towards the houses,\nwhere he came to a barn which was a large building. Thormod had\nhis drawn sword in his hand; and as he went in a man met him,\ncoming out, and said, \"It is very bad there with howling and\nscreaming; and a great shame it is that brisk young fellows\ncannot bear their wounds: it may be that the king's men have done\nbravely to-day, but they certainly bear their wounds very ill.\"\nThormod asks. \"What is thy name?\"\nHe called himself Kimbe.\nThormod: \"Wast thou in the battle, too?\"\n\"I was with the bondes, which was the best side,\" says he.\n\"And art thou wounded any way?\" says Thormod.\n\"A little,\" said Kimbe. \"And hast thou been in the battle too?\"\nThormod replied, \"I was with them who had the best.\"\n\"Art thou wounded?\" says Kimbe.\n\"Not much to signify,\" replies Thormod.\nAs Kimbe saw that Thormod had a gold ring on his arm, he said,\n\"Thou art certainly a king's man. Give me thy gold ring, and I\nwill hide thee. The bondes will kill thee if thou fallest in\ntheir way.\"\nThormod says, \"Take the ring if thou canst get it: I have lost\nthat which is more worth.\"\nKimbe stretched out his hand, and wanted to take the ring; but\nThormod, swinging his sword, cut off his hand; and it is related\nthat Kimbe behaved himself no better under his wound than those\nhe had been blaming just before. Kimbe went off, and Thormod sat\ndown in the barn, and listened to what people were saying. The\nconversation was mostly about what each had seen in the battle,\nand about the valour of the combatants. Some praised most King\nOlaf's courage, and some named others who stood nowise behind him\nin bravery. Then Thormod sang these verses: --\n\"Olaf was brave beyond all doubt, --\nAt Stiklestad was none so stout;\nSpattered with blood, the king, unsparing,\nCheered on his men with deed and daring.\nBut I have heard that some were there\nWho in the fight themselves would spare;\nThough, in the arrow-storm, the most\nHad perils quite enough to boast.\"\n247. THORMOD'S DEATH.\nThormod went out, and entered into a chamber apart, in which\nthere were many wounded men, and with them a woman binding their\nwounds. There was fire upon the floor, at which she warmed water\nto wash and clean their wounds. Thormod sat himself down beside\nthe door, and one came in, and another went out, of those who\nwere busy about the wounded men. One of them turned to Thormod,\nlooked at him, and said, \"Why art thou so dead-pale? Art thou\nwounded? Why dost thou not call for the help of the wound-\nhealers?\" Thormod then sang these verses: --\n\"I am not blooming, and the fair\nAnd slender girl loves to care\nFor blooming youths -- few care for me;\nWith Fenja's meal I cannot fee.\nThis is the reason why I feel\nThe slash and thrust of Danish steel;\nAnd pale and faint, and bent with pain,\nReturn from yonder battle-plain.\"\nThen Thormod stood up and went in towards the fire, and stood\nthere awhile. The young woman said to him, \"Go out, man, and\nbring in some of the split firewood which lies close beside the\ndoor.\" He went out and brought in an armful of wood, which he\nthrew down upon the floor. Then the nurse-girl looked him in the\nface, and said, \"Dreadfully pale is this man -- why art thou so?\"\nThen Thormod sang: --\n\"Thou wonderest, sweet sprig, at me,\nA man so hideous to see:\nDeep wounds but rarely mend the face,\nThe crippling blow gives little grace.\nThe arrow-drift o'ertook me, girl, --\nA fine-ground arrow in the whirl\nWent through me, and I feel the dart\nSits, lovely girl, too near my heart.\"\nThe girl said, \"Let me see thy wound, and I will bind it.\"\nThereupon Thormod sat down, cast off his clothes, and the girl\nsaw his wounds, and examined that which was in his side, and felt\nthat a piece of iron was in it, but could not find where the iron\nhad gone in. In a stone pot she had stirred together leeks and\nother herbs, and boiled them, and gave the wounded men of it to\neat, by which she discovered if the wounds had penetrated into\nthe belly; for if the wound had gone so deep, it would smell of\nleek. She brought some of this now to Thormod, and told him to\neat of it. He replied, \"Take it away, I have no appetite for my\nbroth.\" Then she took a large pair of tongs, and tried to pull\nout the iron; but it sat too fast, and would in no way come, and\nas the wound was swelled, little of it stood out to lay hold of.\nNow said Thormod, \"Cut so deep in that thou canst get at the iron\nwith the tongs, and give me the tongs and let me pull.\" She did\nas he said. Then Thormod took a gold ring from his hand, gave it\nto the nurse-woman, and told her to do with it what she liked.\n\"It is a good man's gift,\" said he: \"King Olaf gave me the ring\nthis morning.\" Then Thormod took the tongs, and pulled the iron\nout; but on the iron there was a hook, at which there hung some\nmorsels of flesh from the heart, -- some white, some red. When\nhe saw that, he said, \"The king has fed us well. I am fat, even\nat the heart-roots;\" and so saying he leant back, and was dead.\nAnd with this ends what we have to say about Thormod.\n248. OF SOME CIRCUMSTANCES OF THE BATTLE.\nKing Olaf fell on Wednesday, the 29th of July (A.D. 1030). It\nwas near mid-day when the two armies met, and the battle began\nbefore half-past one, and before three the king fell. The\ndarkness continued from about half-past one to three also.\nSigvat the skald speaks thus of the result of the battle: --\n\"The loss was great to England's foes,\nWhen their chief fell beneath the blows\nBy his own thoughtless people given, --\nWhen the king's shield in two was riven.\nThe people's sovereign took the field,\nThe people clove the sovereign's shield.\nOf all the chiefs that bloody day,\nDag only came out of the fray.\"\nAnd he composed these: --\n\"Such mighty bonde-power, I ween,\nWith chiefs or rulers ne'er was seen.\nIt was the people's mighty power\nThat struck the king that fatal hour.\nWhen such a king, in such a strife,\nBy his own people lost his life,\nFull many a gallant man must feel\nThe death-wound from the people's steel.\"\nThe bondes did not spoil the slain upon the field of battle, for\nimmediately after the battle there came upon many of them who had\nbeen against the king a kind of dread as it were; yet they held\nby their evil inclination, for they resolved among themselves\nthat all who had fallen with the king should not receive the\ninterment which belongs to good men, but reckoned them all\nrobbers and outlaws. But the men who had power, and had\nrelations on the field, cared little for this, but removed their\nremains to the churches, and took care of their burial.\n249. A MIRACLE ON A BLIND MAN.\nThorgils Halmason and his son Grim went to the field of battle\ntowards evening when it was dusk, took King Olaf's corpse up, and\nbore it to a little empty houseman's hut which stood on the other\nside of their farm. They had light and water with them. Then\nthey took the clothes off the body, swathed it in a linen cloth,\nlaid it down in the house, and concealed it under some firewood\nso that nobody could see it, even if people came into the hut.\nThereafter they went home again to the farmhouse. A great many\nbeggars and poor people had followed both armies, who begged for\nmeat; and the evening after the battle many remained there, and\nsought lodging round about in all the houses, great or small. It\nis told of a blind man who was poor, that a boy attended him and\nled him. They went out around the farm to seek a lodging, and\ncame to the same empty house, of which the door was so low that\nthey had almost to creep in. Now when the blind man had come in,\nhe fumbled about the floor seeking a place where he could lay\nhimself down. He had a hat on his head, which fell down over his\nface when he stooped down. He felt with his hands that there was\nmoisture on the floor, and he put up his wet hand to raise his\nhat, and in doing so put his fingers on his eyes. There came\nimmediately such an itching in his eyelids, that he wiped the\nwater with his fingers from his eyes, and went out of the hut,\nsaying nobody could lie there, it was so wet. When he came out\nof the hut he could distinguish his hands, and all that was near\nhim, as far as things can be distinguished by sight in the\ndarkness of light; and he went immediately to the farm-house into\nthe room, and told all the people he had got his sight again, and\ncould see everything, although many knew he had been blind for a\nlong time, for he had been there, before, going about among the\nhouses of the neighbourhood. He said he first got his sight when\nhe was coming out of a little ruinous hut which was all wet\ninside. \"I groped in the water,\" said he, \"and rubbed my eyes\nwith my wet hands.\" He told where the hut stood. The people who\nheard him wondered much at this event, and spoke among themselves\nof what it could be that produced it: but Thorgils the peasant\nand his son Grim thought they knew how this came to pass; and as\nthey were much afraid the king's enemies might go there and\nsearch the hut, they went and took the body out of it, and\nremoved it to a garden, where they concealed it, and then\nreturned to the farm, and slept there all night.\n250. OF THORER HUND.\nThe fifth day (Thursday), Thorer Hund came down the valley of\nVeradal to Stiklestad; and many people, both chiefs and bondes,\naccompanied him. The field of battle was still being cleared,\nand people were carrying away the bodies of their friends and\nrelations, and were giving the necessary help to such of the\nwounded as they wished to save; but many had died since the\nbattle. Thorer Hund went to where the king had fallen, and\nsearched for his body; but not finding it, he inquired if any one\ncould tell him what had become of the corpse, but nobody could\ntell him where it was. Then he asked the bonde Thorgils, who\nsaid, \"I was not in the battle, and knew little of what took\nplace there; but many reports are abroad, and among others that\nKing Olaf has been seen in the night up at Staf, and a troop of\npeople with him: but if he fell in the battle, your men must\nhave concealed him in some hole, or under some stone-heap.\" Now\nalthough Thorer Hund knew for certain that the king had fallen,\nmany allowed themselves to believe, and to spread abroad the\nreport, that the king had escaped from the battle, and would in a\nshort time come again upon them with an army. Then Thorer went\nto his ships, and sailed down the fjord, and the bonde-army\ndispersed, carrying with them all the wounded men who could bear\nto be removed.\n251. OF KING OLAF'S BODY.\nThorgils Halmason and his son Grim had King Olaf's body, and were\nanxious about preserving it from falling into the hands of the\nking's enemies, and being ill-treated; for they heard the bondes\nspeaking about burning it, or sinking it in the sea. The father\nand son had seen a clear light burning at night over the spot on\nthe battlefield where King Olaf's body lay, and since, while they\nconcealed it, they had always seen at night a light burning over\nthe corpse; therefore they were afraid the king's enemies might\nseek the body where this signal was visible. They hastened,\ntherefore, to take the body to a place where it would be safe.\nThorgils and his son accordingly made a coffin, which they\nadorned as well as they could, and laid the king's body in it;\nand afterwards made another coffin in which they laid stones and\nstraw, about as much as the weight of a man, and carefully closed\nthe coffins. As soon as the whole bonde-army had left\nStiklestad, Thorgils and his son made themselves ready, got a\nlarge rowing-boat, and took with them seven or eight men, who\nwere all Thorgil's relations or friends, and privately took the\ncoffin with the king's body down to the boat, and set it under\nthe foot-boards. They had also with them the coffin containing\nthe stones, and placed it in the boat where all could see it; and\nthen went down the fjord with a good opportunity of wind and\nweather, and arrived in the dusk of the evening at Nidaros, where\nthey brought up at the king's pier. Then Thorgils sent some of\nhis men up to the town to Bishop Sigurd, to say that they were\ncome with the king's body. As soon as the bishop heard this\nnews, he sent his men down to the pier, and they took a small\nrowing-boat, came alongside of Thorgil's ship, and demanded the\nking's body. Thorgils and his people then took the coffin which\nstood in view, and bore it into the boat; and the bishop's men\nrowed out into the fjord, and sank the coffin in the sea. It was\nnow quite dark. Thorgils and his people now rowed up into the\nriver past the town, and landed at a place called Saurhlid, above\nthe town. Then they carried the king's body to an empty house\nstanding at a distance from other houses, and watched over it for\nthe night, while Thorgils went down to the town, where he spoke\nwith some of the best friends of King Olaf, and asked them if\nthey would take charge of the king's body; but none of them dared\nto do so. Then Thorgils and his men went with the body higher up\nthe river, buried it in a sand-hill on the banks, and levelled\nall around it so that no one could observe that people had been\nat work there. They were ready with all this before break of\nday, when they returned to their vessel, went immediately out of\nthe river, and proceeded on their way home to Stiklestad.\n252. OF THE BEGINNING OF KING SVEIN ALFIFASON'S GOVERNMENT.\nSvein, a son of King Canute, and of Alfifa, a daughter of Earl\nAlfrin, had been appointed to govern Jomsborg in Vindland. There\ncame a message to him from his father King Canute, that he should\ncome to Denmark; and likewise that afterwards he should proceed\nto Norway, and take that kingdom under his charge, and assume, at\nthe same time, the title of king of Norway. Svein repaired to\nDenmark, and took many people with him from thence, and also Earl\nHarald and many other people of consequence attended him.\nThorarin Loftunga speaks of this in the song he composed about\nKing Svein, called the \"Glelogn Song\": --\n\"'Tis told by fame,\nHow grandly came\nThe Danes to tend\nTheir young king Svein.\nGrandest was he,\nThat all could see;\nThen, one by one,\nEach following man\nMore splendour wore\nThan him before.\"\nThen Svein proceeded to Norway, and his mother Alfifa was with\nhim; and he was taken to be king at every Law-thing in the\ncountry. He had already come as far as Viken at the time the\nbattle was fought at Stiklestad, and King Olaf fell. Svein\ncontinued his journey until he came north, in autumn, to the\nThrondhjem country; and there, as elsewhere, he was received as\nking.\n253. OF KING SVEIN'S LAWS.\nKing Svein introduced new laws in many respects into the country,\npartly after those which were in Denmark, and in part much more\nsevere. No man must leave the country without the king's\npermission; or if he did, his property fell to the king. Whoever\nkilled a man outright, should forfeit all his land and movables.\nIf any one was banished the country, and all heritage fell to\nhim, the king took his inheritance. At Yule every man should pay\nthe king a meal of malt from every harvest steading, and a leg of\na three-year old ox, which was called a friendly gift, together\nwith a spand of butter; and every house-wife a rock full of\nunspun lint, as thick as one could span with the longest fingers\nof the hand. The bondes were bound to build all the houses the\nking required upon his farms. Of every seven males one should be\ntaken for the service of war, and reckoning from the fifth year\nof age; and the outfit of ships should be reckoned in the same\nproportion. Every man who rowed upon the sea to fish should pay\nthe king five fish as a tax, for the land defence, wherever he\nmight come from. Every ship that went out of the country should\nhave stowage reserved open for the king in the middle of the\nship. Every man, foreigner or native, who went to Iceland,\nshould pay a tax to the king. And to all this was added, that\nDanes should enjoy so much consideration in Norway, that one\nwitness of them should invalidate ten of Northmen (1).\nWhen these laws were promulgated the minds of the people were\ninstantly raised against them, and murmurs were heard among them.\nThey who had not taken part against King Olaf said, \"Now take\nyour reward and friendship from the Canute race, ye men of the\ninterior Throndhjem who fought against King Olaf, and deprived\nhim of his kingdom. Ye were promised peace and justice, and now\nye have got oppression and slavery for your great treachery and\ncrime.\" Nor was it very easy to contradict them, as all men saw\nhow miserable the change had been. But people had not the\nboldness to make an insurrection against King Svein, principally\nbecause many had given King Canute their sons or other near\nrelations as hostages; and also because no one appeared as leader\nof an insurrection. They very soon, however, complained of King\nSvein; and his mother Alfifa got much of the blame of all that\nwas against their desire. Then the truth, with regard to Olaf,\nbecame evident to many.\nENDNOTES:\n(1) This may probably have referred not to witnesses of an act,\nbut to the class of witnesses in the jurisprudence of the\nMiddle Ages called compurgators, who testified not the fact,\nbut their confidence in the statements of the accused; and\nfrom which, possibly, our English bail for offenders arose.\n-- L.\n254. OF KING OLAF'S SANCTITY.\nThis winter (A.D. 1031) many in the Throndhjem land began to\ndeclare that Olaf was in reality a holy man, and his sanctity was\nconfirmed by many miracles. Many began to make promises and\nprayers to King Olaf in the matters in which they thought they\nrequired help, and many found great benefit from these\ninvocations. Some in respect of health, others of a journey, or\nother circumstances in which such help seemed needful.\n255. OF EINAR TAMBASKELFER.\nEinar Tambaskelfer was come home from England to his farm, and\nhad the fiefs which King Canute had given him when they met in\nThrondhjem, and which were almost an earldom. Einar had not been\nin the strife against King Olaf, and congratulated himself upon\nit. He remembered that King Canute had promised him the earldom\nover Norway, and at the same time remembered that King Canute had\nnot kept his promise. He was accordingly the first great person\nwho looked upon King Olaf as a saint.\n256. OF THE SONS OF ARNE.\nFin Arnason remained but a short time at Eggja with his brother\nKalf; for he was in the highest degree ill-pleased that Kalf had\nbeen in the battle against King Olaf, and always made his brother\nthe bitterest reproaches on this account. Thorberg Arnason was\nmuch more temperate in his discourse than Fin; but yet he\nhastened away, and went home to his farm. Kalf gave the two\nbrothers a good long-ship, with full rigging and other\nnecessaries, and a good retinue. Therefore they went home to\ntheir farms, and sat quietly at home. Arne Arnason lay long ill\nof his wounds, but got well at last without injury of any limb,\nand in winter he proceeded south to his farm. All the brothers\nmade their peace with King Svein, and sat themselves quietly down\nin their homes.\n257. BISHOP SIGURD'S FLIGHT.\nThe summer after (A.D. 1031) there was much talk about King\nOlaf's sanctity, and there was a great alteration in the\nexpressions of all people concerning him. There were many who\nnow believed that King Olaf must be a saint, even among those who\nhad persecuted him with the greatest animosity, and would never\nin their conversation allow truth or justice in his favour.\nPeople began then to turn their reproaches against the men who\nhad principally excited opposition to the king; and on this\naccount Bishop Sigurd in particular was accused. He got so many\nenemies, that he found it most advisable to go over to England to\nKing Canute. Then the Throndhjem people sent men with a verbal\nmessage to the Uplands, to Bishop Grimkel, desiring him to come\nnorth to Throndhjem. King Olaf had sent Bishop Grimkel back to\nNorway when he went east into Russia, and since that time Grimkel\nhad been in the Uplands. When the message came to the bishop he\nmade ready to go, and it contributed much to this journey that\nthe bishop considered it as true what was told of King Olaf's\nmiracles and sanctity.\n258. KING OLAF THE SAINT'S REMAINS DISINTERRED.\nBishop Grimkel went to Einar Tambaskelfer, who received him\njoyfully. They talked over many things, and, among others, of\nthe important events which had taken place in the country; and\nconcerning these they were perfectly agreed. Then the bishop\nproceeded to the town (Nidaros), and was well received by all the\ncommunity. He inquired particularly concerning the miracles of\nKing Olaf that were reported, and received satisfactory accounts\nof them. Thereupon the bishop sent a verbal message to\nStiklestad to Thorgils and his son Grim, inviting them to come to\nthe town to him. They did not decline the invitation, but set\nout on the road immediately, and came to the town and to the\nbishop. They related to him all the signs that had presented\nthemselves to them, and also where they had deposited the king\"s\nbody. The bishop sent a message to Einar Tambaskelfer, who came\nto the town. Then the bishop and Einar had an audience of the\nking and Alfifa, in which they asked the king's leave to have\nKing Olaf's body taken up out of the earth. The king gave his\npermission, and told the bishop to do as he pleased in the\nmatter. At that time there were a great many people in the town.\nThe bishop, Einar, and some men with them, went to the place\nwhere the king's body was buried, and had the place dug; but the\ncoffin had already raised itself almost to the surface of the\nearth. It was then the opinion of many that the bishop should\nproceed to have the king buried in the earth at Clement's church;\nand it was so done. Twelve months and five days (Aug. 3, A.D.\n1031), after King Olaf's death his holy remains were dug up, and\nthe coffin had raised itself almost entirely to the surface of\nthe earth; and the coffin appeared quite new, as if it had but\nlately been made. When Bishop Grimkel came to King Olaf's opened\ncoffin, there was a delightful and fresh smell. Thereupon the\nbishop uncovered the king's face, and his appearance was in no\nrespect altered, and his cheeks were as red as if he had but just\nfallen asleep. The men who had seen King Olaf when he fell\nremarked, also, that his hair and nails had grown as much as if\nhe had lived on the earth all the time that had passed since his\nfall. Thereupon King Svein, and all the chiefs who were at the\nplace, went out to see King Olaf's body. Then said Alfifa,\n\"People buried in sand rot very slowly, and it would not have\nbeen so if he had been buried in earth.\" Afterwards the bishop\ntook scissors, clipped the king's hair, and arranged his beard;\nfor he had had a long beard, according to the fashion of that\ntime. Then said the bishop to the king and Alfifa, \"Now the\nking's hair and beard are such as when he gave up the ghost, and\nit has grown as much as ye see has been cut off.\" Alfifa\nanswers, \"I will believe in the sanctity of his hair, if it will\nnot burn in the fire; but I have often seen men's hair whole and\nundamaged after lying longer in the earth than this man's.\" Then\nthe bishop had live coals put into a pan, blessed it, cast\nincense upon it, and then laid King Olaf's hair on the fire.\nWhen all the incense was burnt the bishop took the hair out of\nthe fire, and showed the king and the other chiefs that it was\nnot consumed. Now Alfifa asked that the hair should be laid upon\nunconsecrated fire; but Einar Tambaskelfer told her to be silent,\nand gave her many severe reproaches for her unbelief. After the\nbishop's recognition, with the king's approbation and the\ndecision of the Thing, it was determined that King Olaf should be\nconsidered a man truly holy; whereupon his body was transported\ninto Clement's church, and a place was prepared for it near the\nhigh altar. The coffin was covered with costly cloth, and stood\nunder a gold embroidered tent. Many kinds of miracles were soon\nwrought by King Olaf's holy remains.\n259. OF KING OLAF'S MIRACLES.\nIn the sand-hill where King Olaf's body had lain on the ground a\nbeautiful spring of water came up and many human ailments and\ninfirmities were cured by its waters. Things were put in order\naround it, and the water ever since has been carefully preserved.\nThere was first a chapel built, and an altar consecrated, where\nthe king's body had lain; but now Christ's church stands upon the\nspot. Archbishop Eystein had a high altar raised upon the spot\nwhere the king's grave had been, when he erected the great temple\nwhich now stands there; and it is the same spot on which the\naltar of the old Christ church had stood. It is said that Olaf's\nchurch stands on the spot on which the empty house had stood in\nwhich King Olaf's body had been laid for the night. The place\nover which the holy remains of King Olaf were carried up from the\nvessel is now called Olaf's Road, and is now in the middle of the\ntown. The bishop adorned King Olaf's holy remains, and cut his\nnails and hair; for both grew as if he had still been alive. So\nsays Sigvat the skald: --\n\"I lie not, when I say the king\nSeemed as alive in every thing:\nHis nails, his yellow hair still growing,\nAnd round his ruddy cheek still flowing,\nAs when, to please the Russian queen,\nHis yellow locks adorned were seen;\nOr to the blind he cured he gave\nA tress, their precious sight to save.\"\nThorarin Loftunga also composed a song upon Svein Alfifason,\ncalled the \"Glelogn Song\", in which are these verses: --\n\"Svein, king of all,\nIn Olaf's hall\nNow sits on high;\nAnd Olaf's eye\nLooks down from heaven,\nWhere it is given\nTo him to dwell:\nOr here in cell,\nAs heavenly saint,\nTo heal men's plaint,\nMay our gold-giver\nLive here for ever!\n\"King Olaf there\nTo hold a share\nOn earth prepared,\nNor labour spared\nA seat to win\nFrom heaven's great King;\nWhich he has won\nNext God's own Son.\n\"His holy form,\nUntouched by worm,\nLies at this day\nWhere good men pray,\nAnd nails and hair\nGrow fresh and fair;\nHis cheek is red,\nHis flesh not dead.\n\"Around his bier,\nGood people hear\nThe small bells ring\nOver the king,\nOr great bell toll;\nAnd living soul\nNot one can tell\nWho tolls the bell.\n\"Tapers up there,\n(Which Christ holds dear,)\nBy day and night\nThe altar light:\nOlaf did so,\nAnd all men know\nIn heaven he\nFrom sin sits free.\n\"And crowds do come,\nThe deaf and dumb,\nCripple and blind,\nSick of all kind,\nCured to be\nOn bended knee;\nAnd off the ground\nRise whole and sound.\n\"To Olaf pray\nTo eke thy day,\nTo save thy land\nFrom spoiler's hand.\nGod's man is he\nTo deal to thee\nGood crops and peace;\nLet not prayer cease.\n\"Book-prayers prevail,\nIf, nail for nail (1),\nThou tellest on,\nForgetting none.\"\nThorarin Loftunga was himself with King Svein, and heard these\ngreat testimonials of King Olaf's holiness, that people, by the\nheavenly power, could hear a sound over his holy remains as if\nbells were ringing, and that candles were lighted of themselves\nupon the altar as by a heavenly fire. But when Thorarin says\nthat a multitude of lame, and blind, and other sick, who came to\nthe holy Olaf, went back cured, he means nothing more than that\nthere were a vast number of persons who at the beginning of King\nOlaf's miraculous working regained their health. King Olaf's\ngreatest miracles are clearly written down, although they\noccurred somewhat later.\nENDNOTES:\n(1) Before the entrance of the temples or churches were posts\ncalled Ondveigis-sulor, with nails called Rigin-naglar --\nthe gods' nails -- either for ornament, or, as Schoning\nsuggests, to assist the people in reckoning weeks, months,\nfestivals, and in reckoning or keeping tale of prayers\nrepeated, and to recall them to memory, in the same way as\nbeads are used still by the common people in Catholic\ncountries for the same purpose. -- L.\n260. OF KING OLAF'S AGE AND REIGN.\nIt is reckoned by those who have kept an exact account, that Olaf\nthe Saint was king of Norway for fifteen years from the time Earl\nSvein left the country; but he had received the title of king\nfrom the people of the Uplands the winter before. Sigvat the\nskald tells this: --\n\"For fifteen winters o'er the land\nKing Olaf held the chief command,\nBefore he fell up in the North:\nHis fall made known to us his worth.\nNo worthier prince before his day\nIn our North land e'er held the sway,\nToo short he held it for our good;\nAll men wish now that he had stood.\"\nSaint Olaf was thirty-five years old when he fell, according to\nwhat Are Frode the priest says, and he had been in twenty pitched\nbattles. So says Sigvat the skald: --\n\"Some leaders trust in God -- some not;\nEven so their men; but well I wot\nGod-fearing Olaf fought and won\nTwenty pitched battles, one by one,\nAnd always placed upon his right\nHis Christian men in a hard fight.\nMay God be merciful, I pray,\nTo him -- for he ne'er shunned his fray.\"\nWe have now related a part of King Olaf's story, namely, the\nevents which took place while he ruled over Norway; also his\ndeath, and how his holiness was manifested. Now shall we not\nneglect to mention what it was that most advanced his honour.\nThis was his miracles; but these will come to be treated of\nafterwards in this book.\n261. OF THE THRONDHJEM PEOPLE.\nKing Svein, the son of Canute the Great, ruled over Norway for\nsome years; but was a child both in age and understanding. His\nmother Alfifa had most sway in the country; and the people of the\ncountry were her great enemies, both then and ever since. Danish\npeople had a great superiority given them within the country, to\nthe great dissatisfaction of the people; and when conversation\nturned that way, the people of the rest of Norway accused the\nThrondhjem people of having principally occasioned King Olaf the\nHoly's fall, and also that the men of Norway were subject,\nthrough them, to the ill government by which oppression and\nslavery had come upon all the people, both great and small;\nindeed upon the whole community. They insisted that it was the\nduty of the Throndhjem people to attempt opposition and\ninsurrection, and thus relieve the country from such tyranny;\nand, in the opinion of the common people, Throndhjem was also\nthe chief seat of the strength of Norway at that time, both on\naccount of the chiefs and of the population of that quarter.\nWhen the Throndhjem people heard these remarks of their\ncountrymen, they could not deny that there was much truth in\nthem, and that in depriving King Olaf of life and land they had\ncommitted a great crime, and at the same time the misdeed had\nbeen ill paid. The chiefs began to hold consultations and\nconferences with each other, and the leader of these was Einar\nTambaskelfer. It was likewise the case with Kalf Arnason, who\nbegan to find into what errors he had been drawn by King Canute's\npersuasion. All the promises which King Canute had made to Kalf\nhad been broken; for he had promised him the earldom and the\nhighest authority in Norway: and although Kalf had been the\nleader in the battle against King Olaf, and had deprived him of\nhis life and kingdom, Kalf had not got any higher dignity than he\nhad before. He felt that he had been deceived, and therefore\nmessages passed between the brothers Kalf, Fin, Thorberg, and\nArne, and they renewed their family friendship.\n262. OF KING SVEIN'S LEVY.\nWhen King Svein had been three years in Norway (A.D. 1031-33),\nthe news was received that a force was assembled in the western\ncountries, under a chief who called himself Trygve, and gave out\nthat he was a son of Olaf Trygvason and Queen Gyda of England.\nNow when King Svein heard that foreign troops had come to the\ncountry, he ordered out the people on a levy in the north, and\nthe most of the lendermen hastened to him; but Einar Tambaskelfer\nremained at home, and would not go out with King Svein. When\nKing Svein's order came to Kalf Arnason at Eggja, that he should\ngo out on a levy with King Svein, he took a twenty-benched ship\nwhich he owned, went on board with his house-servants, and in all\nhaste proceeded out of the fjord, without waiting for King Svein,\nsailed southwards to More, and continued his voyage south until\nhe came to Giske to his brother Thorberg. Then all the brothers,\nthe sons of Arne, held a meeting, and consulted with each other.\nAfter this Kalf returned to the north again; but when he came to\nFrekeysund, King Svein was lying in the sound before him. When\nKalf came rowing from the south into the sound they hailed each\nother, and the king's men ordered Kalf to bring up with his\nvessel, and follow the king for the defence of the country. Kalf\nreplies, \"I have done enough, if not too much, when I fought\nagainst my own countrymen to increase the power of the Canute\nfamily.\" Thereupon Kalf rowed away to the north until he came\nhome to Eggja. None of these Arnasons appeared at this levy to\naccompany the king. He steered with his fleet southwards along\nthe land; but as he could not hear the least news of any fleet\nhaving come from the west, he steered south to Rogaland, and all\nthe way to Agder; for many guessed that Trygve would first make\nhis attempt on Viken, because his forefathers had been there, and\nhad most of their strength from that quarter, and he had himself\ngreat strength by family connection there.\n263. KING TRYGVE OLAFSON'S FALL.\nWhen Trygve came from the west he landed first on the coast of\nHordaland, and when he heard King Svein had gone south he went\nthe same way to Rogaland. As soon as Svein got the intelligence\nthat Trygve had come from the west he returned, and steered north\nwith his fleet; and both fleets met within Bokn in Soknarsund,\nnot far from the place where Erling Skjalgson fell. The battle,\nwhich took place on a Sunday, was great and severe. People tell\nthat Trygve threw spears with both hands at once. \"So my\nfather,\" said he, \"taught me to celebrate mass.\" His enemies had\nsaid that he was the son of a priest; but the praise must be\nallowed him that he showed himself more like a son of King Olaf\nTrygvason, for this Trygve was a slaughtering man. In this\nbattle King Trygve fell, and many of his men with him; but some\nfled, and some received quarter and their lives. It is thus\nrelated in the ballad of Trygve: --\n\"Trygve comes from the northern coast,\nKing Svein turns round with all his host;\nTo meet and fight, they both prepare,\nAnd where they met grim death was there.\nFrom the sharp strife I was not far, --\nI heard the din and the clang of war;\nAnd the Hordaland men at last gave way,\nAnd their leader fell, and they lost the day.\"\nThis battle is also told of in the ballad about King Svein, thus:\n--\n\"My girl! it was a Sunday morn,\nAnd many a man ne'er saw its eve,\nThough ale and leeks by old wives borne\nThe bruised and wounded did relieve.\n'Twas Sunday morn, when Svein calls out,\n`Stem to stem your vessels bind;'\nThe raven a mid-day feast smells out,\nAnd he comes croaking up the wind.\"\nAfter this battle King Svein ruled the country for some time, and\nthere was peace in the land. The winter after it (A.D. 1034) he\npassed in the south parts of the country.\n264. OF THE COUNSELS OF EINAR TAMBASKELFER AND KALF ARNASON.\nEinar Tambaskelfer and Kalf Arnason had this winter meetings and\nconsultations between themselves in the merchant town (1). Then\nthere came a messenger from King Canute to Kalf Arnason, with a\nmessage to send him three dozen axes, which must be chosen and\ngood. Kalf replies, \"I will send no axes to King Canute. Tell\nhim I will bring his son Svein so many, that he shall not think\nhe is in want of any.\"\nENDNOTES:\n(1) Nidaros, or Throndhjem, is usually called merely the\nmerchant town. -- L.\n265. OF EINAR TAMBASKELFER AND KALF ARNASON'S JOURNEY.\nEarly in spring (A.D. 1034) Einar Tambaskelfer and Kalf Arnason\nmade themselves ready for a journey, with a great retinue of the\nbest and most select men that could be found in the Throndhjem\ncountry. They went in spring eastward over the ridge of the\ncountry to Jamtaland, from thence to Helsingjaland, and came to\nSvithjod, where they procured ships, with which in summer they\nproceeded east to Russia, and came in autumn to Ladoga. They\nsent men up to Novgorod to King Jarisleif, with the errand that\nthey offered Magnus, the son of King Olaf the Saint, to take him\nwith them, follow him to Norway, and give him assistance to\nattain his father's heritage and be made king over the country.\nWhen this message came to King Jarisleif he held a consultation\nwith the queen and some chiefs, and they all resolved unanimously\nto send a message to the Northmen, and ask them to come to King\nJarisleif and Magnus; for which journey safe conduct was given\nthem. When they came to Novgorod it was settled among them that\nthe Northmen who had come there should become Magnus's men, and\nbe his subjects; and to this Kalf and the other men who had been\nagainst King Olaf at Stiklestad were solemnly bound by oath. On\nthe other hand, King Magnus promised them, under oath, secure\npeace and full reconciliation; and that he would be true and\nfaithful to them all when he got the dominions and kingdom of\nNorway. He was to become Kalf Arnason's foster-son; and Kalf\nshould be bound to do all that Magnus might think necessary for\nextending his dominion, and making it more independent than\nformerly.","title":"SAGA OF OLAF HARALDSON","type":"page"}