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I \
;V
The Heimskringla
Snorri Sturluson, Samuel Laing, Rasmus Bjorn Anderson
V/>- 21)' S
HARVARD
COLLEGE
LIBRARY
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s
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OF THE
nDcmorial £Mtion
There are but three hundred attd fifty complete seU made for
the worlds of which this is copy
No.
\}*^^
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COPTKIGHT
T. H. SMART
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I
CONVERSION OF DALE GUDBRAND.
{Frmn fi iH.i,i(i,>,j hu Call il'Jivts.)
T WAS Olaf TrvKva^on ihat bf.L>i:n tJic conver-i.Mi (•<' Vn-
Norsemen to the Chi'i'^tinn faitb thrfav'^li cocroixr ni<a>'ir''.
and the severe niean> tiiut he pracliced to t'lis end vvei-e con-
tinued by hi^ successor, Ohif Hr.raUNon, who l>ecanie known a-
Olaf the Saint. The Xorsenien wt^re tlieretofore \\or-]r.i)p-r-
of the i>ersonif'cd po^^■er< of Nature, which rjcra.-i'jnr. h^ tr.ok
the form of idolalr}- hi a few di-tiM-t^ ren^oU fr' ni ^[w -'-a.
Anions these irlfdaters was a valiant and e^pec'itly \ve:Jih>
chief named I )ale-Giidhrand, Nvho re--:t!<"d hi a vr-'hy thai I) ur
his name in Norway and had an ith-.] -;f Tlior set up to wh ci:
due reverence was palcL Olaf Hara'dson, after compelhn'-j- t!\e
peopjc of adjacent dis:ricts to accept (Jhrispanity imder paT. of
death, sought an interview whh Giidl^raiid, at which he ^hoi\(M;
the folly «^f wor^hipi)inR iniage.^ l>y hreakiuR Cuflhrand's imaiie
of Thor with an in:punity that fi'arf d no pnni-hment, vv-'ie'-/-
ii[)on Gudbrand. probably witii even better" jea^on, accrpu '1
Christianity.
See pnK<' r/7.
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The Heimskringla
A HISTORY OF
THE NORSE KINGS
BT
SNORRE STURLASON
DONE INTO ENGLISH OUT OF THE ICELANDIC
BT
SAMUEL LAING, Esq.
REVISED WITH NOTES BY
HON. RASMUS B. ANDERSON.
VOL. II.
PUBLISHBD BT THX
NORRCENA SOCIETY.
LONDON COPENHAGEN STOCKHOLM BERUN NEW YORK
1907
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^ c^j(.w y^s'/ -^/Aj-
«^
HAuVARO
UNIVERSITY
LIBRARY
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UST OF PHOTOGRAVURES.
(Hkimskrinola)
VOL. II.
Frontispiece— Conversion of Dale Gudbrand.
Page
A Viking Raid on Scotland's Coast 469
Earl Ulf Incurs the Displeasure of King Canute, .i^... .589
Ealf Amason Flees from King Magnus.^ 697
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CONTENTS.
( Hsimskrinola)
VOL. II.
Pas
Saga of Olaf Haraldson (Continued).
King Hrorek's Journey to Iceland 36j
Battle in Ulfrek's Fjord 36{j
Olaf Prepares for his Bridal Journey 36'
King Olaf Eirikson's Children w 36/
King Olaf's Hunting Adventures 36>
Olaf Counsels Norway's King 36J
Sigvat the Skald Journeys Eastward 37|
Journey of Ragnvald and Astrid 3\
Of King Olafs Marriage 37<
Agreement Broken by King Olaf 37f
History of the Lagman Emund 37V
The Kings Play a Game at Dice 38i>
Of Olaf After the Meeting 390
History of the Earls of Norway 391
Earls Einar and Bruse 394
Of Thorkel Amundson 395
Agreement of the Earls 396
Murder of E)rvind Urarhorn 397
Murder of Earl Einar 399
Agreement Between Olaf and Earl Bruse 401
The Earl Agrees to the King's Terms 403
Thorfin's Reconciliation with Thorkel 405
Earl Bruse's Departure 407
Of Earls Thorfin and Bruse 408
Of Harek of Thjotta 410
Of the People of Halogaland 411
Asmund Grankelson 412
Sacrifices of the Throndhjem People 413
Murder of Olver of Eggja 415
Of the Sons of Arne 418
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CONTENTS
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King Olaf s Journey to the Uplands 419
The Story of Dale-Gudbrand 420
Dale Gudbrand is Baptized 425
Baptizing in Hedemark 427
Reconciliation of the King and Einar 429
Reconciliation of the King and Erling 430
Story of Asbjorn Selsbane 432
Murder of Thorer Sel 438
Skjalg, Son of Erling 440
Thorarin Nefiulfson 442
Erling's Reconciliation with King Olaf 444
Thorer Hund and Asbjorn Selsbane 447
King Olaf Baptizes in Vors and Valders 448
Of Einar Tambaskelfer 451
Birth of King Magnus 451
Murder of Asbjorn Selsbane 453
Olaf Propagates Christianity in Many Lands 456
King Olafs Message to the Icelanders 457
Answer of the Icelanders 460
People of the Farey (Faeroe) Islands 461
Marriage of Ketil and Thord to the King's Sisters. .. .463
Concerning the Icelanders 464
The Story of Canute the Great 465
Canute's Message to King Olaf 467
Olafs Alliance with Onund of Svithjod 470
King Canute Sends Ambassadors to Onund 471
Expedition to Bjarmaland 472
Meeting of Olaf and Onund 480
Thoralf's Murder 481
King Olaf Imposes Heavy Taxes on his People 486
Of the Jamtaland People 488
The Tragic Story of Stein Skaptason 489
Fin Arnason's Expedition to Halogaland 497
Dispute Between Harek and Asmund 502
Thorod's Dramatic Story 504
King Olaf Makes a Levy of Men 512
Karl Morske's Story 513
King Olafs Expedition with his Levy 519
It
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CONTENTS
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Kings Olaf and Onund 520
King Canute the Great 521
King Canute's Ship, the Dragon 523
Hardaknut Becomes King of Denmark 524
A Foray in Scania 526
Battle in Helga River 527
The Plans of Olaf and Onund 530
King Canute and Earl Ulf 532
The Murder of Earl Ulf 533
Olaf and the Swedes 534
Of Egil and Tofe 534
Treachery Towards King Olaf 535
King Olaf's Consultations 536
Voyage of Harek of Thjotta 537
Olafs Course from SVithjod 539
Of Sigvat, the Skald 539
Erling Skjalgson and his Sons 540
Of King Olafs Presents at Yule 542
Bjorn the Bailiff and Raud's Sons 543
Story of the Death of Thorer 545
The Fall of Grjotgard 548
Olaf Sends for His Ships and Goods 549
Harek Burns Grankel and his Men .550
King Canute's Expedition to Norway 551
Canute's Conquest of Norway 558
Concerning Thorarin Loftunga 553
Messengers Sent by Olaf for Ships 555
The Voyage of King Olaf 556
The Fall of Erling Skjalgson 558
Insurrection of the Agder District 561
Death of Aslak Fitiaskalle 563
Gearing of the Urd 565
King Olafs Prophecies 568
King Olaf Travels to Russia 569
Causes of the Revolt Against King Olaf 570
Of Jokul Bardson 572
Of Kalf Arnason 573
The Death of Earl Hakon 575
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CONTENTS
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The Bribing of Bjorn the Marshal 576
Bjorn Confesses his Treachery to Olaf 578
Olaf is Tempted by King Jarisleif 579
King Olaf s Dream 580
Of King Olafs Healing Powers 582
King Olaf Endures a Self Inflicted Punishment 583
Olaf Makes Another Journey to Russia 584
The Lendermen in Norway 585
Harald Sigurdson's Proceedings 587
King Olaf in Svithjod 588
Dag Hringson Joins Olaf 580
Olafs Journey and the Vagabond Men 590
Of King Olafs Vision 593
A Miracle Performed by Olaf 593
Baptism of the Vagabond Men 594
King Olafs Speech 595
King Olafs Counsel 597
Of King Olafs Skalds 599
Olafs Gifts for Souls of the Slain 600
Thormod Kolbrunarskald 601
King Olaf Reaches Stiklestad 603
Thorgils Halmason and Olafs Speech 604
King Olafs Armor, and his Dream 606
Baptism of Arnljot Gelline 607
The Army that was Collected In Norway 609
Bishop Sigurd's Speech .610
The Lendermen Ask for a New Leader 613
Speech of Kalf Amason 613
The Lendermen Set Up their Banners 615
Preparation of the Sondes 616
Forward, Forward, Bondsmen! 617
Meeting of the King and Kalf 617
Beginning of the Battle of Stiklestad .618
Death of Thorgeir Kviststad 620
Story of the Killing of King Olaf 621
Dag Hringson's Attack 623
Olafs Miracle Shown to Thorcr Hund 624
Of the Bondcs of Vcradal 625
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CONTENTS
Harald Sigurdson, the King's Brother 626
The Very Tragic Story of Thormod 627
Thormod's Heroism in Enduring Pain 629
Some Incidents of the Battle 630
Miraculous Restoration of Sight to a Blind Man 631
Thorer Hund Seeks Olaf's Body 633
The Body of Olaf is Secretly Buried 634
Beginning of Svein Alfifason's Rule 636
He Introduces Many New Laws 636
King Olafs Sanctity 638
Bishop Sigurd's Flight ...:... 639
The Body of King Olaf Disinterred 640
Of King Olafs Miracles 642
King Olafs Age and Reigrn 644
The Throndhjem People Incited to Insurrection 646
King Svein's Levy 647
Death of Trygve Olafson 648
Kalf Amason Threatens King Canute 649
Saga of Magnus the Good
Magnus Olafson Journeys from the West 651
Expedition of Mag^nus from Svithjod 653
Magnus Chosen King 654
FKght of King Svein 654
Death of Canute the Great 656
Reconciliation Between Hardaknut and Mag^nus 657
Queen Astrid is Jealous of Alf hild 658
Skald Sigvat Honored by Svein 659
King Magnus Erects a Shrine to Olaf 661
The Murder of Harek of Thjotta 662
Kalf Arnason Flees from the King 664
Threats of the Bondes 665
The Free-Speaking Song 666
Concerning the English Kings '. 668
King Magnus's Armament 669
Magnus Chosen King of Denmark 670
Svein Ulfson Created an Earl 672
King Magnus Makes a Foray on Jomsberg .673
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CONTENTS
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Svein Receives the Title of King 674
King Magnus's Military Force 675
A Miraculous Presentiment 676
Battle of Hlyrskog 677
Battle at Re 678
Battle at Aras 679
Svein's Flight 682
Battle at Helganes 684
Campaign of King Mag^nus 686
King Magnus Sends Ambassadors to England 688
King Edward's Answer to King Magnus 689
Saga of Harald Hardrade
Harald Escapes from the Battle of Stiklestad 691
Harald's Journey to Constantinople 692
Harald and Gyrger Cast Lots 694
Harald's Expedition to the Saracens 695
A Battle in Sicily 697
Harald Attacks Two Castles 698
Ulf and Haldor, the Icelanders 700
Attack Upon a Fourth Castle 701
Harald's Expedition to Palestine 703
Harald Put in Prison 704
Miracle of the Blinding of the Greek Emperor 705
Harald's Escape and flight from Constantinople 706
Marriage of King Harald 708
King Harald's Foray 709
Treaty Between Harald and Magnus 710
The Treaty Between Harald and Svein Broken 711
Magnus Gives Harald the Half of Norway 713
Harald Bestows the Half of His Treasures Upon
Magaus • 1 1 # i •• i • 1 1 1 • 1 1 1 • t «, t •••••••••••••. 7i4
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THE HEIMSKRESTGLA.
VOL. II.
SAGA OF OLAF HARALDSON.
(OONTIKUED.)
85.— OF hrorek's assauw.
It happened on Ascension-day that King Olaf went
to high mass, and the bishop went in procession around
the church, and conducted the king ; and when they came
back to the church the bishop led the king to his seat on
the north side of the choir. There Hrorek sat next to
the king, and concealed his countenance in his upper
cloak. When Olaf had seated himself Hrorek laid his
hand on the king's shoulder, and felt it.
"Thou hast fine clothes on, cousin, today," said he.
King Olaf replies, "It is a festival to-day, in remem-
brance that Jesus Christ ascended to heaven from earth/'
King Hrorek says, "I understand nothing about it,
90 as to hold in my mind what ye tell me about Christ.
Much of what ye tell me appears to me incredible, al-
though many wonderful things may have come to pass
in old times."
When the mass was finished Olaf stood up, held his
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THE HEIMSKRINGLA
hands up over his head, and bowed down before the al-
tar, so that his cloak hung down behind his shoulders.
Then King Hrorek started up hastily and sharply, and
struck at the king with a long knife of the kind called
ryting; but the blow was received in the upper cloak
at the shoulder, because the king was bending himself
forwards. The clothes were much cut, but the king was
not wounded. When the king perceived the attack he
sprang upon the floor ; and Hrorek struck at him again
with the knife, but did not reach him, and said, "Art
thou flying, Olaf, from me, a blind man?" The king
ordered his men to seize him and lead him out of the
church, which was done. After this attempt many
hastened to King Olaf, and advised that King Hrorek
should be killed. "It is," said they, "tempting your luck
in the highest degree, king, to keep him with you, and pro-
tect him, whatever mischief he may undertake ; for night
and day he thinks upon taking your life. And if you
send him away, we know no one who can watch him so
that he will not in all probability escape; and if once he
gets loose he will assemble a great multitude, and do
much evil."
The king replies, "You say truly that many a one has
suffered death for less offence than Hrorek's; but wil-
lingly I would not darken the victory I gained over the
Upland kings, when in one morning hour I took five
kings prisoners, and got all their kingdoms : but yet, as
they were my relations, I should not be their murderer
but upon need. As yet I can scarcely see whether
Hrorek puts me in the necessity of killing him or not."
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SAGA OF OLAF HARALDSON
It was to feel if King Olaf had armour on or not that
Hrorek had laid his hand on the king's shoulder.
86 — ^KING HROREK^S JOURNEY TO ICEI^AND.
Hiere was an Iceland man, by name Thorarin Nefiulf-
son, who had his relations in the north of the country.
He was not of high bjrth, but particularly prudent, elo-
quent, and agreeable in conversation with people of dis-
tinction. He was also a far-travelled man, who had
been long in foreign parts. Thorarin was a remarkably
ugly man, principally because he had very ungainly
limbs. He had great ugly hands, and his feet were still
uglier. Thorarin was in Tunsberg when this event hap-
pened which has just been related, and he was known to
King Olaf by their having had conversations together.
Thorarin was just then done with rigging out a mer-
chant vessel which he owned, and with which he intended
to go to Iceland in summer. King Olaf had Thorarin
with him as a guest for some days, and conversed much
with him; and Thorarin even slept in the king's lodg-
ings. One morning early the king awoke while the
others were still sleeping. The sun had newly risen in
the sky, and there was much light within. The king
saw that Thorarin had stretched out one of his feet from
under the bed-clothes, and he looked at the foot a while.
In the meantime the others in the lodging awoke; and
the king said to Thorarin, "I have been awake for a
while, and have seen a sight which was worth seeing;
and that is a man's foot so ugly that I do not think an
uglier can be found in this merchant town." Thereupon
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The heimskringla
he told the others to look at it, and see if it was not so;
and all agreed with the king. When Thorarin observed
what they were talking about, he said, "There are few
things for which you cannot find a match, and that may
be the case here."
The king says, "I would rather say that such another
ugly foot cannot be found in the town, and I would^ lay
any wager upon it."
Then said Thorarin, "I am willing to bet that I shall
find an uglier foot still in the town."
The king — ^"Then he who wins shall have the right to
get any demand from the other he chooses to make."
"Be it so," said Thorarin. Thereupon he stretches
out his other foot from under the bed-clothes, and it was
in no way handsomer than the other, and moreover,
wanted the little toe. "There," said Thorarin, "see now,
king, my other foot, which is so much uglier; and, be-
sides, has no little toe. Now I have won."
The king replies, "That other foot was so much uglier
than this one by having five ugly toes upon it, and this
has only four; and now I have won the choice of asking
something from thee."
"The sovereign's decision must be right," says Thor-
arin; "but what does the king require of me?"
"To take Hrorek," said the king, "to Greenland, and
deliver him to Leif Eirikson."
Thorarin replies, "I have never been in Greenland."
The king — "Thou, who art a far-travelled man, wilt
now have an opportunity of seeing Greenland, if thou
hast never been there before."
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SAGA OF OLAF HARALDSON
At first Thorarin did not say much about it; but as
the king insisted on his wish he did not entirely decline,
but said, "I will let you hear, king, what my desire would
have been had I gained the wager. It would have been
to be received into your body of court-men ; and if you
will grant me that, I will be the more zealous now in
fulfilling your pleasure." The king gave his consent,
and Thorarin was made one of the court-men. Then
Thorarin rigged out his vessel, and when he was ready
he took on board King Hrorek. When Thorarin took
leave of King Olaf, he said, "Should it now turn out,
king, as is not improbable, and often happens, that we
cannot effect the voyage to Greenland, but must run for
Iceland or other countries, how shall I get rid of this king
in a way that will be satisfactory to you ?"
The king — ^"If thou OMnest to Iceland, deliver him
into the hands of Gudmund Eyolfson, or of Skapte, the
lagman, or of some other chief who will receive my
tdcens and message of friendship. But if thou comest
to other countries nearer to this, do so with him that thou
canst know with certainty that King Hrorek never again
shall appear in Norway ; but do so only when thou seest
no other way of doing whatsoever."
When Thorarin was ready for sea, and got a wind, he
sailed outside of all the rocks and islands, and when he
was to the north of the Naze set right out into the ocean.
He did not immediately get a good wind, but he avoided
coming near the land. He sailed until he made land
which he knew, in the south part of Iceland, and sailed
west around the land out into the Greenland ocean.
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THE HEIMSKRJNGLA
There he encountered neavy storms, and drove long about
upon the ocean ; but when summer was coming to an end
he landed again in Iceland in Breidafjocd. Thorgils
Arason* was the first man oi any consequence who came
to him. Thorarin brings him the king's salutation, mes-
sage, and tokens, with which was the desire about King
Hrorek's reception. Thorgils received these in a friendly
way, and invited King Hrorek to his house, where he
stayed all winter. But he did not like being there, and
begged that Thorgils would let him go to Gudmund;
saying he had heard some time or other that there in
Gudmund's house, was the most sumptuous way of liv-
ing in Icdand, and that it was intended he should be in
Gudmund's hands. Thorgils let him have his desire,
and conducted him with some men to Gudmund at
Modruveller. Gudmund received Hrorek kindly on ac-
count of the king's message, and he stayed there the next
winter. He did not like being there either; and then
Gudmund gave him a habitation upon a small farm called
Kalfskin, where there were but few neighbours. There
Hrordc passed the third winter, and said that since he
had laid down his kingdom he thought himself most com-
fortably situated here ; for here he was most respected by
all. The summer after Hrorek fell sick, and died; and
it is said he is the only king whose bones rest in Iceland.
Thorarin Nefiulfson was afterwards for a long time upcMi
voyages; but sometimes he was with King Olaf.
>Thorgil* was the son of Are ICareon, who Ttaited America (Vlndland).
ThorKtlB. who was Btill allre in the year 1024, was noted for his Iclndness
toward all persecuted persons.
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SAGA OF OLAF HARALDSON
87. — ^BATTLE IN UI.FREKS-FJORD.
The summer that Thorarin went with Hrorek to Ice-
land, Hjalte Skeggjason went also to Iceland, and King
Olaf gave him many friendly gifts with him when they
parted. The same summer Eyvind Urarhom went on
an expedition to the West sea, and came in autumn to
Ireland, to the Irish king Konofogor.* In autumn Einar
earl of Orkney and this Irish king met in Ulfreks-fjord,
and there was a great battle, in which Konofogor gained
the victory, having many more people. The earl fled
with a single ship, and came back about autumn to Ork-
ney, after losing most of his men and all the booty they
had made. The earl was much displeased with his ex-
pedition, and threw the blame upon the Northmen, who
had been in the battle on the side of the Irish king, for
making him lose the victory.
88. — OLAF PREPARES I^OR HIS BRIDAI, JOURNEY.
Now we beg^n again our story where we let it slip— -
at King Olaf's travelling to his bridal, to receive his
betrothed Ingegerd the king's daughter. The king had
a great body of men with him, and so chosen a body that
all the great people he could lay hold of followed him;
and every man of consequence had a chosen band of men
with him distinguished by birth or other qualifications.
The whole were well appointed, and equipped in ships,
weapons, and clothes. They steered the fleet eastwards
to Konungahella ; but when they arrived there they heard
^Konofogor's Irlsb name was Connor.
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THE HEIMSKRINGLA
nothing of the Swedish king and none of his men had
come there. King Olaf remained a long time in sum-
mer (1018) at Konungahella, and endeavored carefully
to make out what people said of the Swedish king's move-
ments, or what were his designs ; but no person could tell
him anything for certain about it. Then he sent men
up to Gautland to Earl Ragnvald, to ask him if he knew
how it came to pass that the Swedish king did not come
to the meeting agreed on. The earl replies, that he did
not know. "But as soon," said he, "as I hear, I shall
send some of my men to King Olaf, to let him know if
there be any other cause for the delay than the multitude
of affairs; as it often happens that the Swedish king's
movements are delayed by this more than he could have
expected."
89.— OF THE SWEDISH king's CHII^DREN.
This Swedish king, Olaf Eirikson, had first a concu-
Wne who was called Edla, a daughter of an earl of Vind-
land, who had been captured in war, and therefore was
called the king's slave-girl. Their children were Emund,
Astrid, Holmfrid. . . . They had, besides, a son,
who was born the day before St Jacob's-day. When
the boy was to be christened the bishop called him Jacob,
which the Swedes did not like, as there never had been
a Swedish king called Jacob. All King Olaf's children
were handsome in appearance, and clever from child-
hood. The queen was proud, and did not behave well
towards her step-children ; therefore the king sent his son
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SAGA OF OLAF HARALDSON
Emund to Vindland, to be fostered by his mother's rela-
tions, where he for a long time neglected his Christianity.
The king's daughter, Astrid, was brought up in West
Gautland, in the house of a worthy man called Egil. She
was a very lovely girl: her words came well into her
conversation; she was merry, but modest, and very gen-
erous. When she was grown up she was often in her
father's houses and every man thought well of her. King
Olaf was haughty and harsh in his speech. He took
very ill the uproar and clamour the country people had
raised against him at the Upsala Thing, as they had
threatened him with violence, for which he laid the chief
blame on Earl Ragnvald. He made no preparation for
the bridal, according to the agreement to marry his
daughter Ingegerd to Olaf the king of Norway, and to
meet him on the borders for that purpose. As the sum-
mer advanced many of his men were anxious to know
what the king's intentions were; whether to keep to the
agreement with King Olaf, or break his word, and with
it the peace of the country. But no one was so bold as
to ask the king, although they ccxnplained of it to In-
gegerd, and besought her to find out what the king in-
tended. She replied, "I have no inclination to speak to
the king again about the matters between him and King
Olaf ; for he answered me ill enough once before when I
brought forward Olaf's name." In the meantime In-
gegerd, the king's daughter, took it to heart, became mel-
ancholy and sorrowful, and yet very curious to know
what the king intended. She had much suspicion that
he would not keep his word and promise to King Olaf;
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for Ke a{q)eared quite enraged whenever Olaf the Thick's
name was in any way mentioned.
90.— OF THE SWEDISH KING OLAP's HUNTING.
One morning early the king rode out with his dogs
and falcons, and his men around hin\ When they let
slip the falcons the king's falcon killed two black-cocks
in one flight, and three in another. The dogs ran and
brought the birds when they had fallen to the ground.
The king ran after them^ took the game from them him-
self, was delighted with his sport, and said, "It will be
long before the most of you have such success." They
agreed in this; adding, that in their opinion no king
had such luck in hunting as he had. Then the king rode
home with his followers in high spirits. Ingegerd, the
king's daughter, was just going out of her lodging when
the king came riding into the yard, and she turned round
and saluted him. He saluted her in return, laughing;
produced the birds, and told her the success of his chase.
"Dost thou know of any king," said he, "who made
so great a capture in so short a time?"
"It is indeed," replied she, "a good morning's hunting,
to have got five black-cocks ; but it was a still better when,
in one morning, the king of Norway, Olaf, took five
kings, and subdued all their kingdoms."
When the king heard this he sprang from his horse,
turned to Ingegerd, and said, "Thou shalt know, In-
gegerd, that however great thy love may be for this man,
thou shalt never get him, nor he get thee. I will marry
thee to some chief with whom I can be in friendship;
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but never can I be a friend of the man who has robbed
me of my kingdom, and done me great mischief by ma-
rauding and killing through the land." With that their
conversation broke off, and each went away.
91. — OLA^ THE NORWAY KING'S COUNSELS.
Ing^fcrd, the king's daughter, had now full certainty
of King Olaf's intention, and immediately sent men to
West Gautland to Earl Ragnvald, and let him know how
it stood with the Swedish king, and that the agreement
made with the king of Norway was broken; and advis-
ing the earl and people of West Gautland to be upon their
guard, as no peace from the people of Norway was to be
expected. When the earl got this news he sent a mes-
sage through all his kingdom, and told the people to be
cautious, and prepared in case of war or pillage from the
side of Norway. He also sent men to King Olaf the
Thick, and let him know the message he had received, and
likewise that he wished for himself to hold peace and
friendship with King Olaf; and therefore he begged
him not to pillage in his kingdom. When this message
came to King Olaf it made him both angry and sorry;
and for some days nobody got a word from him. He
then held a House-Thing with his men, and in it Bjorn
arose, and first took the word. He began his speech by
telling that he had proceeded eastward last winter to es-
tablish a peace, and he told how kindly Earl Ragnvald
had received him; and, on the other hand, how crossly
and heavily the Swedish king had accepted the pro-
posal "And the agreement," said he, "which was made,
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was made more by means of the strength of the people,
the power of Thorgny, and the aid of the earl, than by
the king's good-will. Now, on these grounds, we know
for certain that it is the king who has caused the breach
of the agreement; therefore we ought by no means to
make the earl suffer, for it is proved that he is King
Olaf's firm friend." The king wished now to hear from
the chiefs and other leaders of troops what course he
should adc^. "Whether shall we go against Gautland,
and maraud there with such men as we have got; or is
there any other course that appears to you more advis-
kWe?" He spoke both long and well.
Thereafter many powerful men spoke, and all were at
last agreed in dissuading from hostilities. They argued
thus : — ^"Although we are a numerous body of men who
are assembled here, yet they are all only people of weight
and power; but, for a war expedition, young men who
are in quest of property and consideration are more suit-
able. It is also the custom of people of weight and
power, when they go into battle or strife, to have many
people with them whom they can send out before them
for their defence; for the men do not fight worse who
have little property, but even better than those who are
brought up in the midst of wealth." After these con-
siderations the king resolved to dismiss this army from
any expediticwi, and to g^ve every man leave to return
home; but proclaimed, at the same time, that next sum-
mer the people over the whole country would be called
out in a general levy, to march immediately against the
Swedish king, and punish him for his want of faith. All
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thought well of this plan. Then the king returned nwth-
wards to Viken, and took his abode at Sarpsborg in au-
tumn, and ordered all things necessary for winter pro-
vision to be collected there; and he remained there all
winter (1019) with a great retinue.
92. — SIGVAT THE skald's JOURNEY EASTWARDS.
People talked variously about Earl Ragnvald; some
said he was King Olaf's sincere friend; others did not
think this likely, and thought it stood in his power to
warn the Swedish king to keep his word, and the agree-
ment concluded on between him and King Olaf . Sigvat
the poet often expressed himself in conversation as Earl
Ragnvald's great friend, and often spoke of him to King
Olaf; and he offered to the king to travel to Earl Ragn-
vald's and spy after the Swedish king's doings, and to
attempt, if possible, to get the settlement of the agree-
ment. The king thought well of this plan; for he oft,
and with pleasure, spoke to his confidential friends about
Ingegerd, the king's daughter. Early in winter (1019)
Sigvat the skald, with two companions, left Sarpsborg,
and proceeded eastwards over the moors to Gautland.
Before Sigvat and King Olaf parted he composed these
verses : —
"Sti happy in thy hall* O king ! The farewell word Is spoken now —
Till I come back, and good news The word Uiat to the heart lies
bring : nearest :
The skald will bid thee now fare- ' And yet, O king ! before I go,
well, One word on what I hold the dearest*
Till he brings news well worth to I fain would say, 'O ! may Ood sare
tell. To thee the bravest of the brsTe,
He wishes to the helmed hero The land which is thy right by
Health, and long life, and a full flow birth !' —
Of honour, riches, and success — This is my dearest wish on earth."
And, parting, ends his song with
this. ^
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Then they proceeded eastwards towards Eid, and had
difficulty in crossing the river in a little cobble; but they
escaped, though with danger: and Sigvat sang: —
"On shore tbe crazy boat I drew. To see us In this cobble sailing.
Wet to the skin, and frightened too ; And all our sca-sklll unavailing.
For truly there was danger then : But better did it end, you see.
The mocking hill elves laughed again. Than any of us could foresee."
Then they went through the Eid forest, and Sigvat
sang:—
"A hundred miles through Bid's old With many a grumble, many a
wood, groan.
And devil an alehouse, bad or good, — A hundred miles we trudged right
A hundred miles, and tree and sky on ;
Were all that met the weary eye. And every king's man of us bore
On each foot-sole a bleeding sore."
They came then through Gautland, and in the evening
reached a farm-house called Hof. The door was bolted
so that they could not come in; and the servants told
them it was a fast-day, and they could not get admittance.
Sigvat sang: —
"Now up to Hof in haste I hie. My trouble with few words was
And round the house and yard I pry. paid —
Doors are fast locked — ^but yet "TIs holy time,' the house-folks said.
within, Heathens ! to shove me thus away !
Methinks. I hear some stir and din. I' the foul fiend's claws may you
I peep, with nose close to the ground, all lay."
Below the door, but small cheer
found.
Then they came to another farm, where the good- wife
was standing at the door, and told them not to come in,
for they were busy with a sacrifice to the elves. Sigvat
sang of it thus: —
" *My poor lad, enter not, I pray !* The ugly witch drove me away.
Thus to me did the old wife say ; Like scared wolf sneaking from his
'For all of us are heathens here, prey.
And I for Odin's wrath do fear.' When she told me that there within
Was sacrifice to foul Odin."
Another evening they came to three bondes, all of them
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SAGA OP OLAP HARALDSON
of the name of Olfver, who drove them away. Sigvat
sang: —
"Three of one nune, TraTellers may come
To their great ehame. Prom oar Tiking-home,
The trareller late Unbidden guests
DroTe from their gate I At these Olyers' feasts."
They went on farther that evening, and came to a
fourth bonde, who was considered the most hospitable
man in the country ; but he drove them away also. Then
Sigvat sang: —
"Then on I went to seek night's rest Bad is the best, and the skald's
From one who was said to be the praise
best. Cannot be giren to churls like these.
The kindest host in the land around, I almost wished that Asia's son
And there I hoped to have quarters In the Bid forest had been one,
found. When we, his men, were even put
But, faith, 'twas HtUe use to try ; Lodging to crare in a heathen's hut.
For not so much as raise an eye I knew not where the earl to find ;
Would this huge wielder of the Four times driven off by men unkind,
spade : I wandered now the whole night o'er.
If he's the best, it must be said Driven like a dog from door to door."
Now when they came to Earl Ragnvald's the earl said
they must have had a severe journey. Then Sigvat
sang: —
"The message-bearers of the king That we cared much to lag behind.
From Norway came his words to But Bid forest safe we found,
bring; From robbers free to the eastern
And truly for their master they bound :
Hard work have done before to-day. This praise to thee, great earl, is
We did not loiter on the road, due —
But on we pushed for thy abode : The skald says only what is true."
Thy folk, in sooth, were not so kind
Earl Ragnvald gave Sigvat a gold arm-ring, and a
woman said "he had not made the journey with his black
eyes for nothing." Sigvat sang: —
"Hy coal-black eyes Thy eyes to see.
Dost thou despise? O'er Iceland's main.
They have lighted me O'er hill and plain :
Across the sea Where Nanna's lad would fear to be
To gain this golden prise: They have lighted me."
They have lighted me,
Sigvat was long entertained kindly and well in the
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house of Earl Ragnvald. The earl heard by letters, sent
by Ingegerd the king's daughter, that ambassadors from
King Jarisleif were come from Russia to King Olaf of
Svithjod to ask his daughter Ingegerd in marriage, and
that King Olaf had given them hopes that he would agree
to it. About the same time King Olaf's daughter Astrid
came to Earl Ragnvald's court, and a great feast was
made for her. Sigvat soon became acquainted by con-
versation with the king's daughter, and she knew him by
name and family, for Ottar the skald, Sigvat's sister's
son, had long intimate acquaintance with King Olaf, the
Swedish king. Among other things talked of. Earl Ragn-
vald asked Sigvat if the king of Norway would not marry
the king's daughter Astrid. "If he would do that," said
he, "I think we need not ask the Swedish king for his
consent." Astrid, the king's daughter, said exactly the
same. Soon after Sigvat returns home, and comes to
King Olaf at Sarpsborg a little before Yule.
When Sigvat came home to King Olaf he went into
the hall, and, loc4cing around on the walls, he sang : —
"When our men Uieir arms are tak- Shields, helms, and pansera,^ all in
Ing row,
The raven's wings with greed are Stripped in the field from lifeless
shaking ; foe.
When they come back to drink in In truth no royal nail comes near
hall Thy splendid nail in precious gear."
Brave spoil they bring to deck the
wall-
Afterwards Sigvat told of his journey, and sang these
verses : —
"The king's court-guards desire to With Joyless weather, wind and rain,
hear And pinching cold, and feet in pain-—
About our Journey and our cheer, With sleep, fatigue, and want op-
Our ships in autumn reach the pressed,
sound. No songs had we — we scarce had
Bat long the way to Swedish ground. rest."
>The Pantzer — a complete suit of plate-armour.
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And when he came into conversation with the king
he sang : —
"When first I met the earl I told In Rasnyald'e house shall find a
How our king loved a friend so bold ; home —
How in his heart he loved a man At Ragnyald's court be still wel-
With hand to do, and head to plan. come.
Thou generous king ! with zeal and When first I came the people's mind
care Incensed by Eirik's son I find ;
I sought to advance thy great affair ; And he refused thy wish to meet.
For messengers from Russian land Alleging treachery and deceit
Had come to ask Ingegerd's hand. But I explained how it was here.
The earl, thy friend, bids thee, who For earl and king, advantage clear
art With thee to hold the strictest peace.
So mild and generous of heart. And make all force and foray cease.
His servants all who here may come The earl is wise, and understands
To cherish in thy royal home ; The need of peace for both the
And thine who may come to the east lands ;
In Ragnvald's hall shall find a And he entreats thee not to break
feast— The present peace for vengeance's
sake!"
He immediately tells King Olaf the news he had heard ;
and at first the king was much cast down when he heard
of King Jarisleif's suit, and he said he expected nothing
but evil from King Olaf ; but wished he might be able to
return it in such a way as Olaf should remember. A
while afterwards the king asks Sigvat about various news
from Gautland. Sigvat spoke a great deal about Astrid,
the king's daughter; how beautiful she was, how agree-
able in her conversation ; and that all declared she was in
no respect behind her sister Ingegerd. The king listened
with pleasure to this. Then Sigvat told him the con-
versation he and Astrid had had between themselves, and
the king was delighted at the idea. "The Swedish king,"
said he, "will scarcely think that I will dare to marry a
daughter of his without his consent." But this speech
of his was not known generally. King Olaf and Sigvat
the skald often spoke about it. The king inquired par-
ticularly of Sigvat what he knew about Earl Ragnvald,
and "if he be truly our friend," said the king. Sigvat
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said that the earl was King Olaf's best friend, and sang
these verses: —
"The mighty Olaf should not cease Of all who dwell hy the Bast Sea
With him to hold good terms and So friendly no man is as he :
peace; At all their Things he takes thy
For this good earl unwearied shows part»
He is thy friend where all are foes. And is thy firm friend, hand and
heart."
93. — RAGNVALD AND ASTRID's JOURNEY.
After Yule (1019), Thord Skotakol, a sister's son of
Sigvat, attended by one of Sigvat's footboys, who had
been with Sigvat the autumn before in Gautland, went
quite secretly from the court, and proceeded to Gautland.
When they came to Earl Ragnvald's court, they pro-
duced the tokens which Olaf himself had sent to the earl,
that he might place confidence in Thord. Without de-
lay the earl made himself ready for a journey, as did
Astrid, the king's daughter; and the earl took with him
120 men, who were chosen both from among his court-
men and the sons of great bondes, and who were carefully
equipped in all things, clothes, weapons, and horses. Then
they rode northwards to Sarpsborg, and came there at
Candlemas.
94.— OF KING OI^^S MARRIAGE.
King Olaf had put all things in order in the best style.
There were all sorts of liquors of the best that could be
got, and all other preparations of the same quality.
Many people of consequence were summoned in from
their residences. When the earl arrived with his retinue
the king received him particularly well ; and the earl was
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shown to a large, good, and remarkably well-furnished
house for his lodging; and serving-men and others were
appointed to wait on him; and nothing was wanting, in
any respect, that could grace a feast Now when the
entertainment had lasted some days, the king, the earl,
and Astrid had a conference together; and the result of
it was, that Earl Ragnvald contracted Astrid, daughter
of the Swedish king Olaf , to Olaf king of Norway, with
the same dowry which had before been settled that her
sister Ingegerd should have from home. King Olaf, on
his part, should give Astrid the same bride-gift that had
been intended for her sister Ingegerd. Thereupon an
eke was made to the feast, and King Olaf and Queen
Astrid's wedding was drunk in great festivity. Earl
Ragnvald then returned to Gautland, and the king gave
the earl many great and good gifts at parting; and they
parted the dearest of friends, which they continued to be
while they lived.
96. THE AGREEMENT BROKEN BY OI.AF.
The spring (1019) thereafter came ambassadors from
King Jarisleif in Novgorod to Svithjod, to treat more par-
ticularly about the promise given by King Olaf the pre-
ceding summer to marry his daughter Ingegerd to King
Jarisleif. King Olaf talked about the business with In-
gegerd, and told her it was his pleasure that she should
marry King Jarisleif. She replied, "If I marry King
Jarisleif, I must have as my bride-gift the town and earl-
dom of Ladoga." The Russian ambassadors agreed to
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this, on the part of their sovereign. Then said Ingegercl,
"If I go east to Russia, I must choose the man in Svithjod
whom I think most suitable to accompany me; and I
must stipulate that he shall not have any less title, or in
any respect less dignity, privilege, and consideration
there, than he has here." This the king and the ambas-
sadors agreed to, and gave their hands upon it in con-
firmation of the condition.
"And who,'* asked the king, "is the man thou wilt
take with thee as thy attendent ?*'
"That man," she replied, "is my relation Earl Ragn-
vald."
The king replies, "I have resolved to reward Earl
Ragnvald in a different manner for his treason against
his master in going to Norway with my daughter, and
giving her as a concubine to that fellow, who he knew
was my greatest enemy. I shall hang him up this sum-
mer,*'
Then Ingegerd begged her father to be true to the
promise he had made her, and had confirmed by giving
his hand upon it. By her entreaties it was at last agreed
that the king should promise to let Earl Ragnvald go in
peace from Svithjod, but that he should never again ap-
pear in the king's presence, or ccMne back to Svithjod
while Olaf reigned. Ingegerd then sent messengers to
the earl to bring him these tidings, and to appoint a place
of meeting. The earl immediately prepared for his jour-
ney ; rode up to East Gautland ; procured there a vessel,
and, with his retinue, joined Ingegerd, and they pro-
ceeded together eastward to Russia. There Ingegerd
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was married to King Jarisleif ; and their children were
Valdemar, Vissivald, and Holte the Bold. Queen In-
gegerd gave Earl Ragnvald the town of Ladoga, and
earldom belonging to it. Earl Ragnvald was there a
long time, and was a celebrated man. His sons and
Ingebjorg's were Earl Ulf and Earl Eilif.
96. — HISTORY OF THE LAGMAN EMUND.
There was a man called Emund of Skara, who was
lagman of West Gautland, and was a man of great under-
standing and eloquence, and of liigh birth, great connec-
tion, and very wealthy ; but was considered deceitful, and
not to be trusted. He was the most powerful man in
West Gautland after the earl was gone. The same spring
(1019) that Earl Ragnvald left Gautland the Gautland
people held a Thing among themselves, and often ex-
pressed their anxiety to each other about what the Swed-
ish king might do. They heard he was incensed because
they had rather held in friendship with the king of Nor-
way than striven against him; and he was also enraged
against those who had attended his daughter Astrid to
Norway. Some proposed to seek help and support from
the king of Norway, and to offer him their services ; others
dissuaded from this measure, as West Gautland had no
strength to oppose to the Swedes. "And the king of
Norway," said they, "is far from us, the chief strength
of his country very distant ; and therefore let us first send
men to the Swedish king to attempt to come to scmie re-
conciliation with him. If that fail, we can still turn to
the king of Norway." Then the bondes asked Emund
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to undertake this mission, to which he agreed; and he
proceeded with thirty men to East Gautland, where there
were many of his relaticwis and friends, who received
him hospitably. He conversed there with the most pru-
dent men about this difficult business; and they were all
unanimous on one point, — ^that the king's treatment of
them was against law and reascwi. From thence Emund
went into Svithjod, and conversed with many men of
consequence, who all expressed themselves in the same
way. Emund continued his journey thus, until one day,
towards evening, he arrived at Upsala, where he and his
retinue took a good lodging, and stayed there all night.
The next day Emund w^aited upon the king, who was
just then sitting in the Thing surrounded by many peo-
ple. Emund went before him, bent his knee, and saluted
him. The king looked at him> saluted him, and asked
him what news he brought.
Emund replies, "There is little news among us Gaut-
landers ; but it appears to* us a piece of remarkable news
that the proud, stupid Atte, in Vermaland, whom we look
upon as a great sportsman, went up to the forest in win-
ter with his snow-shoes and his bow. After he had got
as many furs in the mountains as filled his hand-sledge so
full that he could scarcely drag it, he returned home from
the woods. But on the way he saw a squirrel in the
trees, and shot at it, but did not hit ; at which he was so
angry, that he left the sledge to run after the squirrel :
but still the squirrel sprang where the wood was thickest,
sometimes among the roots of the trees, sometimes in the
branches, sometimes among the arms that stretch from
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tree to tree. When Atte shot at it the arrows flew too
high or too low, and the squirrel never jumped so that
Atte could get a fair aim at him. He was so eager upon
this chase that he ran the whole day after the squirrel,
and yet could not get hold of it. It was now getting
dark ; so he threw himself down upon the snow, as he was
wont, and lay there all night in a heavy snow-storm.
Next day Atte got up to look after his sledge, but never
did he find it again ; and so he returned hcwne. And this
is the only news, king, I have to tell."
The king says, "This is news of but little importance,
if it be all thou hast to tell."
Emund replies, "Lately something happened which may
well be called news. Gaute Tofason went with five war-
ships out of the Gaut river, and when he was lying at
the Eikrey Isles there came five large Danish merchant-
ships there, Gaute and his men immediately took four
of the great vessels, and made a great booty without the
loss of a man ; but the fifth vessel slipped out to sea, and
sailed away. Gaute gave chase with one ship, and at
first came nearer to them; but as the wind increased, the
Danes got away. Then Gaute wanted to turn back ; but
a storm came on so that he lost his ship at Hlesey, with
all the goods, and the greater part of his crew. In the
meantime his people were waiting for him at the Eikrey
Isles ; but the Danes came over in fifteen merchant-ships,
killed them all, and took all the booty they had made. So
but little luck had they with their greed of plunder."
The king replied, "That is great news, and worth be-
ing told ; but what now is thy errand here ?"
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Emund replies, "I travel, sire, to obtain your judg-
ment in a difficult case, in which our law and the Upsala
law do not agree."
The king asks, "What is thy appeal case?"
Emund replies, "There were two noble-born men of
equal birth, but unequal in property and disposition.
They quarrelled about some land, and did each other much
damage; but most was done to him who was the more
powerful of the two. This quarrel, however, was set-
tled, and judged of at a General Thing; and the judg-
ment was, that the most powerful should pay a compen-
sation. But at the first payment, instead of paying a
goose, he paid a gosling; for an old swine he paid a suck-
ing pig; and for a mark of stamped gold only a half-
mark, and for the other half-mark nothing but clay and
dirt ; and, moreover, threatened, in the most violent way,
the people whom he forced to receive such goods in pay-
ment Now, sire, what is your judgment?"
The king replies, "He shall pay the full equivalent
whom the judgment ordered to do so, and that faithfully ;
and further, threefold to his king : and if payment be not
made within a year and a day, he shall be cut off from
all his property, his goods confiscated, and half go the
king's house, and half to the other party."
Emund took witnesses to this judgment among the
most considerable of the men who were present, accord-
ing to the laws which were held in the Upsala Thing.
He then saluted the king, and went his way; an4 other
men brought their cases before the king, and he sat late
in the day upon the cases of the people. Now when
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the king came to table, he asked where Lagman Emund
was. It was answered, he was home at his lodgings.
"Then," said the king, "go after him, and tell him to be
my guest to-day." Thereafter the dishes were borne in ;
then came the musicians with harps, fiddles, and musical
instruments ; and lastly, the cup-bearers. The king was
particularly merry, and had many great people at table
with him, so that he thought little of Emund. The king
drank the whole day, and slept all the night after; but in
the morning the king awoke, and recollected what Emimd
had said the day before: and when he had put on his
clothes, he let his wise men be summoned to him; for he
had always twelve of the wisest men who sat in judg-
ment with him, and treated the more difficult cases ; and
that was no easy business, for the king was ill-pleased if
the judgment was not according to justice, and yet it
was of no use to contradict him. In this meeting the
king ordered Lagman Emund to be called before them.
The messenger returned, and said, "Sire, Lagman Emund
rode away yesterday as soon as he had dined." "Then,"
said the king, "tell me, ye good chiefs, what may have
been the meaning of that law-case which Emund laid be-
fore us yesterday?"
They replied, "You must have considered it yourself,
if you think there was any other meaning under it than
what he said."
The king replied, "By the two noble-bom men whom
he spoke of, who were at variance, and of whom one was
more powerful than the other, and who did each other
damage, he must have meant us and Olaf the Thick."
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They answered, "It is, sire, as you say."
The king — "Our case was judged at the Upsala Thing.
But what was his meaning when he said that bad pay-
ment was made; namely, a gosHng for a goose, a pig for
a swine, and clay and dirt for half of the money instead
of gold?"
Arnvid the Blind replied, "Sire, red gold and clay are
things very unlike; but the difference is still greater be-
tween king and slave. You promised Olaf the Thick
your daughter Ingegerd, who, in all branches of her
descent, is born of kings, and of the Upland Swedish race
of kings, which is the most noble in the North ; for it is
traced up to the gods themselves. But now Olaf has got
Astrid ; and although she is a king's child, her mother was
but a slave-woman, and, besides, of Vindish race. Great
diflFerence, indeed, must there be between these kings,
when the one takes thankfully such a match ; and now it is
evident, as might be expected, that no Northman is to be
placed by the side of the Upsala kings. Let us all give
thanks that it has so turned out ; for the gods have long
protected their descendants, although many now neglect
this faith."
There were three brothers: — AmVid the Blind, who
had a great understanding, but was so weak-sighted that
he was scarcely fit for war; the second was Thorvid the
Stammerer, who could not utter two words together at
one time, but was remarkably bold and courageous; the
third was Freyvid the Deaf, who was hard of hearing.
All these brothers were rich and powerful men, of noble
birth, great wisdomi, and all very dear to the king.
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Then said King Olaf, "What means that which EmuncI
said about Atte the Dull?"
None made any reply, but the one looked at the other.
"Speak freely," said the king.
Then said Thorvid the Stammerer, "Atte— quarrel-
some — greedy — ^jealous — deceitful— dull."
Then said the king, "To whom are these words of re-
proach and mockery applied?"
Fre)rvid the Deaf replied, "We will speak more clearly
if we have your permission."
The king — "Speak freely, Freyvid, what you will."
Frejrvid took up the word, and spoke. "My brother
Thorvid, who is considered to be the wisest of us broth-
ers, holds the words 'quarrelsome, greedy, jealous, dull,'
to be cme and the same thing; for it applies to him who is
weary of peace, longs for small things without attaining
them, while he lets great and useful things pass away as
they came. I am deaf; yet so loud have many spokei>
out, that I can perceive that all men, both great and small,
take it ill that you have not kept your promise to the
king of Norway; and, worse than that, that you broke
the decision of the community as it was delivered at Up-
sala Thing. You need not fear either the king of Nor-
way, or the king of Denmark, or any other, so long as
the Swedish army will follow you ; but if the people of
the country unanimously turn against you, we, your
friends, see no counsel that can be of advantage to you."
The king asks, "Who is the chief who dares to betray
the country and me?"
Freyvid replies, "All Swedes desire to have the ancient
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laws, and their full rights. Look but here, sire, how
many chiefs are sitting in council with you. I
think, in truth, we are but six whom you call your coun-
cillors : all the others, so far as I know, have ridden forth
through the districts to hold Things with the people ; and
we will not conceal it from you, that the message-token
has gone forth to assemble a Retribution-thing.^ All of
us brothers have been invited to take part in the decisions
of this council, but none of us will bear the name of trai-
tor to the sovereign ; for that our father never was."
Then the king said, "What council shall we take in
this dangerous affair that is in our hands? Good chiefs
give me council, that I may keep my kingdom, and the
heritage of my forefathers ; for I cannot enter into strife
against the whole Swedish force."
Amvid the Blind replies, "Sire, it is my advice that
you ride down to Aros with such men as will follow you ;
take your ship there, and go out into the Maeler lake;
summon all people to meet you ; proceed no longer with
haughtiness, but promise every man the law and rights
of old established in the country ; keep back in this way
the message-token, for it cannot as yet, in so short a time,
have travelled far through the land. Send, then, those of
your men in whom you have the most confidence to those
who have this business on hand, and try if this uproar
can be appeased."
The king says that he will adopt this advice. "I will,"
says he, "that ye brothers undertake this business; for
1 trust to you the most among my men."
iRefslthtns — a Thing for ponisbment bj penalty or deaUi for crimes
and mledemeanours. — L.
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Thorvid the Stammerer said, "I remain behind. Let
Jacob, your son, go with them, for that is necessary."
Then said Freyvid, "Let us do as Thorvid says: he
will not leave you, and I and Arnvid must travel."
This counsel was followed. Olaf went to his ships,
and set out into the Maelar lake, and many people came to .
him. The brothers Arnvid and Freyvid rode out to Ull-
araker, and had with them the king's son Jacob ; but they
kept it a secret that he was there. The brothers ob-
served that there was a great concourse and war-gather-
ing, for the bondes held the Thing night and day. When
Arnvid and Freyvid met their relations and friends, they
said they would join with the people; and many agreed
to leave the management of the business in the hands of
the brothers. But all, as one man, declared they would
no longer have King Olaf over them, and no longer suffer
his unlawful proceedings, and over-weening pride which
would not listen to any man's remonstrances, even when
the great chiefs spoke the truth to him. When Freyvid
observed the heat of the people, he saw in what a bad sit-
uation the king's cause was. He summoned the chiefs
of the land to a meeting with him, and addressed them
thus : — "It appears to me, that if we are to depose Olaf
Eirikson from his kingdom, we Swedes of the Uplands
should be the leading men in it ; for so it has always been,
that the counsel which the Upland chiefs have resolved
among themselves has always been followed by the men
of the rest of the country. Our forefathers did not need
to take advice from the West Gautlanders about the gov-
ernment of the Swedes. Now we will not be so degen-
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crate as to need Emund to give us counsel; but let us,
friends and relations, unite ourselves for the purpose of
coming to a determination." All agreed to this, and
thought it was well said. Thereafter the people joined
this union which the Upland chiefs made among them-
selves, and Freyvid and Amvid were chiefs of the whole
assemblage. When Emund heard this he suspected how
the matter would end, and went to both the brothers to
have a conversation with thenk Then Freyvid asked
Emund, "Who, in your opinion, should we take for king,
in case Olaf Eirikson's days are at an end ?"
Emund — ^"He whom we think best suited to it, whether
he be of the race of chiefs or not."
Freyvid answers, "We Uplanders will not, in our time,
have the kingdom go out of the old race of our ancestors,
which has given us kings for a long course of generations^
so long as we have so good a choice as now. King Olaf
has two sons, one of whom we will choose for king, al-
though there is a great difference between them. The
one is noble-bom, and of Swedish race on both sides ; the
other is a slave-woman's son, and of Vindish race on the
mother's side."
This decision was received with loud applause, and all
would have Jacob for king.
Then said Emund, "Ye Upland Swedes have the power
this time to determinate the matter ; but I will tell you
what will happen : — some of those who now will listen to
nothing but that the kingdom remain in the old race will
live to see the day when they will wish the kingdcwn in
another race, as being of more advantage"
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Thereupon the brothers Fre)rvid and Amvid led the
king's son Jacob into the Thing, and saluted him with the
title of king; and the Swedes gave him the name of
Onund, which he afterwards retained as long as he lived.
He was then ten or twelve years old. Thereafter King
Onund took a court, and chose chiefs to be around him ;
and they had as many attendants in their suite as were
thought necessary, so that he gave the whole assemblage
of bondes leave to return home. After that ambassadors
went between the two kings ; and at last they had a meet-
ing, and came to an agreement. Olaf was to remain king
over the country as long as he lived ; but should hold peace
and be reconciled with King Olaf of Norway, and also
with all who had taken part in this business. Onund
should also be king, and have a part of the land, such as
the father and son should agree upon ; but should be bound
to support the bondes in case King Qlaf did anything
which the bondes would not suffer.
97. — MJSETING Ot RECONCILIATION BETWEEN THE KINGS,
AND THEIR GAME AT DICE.
Thereafter ambassadors were sent to Norway to
King Olaf, with the errand that he should come with his
retinue to a meeting at Konungahella with the Swedish
kings, and that the Swedish kings would there confirm
their reconciliation. When King Olaf heard this mes-
sage, he was willing, now as formerly, to enter into
the agreement, and proceeded to the appointed place.
There the Swedish kings also came; and the relations,
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when they met, bound themselves mutually to peace and
agreement Olaf the Swedish king was then remark-
ably mild in manner, and agreeable to talk with. Thor-
stein Frode relates of this meeting, that there was an in-
habited district in Rising which had sometimes belonged
to Norway, and sometimes to Gautland. The kings
came to the agreement between themselves that they would
cast lots by the dice to determine who should have this
property, and that he who threw the highest should have
the district The Swedish king threw two sixes, and said
King Olaf need scarcely throw. He replied, while shak-
ing the dice in his hand, "Although there be two sixes
on the dice, it would be easy, sire, for God Almighty to
let them turn up in my favour." Then he threw, and had
sixes also. Now the Swedish king threw again, and had
again two sixes. Olaf king of Norway then threw, and
had six upon one dice, and the other split in two, so as
to make seven eyes in all upon it; and the district was
adjudged to the king of Norway. We have heard noth-
ing else of any interest that took place at this meeting;
and the kings separated the dearest of friends with each
other.
98.— OF OLAI^ OP NORWAY, AFTER THE MEETING.
After the events now related Olaf returned with his
people to Viken. He went first to Tunsberg, and re-
mained there a short time, and then proceeded to the
north of the country. In harvest-time he sailed north to
Throndhjem, and had winter provision laid in there, and
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remained there all winter (1020). Olaf Haraldson was
now sole and supreme king of Norway, and the whole
of that sovereignty, as Harald Harfager had possessed
it, and had the advantage over that monarch of being
the only king in the land. By a peaceful agreement he
had also recovered that part of the country which Olaf
the Swedish king had before occupied; and that part of
the country which the Danish king had got he retook
by force, and ruled over it as elsewhere in the country.
The Danish king Canute ruled at that time both over
Denmark and England; but he himself was in England
for the most part, and set chiefs over the country in
Denmark, without at that time making any claim upon
Norway.
99. — HISTORY Ot THE EARI.S Ot ORKNEY.
It is related that in the days of Harald Harfager, the
king of Norway, the islands of Orkney, which before had
been only a resort for vikings, were settled. The first
earl in the Orkney Islands was called Sigurd, who was a
son of Eystein .Glumra, and brother of Ragnvald earl of
More. After Sigurd his son Guthorm was earl for one
year. After him Torf-Einar, a son of Ragntald, took the
earldom, and was long earl, and was a man of great power.
Halfdan Haleg, a son of Harald Harfager, assaulted
Torf-Einar, and drove him from the Orkney Islands;
but Einar came back and killed Halfdan in the island
Ronaldsha. Thereafter King Harald came with an
army to the Orkney Islands. Einar fled to Scotland, and
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King Harald made the people of the Orkney Islands give
up their udal properties, and hold them under oath from
him. Thereafter the king and earl were reconciled, so that
the earl became the king's man, and took the country as a
fief from him; but that it should pay no scat or feu-duty,
as it was at that time much plundered by vikings. The
earl paid the king sixty marks of gold; and then King
Harald went to plunder in Scotland, as related in the
Glym Drapa, After Torf-Einar, his sons Arnkel, Er-
lend, and Thorfin Hausakljufer^ ruled over these lands.
In their days came Eirik Blood-axe from Norway, and
subdued these earls. Arnkel and Erlend fell in a war ex-
pedition ; but Thorfin ruled the countrj^ long, and became
an old man. His sons were Arnfin, Havard, Hlodver,
Liot, and Skule. Their mother was Grelad, a daughter
of Earl Dungad of Caithness. Her mother was Groa, a
daughter of Thorstein Raud. In the latter days of Earl
Thorfin came Eirik Blood-axe's sons, who had fled from
Earl Hakon out of Norway, and committed great excesses
in Orkney. Earl Thorfin died on a bed of sickness, and
his sons after him ruled over the country, and there are
many stories concerning them. Hlodver lived the long-
est of them, and ruled alone over this country. His son
was Sigurd the Thick, who took the earldom after him,
and became a powerful man and a great warrior. In his
days came Olaf Trygvason from his viking expedition in
the Western ocean, with his troops, landed in Orkney and
took Earl Sigurd prisoner in South Ronaldsha, where he
lay with one ship. King Olaf allowed the earl to ran-
^HausakUufer— ihe tplltter of skulls.— L.
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SAGA OF OLAF HARALDSON
som his life by letting himself be baptized, adopting the
true faith, becoming his man, and introducing Christianity
into all the Orkney Islands. As a hostage, King Olaf
iock his son, who was called Hunde or Whelp. Then
Olaf went to Norway, and became king; and Hunde was
several years with King Olaf in Norway, and died there.
After his death Earl Sigurd showed no obedience or fealty
to King Olaf. He married a daughter of the Scottish
king Malcolm, and their son was called Thorfin. Earl
Sigurd had, besides, older sons; namely, Sumarlide,
Bruse, and Einar Rangmund. Four or five years after
Olaf Trygvason's fall Earl Sigurd went to Ireland, leav-
ing his eldest sons to rule the country, and sending Thorfin
to his mother's father, the Scottish king. On this expe-
dition Earl Sigurd fell in Brian's battle.^ When the
news was received in Orkney, the bro.thers Sumarlide,
Bruse, and Einar were chosen earls, and the country was
divided into three parts among them. Thorfin Sigurd-
son was five years old when Earl Sigurd fell. When the
Scottish king heard of the earl's death he gave his rela-
tion Thorfin Caithness and Sutherland, with the title of
earl, and appointed good men to rule the land for him.
Earl Thorfin was ripe in all ways as soon as he was grown
up : he was stout and strong, but ugly; and as soon as he
was a grown man it was easy to see that he was a severe
and cruel, but a very clever man. So says Amor, the
earls' skald : —
'Brian's battle Is supposed to have taken place on the 23d April 1014,
at Clontarf, near Dublin ; and is Icnown in Irisb history as the battle of
Clontarf, and was one of the bloodiest of the age. It was fought between
a viking called Sigtryg and Brian king of Munster, who gained the victory,
but lost his life.— L.
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"Under the rim of heaven no other, In hattle had a hraver hand.
So young in years aa EInar'a brother* Or stouter, to defend the land."
100.— OF THE EARLS EINAR AND BRUSE.
The brothers Einar and Bruse were very unlike in dis-
position. Bruse was a soft-minded, peaceable man, —
sociable, eloquent, and of good understanding. Einar
was obstinate, taciturn, and dull ; but ambitious, greedy of
money, and withal a great warrior. Sumarlide, the eld-
est of the brothers, was in disposition like Bruse, and
lived not long, but died in his bed. After his death
Thorfin claimed his share of the Orkney Islands. Einar
replied, that Thorfin had the dominions which their father
Sigurd had possessed, namely, Caithness and Sutherland,
which he insisted were much larger than a third part of
Orkney ; therefore he would not consent to Thorfin's hav-
ing any share. Bruse, on the other hand, was willing, he
said, to divide with him. "I do not desire," he said,
"more than the third part of the land, and which of right
belongs to me." Then Einar took possession of two parts
of the country, by which he became a powerful man, sur-
rounded by many followers. He was often in summer
out on marauding expeditions, and called out great num-
bers of the people to join him; but it went always un-
pleasantly with the division of the booty made on his
viking cruises. Then the bondes grew weary of all these
burdens ; but Earl Einar held fast by them with severity,
calling in all services laid upon the people, and allowing
no opposition from any man ; for he was excessively proud
and overbearing. And now there came dearth and
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scarcity in his lands, in consequence of the services and
money outlay exacted from the bondes ; while in the part
of the country belonging to Bruse there were peace and
plenty, and therefore he was the best beloved by the
bondes.
101. — OF THORKEL AMUNDASON.
There was a rich and powerful man who was called
Amunde, who dwelt in Hrossey at Sandvik, in Hlaupan-
danes. His son, called Thorkel, was one of the ablest
men in the islands. Amunde was a man of the best un-
derstandipg, and most respected in Orkney. One spring
Earl Einar proclaimed a levy for an expedition, as usual.
The bondes murmured greatly against it, and applied
to Amunde with the entreaty that he would intercede
with the earl for them. He replied, that the earl was not
a man who would listen to other people, and insisted that
it was of no use to make any entreaty to the earl about
it. "As things now stand, there is a good understanding
between me and the earl ; but, in my opinion, there would
be much danger of our quarrelling, on account of our
different dispositions and views on both sides; therefore
I will have nothing to do with it." They then applied to
Thorkel, who was also very loath to interfere, but pron>
ised at last to do so, in consequence of the great entreaty
of the people. Amunde thought he had given his promise
too hastily. Now when the earl held a Thing, Thorkel
spoke on account of the people, and entreated the earl to
spare the people from such heavy burdens, recounting
their necessitous condition. The earl replies favourably,
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saying that he would take Thorkel's advice. "I had in-
tended to go out from the country with six ships, but now
I will only take three with me; but thou must not come
again, Thorkel, with any such request." The bondes
thanked Thorkel for his assistance, and the earl set out
on a viking cruise, and came back in autumn. The
spring after, the earl made the same levy as usual, and
held a Thing with the bondes. Then Thorkel again
made a speech, in which he entreated the earl to spare the
people. The earl now was angry, and said the lot of
the bondes should be made worse in consequence of his
intercession; and worked himself up into such a rage,
that he vowed they should not both come next spring to
the Thing in a whole skin. Then the thing was closed.
When' Amunde heard what the earl and Thorkel had said
at the Thing, he told Thorkel to leave the country, and he
went over to Caithness to, Earl Thorfin. Thorkel was
afterwards a long time there, and brought up the earl
in his youth, and was on that account called Thorkel the
Fosterer; and he became a very celebrated man.
102. — THE AGREEMENT OF THE EARI.S.
There were many powerful men who fled from their
udal properties in Orkney on account of Earl Einar's,
violence, and the most fled over to Caithness* to Earl
Thorfin ; but some fled from the Orkney Islands to Nor-
way, and some to other countries. When Earl Thorfin
was grown up he sent a message to his brother Einar,
and demanded the part of the dominion which he thought
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belonged to him in Orkney; namely, a third of the
islands. Einar was nowise inclined to diminish his pos-
sessions. When Thorfin found this he collected a war-
force in Caithness, and proceeded to the islands. As
soon as Earl Einar heard of this he collected people, and
resolved to defend his country. Earl Bruse also col-
lected men, and went out to meet them, and bring about
scHne agreement between them. An agreement was at
last concluded, that Thorfin should have a third part of
the islands, as of right belonging to him, but that Bruse
and Einar should lay their two parts together, and Einar
alone should rule over them; but if the one died before
the other, the longest liver should inherit the whole.
This agreement seemed reasonable, as Bruse had a son
called Ragnvald, but Einar had no son. Earl Thorfin^
set men to rule over his land in Orkney, but he himself
was generally in Caithness. Earl Einar was generally on
viking expeditions to Ireland, Scotland, and Bretland.
103 — EYVIND URARHORN's MURDER.
One summer (1018) that Earl Einar marauded in
Ireland, he fought in Ulfreks-fjord with the Irish king
Konofogor, as has been related before, and suffered there
a great defeat. The summer after this (1019) Eyvind
Urarhom was coming from the west from Ireland, in-
tending to go to Norway ; but the weather was boisterous,
and the current against him, so he ran into Osmundwall,
and lay there wind-bound for some time. When Earl
Einar heard of this, he hastened thither with many peo-
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pie, tock Eyvind prisoner, and ordered him to be put to
death, but spared the lives of most of his people. In
autumn they proceeded to Norway to King Olaf, and told
him Eyvind was killed. The king said little about it,
but one could see that he considered it a great and vexa-
tious loss; for he did not usually say much if anything
turned out contrary to his wishes. Earl Thorfin sent
Thorkel Fosterer to the islands to gather in his scat.
Now, as Einar gave Thorkel the greatest blame for the
dispute in which Thorfin had made claim to the islands,
Thorkel came suddenly back to Caithness from Orkney,
and told Earl Thorfin that he had learnt that Earl Einar
would have murdered him if his friends and relations had
not given him notice to escape. "Now," says he, "it
is come so far between the earl and me, that either some-
thing decisive between us must take place if we meet, or
I must remove to such a distance that his power will not
reach me." The earl encouraged Thorkel much to go
east to Norway to King Olaf. "Thou wilt be highly re-
spected," says he, "wherever thou comest among hon-
ourable men ; and I know so well thy disposition and the
earl's, that it will not be long before ye come to extremi-
ties." Thereupon Thorkel made himself ready, and pro-
ceeded in autumn to Norway, and then to King Olaf,
with whom he stayed the whole winter (1020), and was
in high favour. The king often entered into conversa-
tion with him, and he thought, what was true, that Thor-
kel was a high-minded man, of good understanding. In
his conversations with Thorkel, the king found a great
difference in his description of the two earls; for Thorkel
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was a great friend of Earl Thorfin, but had much to say
against Einar. Early in spring (1020) the king sent a
ship west over the sea to Earl Thorfin, with the invita-
tion to come cast and visit him in Norway. The earl
did not decline the invitation, for it was accompanied by
assurances of friendship.
104. — ^^ARI^ dinar's murder.
Earl Thorfin went east to Norway, and came to King
Olaf, from whom he received a kind reception, and stayed
till late in the summer. When he was preparing to re-
turn westwards again, King Olaf made him a present of
a large and fully-rigged long-ship. Thorkel the Fosterer
joined company with the earl, who gave him the ship
which he brought with him from the West. The king
and the earl took leave of each other tenderly. In au-
tumn Earl Thorfin came to Orkney, and when Earl Einar
heard of it he went on board his ships with a numerous
band of men. Earl Bruse came up to his two brothers,
and endeavoured to mediate between them, and a peace
was concluded and confirmed by oath. Thorkel Fos-
terer was to be in peace and friendship with Earl Einar ;
and it was agreed that each of them should give a feast
to the other, and that the earl should first be Thorkel's
guest at Sandwick. When the earl came to the feast he
was entertained in the best manner ; but the earl was not
cheerful. There was a great room, in which there were
doors at each end. The day the earl should depart Thor-
kel was to accompany him to the other feast ; and Thorkel
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sent men before, who should examine the road they
had to travel that day. The spies came back, and said
to Thorkel they had discovered three ambushes. "And
we think," said they, "there is deceit on foot." When
Thorkel heard this he lengthened out his preparations
for the journey, and gathered people about him. The
earl told him to get ready, as it was time to be on horse-
back. Thorkel answered, that he had many things to
put in order first, and went out and in frequently. There
was a fire upon the floor. At last he went in at one door,
followed by an Iceland man from East fjord, called Hal-
vard, who locked the door after him. Thorkel went in
between the fire and the place where the earl was sitting.
The earl asked, "Art thou ready at last, Thorkel?"
Thorkel answers, "Now I am ready;" and struck the
earl upon the head so that he fell upon the floor.
Then said the Icelander, "I never saw people so foolish
as not to drag the earl out of the fire ;" and took a stick,
which he set under the earl's neck, and put him upright
on the bench. Thorkel and his two comrades then went
in all haste out of the other door opposite to that by
which they went in, and Thorkers men were standing
without fully armed. The earl's men now went in, and
took hold of the earl. He was already dead, so nobody
thought of avenging him : and also the whole was done so
quickly ; for nobody expected such a deed from Thorkel,
and all supposed that there really was, as before related, a
friendship fixed between the earl and Thorkel. The most
who were within were unarmed, and they were partly
Thorkel's good friends; and to this may be added, that
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fate had decreed a longer life to Thorkel. When Thor-
kel came out he had not fewer men with him than the
earl's troop. Thorkel went to his ship, and the earl's
men went their way. The same day Thorkel sailed out
eastwards into the sea. This happened after winter ; but
he came safely to Norway, went as fast as he could to
Olaf , and was well received by him. The king expressed
his satisfaction at this deed, and Thorkel was with him
all winter (1021).
105. — AGRK^MENT BETWEEN KING OLAF AND EARI. BRUSE.
After Earl Einar's fall Bruse to6k the part of the coun-
try which he had possessed ; for it was known to many
men on what conditions Einar and Bruse had entered
into a partnership. Although Thorfin thought it would
be more just that each of them had half of the islands,
Bruse retained the two-thirds of the country that win-
ter (1021). In spring, however, Thorfin produced his
claim, and demanded the half of the country; but Bruse
would not consent. They held Things and meetings
about the business; and although their friends endeav-
oured to settle it, Thorfin would not be content with less
than the half of the islands, and insisted that Bruse, with
his disposition, would have enough even with a third
part. Bruse replies, "When I took my heritage after my
father I was well satisfied with a third part of the coun-
try, and there was nobody to dispute it with me ; and now
I have succeeded to another third in heritage after my
brother, according to a lawful agreement between us;
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and although I am not powerful enough to maintain a
feud against thee, my brother, I will seek some other
way, rather than willingly renounce my property." With
this their meeting ended. But Bruse saw that he had no
strength to contend against Thorfin, because Thorfin had
both a greater dominion and also could have aid from his
mother's brother, the Scottish king. He resolved, there-
fore, to go out of the country ; and he went eastward to
King Olaf, and had with him his scki Ragnvald, then ten
years old. When the earl came to the king he was well
received. The earl now declared his errand, and told
the king the circumstances of the whole dispute between
him and his brother, and asked help to defend his king-
dom of Orkney ; promising, in return, the fullest friend-
ship towards King Olaf. In his answer, the king began
with showing how Harald Harfager had appropriated to
himself all udal rights in Orkney, and that the earls, since
that time, have ccMistantly held the country as a fief, not
as their udal property. "As a sufficient proof of which,"
said he, **when Eirik Blood-axe and his sons were in
Orkney the earls were subject to them ; and also when my
relation Olaf Trygvason came there thy father, Earl
Sigurd, became his man. Now I have taken heritage
after King Olaf, and I will give thee the condition to
become my man, and then I will give thee the islands as a
fief; and we shall try if I cannot give thee aid that will
be more to the purpose than Thorfin can get from the
Scottish king. If thou wilt not accept of these terms,
then will I win back my udal property there in the West,
as our forefathers and relations of old possessed it."
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The earl carefully considered this speech, laid it before
his friends, and demanded their advice if he should agree
to it, and enter into such terms with King Olaf and be-
come his vassal. "But I do not see what my lot will be
at my departure if I say no; for the king has clearly
enough declared his claim upon Orkney; and from his
great power, and our being in his hands, it is easy for him
to make our destiny what he pleases."
Although the earl saw that there was much to be con-
sidered for and against it, he chose the condition to de-
liver himself and his dominion into the king's power.
Thereupon the king tocJc the earl's power, and the gov-
ernment over all the earl's lands, and the earl became his
vassal under oath of fealty.
106 — THE earl's agreement to the king's terms.
Thorfin the earl heard that his brother Bruse had gone
cast to King Olaf to seek support from him ; but as Thor-
fin had been on a visit to King Olaf before, and had con-
cluded a friendship with him, he thought his case would
stand well with the king, and that many would support
it ; but he believed that many more would do so if he went
there himself. Earl Thorfin resolved, therefore, to go
east himself without delay; and he thought there would
be so little difference between the time of his arrival and
Bruse's, that Bruse's errand could not be accomplished
before he came to King Olaf. But it went otherwise
than Earl Thorfin had expected ; for when he came to the
king the agreement between the king and Bruse was al-
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ready concluded and settled, and Earl Thorfin did not
know a word about Bruse*s having surrendered his udal
domains until he came to King Olaf. As soon as Earl
Thorfin and King Olaf met, the king made the same de-
mand upon the kingdom of Orkney that he had done to
Earl Bruse, and required that Thorfin should voluntarily
deliver over to the king that part of the country which
he had possessed hitherto. The earl answered in a
friendly and respectful way, that the king's friendship
lay near to his heart : "And if you think, sire, that my help
against other chiefs can be of use, you have already every
claini to it; but I cannot be your vassel for service, as I
am an earl of the Scottish king, and owe fealty to him."
As the king found that the earl, by his answer, declined
fulfilling the demand he had made, he said, "Earl, if thou
wilt not become my vassal, there is another condition;
namely, that I will place over the Orkney Islands the
man I please, and require thy oath that thou wilt make
no claim upon these lands, but allow whoever I place
over them to sit in peace. If thou wilt not accept of
either of these conditions, he who is to rule over these
lands may expect hostility from thee, and thou must not
think it strange if like meet like in this business."
The earl begged of the king some time to consider the
matter. The king did so, and gave the earl time to take
the counsel of his friends on the choosing one or other
of these conditions. Then the earl requested a delay un-
til next summer, that he might go over the sea to the west,
for his proper counsellors were all at hcwne, and he him-
self was but a child in respect of age; but the king re-
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SAGA OF OLAF HARALDSON
quired that he should now make his election of one or
other of the conditions. Thorkel Fosterer was then with
the king, and he privately sent a person to Earl Thorfin,
and told him, whatever his intentions might be, not to
think of leaving Olaf without being reconciled with him,
as he stood entirely in Olaf's power. From such hints
the earl saw there was no other way than to let the king
have his own will. It was no doubt a hard condition to
have no hope of ever regaining his paternal heritage, and
moreover to bind himself by oath to allow those to enjoy
in peace his dcxnain who had no hereditary right to it;
but seeing it was uncertain how he could get away, he
resolved to submit to the king and become his vassal, as
Bruse had done. The king observed that Thorfin was
more high-minded, and less disposed to suffer subjection
than Bruse, and therefore he trusted less to Thorfin than
to Bruse ; and he considered also that Thorfin would trust
to the aid of the Scottish king, if he broke the agreement.
The king also had discernment enough to perceive that
Bruse, although slow to enter into an agreement, would
promise nothing but what he intended to keep; but as to
Thorfin, when he had once made up his mind he went
readily into every proposal, and made no attempt to ob-
tain any alteration of the king's first conditions: there-
fore the king had his suspicions that the earl would in-
fringe the agreement,
107. — EARt THORFIN^S DEPARTURE, AND RECONCII.IA-
TION WITH THORKEI..
When the king had carefully considered the whole mat-
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THE HEIMSKRINGLA
ter by himself, he ordered the signal to sound for a Gen-
eral Thing, to which he called in the earls. Then said the
king, "I will now make known to the public our agree-
ment with the Orkney earls. They have now acknowl-
edged my right of property to Orkney and Shetland, and
have both become my vassals, all which they have con-
firmed by oath; and now I will invest them with these
lands as a fief: namely, Bruse with one third part and
Thorfin with one third, as they formerly enjoyed them;
but the other third which Einar Rangmund had, I adjudge
as fallen to my domain, because he killed Eyvind Urar-
hom, my court-man, partner, and dear friend; and that
part of the land I will manage as I think proper. I have
also my earls, to tell you it is my pleasure that ye enter
into an agreement with Thorkel Amundason for the mur-
der of your brother Einar, for I will take that business,
if ye agree thereto, within my own jurisdiction.'* The
earls agreed to this, as to everything else that the king
proposed. Thorkel came forward, and surrendered to
the king's judgment of the case, and the Thing con-
cluded. King Olaf awarded as great a penalty for Earl
Einar's murder as for three lendermen; but as Einar
himself was the cause of the act, one third of the mulct
fell to the ground. Thereafter Earl Thorfin asked the
king's leave to depart, and as soon as he obtained it made
ready for sea with all speed. It hajq)ened one day, when
all was ready for the voyage, the earl sat in his ship
drinking; and Thorkel Amundason came unexpectedly
to him, laid his head upon the earl's knee, and bade him do
with him what he pleased. The earl asked why he did
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SO. "We are, you know, reconciled men, according to
the king's decision; so stand up, Thorkel."
Thorkd rejdied, "The agreement which the king made
as between me and Bruse stands good ; but what regards
the agreement with thee thou alone must determine. Al-
though the king made conditions for my property and safe
residence in Orkney, yet I know so well thy disposition
that there is no going to the islands for me, unless I go
there in peace with thee. Earl Thorfin; and therefore.
I am willing to promise never to return to Orkney, what-
ever the king may desire."
The earl remained silent ; and first, after a long pause,
he said, "If thou wilt rather, Thorkel, that I shall judge
between us than trust to the king's judgment, then let the
beginning of our reconciliation be, that you go with me
to the Orkney Islands, live with me, and never leave me
but with my will, and be bound to defend my land, and
execute all that I want done, as long as we both are in
life."
Thorkel replies, "This shall be entirely at thy pleas-
ure, earl, as well as ever)rthing else in my power." Then
Thorkel went on, and solemnly ratified this agreement.
The earl said he would talk afterwards about the mulct
of money, but took Thorkel's oath upon the conditions.
Thorkel immediately made ready to accompany the earl
on his voyage. The earl set off as soon as all was ready,
and never again were King Olaf and Thorfin together.
108. — %K«L, brush's departure.
Earl Bruse remained behind, and took his time to get
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ready. Before his departure the king sent for him, and
said, "It appears to me, earl, that in thee I have a man on
the west side of the sea on whose fidelity I can depend ;
therefore I intend to give thee the two parts of the coun-
try which thou formerly hadst to rule over ; for I will not
that thou shouldst be a less powerful man after entering
into my service than before : but I will secure thy fidel-
ity by keeping thy son Ragnvald with me. I see well
enough that with two parts of the country and my help,
thou wilt be able to defend what is thy own against thy
brother Thorfin." Bruse was thankful for getting two
thirds instead of one third of the country, and soon after
he set out, and came about autumn to Orkney ; but Ragn-
vald, Bruse's son, remained behind in the East with King
Olaf. Ragnvald was one of the handsomest men that
could be seen, — his hair long, and yellow as silk; and he
soon grew up, stout and tall, and he was a very able and
superb man, both of great understanding and polite man-
ners. He was long with King Olaf. Otter Svarte
speaks of these affairs in the poem he composed about
King Olaf:—
"From Shetland, far off in iht cold These isles of tiie West midst the
North sea, ocean's wild roar.
Come chiefs who desire to be sub- Scarcely heard the voice of their
ject to thee : sovereign before ;
No king so well known for his will. Our bravest of sovereigns before
and his might, oould scarce bring
To defend his own people from These islesmen so proud to acknowl-
scaith or unright edge their king."
109.— OF THE EARI.S THORFIN AND BRUSE.
The brothers Thorfin and Bruse came west to Orkney ;
and Bruse took the two parts of the country under his
rule, and Thorfin the third part. Thorfin was usually in
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SAGA OF OLAF HARALDSON
Caithness and elsewhere in Scotland; but placed men of
his own over the islands. It was left to Bruse alone to
defend the islands, which at that time were severely
scourged by vikings; for the Northmen and Danes went
much on viking cruises in the West sea, and frequently
touched at Orkney on the way to or from the West, and
plundered, and took provisions and cattle from the coast.
Bruse often complained of his brother Thorfin, that he
made no equipment of war for the defence of Orkney
and Shetland, yet levied his share of the scat and duties.
Then Thorfin offered to him to exchange, and that Bruse
should have one third and Thorfin two thirds of the land,
but should undertake the defence of the land, for the
whole. Although this exchange did not take place imme-
diately, it is related in the saga of the earls that it was
agreed upon at last ; and that Thorfin had two parts and
Bruse only one, when Canute the Great subdued Nor-
way and King Olaf fled the country. Earl Thorfin
Sigurdson has been the ablest earl of these islands, and
has had the greatest dominion of all the Orkney earls;
for he had under him Orkney, Shetland, and the Hebudes,
besides very great possessions in Scotland and Ireland.
Amor, the earls' skald, tells of his possessions : —
"From Thurso-skerry to Dublin, All people love his sway.
All people hold with good Thorfin — And the generous chief obey.'*
Thorfin was a very great warrior. He came to the
earldom at five years of age, ruled more than sixty years,
and died in his bed about the last days of Harald Sigurd-
son. But Bruse died in the days of Canute the Great,
a short time after the fall of Saint Olaf.
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110. — OF HAREK OF THJOTTA.
Having now gone through this second story, we shall
return to that which we left, — at King Olaf Haraldson
having concluded peace with King Olaf the Swedish
king, and having the same summer gone north to
Throndhjem (1019). He had then been king in Nor-
way five years (1015-1019). In harvest time he pre-
pared to take his winter residence at Nidaros, and he re-
mained all winter there (1020). Thorkel the Fosterer,
Amunde's son, as before related, was all that winter with
him. King Olaf inquired very carefully how it stood with
Christianity throughout the land, and learnt that it was
not observed at all to the north of Halogaland, and was
far from being observed as it should be in Naumudal,
and the interior of Throndhjem. There was a man by
name Harek, a son of Ejrvind Skaldaspiller, who dwelt
in an island called Thjotta in Halogaland. Eyvind had
not been a rich man, but was of high family and high
mind. In Thjotta, at first, there dwelt many small
bondes; but Harek began with buying a farm not very
large and lived on it, and in a few years he had got all
the bondes that were there before out of the way ; so that
he had the whole island, and built a large head-mansion.
He soon became very rich; for he was a very prudent
man, and very successful. He had long been greatly re-
spected by the chiefs ; and being related to the kings of
Norway, had been raised by them to high dignities.
Harek's father's mother, Gunhild, was a daughter of
Earl Halfdan, and Ingebjorg, Harald Harfager's daugh-
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SAGA Of olaf haraldson
ter. At the time the circumstance happened which we
are going to relate he was somewhat advanced in years.
Harek was the most respected man in Halogaland, and
for a long time had the Lapland trade, and did the king's
business in Lapland; sometimes alone, sometimes with
others joined to him. He had not himself been to wait
on King Olaf, but messages had passed between them,
and all was on the most friendly footing. This winter
(102Q) that Olaf was in Nidaros, messengers passed
between the king and Harek of Thjotta. Then the king
made it known that he intended going north to Haloga-
land, and as far north as the land's end ; but the people of
Halogaland expected no good from this expedition.
111. — OF THE PEOPI^ Ot HAI.OGAI.AND.
Olaf rigged out five ships in spring (1020), and had
with him about 300 men. When he was ready for sea
he set northwards along the land; and when he came
to Naumudal district he summoned the bondes to a Thing,
and at every Thing was accepted as king. He also made
the laws to be read there as elsewhere, by which the peo-
ple are commanded to observe Christianity ; and he threat-
ened every man with loss of life, and limbs, and property,
who would not subject himself to Christian law. He
inflicted severe punishments on many men, great as well
as small, and left no district until the people had consented
to adopt the holy faith. The most of the men of power
and of the g^eat bondes made feasts for the king, and so
he proceeded all the way north to Halogaland. Harek
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of Thjotta also made a feast for the king, at which there
was a great multitude of guests, and the feast was very
splendid. Harek was made lenderman, and got the same
privileges he had enjoyed under the former chiefs of the
country.
112.— OF ASMUND GRANKEI.SON.
There was a man called Grankel, or Granketil, who
was a rich bonde, and at this time rather advanced in
age. In his youth he had been on viking cruises, and
had been a powerful fighter ; for he possessed great readi-
ness in all sorts of bodily exercises. His son Asmund
was equal to his father in all these, and in some, indeed,
he excelled him. There were many who said that with
respect to comeliness, streng^, and bodily expertness,
he might be considered the third remarkably distinguished
for these that Norway had ever produced. The first was
Hakon Athelstan's foster-son; the second, Olaf Tryg-
vason. Grankel invited King Olaf to a feast, which was
very magnificent; and at parting Grankel presented the
king with many honourable gifts and tokens of friendship.
The king invited Asmund, with many persuasions, to fol-
low him ; and as Asmund could not decline the honours
oflfered him, he got ready to travel with the king, became
his man, and stood in high favour with him. The king
remained in Halogaland the greater part of the summer,
went to all the Things, and baptized all the people.
Thorer Hund dwelt at that time in the island Bjarkey.
He was the most powerful man in the North, and also be-
came one of Olaf's lendermen. Many sons of great
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^AGA OF OLAF hArALDSO^
bondes resolved also to follow King Olaf from Haloga-
land. Towards the end of summer King Olaf left the
North, and sailed back to Throndhjem, and landed at
Nidaros, where he passed the winter (1021). It was
then that Thorkel the Fosterer came from the West from
Orkney, after killing Einar Rangmund, as before related.
This autumn com was dear in Throndhjem, after a long
course of good seasons, and the farther north the dearer
was the corn ; but there was com enough in the East coun-
try, and in the Uplands, and it was of great help to the
people of Throndhjem that many had old com remaining
beside them.
113. — OF THE SACRIFICES OF THE THRONDHJEM PEOPLE.
In autumn the news was brought to King Olaf that the
bondes had had a great feast on the first winter-day's eve,
at which there was a numerous attendance and much
drinking; and it was told the king that all the remem-
brance-cups to the Asas, or old gods, were blessed accord-
ing to the old heathen forms ; and it was added, that cattle
and horses had been slain, and the altars sprinkled with
their blood, and the sacrifices accompanied with the prayer
that was made to obtain good seasons. It was also re-
ported, that all men saw clearly that the gods were of-
fended at the Halogaland people turning Christian. Now
when the king heard this news he sent men into the
Throndhjem country, and ordered several bondes, whose
names he gave, to appear before him. There was a man
called Olver of Eggja, so called after his farm on which
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he lived. He was powerful, of great family, and the
head-man of those who on account of the bondes ap-
peared before the king. Now, when they came to the
king, he told them these accusations; to which Olver,
on behalf of the bondes, replied, that they had had no
other feasts that harvest than their usual entertainments,
and social meetings, and friendly drinking parties. "But
as to what may have been told you of the words which
may have fallen from us Throndhjem people in our drink-
ing parties, men of understanding would take good care
not to use such language; but I cannot hinder drunken
or foolish people's talk." Olver was a man of clever
speech, and bold in what he said, and defended the bondes
against such accusations. In the end, the king said the
people of the interior of Thorndhjem must themselves
give the best testimony to their being in the right faith.
The bondes got leave to return home, and set off as soon
as they were ready.
114. — OF THE SACRIFICES BY THE PEOPLE OF THE INTE-
RIOR OF THE THRONDHJEM DISTRICT.
Afterwards, when winter was advanced, it was told
the king that the people of the interior of Throndhjem
had assembled in great number at Maerin, and that there
was a great sacrifice in the middle of winter, at which
they sacrificed offerings for peace and a good season.
Now when the king knew this on good authority to be
true, he sent men and messages into the interior, and sum-
moned the bondes whom he thought of most understand-
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ing into the town. The bondes held a council among
themselves about this message; and all those who had
been upon the same occasion in the beginning of winter
were now very unwilling to make the journey. Olver,
however, at the desire of all the bondes, allowed himself
to be persuaded. When he came to the town he went
immediately before the king, and they talked together.
The king made the same accusation against the bondes,
that they had held a mid-winter sacrifice. Olver replies,
that this accusation against tlie bondes was false. "We
had," said he, "Yule feasts and drinking feasts wide
around in the districts ; and the bondes do not prepare their
feasts so sparingly, sire, that there is not much left over,
which people consume long afterwards. At Maerin there
is a great farm, with a large house on it, and a great
neighbourhood all around it, and it is the great delight
of the people to drink many together in company." The
king said little in reply, but looked angry, as he thought
he knew the truth of the matter better than it was now
represented. He ordered the bondes to return home. "I
shall some time or other," said he, "come to the truth of
what you are now concealing, and in such a way that ye
shall not be able to contradict it. But, however, that may
be, do not try such things again." The bondes returned
home, and told the result of their journey, and that the
king was altogether enraged.
115. — MURDER OF OI<VER OF EGGJA.
At Easter (1021) the king held a feast, to which he had
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invited many of the townspeople as well as bondes.
After Easter he ordered his ships to be launched into the
water, oars and tackle to be put on board, decks to be
laid in the ships, and tilts* and rigging to be set up, and
to be laid ready for sea at the piers. Immediately after
Easter he sent men into Veradal. There was a man
called Thoralde, who was the king's bailiflf, and who
managed the king's farm there at Haug; and to him the
king sent a message to come to him as quickly as pos-
sible. Thoralde did not decline the journey, but went
immediately to the town with the messenger. The king
called him in and in a private conversation asked him
what truth there was in what had been told him of the
principles and living of the people of the interior of
Throndhjem, and if it really was so that they practised
sacrifices to heathen gods. "I will," says the king, "that
thou declare to me the things as they are, and as thou
knowest to be true; for it is thy duty to tell me the
truth, as thou art my man."
Thoralde replies, "Sire, I will first tell you that I have
brought here to the town my two children, my wife,
and all my loose property that I could take with me,
and if thou desirest to know the truth it shall be told ac-
cording to thy command ; but if I declare it, thou must
take care of me and mine."
The king replies, "Say only what is true on what I
ask thee, and I will take care that no evil befall thee."
Then said Thoralde, "If I must say the truth, king,
^The ships appear to baye been decked fore and aft only; and in tbe
middle, wbere tbe rowers sat, to bave bad tilts or tents set up at nigbt
to sleep under. — L.
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as it is, I must declare that in the interior of the Thrond-
hjem land almost all the people are heathen in faith, al-
though some of them are baptized. It is their custom to
offer sacrifice in autumn for a good winter, a second at
mid-winter, and a third in summer. In this the people
of Eyna, Sparby, Veradal, and Skaun partake. There
are twelve men who preside over these sacrifice-feasts;
and in spring it is Olver who has to get the feJtst in
order, and he is now busy transporting to Maerin every-
thing needful for it." Now when the king had got to the
truth with a certainty, he ordered the signal to be sounded
for his men to assemble, and for the men-at-arms to go
on board ship. He appointed men to steer the ships, and
leaders for the people, and ordered how the people should
be divided among the vessels. All was got ready in
haste, and with five ships and 300 men he steered up
the fjord. The wind was favourable, the ships sailed
briskly before it, and nobody could have thought that
the king would be so soon there. The king came in
the night time to Maerin, and immediately surrounded
the house with a ring of armed men. Olver was taken,
and the king ordered him to be put to death, and many
other men besides. Then tht king took all the provision
for the feast, and had it brought to his ships; and also
all the goods, both furniture, clothes, and valuables,
which the people had brought there, and divided the
booty among his men. The king also let all the bondes
he thought had the greatest part in the business be plun-
dered by his men-at-arms. Some were taken prisoners
and laid in irons, some ran away, and many were robbed
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of their goods. Thereafter the bcMides were summoned
to a Thing; but because he had taken many powerful men
prisoners, and held them in his power, their friends and
relations resolved to promise obedience to the king, so
that there was no insurrection against the king on this
occasion. He thus brought the whole people back to the
right faith, gave them teachers, and built and consecrated
churches. The king let Olver lie without fine paid for his
bloodshed, and all that he possessed was adjudged to the
king ; and of the men he judged the most guilty, some he
ordered to be executed, some he maimed, some he drove
out of the country, and took fines from others. The king
then returned to Nidaros.
116. — OF THE SONS OF ARNE.
There was a man called Ame Ammodson, who was
married to Thora, Thorstein Galge's daughter. Their
children were Kalf, Fin, Thorberg, Amunde, Kolbjorn,
Arnbjom, and Ame. Their daughter, who was called
Ragnhild, was married to Harek of Thjotta. Ame was
a lenderman, powerful, and of ability, and a great friend
of King Olaf. At that time his sons Kalf and Fin were
with the king, and in great favour. The wife whom
Olver of Eggja had left was young and handsome, of
great family, and rich, so that he who got her might be
considered to have made an excellent marriage; and her
land was in the gift of the king. She and Olver had two
sons, who were still in infancy. Kalf Amescm begged
of the king that he would give him to wife the widow
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of Olver ; and out of friendship the king agreed to it, and
with her he got all the property Olver had possessed.
The king at the same time made him his lenderman, and
gave him an office in the interior of the Throndhjem
country. Kalf became a great chief, and was a man of
very great understanding.
117. — KIIifG OLA^'S JOURNEY TO THE UPLANDS.
When King Olaf had been seven years (1015-1021) in
Norway the earls Thorfin and Bruse came to him, as be-
fore related, in the summer, from Orkney, and he became
master of their land. The same summer Olaf went to
North and South More, and in autumn to Raumsdal.
He left his ships there, and came to the Uplands, and to
Lesjar. Here he laid hold of all the best men, and
forced them, both at Lesjar and Dovre, either to receive
Christianity or suffer death, if they were not so lucky
as to escape. After they received Christianity, the king
took their sons in his hands as hostages for their fidelity.
The king stayed several nights at a farm in Lesjar called
Boar, where he placed priests. Then he proceeded over
Orkadal and Lorodal, and came down from the Uplands
at a place called Stafabrekka. There a river runs along
the valley, called the Otta, and a beautiful hamlet, by
name Loar, lies on both sides of the river, and the king
could see far down over the whole neighbourhood. "A
pity it is," said the king, "so beautiful a hamlet should be
burnt." And he proceeded down the valley with his peo-
ple, and was all night on a farm called Nes. The king
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took his lodging in a loft, where he slept himself ; and it
stands to the present day, without anything in it having
been altered since. The king was five days there, and
summoned by message-token the people to a Thing, both
for the districts of Vagar, Loar, and Hedal; and gave
out the message along with the token, that they must
either receive Christianity and give their sons as hostages,
or see their habitations burnt. They came before the
king, and submitted to his pleasure; 'but some fled south
down the valley.
118. — ^THE STORY 01^ DALE-CUDBRAND.
There was a man called Dale-Gudbrand, who was like
a king in the valley (Gudbrandsdal), but was only herse
in title. Sigvat the skald compared him for wealth and
landed property to Erling Skjalgson. Sigvat sang thus
concerning Erling: —
"I know but 0D« who can compare Theae two great bondes, I would say,
With Erling for broad lands and Equal each other every way.
gear — He Ilea who says that he can find
Oudbrand is he, whose wide domains One by the other left behind."
Are most like where some small
king reigns.
Gudbrand had a son, who is here spcJcen of. Now
when Gudbrand received the tidings that King Olaf was
cc«ne to Loar, and obliged people to accept Christianity,
he sent out a message-token, and summoned all the men
in the valley to meet him at a farm called Hundthorp.
All came, so that the number could not be told ; for there
is a lake in the neighbourhood called Laugen, so that peo-
ple could* come to the place both by land and by water.
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There Gudbrand held a Thing with them, and said, "A
man is come to Loar who is called Olaf, and will force
upon us another faith than what we had before, and will
brdak in pieces all our gods. He says that he has a much
greater and more powerful god ; and it is wonderful that
the earth does not burst asunder under him, or that our
god lets him go about unpunished when he dares to talk
such things. I know this for certain, that if we carry
Thor, who has always stood by us, out of our temple that
is standing upon this farm, Olaf 's god will melt away, and
he and his men be made nothing so soon as Thor looks
upon them." Then the bondes all shouted as one person
that Olaf should never get away with life if he came to
them ; and they thought he would never dare to come far-
ther south through the valley. They chose out 700 men
to go northwards to Breida, to watch his movements.
The leader of this band was Gudbrand's son, eighteen
years of age, and with him were many other men of im-
portance. When they came to a farm called Hof thej
heard of the king; and they remained three nights there.
People streamed to them from all parts, from Lesjar,
Loar, and Vagar, who did not wish to receive Chris-
tianity. The king and Bishop Sigurd fixed teachers in
Loar and in Vagar. From thence they went round
Vagarost, and came down into the valley at Sil, where
they stayed all night, and heard the news that a great
force of men were assembled against them. The bondes
who were in Breida heard also of the king's arrival, and
prepared for battle. As soon as the king arose in the
morning he put on his armour, and went southwards
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over the Sil plains, and did not halt until he came to
Breida, where he saw a great army ready for battle.
Then the king drew up his troops, rode himself at the
head of them, and began a speech to the bondes, in which
he invited them to adopt Christianity. They replied,
"We shall give thee something else to do to-day than to
be mocking us;" and raised a general shout, striking also
upon their shields with their weapons. Then the king's
men ran forward and threw their spears ; but the bondes
turned round instantly and fled, so that only few men re-
mained behind. Gudbrand's son was taken prisoner;
but the king gave him his life, and took him with him.
The king was four days here. Then the king said to
Gudbrand's sc«i, "Go home now to thy father, and tell
him I expect to be with him soon."
He went accordingly, and told his father the news,
that they had fallen in with the king, and fought with
him; but that their whole army, in the very beginning,
took flight. "I was taken prisoner," said he, "but the
king gave me my life and liberty, and told me to say
to thee that he will soon be here. And now we have not
200 men of the force we raised against him; therefore
I advise thee, father, not to give battle to that man."
Says Gudbrand, "It is easy to see that all courage has
left thee, and it was an unlucky hour ye went out to the
field. Thy proceeding will live long in the remembrance
of people, and I see that thy fastening thy faith on the folly
that man is going about with has brought upon thee and
thy men so great a disgrace."
But the night after, Gudbrand dreamt that there came
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to him a man surrounded by light, who brought great
terror with him, and said to him, **Thy son made no
glorious expedition against King Olaf ; but still less hon-
our wilt thou gather for thyself by holding a battle with
him. Thou with all thy people wilt fall; wolves will
drag thee, and all thine, away; ravens wilt tear thee in
stripes." At this dreadful vision he was much afraid,
and tells it to Thord Istermage, who was chief over the
valley. He replies, "The very same vision came to me."
In the morning they ordered the signal to sound for a
Thing, and said that it appeared to them advisable to hold
a Thing with the man who had come from the north with
this new teaching, to know if there was any truth in it.
Gudbrand then said to his son, "Go thou, and twelve men
with thee, to the king who gave thee thy life." He went
straightway, and found the king, and laid before him
their errand ; namely, that the bondes would hold a Thing
with him, and make a truce between them and him. The
king was content; and they bound themselves by faith
and law mutually to hold the peace so long as the Thing
lasted. After this was settled the men returned to Gud-
brand and Thord, and told them there was made a firm
agreement for a truce. The king, after the battle with
the son of Gudbrand, had proceeded to Lidstad, and re-
mained there for five days: afterwards he went out to
meet the bondes, and hold a Thing with them. On that
day there fell a heavy rain. When the Thing was seated,
the king stood up and said that the people in Lesjar,
Loar, and Vagar had received Christianity, broken down
their houses of sacrifice, and believed now in the true
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God who had made heaven and earth and knows all
things.
Thereupon the king sat down, and Gudbrand replies,
"We know nothing of him whom thou speakest about.
Dost thou call him God, whom neither thou nor any one
else can see? But we have a god who can be seen every-
day, although he is not out to-day, because the weather
is wet, and he will appear to thee terrible and very grand ;
and I expect that fear will mix with your very blood when
he comes into the Thing. But since thou sayest thy God
is so great, let him make it so that to-morrow we have
a cloudy day but without rain, and then let us meet
again."
The king accordingly returned home to his lodging,
taking Gudbrand's son as a hostage; but he gave them a
man as hostage in exchange. In the evening the king
asked Gudbrand's son what like their god was. He re-
plied, that he bore the likeness of Thor; had a hammer
in his hand ; was of great size, but hollow within ; and had
a high stand, upon which he stood when he was out.
"Neither gold nor silver are wanting about him, and every
day he receives four cakes of bread, besides meat." They
then went to bed, but the king watched all night in prayer.
When day dawned the king went to mass, then to table,
and from thence to the Thing. The weather was such
as Gudbrand desired. Now the bishop stood up in his
choir-robes, with bishop's coif upon his head, and bishop's
staff in his hands. He spoke to the bondes of the tme
faith, told the many wonderful acts of God, and concluded
his speech well.
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Thord Istermagc replies, "Many things we are told
of by this horned man with the staff in his hand crooked
at the top like a ram's horn ; but since ye say, comrades,
that your god is so powerful, and can do so many won-
ders, tell him to make it clear sunshine to-morrow fore-
noon, and then we shall meet here again, and do one of
two things, — either agree with you about this business, or
fight you." And they separated for the day.
119. — ^DAI.E-GUDBRAND IS BAPTIZED.
There was a man with King Olaf called Kolbein
Sterke (the strong), who came from a family in the Fjord
district. Usually he was so equipped that he was girt
with a sword, and besides carried a great stake, other-
wise called a club, in his hands. The king told Kolbein
to stand nearest to him in the morning ; and gave orders
to his people to go down in the night to where the ships
of the bondes lay and bore holes in them, and to set loose
their horses on the farms where they were; all which was
done. Now the king was in prayer all the night, be-
seeching God of His goodness and mercy to release him
from evil. When mass was ended, and morning was
grey, the king went to the Thing. When he came there
some bondes had already arrived, and they saw a great
crowd coming along, and bearing among them a huge
man's image glancing with gold and silver. When the
bondes who were at the Thing saw it they started up,
and bowed themselves down before the ugly idol.
Thereupon it was set down upon the Thing-field ; and on
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the one side of it sat the bondes, and on the other the
king and his people.
Then Dale-Gudbrand stood up, and said, "Where now,
king, is thy god? I think he will now carry his head
lower; and neither thou, nor the man with the horn
whom ye call bishop, and sits there beside thee, are so
bold to-day as on the former days ; for now our god, who
rules over all, is come, and looks on you wit^ an angry
eye : and now I see well enough that ye are terrified, and
scarcely dare to raise your eyes. Throw away now all
your opposition, and believe in the god who has all
your fate in his hands/'
The king now whispers to Kolbein Sterke, without
the bondes perceiving it, "If it come so in the course of
my speech that the bondes look another way than towards
their idol, strike him as hard as thou canst with thy
club."
The king then stood up and spoke. "Much hast thou
talked to us this morning, and greatly hast thou wondei'ed
that thou canst not see our God ; but we expect that he
will soon come to us. Thou wouldst frighten us with
thy god, who is both blind and deaf, and can neither save
himself nor others, and cannot even move about without
being carried; but now I expect it will be but a short
time before he meets his fate : for turn your eyes towards
the east, — behold our God advancing in great light."
The sun was rising, and all turned to look. At that
moment Kolbein gave their god a stroke, so that the idol
burst asunder ; and there ran out of it mice as big almost
as cats, and reptiles, and adders. The bondes were so
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terrified that s<Mne fled to their ships; but when they
sprang out upon them they filled with water, and could
not get away. Others ran to their horses, but could not
find them. The king then ordered the bondes to be called
together, saying he wanted to speak with them ; on which
the bondes came back, and the Thing was again seated.
The king rose up and said, "I do not understand what
your noise and running mean. Ye see yourselves what
your god can do, — ^the idol ye adorned with gold and sil-
ver, and brought meat and provisions to. Ye see now
that the protecting powers who used it were the mice and
adders, reptiles and paddocks; and they do ill who trust
to such, and will not abandon this folly. Take now your
gold and ornaments that are lying strewed about on the
grass, and give them to your wives and daughters; but
never hang them hereafter upon stock or stone. Here are
now two conditions between us to choose upon,— either
accept Christianity, or fight this very day; and the vic-
tory be to them to whom the God we worship gives it.*'
Then Dale-Gudbrand stood up and said, "We have
sustained great damage upon our god ; but since he will
not help us, we will believe in the God thou believest in."
Then all received Christianity. The bishop baptized
Gudbrand and his son. King Olaf and Bishop Sigurd
left behind them teachers, and they who met as enemies
parted as friends; and Gudbrand built a church in the
valley.
120. — HEDEMARK BAPTIZED.
King Olaf proceeded from thence to Hedemark, and
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baptized there; but as he had formerly carried away their
kings as prisoners, he did not venture himself, after such
a deed, to go far into the coimtry with few people at that
time, but a small part of Hedemark was baptized; but
the king did not desist from his expedition before he had
introduced Christianity over all Hedemark, consecrated
churches, and placed teachers. He theri went to Hada-
land and Thoten, improving the customs of the people,
and persisting until all the country was baptized. He
then went to Ringerike, where also all people went over
to Christianity. The people of Raumarike then heard
that Olaf intended coming to them, and they gathered a
great force. They said among themselves that the jour-
ney Olaf had made among them the last time was not to
be forgotten, and he should never proceed so again. The
king, notwithstanding, prepared for the journey. Now
when the king went up into Raumarike with his forces,
the multitude of bondes came against him at a river called
Nitja ; and the bondes had a strong army, and began the
battle as soon as they met ; but they soon fell short, and
took to flight. They were forced by this battle into a bet-
ter disposition, and immediately received Christianity;
and the king scoured the whole district, and did not leave
it until all the people were made Christians. He then
went east to Soleys, and baptized that neighbourhood.
The skald Ottar Black came to him there, and begged to
be received among his men. Olaf the Swedish king had
died the winter before (1021), and Onund, the son of
Olaf, was now the sole king over all Sweden. King
Olaf returned, when the winter (1022) was far advanced,
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to Raumarike. There he assembled a numerous Thing,
at a place where the Eidsvold Things have since been
held. He made a law, that the Upland people should
resort to this Thing, and that Eidsvold laws should be
good through all the districts of the Uplands, and wide
around in other quarters, which also has taken place. As
spring was advancing, he rigged his ships, and went by
sea to Tunsberg. He remained there during the spring,
and the time the town was most frequented, and goods
from other countries were brought to the town for sale.
There had been a good year in Viken, and tolerable as far
north as Stad ; but it was a very dear time in all the coun-
try north of there.
121. RECONCIUATION O^ TH^ KING AND EINAR.
In spring (1022) King Olaf sent a message west to
Agder, and north all the way to Hordaland and Rogaland,
prohibiting the exporting or selling of corn, malt, or
meal; adding, that he, as usual, would come there with
his people in guest-quarters. The message went round
all the districts ; but the king remained in Viken all sum-
mer, and went east to the boundary of the country. Einar
Tambaskelfer had been with the Swedish king Olaf since
the death of his relation Earl Svein, and had, as the
king's man, received great fiefs from him. Now that the
king was dead, Einar had a great desire to come into
friendly agreement with Olaf ; and the same spring mes-
sages passed between them about it. While the king
was lying in the Gaut river, Einar Tambaskelfer came
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there with some men ; and after treating about an agree-
ment, it was settled that Einar should go north to
Throndhjem, and there take possession of all the lands
and property wnich Bergliot had received in dower.
Thereupon Einar took his way north; but the king re-
mained behind in Viken, and remained long in Sarps-
borg in autumn (1023), and during the first part of win-
ter.
122. — ^RECONCILIATION OF THE KING AND ERLING.
Erling Skjalgson held his dominion so, that all north
from Sogn Lake, and east to the Naze, the besides stood
under him ; and although he had much smaller royal fiefs
than formerly, still so great a dread of him prevailed that
nobody dared to do anything against his will, so that the
king thought his power too great. There was a man
called Aslak Fitiaskalle, who was powerful, and of high
birth. Erling's father Skjalg, and Aslak's father Askel,
were brother's sons. Aslak was a great friend of King
Olaf, and the king settled him in South Hordaland, where
he gave him a great fief, and great income, and ordered
him in no respect to give way to Erling. But this came
to nothing when the king was not in the neighbourhood ;
for then Erling would reign as he used to do, and was not
more humble because Aslak would thrust himself for-
ward as his equal. At last the strife went so far that
Aslak could not keep his place, but hastened to King Olaf,
and told him the circumstances between him and Erling.
The king told Aslak to remain with him until he should
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meet Erling; and sent a message to Erling that he should
come to him in spring at Tunsberg. When they all ar*
rived there they held a meeting at which the king said
to him, "It is told me concerning thy government, Er-
ling, that no man from Sogn Lake to the Naze can enjoy
his freedom for thee ; although there are many men there
who consider themselves bom to udal rights, and have
their privileges like others born as they are. Now, here
is your relation Aslak, who appears to have suffered
great inconvenience from your conduct; and I do not
know whether he himself is in fault, or whether he suffers
because I have placed him to defend what is mine; and
although I name him, there are many others who have
brought the same complaint before us, both among those
who are placed in office in our districts, and among the
bailiffs who have our farms to manage, and are obliged
to entertain me and my people/'
Erling replies to this, "I will answer at once. I deny
altogether that I have ever injured Aslak, or any one else,
for being in your service ; but this I will not deny, that it is
now, as it has long been, that each of us relations will
willingly be greater than the other: and, moreover, I
freely acknowledge that I am ready to bow my neck to
thee, King Olaf ; but it is more difficult for me to stoop
before one who is of slave descent in all his generation,
although he is now your bailiflf, or before others who are
but equal to him in descent, although you bestow honours
on them."
Now the friends of both interfered, and entreated that
they would be reconciled; saying, that the king never
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ccxild have such powerful aid as from Erling, "if he was
your friend entirely." On the other hand, they repre-
sent to Erling that he should give up to the king; for if
he was in friendship with the king, it would be easy to do
with all the others what he pleased. The meeting ac-
cordingly ended so that Erling should retain the fiefs he
formerly had, and every complaint the king had against
Erling should be dropped; but Skjalg, Erling's son,
should come to the king, and remain in his power. Then
Aslak returned to his dominions, and the two were in
some sort reconciled. Erling returned home also to his
domains, and followed his own way of ruling them.
123. — HERE BEGINS THE STORY OF ASBJORN SEWBANE.
There was a man named Sigurd Thoreson, a brother of
Thorer Hund of Bjarkey Island. Sigurd was married to
Sigrid Skjalg's daughter, a sister of Erling. Their son,
called Asbjom, became as he grew up a very able man.
Sigurd dwelt at Omd in Thrandames, and was a very
rich and respected man. He had not gone into the king's
service ; and Thorer in so far had attained higher dignity
than his brother, that he was the king's lenderman. But
at home, on his farm, Sigurd stood in no respect behind
his brother in splendour and magnificence. As long as
heathenism prevailed, Sigurd usually had three sacrifices
every year: one on winter-night's eve, one on mid-win-
ter's eve, and the third in summer. Although he had
adopted Christianity, he continued the same custom with
his feasts : he had, namely, a great friendly entertainment
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at harvest time; a Yule feast in winter, to which he invited
many ; the third feast he had about Easter, to which also
he invited many guests. He continued this fashion as
long as he lived. Sigurd died on a bed of sickness when
Asbjom was eighteen years old. He was the only heir
of his father, and he followed his father's custom of hold-
ing three festivals every year. Soon after Asbjom came
to his heritage the course of seasons began to grow worse,
and the com harvests of the people to fail ; but Asbjorn
held his usual feasts, and helped himself by having old
com, and an old provision laid up of all that was useful.
But when one year had passed and another came, and
the crops were no better than the year before, Sigrid
wished that some if not all of the feasts should be given
up. That Asbjom would not consent to, but went round
in harvest among his friends, buying corn where he could
get it, and some he received in presents. He thus kept
his feasts this winter also; but the spring after people got
but little seed into the ground, for they had to buy the
seed-corn. Then Sigrid spoke of diminishing the num-
ber of their house-servants. That Asbjom would not
consent to, but held by the old fashion of the house in all
things. In summer (1022) it appeared again that there
would be a bad year for com ; and to this came the report
from the south that King Olaf prohibited all export of
com, malt, or meal, from the southern to the northem
parts of the country. Then Asbjom perceived that it
would be difficult to procure what was necessary for a
house-keeping, and resolved to put into the water a vessel
for carrying goods which he had, and which was large
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enough to go to sea with. The ship was good, all that
belonged to her was of the best, and in the sails were
stripes of cloth of various colours. Asbjom made him-
self ready for a voyage, and put to sea with twenty men.
They sailed from the north in summer; and nothing is
told of their voyage until one day, about the time the
days begin to shorten, they came to Karmtsund, and
landed at Augvaldsnes. Up in the island Karmt there
is a large farm not far from the sea, and a large house
upon it called Augvaldsnes, which was a king's house,
with an excellent farm, which Thorer Sel, who was the
king's bailiff, had under his management. Thorer was a
man of low birth, but had swung himself up in the world
as an active man ; and he was polite in speech, showy in
clothes, and fond of distinction, and not apt to give way
to others, in which he was supported by the favour of the
king. He was besides quick in speech, straightforward,
and free in conversation. Asbjorn, with his company,
brought up there for the night ; and in the morning, when
it was light, Thorer went down to the vessel with some
men, and inquired who ccwnmanded the splendid ship.
Asbjorn named his own and his father's name. Thorer
asks where the voyage was intended for, and what was
the errand.
Asbjom replies, that he wanted to buy com and malt;
saying, as was true, that it was a very dear time north in
the country. "But we are told that here the seasons are
good; and wilt thou, farmer, sell us corn? I see that
here are great com stacks, and it would be very conven-
ient if we had not to travel farther."
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Thorer replies, "I will give thee the information that
thou needst not go farther to buy com, or travel about
here in Rogaland ; for I can tell thee that thou must turn
about, and not travel farther, for the king forbids carry-
ing com out of this to the north of the country. Sail
back again, Halogalander, for that will be thy safest
course."
Asbjom replies, "If it be so, bonde, as thou sayest, that
we can get no com here to buy, I will, notwithstanding, go
forward upon my errand, and visit my family in Sole,
and see my relation Erling's habitation."
Thorer: "How near is thy relationship to Erling?"
Asbjom : "My mother is his sister."
Thorer : "It may be that I have spoken heedlessly, if
so be that thou art sister's son of Erling."
Thereupon Asbjom and his crew struck their tents, and
tumed the ship to sea. Thorer called after them, "A good
voyage, and come here again on your way back." Asbjom
promised to do so, sailed away, and came in the evening
to Jadar. Asbjom went on shore with ten men; the
other ten men watched the ship. When Asbjom came to
the house he was very well received, and Erling was very
glad to see him, placed him beside himself, and asked him
all the news in the north of the country. Asbjom con-
cealed nothing of his business from him ; and Erling said
it happened unfortunately that the king had just forbid
the sale of com. "And I know no man here," says he,
"who has courage to break the king's order, and I find
it difficult to keep well with the king, so many are trying
to break our friendship."
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Asbjom replies, "It is late before we learn the truth.
In my childhood I was taught that my mother was free-
born throughout her whole descent, and that Erling of
Sole was her boldest relation; and now I hear thee say
that chou hast not the freedom, for the king's slaves here
in Jadar, to do with thy own corn what thou pleasest."
Erling looked at him, smiled through his teeth, and
said, "Ye Halogalanders know less of the king's power
than we do here ; but a bold man thou mayst be at home
in thy conversation. Let us now drink, my friend, and
we shall see to-morrow wha': can be done in thy business."
They did so, and were vt ry merry all the evening. The
following day Erling and Asbjom talked o\'er the matter
again ; and Erling said, "I have found out a way for you
to purchase corn, Asbjom. It is the same thing to you
whoever is the seller." He answered that he did not care
of whom he bought the com, if he got a good right to his
purchase. Erling said, "It appears to me probable that
my slaves have quite as much com as you require to buy ;
and they are not subject to law, or land regulation, like
other men." Asbjom agreed to the proposal. The
slaves were now spoken to about the purchase, and they
brought forward com and malt, which they sold to
Asbjorn, so that he loaded his vessel with what he wanted.
When he was ready for sea Erling followed him on the
road, made him presents of friendship, and they took a
kind farewell of each other. Asbjom got a good breeze,
landed in the evening at Karmtsund, near to Augvaldsnes,
and remained there for the night Thorer Sel had heard
of Asbjom's voyage, and also that his vessel was deeply
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laden. Thorcr summoned people to him in the night, so
that before daylight he had sixty men ; and with these he
went against Asbjorn as soon as it was light, and went
out to the ship just as Asbjorn and his men were putting
on their clothes. Asbjorn saluted Thorer, and Thorer
asked what kind of goods Asbjorn had in the vessel.
He replied, "Com and malt."
Thorer said, "Then Erling is doing as he usually does,
and despising the king's orders, and is unwearied in
opposing him in all things, insomuch that it is wonderful
the king suffers it."
Thorer went on scolding in this way, and when he was
silent Asbjorn said that Erling's slaves had owned the
com.
Thorer replied hastily, that he did not regard Erling's
tricks. "And now, Asbjom, there is no help for it; ye
must either go on shore, or we will throw you overboard ;
for we will not be troubled with you while we are dis-
charging the cargo." ^
Asbjom saw that he had not men enough to resist
Thorer; therefore he and his people landed, and Thorer
took the whole cargo out of the vessel. When the vessel
was discharged Thorer went through the ship, and
observed, "Ye Halogalanders have good sails: take the
old sail of our vessel and give it them ; it is good enough
for those who are sailing in a light vessel." Thus the
sails were exchanged. When this was done Asbjom and
his comrades sailed away north along the coast, and did
not stop until they reached home early in winter. This
expeditic«i was talked of far and wide, and Asbjorn had
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no trouble that winter in making feasts at home. Thorer
Hund invited Asbjorn and his mother, and also all whom
they pleased to take along with him, to a Yule feast ; but
Asbjorn sat at home, and would not travel, and it was to
be seen that Thorer thought Asbjorn despised his invita-
tion, since he would not come. Thorer scoffed much at
Asbjom's voyage. "Now," said he, "it is evident that
Asbjorn makes a great difference in his respect towards
his relations ; for in summer he took the greatest trouble
to visit his relation Erling in Jadar, and now will not
take the trouble to come to me in the next house. I don't
know if he thinks there may be a Thorer Sel in his way
upon every holm." Such words, and the like sarcasms,
Asbjorn heard of; and very ill satisfied he was with his
vojrage, which had thus made him a laughing-stock to
the country, and he remained at home all winter, and
went to no feasts.
124. — MURDER 01^ THORER SEI^
Asbjorn had a long-ship standing in the noust (ship-
shed), and it was a snekke (cutter) of twenty benches;
and after Candlemas (February 2, 1023), he had the
vressel put in the water, brought out all his furniture, and
rigged her out. He then summoned to him his friends
and people, so that he had nearly ninety men all well
armed. When he was ready for sea, and got a wind, he
sailed south along the coast ; but as the wind did not suit,
they advanced but slowly. When they came farther south
they steered outsid« the rocks, without the usual ships'
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channel, keeping to sea as much as it was possible to do so.
Nothing is related of his voyage before the fifth day of
Easter (April 18, 1023), when, about evening, they came
on the outside of Karmt Island. This island is so shaped
that it is very long, but not broad at its widest part ; and
without it lies the usual ships' channel. It is thickly
inhabited; but where the island is exposed to the ocean
great tracts of it are uncultivated. Asbjorn and his men
landed at a place in the island that was uninhabited. After
they had set up their ship-tents Asbjorn said, "Now ye
must remain here and wait for me. I will go on land in
the isle, and spy what news there may be which we know
nothing of." Asbjorn had on mean clothes, a broad-
brimmed hat, a fork in his hand, but had girt on his
sword under his clothes. He went up to the land, and in
through the island; and when he came upon a hillock,
from which he could see the house on Augvaldsnes, and
on as far as Karmtsund, he saw people in all quarters
flocking together by land and by sea, and all going up to
the house of Augvaldsnes. This seemed to him extraordi-
nary; and therefore he went up quietly to a house close
by, in which servants were cooking meat. From their
conversation he discovered immediately that the king
Olaf had come there to a feast, and that he had just sat
down to table. Asbjorn turned then to the f easting-
room, and when he came into the ante-room one was
going in and another coming out ; but nobody took notice
of him. The hall-door was open, and he saw that Thorer
Sel stood before the table of the high-seat. It was getting
late in the evening, and Asbjorn heard people ask Thorer
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what had taken place between him and Asbjorn; and
Thorer had a long story about it, in which he evidently
departed from the truth. Among other things he heard
a man say, "How did Asbjorn behave when you dis-
charged his vessel?" Thorer replied, "When we were
taking out the cargo he bore it tolerably, but not well ; and
when we took the sail from him he wept.'* When
Asbjorn heard this he suddenly drew his sword, rushed
into the hall, and cut at Thorer. The stroke took him in
the neck, so that the head fell upon the table before the
king, and the body at his feet, and the table-cloth was
soiled with blood from top to bottc«n. The king ordered
him to be seized and taken out. This was done. They
laid hands on Asbjorn, and took him from the hall. The
table-furniture and table-cloths were removed, and also
Thorer's corpse, and all the blood wiped up. The king
was enraged to the highest ; but remained quiet in speech,
as he always was when in anger.
125. — OF SKJALG, THE SON O^ ERUNG SKJALGSON.
Skjalg Erlingson stood up, went before the king, and
said, "Now may it go, as it often does, that every case
will admit of alleviation. I will pay thee the mulct for
the bloodshed on account of this man, so that he may
retain life and limbs. All the rest determine and do,
king, according to thy pleasure."
The king replies, "Is it not a matter of death, Skjalg,
that a man break the Easter peace ; and in the next place
that he kills a man in the king's lodging; and in the third
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that he makes my feet his execution-block, although that
may appear a small matter to thee and thy father?*'
Skjalg replies, "It is ill done, kii*g, in as far as it dis-
pleases thee; but the deed is, otherwise, done excellently
well. But if the deed appear to thee so important, and
be so contrary to thy will, yet may I expect something for
my services from thee; and certainly there are many who
will say that thou didst well."
The king replies, "Although thou hast made me greatly
indebted to thee, Skjalg, for thy services, yet I will not for
thy sake break the law, or cast away my own dignity."
Then Skjalg turned round, and went out of the hall.
Twelve men who had come with Skjalg all followed him,
and many others went out with him. Skjalg said to
Thorarin Nefiulfson, "If thou wilt have me for a friend,
take care that this man be not killed before Sunday."
Thereupon Skjalg and his men set off, took a rowing boat
which he had, and rowed south as fast as they could, and
came to Jadar with the first glimpse of morning. They
went up instantly to the house, and to the loft in which
Erling slept. Skjalg rushed so hard against the door
that it burst asunder at the nails. Erling and the others
who were within started up. He was in one spring upon
his legs, grasped his shield and sword, and rushed to the
door, demanding who was there. Skjalg names himself,
and begs him to open the door. Erling replies, "It was
most likely to be thee who hast behaved so foolishly ; or
IS there any one who is pursuing thee?" Thereupon the
door was unlocked. Then said Skjalg, "Although it
appears to thee that I am so hasty, I suppose our relation
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Asbjorn will not think my proceedings too quick ; for he
sits in chains there in the north at Augvaldsnes, and it
would be but manly to hasten back and stand by him."
The father and son then had a conversation together, and
Skjalg related the whole circumstances of Thorer Sel's
murder.
126.— OF THORARIN NEFlULrFSON.
King Olaf took his seat again when everything in the
hall was put in order, and was enraged beyond measure.
He asked how it was with the murderer. He was.
answered, that he was sitting out upon the doorstep
under guard.
The king says, "Why is he not put to death ?"
Thorarin Nefiulfson replies, "Sire, would you not call
it murder to kill a man in the night-time?'*
The king answers, "Put him in irons then, and kill him
in the morning."
Then Asbjorn was laid in chains, and locked up in a
house for the night. The day after the king heard the
morning mass, and then went to the Thing, where he sat
till high mass. As he was going to mass he said to
Thorarin, "Is not the sun high enough now in the
heavens that your friend Asbjorn may be hanged?"
Thorarin bowed before the king, and said, "Sire, it
was said by Bishop Sigurd on Friday last, that the King
who has all things in his power had to endure great
temptation of spirit; and blessed is he who rather imi-
tates him, than those who condemned the man to death,
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or those who caused his slaughter. It is not long till to-
morrow, and that is a working day."
The king looked at him, and said, "Thou must take
care then that he is not put to death to-day ; but take him
under thy charge, and know for certain that thy own life
shall answer for it if he escapt in any way."
Then the king went away. Thorarin went also to where
Asbjom lay in irons, took off his chains, and brought him
to a small room, where he had meat and drink set before
him, and told him what the king had determined in case
Asbjom ran away. Asbjorn replies, that Thorarin need
not be afraid of him. Thorarin sat a long while with him
during the day, and slept there all night. On Saturday
the king arose and went to the early mass, and from
thence he went to the Thing, where a great many bondes
were assembled, who had many complaints to be deter-
mined. The king sat there long in the day, and it was
late before the people went to high mass. Thereafter the
king went to table. When he had got meat he sat drink-
ing for a while, so that the tables were not removed.
Thorarin went out to the priest who had the church under
his care, and gave him two marks of silver to ring in the
Sabbath as soon as the king's table was taken away. Wlien
the king had drunk as much as he wished the tables were
removed. Then said the king, that it was now time for
the slaves to go to the murderer and put him to death. In
the same moment the bell rang in the Sabbath.
Then Thorarin went before the king, and said, "The
Sabbath-peace this man must have, although he has done
evil."
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The king said, "Do thou take care, Thorarin, that he
do not escape."
The king then went to the church, and attended the
vesper service, and Thorarin sat the whole day with
Asbjom. On Sunday the bishop visited Asbjorn, con-
fessed him, and gave him orders to hear high mass.
Thorarin then went to the king, and asked him to appoint
men to guard the murderer. "I will now," he said, "be
free of this charge." The king thanked him for his care,
and ordered men to watch over Asbjom who was again
laid in chains. When the people went to high mass
Asbjom was led to the church, and he stood outside of
the church with his guard ; but the king and all the people
stood in the church at mass.
127. — ^ERI^ING'S RECDNCII.IATION WITH KING OI.AF.
Now we must again take up our story where we left it,
— ^that Erling and his son Skjalg held a council on this
affair, and according to the resolution of Erling, and of
Skjalg and his other sons, it was determined to assemble
a force and send out message-tokens. A great multitude
of people accordingly came together. They got ready
with all speed, rigged their ships, and when they reck-
oned upon their force they found they had nearly 1500
men. With this war-force they set off, and came on Sun-
day to Augvaldsnes on Karmt Island. They went straight
up to the house with all the men, and arrived just as the
Scripture lesson was read. They went directly to the
church, took Asbjom, and broke off his chains. At the
tumult and clash of arms all who were outside of the
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church ran into it ; but they who were in the church looked
all towards them, except the king, who stood still, with-
out looking around himi. Erling and his sons drew up
their men on each side of the path which led from the
church to the hall, and Erling with his sons stood next to
the hall. When high mass was finished the king went
immediately out of the church, and first went through the
open space between the ranks drawn up, and then his
retinue, man by man ; and as he came to the door Erling
placed himself before the door, bowed to the king, and
saluted him. The king saluted him in return, and prayed
God to help him. Erling took up the word first, and said,
"My relation, Asbjom, it is reported to me, has been
guilty of misdemeanor, king; and it is a great one, if he
has done anything that incurs your displeasure. Now I
am come to entreat for him pyeace, and such penalties as
you yourself may determine ; but that thereby he redeem
life and limb, and his remaining here in his native land.*'
The king replies, "It appears to me, Erling, that thou
thinkest the case of Asbjom is now in thy own power, and
I do not therefore know why thou speakest now as if thou
wouldst oflfer terms for him. I think thou hast drawn
together these forces because thou are determined to settle
what is between us."
Erling replies, "Thou only, king, shalt determine, and
determine so that we shall be reconciled."
The king : "Thinkest thou, Erling, to mdke me afraid ?
and art thou come here in such force with that expecta-
tion? No, that shall not be; and if that be thy thought, I
must in no way turn and fly."
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Erling replies, "Thou hast no occasion to remind mf
how often I have come to meet thee with fewer men than
thou hadst. But now I shall not conceal what lies in my
mind, namely, that it is my will that we now enter into a
reconciliation ; for otherwise I expect we shall never meet
again." Erling was then as red as blood in the face.
Now Bishop Sigurd came forward to the king and said,
"Sire, I entreat you on God Almighty's account to be rec-
onciled with Erling according to his offer, — that the man
shall retain life and limb, but that thou shalt determine
according to thy pleasure all the other conditions."
The king replies, "You will determine."
Then said the bishop, "Erling, do thou give security
for AsbjcwTi, such as the king thinks sufficient, and then
leave the conditions to the mercy of the king, and leave
all in his power."
Erling gave a surety to the king on his part, which he
accepted.
Thereupon Asbjom received his life and safety, and
delivered himself into the king's power, and kissed his
hand.
Erling then withdrew with his forces, without exchang-
ing salutation with the king; and the king went into the
hall, followed by Asbjom. The king thereafter made
known the terms of reconciliation to be these: — ^**In the
first place, Asbjom, thou must submit to the law of the
land, which commands that the man who kills a servant
of the king must undertake his service, if the king will.
Now I will that thou shalt undertake the office of bailiff
which Thorer Sel had, and manage my estate here in Aug-
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valdsnes. • Asbjorn rq)lies, that it should be according
to the kingf s will ; "Dut I must first go home to my farm,
and put things in order there." The king was satisfied
with this, and proceeded to another guest-quarter.
Asbjorn made himself ready with his comrades, who all
kept themselves concealed in a quiet creek during the time
Asbjorn was away from them. They had had their spies
out to learn how it went with him, and would not depart
without having some certain news of him.
128. — OF THORER HUND AND ASBJORN SELSBANK.
Asbjorn then set out on his voyage, and about spring
(1023) got home to his farm. After this exploit he
was always called Asbjorn Selsbane. Asbjorn had not
been long at home before he and his relation Thorer met
and conversed together, and Thorer asked Asbjorn par-
ticularly all about his journey, and about all the circum-
stances which had happened on the course of it. Asbjorn
told everything as it had taken place.
Then said Thorer, "Thou thinkest that thou hast well
rubbed out the disgrace of having been plundered in last
harvest"
"I think so," replies Asbjorn ; "and what is thy opinion,
cousin ?"
"That I will soon tell thee," said Thorer. "Thy first
expedition to the south of the country was indeed very
disgraceful, and that disgrace has been redeemed ; but this
expedition is both a disgrace to thee and to thy family, if
it end in thy becoming the king*s slave, and being put on
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a footing with that worst of men, Thorer Sel. Show that
thou art manly enough to sit here on thy own property,
and we thy relations shall so support thee that thou wilt
never more come into such trouble/*
Asbjom found this adviceimuch to his mind ; and before
they parted it was firmly^ determined that Asbjorn should
remain on his farm, and not go back to the king or enter
into his service. And he did so, and sat quietly at home
on his farm.
129. — KING OLAF BAPTIZES IN VORS AND VAI,DERS.
After King Olaf and Erling Skjalgson had this meet-
ing at Augvaldsnes, new diflferences arose between
them, and increased so much that they ended in perfect
enmity. In spring (1023) the king proceeded to guest-
quarters in Hordaland, and went up also to Vors, because
he heard there was but little of the true faith among the
people there. He held a Thing with the bon.des at a place
called Vang, and a number of bondes came to it fully
armed. The king ordered them to adopt Christianity;
but they challenged him to battle, and it proceeded so far
that the men were drawn up on both sides. But when it
came to the point such a fear entered into the blood of the
bondes that none would advance or command, and they
chose the part which was most to their advantage; namely,
to obey the king and receive Christianity ; and before the
king left them they were all baptized. One day it hap-
pened that the king was riding on his way a singing of
psalms, and when he came right opposite some hills he
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halted and said, "Man after man shall relate these my
words, that I think it not advisable for any king of Nor-
way to travel hereafter between these hills." And It is
a saying among the people that the most kings since that
time have avoided it. The king proceeded to Ostrarf jord,
and came to his ships, with which he went north to Sogn,
and had his living in guest-quarters there in summer
(1023) ; when autumn approached he turned in towards
the Fjord district, and went from thence to Valders, where
the people were still heathen. The king hastened up to
the lake in Valders, came unexpectedly on the bondes,
seized their vessels, and went on board of them with all
his men. He then sent out message-tokens, and
appointed a Thing so near the lake that he could use the
vessels if he found he required them. The bondes resorted
to the Thing in a great and well-armed host; and when
he commanded them to accept Christianity the bondes
shouted against him, told him to be silent, and made a
great uproar and clashing of weapons. But when the
king saw that they would not listen to what he would
teach them, and also that they had too great a force to
contend with, he turned his discourse, and asked if there
were people at the Thing who had disputes with each
other which they wished him to settle. It was soon found
by the conversation of the bondes that they had many
quarrels among themselves, although they had all joined
in speaking against Christianity. When the bondes began
to set forth their own cases, each endeavored to get some
upon his side to support him; and this lasted the whole
day long until evening, when the Thing was concluded.
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When the bondes had heard that the king had travelled
to Valders, and was come into their neighborhood, they
had sent out message-tokens summoning the free and the
unfree to meet in arms, and with this force they had
advanced against the king ; so that the neighbourhood all
around was left without people. When the Thing was
concluded the bondes still remained assembled ; and when
the king observed this he went on board his ships, rowed
in the night right across the water, landed in the country
there, and began to plunder and bum. The day after the
king's men rowed from one point of land to another, and
over all the king ordered the habitations to be set on fire.
Now when the bondes who were assembled saw what
the king was doing, namely, plundering and burning, and
saw the smoke and flame of their houses, they dispersed,
and each hastened to his own home to see if he could find
those he had left. As soon as there came a dispersion
among the crowd, the one slipped away after the other,
until the whole multitude was dissolved. Then the king
rowed across the lake again, burning also on that side of
the country. Now came the bondes to him begging for
mercy, and oflfering to submit to him. He gave every
man who came to him peace if he desired it, and restored
to him his goods; and nobody refused to adopt Chris-
tianity. The king then had the people christened, and
took hostages from the bondes. He ordered churches to
be built and consecrated, and placed teachers in them. He
remained a long time here in autumn, and had his ships
drawn across the neck of land between the two lakes.
The king did not go far from the sides of the lakes into
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the country, for he did not much trust the bcMides. When
the king thought that frost might be expected, he went
further up the country, and came to Thoten. Arnor, the
earl's skald, tells how King Olaf burnt in the Uplands, in
the poem he composed concerning the king's brother King
Harald:—
"Against the Upland people wroth. Who could aot fly
Olaf, to most so mild, went forth : Hung on gallows high.
The houses burning. It was, I think, in Olaf's race
All people mourning ; The Upland people to oppress."
Afterwards King Olaf went north through the valleys
to Dovrefield, and did not halt until he reached the
Throndhjem district and arrived at Nidaros, where he
had ordered winter provision to be collected, and remained
all winter (1024). This was the tenth year of his reign.
130.— OF EINAR TAMBASKELFER.
The summer before Einar Tambaskelfer left the coun-
try, and went westward to England (1023). There he
met his relative Earl Hakon, and stayed some time with
him. He then visited King Canute, from whom he
received great presents. Einar then went south all the
way to Rome, and came back the following summer
(1024), and returned to his house and land. King Olaf
and Einar did not meet this time.
131. — ^THE BIRTH OF KING MAGNUS.
There was a girl whose name was Alfhild, and who
was usually called the king's slave-woman, although she
was of good descent. She was a remarkably handsome
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girl, and lived in King Olaf s court. It was reported
this spring that Alfhild was with child, and the king's
confidential friends knew that he was father of the child.
It happened one night that Alfhild was taken ill, and only
few people were at hand; namely, some women, priests,
Sigvat the skald, and a few others. Alfhild was so ill
that she was nearly dead ; and when she was delivered of
a man-child, it was some time before they could discover
whether the child was in life. But when the infant drew
breath, although very weak, the priest told Sigvat to
hasten to the king, and tell him of the event.
He replies, "I dare not on any account waken the king;
for he has forbid that any man should break his sleep until
he awakens of himself."
The priest replies, "It is of necessity that this child be
immediately baptized, for it appears to me there is but
little life in it.""
Sigvat said, "I would rather venture to take upon me
to let thee baptize the child, than to awaken the king ; and
I will take it upon myself if anything be amiss, and will
give the child a name."
They did so; and the child was baptized, and got the
name of Magnus. The next morning, when the king
awoke and had dressed himself, the circumstance was
told him. He ordered Sigvat to be called, and said, "How
camest thou to be so bold as to have my child baptized
before I knew anything about it?"
Sigvat replies, "Because I would rather give two men
to God than one to the devil."
The king— "What meanest thou?"
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Sigvat — "The child was near death, and must have
been the devil's if it had died as a heathen, and now it is
God's. And I knew besides that if thou shouldst be so
angry on this account that it affected my life, I would be
God's also."
The king asked, "But why didst thou call him Magnus,
which is not a name of our race?"
Sigvat — "I called him after King Carl Magnus, who, I
knew, had been the best man in the world."
Then said the king, "Thou art a very lucky man,
Sigvat; but it is not wonderful that luck should accomr
pany understanding. It is only wonderful how it some-
times happens that luck attends ignorant men, and that
foolish counsel turns out lucky." The king was over-
joyed at the circumstance. The boy grew up, and gave
good promise as he advanced in age.
132. — THE MURDER OE ASBJORN SELSBANE.
The same spring (1024) the king gave into the hands
of Asmund Grankelson the half of the sheriffdom of the
district of Halogaland, which Harek of Thjotta had for-
merly held, partly in fief, partly for defraying the king's
entertainment in guest-quarters. Asmund had a ship
manned with nearly thirty well-armed men. When
Asmund came north he met Harek, and told him what
the king had determined with regard to the district, and
produced to him the tokens of the king's full powers.
Harek said, "The king had the right to give the sheriff-
dom to whom he pleased ; but the former sovereigns had
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not been in use to diminish our rights who are entitled by
birth to hold powers from the king, and to give them into
the hands of the peasants who never before held such
offices." But although it was evident that it was against
Harek*s inclination, he allowed Asmund to take the
sheriffdom according to the king's order. Then Asmund
proceeded home to his father, stayed there a short time,
and then went north to Halogaland to his sheriffdom ; and
he came north to Langey Island, where there dwelt two
brothers called Gunstein and Karle, both very rich and
respectable men. Gunstein, the eldest of the brothers, was
a good husbandman. Karle was a handsome man in
appearance, and splendid in his dress; and both were, in
many respects, expert in all feats. Asmund was well
received by them, remained with them a while, and col-
lected such revenues of his sheriffdom as he could get
Karle spoke with Asmund of his wish to go south with
him and take service in the court of King Olaf, to which
Asmund encouraged him much, promising his influence
with the king for obtaining for Karle such a situation as
he desired ; and Karle accordingly accompanied Asmund.
Asmund heard that Asbjorn,who had killed Thorer Sel,
had gone to the market-meeting of Vagar with a large
ship of burden manned with nearly twenty men, and that
he was now expected from the south. Asmund and his
retinue proceeded on their way southwards along the
coast with a contrary wind, but there was little of it.
They saw some of the fleet for Vagar sailing towards
them ; and they privately inquired of them about Asbjorn,
and were told he was upon the way coming irom the
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south. Asmund and Karle were bedfellows, and excel-
lent friends. One day, as Asmund and his people were
rowing through a sound, a ship of burden came sailing
towards them. The ship was easily known, having high
bulwarks, was painted with white and red colours, and
coloured cloth was woven in the sail. Karle said to
Asmund, "Thou hast often said thou wast curious to see
Asbjom who killed Thorer Sel ; and if I know one ship
from another, that is his which is coming sailing along."
Asmund replies, "Be so good, comrade, and tell me
which is he when thou seest him."
When the ships came alongside of each other, "That
is Asbjom," said Karle; "the man sitting at the helm in a
blue cloak."
Asmund replies, "I shall make his blue cloak red;"
threw a spear at Asbjorn, and hit him in the middle of the
body, so that it flew through and through him, and stuck
fast in the upper part of the stern-post; and Asbjorn fell
down dead from the helm. Then each vessel sailed on its
course, and Asbjorn's body was carried north to Thran-
darnes. Then Sigrid sent a message to Bjarkey Isle to
Thorer Hund, who came to her while they were, in the
usual way, dressing the corpse of Asbjorn. When he
returned Sigrid gave presents to all her friends, and fol-
lowed Thorer to his ship; but before they parted she said,
"It has so fallen out, Thorer, that my son has suffered by
thy friendly counsel, but he did not retain life to reward
thee for it ; but although I have not his ability., yet will I
show my. good will. Here is a gift I give thee, which I
expect thou wilt use. Here is the spear which went
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through Asbjorn my son, and there is still blood upon it,
to remind thee that it fits the wound thou hast seen on the
corpse of thy brother's son Asbjorn. It would be a manly
deed, if thou shouldst throw this spear from thy hand so
that it stood in Olaf 's breast ; and this I can tell thee, that
thou wilt be named coward in every man's mouth, if thou
dost not avenge Asbjorn." Thereupon she turned about,
and went her way.
Thorer was so enraged at her words that he could not
speak. He neither thought of casting the spear from him,
nor took notice of the gangway*; so that he would have
fallen into the sea, if his men had not laid hold of him as
he was going on board his ship. It was a feathered spear ;
not large, but the handle was gold-mounted. Now Thorer
rowed away with his people, and went home to Bjarkey
Isle. Asmund and his companions also proceeded on their
way until they came south to Throndhjem, where they
waited on King Olaf ; and Asmund related to the king all
that had happened on the voyage. Karle became one of
the king's court-men, and the friendship continued be-
tween him and Asmund. They dkl not keep secret the
words that had passed between Asmund and Karle before
Asbjorn was killed ; for they even told them to the king.
But then it happened, according to the proverb, that every
one has a friend in the midst of his enemies. There were
some present who took notice of the words, and they
reached Thorer Hund's ears.
133.— OF KING OhAl^.
When spring (1024) was advanced King Okf rigged
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out his ships, and sailed southwards in summer along the
land. He held Things with the bondes on the way, set-
tled the law business of the people, put to rights the faith
of the country, and collected the king's taxes wherever he
came. In autumn he proceeded south to the frontier of
the country; and King Olaf had now made the people
Christians in all the great districts, and everywhere, by
laws, had introduced order into the country. He had also,
as before related, brought the Orkney Islands under his
power, and by messages had made many friends in Ice-
land, Greenland, and the Farey Islands. King Olaf had
sent timber for building a church to Iceland, of which a
church was built upon the Thing-field where the General
Thing is held, and had sent a bell for it, which is still
there. This was after the Iceland people had altered
their laws, and introduced Christianity, according to the
word King Olaf had sent them. After that time, many
considerable persons came from Iceland, and entered into
King Olafs service; as Thorkel Eyjolfson, and Thorleif
Bollason, Thord Kolbeinson, Thord Barkarsc«i, Thorgeir
Havarson, Thormod Kalbrunar-skald. King Olaf had
sent many friendly presents to chief people in Iceland ; and
they in return sent him such things as they had which they
thought most acceptable. Under this show of friendship
which the king gave Iceland were concealed many things
which afterwards appeared.
134. — KING OI^F's message to ICELAND, AND THE COUN-
SELS OP THE ICELANDERS.
King Olaf this summer (1024) sent Thorarin Nefiulf-
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son to Iceland on his errands ; and Thorarin went out of
Throndhjem fjord along with the king, and followed him
south to More. From thence Thorarin went out to sea,
and got such a favourable breeze that after four days* sail
he landed at the Westman Isles, in Iceland. He pro-
ceeded immediately to the Althing, and came just as the
people were upon the Lawhillock, to which he repaired.
When the cases of the people before the Thing had been
determined according to law, Thorarin Nefiulfson took up
the word as follows: — "We parted four days ago from
King Olaf Haraldson, who sends God Almighty's and
his own salutation to all the chiefs and principal men of
the land; as also to all the people in general, men and
women, young and old, rich and poor. He also lets you
know that he will be your sovereign if ye will become his
subjects, so that he and you will be friends, assisting each
other in all that is good."
The people replied in a friendly way, that they would
gladly be the king's friends, if he would be a friend of
the people of their country.
Then Thorarin again took up the word: — "This fol-
lows in addition to the king's message, that he will in
friendship desire of the people of the north district that
they give him the island, or out-rock, which lies at the
mouth of Eyfjord, and is called Grimsey, for which he
will give you from his country whatever good the people
of the district may desire. He sends this message partic-
ularly to Gudmund of ModruvelHr to support this matter,
because he understands that Gudmund has most influence
in that quarter."
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Gudmund replies, "My inclination is greatly for King
Olaf's friendship, and that I consider much more useful
than the out-rock he desires. But the king has not heard
rightly if he think I have more power in this matter than
any other, for the island is a common. We, however,
who have the most use of the isle, will hold a meeting
among ourselves about it."
Then the people went to their tent-houses; and the
Northland people had a meeting among themselves, and
talked over the business, and every one spoke according
to his judgment. Gudmund supported the matter, and
many others formed their opinions by his. Then some
asked why his brother Einar did not speak on the subject.
"We think he has the clearest insight into most things."
Einar answers, "I have said so little about the matter
because nobody has asked me about it ; but if I may give
my opinion, our countrymen might just as well make
themselves at once liable to land-scat to King Olaf, and
submit to all his exactions as he has them among his
people in Norway ; and this heavy burden we will lay not
only upon ourselves, but on our sons, and their sons, and
all our race, and on all the community dwelling and living
in this land, which never after will be free from this
slavery. Now although this king is a good man, as I
well believe him to be, yet it must be hereafter, when
kings succeed each other, that some will be good, and some
bad. Therefore if the people of this country will preserve
the freedom they have enjoyed since the land was first
inhabited, it is not advisable to give the king the smallest
spot to fasten himself upon the country by, and not to
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give him any kind of scat or service that can have the
appearance of a duty. On the other hand, I think it very
proper that the people send the king such friendly presents
of hawks or horses, tents or sails, or such things which
are suitable gifts; and these are well aiq)lied if they are
repaid with friendship. But as to Grimsey Isle, I have
to say, that although nothing is drawn from it that can
serve for food, yet it could support a great war-force
cruising from thence in long-ships ; and then, I doubt not,
there would be distress enough at every poor peasant's
door."
When Einar haa thus explained tne proper connection
of the matter, the whole community were of one mind
that such a thing should not be permitted ; and Thorarin
saw sufficiently well what the result of his errand was
to be.
135. — T-Rt ANSWER OF THE ICEI^ANDERS.
The day following, Thorarin went again to the Lawhill,
and brought forward his errand in the following words :
— ^*'King Olaf sends his message to his friends here in the
country, among whom he reckons Gudmund Eyjolfson,
Snorre Gode, Thorkel Eyjolfson, Skapte the lagman, and
Thorstein Halson, and desires them by me to come to him
on a friendly visit; and adds, that ye must not excuse
yourselves, if you regard his friendship as worth any-
thing." In their answer they thanked the king for his
message and added, that they would afterwards give a
reply to it by Thorarin when they had more closely con-
sidered the matter with their friends. The chiefs now
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weighed the matter among themselves, and each gave his
own opinion about the journey. Snorre and Skapte dis-
suaded from such a dangerous proceeding with the people
of Norway; namely, that all the men who had the most
to say in the country should at once leave Iceland. They
added, that from this message, and from what Einar had
said, they had the suspicion that the king intended to use
force and strong measures against the Icelanders if he
ruled in the country. Gudmund and Thorkel Eyjolfson
insisted much that they should follow King Olaf 's invita-
tion, and called it a journey of honour. But when they
had considered the matter on all sides, it was at last
resolved that they should not travel themselves, but that
each of them should send in his place a man whom they
thought best suited for it. After this determination the
Thing was closed, and there was no journey that sum-
mer. Thorarin made two voyages that summer, and
about harvest was back again at King Olaf 's, and reported
the result of his mission, and that some of the chiefs, or
their sons, would come from Iceland according to his
message.
136.— OF THS PEOPLE OF THE FAREY ISI^NDS.
The same summer (1024) there came from the Farey
Islands to Norway, on the king's invitation, Gille the lag-
man, Leif Ossurson, Thoralf of Dimun, and many other
bondes' sons. Thord of Gata made himself ready for the
voyage; but just as he was setting out he got a stroke of
palsy, and could not come, so he remained behind. Now
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when the people from the Farey Isles arrived at King
Olaf's, he called them to him to a conference, and ex-
plained the purpose of the journey he had made them
take, namely, that he would have scat from the Farey
Islands, and also that the people there should be subject
to the laws which the king should give them. In that
meeting it appeared from the king's words that he would
make the Farey people who had come answerable, and
would bind' them by oath to conclude this union. He
also offered to the men whom he thought the ablest to take
them into his service, and bestow honour and friendship
on them. These Farey men understood the king's words
so, that they must dread the turn the matter might take if
they did not submit to all that the king desired. Although
they held several meetings about the business before it
ended, the king's desire at last prevailed. Leif, Gille, and
Thoralf went into the king's service, and became his court-
men ; and they, with all their travelling companions, swore
the oath to King Olaf, that the law and land privilege
which he set them should be observed in the Farey Islands,
and also the scat be levied that he laid upon them. There-
after the Farey people prepared for their return home, and
at their departure the king gave those who had entered
into his service presents in testimony of his friendship, and
they went their way. Now the king ordered a ship to be
rigged, manned it, and sent men to the Farey Islands to
receive the scat from the inhabitants which they should
pay him. It was late before they were ready ; but they set
off at last : and of their journey all that is to be told is,
that they did not come back, and no scat either, the fol-
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lowing summer ; for nobody had come to the Farey Isles,
and no man had demanded scat there.
137. — of the marriage of ketii^ and of thord to the
king's sisters.
King Olaf proceeded about harvest time to Viken, and
sent a message before him to the Uplands that they should
prepare guest-quarters for him, as he intended to be there
in winter. Afterwards he made ready for his journey, and
went to the Uplands, and remained the winter there; going
about in guest-quarters, and putting things to rights
where he saw it needful, advancing also the cause of
Christianity wheresoever it was requisite. It happened
while King Olaf was in Hedemark that Ketil Kalf of
Ringanes courted Gunhild, a daughter of Sigurd Syr
and of King Olaf's mother Asta. Gunhild was a sister
of King Olaf, and therefore it belonged to the king to give
consent and determination to the business. He took it in
a friendly way; for he know Ketil, that he was of high
birth, wealthy, and of good understanding, and a great
chief; and also he had long been a g^eat friend of King
Olaf, as before related. All these circumstances induced
the king to approve of the match, and so it was that Ketil
got Gunhild. King Olaf was present at the wedding.
From thence the king went north to Gudbrandsdal, where
he was entertained in guest-quarters. There dwelt a
man, by name Thord Guthormsoo, on a farm called
Steig; and he was the most powerful man in the north
end of the valley. When Thord and the king met, Thord
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made proposals for Isrid, the daughter of Gudbrand, and
the sister of King Olaf's mother, as it belonged to the
king to give consent. After the matter was considered, it
was determined that the marriage should proceed, and
Thord got Isrid. Afterwards Thord was the king's
faithful friend, and also many of Thord's relations and
friends, who followed his footsteps. From thence King
Olaf returned south through Thoten and Hadaland, from
thence to Ringerike, and so to Viken. In spring (1025)
he went to Tunsberg, and stayed there while there was
the market-meeting, and a great resort of people. He
then had his vessels rigged out, and had many people
about him.
138.— OF THE ICELANDERS.
The same summer (1025) came Stein, a son of the
lagman Skapte, from Iceland, in compliance with King
Olafs message; and with him Thorod, a son of Snorre
the gode, and Geller, a son of Thorkel Eyjolfson, and
Egil, a son of Hal of Sida, brother of Thorstein Hal.
Gudmund Eyjolfson had died the winter before. These
Iceland men repaired to King Olaf as soon as they had
opportunity ; and when they met the king they were well
received, and all were in his house. The same summer
King Olaf heard that the ship was missing which he had
sent the summer before to the Farey Islands after the
scat, and nobody knew what had become of it. The king
fitted out another ship, manned it, and sent it to the Parey
Islands for the scat. They got under weigh, and pro-
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cecded to sea ; but as little was ever heard of this vessel as
of the former one, and many conjectures were made about
what had become of them.
139. — HERS BEGINS THE STORY OF CANUTE THE GREAT.
During this time Canute the Great, called by some
Canute the Old, was king of England and Denmark.
Canute the Great was a son of Svein Haraldson Forked-
beard, whose forefathers, for a long course of genera-
tions, h^d ruled over Denmark. Harald Gormson,
Canute's grandfather, had conquered Norway after the
fall of Harald Grafeld, Gunhild's son, had taken scat
from it, and had placed Earl Hakon the Great to defend
the country. The Danish King, Svein Haraldson, ruled
also over Norway, and placed his son-in-law Earl Eirik,
the son of Earl flakon, to defend the country. The
brothers Eirik and Svein, Earl Hakon's sons, ruled the
land until Earl Eirik went west to England, on the invi-
tation of his brother-in-law Canute the Great, when he
left behind his son Earl Hakon, sister's son of Canute the
Great, to govern Norway. But when Olaf the Thick
came first to Norway, as before related, he took prisoner
Earl Hakon. the son of Eifik, and deposed him from the
kingdom. Then Hakon proceeded to his mothei^s
brother, Canute the Great, and had been with him con-
stantly until the time to which here in our saga we have
now come. Canute the Great had conquered England
by blows and weapons, and had a long struggle before
the people of the land were subdued. But when he had
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set himself perfectly firm in the government of the coun-
try, he remembered that he also had right to a kingdom
which he had not brought under his authority; and that
was Norway. He thought he had hereditary right to all
Norway ; and his sister's son Hakon, who had held a part
of it, appeared to him to have lost it with disgrace. The
reason why Canute and Hakon had remained quiet with
respect to their claims upon Norway was, that when King
Olaf Haraldson landed in Norway the people and com-
monalty ran together in crowds, and would hear of noth-
ing but that Olaf should be king over all the country,
although some afterwards, who thought that the people
upon account of his power had no self-government left to
them, went out of the country. Many powerful men, or
rich bondes' sons, had therefore gone to Canute the
Great, and pretended various errands ; and every one who
came to Canute and desired his friendship was loaded
with presents. With Canute, too, could be seen greater
splendour and pomp than elsewhere, both with regard to
the multitude of people who were daily in attendance, and
also to the other magnificent things about the houses he
owned and dwelt in himself. Canute the Great drew scat
and revenue from the people who were the richest of all
in northern lands ; and in the same proportion as he had
greater revenues than other kings, he also made greater
presents than other kings. In his whole kingdom peace
was so well established, that no man dared break it. The
people of the country kept the peace towards each other,
and had their old country law: and for this he was
greatly celebrated in all countries. And many of those
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who came from Norway rqpresented their hardships to
Earl Hakon, and some even to King Canute himself ; and
that the Norway people were ready to turn back to the
government of King Canute, or Earl Hakon, and receive
deliverance from them. This conversation suited well the
earl's inclination, and he carried it to the king, and begged
of him to try if King Olaf would not surrender the king-
dom, or at least come to an agreement to divide it; and
many supported the earl's views.
140. — Canute's message to king olaf.
Canute the Great sent men frc«n the West, from Eng-
land, to Norway, and equipped them magnificently for
the journey. They were bearers of the English king
Canute's letter and seal. They came about spring (1025)
to the king of Norway, Olaf Haraldson, in Tunsberg.
Now when it was told the king that ambassadors had
arrived from Canute the Great he was ill at ease, and said
that Canute had not sent messengers hither with any
messages that could be of advantage to him or his people ;
and it was some days before the ambassadors could come
before the king. But when they got permission to speak
to him they appeared before the king, and made known
King Canute's letter, and their errand which accompanied
it; namely, "that King Canute considers all Norway as
his property, and insists that his forefathers before him
have possessed that kingdom; but as King Canute offers
peace to all countries, he will also offer peace to all here,
if it can be so settled, and will not invade Norway with
his army if it can be avoided. Now if King Olaf Harald-
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son wishes to remain king of Norway, he will come to
King Canute, and receive his kingdom as a fief from him,
become his vassal, and pay the scat which the earls before
him formerly paid." Thereupon they presented their let-
ters, which contained precisely the same conditions.
Then King Olaf replies, "I have heard say, by old
stories, that the Danish king Gorm was considered but a
small king of a few people, for he ruled over Denmark
alone; but the kings who succeeded him thought that was
too little. It has since come so far that King Canute
rules over Denmark and England, and has conquered for
himself a great part of Scotland. Now he claims also
my paternal heritage, and will then show some moder-
ation in his covetousness. Does he wish to rule over all
the countries of the North? Will he eat up all the kail
in England ? He shall do so, and reduce that country to
a desert, before I lay my head in his hands, or show him
any other kind of vassalage. Now ye shall tell him these
my words, — I will defend Norway with battle-axe and
sword as long as life is given me, and will pay scat to no
man for my kingdom."
After this answer King Canute's ambassadors made
themselves ready for their journey home, and were by no
means rejoiced at the success of their errand.
Sigvat the skald had been with King Canute, who had
given him a gold ring that weighed half a mark. The
skald Berse Skaldtorfason was also there, and to him
King Canute gave two gold rings, each weighing two
marks, and besides a sword inlaid with gold. Sigvat
made this song about it: —
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t ''-'11
A VIKING RAID QN SCOTJLAND'S ^COAST. ,. j- ' --
HP lE word Viiviii^' i.^ ut'rfve<i" frf^Tn \ViIf; a beyt anri becEiCttci..vl
!■!.) T t! cir vi ^.Is -r^'!' r tl.c revert of a. bTv ^md, dartii:^^ out
m t'R'.r sntTll boi^'^ *<-> pl'-nder ttiv ^hi^^' p,i^<^ii1,rr 'liy. *l'I\cse
\ ' lUgs barroued th" shores of h!>-,;aNd and- SoHianH, ■ntftkirifjr
'•'.''' '.i: atlioLr, '\\) 'Ti coast Sl Mlc.iV i>r^, Hlid-Ji<\sidCt^ tttkiilg SUtjll \ \
h i.'ty 1- t^'-\ \', t ;!•"■. t(» !' I d. raf;. d. (>lT WMncjj win lu 1.1*^^; ,, ,
M'M.'^t'Mr- :;cdd *'>'.r :ar-ori bi.r i;:or«j fr'^'iiK uf. v U<.\)i as bla\es.
' iN -
T ' <'l (
^ I'
•^ \ ;o ;> V.) t '- ltd!!"
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SAGA OF OLAF HARALDSON
"When we came o'er the weto, you Four marks to thee, —
cub, when we came o'er the wave, A sword too, fine and braye.
To me one ring, to thee two rings. Now God knows well,
the mighty Canute gave : And skalds can tell.
One mark to me. What Justice here would crave.**
Sigvat the skald was very intimate with King Canute's
messengers, and asked them many questions. They
answered all his inquiries about their conversation with
King Olaf, and the result of their message. They said
the king listened unwillingly to their proposals. "And
we do not know," say they, "to what he is trusting when
he refuses becoming King Canute's vassal, and going to
him, which would be the best thing he could do ; for King
Canute is so mild that however much a chief may have
done against him, he is pardoned if he only show himself
obedient. It is but lately that two kings came to him
from the North, from Fife in Scotland, and he gave up
his wrath against them, and allowed them to retain all
the lands they had possessed before, and gave them be-
sides very valuable gifts." Then Sigvat sang: —
"From the North land, the midst of May he, our gallant Norse king,
Fife, never
Two kings came begging peace and Be brought, like these, his head te
life ; offer
Craving from Canute life and As ransom to a living man
peace, — For the broad lands his sword has
May Olaf 's good luck never cease ! won."
King Canute's ambassadors proceeded on their way
back, and had a favourable breeze across the sea. They
came to King Canute, and told him the result of their
errand, and King Olaf 's last words. King Canute replies,
"King Olaf guesses wrong, if he thinks I shall eat up all
the kail in England; for I will let him see that there is
something else than kail under my ribs, and cold kail it
shall be for him." The same summer (1025) Aslak and
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Skjalg, the sons of Erling of Jadar, came from Norway
to King Canute, and were well received; for Aslak was
married to Sigrid, a daughter of Earl Svein Hakonson,
and she and Earl Hakon Eirikson were brothers' children.
King Canute gave these brothers great fiefs over there,
and they stood in great favour.
141. — KING OLAF'S AI.UANCE WITH ONUND THE KING OF
SVITHJOD.
King Olaf summoned to him all the lendermen, and
had a great many people about him this summer (1025),
for a report was abroad that King Canute would come
from England. PeoiJe had heard from merchant ves-
sels that Canute was assembling a great army in
England. When summer was advanced, some affirmed
and others denied that the army would come. King
Olaf was all summer in Viken, and had spies out
to learn if Canute was come to Denmark. In autumn
(1025) he sent messengers eastward to Svithjod to his
brother-in-law King Onund, and let him know King
Canute's demand upon Norway; adding, that, in his
opinion, if Canute subdued Norway, King Onund would
not long enjoy the Swedish dominions in peace. He
thought it advisable, therefore, that they should unite
for their defence. "And then," said he, "we will have
strength enough to hold out against Canute." King
Onund received King Olaf s message favourably, and
replied to it, that he for his part would make common
cause with King Olaf, so that each of them should stand
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by the one who first required help with all the strength of
his kingdom. In these messages between them it was
also determined that they should have a meeting, and
consult with each other. The following winter (1026)
King Onund intended to travel across West Gautland, and
King Olaf made preparations for taking his winter abode
at Sarpsborg.
142. — KING CAlf^UTE'S AMBASSADORS TO ONUND Ot
SVITHJOD.
In autumn King Canute the Great came to Denmark,
and remained there all winter (1026) with a numerous
army. It was told him that ambassadors with messages
had been passing between the Swedish and Norwegian
kings, and that some great plans must be concerting be-
tween them. In winter King Canute sent messengers to
Svithjod, to King Onund, with great gifts and messages
of friendship. He also told Onund that he might sit
altogether quiet in this strife between him and Olaf the
Thick; "for thou, Onund,** says he, "and thy kingdom,
shall be in peace as far as I am concerned." When the
ambassadors came to King Onund they presented the gifts
which King Canute sent him, together with the friendly
message. King Onund did not hear their speech very
willingly, and the ambassadors could observe that King
Onund was most inclined to a friendship with King Olaf.
They returned accordingly, and told King Canute the
result of their errand, and told him not to depend much
upon the friendship of King Onund.
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143. — THE EXPEDITION TO BJARMAt,AND.
This winter (1026) King Olaf sat in Sarpsborg, and
was surrounded by a very great army of people. He sent
the Halogalander Karle to the north country upon his
business. Karle went first to the Uplands, then across
the Dovrefield, and came down to Nidaros, where he
received as much money as he had the king's order for,
together with a good ship, such as he thought suitable for
the voyage which the king had ordered him upon; and
that was to proceed north to Bjarmaland. It was settled
that the king should be in partnership with Karle, and
each of them have the half of the profit. Early in spring
Karle directed his course to Halogaland, where his
brother Gunstein prepared to accompany him, having his
own merchant goods with him. There were about
twenty-five men in the ship; and in spring they sailed
north to Finmark. When Thorer Hund heard this, he
sent a man to the brothers with the verbal message that
he intended in summer to go to Bjarmaland, and that he
would sail with them, and that they should divide what
booty they made equally between them. Karle sent him
back the message that Thorer must have twenty-five men
as they had, and they were willing to divide the booty
that might be taken equally, but not the merchant goods
which each had for himself. When Thorer's messenger
came back he had put a stout long-ship he owned into the
water, and rigged it, and he had put eighty men on board
of his house-servants. Thorer alone had the command
over this crew, and he alone had all the goods they might
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acquire on the cruise. When Thorer was ready for sea
he set out northwards along the coast, and found Karle a
little north of Sandver. They then proceeded with good
wind. Gunstein said to his brother, as soon as they met
Thorer, that in his opinion Thorer was strongly manned.
"I think/' said he, "we had better turn back than sail so
entirely in Thorer's power, for I do not trust him."
Karle replies, "I will not turn back, although if I had
known when we were at home on Langey Isle that Thorer
Hund would join us on this vo3rage with so large a crew
as he has, I would have taken more hands with us." The
brothers spoke about it to Thorer, and asked what was
the meaning of his taking more people with him than
was agreed upon between them. He replies, "We have a
large ship which requires many hands, and methinks there
cannot be too many brave lads for so dangerous a cruise."
They went in summer as fast in general as the vessels
could go. When the wind was light the ship of the
brothers sailed fastest, and they separated; but when the
wind freshened Thorer overtook them. They were
seldom together, but always in sight of each other. When
they came to Bjarmaland they went straight to the mer-
chant town, and the market began. All who had money
to pay with got filled up with goods. Thorer also got a
number of furs, and of beaver and sable skins. Karle had
a considerable sum of money with him, with which he
purchased skins and furs. When the fair was at an end
they went out of the Vina river, and then the truce of the
country people was also at an end. When they came out
of the river they held a seaman's council, and Thorer
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asked the crews if they would like to go on the land and
get booty.
They replied, that they would like it well enough, if
they saw the booty before their eyes.
Thorer replies, that there was booty to be got, if the
voyage proved fortunate; but that in all probability there
would be danger in the attempt.
All said they would try, if there was any chance of
booty. Thorer explained, that it was so established in
this land, that when a rich man died all his movable
goods were divided between the dead man and his heirs.
He got the half part, or the third part, or sometimes less,
and that part was carried out into the forest and buried,
— sometimes under a mound, sometimes in the earth, and
sometimes even a house was built over it. He tells them
at the same time to get ready for this expedition at the
fall of day. It was resolved that one should not desert
the other, and none should hold back when the com-
mander ordered them to come on board again. They now
left people behind to take care of the ships, and went on
land, where they found flat fields at first, and then great
forests. Thorer went first, and the brothers Karle and
Gimstein in rear. Thorer commanded the people to
observe the utmost silence. "And let us peel the bark
off the trees," says he, "so that one tree-mark can be seen
from the other." They came to a large cleared opening,
where there was a high fence upon which there was a
gate that was locked. Six men of the country people
held watch every night at this fence, two at a time keep-
ing guard, each two for a third part of the night. When
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Thorer and his men came to the fence the guard had gone
home, and those who should relieve them had not yet come
upon g^ard. Thorer went to the fence, stuck his axe up
in it above his head, hauled himself up by it, and so came
over the fence, and inside the gate. Karle had also come
over the fence, and to the inside of the gate ; so that both
came at once to the port, took the bar away, and opened
the port; and then the people got in within the fence.
Then said Thorer, "Within this fence there is a mound
in which gold, and silver, and earth are all mixed together :
seize that. But within here stands the Bjarmaland
people's god Jomala: let no one be so presumptuous as
to rob him." Thereupon they went to the mound and took
as much of the money as they could carry away in their
clothes, with which, as might be expected, much earth
was mixed. Thereafter Thorer said that the people
now should retreat. **And ye brothers, Karle and Gun-
stein," says he, "do ye lead the way, and I will go last."
They all went accordingly out of the gate: but Thorer
went back to Jomala, and took a silver bowl that stood
upon his knee full of silver money. He put the silver in
his purse, and put his arm within the handle of the bowl,
and so went out of the gate. The whole troop had come
without the fence; but when they perceived that Thorer
had stayed behind, Karle returned to trace him, and when
they met upon the path Thorer had the silver bowl with
him. Thereupon Karle immediately ran to Jomala ; and
observing he had a thick gold ornament hanging around
his neck, he lifted his axe, cut the string with which the
ornament was tied behind his neck, and the stroke was so
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Strong that the head of Jomala rang with such a great
sound that they were all astonished. Karle seized the
ornament, and they all hastened away. But the moment
the sound was made the watchmen came forward upon
the cleared space, and blew their horns. Immediately
the sound of the loor^ was heard all around from every
quarter, calling the people together. They hastened to
the forest, and rushed into it; and heard the shouts and
cries on the other side of the Bjarmaland people in pursuit.
Thorer Hund went the last of the whole troop; and before
him went two men carrying a great sack between them, in
which was something that was like ashes. Thorer took
this in his hand, and strewed it upon the footpath, and
sometimes over the people. They came thus out of the
woods, and upon the fields, but heard incessantly the
Bjarmaland people pursuing with shouts and dreadful
yells. The army of the Bjarmaland people rushed out
after them upon the field, and on both sides of them ; but
neither the people nor their weapons came so near as to
do them any harm : from which they perceived that the
Bjarmaland people did not see them. Now when they
reached their ships Karle and his brother went on board ;
for they were the foremost, and Thorer was far behind on
the land. As soon as Karle and his men were on board
they struck their tents, cast loose their land ropes, hoisted
their sails, and their ship in all haste went to sea. Thorer
and his people, on the other hand, did not get on so
quickly, as their vessel was heavier to manage; so that
when they got under sail, Karle and his people were far
iLudr — tbe loor — Is a long tube or roll of birch-bark naed aa a horn
by tha hardboya in the mountalna in Norway. — L.
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oflf from land. Both vessels sailed across the White sea
(Gandvik). The nights were clear, so that both ships
sailed night and day ; until one day, towards the time the
day turns to shorten, Karle and his people took up the
land near an island, let down the sail, cast anchor, and
waited until the slack-tide set in, for th«re was a strong
rost before them. Now Thorer came up, and lay at
anchor there also. Thorer and his people then put out a
boat, went into it, and rowed to Karle's ship. Thorer
came on board, and the brothers saluted him. Thorer
told Karle to give him the ornament. "I think," said he,
"that I have best earned the ornaments that have been
taken, for methinks ye have to thank me for getting away
without any loss of men ; and also I think thou, Karle, set
us in the greatest fright."
Karle replies, "King Olaf has the half part of all the
goods I gather on this voyage, and I intend the ornament
for him. Go to him, if you like, and it is possible he will
give thee the ornament, although I took it from Jomala."
Then Thorer insisted that they should go upon the
island, and divide the booty.
Gunstein says, "It is now the turn of the tide, and it is
time to sail." Whereupon they began to raise their
anchor.
When Thorer saw that, he returned to his boat and
rowed to his own ship. Karle and his men had hoisted
sail, and were come a long way before Thorer got under
way. They now sailed so that the brothers were always
in advance, and both vessels made all the haste they could.
They sailed thus until they came to Geirsver, which is the
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first roadstead of the traders to the North. They both
came there towards evening, and lay in the harbour near
the landing-place. Thorer's ship lay inside, and the
brothers' the outside vessel in the port! When Thorer
had set up his tents he went on shore, and many of his
men with him. They went to Karle's ship, which was
well provided. Thorer hailed the ship, and told the com-
manders to come on shore; on which the brothers, and
some men with them, went on the land. Now Thorer
b^ran the same discourse, and told them to bring the
goods they got in booty to the land to have them divided.
The brothers thought that was not necessary, until they
had arrived at their own neighbourhood. Thorer said it
was unusual not to divide booty but at their own home,
and thus to be left to the honour of other people. They
spoke some words about it, but could not agree. Then
Thorer turned away; but had not gone far before he
came back, and tells his comrades to wait there. There-
upon he calls to Karle, and says he wants to speak with
him alone. Karle went to meet him ; and when he came
near, Thorer struck at him with a spear, so that it went
through him. "There," said Thorer, "now thou hast
learnt to know a Bjarkey Island man. I thought thou
shouldst feel Asbjom's spear." Karle died instantly, and
Thorer with his people went immediately on board their
ship. When Gunstein and his men saw Karle fall they
ran instantly to him, took his body and carried it on board
their ship, struck their tents, and cast oflf from the pier,
and left the land. When Thorer and his men saw this,
they took down their tents and made preparations to fol-
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low. But as they were hoisting the sail the fastenings to
the mast broke in two, and the sail fell down across the
ship, which caused a great delay before they could hoist
the sail again. Gunstein had already got a long way
ahead before Thorer's ship fetched way, and now they
used both sails and oars. Gunstein did the same. On
both sides they made great way day and night; but so
that they did not gain much on each other, although when
they came to the small sounds among the islands Gun-
stein's vessel was lighter in turning. But Thorer's ship
made way upon them, so that when they came up to Leng-
juvik, Gtmstein turned towards the land, and with all his
men ran up into the country, and left his ship. A little
after Thorer came there with his ship, sprang upon the
land after them, and pursued them. There was a woman
who helped Gunstein to conceal himself, and it is told
that she was much acquainted with witchcraft. Thorer
and his men returned to the vessels, and took all the goods
out of Gunstein's vessel, and put on board stones in place
of the cargo, and then hauled the ship out into the fjord,
cut a hole in its bottom, and sank it to the bottom. There-
after Thorer, with his people, returned hc«ne to Bjarkey
Isle. Gunstein and his people proceeded in small boats
at first, and lay concealed by day, until they had passed
Bjarkey, and had got beyond Thorer's district. Gunstein
went home first to Langey Isle for a short time, and then
proceeded south, without any halt, until he came south to
Throndhjem, and there found King Olaf, to whom he
told all that had happened on this Bjarmaland expedition.
The king was ill-pleased with the voyage, but told Gun-
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Stein to remain with him, promising to assist him when
opportunity offered. Gunstein took the invitation with
thanks, and stayed with King Olaf.
144. — MEETING OF KING OLAF AND KING ONUND.
King Olaf was, as before related, in Sarpsborg the
winter (1026) that King Canute was in Denmark. The
Swedish king Onund rode across West Gautland the
same winter, and had thirty hundred (3600) men with
him. Men and messages passed between them ; and they
agreed to meet in spring at Konungahella. The meeting
had been postponed, because they wished to know before
they met what King Canute intended doing. As it was
now approaching towards winter, King Canute made
ready to go over to England with his forces, and left his
son Hardaknut to rule in Denmark, and with him Earl
Ulf, a son of Thorgils Sprakaleg. Ulf was married to
Astrid, King Svein's daughter, and sister of Canute the
Great. Their son Svein was afterwards king of Den-
mark. Earl Ulf was a very distinguished man. When
the kings Olaf and Onund heard that Canute the Great
had gone west to England, they hastened to hold their
conference, and met at Konungahella, on the Gaut river.
They had a joyful meeting, and had many friendly con-
versations, of which something might become known to
the public; but they also spake often a great deal between
themselves, with none but themselves two present, of
which only some things afterwards were carried into
effect, and thus became known to every one. At parting
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the kings presented each other with gifts, and parted the
best of friends. King Onund went up into Gautland,
and Olaf northwards to Viken, and afterwards to Agder,
and thence northwards along the coast, but lay a long
time at Egersund waiting a wind. Here he heard that
Erling Skjalgson, and the inhabitants of Jadar with him,
had assembled a large force. One day the king's people
were talking among themselves whether the wind was
south or south-west, and whether with that wind they
could sail past Jadar or not. The most said it was im-
possible to fetch round. Then answers Haldor Brynjolf-
son, "I am of opinion that we would go round Jadar with
this wind fast enough if Erling Skjalgson had prepared a
feast for us at Sole." Then King Olaf ordered the tents
to be struck, and the vessels to be hauled out, which was
done. They sailed the same day past Jadar with the best
wind, and in the evening reached Hirtingsey, from whence
the king proceeded to Hordaland, and was entertained
there in guest-quarters.
145. — ^thoralf's murd^.
The same summer (1026) a ship sailed from Norway
to the Farey Islands, with messengers carrying a verbal
message from King Olaf, that one of his court-men, Leif
Ossurson, or Lagman Gille, or Thoralf of Dimun, should
come over to him from the Farey Islands. Now when
this message came to the Farey Islands, and was deliv-
ered to those whom it concerned, they held a meeting
among themselves, to consider what might lie under this
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message, and they were all of opinion that the king wanted
to inquire into the real state of the event which some said
had taken place upon the islands ; namely, the failure and
disaK)earance of the former messengers of the king, and
the. loss of the two ships, of which not a man had been
saved. It was resolved that Thortilf should undertake
the journey. He got himself ready, and rigged out a
merchant-vessel belonging to himself, manned with ten
or twelve men. When it was ready, waiting a wind, it
happened, at Austrey, in the house of Thrand of Gata, that
he went one fine day into the room where his brother's
two sons, Sigurd and Thord, sons of Thorlak, were lying
upon the benches in the room. Gaut the Red was also
there, who was one of their relations and a man of dis-
tinction. Sigurd was the oldest, and their leader in all
things. Thord had a distinguished name, and was called
Thord the Low, although in reality he was uncommonly
tall, and yet in proportion more strong than large. Then
Thrand said, "How many things are changed in the
course of a man's life! When we were young, it was
rare for young people who were able to do anything to sit
or lie still upon a fine day, and our forefathers would
scarcely have believed that Thoralf of Dimun would be
bolder and more active than ye are. I believe the vessel I
have standing here in the boat-house will be so old that it
will rot under its coat of tar. Here are all the houses full
of wool, which is neither used nor sold. It should not be
so if I were a few winters younger." Sigurd sprang up,
called upon Gaut and Thord, and said he would not
endure Thrand's scoflfs. They went out to the house-
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servants, and launched the vessel upon the water, brought
down a cargo, and loaded the ship. They had no want of
a cargo at home, and the vessel's rigging was in good
order, so that in a few days they were ready for sea.
There were ten or twelve men in the vessel. Thoralf's
ship and theirs had the same wind, and they were gen-
erally in sight of each other. They came to the land at
Herna in the evening, and Sigurd with his vessel lay
outside on the strand, but so that there was not much
distance between the two ships. It happened towards
evening, when it was dark, that just as Thoralf and his
people were preparing to go to bed, Thoralf and another
went on shore for a certain purpose. When they were
ready, they prepared to return on board. The man who
had accompanied Thoralf related afterwards this story, —
that a cloth was thrown over his head, and that he was
lifted up from the ground, and he heard a great bustle.
He was taken away, and thrown head foremost down ; but
there was sea under him, and he sank under the water.
When he got to land, he went to the place where he and
Thoralf had been parted, and there he found Thoralf with
his head cloven down to his shoulders, and dead. When
the ship's people heard of it they carried the body out to
the ship, and let it remain there all night. King Olaf was
at that time in guest-quarters at Lygra, and thither they
sent a message. Now a Thing was called by message-
tdcen, and the king came to the Thing. He had also
ordered the Farey people of both vessels to be summoned,
and they appeared at the Thing. Now when the Thing
was seated, the king stood up and said, "Here an event
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has happened which (and it is well that it is so) is very
seldom heard of. Here has a good man been put to
death, without any cause. Is there any man upon the
Thing who can say who has done it ?"
Nobody could answer.
"Then," said the king, "I cannot conceal my suspicion
that this deed has been done by the Farey people them-
selves. It appears to me that it has been done in this
way, — ^that Sigurd Thorlakson has killed the man, and
Thord the Low has cast his comrade into the sea. I
think, too, that the motives to this must have been to
hinder Thoralf from telling about the misdeed of which
he had information ; namely, the murder which I suspect
was committed upon my messengers."
When he had ended his speech, Sigurd Thorlakson
stood up, and desired to be heard. "I have never before,"
said he, "spoken at a Thing, and I do not expect to be
looked upon as a man of ready words. But I think there
is sufficient necessity before me to reply something to this.
I will venture to make a guess that the speech the king
has made comes from some man's tongue who is of far
less understanding and goodness than he is, and has evi-
dently proceeded from those who are our enemies. It is
speaking improbabilities to say that I could be Thoralf's
murderer ; for he was my foster-brother and good friend.
Had the case been otherwise, and had there been anything
outstanding between me and Thoralf, yet I am surely bom
with sufficient understanding to have done this deed in
the Farey Islands, rather than here between your hands,
sire. But I am ready to clear myself, and my whole
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ship's crew, of this act, and to make oath according to
what stands in your laws. Or, if ye find it more satis-
factory, I offer to clear myself by the ordeal of hot iron ;
and I wish, sire, that you may be present yourself at the
proof."
When Sigurd had ceased to speak there were many
who supported his case, and begged the king that Sigurd
might be allowed to clear himself of this accusation. They
thought that Sigurd had spoken well, and that the accusa-
tion against him might be untrue.
The king replies, "It may be with regard to this man
very differently, and if he is belied in any respect he must
be a good man ; and if not, he is the boldest I have ever
met with : and I believe this is the case, and that he will
bear witness to it himself.'*
At the desire of the people, the king took Sigurd's obli-
gation to take the iron ordeal : he should come the follow-
ing day to Lygra, where the bishop should preside at the
ordeal; and so the Thing closed. The king went back
to Lygra, and Sigurd and his ccmirades to their ship.
As soon as it began to be dark at night Sigurd said to
his ship's people, "To say the truth, we have come into a
great misfortune ; for a great lie is got up against us, and
this king is a deceitful, crafty man. Our fate is easy to be
foreseen where he rules; for first he made Thoralf be
slain, and then made us the misdoers, without benefit of
redemption by fine. For him it is an easy matter to man-
age the iron ordeal, so that I fear he will come ill off who
tries it against him. Now there is coming a brisk moun-
tain breeze, blowing right out of the sound and off the
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land ; and it is my advice that we hoist our sail, and set out
to sea. Let Thrand himself come with his wool to market
another summer; but if I get away, it is my opinion I
shall never think of coming to Norway agpin."
His comrades thought the advice good, hoisted their
sail, and in the night-time took to the open sea with all
speed. They did not stop until they came to Farey, and
home to Gata. Thrand was ill-pleased with their voyage,
and they did not answer him in a very friendly way ; but
they remained at home, however, with Thrand. The
morning after, King Olaf heard of Sigurd's departure,
and heavy reports went round about this case; and there
were many who believed that the accusation against
Sigurd was true, although they had denied and opposed it
before the king. King Olaf spoke but little about the
matter, but seemed to know of a certainty that the sus-
picion he had taken up was founded in truth. The king
afterwards proceeded in his progress, taking up his abode
where it was provided for him.
146. — OF THE ICELANDERS.
King Olaf called before him the men who had come
from Iceland, Thorod Snorrason, Geller Thorkelson, Stein
Skaptason, and Egil Halson, and spoke to them thus : —
"Ye have spoken to me much in summer about making
yourselves ready to return to Iceland, and I have never
given you a distinct answer. Now I will tell you what my
intention is. Thee, Geller, I propose to allow to return, if
thou wilt carry my message there ; but none of the other
Icelanders who are now here may go to Iceland before I
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have heard how the message which thou, Geller, shalt
iMring thither has been received."
When the king had made this resolution known, it
appeared to those who had a great desire to return, and
were thus forbidden, that they were unreasonably and
hardly dealt with, and that they were placed in the condi-
tion of unfree men. In the meantime Geller got ready for
his journey, and sailed in summer (1026) to Iceland, tak-
ing with him the message he was to bring before the Thing
the following summer (1027). The king's message was,
that he required the Icelanders to adopt the laws which he
had set in Ncwway, also to pay him thane-tax and nose-
tax;* namely, a penny for every nose, and the penny at the
rate of ten pennies to the yard of wadmal.* At the same
time he promised them his friendship if they accepted, and
threatened them with all his vengeance if they refused his
proposals.
The people sat long in deliberation on this business;
but at last they were unanimous in refusing all the taxes
and burdens which were demanded of them. That sum-
mer Geller returned back from Iceland to Norway to
King Olaf, and found him in autumn in the east in Viken,
just as he had come from- Gautland; of which I shall
speak hereafter in this story of King Olaf. Towards the
end of autumn King Olaf repaired north to Throndhjem,
and went with his people to Nidaros, where he ordered a
'Nefgildl (nef = no«e), a nose-tax or poll-tax payable to the king.
This ancient "nose-tsx" was also Imposed by the Norsemen on conquered
countries, the penalty for defaulters being the loss of their nose.
'Wadmal was the coarse woollen cloth made In Iceland, and so
irenerally used for clothing that it was a measure of yalue In the North,
like money, for other commodities. — L.
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Winter residence to be prepared for him. The winter
(1027) that he passed here in the merchant-town of
Nidaros was the thirteenth year of his reign.
147. OF THE JAMTALAND PEOPLE.
There was once a man called Ketil Jamte, a son of Earl
Onund of Sparby, in the Throndhjem district. He fled
over the ridge of mountains from Eystein Illrade, cleared
the forest, and settled the country now called the province
of Jamtaland. A great many people joined him from the
Throndhjem land, on account of the disturbances there;
for this King Eystein had laid taxes on the Throndhjem
people, and set his dog, called Saur, to be king over them.
Thorer Helsing was KetiFs grandson, and he colonised the
province called Helsingjaland, which is named after him.
When Harald Harfager subdued the kingdom by force,
many people fled out of the country from him, both
Throndhjem people and Naumudal people, and thus new
settlements were added to Jamtaland; and some settlers
went everi eastwards to Helsingjaland and down to the
Baltic coast, and all became subjects of the Swedish king.
While Hakon Athelstan's foster-son was over Norway
there was peace, and merchant traffic from Throndhjem
to Jamtaland ; and, as he was an excellent king, the Jamta-
landers came from the east to him, paid him scat, and he
gave them laws- and administered justice. They would
rather submit to his government than to the Swedish
king's, because they were of Norwegian race ; and all the
Helsingjaland people, who had their descent from the
north side of the mountain ridge, did the same. This con-
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tinued long after those times, until Olaf the Thick and
the Swedish king Olaf quarrelled about the boundaries.
Then the Jamtaland and Helsingj aland people went back
to the Swedish king; and then the forest of Eid was the
eastern boundary of the land, and the mountain ridge, or
keel of the country, the northern : and the Swedish king
took scat of Helsingjaland, and also of Jamtaland. Now,
thought the king of Norway, Olaf, in consequence of the
agreement between him and the Swedish king, the scat of
Jamtaland should be paid differently than before ; although
it had long been established that the Jamtaland people
paid their scat to the Swedish king, and that he appointed
officers over the country. The Swedes would listen to
nothing, but that all the land to the east of the keel of the
country belonged to the Swedish king. Now this went
so, as it often happens, that although the kings were
brothers-in-law and relations, each would hold fast the
dominions which he thought he had a right to. King
Olaf had sent a message round in Jamtaland, declaring it
to be his will that the Jamtaland people should be subject
to him, threatening them with violence if they refused;
but the Jamtaland people preferred being subjects of the
Swedish king.
148. — STEIN^S STORY.
The Icelanders, Thorod Snorrason and Stein Skapta-
son, were lU-pleased at not being allowed to do as they
liked. Stein was a remarkably handsome man, dexterous
at all feats, a great poet, splendid in his apparel, and very
ambitious of distinction. His father, Skapte, had com-
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posed a poem on King Olaf, which he had taught Stein,
with the intention that he should bring it to King Olaf.
Stein could not now restrain himself from making the
king reproaches in word and speech, both in verse and
prose. Both he and Thorod were imprudent in their con-
versation, and said the king would be looked upon as a
worse man than those who, under faith and law, had sent
their sons to him, as he now treated them as men without
liberty. The king was angry at this. One day Stein
stood before the king, and asked if he would listen to the
poem which his father Skapte had composed about him.
The king replies, "Thou must first repeat that, Stein,
which thou hast composed about me." Stein replies, that
it was not the case that he had composed any. "I am no
skald, sire," said he; "and if I even could compose any-
thing, it, and all that concerns me, would appear to thee
of little value." Stein then went out, but thought he
perceived what the king alluded to. Thorgeir, one of the
king's land-bailiflFs, who managed one of his farms in
Orkadal, happened to be present, and heard the conver-
sation of the king and Stein, and soon afterwards Thor-
geir returned home. One night Stein left the city, and his
footboy with him. They went up Gaularas and into
Orkadal. One evening they came to one of the king's
farms which Thorgeir had the management of, and Thor-
geir invited Stein to pass the night there, and asked where
he was travelling to. Stein b^ged the loan of a horse
and sledge, for he saw they were just driving Jiome com.
Thorgeir replies, "I do not exactly see how it stands
with thy journey, and if thou art travelling with the
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king's leave. The other day, methinks, the words were
not very sweet that passed between the king and thee."
Stein said, "If it be so that I am not my own master
for the king, yet I will not submit to such treatment from
his slaves;" and, drawing his sword, he killed the land-
bailiff. Then he took the horse, put the boy upon him,
and sat himself in the sledge, and so drove the whole
night. They travelled until they came to Surnadal in
More. There they had themselves ferried across the fjord,
and proceeded onwards as fast as they could. They told
nobody about the murder, but wherever they came called
themselves king's men, and met good entertainment
everywhere. One day at last they came towards evening
to Giske Isle, to Thorberg Arnason's house. He was not
at home himself, but his wife Ragnhild, a daughter of
Erling Skjalgson, was. There Stein was well received,
because formerly there had been great friendship be-
tween themi. It had once happened, namely, that Stein,
on his vo3rage from Iceland with his own vessel, had come
to Giske from sea, and had anchored at the island. At
that time Ragnhild was in the pains of childbirth, and
very ill, and there was no priest on the island, or in the
neighbourhood of it. There came a message to the mer-
chant-vessel to inquire if, by chance, there was a priest
on board. There happened to be a priest in the vessel,
who was called Bard ; but he was a young man from West-
fjord, who had little learning. The messengers begged
the priest to go with them, but he thought it was a difficult
matter; for he knew his own ignorance, and would not
go. Stein added his word to persuade the priest. The
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priest replies, "I will go if thou wilt go with me; for then
I will have confidence, if I should require advice." Stein
said he was willing; and they went forthwith to the
house, and to where Ragnhild was in labour. Soon after
she brought forth a female child, which aiq)eared to be
rather weak. Then the priest baptized the infant, and
Stein held it at the baptism, at which it got the name of
Thora ; and Stein gave it a gold ring. Ragnhild prom-
ised Stein her perfect friendship, and bade him come to
her whenever he thought he required her help. Stein
replied that he would hold no other female child at bap-
tism, and then they parted. Now it was come to the time
when Stein required this kind promise of Ragnhild to be
fulfilled, and he told her what had happened, and that the
king's wrath had fallen upon him. She answered, that
all the aid she could give should stand at his service ; but
bade him wait for Thorberg's arrival. She then showed
him to a seat beside her son Eystein Orre, who was then
twelve years old. Stein presented gifts to Ragnhild and
Eystein. Thorberg had already heard how Stein had
conducted himself before he got home, and was rather
vexed at it. Ragnhild went to him, and told him how
matters stood with Stein, and begged Thorberg to receive
him, and take care of him.
Thorberg replies, "I have heard that the king, after
sending out a message-token, held a Thing concerning the
murder of Thorgeir, and has condemned Stein as having
fled the country, and likewise that the king is highly in-
censed ; and I have too much sense to take the cause of a
foreigner in hand, and draw upon myself the king's wrath.
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Let Stein, therefore, withdraw from hence as quickly as
thou canst''
Ragnhild replied, that they should either both go or
both stay.
Thorberg told her to go where she pleased. ''For I
expect," said he, **that wherever thou goest thou wilt
soon come back, for here is thy importance greatest."
Her son Eystein Orre then stood forward, and said
he would not stay behind if Ragnhild goes.
Thorberg said that they showed themselves very stiff
and obstinate in this matter. "And it appears that ye
must have your way in it, since ye take it so near to heart ;
but thou art reckoning too much, Ragnhild, upon thy
descent, in paying so little regard to King Olaf's word."
Ragnhild replied, "If thou art so much afraid to keep
Stein with thee here, go with him to my father Erling,
or give him attendants, so that he may get there in safety."
Thorberg said he would not send Stein there; "for
there are enough of things besides to enrage the king
against Erling." Stein thus remained there all winter
(1027).
After Yule a king's messenger came to Thorberg, with
the order that Thorberg should come to him before mid-
summer; and the order was serious and severe. Thor-
berg laid it before his friends, and asked their advice if
he should venture to go to the king after what had taken
place. The greater number dissuaded him, and thought
it more advisable to let Stein slip out of his hands than to
venture within the king's power; but Thorberg himself
had rather more inclination not to decline the journey.
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Soon after Thorberg went to his brother Fin, told him the
drounstances, and asked him to accompany him. Fin
replied, that he thought it foolish to be so completely un-
der wcmian's influence that he dared not, on account of
his wife, keep the fealty and law of his sovereign.
"Thou art free," replied Thorberg, "to go with me or
not; but I believe it is more fear of the king than love
to him that keeps thee back." And so they parted in
anger.
Then Thorberg went to his brother Arne Amason, and
asked him to go with him to the king. Arne says, "It
appears to me wonderful that such a sensible, prudent
man, should fall into such a misfortune, without neces-
sity, as to incur the king's indignation. It might be ex-
cused if it were thy relation or foster-brother whom thou
hadst thus sheltered ; but not at all that thou shouldst take
up an Iceland man, and harbour the king's outlaw, to the
injury of thyself and all thy relations."
Thorberg replies, "It stands good, according to the
proverb, — 2l rotten branch will be found in every tree.
My father's greatest misfortune evidently was that he had
such ill luck in producing sons that at last he produced
one incapable of acting, and without any resemblance
to our race, and whom in truth I never would have called
brother, if it were not that it would have been to my
mother's shame to have refused."
Thorberg turned away in a gloomy temper, and went
home. Thereafter he sent a message to his brother Kalf
in the Throndhjem district, and begged him to meet him
at Agdanes; and when the messengers found Kalf he
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promised, without more ado, to make the journey. Ragn-
hild sent men east to Jadar to her father Erling, and
begged him to send people. ErHng's sons, Sigurd and
Thord, came out, each with a ship of twenty benches of
rowers and ninety men. When they came north Thor-
berg received them joyfully, entertained them well, and
prepared for the voyage with them. Thorberg had also
a vessel with twenty benches, and they steered their course
northwards. When they came to the mouth of the
Throndhjem fjord Thorberg's two brothers, Fin and Arne;
were there already, with two ships each of twenty benches.
Thorberg met his brothers with joy, and observed that
his whetstone had taken effect ; and Fin replied he seldom
needed sharpening for such work. Then they proceeded
north with all their forces to Throndhjem, and Stein was
along with them. When they came to Agdanes, Kalf
Arnason was there before them ; and he also had a well-
manned ship of twenty benches. With this war-force
they sailed up to Nidaros, where they lay all night. The
morning after they had a consultation with each other.
Kalf and Erling's sons were for attacking the town with
all their forces, and leaving the event to fate ; but Thor-
berg wished that they should first proceed with modera-
tion, and make an offer ; in which opinion Fin and Arne
also concurred. It was accordingly resolved that Fin
and Arne, with a few men, should first wait upon the
king. The king had previously heard that they had come
so strong in men, and was th^efore very sharp in his
speech. Fin offered to pay mulct for Thorberg, and also
for Stein, and bade the king to fix what the penalties
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should be, however large ; stipulating only for Thorberg
safety and his fiefs, and for Stein life and limb.
The king replies, "It appears to me that ye come from
home so equipped that ye can determine half as much
as I can myself, or more ; but this I expected least of all
from you brothers, that ye should come against me with
an army: and this counsel, I can observe, has its origin
from the people of Jadar ; but ye have no occasion to offer
me money in mulct."
Fin replies, "We brothers have collected men, not to
offer hostility to you, sire, but to offer rather our services ;
but if you will bear down Thorberg altogether, we must
all go to King Canute the Great with such forces as we
have."
Then the king locJced at him, and said, "If ye brothers
will give your oaths that ye will follow me in the country
and out of the country, and not part from me without my
leave and permission, and shall not conceal from me any
treasonable design that may cc«ne to your knowledge
against me, then will I agree to a peace with you broth-
ers.
Then Fin returned to his forces, and told the condi-
tions which the king had proposed to them. Now they
held a council upon it, and Thorberg, for his part, said he
would accept the terms offered. "I have no wish," says
he, "to fly from my property, and seek foreign masters ;
but, on the contrary, will always consider it an honour to
follow King Olaf, and be where he is." Then says Kalf,
"I will make no oath to King Olaf, but will be with him
always, so long as I retain my fiefs and dignities, and
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SAGA OF OLAF HARALDSON
SO long as the king will be my friend ; and my opinion is
that, we should all do the same." Fin says, "We will
venture to let King Olaf himself determine in this mat-
ter." Arne Amason says, "I was resolved to follow
thee, brother Thorberg, even if thou hadst given battle
to King Olaf, and I shall certainly not leave thee for lis-
tening to better counsel; so I intend to follow thee and
Fin, and accept the conditions ye have taken."
Thereupon the brothers Thorberg, Fin, and Arne, went
on board a vessel, rowed into the fjord, and waited upon
the king. The agreement went accordingly into fulfil-
ment, so that the brothers gave their oaths to the king.
Then Thorberg endeavored to make peace for Stein with
the king; but the king replied that Stein might for him
depart in safety, and go where he pleased, but "in my
house he can never be again." Then Thorberg and his
brothers went back to their men. Kalf went to Eggja,
and Fin to the king; and Thorberg, with the other men,
went south to their homes. Stein went with Erling's
sons; but early in the spring (1027) he went west to
England into the service of Canute the Great, and was
long with him, and was treated with great distinction.
149. — FIN arnason's expedition to halogaland.
Now when Fin Amason had been a short time with
King Olaf, the king called him to a conference, along
with some ot4ier persons he usually held consultation with ;
and in this conference the king spoke to this effect: —
"The decision remains fixed in my mind that in spring I
should raise the whole country to a levy both of men
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and ships, and then proceed, with all the force I can mus-
ter, against King Canute the Great: for I know for cer-
tain that he does not intend to treat as a jest the claim
he has awakened upon my kingdom. Now I let thee
know my will, Fin Arnason, that thou proceed on my
errand to Halogaland, and raise the people there to an
expedition, men and ships, and summon that force to meet
me at Agdanes." Then the king named other men whom
he sent to Throndhjem, and some southwards in the coun-
try, and he commanded that this order should be circula-
ted through the whole land. Of Fin's voyage we have to
relate that he had with him a ship with about thirty men,
and when he was ready for sea he prosecuted his journey
until he came to Halogaland. There he summoned the
bondes to a Thing, laid before them his errand, and
craved a levy. The bondes in that district had large ves-
sels, suited to a levy expedition, and they obeyed the king's
message, and rigged their ships. Now when Fin came
farther north in Halogaland he held a Thing again, and
sent some of his men from him to crave a levy where he
thought it necessary. He sent, also men to Bjarkey
Island to Thorer Hund, and there, as elsewhere, craved
the quota to the levy. When the message came to Thorer
he made himself ready, and manned with his house-ser-
vants the same vessel he had sailed with on his cruise to
Bjarmaland, and which he equipped at his own expense.
Fin summoned all the people of Halogaland who were to
the north to meet at Vagar. There came a great fleet
together in spring, and they waited there until Fin re-
turned from the North. Thorer Hund had also come
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there. When Fin arrived he ordered the signal to sound
for all the people of the levy to attend a House-Thing;
and at it all the men produced their weapons, and also the
fighting men from each ship-district were mustered.
When that was all finished Fin said, "I have also to bring
thee a salutation, Thorer Hund, from King Olaf, and to
ask thee what thou wilt oflfer him for the murder of his
court-man Karle, or for the robbery in taking the king's
goods north in Lengjuvik. I have the king's orders to
settle that business, and I wait thy answer to it."
Thorer looked about him, and saw standing on both
sides many fully armed men, among whom were Gun-
stein and others of Karle's kindred. Then said Thorer,
"My proposal is soon made. I will refer altogether to
the king's pleasure the matter he thinks he has against
me.
Fin replies, "Thou must put up with a less honour ; for
thou must refer the matter altogether to my decision, if
any agreement is to take place."
Thorer replies, "And even then I think it will stand
well with my case, and therefore I will not decline refer-
ring it to thee."
Thereupon Thorer came forward, and confirmed what
he said by giving his hand upon it; and Fin repeated first
all the words he should say.
Fin now pronounced his decision upon the agreement,
— ^that Thorer should pay to the king ten marks of gold,
and to Gunstein and the other kindred ten marks, and for
the robbery and loss of goods ten marks more; and all
which should be paid immediately.
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Thorer says, "This is a heavy money mulct."
"Without it/' replies Fin, "there will be no agree-
ment."
Thorer says, there must time be allowed to gather so
much in loan from his followers ; but Fin told him to pay
immediately on the spot; and besides, Thorer should lay
down the great ornament which he took from Karle when
he was dead. Thorer asserted that he had not got the
ornament. Then Gunstein pressed forward, and said
that Karle had the ornament around his neck when they
parted, but it was gone when they took up his corpse.
Thorer said he had not observed any ornament; but if
there was any such thing, it must be lying at home in
Bjarkey. Then Fin put the point of his spear to Thorer's
breast, and said that he must instantly produce the orna-
ment ; on which Thorer took the ornament from his neck
and gave it to Fin. Thereafter Thorer turned away,
and went on board his ship. Fin, with many other men,
followed him, went through the whole vessel, and took
up the hatches. At the mast they saw two very large
casks ; and Fin asked, "What are these puncheons?"
Thorer replies, "It is my liquor."
Fin says, "Why don't you give us something to drink
then, comrade, since you have so much liquor ?**
Thorer ordered his men to run off a bowlfull from the
puncheons, from which Fin and his people got liquor of
the best quality. Now Fin ordered Thorer to pay the
mulcts. Thorer went backwards and forwards through
the ship, speaking now to the one, now to the other, and
Fin calling out to produce the pence. Thorer begged
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him to go to the shore, and said he would bring the
money there, and Fin with his men went on shore.
Then Thorer came and paid silver; of which, from one
purse, there were weighed ten marks. Thereafter
Thorer brought many knotted nightcaps ; and in some was
one mark, in others half a mark, and in others some small
money. "This is money my friends and other good people
have lent me,** said he; "for I think all my travelling
money is gone." Then Thorer went back again to his
ship, and returned, and paid the silver by little and little ;
and this lasted so long that the day was drawing towards
evening. When the Thing had closed the people had
gone to their vessels, and made ready to depart; and as
fast as they were ready they hoisted sail and set out, so
that most of them were under sail. When Fin saw that
they were most of them under sail, he ordered his men
to get ready too ; but as yet little more than a third part
of the mulct had been paid. Then Fin said, "This goes
on very slowly, Thorer, with the payment. I see it costs
thee a great deal to pay money. I shall now let it stand
for the present, and what remains thou shalt pay to the
king himself." Fin then got up and went away.
Thorer replies, "I am well enough pleased. Fin, to
part now; but the good will is not wanting to pay this
debt, so that both thou and the king shall say it is not un-
paid."
Then Fin went on board his ship, and followed the rest
of his fleet. Thorer was late before he was ready to come
out of the harbour. When the sails were hoisted he
steered out over Westf jord, and went to sea, keeping south
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along the land so far oflf that the hill-tops were half sunk,
and soon the land altogether was sunk from view by the
sea. Thorer held this course until he got into the English
sea, and landed in England. He betook himself to King
Canute forthwith, and was well received by him. It
then came out that Thorer had with him a great deal of
property; and, with other things, all the money he and
Karle had taken in Bjarmaland. In the great liquor-
casks there were sides within the outer sides, and the liq-
uor was between them. The rest of the casks were filled
with furs, and beaver and sable skins. Thorer was then
with King Canute. Fin came with his forces to King Olaf,
and related to him how all had gone upon his voyage,
and told at the same time his suspicion that Thorer had
left the country, and gone west to England to King
Canute. "And there I fear he will cause as much
trouble."
The king replies, '1 believe that Thorer must be our
enemy, and it appears to me always better to have him at
a distance than near."
150. — ^DISPUT^ BETWEEN HAREK AND ASMUND.
Asmund GrankelscMi had been this winter (1027) in
Halogaland in his sheriffdom, and was at home with his
father Grankel. There lies a rock out in the sea, on which
there is both seal and bird catching, and a fishing ground,
and ^g-gathering ; and from old times it had been an
appendage to the farm which Grankel owned, but now
Harek of Thjotta laid claim to it. It had gone so far,
that some years he had taken by force all the gain of this
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rock ; but Asmund and his father thought that they might
expect the king's help in all cases in which the right was
upon their side. Both father and son went therefore in
spring to Harek, and brought him a message and tokens
from King Olaf that he should drop his claim. Harek
answered Asmund crossly, because he had gone to the king
with such insinuations — "for the just right is upon my
side. Thou shouldst learn moderation, Asmund, al-
though thou hast so much confidence in the king's favour.
It has succeeded with thee to kill some chiefs, and leave
their slaughter unpaid for by any mulct; and also to
plunder us, although we thought ourselves at least equal
to all of equal birth, and thou art far from being my
equal in family."
Asmund replies, "Many have experienced from thee,
Harek, that thou art of great connections, and too great
power; and many in consequence have suffered loss in
their property through thee. But it is likely that now
thou must turn thyself elsewhere, and not against us with
thy violence, and not go altogether against law, as thou
art now doing." Then they separated.
Harek sent ten or twelve of his house-servants with a
large rowing boat, with which they rowed to the rock,
took all that was to be got upon it, and loaded their boat.
But when they were ready to return home, Asmund
Grankelson came with thirty men, and ordered them to
give up all they had taken. Harek's house-servants were
not quick in complying, so that Asmund attacked them.
Some of Harek's men were cudgelled, some wounded,
some thrown into the sea, and all they had caught was
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taken from on board of their boat, and Asmund and his
people took it along with them. Then Harek's servants
came home, and told him the event. Harek replies,
"That is called news indeed that seldom happens; never
before has it happened that my people have been beaten."
The matter dropped. Harek never spoke about it,
but was very cheerful. In spring, however, Harek rig-
ged out a cutter of twenty seats of rowers, and manned
it with his house-servants, and the ship was remarkably
well fitted out both with people and all necessary equip-
ment ; and Harek went to the levy ; but when he came to
King Olaf, Asmund was there before him. The king
summoned Harek and Asmund to him, and reconciled
them so that they left the matter entirely to him. As-
mund then produced witnesses to prove that Grankel had
owned the rock, and the king gave judgment accordingly.
The case had a one-sided result. No mulct was paid for
Harek's house-servants, and the rock was declared to be
Grankel's. Harek observed it was no disgrace to obey
the king's decision, whatever way the case itself was
decided.
151. — ^Thorod's story.
Thorod Snorrason had remained in Norway, accord-
ing to King Olaf's commands, when Geller Thorkelson
got leave to go to Iceland, as before related. He remained
there (1027) with King Olaf, but was ill pleased that
he was not free to travel where he pleased. Early in
winter. King Olaf, when he was in Nidaros, made it
known that he would send people to Jamtaland to collect
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the scat; but nobody had any great desire to go on this
business, after the fate of those whom King Olaf had
sent before, — ^namely, Thrand White and others, twelve
in number, who lost their lives, as before related ; and the
Jamtalanders had ever since been subject to the Swedish
king. Thorod Snorrason now offered to undertake this
journey, for he cared little what became of him if he
could but become his own master again. The king con-
sented, and Thorod set out with eleven men in company.
They came east to Jamtaland, and went to a man called
Thorar, who was lagman, and a person in high estimation.
They met with a hospitable reception ; and when they had
been there a while, they explained their business to
Thorar. He replied, that other men and chiefs of the
country had in all respects as much power and right to
give an answer as he had, and for that purpose he would
call together a Thing. It was so done; the message-
token was sent out, and a numerous Thing assembled.
Thorar went to the Thing, but the messengers in the
meantime remained at home. At the Thing, Thorar laid
the business before the people, but all were unanimous
that no scat should be paid to the king of Norway ; and
some were for hanging the messengers, others for sacri-
ficing them to the gods. At last it was resolved to hold
them fast until the king of Sweden's sheriffs arrived, and
they could treat them as they pleased with consent of the
people; and that, in the meantime, this decision should be
concealed, and the messengers treated well, and detainea
under pretext that they must wait until the scat is col-
lected; and that they should be separated, and placed
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two and two, as if for the convenience of boarding them,
Thorod and another remained in Thorar's house. There
was a great Yule feast and ale-drinking, to which each
brought his own liquor; for there were many peasants in
the village, who all drank in company together at Yule.
There was another village not far distant, where Thorar's
brother-in-law dwelt, who was a rich and powerful man,
and had a g^own-up son. The brothers-in-law intended
to pass the Yule in drinking feasts, half of it at the house
of the one and half with the other ; and the feast began
at Thorar's house. The brothers-in-law drank together,
and Thorod and the sons of the peasants by themselves ;
and it was a drinking match. In the evening words
arose, and comparisons between the men of Sweden and
of Norway, and then between their kings both of former
times and at the present, and of the manslaughters and
robberies that had taken place between the countries.
Then said the peasants' sons, "If our king has lost most
people, his sheriflfs will make it even with the lives of
twelve men when they come from the south after Yule;
and ye little know, ye silly fools, why ye are kept here."
Thorod took notice of these words, and many made jest
about it, and scoflfed at them and their king. When the
ale began to talk out of the hearts of the Jamtalanders,
what Thorod had before long suspected became evident.
The day after Thorod and his comrade took all their
clothes and weapons, and laid them ready; and at night,
when the people were all asleep, they fled to the forest.
The next morning, when the Jamtalanders were aware
of their flight, men set out after them with dogs to trace
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them, and found them in a wood in which they had con-
cealed themselves. They brought them home to a room
in which there was a deep cellar, into which they were
thrown, and the door locked upon them. They had lit-
tle meat, and only the clothes they had on them. In the
middle of Yule, Thorar, with all his freeborn men, went
to his brother's-in-law, where he was to be a guest until
the last of Yule. Thorar's slaves were to keep guard
upon the cellar, and they were provided with plenty of
liquor; but as they observed no moderation in drinking,
they became towards evening confused in the head with
the ale. As they were quite drunk, those who had to
bring meat to the prisoners in the cellar said among
themselves that they should want for nothing. Thorod
amused the slaves by singing to them. They said he was
a clever man, and gave him a large candle that was
lighted ; and the slaves who were in went to call the others
to come in; but they were all so confused with the ale,
that in going out they neither locked the cellar nor the
room after them. Now Thorod and his comrades tore
up their skin clothes in strips, knotted them together,
made a noose at one end, and threw up the rope on the
floor of the room. It fastened itself around a chest, by
which they tried to haul themselves up. Thorod lifted
up his comrade until he stood on his shoulders, and from
thence scrambled up through the hatchhole. There was
no want of ropes in the chamber, and he threw a rope
down to Thorod ; but when he tried to draw him up, he
could not move him from the spot. Then Thorod told
him to cast the rope over a cross-beam that was in the
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house, make a loop in it, and place as much wood and
stones in the loop as would outweigh him ; and the heavy
weight went down into the cellar, and Thorod was drawn
up by it. Now they took as much clothes as they required
in the room ; and among other things they took some rein-
deer hides, out of which they cut sandals, and bound them
under their feet, with the hoofs of the reindeer feet trail-
ing behind. But before they set oflf they set fire to a
large corn barn which was close by, and then ran out into
the pitch-dark night. The barn blazed, and set fire to
many other houses in the village. Thorod and his com-
rade travelled the whole night until they came to a lonely
wood, where they concealed themselves when it was day-
light. In the morning they were missed. There was
chase made with dogs to trace the footsteps all round the
house ; but the hounds always came back to the house, for
they had the smell of the reindeer hoofs, and followed the
scent back on the road that the hoofs had left, and there-
fore could not find the right direction. Thorod and his
comrade wandered long about in the desert forest, and
came one evening to a small house, and went in. A man
and a woman were sitting by the fire. The man called
himself Thorer, and said it was his wife who was sitting
there, and the hut belonged to them. The peasant asked
them to stop there, at which they were well pleased. He
told them that he had come to this place, because he had
fled from the inhabited district on account of a murder.
Thorod and his comrade were well received, and they all
got their supper at the fireside ; and then the benches were
cleared for them, and they lay down to sleep, but the fire
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was still burning with a clear light. Thorod saw a man
come in from another house, and never had he seen so
stout a man. He was dressed in a scarlet cloak beset
with gold clasps, and was of very handsome appearance.
Thorod heard him scold them for taking guests, when
they had scarcely food for themselves. The housewife
said, "Be not angry, brother; seldom such a thing hap-
pens; and rather do them some good too, for thou hast
better opportunity to do so than we." Thorod heard also
the stout man named by the name of Arnliot Gelline,
and observed that the woman of the house was his sister.
Thorod had heard speak of Arnliot as the greatest of
robbers and malefactors. Thorod and his companion
slept the first part of the night, for they were wearied
with walking; but when a third of the night was still to
cc«ne, Arnliot awoke them, told them to get up, and
make ready to depart. They arose immediately, put on
their clothes, and some breakfast was given them; and
Arnliot gave each of them also a pair of skees. Arnliot
made himself ready to accompany them, and got upon his
skees, which were both broad and long ; but scarcely had
he swung his skee-staff before he was a long way past
them. He waited for them, and said they would make no
progress in this way, and told them to stand upon the
edge of his skees beside him. They did so. Thorod
stood nearest to him, and held by Arnliot's belt, and his
comrade held by him. Arnliot strode on as quickly with
them both, as if he was alone and without any weight.
The following day they came, towards night, to a lodge
for travellers, struck fire, and prepared some food; but
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Amliot told them to throw away nothing of their food,
neither bones nor crumbs. Amliot took a silver plate
out of the pocket of his cloak, and ate from it. When
they were done eating, Amliot gathered up the remains
of their meal, and they prepared to go to sleep. In the
other end of the house there was a loft upon cross-beams,
and Amliot and the others went up, and laid themselves
down to sleep. Amliot had a large halberd, of which
the upper part was mounted with gold, and the shaft was
so long that with his arm stretched out he could scarcely
touch the top of it ; and he was girt with a sword. Th^
had both their weapons and their clothes up in the loft
beside them. Arnliot, who lay outermost in the loft, told
them to be perfectly quiet. Soon after twelve men came
to the house, who were merchants going with their wares
to Jamtaland; and when they came into the house they
made a great disturbance, were merry, and made a great
fire before them ; and when they took their supper they
cast away all the bones around them. They then prepared
to go to sleep, and laid themselves down upon the benches
around the fire. When they had been asleep a short time,
a huge witch came into the house ; and when she came in,
she carefully swept together all the bones and whatever
was of food kind into a heap, and threw it into her
mouth. Then she gripped the man who was nearest to
her, riving and tearing him asunder, and threw him upon
the fire. The others awoke in dreadful fright, and
sprang up ; but she took them, and put them one by one
to death, so that only one remained in life. He ran
under the loft calling for help, and if there was any one
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on the loft to help him, Arnliot reached down his hand,
seized him by the shoulder, and drew him up into the loft.
The witch-wife had turned towards the fire, and began
to eat the men who were roasting. Now Arnliot stood
up, took his halberd, and struck her between the shoul-
ders, so that the point came out at her breast. She
writhed with it, gave a dreadful shriek, and sprang up.
The halberd slipped from Arnliot's hands, and she ran
out with it. Arnliot then went in ; cleared away the dead
corpses out of the house ; set the door and the door-posts
up, for she had torn them down in going out; and they
slept the rest of the night. When the day broke they got
up; and first they took their breakfast. When they had
got food, Arnliot said, "Now we must part here. Ye
can proceed upon the new-traced path the merchants have
made in coming here yesterday. In the meantime I will
seek after my halberd, and in reward for my labour I
will take so much of the goods these men had with them
as I find useful to me. Thou, Thorod, must take my
salutation to King Olaf ; and say to him that he is the
man I am most desirous to see, although my salutation
may appear to him of little worth." Then he took his
silver plate, wiped it dry with a cloth, and said, "Give
King Olaf this plate; salute him, and say it is from me."
Then they made themselves ready for their journey, and
parted. Thorod went on with his cc«nrade and the man
of the merchants' company who had escaped. He pro-
ceeded until he came to King Olaf in the town (Nida-
ros) ; told the king all that had happened, and presented
to him the silver plate. The king said it was wrong that
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Arnliot himself had not come to him ; "for it is a pity so
brave a hero, and so distinguished a man, should have
given himself up to misdeeds."
Thorod remained the rest of the winter with the king,
and in summer got leave to return to Iceland ; and he and
King Olaf parted the best of friends.
152. — ^KING OI^AF's levy of MEN.
King Olaf made ready in spring (1027) to leave Nida-
ros, and many people were assembled about him, both
from Throndhjem and the Northern country; and when
he was ready he proceeded first with his men to More,
where he gathered the men of the levy, and did the same
at Raumsdal. He went from thence to South More.
He lay a long time at the Herey Isles waiting for his
forces ; and he often held House-things, as many reports
came to his ears about which he thought it necessary to
hold councils. In one of these Things he made a speech,
in which he spoke of the loss he suffered from the Farey
islanders. "The scat which they promised me," he said,
"is not' forthcoming; and I now intend to send men
thither after it." Then he proposed to different men to
undertake this expedition; but the answer was, that all
declined the adventure.
Then there stood up a stout and very remarkable look-
ing man in the Thing. He was clad in a red kirtle, had
a helmet on his head, a sword in his belt, and a large hal-
berd in his hands. He took up the word and said, "In
truth here is a great want of men. Ye have a good king;
but ye are bad servants who say no to this expedition he
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offers you, although ye have received many gifts of friend-
ship and tokens of honour from him. I have hitherto
been no friend of the king, and he has been my enemy,
and says, besides, that he has good grdunds for being so.
Now, I offer, sire, to go upon this expedition, if no better
will undertake it."
The king answers, "Who is this brave man who replies
to my offer? Thou showest thyself different from the
other men here present, in offering thyself for this expe-
dition from which they excuse themselves, although I ex-
pected they would willingly have undertaken it ; but I do
not know thee in the least, and do not know thy name."
He replies, "My name, sire, is not difficult to know,
and I think thou hast heard my name before. I am Karl
Morske."
The king — ^**So this is Karl ! I have indeed heard thy
name before ; and, to say the truth, there was a time when
our meeting must have been such, if I had had my will,
that thou shouldst not have had to tell it now. But I will
not show myself worse than thou, but will join my thanks
and my favour to the side of the help thou hast offered
me. Now thou shalt come to me, Karl, and be my guest
to-day ; and then we shall consult together about this bus--
iness." Karl said it should be so.
153 KARL MORSKE'S STORY.
Karl Morske had been a viking, and a celebrated robber.
Often had the king sent out men against him, and wished
to make an end of him; but Karl, who was a man of high
connection, was quick in all his doings, and besides a man
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of great dexterity, and expert in all feats. Now when
Karl had undertaken this business the king was reconciled
to him, gave him his friendship, and let him be fitted
out in the best manner for this expedition. There were
about twenty men in the ship ; and the king sent messages
to his friends in the Farey Islands, and recommended
him also to Leif Ossurson and Lagman Gille, for aid and
defence ; and for this purpose furnished Karl with tokens
of the full powers given him. Karl set out as soon as he
was ready; and as he got a favourable breeze soon came
to the Farey Islands, and landed at Thorshavn, in the is-
land Straumey. A Thing was called, to which there came
a great number of people. Thrand of Gata came with a
great retinue, and Leif and Gille came there also, with
many in their following. After they had set up their
tents, and put themselves in order, they went to Karl
Morske, and saluted each other on both sides in a friendly
way. Then Karl produced King Olaf's words, tokens,
and friendly message to Leif and Gille, who received them
in a friendly manner, invited Karl to come to them, and
promised him to support his errand, and give him all the
aid in their power, for which he thanked them. Soon
after came Thrand of Gata, who also received Karl in the
most friendly manner, and said he was glad to see so able
a man coming to their country on the king's business,
which they were all bound to promote. "I will insist,
Karl," says he, '*on thy taking up thy winter abode with
me, together with all those of thy people who may appear
to thee necessary for thy dignity."
Karl replies, that he had already settled to lodge with
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Leif; "otherwise I would with great pleasure have ac-
cepted thy invitation."
"Then fate has given great honour to Leif," says
Thrand ; "but is there any other way in which I can be
of service?"
Karl replies, that he would do him a great service by
collecting the scat of the eastern island, and of all the
northern islands.
Thrand said it was both his duty and interest to assist
m the king's business, and thereupon Thrand returned to
his tent ;- and at that Thing nothing else worth speaking
of occurred. Karl took up his abode with Leif Ossurson,
and was there all winter (1028). Leif collected the scat
of Straumey Island, and all the islands south of it. The
spring after Thrand of Gata fell ill, and had sore eyes
and other complaints ; but he prepared to attend the Thing,
as was his custom* When he came to the Thing he had
his tent put up, and within it another black tent, that the
light might not penetrate. After some days of the Thing
had passed, Leif and Karl came to Thrand's tent, with a
great many people, and found some persons standing
outside. They asked if Thrand was in the tent, and were
told he was. Leif told them to bid Thrand come out,
as he and Karl had some business with him. They came
back, and said that Thrand had sore eyes, and could not
come out; "but he begs thee, Leif, to come to him
within." Leif told his comrades to come carefully into
the tent, and not to press forward, and that he who came
last in should go out first. Leif went in first, followed
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they were going into battle. Leif went into the black tent
and asked if Thrand was there. Thrand answered, and
saluted Leif. Leif returned his salutation, and asked
if he had brought the scat from the northern islands,
and if he would pay the scat that had been collected.
Thrand replies, that he had not forgotten what had been
spdcen of between him and Karl, and that he would now
pay over the scat "Here is a purse, Leif, full of silver,
which thou canst receive." Leif looked around, and saw
but few people in the tent, of whom some were lying upon
the bendies, and a few were sitting up. Then Leif went
to Thrand, and took the purse, and carried it into the
outer tent, where it was light, turned out the money on
his shield, groped about in it with his hand, and told Karl
to look at the silver. When they had looked at it a while,
Karl asked Leif what he thought of the silver. He re-
plied, "I am thinking where the bad money that is in the
north isles can have come from." Thrand heard this, and
said,. "Do you not think, Leif, the silver is good ?" "No,"
says he. Thrand replies, "Our relations, then, are rascals
not to be trusted. I sent them in spring to collect the scat
in the north isles, as I could not myself go anywhere,
and they have allowed themselves to be bribed by the
bondes to take false money, which nobody looks upon as
current and good; it is better, therefore, Leif, to look at
this silver which has been paid me as land-rent" Leif
thereupon carried back this silver, and received another
bag, which he carried to Karl, and they looked over the
money together. Karl asked Leif what he thought of
this money. He answered, that it appeared to him so
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bad that it would not be taken in payment, however little
hope there might be of getting a debt paid in any other
way: "therefore I will not take this money upon the
king's account." A man who had been lying on the
bench now cast the skin coverlet of? which he had drawn
over his head, and said, "True is the old word, — he grows
worse who grows older : so it is with thee, Thrand, who
allowest Karl Morske to handle thy money all the day."
This was Gaut the Red. Thrand sprang up at Gaut's
words, and reprimanded his relation with many angry
words. At last he said that Leif should leave this silver,
and take a bag which his own peasants had brought him
in spring. "And although I am weak-sighted, yet my
own hand is the truest test." Another man who was ly-
ing on the bench raised himself now upon his elbow ; and
this was Thord the Low. He said, "These are no ordi-
nary reproaches we suffer from Karl Morske, and there-
fore he well deserves a reward for them." Leif in the
meantime took the bag, and carried it to Karl; and when
they cast their eyes on the money, Leif said, "We need
not look long at this silver, for here the one piece of money
is better than the other; and this is the money we will
have. Let a man come to be present at the counting it
out." Thrand says that he thought Leif was the fittest
man to do it upon his account. Leif and Karl thereupon
went a short way from the tent, sat down, and counted
and weighed the silver. Karl took the helmet off his
head, and received in it the weighed silver. They saw a
man coming to them who had a stick with an axe-head
on it in his hand, a hat low upon his head, and a short
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green cloak. He was bare-legged, and had linen breeches
on tied at the knee. He laid his stick down in the field,
and went to Karl and said, "Take care, Karl Morske, that
thou does not hurt thyself against my axe-stick." Imme-
diately a man came running and calls with great haste to
Ldf Ossurson, telling him to come as quickly as possible
to Lagman Gille's tent; "for," says he, "Sigurd Thorlak-
son ran in just now into the mouth of the tent, and gave
one of Gille's men a desperate wound." Leif rose up in-
stantly, and went off to Gille's tent along with his men.
Karl remained sitting, and the Norway people stood
around in all comers. Gaut immediately sprang up, and
struck with a hand-axe over the heads of the pec^le, and
the stroke came on Karl's head ; but the wound was slight.
Thord the Low seized the stick-axe, which lay in the field
at his side, and struck the axe-blade right into Karl's
skull. Many pec^Ie now streamed out of Thrand's tent
Karl was carried away dead. Thrand was much grieved
at this event, and offered money-mulcts for his relations ;
but Leif and Gille, who had to prosecute the business,
would accept no mulct Sigurd was banished the country
for having wounded Gille's tent comt-ade, and Gaut and
Thord for the murder of Karl. The Norway people rig-
ged out the vessel which Karl had with him, and sailed
eastward to Olaf, and gave him these tidings. He was
in no pleasant humour at it, and threatened a speedy ven-
geance; but it was not allotted by fate to King Olaf to
revenge himself on Thrand and his relations, because of
the hostilities which had begun in Norway, and which are
now to be related. And there is nothing more to be told
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of what happened after King Olaf sent men to the Farey
Islands to take scat of them. But great strife arose after
Karl's death in the Farey Islands between the family of
Thrand of Gata and Leif Ossurson, and of which there
are great sagas.
154. — KING OLAF'S expedition WITH HIS I.EVY.
Now we must proceed with the relation we began be-
fore, — ^that King Olaf set out with his men, and raised
a levy over the whole country (1027). All lendermen
in the North followed him excepting Binar Tambaskelfer,
who sat quietly at home upon his farm since his return
to the country, and did not serve the king. Einar had
great estates and wealth, although he held no fiefs from
the king, and he lived splendidly. King Olaf sailed with
his fleet south around Stad, and many people from the
districts around joined him. King Olaf himself had a
ship which he had got built the winter before (1027),
and which was called the Visund.* It was a very large
ship, with a bison's head gilded all over upon the bow.
Sigvat the skald speaks thus of it : —
"TiTffvason'B Long Serpent bore^ Wblch proudly seems Uie waves to
Grim gaping o'er the waves before, tread,
A dragon's nead with open throat. While o'er Its golden forehead dash-
When last the hero was afloat : ing
His cmise was closed. The waves Its glittering boms are
As God disposed. washing:
Olaf has raised a bison's head. May God dispose
A luckier close."
The king went on to Hordaland; there he heard the
news that Erling Skjalgson had left the country with a
^eat force, and four or five ships. He himself had a
Wisundr is the bufTalo; although the modem bison, or American
animal of that name, might have been known through the Greenland
colonists, who in this reign had visited some parts of America. — L.
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large war-ship, and his sons had three of twenty rowing-
banks each ; and they had sailed westward to England to
Canute the Great. Then King Olaf sailed eastward along
the land with a mighty war-force, and he inquired every-
where if anything was known of Canute's proceedings;
and all agreed in saying he was in England but added that
he was fitting out a levy, and intended coming to Nor-
way. As Olaf had a large fleet, and could not discover
with certainty where he should go to meet King Canute,
and as his people were dissatisfied with lying quiet in one
place with so large an armament, he resolved to sail with
his fleet south to Denmark, and took with him all the
men who were best appointed and most warlike; and he
gave leave to the others to return home.
Now the people whom he thought of little use having
gone home, King Olaf had many excellent and stout men-
at-arms besides those who, as before related, had fled the
country, or sat quietly at home; and most of the chief
men and lendermen of Norway were along with him.
155.— OF KING OI.AF AND KING ONUND.
When King Olaf sailed to Denmark, he set his course
for Seeland ; and when he came there he made incursions
on the land, and began to plunder. The country people
were severely treated ; some were killed, some bound and
dragged to the ships. All who could do so took to flight,
and made no opposition. King Olaf committed there the
greatest ravages. While Olaf was in Seeland, the news
came that King Onund Olafson of Sweden had raised a
levy, and fallen upon Scania, and was ravaging there;
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and then it became known what the resolution had been
that the two kings had taken at the Gaut river, where
they had concluded a union and friendship, and had
bound themselves to oppose King Canute. King Onund
continued his march until he met his brother-in-law King
Olaf. When they met they made proclamation both to
their own people and to the people of the country, that
they intended to conquer Denmark; and asked the sup-
port of the people of the country for this purpose. And
it happened, as we find examples of everywhere, that if
hostilities are brought upon the people of a country not
strong enough to withstand, the greatest number will sub-
mit to the conditions by which peace can be purchased at
any rate. So it happened here that many men went into
the service of the kings, and agreed to submit to them.
Wheresoever they went they laid the country all round
L subjection to them, and otherwise laid waste all with
fire and sword.
Of this foray Sigvat the skald speaks, in a ballad he
composed concerning King Canute the Great: —
" 'Canute is on the sea !'
The news Is told.
And the Norsemen bold
Repeat It with great glee.
And It runs from mouth to mouth —
'On a lucky day
We came away
Prom Throndhjem to the south.*
Across the cold Bast sea.
The Swedish king
His host did bring.
To galiL great yictory.
King Onund came* to fight.
In Seeland's plains.
Against the Danes,
With his steel-clad men so bright >
Canute Is on the land ;
Side to side
His long-ships ride
Along the yellow strand.
Where waves wash the green banks.
Mast to mast,
All bound fast.
His great ileetiles In ranks."
156— OI^ KING CANUTE THE GREAT.
King Canute had heard in England that King Olaf of
Norway had called out a levy, and had gone with his
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forces to Denmark, and was making great ravages in his
dominions there. Canute began to gather people, and he
had speedily collected a great army and a numerous fleet.
Earl Hakon was second in command over the whole.
Sigvat the skald came this summer (1027) from the
West, from Ruda (Rouen) in Valland, and with him was
a man called Berg. They had made a merchant voyage
there the summer before. Sigvat had made a little poem
about this journey, called "The Western Traveller's
Song," which begins thus : —
"Berg I many a merry morn was And we lay on the glittering tide
pase'd. Of Rouen river's western side."
When our vessel was made fast.
When Sigvat came to England he went directly to
King Canute, and asked his leave to proceed to Norway ;
for King Canute had forbidden all merchant vessels to
sail until he himself was ready with his fleet. When
Sigvat arrived he went to the house in which the king was
lodged; but the doors were locked, and he had to stand
a long time outside, but when he got admittance he ob-
tained the permission he desired. He then sang : —
"The way to Jutland's king I sought ; To his own chamber me to send.
A little patience I was taught. And grant my prayer — although I'm
The doors were shut — all full within ; one
The udaller could not get in. Whose arms the fetters' weight have
But Gorm's great son did condescend known."
When Sigvat became aware that King Canute was
equipping an armament against King Olaf, and knew
what a mighty force King Canute had, he made these
lines : —
"The mighty Canute, and Earl In spite of king and earl, I say,
Hakon, 'I love him well — may he get away :'
Have leagued themselves, and coun- On the Fielde, wild and dreary,
sel taken With him I'd live, and ne'er be
Against King Olaf's life. weary."
And are ready for the strife.
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Sigvat made many other songs concerning this expe-
dition of Canute and Hakon. He made this among
others : —
'"Twas not the earl's Intentton then But ever with deceit and lies
'Twlxt Olaf and the udalmen Birik's descendant, Hakon, tries
Peace to establish, and the land To make ill-will and discontent.
Upright to hold with Northman's Till all the udalmen are bent
hand ; Against King Olaf 's rule to rise.**
157.— OF KING Canute's ship thi^ dragon.
Canute the Great was at last ready with his fleet, and
left the land ; and a vast number of men he had, and ships
frightfully large. He himself had a dragon-ship, so
large that it had sixty banks of rowers, and the head was
gilt all over. Earl Hakon had another dragon of forty
banks, and it also had a gilt figure-head. The sails of
both were in stripes of blue, red, and green, and the ves-
sels were painted all above the water-stroke; and all that
belonged to their equipment was most splendid. They
had also many other huge ships remarkably well fitted
out, and grand. Sigvat the skald talks of this in his song
on Canute: —
"Canute Is out beneath the sky — His dragon with her sails of blue,
Canute of the clear blue eye ! All bright and brilliant to the view,
The king is out on the ocean's High hoisted on the yard arms wide,
breast. Carries great Canute o'er the tide.
Leading his grand fleet from the Brave is the royal progress — fast
West. The proud ship's keel obeys the mast.
On to the Bast the ship-masts glide. Dashes through foam, and gains the
Glancing and bright each long-ship's land,
side. Raising a surge on Limfjord's
The conqueror of great Bthelred. strand."
Canute, is there, his foemen's dread :
It is related that King Canute sailed with this vast
force from England, and came with all his force safely to
Denmark, where he went into Limfjord, and there he
found gathered besides a large army of the men of the
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158. — HARDAKNUT TAKEN TO BE KING IN DENMARK.
Earl Ulf Sprakalegson had been set as protector over
Denmark when King Canute went to England, and the
king had intrusted his son Hardaknut in the earl's hands.
This took place the summer before (1026), as we rela-
ted. But the earl immediately gave it out that King Ca-
nute had, at parting, made known to him his will and de-
sire that the Danes should take his son Hardaknut as king
over the Danish dominions* "On that account," says the
earl, "he gave the matter into our hands ; as I, and many
other chiefs and leading men here in the country, have
often complained to King Canute of the evil consequences
to the country of being without a king, and that former
kings thought it honour and power enough to rule over
the Danish kingdom alone ; and in the times that are past
many kings have ruled over this kingdom. But now
there are greater difficulties than have ever been before;
for we have been so fortunate hitherto as to live without
disturbance from foreign kings, but now we hear the king
of Norway is going to attack us, to which is added the
fear of the people that the Swedish king will join him;
and now King Canute is in England." The earl then
produced King Canute's letter and seal, confirming all
that the earl asserted. Many other chiefs supported this
business; and in consequence of all these persuasions the
people resolved to take Hardaknut as king, which was
done at the same Thing. The Queen Emma had been
prmcipal promoter of this determination ; for she had got
the letter to be written, and provided with the seal, having
cunningly got hold of the king's signet; but from him it
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was all concealed. Now when Hardaknut and Earl Ulf
heard for certain that King Olaf was come from Norway
with a large army, they went to Jutland, where the great-
est strength of the Danish kingdom lies, sent out message-
tokens, and summoned to them a great force; but when
they heard the Swedish king was also come with his army,
they thought they would not have strength enough to give
battle to both, and therefore kept their army together in
Jutland, and resolved to defend that country against the
kings. The whole of their ships they assembled in Lim-
f jord, and waited thus for King Canute. Now when they
heard that King Canute had come from the West to Lim-
fjord they sent men to him, and to Queen Emma, and
begged her to find out if the king was angry at them or
not, and to let them know. The queen talked over the
matter with him, and said, "Your son Hardaknut will pay
the full mulct the king may demand, if he has done any-
thing which is thought to be against the king." He re-
plies, that Hardaknut has not done this of his own judg-
ment. "And therefore," says he, "it has turned out as
might have been expected, that when he, a child, and with-
out understanding, wanted to be called king, the country,
when any evil came and an enemy appeared, must be con-
quered by foreign princes, if our might had not come to
his aid. If he will have any reconciliation with me let
him come to me, and lay down the mock title of king he
has given himself." The queen sent these very words to
Hardaknut, and at the same time she begged him not to
decline coming ; for, as she truly observed, he had no force
to stand against his father. When this message came to
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Hardaknut he asked the advice of the earl and other chief
people who were with him; but it was soon found that
when the people heard King Canute the Old was arrived
they all streamed to him, and seemed to have no confi-
dence but in him alone. Then Earl Ulf and his fellows
saw they had but two roads to take ; either to go to the
king and leave all to his mercy, or to fly the country. All
pressed Hardaknut to go to his father, which advice he
followed. When they met he fell at his father's feet, and
laid his seal, which accompanied the kingly title, on his
knee. King Canute took Hardaknut by the hand, and
placed him in as high a seat as he used to sit in before.
Earl Ulf sent his son Svein, who was a sister's son of
King Canute, and the same age as Hardaknut, to the king.
He prayed for grace and reconciliation for his father,
and offered himself as hostage for the earl. King Canute
ordered him to tell the earl to assemble his men and ships,
and come to him, and then they would talk of reconcilia-
tion. The earl did so.
159. — FORAY IN SCANIA.
When King Olaf and King Onimd heard that King
Canute was come from the West, and also that he had a
vast force, they sailed east to Scania, and allowed them-
selves to ravage and bum in the districts there, and then
proceeded eastward along the land to the frontier of Swe-
den. As soon as the country people heard that King
Canute was come from the West, no one thought of going
into the service of the two kings.
Now the kings, sailed eastward along the coast, and
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brought up in a river called Helga, and remained there
some time. When they heard that King Canute was
coming eastward with his forces against them, they held
a council; and the result was, that King Olaf with his
people went up the country to the forest, and to the lake
out of which the river Helga flows. There at the river-
head they made a dam of timber and turf, and dammed
in the lake. They also dug a deep ditch, through which
they led several waters, so that the lake waxed very high.
In the river-bed they laid large logs of timber. They
were many days about this work, and King Olaf had the
management of this piece of artifice ; but King Onund had
only to command the fleet and army. When King Canute
heard of the proceedings of the two kings, and of the
damage they had done to his dominions, he sailed right
against them to where they lay in Helga river. He had
a war-force which was one half greater than that of both
the kings together. Sigvat speaks of these things : —
"Tbe king, wbo shields Will not allow
His Jutland fields Wild plundering now:
From scaith or harm 'The greatest he.
By foeman'8 arm. On land or sea.' "
160. — BATTLE IN HEI^GA RIVER.
One day, towards evening, King Onund's spies saw
King Canute coming sailing along, and he was not far
oflf. Then King Onund ordered the war-horns to sound ;
on which his people struck their tents, put on their weap-
ons, rowed out of the harbour and east round the land,
bound their ships together, and prepared for battle. King
Onund made his spies run uo the country to look for King
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Olaf, and tell him the news. Then King Olaf broke up
the dam, and let the river take its course. King Olaf
travelled down in the night to his ships. When King
Canute came outside the harbour, he saw the forces of
the kings ready for battle. He thought that it would be
too late in the day to begin the fight by the time his forces
could be ready ; for his fleet required a great deal of room
at sea, and there was a long distance between the foremost
of his ships and the hindmost, and between those outside
and those nearest the land, and there was but little wind.
Now, as Canute saw that the Swedes and Norwegians
had quitted the harbour, he went into it with as many
ships as it could hold ; but the main strength of the fleet
lay without the harbour. In the morning, when it was
light, a great part of the men went on shore; some for
amusement, scrnie to converse with the people of other
ships. They observed nothing until the water came rush-
ing over them like a waterfall, carrying huge trees, which
drove in among their ships, damaging all they struck ; and
the water covered all the fields. The men on shore per-
ished, and many who were in the ships. All who could
do it cut their cables; so that the ships were loose, and
drove before the stream, and were scattered here and
there. The great dragon, which King Canute himself
was in, drove before the stream ; and as it could not so
easily be turned with oars, drove out among Olaf s and
Onund's ships. As they knew the ship, they laid her on
board on all quarters. But the ship was so high in the
hull, as if It were a castle, and had besides such a numer-
ous and chosen crew on board, wdl armed and exercised,
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that it was not easy to attack her. After a short time also
Earl Ulf came up with his fleet ; and then the battle began,
and King Canute's fleet gathered together from all quar-
ters. But the kings Olaf and Onund, seeing they had for
this time got all the victory that fate permitted them to
gain, let their ships retreat, cast themselves loose from
King Canute's ship, and the fleets separated. But as the
attack had not been made as King Canute had determined,
he made no further attempt; and the kings on each side
arranged their fleets and put their ships in order. When
the fleets were parted, and each sailing its course, Olaf
and Onund looked over their forces, and found they had
suflfered no loss of men. In the meantime they saw that
if they waited until King Canute got his large fleet in
order to attack them, the difference of force was so great
that for them there was little chance of victory. It was
also evident that if the battle was renewed, they must
suffer a great loss of men. They took the resolution,
therefore, to row with the whole fleet eastward along the
coast. Observing that King Canute did not pursue them,
they raised up their masts and set sail. Ottar Svarte
tells thus of it in the poem he composed upon King Ca-
nute the Great: —
"The king, in battle fray. Great Canute might deride
Drove the Swedish host away : Two kings if he had pride.
The wolf did not miss prey. For at Helga river's side
Nor the raven on that day. They would not his sword abide."
Thord Sjarekson also sang these lines in his death song
of King Olaf:—
"King Olaf, Agder's lord. King Canute was not slow:
Ne'er shunned the Jutland king. King Onund filled the plain
But with his bluo-edged sword With dead, killed by bis bow:
Broke many a panser ring. The wolf howled o'er the slain.*'
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161. — KING OLA^ AND KING ONUND's PLANS.
King Olaf and King Onund sailed eastward to the
Swedish king's dominions; and one day, towards even-
ing, landed at a place called Barvik, where they lay all
night But then it was observed of the Swedes that they
were home-sick ; for the gfreater part of their forces sailed
eastward along the land in the night, and did not stop
their course until they came home to their houses. Now
when King Onund observed this he ordered, as soon as
the day dawned, to sound the signal for a House-thing;
and the whole people went on shore, and the Thing sat
down. Then King Onund took up the word, and spake
thus : "So it is, King Olaf, that, as you know, we have
been assembled in summer, and have forayed wide around
in Denmark, and have gained much booty, but no land.
I had 350 vessels, and now have not above 100 remaining
with me. Now it appears to me we can make no greater
progress than we have made, although you have still the
60 vessels which have followed you the whole summer.
It therefore appears to me best that we come back to my
kingdom; for it is always good to drive home with the
waggon safe. In this expedition we have won some-
thing, and lost nckhing. Now I will offer you. King
Olaf, to come with me, and we shall remain assembled
during the winter. Take as much of my kingdom as you
will, so that you and the men who follow you may support
yourselves well ; and when spring comes let us take such
measures as we find serviceable. If you, however, will
prefer to travel across our country, and go overland to
Norway, it shall be free for you to do so."
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King Olaf thanked King Onund for his friendly offer.
"But if I may advise," says he, "then we should take an-
other resolution, and keep together the forces we have
still remaining. I had in the first of summer, before I
left Norway, 350 ships; but when I left the country I
chose from among the whole war-levy those I thought to
be the best, and with them I manned 60 ships ; and these
I still have. Now it appears to me that the part of your
war-force which has now run away is the most worthless,
and of least resistance ; but now I see here all your chiefs
and leaders, and I know well that the people who belong
to the court-troops^ are by far the best suited to carry
arms. We have here chosen men and superb ships, and
we can very well lie all winter in our ships, as viking's
custom is. But Canute cannot lie long in Helga river;
for the harbour will not hold so many vessels as he has.
If he steers eastward after us, we can escape from him,
and then people will soon gather to us ; but if he return to
the harbours where his fleet can lie, I know for certain
that the desire to return hom^ will not be less in his army
than in ours. I think, also, we have ravaged so widely
in summer, that the villagers, both in Scania and in Hal-
land, know well whose favour they have to seek. Ca-
nute's army will thus be dispersed so widely, that it is
uncertain to whom fate may at the last give the victory ;
but let us first find out what resolution he takes."
Thus King Olaf ended his speech, and it found much
applause, and his advice was followed. Spies were sent
into King Canute's army, and both the kings Olaf and
Onund remained lying where they were.
^The thingmen, or hired body-guard attending Uie oonrt. — ^L.
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162.^-OF KING CANUTE AND EARL UI^F.
When King Canute saw that the kings of Norway and
Sweden steered eastward with their forces along the
coast, he sent men to ride night and day on the land to
follow their movements. Some spies went forward, oth-
ers returned; so that King Canute had news every day
of their progress. He had also spies always in their
army. Now when he heard that a great part of the fleet
had sailed away from the kings, he turned back with his
forces to Seeland, and lay with his whole fleet in the
Sound ; so that a part lay on the Scania side, and a part
on the Seeland side. King Canute himself, the day be-
fore Michaelmas, rode with a gfreat retinue to Roeskilde.
There his brother-in-law. Earl Ulf, had prepared a great
feast for him. The earl was the most agreeable host ; but
the king was silent and sullen. The earl talked to him in
every way to make him cheerful, and brought forward
everything which he thought would amuse him ; but the
king remained stern, and speaking little. At last the
earl proposed to him a game at chess, which he agfreed to ;
and a chess-board was produced, and they played together.
Earl Ulf was hasty in temper, stiflf, and in nothing yield-
ing; but everything he managed went on well in his
hands ; and he was a great warrior, about whom there are
many stories. He was the most powerful man in Den-
mark next to the king. Earl Ulf's sister Gyda was mar-
ried to Earl Gudin (Godwin) Ulfnadson; and their sons
were Harald king of England, and Earl Toste, Earl
Valthiof, Earl Morukare, and Earl Svein. Gyda was the
name of their daughter, who was married to the English
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163.^-01? THE EARI^'S MURDER,
When they had played a while the king made a false
move, at which the earl took a knight from the king;
but the king set the piece again upon the board, and told
the earl to make another move; but the earl grew angry,
threw over the chess-board, stood up, and went away.
The king said, "Runnest thou away, Ulf the coward?"
The earl turned round at the door and said, "Thou
wouldst have run farther at Helga river, if thou hadst
come to battle there. Thou didst not call me Ulf the
coward, when I hastened to thy help while the Swedes
were beating thee like a dog." The earl then went out,
and went to bed. A little later the king also went to bed.
The following morning while the king was putting on
his clothes he said to his footboy, "Go thou to Earl Ulf,
and kill him."
The lad went, was away a while, and then came back.
The king said, "Hast thou killed the earl?"
"I did not kill him, for he was gone to Saint Lucius'
church."
There was a man called Ivar White, a Norwegian by
birth, who was the king's courtman and chamberlain.
The king said to him, "Go thou and kill the earl."
Ivar went to the church, and in at the choir, and thrust
his sword through the earl, who died on the spot. Then
Ivar went to the king, with the bloody sword in his hand.
The king said, "Hast thou killed the earl ?"
"I have killed him," says he.
"Thou didst well."
After the earl was killed the monks closed the church,
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and locked the doors. When that was told the king he
sent a message to the monks, ordering them to open the
church and sing high mass. They did as the king or-
dered; and when the king came to the church he be-
stowed on it great property, so that it had a large do-
main, by which that place was raised very high ; and these
lahds have since always belonged to it. King Canute
rode down to his ships, and lay there till late in harvest
with a very large army.
164.^-OF KING OLAF AND THE SWEDES.
When King Olaf and King Onund heard that King
Canute had sailed to the Sound, and lay there with a great
force, the kings held a House-thing, and spoke much
about what resolution they should adopt. King Olaf
wished they should remain there with all the fleet, and see
what King Canute would at last resolve to do. But the
Swedes held it to be unadvisable to remain until the frost
set in, and so it was determined ; and King Onund went
home with all his army, and King Olaf remained lying af-
ter them.
165. — OF EGIL AND TOFE.
While King Olaf lay there, he had frequently confer-
ences and consultations with his people. One night Egil
Halson and Tofe Valgautson had the watch upon the»
king's ship. Tofe came from West Gautland, and was
a man of high birth. While they sat on watch they
heard much lamentation and crying among the people
who had been taken in the war, and who lay bound on the
shore at night. Tofe said it made him ill to hear such
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distress, and asked Egil to go with him, and let loose
these people. This work they set about, cut the cords,
and let the people escape, and they looked upon it as a
piece of great friendship; but the king was so enraged
at it, that they themselves were in the greatest danger.
When Egil afterwards fell sick the king for a long time
would not visit him, until many people entreated it of
him. It vexed Egil much to have done anything the
king was angry at, and he begged his forgiveness. The
king now dismissed his wrath against Egil, laid his hands
upon the side on which Egil's pain was, and sang a
prayer; upon which the pain ceased instantly, and Egil
grew better. Tofe came, after entreaty, into reconcilia-
tion with the king, on condition that he should exhort
his father Valgaut to come to the king. He was a
heathen; but after conversation with the king he went
over to Christianity, and died instantly when he was
baptized.
166. — TREACHERY TOWARDS KING OLA^.
King Olaf had now frequent conferences with his peo-
ple, and asked advice from them, and from his chiefs,
as to what he should determine upon. But there was
no unanimity among them — some considering that un-
advisable which others considered highly serviceable;
and there was much indecision in their councils. King
Canute had always spies in King Olaf s army, who en-
tered into conversation with many of his men, offering
them presents and favour on account of King Canute.
Many allowed themselves to be seduced, and gave prom-
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ises of fidelity, and to be King Canute's men, and bring
the country into his hands if he came to Norway. This was
apparent, afterwards, of many who at first kept it con-
cealed. Some took at once money bribes, and others
were promised money afterwards ; and a great many there
were who had got gfreat presents of money from him
before: for it may be said with truth of King Canute,
that every man who came to him, and who he thought
had the spirit of a man and would like his favour, got his
hands full of gifts and money. On this account he was
very popular, although his generosity was principally
shown to foreigners, and was greatest the greater distance
they came from.
167. — KING oi^af's consultations.
King Olaf had often conferences and meetings with
his people, and asked their counsel; but as he observed
they gave different opinions, he had a suspicion that there
must be some who spoke differently from what they re-
ally thought advisable for him, and he was thus uncertain
if all gave him due fidelity in council. Some pressed
that with the first fair wind they should sail to the Sound,
and so to Norway. They said the Danes would not dare
to attack them, although they lay with so great a force
right in the way. But the king was a man of too much
understanding not to see that this was impracticable.
He knew also that Olaf Trygvason had found it quite
otherwise, as to the Danes not daring to fight, when he
with a few people went into battle against a great body
of them. The king also knew that in King Canute's
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army there were a great many Norwegians ; therefore he
entertained the suspicion that those who gave this advice
were more favourable to King Canute than to him. King
Olaf came at last to the determinaticxi, from all these con-
siderations, that the people who would follow him should
make themselves ready to proceed by land across Gaut-
land, and so to Norway. "But our ships," said he, "and
all things that we cannot take with us, I will send east-
ward to the Swedish king's dominions, and let them be
taken care of for us there."
168. — HAREK OF THJOTTa's VOYAGE.
Hardc of Thjotta replied thus to the king's speech : "It
is evident that I cannot travel on foot to Norway. I am
old and heavy, and little accustomed to walking. Besides,
I am unwilling to part with my ship; for on that ship and
its apparel I have bestowed so much labour, that it would
go much against my inclination to put her into the hands
of my enemies/'
The king said, "Come along with us, Harek, and we
shall carry thee when thou art tired of walking." Then
Harek sang these lines : —
"1*11 mount my ocean steed. Though Canute block the Sound,
And o'er the sea I'll speed ; Rather than walk the ground,
Forests and hills are not for me,— And leave my ship. I'll see
I loTe the moTlng sea. What my ship will do for me."
Then King Olaf let everything be put in order for the
journey. The people had their walking clothing and
weapons, but their other clothes and effects they packed
upon such horses as they could get. Then he sent off
people to take his ships east to Caiman There he had
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the vessels laid up, and the ships' apparel and other goods
taken care of. Harek did as he had said, and waited for
a wind, and then sailed west to Scania, until, about the
decline of the day, he came with a fresh and fair wind
to the eastward of Holar. There he let the sail and the
vane, and flag and mast be taken down, and let the upper
works of the ship be covered over with some grey tilt-
canvas, and let a few men sit at the oars in the fore pdrt
and aft, but the most were sitting low down in the vessel.
When Canute's watchmen saw the ship, they talked
with each other about what ship it might be, and made
the guess that it must be one loaded with herrings or salt,
as they only saw a few men at the oars; and the ship,
besides, appeared to them grey, and wanting tar, as if
burnt up by the sun, and they saw also that it was deeply
loaded. Now when Harek came farther through the
Sound, and past the fleet, he raised the mast, hoisted sail,
and set up his gilded vane. The sail was white as snow,
and in it were red and blue stripes of cloth interwoven.
When the king's men saw the ship sailing in this state,
they told the king that probably King Olaf had sailed
through them. But King Canute replies, that King Olaf
was too prudent a man to sail with a single ship through
King Canute's fleet, and thought it more likely to be
Harek of Thjotta, or the like of him. Many believed the
truth to be that King Canute knew of this expedition of
Harek, and that it would not have succeeded so if they
had not concluded a friendship beforehand with each
other; which seemed likely, after King Canute's and
Harek's friendly understanding became generally known.
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Harek made this song as he sailed northward round
the isle of Vedrey : —
"The widowi of Lund may nnlle They may laugh or smile,
through their tears. But outside their isle
The Danish girls may hare their Old Harek still on to his North land
Jeen ; steers."
Harek went on his way, and never stopped till he came
north to Halogaland, to his own house in Thjotta.
169. — KING oi^af's course ^rom svithjod.
When King Olaf began his journey, he came first into
Smaland, and then into West Gautland. He marched
quietly and peaceably, and the country people gave him
all assistance on his journey. Thus he proceeded until
he came into Viken, and north through Viken <o Sarps-
borg, where he remained, and ordered a winter abode to
be prepared (1028). Then he gave most of the chiefs
leave to return home, but kept the lendermen by him
whom he thought the most serviceable. There were
with him also all the sons of Ame Ammodson, and they
stood in great favour with the king. Geller Thorkel-
son, who the summer before had come from Iceland, also
came there to the king, as before related.
170.— 01? SIGVAT THE SKALD.
Sigvat the skald had long been in King Olaf's house-
hold, as before related, and the king made him his mar-
shal. Sigvat had no talent for speaking in prose; but in
skaldcraft he was so practised, that the verses came as
readily from his tongue as if he were speaking in usual
language. He had made a mercantile journey to Nor-
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THE HEIMSKRINGLA
mandy, and in the course of it had come to England,
where he met King Canute, and obtained permission
from him to sail to Norway, as before related. When he
came to Norway he proceeded straight to King Olaf, and
found him at Sarpsborg. He presented himself before
the king just as he was sitting down to table. Sigvat
saluted him. The king looked at Sigvat and was silent.
Then Sigvat sang : —
"Great king ! thy marshal is come Great king ! what seat here shall he
home, take
No more by land or sea to roam, Por the king's honour — ^not his sake?
But by thy side Por all seats here
Still to abide. To me are dear."
Then was verified the old saying, that "many are the
ears of a king;" for King Olaf had heard all about Sig-
vat's journey, and that he had spoken with Canute. He
says to Sigvat, "I do not know if thou art my marshal,
or hast become one of Canute's men." Sigvat said: —
"Canute, whose golden gifts display Two masters at a time, I said,
A generous heart, would have me Were one too many for men bred
stay. Where truth and Tlrtue, shown to
Service In his great court to take, all.
And my own Norway king forsake. Make all men true in Olaf's hall."
Then King Olaf told Sigvat to take his seat where he
before used to sit ; and in a short time Sigvat was in as
high favour with the king as ever.
171. — OF ERLING SKJAI^GSON AND HIS SONS.
Erling Skjalgson and all his sons had been all summer
in King Canute's army, in the retinue of Earl Hakon.
Thorer Hund was also there, and was in high esteem.
Now when King Canute heard that King Olaf had gone
overland to Norway, he discharged his army, and gave
all men leave to go to their winter abodes. There was
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then in Denmark a great army of foreigners, both English,
Norwegians, and men of other countries, who had joined
the expedition in summer. In autumn (1027) Erling
Skjalgson went to Norway with his men, and received
great presents from King Canute at parting; but Thorer
Hund remained behind in King Canute's court. With
Erling went messengers frcwn King Canute well provided
with money ; and in winter they travelled through all the
country, paying the money which King Canute had
promised to many in autumn for their assistance. They
gave presents in money, besides, to many whose friend-
ship could b% purchased for King Canute. They received
much assistance in their travels from Erling. In this way
it came to pass that many turned their support to King
Canute, promised him their services, and agreed to op-
pose King Olaf. Some did this openly, but many more
concealed it from the public. King Olaf heard this news,
for many had something to tell him about it ; and the con-
versation in the court often turned upon it. Sigvat the
skald made a song upon it: —
•The baM traitors ply
With purses of gold.
Wanting to buy
What is not to be sold, —
The Icing's life and throne
Wanting to buy :
But our souls are our own.
And to hell we'll not hie.
No pleasure in heayen.
As we know full well.
To the traitor is given, —
His soul Is his hell."
Often also the conversation turned upon how ill it be-
seemed Earl Hakon to raise his hand in arms against
King Olaf, who had given him his life when he fell into
the king's power; but Sigvat was a particular friend of
Earl Hakon, and when he heard the earl spoken against
he sang: —
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"Our own court people we may With those who giye it's not the
blame, same.
If they take gold to their own From them we have no faith to
ahame, claim :
Their king and country to betray. 'Tia we are wrong, if we give way.*'
172.— OF KING OI^F^S PRESENTS AT YUI.E.
King Olaf gave a great feast at Yule, and many great
people had ccMne to him. It was the seventh day of Yule,
that the king, with a few persons, among whom was
Sigvat, who attended him day and night, went to a house
in which the king's most precious valuables were kept.
He had, according to his custom, collected there with
great care the valuable presents he was to make on New
Year's eve. There was in the house no small number of
gold-mounted swords; and Sigvat sang: —
"The swords stand there, A sword the skald would gladly take.
All bright and fair, — And use tt for his master's sake :
Those oars that dip in blood : In favour once he stood.
If I in favour stood. And a sword has stained In blood."
I too might have a share.
The king took a sword of which the handle was
twisted roimd with gold, and the guard was gold-
mounted, and gave it to him. It was a valuable article;
but the gift was not seen without envy, as will appear
hereafter.
Immediately after Yule (1028) the king began his
journey to the Uplands ; for he had a great many people
about him, but had received no income that autumn from
the North country, for there had been an armament in
summer, and the king had laid out all the revenues he
could command; and also he had no vessels with which
he and his people could go to the North. At the same
time he had news from the North, from which he could
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see that there would be no safety for him in that quarter,
unless he went with a great force. For these reasons he
determined to proceed through the Uplands, although it
was not so long a time since he had been there in guest-
quarters as the law prescribes, and as the kings usually
had the custom of observing in their visits. When he
came to the Uplands the lendermen and the richest bondes
invited him to be their guest, and thus lightened his ex-
penses.
173.^— OF BJORN TH^ BAILIFF.
There was a man called Bjorn who was of Gautland
family, and a friend and acquaintance of Queen Astrid,
and in some way related to her. She had given him
farm-management and other crffices in the upper part of
Hedemark. He had also the management of Osterdal
district. Bjorn was not in esteem with the king, nor
liked by the bondes. It happened in a hamlet which
Bjorn ruled over, that many swine and cattle were miss-
ing; therefore Bjorn ordered a Thing to be called to ex-
amine the matter. Such pillage he attributed chiefly to
the people settled in forest- farms far from other men; by
which he referred particularly to those who dwelt in Os-
terdal, for that district was very thinly inhabited, and
full of lakes and forest-cleanings, and but in few places
was any great neighbourhood together.
174. OP RAUD^S SONS.
There was a man called Raud who dwelt in Osterdal.
His wife was called Ragnhild; and his sons. Dag and
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Sigurd, were men of great talent. They were present at
the Thing, made a reply in defence of the Osterdal people,
and removed the accusaticxi from them. Bjom thought
they were too pert in their answer, and too fine in their
clothes and weapons; and therefore turned his speech
against these brothers, and said it was not unlikely they
may have committed these thefts. They denied it, and
the Thing closed. Soon after King Olaf, with his reti-
nue, came to guest-quarters in the house of bailiff Bjom.
The matter which had been before the Thing was then
ccmiplained of to the king; and Bjom said that Raud's
sons appeared to him to have committed these thefts. A
messenger was sent for Raud's sons ; and when they ap-
peared before the king he said they had not at all the ap-
pearance of thieves, and acquitted them. Thereupon
they invited the king, with all his retinue, to a three days*
entertainment at their father's; and although Bjom dis-
suaded him from it, the king went At Raud's there was
a very excellent feast. The king asked Raud what people
he and his wife were. Raud answered that he was orig-
inally a Swedish man, rich and of high birth ; "but I ran
away with the wife I have ever since had, and she is a
sister of King Hring Dagson." The king then remem-
bered both their families. He found that father and sons
were men of understanding, and asked them what they
could do. Sigurd said he could interpret dreams, and
determine the time of the day although no heavenly bodies
could be seen. The king made trial of his art, and found
it was as Sigurd had said. Dag stated, as his accom-
plishment, that he could see the misdeeds and vices of
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every man who came under his eye, when he chose to
observe him closely. The king told him to declare what
faults of disposition he saw in the king himself. Dag
mentioned a fault which the king was sensible he really
had. Then the king asked what fault the bailiff Bjorn
had. Dag said Bjorn was a thief; and told also where
Bjorn had concealed on his farm the bones, horns, and
hides of the cattle he had stolen in autumn; "for he com-
mitted," said Dag, "all the thefts in autumn which he
accuses other people of." Dag also told the king the
places where the king should go after leaving them.
When the king departed from Raud's house he was ac-
companied on the way, and presented with friendly gifts ;
and Raud's sons remained with the king. The king went
first to Bjorn's, and found there that all Dag had told
him was true. Upon which he drove Bjorn out of the
country ; and he had to thank the queen that he preserved
life and limbs.
175. — ^THORER^S DEATH.
Thorer, a son of Olver of Eggja, a stepson of Kalf
Arnason, and a sister's son of Thorer Hund, was a re-
markably handsome man, stout and strong. He was at
this time eighteen years old ; had made a good marriage
in Hedemark, by which he got great wealth; and was
besides one of the most popular of men, and formed to
be a chief. He invited the king and his retinue home to
him to a feast. The king accepted the invitation, went to
Thorer's, and was well received. The entertainment was
very splendid; they were excellently treated, and all that
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was set before the guests was of the best that could be
got. The king and his people talked among themselves
of the excellence of everything, and knew not what they
should admire the most, — ^whether Thorer's house out-
side, or the inside furniture, the table service, or the
liquors, or the host who gave them such a feast. But
Dag said little about it The king used often to speak
to Dag, and ask him about various things; and he had
proved the truth of all that Dag had said, both of things
that had happened or were to happen, and therefore the
king had much confidence in what he said. The king
called Dag to him to have a private conversation together,
and spoke to him about many things. Afterwards the
king turned the conversation on Thorer, — ^what an ex-
cellent man Thorer was, and what a superb feast he had
made for them. Dag answered but little to this, but
agreed it was true what the king said. The king then
asked Dag what disposition or faith he found in Thorer.
Dag replied that he must certainly consider Thorer of a
good disporftion, if he be really what most people believe
him to be. The king told him to answer direct what he
was asked, and said that it was his duty to do so. Dag
replies, "Then thou must allow me to determine the pun-
ishment if I disclose his faith.'' The king replied that
he would not submit his decision to another man, but
again ordered Dag to reply to what he asked.
Dag replies, "The sovereign's order goes before all.
I find this disposition in Thorer, as in so many others,
that he is too greedy of money."
The king: "Is he then a thief, or a robber?"
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"He is neither."
"What is he then?"
"To win money he is a traitor to his sovereign. He
has taken money from King Canute the Great for thy
head."
The king asks, "What proof hast thou of the truth of
this?"
Dag : "He has upon his right arm, above the elbow, a
thick gold ring, which King Canute gave him, and which
he lets no man see."
This ended their conference, and the king was very
wroth. Now as the king sat at table, and the guests
had drunk a while with great mirth, and Thorer went
round to see the guests well served, the king ordered
Thorer to be called to him. He went up before the table,
and laid his hands upon it.
The king asked, "How old a man art thou, Thorer ?"
He answered, "I am eighteen years old."
"A stout man thou art for those years, and thou hast
been fortunate also."
Then the king took his right hand, and felt it toyvards
the elbow.
Thorer said, "Take care, for I have a boil upon my
arm."
The king held his hand there, and felt there was some-
thing hard under it. "Hast thou not heard," said he,
"that I am a physician? Let me see the boil."
As Thorer saw it was of no use to conceal it longer,
he took off the ring and laid it on the table.
The king asked if that was the gift of King Canute.
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Thorer replied that he could not deny it was.
The king ordered him to be seized and laid in irons.
Kalf came up and entreated for mercy, and offered money
for him, which also was seconded by many ; but the king
was so wroth that nobody could get in a word. He said
Thorer should suffer the doom he had prepared for him-
self. Thereupon he ordered Thorer to be killed. This
deed was much detested in the Uplands, and not less in
the Throndhjem country, where many of Thorer's con-
nections were. Kalf took the death of this man much
to heart, for he had been his foster-son in childhood.
176. — THE FALL OF GRJOTGARD.
Grjotgard Olverson, Thorer's brother, and the eldest
of the brothers, was a very wealthy man, and had a great
troop of people about him. He lived also at this time in
Hedemark. When he heard that Thorer had been killed,
he made an attack upon the places where the king's goods
and men were; but, between whiles, he kept himself in
the forest and other secret places. When the king heard
of this disturbance, he had inquiry made about Grjot-
gard's haunts, and found out that he had taken up night-
quarters not far from where the king was. King Olaf
set out in the night-time, came there about day-dawn, and
placed a circle of men round the house in which Grjot-
gard was sleeping. Grjotgard and his men, roused by
the stir of people and clash of arms, ran to their weap-
ons, and Grjotgard himself sprang to the front room.
He asked who commanded the troop; and it was answered
him, "King Olaf was come there." Grjotgard asked if
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the king would hear his words. The king, who stood
at the door, said that Grjotgard might speak what he
pleased, and he would hear his words. Grjotgard said,
"I do not beg for mercy ;" and at the same moment he
rushed out, having his shield over his head, and his drawn
sword in his hand. It was not so much light that he
could see clearly. He struck his sword at the king; but
Arnbjorn ran in, and the thrust pierced him under his
armour into his stomach, and Arnbjorn got his death-
wound. Grjotgard was killed immediately, and most of
his people with him. After this event the king turned
back to the south to Viken.
177. — KING OLA]? SENDS i^OR HIS SHIPS AND GOODS.
Now when the king came to Tunsberg he sent men out
to all the districts, and ordered the people out upon a
levy. He had but a small provision of shipping, and
there were only bondes* vessels to be got. From the dis-
tricts in the near neighbourhood many people came to
him, but few from any distance; and it was soon found
that the people had turned away from the king. King
Olaf sent people to Gautland for his ships, and other
goods and wares which had been left there in autumn;
but the progress of these men was very slow, for it was
no better now than in autumn to sail through the Sound,
as King Canute had in spring fitted out an army through-
out the whole of the Danish dominions, and had no fewer
than 1200 vessels.
178. — KING oi^af's counsels.
The news came to Norway that King Canute had as-
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sembled an immense armament through all Denmark,
with which he intended to conquer Norway. When this
became known the people were less willing to join King
Olaf, and he got but little aid from the bondes. The
king's men often spdce about this among themselves.
Sigvat tells of it thus :^-
"Our men are few, our ships are O ! never be such king betrayed !
small, 'Tis evil counsel to depriye
While England's king Is strong in Our king of countrymen to striTe
all ; To saye their country, sword in hand :
But yet our king is not afraid — 'Tis money that betrays our land."
The king held meetings with the men of the court, and
sometimes House-things with all his people, and consulted
with them, what they should, in their opinion, undertake.
"We must not conceal from ourselves/' said he, "that
Canute will come here this summer; and that he has, as
ye all know, a large force, and we have at present but
few men to oppose to him; and, as matters now stand,
we cannot depend much on the fidelity of the country
people." The king's men replied to his speech in vari-
ous ways ; but it is said that Sigvat the skald replied thus,
advising flight, as treachery, not cowardice, was the cause
of it:—
"We may well fly, when even our Men may retire who long hare
foe shown
Offers us money if we go. Their faith and lore, and now alone
I may be blamed, accused of fear ; Retire because they cannot saye —
But treachery, not faith, rules here. This is no treachery in the braye."
179. — HAREK OP THJOTTA BURNS GRANK^I. AND HIS
MEN.
The same spring (1028) it happened in Halogaland
that Harek of Thjotta remembered how Asmund Gran-
kelson had plundered and beaten his house-servants. A
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cutter with twenty rowing-benches, which belonged to
Harek, was afloat in front of the house, with tent and
deck, and he spread the report that he intended to go
south to Throndhjem. One evening Harek went on
board with his house-servants, about eighty men, who
rowed the whole night; and he came towards itiorning
to Grankel's house, and surrounded it with his men.
They then made an attack on the house, and set fire to it ;
and Grankel with his people were burnt, and some were
killed outside; and in all about thirty men lost their
lives. After this deed Harek returned home, and sat
quietly in his farm. Asmund was with King Olaf when
he heard of it; therefore there was nobody in Haloga-
land to sue Harek for mulct for this deed, nor did he offer
any satisfaction.
180. — KING Canute's expedition to Norway.
Canute the Great collected his forces, and went to Lim-
f jord. When he was ready with his equipment he sailed
from thence with his whole fleet to Norway; made all
possible speed, and did not land to the eastward of the
Fjords, but crossed Folden, and landed in Agder, where
he summoned a Thing. The bondes came down from the
upper country to hold a Thing with Canute, who was
everywhere in that country accepted as king. Then he
placed men over the districts, and took hostages from the
bondes, and no man opposed him. King Olaf was in
Tunsberg when Canute's fleet sailed across the mouth of
the fjord. Canute sailed northwards along the coast,
and people came to him from all the districts, and
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promised him fealty. He lay a while in Egersund, where
Erling Skjalgson came to him with many people, and
King Canute and Erling renewed their league of friend-
ship. Among other things, Canute promised Erling the
whole country between Stad and Rygiarbit to rule over.
Then King Canute proceeded; and, to be short in our
tale, did not stop until he came to Throndhjem, and landed
at Nidaros. In Throndhjem he called together a Thing
for the eight districts, at which King Canute was chosen
king of all Norway. Thorer Hund, who had come with
King Canute from Denmark, was there, and also Harek
of Thjotta; and both were made sheriffs of the king,
and took the oath of fealty to him. King Canute gave
them great fiefs, and also right to the Lapland trade, and
presented them besides with great gifts. He enriched
all men who were inclined to enter into friendly accord
with him both with fiefs and money, and gave them
greater power than they had before.
181. — OF KING CANUTE.
When King Canute had laid the whole of Norway un-
der his authority, he called together a numerous Thing,
both of his own people and of the people of the country ;
and at it he made proclamation, that he made his relation
Earl Hakon the govemor-in-chief of all the land in Nor-
way that he had conquered in this expedition. In like
manner he led his son Hardaknut to the high-seat at his
side, gave him the title of king, and therewith the whole
Danish dominion. King Canute took as hostages from
all lendermen and great bondes in Norway either their
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sons, brothers, or other near connections, or the men who
were dearest to them and appeared to him most suitable ;
by which he, as before observed, secured their fidelity to
him. As soon as Earl Hakon had attained this power in
Norway his brother-in-law, Einar Tambaskelfer, made an
agreement with him, and received back all the fiefs he
formerly had possessed while the ^arls ruled the country.
King Canute gave Einar great gifts, and bound him by
great kindness to his interests ; and promised that Einar
should be the greatest and most important man in Nor-
way, among those who did not hold the highest dignity,
as long as he had power over the country. He added to
this, that Einar appeared to him the most suitable man to
hold the highest title of honour in Norway if no earls re-
mained, and his son Eindride also, on account of his high
birth. Einar placed a great value on these promises, and,
in return, promised the greatest fidelity. Einar's chief-
ship began anew with this.
182 — O^ THORARIN LOMUNGA.
There was a man by name Thorarin Loftunga, an Ice-
lander by birth, and a great skald, who had been much
with the kings and other great chiefs. He was now
with King Canute the Great, and had composed a flock,
or short poem, in his praise. When the king heard of
this he was very angry, and ordered him to bring the
next day ia drapa, or long poem, by the time he went to
table; and if he failed to do so, said the king, "he shall
be hanged for his impudence in composing such a small
poem about King Canute." Thorarin then composed a
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Stave as a refrain, which he inserted in the poem, and
also augmented it with several other strophes or verses.
This was the refrain : —
"Canute protects his realm, as Jore,
Guardian of Qreece. hla realm above.*'
King Canute rewarded him for the poem with fifty
marks of silver. The poem was called the "Headran-
som (Hofudlausn)." Thorarin composed another poem
about King Canute, which was called the "Campaign
Poem (Togdrapa) ;*' and therein he tells King Canute's
expedition when he sailed from Denmark to Norway;
and the following are strophes from one of the parts of
this poem: —
"Canute with all hia men ia out.
Under the heavens in war-ships
stout, —
Out on the sea, from Limfjord's
green.
My good, my brave friend's fleet is
seen.
The men of Adger on the coast
Tremble to see this mighty host:
The guilty tremble as they spy
The victor's fleet beneath the sky.
"The sight surpasses far the tale.
As glacing in the sun they sail ;
The king's ship glittering all with
gold.
And splendour there not to be told.
Round Lister many a coal-black mast
Of Canute's fleet is gliding past
And now through Bger sound they
ride.
Upon the gently heaving tide.
"And all the sound is covered o'er
With ships and sails, from shore to
shore,
A mighty king, a mighty host.
Hiding the sea on Bger coast
And peaceful men in haste now hie
Up Hiornagla-hill the fleet to spy.
As round the ness where Stad now
lies .
Bach high-stemmed ahip in splen-
dour flies.
"Nor seemed the voyage long, I trow»
To warrior on the high-built bow.
As o'er the ocean-mountaina riding
The land and hill seem past him
gliding.
With whistling breese and flashing
spray
Past Stein the gay ships dashed
away;
In open sea, the southern gale
Pilled every wide out-bellying sail.
"Still on they fly. still northward go,
Till he who conquers every foe.
The mighty Canute, came to land.
Far in the north on Throndhjem's
strand.
There this great king of Jutland race.
Whose deeds and gifts surpass in
grace
All other kings, bestowed the throne
Of Norway on his sister's son.
"To his own son he gave the crown
(This I must add to his renown)
Of Denmark — land of shadowy vales.
In which the white swan trims her
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Here it is told that King Canute's expedition was
grander than saga can tell; but Thorarin sang thus be-
cause he would pride himself upon being one of King
Canute's retinue when he came to Norway.
183— OF TH^ MESSENGERS SENT BY KING OI.AF FOR HIS
SHIPS.
The men whom King Olaf had sent eastwards to Gaut-
land after his ships took with them the vessels they
thought the best, and burnt the rest. The ship-apparel
and other goods belonging to the king and his men they
also took with them; and when they heard that King
Canute had gone to Norway they sailed west through the
Sound, and then north to Viken to King Olaf, to whom
they delivered his ships. He was then at Tunsberg.
When King Olaf learnt that King Canute was sailing
north along the coast, King Olaf steered with his fleet
into Oslo fjord, and into a branch of it called Drafn,
where he lay quiet until King Canute's fleet had sailed
southwards again. On this expedition which King
Canute made from the North along the coast, he held a
Thing in each district, and in every Thing the country
was bound by oath in fealty to him, and hostages were
given him. He went eastward across the mouths of the
fjords to Sarpsborg, and held a Thing there, and, as
elsewhere, the country was surrendered to him under oath
of fidelity. King Canute then returned south to Den-
mark, after having conquered Norway without stroke of
sword, and he ruled now over three kingdoms. So says
Halvard Hareksblese when he sang of King Canute : —
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"The warrlor-klng, whose blood- Peace now he gives us fast and sure,
stain'd shield Since Norway too is made secure
Has shone on many a hard-fought By him who oft. in days of yore,
field, Glutted the hawk and wolf with
England and Denmark now has won, gore."
And o'er three kingdoms rules alone.
184.— OF KING OI.AF IN HIS PROCEEDINGS.
King Olaf sailed with his ships out to Tunsberg, as
soon as he heard that King Canute had turned back, and
was gone south to Denmark. He then made himself
ready with the men who liked to follow him, and had
then thirteen ships. Afterwards he sailed out along
Viken ; but got little money, and few men, as those only
followed him who dwelt in islands, or on outlying points
of land. The king landed in such places, but got only
the money and men that fell in his way; and he soon
perceived that the country had abandoned him. He pro-
ceeded on according to the winds. This was in the be-
ginning of winter (1029). Tke wind turned very late
in the season in their favour, so that they lay long in the
Seley islands, where they heard the news from the North,
through merchants, who told the king that Erling Skjalg-
son had collected a great force in Jadar, and that his ship
lay fully rigged outside of the land, together with many
other vessels belonging to the bondes; namely, skiffs,
fisher-yachts, and great row-boats. Then the king sailed
with his fleet from the East, and lay a while in Egersund.
Both parties heard of each other now, and Erling assem-
bled all the men he could.
185.— OF KING oi.af's voyage.
On Thomasmas, before Yule (Dec. 21), the king left
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the harbour as soon as day appeared. With a good but
rather strong gale he sailed northwards past Jadar. The
weather was rainy, with dark flying clouds in the sky.
The spies went immediately in through the Jadar country
when the king sailed past it ; and as soon as Erling heard
that the king was sailing past from the East, he let the
war-horn call all the people on board, and the whole
force hastened to the ships, and prepared for battle. The
king's ship passed by Jadar at a great rate; but thereaf-
ter turned in towards the land, intending to run up the
fjords to gather men and money. Erling Skjalgson per-
ceived this, and sailed after him with a great force and
many ships. Swiftly their vessels flew, for they had
nothing on board but men and arms : but Erling's ship
went much faster than the others ; therefore he took in a
reef in the sails, and waited for the other vessels. Then
the king saw that Erling with his fleet gained upon him
fast; for the king's ships were heavily laden, and were
besides water-soaked, having been in the sea the whole
summer, autumn, and winter, up to this time. He saw
also that there would be a great want of men, if he should
go against the whole of Erling's fleet when it was as-
sembled. He hailed from ship to ship the orders to let
the sails gently sink, and to unship the booms and out-
riggers, which was done. When Erling saw this he calls
out to his people, and orders them to get on more sail.
"Ye see," says he, "that their sails are diminishing, and
they are getting fast away from our sight." He took
the reef out of the sails of his ship, and outsailed all the
others immediately ; for Erling was very eager in his pur-
suit of King Olaf.
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186.— OP ERUNG skjalgson's FALI^
King Olaf then steered in towards the Bokn fjord, by
which the ships came out of sight of each other. There-
after the king ordered his men to strike the sails, and row
forwards through a narrow sound that was there, and
all the ships lay collected within a rocky point. Then
all the king's men put on their weapons. Erling sailed
in through the sound, and observed nothing until the
whole fleet was before him, and he saw the king's men
rowing towards him with all their ships at once. Erling
and his crew let fall the sails, and seized their weapons;
but the king's fleet surrounded his ship on all sides.
Then the fight began, and it was of the sharpest; but
soon the greatest loss was among Erling's men. Erling
stood on the quarter-deck of his ship. He had a helmet
on his head, a shield before him, and a sword in his
hand. Sigvat the skald had remained behind in Viken,
and heard the tidings. He was a great friend of Erling,
had received presents from him, and had been at his house.
Sigvat composed a poem upon Erling's fall, in which there
IS the following verse : —
"Iflrllng has Mt his ship on sea— With Uie king's fleet, the fray will
Against the king awax is he : bide.
He who oft lets the eagle stain Now sword to sword the flght Is
Her xellow feet in blood of slain. raging.
His little war-ship side hj side Which Brling with the king is wag-
ing."
Then Erling's men b^^an to fall, and at the same mc^-
ment his ship was carried by boarding, and every man
of his died in his place. The king himself was amongst
the foremost in the fray. So says Sigvat : —
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"Tbe king's men hewed with hasty The decks were slippery with red
sword, — gore ;
The king urged on the ship to Warm blood was dropping in the
board. — sound.
All o'er the decks the wounded lay: Where the king's sword was gleam*
Right fierce and bloody was that fray. ing round."
In Tungur sound, on Jadar shore.
So ehtirely had Erling's men fallen, that not a man
remained standing in his ship but himself alone ; for there
was none who asked for quarter, or none who got it if he
did ask. There was no opening for flight, for there lay
ships all around Erling's ship on every side, and it is told
for certain that no man attempted to fly; and Sigvat
says : —
"All Erling's men fell In the fray, Brllng alone, the brave, the stout.
Off Bokn fjord, this hard-fought day. Cut off from all. yet still held out ;
The brave king boarded, onward High on the stern — a sight to see —
cheered. In his lone ship alone stood he."
And north of Tungur the deck was
cleared.
Then Erling was attacked both from the forecastle
and from the other ships. There was a large space upon
the poop which stood high above the other ships, and
which nobody could reach but by arrow-shot, or partly
with the thrust of spear, but which he always struck
from him by parrying. Erling defended himself so man-
fully, that no example is known of one man having sus-
tained the attack of so many men so long. Yet he never
tried to get away, nor asked for quarter. So says Sig-
vat: —
"Skjalg's brave son no mercy Against his shield was ever ringing.
craves. — So Brling stood ; but fate had willed
The battle's fury still he braves; His life off Bokn should be spilled.
The spear-storm, through the air No braver man has. since his day,
sharp singing. Past Bokn fjord ta'en his way."
When Olaf went back a little upon the fore-deck he
saw Erling's behaviour ; and the king accosted him thus :
— "Thou hast turned against me to-day, Erling."
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He replies, "The eagle turns his claws in defence when
torn asunder." Sigvat the skald tells thus of these words
of Erling: —
"Erling, our best defence of old, — The very words which once before
Erling the braye« the brisk, the To Olaf he had said on shore.
bold, — At Utsteln. when they both prepared
Stood to his arms, gaily crying. To meet the foe, and danger shared."
'Eagles should show their claws,
though dying:'
Then said the king, "Wilt thou enter into my service,
Erling?"
"That I will," said he; took the helmet off his head,
laid down his sword and shield, and went forward to the
forecastle deck.
The king struck him in the chin with the sharp point
of his battle-axe, and said, "I shall mark thee as a trai-
tor to thy sovereign."
Then Aslak Fitiaskalle rose up, and struck Erling in
the head with an axe, so that it stood fast in his brain,
and was instantly his death-wound. Thus Erling lost his
life.
The king said to Aslak, "May all ill luck attend thee
for that stroke; for thou hast struck Norway out of my
hands."
Aslak replied, "It is bad enough if that stroke dis-
please thee, for I thought it was striking Norway into
thy hands ; and if I have given thee offence, sire, by this
stroke, and have thy ill-will for it, it will go badly with
me, for I will get so many men's ill-will and enmity for
this deed that I would need all your protection and fa-
vour."
The king replied that he should have it.
Thereafter the king ordered every man to return to his
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ship, and to get ready to depart as fast as he could.
"We will not plunder the slain," says he, "and each man
may keep what he has taken." The men returned to the
ships and prepared themselves for the departure as quickly
as possible ; and scarcely was this done before the vessels
of the bondes ran in from the south into the sound. It
went with the bonde-army as is often seen, that the men,
although many in numbers, know not what to do when
they have experienced a check, have lost their chief, and
are without leaders. None of Erling's sons were there,
and the bondes therefore made no attack, and the king
sailed on his way northwards. But the bondes took Er-
ling's corpse, adorned it, and carried it with them home to
Sole, and also the bodies of all who had fallen. There
was great lamentation over Erling; and it has been a.
common observation among people, that Erling Skjalgson
was the greatest and worthiest man in Norway of those
who had no high title. Sigvat made these verses upon
the occasion: —
"Thus Erling fell — and such a gain In truth no man I ever knew
To buy with such a loss was vain ; Was, in all ways, so firm and true ;
For better man than he ne'er died, Free from servility and pride.
And the king's gain was small be- Honoured by all, yet thus he died."
side.
Sigvat also says that Aslak had very unthinkingly
committed this murder of his own kinsman : —
"Norway's brave defender's dead ! His kinsman's murder on him lies —
Aslak has heaped on his own head Our forefathers, in sayings wise.
The guilt of murdering his own kin : Have said, what is unknown to few.
May few be guilty of such sin ! 'Kinsmen to kinsmen should be
true.' "
187.— OI^ THE INSURRECTION O^ AGDER DISTRICT.
Of Erling's sons some at that time were north in
Throndhjem, scmie in Hordaland, and some in the Fjord
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district, for the purpose of collecting men. When Er-
ling's death was reported, the news came also that there
was a levy raising in Agder, Hordaland, and Rogaland.
Forces were raised and a great army assembled, under
Erling's sons, to pursue King Olaf.
When King Olaf retired from the battle with Erling
he went northward through the sounds, and it was late
in the day. It is related that the king then made the fol-
lowing verses: —
"Tbls night, wlUi battle sounds wild The far-descended Brllng's life
ringing. Too soon has fallen; but, in tlM
Small jor to the fair youth is bring- strife
ing He met the luck they well deserre
Who sits in Jadar, little dreaming Who from their faith and fealtj
O'er what this night the raren's swenre."
screaming.
Afterwards the king sailed with his fleet along the
land northwards, and got certain tidings of the bondes
assembling an army. There were many chiefs and len-
dermen at this time with King Olaf, and all the sons of
Arne. Of this Bjame Gullbrarskald speaks in the poem
he composed about Kalf Arnason : —
"Kalf ! thou hast fought at Bokn The people suffered in the strife
well ; When noble Erling lost his life.
Of thy brave doings all men tell : And north of Utstein many a speck
When Harald's son his men urged on Of blood lay black upon the deck.
To the hard strife, thy courage shone. The king, 'tis clear, has been de-
Thou soon hadst made a good Tule ceiTed,
feast By treason of his land bereaved;
For greedy wolf there in the Bast : And Agder now, whose force is great.
Where stone and spear were flying will rule o'er all parts of the state. '^
round.
There thou wast still the foremost
found.
King Olaf continued his voyage until he came north
of Stad, and brought up at the Herey Isles. Here he
heard the news that Earl Hakon had a great war-force in
Throndhjem, and thereupon the king held a council with
his people. Kalf Arnason urged much to advance to
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Throndhjem, and fight Earl Hakon, notwithstanding the
difference of numbers. Many others supported this ad-
vice, but others dissuaded from it, and the matter was
left to the king's judgment.
188. — DEATH O^ ASLAK FITIASKAI^LE.
Afterwards the king went into Steinavag, and remained
there all night ; but Aslak Fitiaskalle ran into Borgund,
where he remained the night, and where Vigleik Arna-
son was before him. In the morning, when Aslak was
about returning on board, Vigleik assaulted him, and
sought to avenge Erling's murder. Aslak fell there.
Some of the king's court-men, who had been home all
summer, joined the king here. They came from Frekey-
sund, and brought the king tidings that Earl Hakon, and
many lendermen with him, had come in the morning to
Frekeysund with a large force; "and they will end thy
days, sire, if they have strength enough." Now the king
sent his men up to a hill that was near; and when they
came to the top, and looked northwards to Bjamey
Island, they perceived that a great armament of many
ships was coming from the north, and they hastened back
to the king with this intelligence. The king, who was
lying there with only twelve ships, ordered the war-horn
to sound, the tents to be taken down on his ships, and they
took to their oars. When they were quite ready, and
were leaving the harbour, the bonde army sailed north
around Thiotande with twenty-five ships. The king then
steered inside of Nyrfe Island, and inside of Hundsver.
Now when King Olaf came right abreast of Borgund, the
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ship which Aslak had steered came out to meet him, and
when they foimd the king told him the tidings, — that
Vigleik Arnason had killed Aslak Fitiaskalle, because he
had killed Erling Skjalgson. The king took this news
very angrily, but could not delay his voyage on account
of the enemy and he sailed in by V^sund and Skot.
There some of his people left him; among others, Kalf
Arnason, with many other lendermen and ship command-
ers, who all went to meet Earl Hakon. King Olaf, how-
ever, proceeded on his way without stopping until he came
to Todar fjord, whefe he brought up at Valdai, and
landed from his ship. He had then five ships with him,
which he drew up upon the shore, and took care of their
sails and materials. Then he set up his land-tent upon
a point of land called Suit, where there are pretty flat
fields, and set up a cross near to the point of land. A
bonde, by name Bruse, who dwelt there in More, and
was chief over the valley, came down to King Olaf, to-
gether with many other bondes, and recdved him well,
and according to his dignity; and he was friendly, and
pleased with their reception of him. Then the king asked
if there was a passable road up in the country from the
valley to Lesjar; and Bruse replied, that there was an
urd in the valley called Skerfsurd not passable for man
or beast King Olaf answers, "That we must try, bonde,
and it will go as God pleases. Come here in the morning
with your yoke, and come yourself with it, and let us
then see, when we come to the sloping precipice, what
chance there may be, and if we cannot devise some means
of coming over it with horses and people."
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189.— CI<EARING O^ THE URD.
Now when day broke the bondes drove down with their
yokes, as the king had told them. The clothes and weap-
ons were packed upon horses, but the king and all the
people went on foot. He went thus until he came to a
place called Krosbrekka, and when he came up upon the
hill he rested himself, sat down there a while, looked down
over the fjord, and said, "A difficult expedition ye have
thrown upon my hands, ye lendermen, who have now
changed your fealty, although but a little while ago ye
were my friends and faithful to me." There are now two
crosses erected upon the bank on which the king sat.
Then the king mounted a horse, and rode without stop-
ping up the valley, until he came to the precipice. Then
the king asked Bruse if there was no summer hut of cat-
tle-herds in the neighbourhood, where they could remain.
He said there was. The king ordered his land-tent to
be set up, and remained there all night. In the morning
the king ordered them to drive to the urd, and try if they
could get across it with the waggons. They drove there,
and the king remained in the meantime in his tent. To-
wards evening the king's court-men and the bondes came
back, and told how they had had a very fatiguing labour,
without making any progress, and that there never could
be a road made that they could get across ; so they con-
tinued there the second night, during which, for the whole
night, the king was occupied in prayer. As soon as he
observed day dawning he ordered his men to drive again
to the urd, and try once more if they could get across it
with the waggons; but they went very unwillingly, say-
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ing nothing could be gained by it. When they were gone
the man who had charge of the king's kitchen came, and
said there were only two carcasses of young cattle remain-
ing of provision : "Although you, sire, have 400 men, and
there are 100 bondes besides." Then the king ordered
that he should set all the kettles on the fire, and put a
little bit of meat in each kettle, which was done. Then
the king went there, and made the sign of the cross over
each kettle, and told them to make ready the meat. The
king then went to the urd called Skerfsurd, where a road
should be cleared. When the king came all his people
were sitting down, quite worn out with the hard labour.
Bruse said, "I told you, sire, but you would not believe
me, that we could make nothing of this urd. The king
laid aside his cloak, and told them to go to work once
more at the urd. They did so, and now twenty men could
handle stones which before TOO men could not move from
the place; and thus before midday the road was cleared
so well that it was as passable for men, and for horses
with packs, as a road in the plain fields. The king, after
this, went down again to where the meat was, which
place is called Olaf 's Rock. Near the rock is a spring, at
which Olaf washed himself; and therefore at tl\e present
day, when the cattle in the valley are sick, their illness is
made better by their drinking at this well. Thereafter
the king sat down to table with all the others ; and when
he was satisfied he asked if there was any other sheeling
on the other side of the urd, and near the mountains,
where they could pass the night. Bruse said there was
such a sheeling, called Groningar ; but that nobody could
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pass the night there on account of witchcraft, and evil
beings who were in the sheeling. Then the king said
they must get ready for their journey, as he wanted to be
at the sheeling for the night. Then came the kitchen-
master to the king, and tells that there was come an ex-
traordinary supply of provisions, and he did not know
where it had come from, or how. The king thanked
God for this blessing, and gave the bondes who drove
down again to their valley some rations of food, but re-
mained himself all night in the sheeling. In the middle
of the night, while the people were asleep, there was heard
in the cattle-fold a dreadful cry, and these words : "Now
Olaf's prayers are burning me," says the spirit, "so that
I can no longer be in my habitation ; now must I fly, and
never more come to this fold." When the king's people
awoke in the morning the king proceeded to the moun-
tains, and said to Bruse, "Here shall now a farm be
settled, and the bonde who dwells here shall never want
what is needful for the support of life; and never shall
his crop be destroyed by frost, although the crops be
frozen on the farms both above it and below it." Then
the king proceeded over the mountains, and came to a
farm called Einby, where he remained for the night.
King Olaf had then been fifteen years king of Norway
(1015-1029), including the year both he and Svein were
in the country, and this year we have now been telling
about. It was, namely, a little past Yule when the king
left his ships and took to the land, as before related. Of
this portion of his reign the priest Are Thorgilson the
Wise was the first who wrote ; and he was both faithful
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in his story, of a good memory, and so old a man that he
could remember the men, and had heard their accounts,
who were so old that through their age they could re-
member these circumstances as he himself wrote them in
his books, and he named the men from whom he received
his information. Otherwise it is generally said that King
Olaf had been fifteen years king of Norway when he fell ;
but they who say so reckon to Earl Svein's government,
the last year he was in the country, for King Olaf lived
fifteen years afterwards as king.
190. — olaf's prophecies.
When the king had been one night at Lesjar he pro-
ceeded on his journey with his men, day by day; first
into Gudbrandsdal, and from thence out to Hedemark.
Now it was seen who had been his friends, for they fol-
lowed him; but those who had served him with less fidel-
ity separated from him, and scmie showed him even indif-
ference, or even full hostility, which afterwards was ap-
parent; and also it could be seen clearly in many Up-
land people that they took very ill his putting Thorer
to death, as before related. King Olaf gave leave to re-
turn home to many of his men who had farms and children
to take care of; for it seemed to them uncertain what
safety there might be for the families and property of
those who left the country with him. Then the king ex-
plained to his friends his intention of leaving the country,
and going first east into Svithjod, and there taking his
determination as to where he should go; but he let his
friends know his intention to return to the country, and
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regain his kingdom, if God should grant him longer life;
and he did not conceal his expectation that the people of
Norway would again return to their fealty to .him. "I
think," says he, "that Earl Hakon will have Norway but
a short time under his power, which many will not think
an extraordinary expectation, as Earl Hakon has had but
little luck against me : but probably few people will trust
to my prophecy, that Canute the Great will in the course
of a few years die, and his kingdoms vanish ; and there will
be no risings in favour of his race." When the king had
ended his speech, his men prepared themselves for their
departure. The king, with the troop that followed him,
turned east to Eid forest. And there were along with
him the Queen Astrid; their daughter Ulfhild; Magnus,
King Olaf's son; Ragnvald Brusason; the three sons of
Arne, Thorberg, Fin, and Ame, with many lendermen;
and the king's attendants consisted of many chosen men.
Bjom the marshal got leave to go home, and he went to
his farm, and many others of the king's friends returned
home with his permission to their farms. The king
begged them to let him know the events which might
happen in the country, and which it might be important
for him to know: and now the king proceeded on his
way.
191. — KING 0I.AF PROCEEDS TO RUSSIA.
It is to be related of King Olaf's journey, that he went
first from Norway eastward through Eid forest to Verm-
aland, then to Vatnsby, and through the forests in which
there are roads, until he came out in Nerike district. There
dwelt a rich and powerful man in that part called Sig-
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tryg, who had a son, Ivar, who afterwards became a dis-
tinguished person. Olaf stayed with Sigtryg all spring
(1029) : and when summer came he made ready for a
journey, procured a ship for himself, and without stop-
ping went on to Russia to King Jarisleif and his queen
Ingegerd; but his own queen Astrid, and their daughter
Ulfhild, remained behind in Svithjod, and the king took
his son Magnus eastward with him. King Jarisleif re-
ceived King Olaf in the kindest manner, and made him
the offer to remain with him, and to have so much land
as was necessary for defraying the expense of the en-
tertainment of his followers. King Olaf accepted this
offer thankfully, and remained there. It is related that
King Olaf was distinguished all his life for pious habits,
and zeal in his prayers to God. But afterwards, when
he saw his own power diminished, and that of his adver-
saries augmented, he turned all his mind to God's service ;
for he was not distracted by other thoughts, or by the
labour he formerly had upon his hands, for during all
the time he sat upon the throne he was endeavouring to
promote what was most useful : and first to free and pro-
tect the country from foreign chiefs* oppressions, then to
convert the people to the right faith ; and also to estab-
lish law and the rights of the country, which he did 6y
letting justice have its way, and punishing evil-doers.
192— CAUSES O^ THE REVOLT AGAINST KING OLAF.
It had been an old custom in Norway that the sons
of lendermen, or other great men, went out in war-ships
to gather property, and they marauded both in the coun-
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try and out of the country. But after King Olaf came to
the sovereignty he protected the country, so that he abol-
ished all plundering there ; and even if they were the sons
of powerful men who committed any depredation, or did
what the king considered against law, he did not spare
them at all, but they must suffer in life or limbs; and no
man's entreaties, and no offer of money-penalties, could
help them. So says Sigvat : —
"They who on viking cruises drove He made the bravest lose his head
With gifts of red gold often strove Who robbed at sea, and pirates led ;
To buy their safety — but our chief And his Just sword gave peace to all.
Had no compassion for the thief. Sparing no robber, great or small."
And he also says : —
"Oreat king! whose sword on many The country's guardian showed his
a field might
Food to the wandering wolf did When oft he made his Just sword
yield, bite
And then the thief and pirate band Through many a viking's neck and
Swept wholly off by sea and land — hair.
Good king ! who for the people's sake And never would the guilty spare.
Set hands and feet upon a stake. King Magnus' father. I must say.
When plunderers of great name and Did many a good deed in his day.
bold Olaf the Thick was stern and stout.
Harried the country as of old. Much good his victories brought out"
He punished great and small with equal severity, which
appeared to the chief people of the country too severe;
and animosity rose to the highest when they lost relatives
by the king's just sentence, although they were in reality
guilty. This was the origin of the hostility of the great
men of the country to King Olaf, that they could not
bear his just judgments. He again would rather re-
nounce his dignity than omit righteous judgment. The
accusation against him, of being stingy with his money,
was not just, for he was a most generous man towards his
friends ;. but that alone was the cause of the discontent
raised against him, that he appeared hard and severe in
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his retributions. Besides, King Canute offered great
sums of money, and the great chiefs were corrupted by
this, and by his offering them greater dignities than they
had possessed before. The inclinations of the people,
also, were all in favour of Earl Hakon, who was much
beloved by the country folks when he ruled the country
before.
193.^-OF JOKUI, BARDSON.
Earl Hakon had sailed with his fleet from Throndhjem,
and gone south to More against King Olaf, as before re-
lated. Now when the king bore away, and ran into the
fjord, the earl followed him thither ; and then Kalf Ama-
son came to meet him, with many of the men who had de-
serted King Olaf. Kalf was well received. The earl
steered in through Todar fjord to Valdai, where the king
had laid up his ships on the strand. He took the ships
which belonged to the king, had them put upon the wator
and rigged, and cast lots, and put commanders in charge
of them according to the lots. There was a man called
Jokul, who was an Icelander, a son of Bard Jokulson of
Vatnsdal ; the lot fell upon Jokul to command the Bison,
which King Olaf himself had commanded. Jokul made
these verses upon it: —
"Mine It the lot to take the helm My girl will never hear the tiding.
Which Olaf owned, who owned the Till o'er the wild wave I con^ riding
realm; In Olaf a ship, who loTed his gold.
From Suit King Clara ship to steer And lost his ships with wealth un-
(111 luck I dread on his reindeer). told."
We may here shortly tell what happened a long time
after, — that this Jokul fell in with King Olaf s men in
the island of Gotland, and the king ordered him to be
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taken out to be beheaded. A willow twig accordingly
was plaited in with his hair, and a man held him fast by
it. Jokul sat down upon a bank, and a man swung the
axe to execute him ; but Jokul hearing the sound, raised
his head, and the blow struck him in the head, and made
a dreadful wound. As the king saw it would be his
death-wound, he ordered them to let him lie with it. Jokul
raised himself up, and he sang: —
'*lf 7 hard fate I mourn, — U7 woonds bum aore ;
Alas ! my woundi bum. But I suffer still more
Mj red wounds are saplns. From the king's angry word.
My life-blood escaping. Than his sharp-biting sword."
194.^-OIf KAI.If ARNASON.
Kalf Arnason went with Earl Hakon north to Thrond-
hjem, and the earl invited him to enter into his service.
Kalf said he would first go home to his farm at Eggja,
and afterwards make his determination ; and Kalf did so.
When he came hc«ne he found his wife Sigrid much irri-
tated ; and she reckoned up all the sorrow inflicted on her,
as she insisted, by King Olaf. First, he had ordered her
first husband Olver to be killed. "And now since," says
she, "my two sons ; and thou thyself, Kalf, wert present
when they were cut off, and which I little expected from
thee." Kalf says, it was much against his will that
Thorer was killed. "I offered money-penalty for him,"
says he ; "and when Gr jotgard was killed I lost my brother
Ambjorn at the same time." She replies, "It is well
thou hast suffered this from the king; for thou mayest
perhaps avenge him, although thou wilt not avenge my
injuries. Thou sawest how thy foster-son Thorer was
killed, with all the regard of the king for thee." She
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frequently brought out such vexatious speeches to Kalf,
to which he often answered angrily ; but yet he allowed
himself to be persuaded by her to enter into the earl's
service, on condition of renewing his fiefs to him. Sigrid
sent word to the earl how far she had brought the matter
with Kalf. As soon as the earl heard of it, he sent a mes-
sage to Kalf that he should come to the town to him.
Kalf did not decline the invitation, but came directly to
Nidaros, and waited on the earl, who received him kindly.
In their conversation it was fully agreed upon that Kalf
should go into the earl's service, and should receive great
fiefs. After this Kalf returned home, and had the
greater part of the interior of the Throodhjem country
under him. As soon as it was spring Kalf rigged out a
ship that belonged to him, and when she was ready he
put to sea, and sailed west to England ; for he had heard
that in spring King Canute was to sail from Denmark to
England, and that King Canute had given Harald, a son
of Thorkel the High, an earldom in Denmark. Kalf
Amason went to King Canute as soon as he arrived in
England. B jarne Gullbrarskald tells of this : —
'*Kins Olaf eastward o*er the sea Whilst thou— the truth I still win
To Russia's mooarch had to flee ; saj.
Our Harald's brother ploughed the Nor fear nor favour can me sway —
main. Thou to Kins Canute hastened fast.
And furrowed white its dark-blue As soon as Olars ,luck was past*'
plain.
Now when Kalf came to King Canute the king re-
ceived him particularly well, and had many conversa-
tions with him. Among other things, King Canute, in
a conference, asked Kalf to bind himself to raise a war-
fare against King Olaf, if ever he should return to the
countrj'. "And for which," says the king, "I will give
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thee the earldom, and place thee to rule over Norway;
and my relation Hakon shall come to me, which will suit
him better, for he is so honourable and trustworthy that
I believe he would not even throw a spear against the per-
son of King Olaf if he came back to the country." Kalf
lent his ear to what the king proposed, for he had a great
desire to attain this high dignity ; and this conclusion was
settled upon between King Canute and Kalf. Kalf then
prepared to return home, and on his departure he re-
ceived splendid presents from King Canute. Bjame the
skald tells of these circumstances : —
"Sprung from old earls! — ^to Bng- For when thy course was bent for
land's lord home.
Thou owest many a thankful word (Although that luck Is not jet come,)
For many a gift : if all be true. That Norway should be thine/ 'tis
Thy interest has been kept in view ; said.
The London king a promise made."
Kalf thereafter returned to Norway, and came to his
farm.
195.— OF THE DEATH OF EARL HAKON.
Earl Hakon left the country this summer (1029), and
went to England, and when he came there was well re-
ceived by the king. The earl had a bride in England, and
he travelled to conclude this marriage, and as he intended
holding his wedding in Norway, he came to procure those
things for it in England which it was difficult to get in
Norway. In autumn he made ready for his return, but
it was somewhat late before he was clear for sea ; but at
last he set out. Of his voyage all that can be told is,
that the vessel was lost, and not a man escaped. Some
relate that the vessel was seen north of Caithness in the
evening in a heavy storm, and the wind blowing out of
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Pentland Firth. They who believe this report say the
vessel drove out among the breakers of the ocean; but
with certainty people knew only that Earl Hakon was
missing in the ocean, and nothing belonging to the ship
ever came to land. The same autumn some merchants
came to Norway, who told the tidings that were going
through the country of Earl Hakon being missing; and
all men knew that he neither came to Norway nor to
England that autumn, so that Norway that winter was
without a head.
196.^-OF BJORN THE MARSHA!..
Bjom the marshal sat at home on his farm after his
parting from King Olaf. Bjorn was a celebrated man;
therefore it was soon reported far and wide that he had
set himself down in quietness. Earl Hakon and the other
chiefs of the country heard this also, and sent persons with
a verbal message to Bjorn. When the messengers ar-
rived Bjom received them well; and afterwards Bjom
called them to him to a conference, and asked their busi-
ness. He who was their foreman presented to Bjom the
salutations of King Canute, Earl Hakon, and of several
chiefs. "King Canute," says he, "has heard much of
thee, and that thou hast been long a follower of King
Olaf the Thick, and hast been a great enemy of King
Canute; and this he thinks not right, for he will be thy
friend, and the friend of all worthy men, if thou wilt
turn from thy friendship to King Olaf and become his
enemy. And the only thing now thou canst do is to seek
friendship and protection there where it is most readily
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to be found, and which all men in this northern world
think it most honourable to be favoured with. Ye who
have followed Olaf the Thick should consider how he is
now separated from you; and that now ye have no aid
against King Canute and his men, whose lands ye plun-
dered last summer, and whose friends ye murdered.^
Therefore ye ought to accept, with thanks, the friendship
which the king offers you ; and it would become you bet-
ter if you offered money even in mulct to obtain it."
When he«had ended his speech Bjom replies, "I wish
now to sit quietly at home, and not to enter into the service
of any chief.'*
The messenger answers, "Such men as thou art are
just the right men to serve the king; and now I can tell
thee there are just two things for thee to choose, — either
to depart in peace from thy property, and wander about
as thy comrade Olaf is doing ; or, which is evidently better,
to accept King Canute's and Earl Hakon's friendship, be-
come their man, and take the oaths of fealty to them.
Receive now thy reward." And he displayed to him
a large bag full of English money.
Bjom was a man fond of money, and self-interested ;
and when he saw the silver he was silent, and reflected
with himself what resolution he should take. It seemed
to him much to abandon his property, as he did not think
it probable that King Olaf would ever have a rising in his
favour in Norway. Now when the messenger saw that
Bjom's inclinations were turned towards the money, he
threw down two thick gold rings, and said, "Take the
money at once, Bjom, and swear the oaths to King
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Canute; for I can promise thee that this money is but a
trifle, compared to what thou wilt receive if thou fol-
lowest King Canute."
By the heap of money, the fine .promises, and the great
presents, he was led by covetousness, took the money, went
into King Canute's service, and gave the oaths of fealty
to King Canute and Earl Hakon, and then the messen-
gers departed.
197.— OP BJORN THE MARSHAI^'S JOURNEY.
When Bjom heard the tidings that Earl Hakon was
missing he soon altered his mind, and was much vexed
with himself for having been a traitor in his fidelity to
King Olaf. He thought, now, that he was freed from
the oath by which he had bound himself to Earl Hakon.
It seemed to Bjorn that now there was some hope that
King Olaf might again come to the throne of Norway if
he came back, as the country was without a head. Bjom
therefore immediately made himself ready to travel, and
took some men with him. He then set out on his journey,
travelling night and day, on horseback when he could,
and by ship when he found occasion; and never halted
until he came, after Yule, east to Russia to King Olaf,
who was very glad to see Bjom. Then the king inquired
much about the news from Norway. Bjorn tells him that
Earl HakcMi was missing, and the kingdom left without
a head. At this news the men who had followed King
Olaf were very glad, — all who had left property, con-
nections, and friends in Norway; and the longing for
home was awakened in them. Bjorn told King Olaf
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much news from Norway, and very anxious the king was
to know, and asked much how his friends had kept their
fidelity towards him. Bjom answered, it had gone differ-
ently with different people.
Then Bjom stood up, fell at the king^s feet, held his
foot, and said, "All is in your power, sire, and in God's !
I have taken money from King Canute's men, and sworn
them the oaths of fealty ; but now will I follow thee, and
not part from thee so long as we both live."
The king replies, "Stand up, Bjorn: thou shalt be
reconciled with me; but reconcile thy perjury with God.
I can see that but few men in Norway have held fast by
their fealty, when such men as thou art could be false to
me. But true it is also that people sit in great danger
when I am distant, and they are exposed to the wrath of
my enemies."
Bjorn then reckoned up those who had principally
bound themselves to rise in hostility against the king and
his men; and named, among others, Erling's son in
Jadar and their connections, Einar Tambaskelfer, Kalf
Am' son, Thorer Hund, and Harek of Thjotta.
198.^-0^ KING OLAF.
After King Olaf came to Russia he was very thought-
ful, and weighed what counsel he now, should follow.
King Jarisleif and Queen Ingegerd offered him to remain
with them, and receive a kingdom- called Vulgaria, which
is a part of Russia, and in which land the people were still
heathen. King Olaf thought over this offer; but when
he proposed it to his men they dissuaded him from set-
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tling himself there, and urged the king to betake himself
to Norway to his own kingdom: but the king himself
had resolved almost in his own mind to lay down his
royal dignity, to go out into the world to Jerusalem, or
other holy places, and to enter into some order of monks.
But yet the thought lay deep in his soul to recover again,
if there should be any opportunity for him, his kingdom
in Norway. When he thought over this, it recurred to
his mind how all things had gone prosperously with him
during the first ten years of his reign, and how after-
wards every thing he undertook became heavy, difficult,
and hard ; and that he had been unlucky, on all occasions
in which he had tried his luck. On this account he
doubted if it would be prudent to depend so much upon
his luck, as to go with so little strength into the hands
of his enemies, seeing that all the people of the country
had taken part with them to oppose King Olaf. Such
cares he had often on his mind, and he left his cause to
God, praying that He would do what to Him seemed
best. These thoughts he turned over in his mind, and
knew not what to resolve upon ; for he saw how evidently
dangerous that was which his inclination was most bent
upon.
199.— OF KING OLAF's dream.
One night the king lay awake in his bed, thinking with
great anxiety about his determination, and at last, being
tired of thinking, sleep came over him towards morning ;
but his sleep was so light that he thought he was awake,
and could see all that was doing in the house. Then he
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saw a great and superb man, in splendid clothes, standing
by his bed; and it came into the king's mind that this
was King Olaf Trygvason who had come to him. This
man said to him^ "Thou are very sick of thinking about
thy future resolutions; and it appears to me wonderful
that these thoughts should be so tumultuous in thy soul
that thou shouldst even think of laying down the kingly
dignity which God hath given thee, and of remaining here
and accepting of a kingdom from foreign and unknown
kings. Go back rather to that kingdom which thou hast
received in heritage, and rule over it with the strength
which God hath given thee, and let not thy inferiors take
it from thee. It is the glory of a king to be victorious
over his enemies, and it is a glorious death to die in battle.
Or art thou doubtful if thou hast right on thy side in the
strife with thine enemies? Thou must have no doubts,
and must not conceal the truth from thyself. Thou must
go back to thy country, and God will give open testimony
that the kingdom is thine by property." When the king
awoke he thought he saw the man's shoulders going out.
From this time the king's courage rose, and he fixed
firmly his resolution to return to Norway; to which his
inclination also tended most, and which he also found was
the desire of all his men. He bethought himself also that
the country being without a chief could be easily attacked,
from what he had heard, and that after he came himself
many would turn back towards him. When the king
told his determination to his people they all gave it their
approbation joyfully.
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200.— OF KING OLAF's HEALING POWERS.
It is related that once upon a time, while King Olaf
was in Russia, it happened that the son of an honest
widow had a sore boil upon his neck, of which the lad lay
very ill; and as he could not swallow any food, there was
little hope of his life. The boy's mother went to Queen
Ingegerd, with whom she was acquainted, and showed her
the lad The queen said she knew no remedy for it.
"Go/' said she, "to King Olaf, he is the best physician
here ; and beg him to lay his hands on thy lad, and bring
him my words if he will not otherwise do it." She did
as the queen told her ; and when she found the king she
says to him that her son is dangerously ill of a boil in his
neck, and begs him to lay his hand on the boil. The king
tells her he is not a physician, and bids her go to where
there were physicians. She replies, that the queen had
told her to come to him ; "and told me to add the request
from her, that you would would use the remedy you
understood, and she said that thou art the best physician
here in the town." Then the king took the lad, laid his
hands upon his neck, and felt the boil for a long time,
until the boy made a very wry face. Then the king took
a piece of bread, laid it in the figure of the cross upon the
palm of his hand, and put it into the boy's mouth. He
swallowed it down, and from that time all the soreness
left his neck, and in a few days he was quite well, to
the great joy of his mother and all his relations. Then
first came Olaf into the repute of having as much healing
power in his hands as is ascribed to men who have been
gifted by nature with healing by the touch; and after-
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wards when his miracles were universally acknowledged,
this also was considered one of his miracles.
201. — KING 01^^ BURNS THE WOOD SHAVINGS ON HIS
HAND ^OR HIS SABBATH BREACH.
It liappened one Sunday that the king sat in his high-
seat at the dinner table, and had fallen into such deep
thought that he did not observe how time went. In one
hand he had a knife, and in the other a piece of fir-wood
from which he cut splinters from time to time. The
table-servant stood before him with a bowl in his hands ;
and seeing what the king was about, and that he was in-
volved in thought, he said, "It is Monday, sire, to-mor-
row." The king looked at him when he heard this, and
then it came into his mind what he was doing on the
Sunday. Then the king ordered a lighted candle to be
brought him, swept together all the shavings he had
made, set them on fire, and let them burn upon his naked
hand ; showing thereby that he would hold fast by God's
law and commandment, and not trespass without punish-
ment on what he knew to be right.
202.^-OF KING OI.AF.
When King Olaf had resolved on his return home, he
made known his intention to King Jarisleif and Queen
Ingegerd. They dissuaded him from this expedition, and
said he should receive as much power in their dominions
as he thought desirable ; but begged him not to put him-
self within the reach of his enemies with so few men as
he had. Then King Olaf told them of his dream;
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adding, that he believed it to be God's will and providence
that it should be so. Now when they found he was
determined on travelling to Norway, they offered him all
the assistance to his journey that he would accept from
them. The king thanked them in many fine words for
their good will; and said that he accepted from them,
with no ordinary pleasure, what might be necessary for
his undertaking.
203.— OF KING OLAF's JOURNEY FROM RUSSIA.
Immediately after Yule (1030), King Olaf made him-
self ready ; and had about 200 of his men with him. King
Jarisleif gave him all the horses, and whatever else he
required ; and when he was ready he set off. King Jaris-
leif and Queen Ingegerd parted from him with all honour ;
and he left his son Magnus behind with the king. The
first part of his journey, down to the sea-coast, King Olaf
and his men made on the ice; but as spring approached,
and the ice broke up, they rigged their vessels, and when
they were ready and got a wind they set out to sea, and
had a good voyage. When Olaf came to the island of
Gotland with his ships he heard the news — which was
told as truth, both in Svithjod, Denmark, and over all
Norway — that Earl Hakon was missing, and Norway
without a head. This gave the king and his men good
hope of the issue of their journey. From thence they
sailed, when the wind suited, to Svithjod, and went into
the Maelar lake, to Aros, and sent men to the Swedish
King Onund appointing a meeting. King Onund re-
ceived his brother-in-law's message in the kindest manner,
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and went to him according to his invitation. Astrid also
came to King Olaf, with the men who had attended her;
and great was the joy on all sides at this meeting. The
Swedish king also received his brother-in-law King Olaf
with great joy when they met.
204.^-OF THE I.ENDERMEN IN NORWAY.
Now we must relate what, in the meantime, was going
on in Norway. Thorer Hund, in these two winters
(1029-1030), had made a Lapland journey, and each
winter had been a long time on the mountains, and had
gathered to himself great wealth by trading in various
wares with the Laplanders. He had twelve large coats
of reindeer-skin made for him, with so much Lapland
witchcraft that no weapon could cut or pierce them any
more than if they were armour of ring-mail, nor so much.
The spring thereafter Thorer rigged a long-ship which
belonged to him, and manned it with his house-servants.
He summoned the bondes, demanded a levy from the
most northern Thing district, collected in this way a great
many people, and proceeded with this force southwards.
Harek of Thjotta had also collected a great number of
people; and in this expedition many people of consequence
took a part, although these two were the most distin-
guished. They made it known publicly that with this
war-force they were going against King Olaf, to defend
the country against him, in case he should come from the
eastward.
205.— OF EINAR TAMBASKEL^ER.
Einar Tambaskelfer had most influence in the puter
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I
part of the Throndhjem country after Earl Hakon's
death was no longer doubtful ; for he and his son Eindride
appeared to be the nearest heirs to the movable property
the earl had possessed. Then Einar remembered the
prcMnises and offers of friendship which King Canute had
made him at parting ; and he ordered a good vessel which
belonged to him to be got ready, and embarked with a
great retinue, and when he was ready sailed southwards
along the coast, then set out to sea westwards, and sailed
without stopping until he came to England. He imme-
diately waited on King Canute, who received him well
and joyfully. Then Einar opened his business to the
king, and said he was come there to see the fulfilment of
the promises the king had made him; namely, that he,
Einar, should have the highest title of honour in Nor-
way if Earl Hakon were no more. King Canute replies,
that now the circumstances were altered. "I have now,"
said he, "sent men and tokens to my son Svein in Den-
mark, and promised him the kingdom of Norway; but
thou shalt retain my friendship, and get the dignity and
title which thou art entitled by birth to hold. Thou shalt
be lenderman with great fiefs, and be so much more raised
above other lendermen as thou art more able than they."
Einar saw sufficiently how matters stood with regard to
his business, and got ready to return home; but as he
now knew the king's intentions, and thought it probable
if King Olaf came from the East the country would not
be very peaceable, it came into his mind that it would be
better to proceed slowly, and not to be hastening his voy-
age, in order to fight against King Olaf, without his
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being advanced by it to any higher dignity than he had
before. Einar accordingly went to sea when he was
ready; but only came to Norway after the events were
ended which took place there during that summer.
206.— OP THE CHIEF PEOPLE IN NORWAY.
The chiefs in Norway had their spies east in Svithjod,
and south in Denmark, to find out if King Olaf had come
from Russia. As soon as these men could get across the
country, they heard the news that King Olaf was arrived
in Svithjod; and as soon as full certainty of this was
obtained, the war message-token went round the land.
The whole people were called out to a levy, and a great
army was collected. The lendermen who were from
Agder, Rogaland, and Hordaland, divided themselves, so
that some went towards the north, and some towards the
east; for they thought they required people on both
sides. Erling's sons from Jadar went eastward, with all
the men who lived east of them, and over whom they were
chiefs; Aslak of Finey, and Erlend of Gerde, with the
lendermen north of them, went towards the north. AH
those now named had sworn an oath to King Canute to
deprive Olaf of life, if opportunity should offer.
207. — OF HARALD SIGURDSON's PROCEEDINGS.
Now when it was reported in Norway that King Olaf
was come from the East to Svithjod, his friends gathered
together to give him aid. The most distinguished man
in this flock was Harald Sigurdson, a brother of King
Olaf, who then was fifteen years of age, very stout, and
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manly of growth as if he were full-grown. Many other
brave men were there also ; and there were in all 600 men
when they proceeded fr6m the uplands, and went east-
ward with their force through Eid forest to Vermaland.
From thence they went eastward through the forests to
Svithjod and made inquiry about King Olaf s proceed-
ings.
208. — OF KING OLAF's proceedings IN SVITHJOD.
King Olaf was in Svithjod in spring (1030), and had
sent spies from thence to Norway. All accounts from
that quarter agreed that there was no safety for him if
he went there, and the people who came from the north
dissuaded him much from penetrating into the country.
But he had firmly resolved within himself, as before
stated, to go into Norway; and he asked King Onund
what strength King Onund would give him to conquer
his kingdom. King Onund replied, that the Swedes
were little inclined to make an expedition against Nor-
way. "We know," says he, "that the Northmen are
rough and warlike, and it is dangerous to carry hostility
to their doors ; but I will not be slow in telling thee what
aid I can give, I will give thee 400 chosen men from
my court-men, active and warlike, and well equipt for
battle; and moreover will give thee leave to go through
my country, and gather to thyself as many men as thou
canst get to follow thee." King Olaf accepted this offer,
and got ready for his march. Queen Astrid, and Ulf-
hild the king's daughter, remained behind in Svithjod,
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EARL ULF INCURS THE DISPLEASURE OF KING
CANUTE.
KING rXNUTR was perhaps the most roiiowncd of Oen-
niark's rulers, for he comjiiored l-ji,i:laiKl and Scotland, an*]
substquiiutly Norway and Sweden. \\ liilc at war with Olaf
Haralds(>n, Km-jj: <.f X'M'way, aid (/)nnnd, Kiti,;^ of Sweden, it is
told (liat Canntc. inirh'e to continue ])nr-nit of his ciu-niies, as-
seitjblt»d liis fl<*ft of 350 vf»s<e!«; in Set^'and Son.nd where a j^reat
fea-t Yas j)r^par«d, in his Imnor, ])y Marl Ulf. his brother-in-law.
The Karl tried very hard to anui-e tlie Kir.,Lr. hnt to no pur-
l)(i--t% and t'nail>, \v]u n a t.'-Mnc of chess was prop >>cd, the King;
ffnvc vent t(^ his pa^s^ion, n]^on wliich Ulf, with some hard
'v^■o^ds, ran out of the room. C anitte no doubt suspected L'lf of
treasonable uesi^oi^ ag"airst the throne, and an ambition to sup-
jdant linn, to pre\ent wiiicli lie ordcreil his Chand^erlain to wav-
bay and bHi Irrn, wh^di blon.ly order wa^ execut<Hl during a
church service tliat Tlf wa^ attending.
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SAGA OF OLAF HARALDSON
209. — KING OI^F ADVANCES TO JARNBERAI^ND.
Just as King Olaf began his journey the men came to
him whom the Swedish king had given, in all 400 men,
and the king took the road the Swedes showed him. He
advanced upwards in the country to the forests, and came
to a district called Jarnberaland. Here the people
joined him who had come out of Norway to meet him,
as before related; and he met here his brother Harald,
and many other of his relations, and it was a joyful meet-
ing. They made out together 1200 men.
210. — OF DAG HRINGSON.
There was a man called Dag, who is said to have been
a son of King Hring, who fled the country from King
Olaf. This Hring, it is said further, had been a son of
Dag, and grandson of Hring, Harald Harfager's son.
Thus was Dag King Olaf s relative. Both Hring the
father, and Dag the son, had settled themselves in
Svith jod, and got land to rule over. In spring, when Olaf
came from the East to Svithjod, he sent a message to his
relation Dag, that he should join him in this expedition
with all the force he could collect ; and if they gained the
country of Norway again. Dag should have no smaller
part of the kingdom under him than his forefathers had
enjoyed. When this message came to Dag it suited his
inclination well, for he had a great desire to go to Norway
and get the dominion his family had ruled over. He was
not slow, therefore, to reply, and promised to come. Dag
was a quick-speaking, quick-resolving man, mixing him-
self up in everything ; eager, but of little understanding.
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THE HEIMSKRINGLA
He collected a force of almost 1200 men, with which he
joined King Olaf.
211. — OF KING OI^F'S journey.
King Olaf sent a message before him to all the inhab-
ited places he passed through, that the men who wished to
get goods and money, and share of booty, and the lands
besides which now were in the hands of his enemies,
should come to him, and follow him. Thereafter King
Olaf led his army through forests, often over desert
moors, and often over large lakes ; and they dragged, or
carried the boats, from lake to lake. On the way a great
many followers joined the king, partly forest settlers,
partly vagabonds. The places at which he halted for the
night are since called Olaf 's Booths. He proceeded with-
out any break upon his journey until he came to Jamta-
land, from which he marched north over the keel or ridge
of the land. The men spread themselves over the ham-
lets, and proceeded, much scattered, so long as no enemy
was expected ; but always, when so dispersed, the North-
men accompanied the king. Dag proceeded with his men
on another line of march, and the Swedes on a third with
their troop.
212. — OF VAGABOND-MEN.
There were two men, the one called Gauka-Thorer, the
Other Afrafaste, who were vagabonds and great robbers,
and had a con^)any of thirty men such as themselves.
These two men were larger and stronger than other men,
and they wanted neither courage nor impudence. These
men heard speak of the army that was crossing the coun-
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try, and said among themselves it would be a clever coun-
sel to go to the king, follow him to his country, and go
with him into a regular battle, and try themselves in this
work; for they had never been in any battle in
which people were regularly drawn up in line, and they
were curious to see the king's order of battle. This coun-
sel was approved of by their comrades, and accordingly
they went to the road on which King Olaf was to pass.
When they came there they presented themselves to the
king, with their followers, fully armed. They saluted
him, and he asked what people they were. They told
their names, and said they were natives of the place; and
told their errand, and that they wished to go with the
king. The king said, it appeared to him there was good
help in such folks. "And I have a great inclination,"
said he, "to take such ; but are ye Christian men ?"
Gauka-Thorer replies, that he is neither Christian nor
heathen. "I and my comrades have no faith but on our-
selves, our strength, and the luck of victory; and with
this faith we slip through sufficiently well."
The king replies, "A great pity it is that such brave
slaughtering fellows did not believe in Christ their
Creator."
Thorer replies, "Is there any Christian man, king, in
thy following, who stands so high in the air as we two
brothers?"
The king told them to let themselves be baptized, and
to accept the true faith. "Follow me then, and I will
advance you to great dignities; but if ye will not do so,
return to your former vocation."
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THE HEIMSKRINGLA
Afrafaste said he would not take on Christianity, and
he turned away.
Then said Gauka-Thorer, "It is a great shame that the
king drives us thus away from his army, and I never
before came where I was not received into the company
of other people, and I shall never return back on this
account" They joined accordingly the rear with other
forest-men, and followed the troops. Thereafter the
king proceeded west up to the keel-ridge of the country.
213. — OF KING OLAP'S VISION.
Now when King Olaf, coming from the east, went
over the keel-ridge and descended on the west side of the
mountain, where it declines towards the sea, he could see
from thence far over the country. Many people rode
before the king and many after, and he himself rode so
that there was a free space around him. He was silent,
and nobody spoke to him, and thus he rode a great part of
the day without looking much about him. Then the
bishop rode up to him, asked him why he was so silent,
and what he was thinking of; for, in general, he was
very cheerful, and very talkative on a journey to his men,
so that all who were near him were merry. The king
replied, full of thought, "Wonderful things have come,
into my mind a while ago. As I just now looked over
Norway, out to the west from the mountains, it came into
my mind how many happy days I have had in that land.
It appeared to me at first as if I saw over all the Thrond-
hjem country, and then over all Norway ; and the longer
this vision was before my eyes the farther, methought, I
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saw, until I lcx)ked over the whole wide world, both land
and sea. Well I know the places at which I have been
in former days ; some even which I have only heard speak
of, and some I saw of which I had never heard, both in-
habited and uninhabited, in this wide world." The bishop
replied that this was a holy vision, and very remarkable.
214. — OF THK MIRACI^E ON THE CORN I.AND.
When the king had come lower down on the moun-
tain, there lay a farm before him called Sula, on the high-
est part of Veradal district; and as they came nearer to
the house the corn-land appeared on both sides of the
path. The king told his people to proceed carefully, and
not destroy the com to the bondes. The people observed
this when the king was near ; but the crowd behind paid
no attention to it, and the people ran over the com, so
that it was trodden flat to the earth. There dwelt a
bonde there called Thorgeir Flek, who had two sons
nearly grown up. Thorgeir received the king and his
people well, and offered all the assistance in his power.
The king was pleased with his offer, and asked Thorgeir
what was the news of the country, and if any forces were
assembled against him. Thorgeir says that a great army
was drawn together in the Throndhjem country, and that
there were some lendermen both from the south of the
country, and from Halogaland in the north ; "but I do not
know," says he, "if they are intended against you, or
going elsewhere." Then he complained to the king of the
damage and waste done him by the people breaking and
treading down all his com fields. The king said it was
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THE HEIMSKRINGLA
ill done to bring upon him any loss. Then the king rode
to where the com had stood, and saw it was laid flat on
the earth ; and he rode round the field, and said, "I expect,
bonde, that God will repair thy loss, so that the field,
within a week, will be better ;" and it proved the best of
the com, as the king had said. The king remained all
night there, and in the morning he made himself ready,
and told Thorgeir the bonde to accompany him and Thor-
geir offered his two sons also for the journey; and al-
though the king said that he did not want them with him,
the lads would go. As they would not stay behind, the
king's court-men were about binding them ; but the king
seeing it said, "Let them come with us : the lads will come
safe back again." And it was with the lads as the king
foretold.
215.— OF THE BAPTISM OF THE VAGABOND FOREST-MEN.
Thereafter the army advanced to Staf, and when the
king reached Staffs moor he halted. There he got the
certain information that the bondes were advancing with
an army against him, and that he might soon expect to
have a battle with them. He mustered his force here,
and, after reckoning them up, found there were in the
army 900 heathen men, and when he came to know it he
ordered them to allow themselves to be baptized, saying
that he would have no heathens with him in battle. "We
must not," says he, "put our confidence in numbers, but
in God alone must we trust; for through his power and
favour we must be victorious, and I will not mix heathen
people with my own/* When the heathens heard this,
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they held a council among themselves, and at last 400 men
agreed to be baptized; but 500 men refused to adopt
Christianity, and that body returned home to their land.
Then the brothers Gauka-Thorer and Afrafaste presented
themselves to the king, and offered again to follow him.
The king asked if they had now taken baptism. Gauka-
Thorer replied that they had not. Then the king ordered
them to accept baptism and the true faith, or otherwise to
go away. They stepped aside to talk with each other on
what resolution they should take. Afrafaste said, "To
give my opinion, I will not turn back, but go into the
battle, and take a part on the one side or the other ; and I
don't care much in which army I am." Gauka-Thorer
replies, "If I go into battle I will give my help to the king,
for he has most need of help. And if I must believe in a
God, why not in the white Christ as well as in any other ?
Now it is my advice, therefore, that we let ourselves be
baptized, since the king insists so much upon it, and then
go into the battle with him." They all agreed to this, and
went to the king, and said they would receive baptism.
Then they were baptized by a priest, and the baptism was
confirmed by the bishop. The king then took them into
the troop of his court-men, and said they should fight
under his banner in the battle.
216. — KING OLAF's speech.
King Olaf got certain intelligence now that it would
be but a short time until he had a battle with the bondes ;
and after he had mustered his men, and reckoned up the
force, he had more than 3000 men, which appears to be
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THE HEIMSKRINGLA
a great army in one field. Then the king made the fol-
lowing speech to the people: "We have a great army,
and excellent troops ; and now I will tell you, my men, how
I will have our force drawn up. I will let my banner go
forward in the middle of the army, and my-court-men,
and pursuivants shall follow it, together with the war
forces that joined us from the Uplands, and also those
who may come to us here in the Throndhjem land. On
the right hand of my banner shall be Dag Hringson, with
all the men he brought to our aid ; and he shall have the
second banner. And on the left hand of our line shall the
men be whom the Swedish king gave us, together with
all the people who came to us in Sweden ; and they shall
have the third banner. I will also have the people divide
themselves into distinct flocks or parcels, so that relations
and acquaintances should be together ; for thus they
defend each other best, and know each other. We will
have all our men distinguished by a mark, so as to be a
field-token upon their helmets and shields, by painting the
holy cross thereupon with white colour. When we come
into battle we shall all have one countersign and field-cry,
— 'Forward, forward. Christian men! cross men! king's
men!' We must draw up our men in thinner ranks, be-
cause we have fewer people, and I do not wish to let them
surround us with their men. Now let the men divide
themselves into separate flocks, and then each flock into
ranks; then let each man observe well his proper place,
and take notice what banner he is drawn up under. And
now we shall remain drawn up in array; and our men
shall be fully armed, night and day, until we know where
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the meeting shall be between us and the bondes." When
the king had finished speaking, the army arrayed, and
arranged itself according to the king's orders.
217. — KING OLAF'S COUNSEL.
Thereafter the king had a meeting with the chiefs of
the different divisions, and then the men had returned
whom the king had sent out into the neighbouring dis-
tricts to demand men from the bondes. They brought
the tidings from the inhabited places they had gone
through, that all around the country was stripped of all
men able to carry arms, as all the people had joined the
bondes' army; and where they did find any they got but
few to follow them, for the most of them answered that
they stayed at home because they would not follow either
party: they would not go out against the king, nor y^
against their own relations. Thus they had got but few
people. Now the king asked his men their counsel, and
what they now should do. Fin Amason answered thus
to the king's question : "I will «ay what should be done,
if I may advise. We should go with armed hand over
all the inhabited places, plunder all the goods, and bum
all the habitations, and leave not a hut standing, and thus
punish the bondes for their treason against their sov-
ereign. I think many a man will then cast himself loose
from the bondes' army, when he sees smoke and flame at
home on his farm, and does not know how it is going with
children, wives, or old men, fathers, mothers, and other
connections. I expect also," he added, "that if we suc-
ceed in breaking the assembled host, thdr ranks will soon
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be thinned ; for so it is with the bondes, that the counsel
which is the newest is always the dearest to them all, and
most followed." When Fin had ended his speech it met
with general applause; for many thought well of such a
good occasion to make booty, and all thought the bondes
well deserved to suffer damage ; and they also thought it
probable, what Fin said, that many would in this way be
brought to forsake the assembled army of the bondes.
Now when the king heard the warm expressions of his
people he told them to listen to him, and said, "The
bondes have well deserved that it should be done to them
as ye desire. They also know that I have formerly done
so, burning their habitations, and punishing them severely
in many ways ; but then I proceeded against them with fire
and sword because they rejected the true faith, betook
themselves to sacrifices, and would not obey my com-
mands. We had then God's honour to defend. But this
treason against their sovereign is a much less grievous
crime, although it does not become men who have any
manhood in them to break* the faith and vows they have
sworn to me. Now, however, it is more in my power to
spare those who have dealt ill with me, than those whom
God hated. I will, therefore, that my people proceed
gently, and commit no ravage. First, I will proceed to
meet the bondes : if we can then come to a reconciliation,
it is well ; but if they will fight with us, then there are two
things before us; either we fail in the battle, and then it
will be well advised not to have to retire encumbered with
spoil and cattle; or we geiin the victory, and then ye will
be the heirs of all who fight now against us ; for some will
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fall, and others will fly, but both will have forfeited their
goods and properties, and then it will be good to enter
into full houses and well-stocked farms ; but what is burnt
is of use to no man, and with pillage and force more is
wasted than what turns to use. Now we will spread
out far through the inhabited places, and take with us all
the men we can find able to carry arms. Then men will
also capture cattle for slaughter, or whatever else of pro-
vision that can serve for food ; but not do any other rav-
age. But I will see willingly that ye kill any spies of the
bonde army ye may fall in with. Dag and his people shall
go by the north side down along the valley, and I will go
on along the country road, and so we shall meet in the
evening, and all have one night quarter."
218.— OF KING OLAlP^S SKALDS.
It is related that when King Olaf drew up his men in
battle order, he made a shield rampart with his troop
that should defend him in battle, for which he selected
the strongest and boldest. Thereafter he called his skalds,
and ordered them to go in within the shield defence. *'Ye
shall,'* says the king, "remain here, and see the circum-
stances which may take place, and then ye will not have
to follow the reports of others in what ye afterwards tell
or sing concerning it.'* There were Thormod Kolbrunar-
skald, Gissur Gulbraskald, a foster-son of Hofgardaref,
and Thorfin Mun. Then said Thormod to Gissur, "Let
us not stand so close together, brother, that Sigvat the
skaM should not find room when he comes. He must
stand before the king, and the king will not have it other-
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wise." The king heard this, and said, "Ye need not sneer
at Sigvat, because he is not here. Often has he followed
me well, and now he is praying for us, and that we
greatly need." Thormod replies, "It may be, sire, that ye
now require prayers most ; but it would be thin around the
banner-staff if all thy court-men were now on the way to
Rome. True it was what we spoke about, that no man
who would speak with you could find room for Sigvat."
Thereafter the skalds talked among themselves that it
would be well to compose a few songs of remembrance
about the events which would soon be taking place.
Then. Gissur sang : —
"From me ihall bonde girl nerer Many and brave they are, we know,
bear Wbo come against as there below ;
A thought of sorrow, care, or fear : But, life or death, we, one and all,
I wish my girl knew bow gay By Norway's king will stand or
We arm us for our Tiklng fray. fall."
And Thorfin Mun made another song, viz. : —
"Dark Is tha cloud of men and On ! let us feed the carrion crow, —
shields, OiTe her a feast In every blow ;
Slow moving up through Verdal's And, above all, let Tbrondhjem's
fields : hordes
These Verdal folks presume to bring Feel the sharp edge of true men's
Their armed force against their king. swords."
And Thormod sang: —
"The whistling arrows pipe to battle. Up ! brave men. up ! with Olaif on !
Sword and shield their war-call rat- With heart and hand a field is won.
tie. One viking cheer! — then, stead of
Up ! brave men, up ! the faint heart words.
here We'll speak with our death-dealing
Finds courage when the danger's swords."
near.
These songs were immediately got by heart by the
army.
219.— OF KING OLAF'S gifts FOR THE SOULS OF THOSE
WHO SHOULD BE SLAIN.
Thereafter the king made himself ready, and marched
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down through the valley. His whole forces toot up their
night-quarter in one place, and lay down all night under
their shields ; but as soon as day broke the king again put
his afmy in order, and that being done they proceeded
down through the valley. Many bondes then came to the
king, of whom the most joined his army ; and all, as one
man, told the same tale, — that the lendermen had collected
an enormous army, with which they intended to give
battle to the king.
The king took many marks of silver, and delivered
them into the hands of a bonde, and said, "This money
thou shalt conceal, and afterwards lay out, — some to
churches, some to priests, some to alms-men, — ^as gifts for
the life and souls of those who fight against us, and may
fall in battle."
The bonde replies, "Should you not rather give this
money for the soul-mulct of your own men ?"
The king says, "This money shall be given for the souls
of those who stand against us in the ranks of the bondes'
army, and fall by the weapons of our own men. The
men who follow us to battle, and fall therein, will all be
saved together with ourself."
220.— OF THORMOD KOWRUNARSKALD.
This night the king lay with his army around him on
the field, as before related, and lay long awake in prayer
to God, and slept but little. Towards morning a slum-
ber fell on him, and when he awoke daylight was shooting
up. The king thought it too early to awaken the army,
and asked where Thormod the skald was. Thormod was
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at hand, and asked what was the king's pleasure. "Sing
us a song/' said the king. Thormod raised himself up,
and sang so loud that the whole army could hear him.
He began to sing the old Bjarkamal, of which these are
the first verses: —
"The day is breaking. — Nor wassail cup.
The house cock, shaking Nor maiden's Jeer,
His rustling wings. Awaits you here.
While priest-bell rings. Hrolf of the bow !
Crows up the mom, Har of the blow !
And touting horn Up in your might ! the day Is break-
Wakes thralls to work and weep ; ing ;
Te sons of Adll. cast off sleep! 'Tis Hild's game^ that bides your
Wake up! wake up? waking."
Then the troops awoke, and when the song was ended
the people thanked him for it ; and it pleased many, as it
was suitable to the time and occasion, and they called it
the house-carle's whet. The king thanked him for the
pleasure, and took a gold ring that weighed half a mark
and gave it him. Thormod thanked the king for the gift,
and said, *'We have a good king; but it is not easy to say
how long the king's life may be. It is my prayer, sire,
that thou shouldst never part from me either in life or
death." The king replies, "We shall all go together so
long as I rule, and as ye will follow me."
Thormod says, "I hope, sire, that whether in safety or
danger I may stand near you as long as I can stand,
whatever we may hear of Sigvat travelling with his gold-
hilted sword." Then Thormod made these lines: —
"To thee, my king. I'll still be true. Though he may feast the croaking
Until another skald I view, raven.
Here in the field with golden sword. The warrior's fate unmoved I
As In thy hall, with flattering word. view. —
Thy skald shall never be a craven. To thee, my king, I'll still be true."
^Hild's game is the battle, — ^from the name of the war-goddesa
Hild.— L.
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221. — KING OLAI^ COMES TO STIKLESTAD.
King Olaf led his army farther down through the val-
ley, and Dag and his men went another way, and the king
did not halt until he came to Stiklestad. There he saw
the bonde army spread out all around; and there were
so great numbers that people were going on every foot-
path, and great crowds were collected far and near. They
also saw there a troop which came down from Veradal,
and had been out to spy. They came so close to the
king's people that they knew each other. It was Hrut of
Viggia, with thirty men. The king ordered his pursui-
vants to go out against Hrut, and make an end of him,
to which his men were instantly ready. The king said to
the Icelanders, **It is told me that in Iceland it is the
custom that the bondes give their house-servants a sheep
to slaughter; now I give you a ram to slaughter.* The
Icelanders ^\ ere easily invited to this, and went out imme-
diately with a few men against Hrut, and killed him and
the troop that followed him. When the king came to
Stiklestad he made a halt, and made the army stop, and
told his people to alight from their horses and get ready
for battle; and the people did as the king ordered. Then
he placed his army in battle array, and raised his banner.
Dag was not yet arrived with his men, so that his wing of
the battle array was wanting. Then the king said the
Upland men should go forward in their place, and raise
their banner there. **It appears to me advisable," says the
king, "that Harald my brother should not be in the battle,
for he is still in the years of childhood only.**' Harald
>Hrut meani a young ram. — L.
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replies, "Certainly I shall be in the battle, for I am not so
weak that I cannot handle the sword; and as to that, I
have a notion of tying the sword-handle to my hand.
None IS more willing than I am to give the bondes a blow ;
so I shall go with my comrades/' It is said that Harald
made these lines: —
"Our army's wing, where I shall The brisk young skald should gaily
stand, go
I will hold good with heart and Into the fray, give blow for blow.
hand : Cheer on his men, gain inch by inch.
My mother's eye shall Joy to see And from the spear-point nerer
A battered, blood-stained shield flinch."
from me.
Harald got his will, and was allowed to be in the battle.
222. — OF THORGII^S HAI^MASON.
A bonde, by name Thorgils Halmason, father to Grim
the Good, dwelt in Stiklestad farm. Thorgils offered
the king his assistance, and was ready to go into battle
with him. The king thanked him for the oflfer. "I would
rather," says the king, "thou shouldst not be in the fight.
Do us rather the service to take care of the people who are
wounded, and to bury those who may fall, when the battle
is over. Should it happen, bonde, that I fall in this
battle, bestow the care on my body that may be neces-
sary, if that be not forbidden thee." Thorgils promised
the king what he desired.
223.— oi<af's SP^eECH.
Now when King Olaf had drawn up his army in battle
array he made a speech, in which he told the people to
raise their spirit, and go boldly forward, if it came to a
battle. "We have," says he, "many men, and good ; and
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although the bondes may have a somewhat larger force
than we, it is fate that rules over victory. This I will
make known to you solemnly, that I shall not fly from this
battle, but shall either be victorious over the bondes, or
fall in the fight. I will pray to God that the lot of the
two may befall me which will be most to my advantage.
With this we may encourage ourselves, that we have a
more just cause than the bondes ; and likewise that God
must either protect us and our cause in this battle, or give
us a far higher recompense for what we may lose here in
the world than what we ourselves could ask. Should it
be my lot to have anything to say after the battle, then
shall I reward each of you according to his service, and
to the bravery he displays in the battle; and if we gain
the victory, there must be land and movables enough to
divide among you, and which are now in the hands of
your enemies. Let us at the first make the hardest
onset, for then the consequences are soon seen. There
being a great difference in the numbers, we have to expect
victory from a sharp assault only; and, on the other
hand, it will be heavy work for us to fight until we are
tired, and unable to fight longer ; for we have fewer people
to relieve with than they, who can come forward at one
time and retreat and rest at another. But if we advance
so hard at the first attack that those who are foremost in
their ranks must turn round, then the one will fall over
the other, and their destruction will be the greater the
greater numbers there are together." When the king
had ended his speech it was received with loud applause,
and the one encouraged the other.
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224.— OF THORD FOI^ASON.
Thord Folason carried King* Olaf's banner. So says
Sigvat the skald, in the death-song which he composed
about King" Olaf, and put together according to resur-
rection saga: —
"Thord, I haTe heard, by OlaTs Th« banner of the king on hlsh,
side. Floating all splendid in the sky
Where raged the battle's wildest From golden shaft, aloft he bore, —
tide. The Norsemen's rallying-point of
MoTed on, and. as by one accord yore."
Moved with them every heart and
■word.
226.— OF KING oi^af's armour.
King Olaf was armed thus : — He had a gold-mounted
helmet on his head, and had in one hand a white shield,
on which the holy cross was inlaid in gold. In his other
hand he had a lance, which to the present day stands
beside the altar in Christ Chuch. In his belt he had a
sword, which was called Hneiter, which was remarkably
sharp, and of which the handle was worked with gold.
He had also a strong coat of ring-mail. Sigvat the
skald, speaks of this : —
"A greater victory to gain. High rose the fight and battle-heat. —
Olaf the Stout strode o'er the plain The clear blood ran beneath the feet
In strong chain armour, aid to bring Of Swedes, who from the Bast came
To his brave men on either wing. there.
In Glare gain or loss to share."
226. — KING OLA^S DREAM.
Now when King Olaf had drawn up his men the army
of the bondes had not yet come near upon any quarter,
so the king said the people should sit down and rest
themselves. He sat down himself, and the people sat
around him in a widespread crowd. He leaned down,
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and laid his head upon Fin Amason's knee. There a
slumber came upon him, and he slept a little while; but
at the same time the bondes' army was seen advancing
with raised banners, and the multitude of these was very
great
Then Fin awakened the king, and said that the bonde-
army advanced against them.
The king awoke, and said, "Why did you waken me,
Fin, and did not allow me to enjoy my dream?*'
Fin: "Thou must not be dreaming; but rather thou
shculdst be awake, and preparing thyself against the host
which is coming down upon us ; or, dost thou not see that
the whole bonde-crowd is coming?"
The king replies, "They are not yet so near to us,
and it would have been better to have let me sleep."
Then said Fin, "What wais the dream, sire, of which
the loss appears to thee so great that thou wouldst rather
have been left to waken of thyself?**
Now the king told his dream, — that he seemed to see
a high ladder, upon which he went so high in the air that
heaven was open : for so high reached the ladder. "And
when you awoke me, I was come to the highest step to-
wards heaven.**
Fin replies, "This dream does not appear to me so good
as it does to thee. I think it means that thou art fey;*
unless It be the mere want of sleep that has worked upon
thee.*'
227. — 01^ ARNLJOT GEI^UNE'S BAPTISM.
When King Olaf was arrived at Stiklestad, it hap-
^Fey means doomed to die.
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pened, among ^ther circumstances, that a man came to
him; and although it was nowise wonderful that there
came many men from the districts, yet this must be re-
garded as unusual, that this man did not appear like the
other men who came to him. He was so tall that none
stood higher than up to his shoulders: very handsome
he was in countenance, and had beautiful fair hair. He
was well armed; had a fine helmet, and ring armour; a
red shield ; a superb sword in his belt ; and in his hand a
gold-mounted spear, the shaft of it so thick that it was a
handful to grasp. The man went before the king,
saluted him, and asked if the king would accq)t his
services.
The king asked his name and family, also what coun-
tryman he was.
He replies, "My family is in Jamtaland and Helsingja-
land, and my name is Arnljot Gelline; but this I must not
forget to tell you, that I came to the assistance of those
men you sent to Jamtaland to collect scat, and I gave into
their hands a silver dish, which I sent you as a token that
I would be your friend.'*
Then the king asked Arnljot if he was a Christian or
not.
He replied, "My faith has been this, to rely upon my
power and strength, and which faith hath hitherto given
me satisfaction ; but now I intend rather to put my faith,
sire, in thee."
The king replies, "H thou wilt put faith in me thou
must also put faith in what I will teach thee. Thou must
believe that Jesus Christ has made heaven and earth, and
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all mankind, and to him shall all those who are good and
rightly believing go after death."
Arnljot answers, "I have indeed heard of the white
Christ, but neither know what he proposes, nor what he
rules over; but now I will believe all that thou sayest to
me, and lay down my lot in your hands."
Thereupon Arnljot was baptized. The king taught
him so much of the holy faith as appeared to him needful,
and placed him in the front rank of the order of battle,
in advance of his banner, where also Gauka-Thorer and
Afrafaste, with their men, were.
228. — CONCERNING THE ARMY COI.I<ECTED IN NORWAY.
Now shall we relate what we have left behind in our
tale, — ^that the lendermen and bondes had collected a vast
host as soon as it was reported that King Olaf was come
from Russia, and had arrived in Svithjod ; but when they
heard that he had come to Jamtaland, and intended to pro-
ceed westwards over the keel-ridge to Veradal, they
brought their forces into the Throndhjem country, where
they gathered together the whole people, free and unfree,
and proceeded towards Veradal with so great a body of
men that there was nobody in Norway at that time who
had seen so large a force assembled. But the force, as
it usually happens in so great a multitude, consisted of
many different sorts of people. There were many lender-
men, and a great many powerful bondes; but the great
mass consisted of labourers and cottars. The chief
strength of this army lay in the Throndhjem land, and
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229. — 01? BISHOP SIGURD.
When King Canute had, as before related, laid all
Norway under his power, he set Earl Hakon to manage
it, and gave the earl a court-bishop, by name Sigurd, who
was of Danish descent, and had been long with King
Canute. This bishop was of a very hot temper, and par-
ticularly obstinate, and haughty in his speech; but sup-
ported King Canute all he could in conversation, and was
a great enemy of King Olaf. He was now also in the
bondes' army, spoke often before the people, and urged
them much to insurrection against King Olaf.
230. — BISHOP Sigurd's speech.
At a House-thing, at which a great many people were
assembled, the bishop desired to be heard, and made the
following speech: "Here are now assembled a great
many men, so that probably there will never be opportu-
nity in this poor country of seeing ,so great a native army ;
but it would be desirable if this strength and multitude
could be a protection ; for it will all be needed, if this Olaf
does not give over bringing war and strife upon you.
From his very earliest youth he has been accustomed to
plunder and kill: for which purposes he drove widely
around tiirough all countries, until he turned at last
against this, where he began to show hostilities against
the men who were the best and most powerful ; and even
against King Canute, whom all are bound to serve accord-
ing to their ability, and in whose scat-lands he set himself
down. He did the same to Olaf the Swedish king. He
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drove the earls Svein and Hakon away from their heri-
tages ; and was even most tyrannical towards his own con-
nections, as he drove all the kings out of the Uplands :
although, indeed, it was but just reward for having been
false to their oaths of fealty to King Canute, and having
followed this King Olaf in all the folly he could invent ;
so their friendship ended according to their deserts, by
this king mutilating some of them, taking their kingdoms
himself, and ruining every man in the country who had
an honourable name. Ye know yourselves how he has
treated the lendermen, of whom many of the worthiest
have been murdered, and many obliged to fly from their
country; and how he has roamed far and wide through
the land with robber-bands, burning and plundering
houses, and killing people. Who is the man amcwig us
here of any consideration who has not some great injury
from him to avenge? Now he has come hither with a
foreign troop, consisting mostly of forest-men, vagabonds,
and such marauders. Do ye think he will now be more
merciful to you, when he is roaming about with such a
bad crew, after committing devastations which all who
followed him dissuaded him from? Therefore it is now
my advice, that ye remember King Canute's words when
he told you, if King Olaf attempted to return to the
country ye should defend the liberty King Canute had
promised you, and should oppose and drive away such a
vile pack. Now the only thing to be done is to advance
against them, and cast forth these malefactors' to the
wolves and ^gles, leaving their corpses on the spot they
cover, unless ye drag them aside to out-of-the-way cor-
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ners in the woods or rocks. No man would be so impru-
dent as to remove them to churches, for they are all rob-
bers and evil-doers." When he had. ended his speech it
was hailed with the loudest applause, and all unanimously
agreed to act according to his recommendation.
231. — OF THE I.ENDERMEN.
The lendermen who had come together appointed
meetings with each other, and consulted together how they
should draw up their troops, and who should be their
leader. Kalf Amason said that Harek of Thjotta was
best fitted to be the chief of this army, for he was de-
scended from Harald Harfager's race. "The king also
is particularly enraged against him on account of the
murder of Grankel, and therefore he would be exposed
to the severest fate if Olaf recovered the kingdom; and
Harek withal is a man experienced in battles, and a man
who does much for honour alone."
Harek replies, that the men are best suited for this who
are in the flower of their age. "I am now," says he, "an
old and decaying man, not able to do much in battle : be-
sides, there is near relationship between me and King
^ Olaf ; and although he seems not to put great value upon
that tie, it would not beseem me to go as leader of the hos-
tilities against him, before any other in this meeting. On
the other hand, thou, Thorer, art well suited to be our
chief in this battle against King Olaf ; and thou hast dis-
tinct grounds for being so, both because thou hast to
avenge the death of thy relation, and also hast been driven
by him as an outlaw from thy property. Thou hast also
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promised King Canute, as well as thy connections, to
avenge the murder of thy relative Asbjorn ; and dost thou
suppose there ever will be a better opportunity than this
of taking vengeance on Olaf for all these insults and in-
juries ?"
Thorer replies thus to his speech : "I do not confide
in myself so much as to raise the banner against King
Olaf, or, as chief, to lead on this army; for the people
of Throndhjem have the greatest part in this armament,
and I know well their haughty spirit, and that they would
not obey me, or any other Halogaland man, although I
need not be reminded of my injuries to be roused to ven-
geance on King Olaf. I remember well my heavy loss
when King Olaf slew four men, all distinguished both by
birth and personal qualities; namely, my brother's son
Asbjorn, my sister's sons Thorer and Grjotgard, and their
father Olver; and it is my duty to take vengeance for
each man of them. I will not conceal that I have selected
eleven of my house-servants for that purpose, and of
those who are the most daring; and I do not think we
shall be behind others in exchanging blows with King
Olaf, should opportunity be given."
232. — KAI.P ARNASON^S SPEECH.
Then Kalf Amason desired to speak. "It is highly
necessary," says he, "that this business we have on hand
do not turn out a mockery and child-work, now that an
army is collected. Something else is needful, if we are
to stand battle with King Olaf, thai;i that each should
shove the danger from himself; for we must recollect that
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although King Olaf has not many people compared to
this army of ours, the leader of them is intrepid, and the
whole body of them will be true to him, and obedient in
the battle. But if we who should be the leaders of this
army show any fear, and will not encourage the army and
go at the head of it, it must happen that with the great
body of our people the spirit will leave their hearts, and
the next thing will be that each will seek his own safety.
Although we have now a great force assembled, we shall
find our destruction certain, when we meet King Olaf and
his troops, if we, the chiefs of the people, are not confident
in our cause, and have not the whole army confidently and
bravely going along with us. If it cannot be so, we had
better not risk a battle; and then it is easy to see that
nothing tvould be left us but to shelter ourselves under
King Olaf's mercy, however hard it might be, as then we
would be less guilty than we now may appear to him to
be. Yet I know there are men in his ranks who would
secure my life and peace if I would sedc it. Will ye now
adopt my proposal — ^then shalt thou, friend Thorer, and
thou, Harek, go under the banner which we will all of us
raise up, and then follow. Let us all be speedy and
determined in the resolution we have taken, and put our-
selves so at the head of the bondes' army that they see no
distrust in us; for then will the common man advance
with spirit when we go merrily to work in placing the
army in battle-order, and in encouraging the people to
the strife."
When Kalf had ended they all concurred in what he
proposed, and all would do what Kalf thought of advan-
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tage. All desired Kalf to be the leader of the army, and
to give each what place in it he chose.
233. — HOW TH^ LENDERMEN SET UP THEIR BANNERS.
Kalf Amason then raised his banner, and drew up his
house^servants along with Harek of Thjotta and his men.
Thorer Hund, with his troop, was at the head of the
order of battle in front of the banner ; and on both sides
of Thorer was a chosen body of bondes, all of them the
most active and best armed in the forces. This part of
the array was long and thick, and in it were drawn up
the Throndhjem people and the Halogalanders. On the
right wing was another array ; and on the left of the main
array were drawn up the men from Rogaland, Hordaland,
the Fjord districts, and Sogn, and they had the third
banner.
234. — OF THORSTEIN KNARRARSMH).
There was a man called Thorstein Knarrarsmid, who
was a merchant and master ship-carpenter, stout and
strong, very passionate, and a great manslayer. He had
been in enmity against King Olaf, who had taken from
him a new and large merchant- vessel he had built, on
account of some manslaughter-mulct, incurred in the
course of his misdeeds, which he owed to the king. Thor-
stein, who was with the bondes' army, went forward in
front of the line in which Thorer Hund stood, and said,
"Here I will be, Thorer, in your ranks ; for I think, if I
and King Olaf meet, to be the first to drive a weapon at
him, if I can get so near, to repay him for the robbery of
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the ship he took from me, which was the best that ever
went on merchant voyage." Thorer and his men received
Thorstein, and he went into their ranks.
235. — 0^ THE PREPARATIONS O^ THE BONDES.
When the bondes' men and array were drawn up the
lendermen addressed the men, and ordered them to take
notice of the place to which each man belonged, under
which banner each should be, who there were in front of
the banner, who were his side-men, and that they should
be brisk and quick in taking up their places in the array ;
for the army had still to go a long way, and the array
might be broken in the course of march. Then they en-
couraged the people; and Kalf invited all the men who
had any injury to avenge on King Olaf to place them-
selves under the banner which was advancing against
King Olaf's own banner. They should remember the
distress he had brought upon them; and, he said, never
was there a better opportunity to avenge their grievances,
and to free themselves from the yoke and slavery he had
imposed on them. "Let him," says he, "be held a use-
less coward who does not fight this day boldly : and they
are not innocents who are opposed to you, but people
who will not spare you if ye spare them."
Kalf's speech was received with loud applause, and
shouts of encouragement were heard through the whole
army.
236. — OF THE king's and the BONDES' ARMIES.
Thereafter the bondes' army advanced to Stiklestad,
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where King Olaf was already with his people. Kalf and
Harek went in front, at the head of the army under their
banners. But the battle did not begin immediately on
their meeting ; for the bondes delayed the assault, because
all their men were not come upon the plain, and they
waited for those who came after them. Thorer Hund
had come up with hjs troop the last, for he had to take
care that the men did not go off behind when the battle-
cry was raised, or the armies were closing with each
other ; and therefore Kalf and Harek waited for Thorer.
For the encouragement of their men in the battle the
bondes had the field-cry — "Forward, forward, bonde-
men!'* King Olaf also made no attack, for he waited
for Dag and the people who followed him. At last the
king saw Dag and his men approaching. It is said that
the army of the bondes was not less on this day than a
hundred times a hundred men. Sigvat the skald speaks
thus of the numbers : —
*^ grieve to Uiink the king had The foemen, more than two to one,
brought The rlctory by numbers won ;
Too small a force for what he And this alone, as I've heard say,
sought : Against King Olaf turned the day."
He held his gold too fast to bring
The numbers that could make him
king.
237. — MEETING OP THE KING AND THE BONDES.
As the armies on both sides stood so near that people
knew each other, the king said, "Why art thou here, Kalf,
for we parted good friends south in More? It beseems
thee ill to fight against us, or to throw a spear into our
army ; for here are four of thy brothers."
Kalf replied, "Many things come to pass differently
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from what may appear seemly. You parted from us so
that it was necessary to seek peace with those who were
behind in the country. Now each must remain where he
stands; but if I might advise, we should be reconciled."
Then Fin, his brother, answered, "This is to be observed
of Kalf, that when he speaks fairly he has it in his mind
to do ill."
The king answered, "It may be, Kalf, that thou art in-
clined to reconciliation ; but, methinks, the bondes do not
appear so peaceful."
Then Thorgeir of Kviststad said, "You shall now
have such peace as many formerly have received at your
hands, and which you shall now pay for."
The king replies, "Thou hast no occasion to hasten so
much to meet us ; for fate has not decreed to thee to-day a
victory over me, who raised thee to power and dignity
from a mean station."
238. — BEGINNING OF THE BATTI.E OF STIKI^ESTAD.
Now came Thorer Hund, went forward in front of the
banner with his troop, and called out, "Forward, for-
ward, bondemen!" Thereupon the bondemen raised the
war-cry, and shot their arrows and spears. The king's
men raised also a war-shout; and that done, encouraged
each other to advance, crying out, "Forward, forward,
Christ-men ! cross-men ! king's men !" When the bondes
who stood outermost on the wings heard it, they repeated
the same cry ; but when the other bondes heard them they
thought these were king's men, turned their arms against
them, and they fought together, and many were slain
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before they knew each other. The weather was beau-
tiful, and the sun shone clear; but when the battle began
the heaven and the sun became red, and before the battle
ended it became as dark as at night. King Olaf had
drawn up his army upon a rising ground, and it rushed
down from thence upon the bonde-army with such a
fierce assault, that the borides' array went before it; so
that the breast of the king's array came to stand upon the
ground on which the rear of the bondes' array had stood,
and many of the bondes' army were on the way to fly,
but the lendermen and their house-men stood fast, and
the battle became very severe. So says Sigvat : —
"ThiiDdered th« ground beneaUi The clank of steel, the howitilngs'
their tread. twang.
As, Iron-olad. thtck-tramplng, sped The sounds of batUe» loudly rang ;
The men-at-arms. In row and rank. And bowmen hurried on adrancing.
Past Stiklestad's sweet grassy bank. Their bright helms in the sunshine
glancing."
The lendermen urged their men, and forced them to
advance. Sigvat speaks of this : —
"Midst In their line their banner But many a bonde thinks of home,
flies. And many wish they ne'er had
Thither the stoutest bonde hies : come."
Then the bonde-army pushed on from all quarters.
They who stood in front hewed down with their swords ;
they who stood next thrust with their spears; and they
who stood hindmost shot arrows, cast spears, or threw
stones, hand-axes, or sharp ^akes. Soon there was a
great fall of men in the battle. Many were down on
both sides. In the first onset fell Arnljot Gelline, Gauka-
Thorer, and Afrafaste, with all their men, after each had
killed a man or two, and some indeed more. Now the
ranks in front of the king's banner began to be thinned,
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and the king ordered Thord to carry the banner forward,
and the king himself followed it with the troop he had
chosen to stand nearest to him in battle; and these were
the best armed men in the field, and the most expert in the
use of their weapons. Sigvat the skald tells of this: —
"Loud was the battle-storm there. The king beneath his banner stands.
Where the king's banner flamed in And there the battle he conmuuids."
air.
Olaf came forth from behind the shield-bulwark, and
put himself at the head of the array; and when the bondes
looked him in the face they were frightened, and let their
hands drop. So says Sigvat: —
"I think I saw them shrink with Clear as the serpent's eye — ^hls look
fear No Thorndhjem man could stand.
Who would not shrink from foe- but shook
man's spear. Beneath its glanoe, and skulked
When ours lion-eye was cast away,
On them, and called up all the past. Knowing his king, and cursed the
day."
The combat became fierce, and the king went forward
in the fray. So says Sigvat : —
"When on they came In fierce array. For Tengeanco on his Throndhjem
And round the king arose the fray. foes.
With shield on arm brave Olaf On their best men he dealt his
stood, blows :
Dyeing his sword in their best He who knew well death's iron play.
blood. To his deep vengeanoe gave full
sway."
239. — ^THORGEIR OF KVISTSTAD's ^AIX.
King Olaf fought most desperately. He struck the
lenderman before mentioned (Thorgeir of Kviststad)
across the face, cut off the nose-piece of his helmet, and
clove his head down below the eyes so that they almost
fell out. When he fell the king said, "Was it not true,
Thorgeir, what I told thee, that thou shouldst not be
victor in our meeting?" At the same instant Thord stuck
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the banner-pole so fast in the earth that it remained stand-
ing. Thord had got his death-wound, and fell beneath
the banner. There also fell Thorfin Mun, and also
Gissur Gullbrarskald, who was attacked by two men, of
whom he killed one, but only wounded the other before he
fell. So says Hofgardaref : —
"Bold In the Iron-storm was he. Dealing a death-hlow to the one.
Firm and stout as forest tree. Known as a brare and generous man»
The hero who, 'gainst two at once. Wounding the other, ere he fell, —
Made Odin's fire from sword-edge His bloody sword his deeds showed
glance ; well."
It happened then, as before related, that the sun, al-
though the air was clear, withdrew from the sight, and it
became dark. Of this Sigvat the skald speaks: —
"No common wonder in the sky The day on which fell out this light
Fell out that day — the sun on high. Was marked by dismal dusky light.
And not a cloud to see around. This from the Bast I heard — the end
Shone not, nor warmed Norway's Of our great king it did portend."
ground.
At the same time Dag Hringson came up with his peo-
ple, and began to put his men in array, and to set up his
banner; but on account of the darkness the onset could
not go on so briskly, for they could not see exactly whc«n
they had before them. They turned, however, to that
quarter where the men of Hordaland and Rogaland stood.
Many of these circumstances took place at the same time,
and some happened a little earlier, and some a little later.
240. — KING OLAP'S ^ALI..
On the one side of Kalf Amason stood his two rela-
tions, Olaf and Kalf, with many other brave and stout
men. Kalf was a son of Amfin Ammodson, and a
brother's son of Arne Ammodson. On the other side of
Kalf Arnason stood Thorer Hund. King Olaf hewed at
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Thorer Hund, and struck him across the shoulders; but
the sword would not cut, and it was as if dust flew from
his reindeer-skin coat. So says Sigvat : —
"The king himself now proved the Of the king's sword, — a dust-like
power smoke
Of Fin-folk's craft in magic hour. Rose from Thor's shoulders from
With magic song ; for stroke of steel the blow
Thor's reindeer coat would never Which the king thought would end
feel. his foe."
Bewitched by them it turned the
stroke
Thorer struck at the king, and they exchanged some
blows ; but the king's sword would not cut where it met
the reindeer skin, although Thorer was wounded in the
hands. Sigvat sang thus of it : —
"Some say that Thorer's not right Against his king his sword to wield,
bold ; Leaping across the shield on shield
Why never yet have I been told Which fenced the king round in the
Of one who did a bolder thing fight.
Than to change blows with his true Shows the dog'S^ courage — brave,
king. not bright."
The king said to Bjom the marshal, "Do thou kill the
dog on whom steel will not bite." Bjorn turned round
the axe in his hands, and gave Thorer a blow with the
hammer of it on the shoulder so hard that he tottered.
The king at the same moment turned against Kalf and his
relations, and gave Olaf his death-wound. Thorer Hund
struck his spear right through the body of Marshal Bjorn,
and killed him outright ; and Thorer said, "It is thus we
hunt the bear."* Thorstein Knarrarsmid struck at King
Olaf with his axe, and the blow hit his left leg above the
knee. Fin Amason instantly killed Thorstein. The
king after the wound staggered towards a stone, threw
down his sword, and prayed God to help him. Then
^Thorer's name was Hund — the dog; and a play upon Thorer Hund's
name Was intended by the skald. — L.
'BJom, the marshal's name, signifies a bear. — Ia
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Thorer Hund struck at him with his spear, and the stroke
went in under his mail-coat and into his belly. Then
Kalf struck at him on the left side of the neck. But all
are not agreed upon Kalf having been the man who gave
him the wound in the neck. These three wounds were
King Olaf s death ; and after the king's death the greater
part of the forces which had advanced with him fell with
the king. Bjame Gullbrarskald sang these verses about
Kalf Amason : —
"Warrior ! who Olaf dar«d with- At Stilclestad thou wast the head ;
stand. With flying banners onwards led
Who against Olaf held the land, Tbj bonde troops, and still fought on.
Thou hast withstood the bravest. Until he fell — the much-moumea
best, one."
Who e'er has gone to his long rest
Sigvat also made these verses on Bjorn : —
"The marshal BJom, too, I find. To Russia flrst his steps he bent,
A great example leaves behind. To serve his master still intent;
How steady courage should stand And now beside his king he fell, —
proof. A noble death for skalds to tell."
Though other senrants stand aloof.
241. — BEGINNING OF DAG HRINGSON'S ATTACK.
Dag Hringson still kept up the battle, and made in the
beginning so fierce an assault that the bondes gave way,
and some betook themselves to flight. There a gfreat
number of the bondes fell, and these lendermen, Erlend
of Gerde and Aslak of Finey; and the banner also which
they had stood under was cut down. This onset was par-
ticularly hot, and was called Dag's storm. But now Kalf
Arnason, Harek of Thjotta, and Thorer Hund turned
against Dag, with the array which had followed them, and
then Dag was overwhelmed with numbers ; so he betook
himself to flight with the men still left him. There was
a valley through which the main body of the fugitives fled,
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and men lay scattered in heaps on both sides ; and many
were severely wounded, and many so fatigued that they
were fit for nothing. The bondes pursued only a short
way ; for their leaders soon returned back to the field of
battle, where they had their friends and relations to look
after.
242. — KING olaf's miracle shown to thorer hund.
Thorer Hund went to where King Olaf s body lay, took
care of it, laid it straight out on the ground, and spread
a cloak over it. He told since that when he wiped the
blood from the face it was very beautiful ; and there was
red in the cheeks, as if he only slept, and even much
clearer than when he was in life. The king's blood came
on Thorer's hand, and ran up between his fingers to
where he had been wounded, and the wound grew up so
speedily that it did not require to be bound up. This cir-
cumstance was testified by Thorer himself when King
Olaf's holiness came to be generally known among the
people; and Thorer Hund was among the first of the
king's powerful opponents who endeavoured to spread
abroad the king's sanctity.
243. — 01^ KALP arnason's brothers.
Kalf Arnason searched for his brothers who had fallen,
and found Thorberg and Fin. It is related that Fin threw
his dagger at him, and wanted to kill him, giving him hard
words, and calling him a faithless villain, and a traitor to
his king. Kalf did not regard it, but ordered Fin and
Thorberg to be carried away from the field. When their
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wounds were examined they were found not to be deadly,
and they had fallen from fatigue, and under the weight
of their weapons. Thereafter Kalf tried to bring his
brothers down to a ship, and went himself with them.
As soon as he was gone the whole bonde-army, having
their homes in the neighbourhood, went off also, except-
ing those who had friends or relations to look after, or
the bodies of the slain to take care of. The wounded
were taken home to the farms, so that every house was
full of them; and tents were erected over some. But
wonderful as was the number collected in the bonde-army,
no less wonderful was the haste with which this vast body
was dispersed when it was once free ; and the cause of this
was, that the most of the people gathered together from
the country places were longing for their homes.
244. — OP THE BONDES OP V^RADAL.
The bondes who had their homes in Veradal went to
the chiefs Harek and Thorer, and complained of their dis-
tress, saying, "The fugitives who have escaped from the
battle have proceeded up over the valley of Veradal, and
are destroying our habitations, and there is no safety for
»us to travel home so long as they are in the valley. Go af-
ter them with war-force, and let no mother's son of them
escape with life; for that is what they intended for. us if
they had got the upper hand in the battle, and the same
they would do now if they met us hereafter, and had bet-
ter luck than we. It may also be that they will linger in
the valley if they have nothing to be frightened for, and
then they wQwld not proceed very gently in the inhabited
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country." The bondes made many words about this,
urging the chiefs to advance directly, and kill those who
had escaped. Now when the chiefs talked over this
matter among themselves, they thought there was much
truth in what the bondes said. They resolved, therefore,
that Thorer Hund should undertake this expedition
through Veradal, with 600 men of his own troops. Then,
towards evening, he set out with his men; and Thorer
continued his march without halt until he came in the
night to Sula, where he heard the news that Dag Hring-
son had come there in the evening, with many other flocks
of the king's men, and had halted there until they took
supper, but were afterwards gone up to the mountains.
Then Thorer said he did not care to pursue them up
through the mountains, and he returned down the valley
again, and they did not kill many of them this time. The
bondes then returned to their homes, and the following
day Thorer, with his people, went to their ships. The
part of the king's men who were still on their legs con-
cealed themselves in the forests, and some got help from
the people.
245. — OF THE king's brother^ HARAU) sigurdson.
Harald Sigurdson was severely wounded; but Ragn-
vald Brusason brought him to a bonde's the night after
the battle, and the bonde took in Harald, and healed his
wound in secret, and afterwards gave him his son to
attend him. They went secretly over the mountains, and
through the waste forests, and came out in Jamtaland.
Harald Sigurdson was fifteen years old when King Olaf
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fell. In Jamtaland Harald found Ragnvald Brusason;
and they went both east to King Jarisleif in Russia, as is
related in the Saga of Harald Sigurdson.
246. — OF THORMOD KOWRUNARSKAIJ).
Thormod Kolbrunarskald was under King Olaf's ban-
ner in the battle; but when the king had fallen, the battle
was raging so that of the king's men the one fell by the
side of the other, and the most of those who stood on
their 1^;^ were wounded. Thormod was also severely
wounded, and retired, as all the others did, back from
where there was most danger of life, and some even fled.
Now when the onset began which is called Dag's storm,
all of the king's men who were able to combat went
there ; but Thormod did not come into that combat, being
unable to fight, both from his wound and from weariness,
but he stood by the side of his comrade in the ranks, al-
though he could do nothing. There he was struck by an
arrow in the left side; but he broke off the shaft of the
arrow, went out of the battle, and up towards the houses,
where he came to a barn which was a large building.
Thormod had his drawn sword in his hand; and as he
went in a man met him, coming out, and said, "It is very
bad there with howling and screaming ; and a great shame
it is that brisk young fellows cannot bear their wounds :
it may be that the king's men have done bravely to-day,
but they certainly bear their wounds very ilL"
Thormod asks, "What is thy name?"
He called himself Kimbe.
Thormod : "Wast thou in the battle, too?"
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"I was with the bondes. which was the best side,"
says he.
"And art thou wounded any way?" says Thormod.
"A little," said Kimbe. "And hast thou been in the
battle too?"
Thormod replied, "I was with them who had the best."
"Art thou wounded?" says Kimbe.
"Not much to signify," replies Thormod.
As Kimbe saw that Thormod had a gold ring on his
arm, he said, "Thou art certainly a king's man. Give me
thy gold ring, and I will hide thee. The bondes will kill
thee if thou fallest in their way."
Thormod says, "Take the ring if thou canst get it: I
have lost that which is more worth."
Kimbe stretched out his hand, and wanted to take the
ring; but Thormod, swinging his sword, cut off his hand :
and it is related that Kimbe behaved himself no better
under his wound than those he had been blaming just
before. Kimbe went off, and Thormod sat down in the
bam, and listened to what people were saying. The con-
versation was mostly about what each had seen in the
battle, and about the valour of the combatants. Some
praised most King Olaf's courage, and some named others
who stood nowise behind him in bravery. Then Thor-
mod sang these verses : —
"01 nf was brave beyond all doubt, — But I hare heard that some wer«
At PtiV.lP^^?^d was none so stout; there
Sp0t*errd with blood, the king, un- Who In the fight themselTes would
RPf^rlng, spare:
Cheered on his men with deed and Though, in the arrow-storm, the most
daring. Had perils quite enough to boast."
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247. — ^THORMOD^S DEATH.
Thormod went out, and entered into a chamber apart,
in which there were many wounded men, and with them
a woman binding their wounds. There was fire upon the
floor, at which she warmed water to wash and clean their
wounds. Thormod sat himself down beside the door,
and one came in, and another went out, of those who were
busy about the wounded men. One of them turned to
Thormod, looked at him, and said, "Why art thou so
dead-pale? Art thou wounded? Why dost thou not call
for the help of the wound-healers ?" Thormod then sang
these verses : —
"I am not blooming, and the fair The slash and thmst of Danish
And slender girl loves to care steel ;
For blooming youths — few care for And pale and faint, and bent with
me : pain,
With Fenja's meal I cannot fee. Return from yonder battle-plain."
This is the reason why I feel
Then Thormod stood up and went in towards the fire,
and stood there awhile. The young woman said to him,
"Go out, man, and bring in some of the split firewood
which lies close beside the door." He went out and
brought in an armful of wood, which he threw down upon
the floor. Then the nurse-girl looked him in the face, and
said, "Dreadfully pale is this man — ^why art thou so?"
Then Thormod sang: —
"Thou wonderest, sweet sprig, at me. The arrow-drift o'ertook me, girl, —
A man so hideous to see : A fine-ground arrow in the whirl
Deep wounds but rarely mend the Went through me, and I feel the
face, dart
The crippling blow gives little grace. Sits, lovely girl, too near my heart'*
The girl said, "Let me see thy wound, and I will bind
it." Thereupon Thormod sat down, cast oflF his clothes,
and the girl saw his wounds, and examined that which
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was in his side, and felt that a piece of iron was in it,
but could not find where the iron had gone in. In a
stone pot she had stirred together leeks and. other
herbs, and boiled them, and gave the wounded men of it
to eat, by which she discovered if the wounds had pene-
trated into the belly; for if the wound had gone so deep,
it would smell of leek. She brought some of this now
to Thormod, and told him to eat of it. He replied, "Take
it away, I have no appetite for my broth." Then she
took a large pair of tongs, and tried to pull out the iron ;
but it sat too fast, and would in no way^come, and as the
wound was swelled, little of it stood out to lay hold of.
Now said Thormod, "Cut so deep in that thou canst get
at the iron with the tongs, and give me the tongs and let
me pull." She did as he said. Then Thormod took a
gold ring from his hand, gave it to the nurse-woman, and
told her to do with it what she liked. "It is a good man's
gift," said he: "King Olaf gave nle the ring this morn-
ing." Then Thormod took the tongs, and pulled the
iron out ; but on the iron there was a hook, at which there
hung some morsels of flesh from the heart, — some white,
some red. When he saw that, he said, "The king has. fed
us well. I am fat, even at the heart-roots ;" and so saying
he leant back, and was dead. And with this ends what we
have to say about Thormod.
248. — 01^ SOME CIRCUMSTANCES Ot THE BATTLE.
King Olaf fell on Wednesday, the 29th of July (1030).
It was near mid-day when the two armies met, and the
battle began before half-past one, and before three the
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king fell. The darkness continued from about half-past
one to three also. Sigvat the skald speaks thus of the
result of the battle : —
''The loss was great to England's The people's sorereign took the field,
foes. The people cloTe the soyereign's
When their chief fell beneath the shield.
blows Of all the chiefs, that bloody day.
By his own thoughtless people Dag only came out of the fray."
glren, —
When the king's shield in two was
riven.
And he composed these: —
"Such mighty bonde-power, I ween. When such a king. In such a strife.
With chiefs or rulers ne'er was seen. By his own people lost his life,
It was the people's mighty power Full many a gallant man must feel
That struck the king that fatal hour. The death-wound from the people's
steel."
The bondes did not spoil the slain upon the field of
battle, for immediately after the battle there came upon
many of them who had been against the king a kind of
dread as it were; yet they held by their cfvil inclination,
for they resolved among themselves that all who had
fallen with the king should not receive the interment
which belongs to good men, but reckoned them all robbers
and outlaws. But the men who had power, and had re-
lations on the field, cared little for this, but removed their
remains to the churches, and took care of their burial.
249. ^A MIRACI^E ON A BUND MAN.
Thorgils Halmason and his son Grim went to the field
of battle towards evening when it was dusk, took King
Olaf's corpse up, and bore it to a little empty houseman's
hut which stood on the other side of their farm. They
had light and water with them. Then they took the
clothes pflf th^ body, swathed it in a linen cloth, Uid it
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down in the house, and concealed it under some firewood
so that nobody could see it, even if people came into the
hut. Thereafter they went home again to the farm-
house. A great many beggars and poor people had fol-
lowed both armies, who begged for meat; and the even-
ing after the battle many remained there, and sought
lodging round about in all the houses, great or small. It
is told of a blind man who was poor, that a boy attended
him and led him. They went out around the farm to seek
a lodging, and came to the same empty house, of which
the door was so low that they had almost to creep in.
Now when the blind man had come in, he fumbled about
the floor seeking a place where he could lay himself down.
He had a hat on his head, which fell down over his face
when he stooped down. He felt with his hands that there
was moisture on the floor, and he put up his wet hand to
raise his hat, and in doing so put his fingers on his eyes.
There came immediately such an itching in his eyelids,
that he wnped the water with his fingers from his eyes,
and went out of the hut, saying nobody could lie there, it
was so wet. When he came out of the hut he could dis-
tinguish his hands, and all that was near him, as far as
things can be distinguished by sight in the darkness of
night; and he went immediately to the farm-house into
the room, and told all the people he had got his sight
ngain, and could see everything, although many knew he
had been blind for a long time, for he had been there, be-
fore, going about among the houses of the neijo^hbourhood.
He said he first got his sight when he was coming out of
a little ruinous hut which was all wet inside. "I groped
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SAGA OF OLAF HARALDSON
in the water/* said he, "and rubbed my eyes with my wet
hands." He told where the hut stood. The people who
heard him wondered much at this event, and spoke among
themselves of what it could be that produced it: but
Thorgils the peasant and his son Grim thought they
knew how this came to pass; and as they were much
afraid the king's enemies might go there and search the
hut, they went and took the body out of it, and removed
it to a garden, where they concealed it, and then returned
to the farm, and slept there all night.
250. — OF THORER HUND.
The fifth day (Thursday), Thorer Hund came down
the valley of Veradal to Stiklestad; and many people,
both chiefs and bondes, accompanied him. The field of
battle was still being cleared, and people were carrying
away the bodies of their friends and relations, and were
giving the necessary help to such of the wounded as they
wished to save; but many had died since the battle.
Thorer Hund went to where the king had fallen, and
searched for his body ; but not finding it, he inquired if
any one could tell him what had become of the corpse, but
nobody could tell him where it was. Then he asked the
bonde Thorgils, who said, "I was not in the battle, and
knew little of what took place there; but many reports
are abroad, and among others that King Olaf has been
seen in the night up at Staf, and a troop of people with
him: but if he fell in the battle, your men must have
concealed him in some hole, or under some stone-heap."
Now although Thorer Hund knew for certain that the
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king had fallen, many allowed themselves to believe, and
to spread abroad the report, that the king had escaped
from the battle, and would in a short time come again
upon them with an army. Then Thorer went to his
ships, and sailed down the fjord, and the bonde-army dis-
persed, carrying with them all the wounded men who
could bear to be removed.
251. — OP KING OLAF's body.
Thorgils Halmason and his son Grim had King Olaf s
body, and were anxious about preserving it from falling
into the hands of the king's enemies, and being ill-treated ;
for they heard the bondes speaking about burning it, or
sinking it in the sea. The father and son had seen a
clear light burning at night over the spot on the battle-
field where King Olaf's body lay, and since, while they
concealed it, they had always seen at night a light burn-
ing over the corpse; therefore they were afraid the king's
enemies might seek the body where this signal was visible.
They hastened, therefore, to take the body to a place
where it would be safe. Thorgils and his son accordingly
made a coffin, which they adorned as well as they could,
and laid the king's body in it ; and afterwards made an-
other coffin in which they laid stones and straw, about as
much as the weight of a man, and carefully closed the cof-
fins. As soon as the whole bonde-army had left Stikle-
stad, Thorgils and his son made themselves ready, got a
large rowing-boat, and took with them seven or, eight
men, who were all Thorgil's relations or friends, and
privately took the coffin with the king's body down to the
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boat, and set it under the foot-boards. They had also
with them the coffin containing the stones, and placed it
in the boat where all could see it; and then went down
the fjord with a good opportunity of wind and weather,
and arrived in the dusk of the evening at Nidaros, where
they brought up at the king's pier. Then Thorgils sent
some of his men up to the town to Bishop Sigurd, to say
that they were come with the king's body. As soon as
the bishop heard this news, he sent his men down to the
pier, and they took a small rowing-boat, came alongside
of Thorgil's ship, and demanded the king's body. Thor-
gils and his people then took the coffin which stood in
view, and bore it into the boat; and the bishop's men
rowed out into the fjord, and sank the coffin in the sea.
It was now quite dark. Thorgils and his people now
rowed up into the river past the town, and landed at a
place called Saurhlid, above the town. Then they car-
ried the king's body to an empty house standing at a dis-
tance from other houses, and watched over it for the night,
while Thorgils went down to the town, where he spoke
with some of the best friends of King Olaf, and asked
them if they would take charge of the king's body; but
none of them dared to do so. Then Thorgils and his
men went with the body higher up the river, buried it in
a sand-hill on the banks, and levelled all around it so that
no one could observe that people had been at work there.
They were ready with all this before break of day, when
they returned to their vessel, went immediately out of
the river, and proceeded on their way home to Stiklestad.
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262. — O^ THE BEGINNING OP KING SVEIN ALFlFASON^S
GOVERNMENT.
Svein, a son of King Canute, and of Alfifa, a daughter
of Earl Alfrin, had been appointed to govern Jomsborg
in Vindland. There came a message to him from his
father King Canute, that he should come to Denmark;
and likewise that afterwards he should proceed to Nor-
way, and take that kingdom under his charge, and as-
sume, at the same time, the title of king of Norway.
Svein repaired to Denmark, and took many people with
him from thence, and also Earl Harald and many other
people of consequence attended him. Thorarin Loftunga
speaks of this in the song he composed about King Svein,
called the Glelogn song : —
'"Tls toM by fame. That all conM bm ;
How grandly came Then, one by one.
The Danes to tend EUich following man
Their young king Syein More splendour wore
Grandest was he. Than him before."
Then Svein proceeded to Norway, and his mother
Alfifa was with him; and he was taken to be king at
every Law-thing in the country. He had already come
as far as Viken at the time the battle was fought at
Stiklestad, and King Olaf fell. Svein continued his
journey until he came north, in autumn, to the Thrond-
hjem country; and there, as elsewhere, he was received
as king.
253. — OP KING SVEIN's laws.
King Svein introduced new laws in many respects into
the country, partly after those which were in Denmark,
and in part much more severe. No man must leave the
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country without the king's permission ; or if he did, his
property fell to the king. Whoever killed a man out-
right, should forfeit all his land and movables. If any
one was banished the country, and an heritage fell to him,
the king took his inheritance. At Yule every man should
pay the king a meal of malt from every harvest steading,
and a leg of a three-year old ox, which was called a
friendly gift, together with a spand of butter ; and every
house-wife a rock full of unspun lint, as thick as one
could span with the longest fingers of the hand. The
bondes were bound to build all the houses the king re-
quired upon his farms. Of every seven males one should
be taken for the service of war, and reckoning from the
fifth year of age ; and the outfit of ships should be reck-
oned in the same proportion. Every man who rowed
upon the sea to fish should pay the king five fish as a tax,
for the land defence, wherever he might come from.
Every ship that went out of the country should have
stowage reserved open for the king in the middle of the
ship. Every man, foreigner or native, who went to Ice-
land, should pay a tax to the king. And to all this was
added, that Danes should enjoy so much consideration
in Norway, that one witness of them should invalidate ten
of Northmen.*
When these laws were promulgated the minds of the
people were instantly raised against them, and murmurs
were heard among them. They who had not taken part
against King Olaf said, "Now take your reward and
>Thi8 may probably hare referred not to wltneegM of an act, but to
the class of witneBses in the jurisprudence of the Middle Ages called
compurgators, who testified not the fact, but their confidence in the
statements of the accused; and from which, possibly, our English bail
for offenders arose. — L. ^
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friendship from the Canute race, ye men of the interior
Throndhjem who fought against King Olaf, and de-
prived him of his kingdom. Ye were promised peace
and justice, and now ye have got oppression and slaverj-
for your great treachery and crime." Nor was it very
easy to contradict them, as all men saw how miserable the
change had been. But people had not the boldness to
make an insurrection against King Svein, principally be-
cause many had given King Canute their sons or other
near relations as hostages ; and also because no one ap-
peared as leader of an insurrection. They very soon,
however, complained of King Svein; and his mother
Alfifa got much of the blame of all that was against their
desire. Then the truth, with regard to Olaf, became evi-
dent to many.
254. — OP KING olaf's sanctity.
This winter (1031) many in the Throndhjem land be-
gan to declare that Olaf was in reality a holy man, and
his sanctity was confirmed by many miracles. Many
began to make promises and prayers to King Olaf in the
matters in which they thought they required help, and
many found great benefit from these invocations; some
in respect of health, others of a journey, or other circum-
stances in which such help seemed needful.
255.— OP EINAR TAMBASKELPER.
Einar Tambaskelfer was come home from England to
his farm, and had the fiefs which King Canute had given
him when they met in Throndhjem, and which were al-
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most an earldom. Einar had not been in the strife against
King Olaf, and congratulated himself upon it. He re-
membered that King Canute had promised him the earl-
dom over Norway, and at the same time remembered
that King Canute had not kept his promise. He was
accordingly the first great person who looked upon King
Olaf as a saint.
256.— OI^ TH^ SONS OP ARNE.
Fin Arnason remained but a short time at Eggja with
his brother Kalf ; for he was in the highest degree ill-
pleased that Kalf had been in the battle against King
Olaf, and always made his brother the bitterest re-
proaches on this account. Thorberg Arnason was much
more temperate in his discourse than Fin ; but yet he hast-
ened away, and went home to his farm. Kalf gave
the two brothers a good long-ship, with full rigging and
other necessaries, and a good retinue. Therefore they
went home to their farms, and sat quietly at home. Ame
Arnason lay long ill of his wounds, but got well at last
without injury of any limb, and in winter he proceeded
south to his farm. All the brothers made their peace
with King Svein, and sat themselves quietly down in their
homes.
257. — ^BISHOP Sigurd's plight.
The summer after (1031) there was much talk about
King Olaf s sanctity, and there was a great alteration in
the expressions of all people concerning him. There
were many who now believed that King Olaf must be a
saint, even among those who had persecuted him with
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the greatest animosity, and would never in their conver-
sation allow truth or justice in his favour. People be-
gan then to turn their reproaches against the men who
had principally excited opposition to the king ; and on this
account Bishop Sigurd in particular was accused. He got
so many enemies, that he found it most advisable to go
over to England to King Canute. Then the Thrond-
hjem people sent men with a verbal message to the Up-
lands, to Bishop Grimkel, desiring him to come north to
Throndhjem. King Olaf had sent Bishop Grimkel back
to Norway when he went east into Russia, and since that
time Grimkel had been in the Uplands. When the mes-
sage came to the bishop he made ready to go, and it con-
tributed much to this journey that the bishop considered
it as true what was told of King Olaf's miracles and
sanctity.
258. — KING OLAF THE SAINT's REMAINS DISINTERRED.
Bishop Grimkel went to Einar Tambaskelfer, who re-
ceived him joyfully. They talked over many things,
and, among others, of the in^portant events whidi had
taken place in the country ; and concerning these they were
perfectly agreed. Then the bishop proceeded to the town
(Nidaros), and was well received by all the community.
He inquired particularly concerning the miracles of King
Olaf that were reported, and received satisfactory ac-
counts of them. Thereupon the bishop sent a verbal mes-
sage to Stiklestad to Thorgils and his son Grim, invit-
ing them to come to the town to him. They did not de-
cline the invitation, but set out on the road immediately,
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and came to the town and to the bishop. They related
to him all the signs that had presented themselves to them,
and also where they had deposited the king's body. The
bishop sent a message to Einar Tambaskelfer, who came
to the town. Then the bishop and Einar had an audience
of the king and Alfifa, in which they asked the king's
leave to have King Olaf 's body taken up out of the earth.
The king gave his permission, and told the bishop to do
as he pleased in the matter. At that time there were a
great many people in the town. The bishop, Einar, and
some men with them, went to the place where the king's
body was buried, and had the place dug; but the coffin
had already raised itself almost to the surface of the
earth. It was then the opinion of many that the bishop
should proceed to have the king buried in the earth at
Clement's church; and it was so done. Twelve months
and five days (Aug. 3, 1031), after King Olaf's death his
holy remains were dug up, and the coffin had raised
itself almost entirely to the surface of the earth ; and the
coffin appeared quite new, as if it had but lately been
made. When Bishop Grimkel came to King Olaf's
opened coffin, there was a delightful and fresh smell.
Thereupon the bishop uncovered the king's face, and his
appearance was in no respect altered, and his chedcs were
as red 'as if he had but just fallen asleep. The men who
had seen King Olaf when he fell remarked, also, that his
hair and nails had grown as much as if he had lived on
the earth all the time that had passed since his fall. There-
upon King Svein, and all the chiefs who were at the place,
went out to see King Olaf's body. Then said Alfifa,
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"People buried in sand rot very slowly, and it would not
have been so if he had been buried in earth." After-
wards the bishop took scissors, clipped the king's hair,
and arranged his beard ; for he had had a long beard, ac-
cording to the fashion of that time. Then said the
bishop to the king and Alfifa, "Now the king's hair and
beard are such as when he gave up the ghost, and it has
grown as much as ye see has been cut oflf." Alfifa an-
swers, "I will believe in the sanctity of his hair, if it will
not bum in the fire; but I have often seen men's hair
whole and undamaged after lying longer in the earth than
this man's." Then the bishop had live coals put into a
pan, blessed it, cast incense upon it, and then laid King
Olaf's hair on the fire. When all the incense was burnt
the bishop took the hair out of the fire, and showed the
king and the other chiefs that it was not consumed. Now
Alfifa asked that the hair should be laid upon unconse-
crated fire ; but Einar Tambaskelfer told her to be silent,
and gave her many severe reproaches for her unbelief.
After the bishop's recognition, with the king's approba-
tion and the decision of the Thing, it was determined
that King Olaf should be considered a man truly holy;
whereupon his body was transported into Clement's
church, and a place was prepared for it near the high al-
tar. The coffin was covered with costly cloth, and stood
under a gold embroidered tent. Many kinds of miracles
were soon wrought by King Olaf's holy remains.
259. — OF KING olaf's MIRACLES.
In the sand-hill where King Olaf's body had lain on
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the ground a beautiful spring of water came up and many
human ailments and infirmities were cured by its waters.
Things were put in order around it, and the water ever
since has been carefully preserved. There was first a
chapel built, and an altar consecrated, where the king's
body had lain; but now Christ's church stands upon the
spot. Archbishop Eystein had a high altar raised upon
the spot where the king's grave had been, when he erected
the great temple which now stands there; and it is the
same spot on which the altar of the old Christ church had
stood. It is said that Olaf's church stands on the spot
on which the empty house had stood in which King Olaf's
body had been laid for the night. The place over which
the holy remains of King Olaf were carried up from the
vessel is now called Olaf's Road, and is now in the mid-
dle of the town. The bishop adorned King Olaf's holy
remains, and cut his nails and hair; for both grew as if
he had still been alive. So says Sigvat the skald: —
"I He not, when I say the king
Seemed as alive in every thing :
His nailB. his yellow hair still
growing.
And round his ruddy cheek still
flowing.
As when, to please the Russian
queen.
His yellow locks adorned were seen ;
Or to the blind he cured he gave
A tress, their precious sight to save."
Thorarin Loftunga also composed a song upon Svein
Alfifason, called the Glelogn Song, in which are these
verses : —
"Svein. king of all.
In Olaf's hall
Now sits on high;
And Olaf's eye
Looks down from heaven.
Where it is given
To him to dwell:
Or here in cell.
As heavenly saint.
To heal men's plaint.
Hay our gold-giver
Live here for ever 1
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"King Olaf there
To hold a share
On earth prepared.
Nor labour spared
A seat to win
Prom heaven's great King;
Which he has won
Next Ood's own Son.
"His holy form.
Untouched by worm.
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Where good men pray, "And crowds do come.
And nailB &nd hair The deaf and dumb.
Grow fresh and fair ; Cripple and blind.
His cheek is red. Sick of all kind«
His flesh not dead. Cured to be
On bended knee ;
"Around his bier. And off the ground
Good people hear Rise whole and sound.
The small bells ring
Over the king, "To Olaf pray
Or great bell toll ; To eke thy day.
And living soul To save thy land
Not one can tell Prom spoiler's hand.
Who tolls the bell. God's man is he
To deal to thee
"Tapers up there. Good crops and peace;
(Which Christ holds dear,) Let not prayer cease.
By day and night
The altar light: "Book-prayers prevail,
Olaf did so. If, nail for nail,^
And all men know Thou tellest on.
In heaven he Forgetting none."
From sin sits free.
Thorarin Loftunga was himself with King Svein, and
heard these great testimonials of King Olaf s holiness,
that people, by the heavenly power, could hear a sound
over his holy remains as if bells were ringing, and that
candles were lighted of themselves upon the altar as by
a heavenly fire. But when Thorarin says that a multi-
tude of lame, and blind, and other sick, who came to the
holy Olaf, went back cured, he means nothing more than
that there were a vast number of persons who at the be-
ginning of King Olaf s miraculous working regained
their health. King Olaf s greatest miracles are clearly
written down, although they occurred somewhat later.
260.— O? KING OUV^S AGE AND REIGN.
It is reckoned by those who have kept an exact account,
that Olaf the Saint was king of Norway for fifteen years
^Before the entrance of the temples or churches were posts called
Ondveigis-sulor, with nails called Rigin-naglar — ^the gods' nails — either
for ornament, or, as Schoning suggests, to assist the people in reckoning
weeks, months, festivals, and in reckoning or keeping tale of prayers
repeated, and to recall them to memory, in the same way as beads
are used still by the common people in Catholic countries for the same
purpose. — L.
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from the time Earl Svein left the country; but he had
received the title of king from the people of the Up-
lands the winter before. Sigvat the skald tells this: —
"For fifteen winters o'er the land No worthier prince before his day
King Olaf held the chief command. In our North land e'er held the sway.
Before he fell up In the North : Too short he held It for our good :
His fall made known to us his worth. All men wish now that he had stood."
Saint Olaf was thirty-five years old when he fell, ac-
cording to what Are Frode the priest says, and he had
been in twenty pitched battles. So says Sigvat the skald : —
"Some leaders trust in God — some And alwajrs placed upon his right
not; His Christian men In a hard fight.
Even so their men ; but well I wot Hay God be teerclf ul, I pray.
God-fearing Olaf fought and won To him — for he ne'er shunned the
Twenty pitched battles, one by one, fray."
We have now related a part of King Olaf's story,
namely, the events which took place 'while he ruled over
Norway; also his death, and how his holiness was mani-
fested. Now shall we not neglect to mention what it
was that most advanced his honour. This was his
miracles ; but these will come to be treated of afterwards
in this book.
261. — OF THE THRONDHJEM PEOPLE.
King Svein, the son of Canute the Great, ruled over
Norway for some years; but was a child both in age
and understanding. His mother Alfifa had most sway
in the country; and the people of the country were her
great enemies, both then and ever since. Danish people
had a great superiority given them within the country, to
the great dissatisfaction of the people ; and when conver-
sation turned that way, the people of the rest of Norway
accused the Throndhjem people of having principally
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occasioned King Olaf the Holy's fall, and also that the
men of Norway were subject, through them, to the ill
government by which oppression and slavery had come
upon all the people, both great and small; indeed upon
the whole community. They insisted that it was the duty
of the Throndhjem people to attempt opposition and in-
surrection, and thus relieve the country from such
tyranny; and, in the opinion of the common people,
Throndhjem was also the chief seat of the strength of
Norway at that time, both on account of the chiefs and
of the population of that quarter. When the Throndhjem
people heard these remarks of their countrymen, they
could not deny that there was much truth in them, and
that in depriving King Olaf of life and land they had
committed a great crime, and at the same time the misdeed
had been ill paid. The chiefs began to hold consultations
and conferences with each other, and the leader of these
was Einar Tambaskelfer. It was likewise the case with
Kalf Arnason, who began to find into what errors he had
been drawn by King Canute's persuasion. All the prom-
ises which King Canute had made to Kalf had been
broken; for he had promised him the earldom and the
highest authority in Norway: and although Kalf had
been the leader in the battle against King Olaf, and had
deprived him of his life and kingdom, Kalf had not got
any higher dignity than he had before. He felt that he
had been deceived, and therefore messages passed between
the brothers Kalf, Fin, Thorberg, and Ame, and they
renewed their family friendship.
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262. — OF KING SVEIN's I.EVY.
When King Svein had been three years in Norway
(1031-33), the news was received that a force was as-
sembled in the western countries, under a chief who called
himself Trygve, and gave out that he was a son of Olaf
Trygvason and Queen Gyda of England. Now when
King Svein heard that foreign troops had come to the
country, he ordered out the people on a levy in the north,
and the most of the lendermen hastened to him; but Einar
Tambaskelfer remained at home, and would not go out
with King Svein. When King Svein's order came to
Kalf Amason at Eggja, that he should go out on a levy
with King Svein, he took a twenty-benched ship which
he owned, went on board with his house-servants, and in
all haste proceeded out of the fjord, without waiting for
King Svein, sailed southwards to More, and continued his
voyage south until he came to Giske to his brother Thor-
berg. Then all the brothers, the sons of Ame, held a
meeting, and consulted with each other. After this Kalf
returned to the north again ; but when he came to Frekey-
sund. King Svein was lying in the sound before him.
When Kalf came rowing from the south into the sound
they hailed each other, and the king's men ordered Kalf
to bring up with his vessel, and follow the king for the
defence of the country. Kalf replies, "I have done
enough, if not too much, when I fought against my own
countrymen to increase the power of the Canute family."
Thereupon Kalf rowed away to the north until he came
home to Eggja. None of these Amasons appeared at
this levy to accompany the king. He steered with his fleet
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southwards along the land ; but as he could not hear the
least news of any fleet having come frc«i the west, he
steered south to Rogaland, and all the way to Agder ; for
many guessed that Trygve would first make his attempt
on Viken, because his forefathers had been there, and
had most of their strength from that quarter, and he had
himself great strength by family connection there.
263. — KING TRYGVK OLAFSON'S FALL.
When Trygve came frcMn the west he landed first on
the coast of Hordaland, and when he heard King Svein
had gone south he went the same way to Rogaland. As
soon as Svein got the intelligence that Trygve had come
from the west he returned, and steered north with his
fleet : and both fleets met within Bokn in Soknarsund, not
far from the place where Erling Skjalgson fell. The bat-
tle, which took place on a Sunday, was great and severe.
People tell that Trygve threw spears with both hands at
once. "So my father," said he, "taught me to celebrate
mass." His enemies had said that he was the son of a
priest ; but the praise must be allowed him that he showed
himself more like a son of King Olaf Trygvason, for this
Trygve was a slaughtering man. In this battle King
Trygve fell, and many of his men with him ; but scMne fled,
and some received quarter and their lives. It is thus re-
lated in the ballad of Trygve : —
"Trjgre comes from the northern Prom the sharp strife I was not
coast. far, —
King Svein turns round with all his I heard the din and the clang of
host ; war ;
To meet and fight, they both pre- And the Hordaland men at last gave
pare, way.
And where they met grim death was And their leader fell, and they lost
there. the day."
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This battle is also told of in the ballad about King
.Svein, thus: —
"My girl ! It was a Sunday mom, 'Twas Sunday morn, when SToln
And many a man ne'er saw Its eve, calls out,
Though ale and leeks by old wives 'Stem to stem your vessels bind ;'
borne The raven a mid-day feast smells
The bruised and wounded did re- out,
lleve. And he comes croaking up the
wind."
After this battle King Svein ruled the country for some
time, and there was peace in the land. The winter after
it (1034) he passed in the south parts of the country.
264. — Ot THE COUNSELS OF EINAR TAMBASKELFER AND
KALF ARNASON.
Einar Tambaskelfer and Kalf Amason had this winter
meetings and consultations between themselves in the
merchant town.^ Then there came a messenger from
King Canute to Kalf Amason, with a message to send
him three dozen axes, which must be chosen and good.
Kalf replies, **I will send no axes to King Canute. Tell
him I will bring his son Svein so many, that he shall not
think he is in want of any."
265. — Ot EINAR TAMBASKELFER AND KALF ARNASON'S
JOURNEY.
Early in spring (1034) Einar Tambaskelfer and Kalf
Amason made themselves ready for a journey, with a
great retinue of the best and most select men that could
be found in the Throndhjem country. They went in
spring eastward over the ridge of the country to Jamta-
^Nidaroe, or Throndhjem, is usually called merely the merchant
town. — L.
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land, from thence to Helsingj aland, and came to Svithjod,
where they procured ships, with which in summer the)
proceeded east to Russia, and came in autumn to Ladoga.
They sent men up to Novgorod to King Jarisleif, with
the errand that they offered Magnus, the son of King
Olaf the Saint, to take him with them, follow him to
Norway, and give him assistance to attain his father's
heritage and be made king over the country. When this
message came to King Jarisleif he held a consultation
with the queen and some chiefs, and they all resolved
unanimously to send a message to the Northmen, and ask
them to come to King Jarisleif and Magnus; for which
journey safe conduct was given them. When they came
to Novgorod it was settled among them that the North-
men who had come there should become Magnus's men,
and be his subjects ; and to this Kalf and the other men
who had been against King Olaf at Stiklestad were
solemnly bound by oath. On the other hand. King Mag-
nus promised them, under oath, secure peace and full rec-
onciliation ; and that he would be true and faithful to them
all when he got the dominions and kingdom of Norway.
He was to become Kalf Amason's foster-son; and Kalf
should be bound to do all that Magnus might think
necessary for extending his dominion, and making it more
independent than formerly.
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SAGA OF MAGNUS THE GOOD.
FBELIMINABT BEMABKS.
Magnus reigned from 1035 to 1047« when he died. During the
la8t year of his reign his half-brother Harald Sigurdson was his
co-regent
The history of Magnus is treated in Agrip., ch. 28-32; in Fagr-
skinnat ch. 119-146; in FommannoBdgur^ part yi., and in KnyU
linga Saga.
The skalds quoted in this saga are: Amor the earls' skald
(Amor Jarlaskald), Sigvat, Thjodulf, BJame Gullbrarskald,
Thorgeir Flek, Od Kikinaskald.
1. — MAGNUS OLAFSON'S JOURNEY FROM THE WEST.
After Yule Magnus Olafson began his journey from
the East from Novgorod to Ladoga, where he rigged out
his ships as soon as the ice was loosened in spring (1035).
Amor, the earls' skald, tells of this in the poem on
Magnus : —
"It Is no loose report that be. This generous youth, who scatters
Who will command on land and sea» gold*
In blood will make his foeman feel Norway's braye son, but ten years
Olaf' s sword Hnelter's sharp blue old,
steeL l8 rigging ships In Russia's lake,
His crown, with friend's support, to
take."
In Spring Magnus sailed from the East to Svithjod.
So says Amor : —
"The young sword-stalner called a And now the curred plank of the
Thing, bow
Where all his men should meet Cleaves the blue sea; the ocean-
thelr king: plough,
Heroes who find the eagle food By grey winds drhren across the
Bitfore their lord In arms stood. main.
Reaches SIgtuna's grassy plain."
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Here it is related that when King Magnus and his fel-
low-travellers sailed from the East to Svithjod, they
brought up at Sigtuna. Emund Olafson was then king
in Svithjod. Queen Astrid, who had been married to
King Olaf the Saint, was also there. She received very
gladly and well her stepson King Magnus, and stmunoned
immediately a numerous Thing of Swedes at a place called
Hangrar. At the Thing Queen Astrid spoke these
words: — "Here is come to us a son of Olaf the Saint,
called Magnus, who intends to make an expedition to
Norway to seek his father's heritage. It is my great
duty to give him aid towards this expedition ; for he is
my stepson, as is well known to all, both Swedes and Nor-
wegians. Neither shall he want men or money, in so far
as I can procure them or have influence, in order that his
strength may be as great as possible; and all the men
who will support this cause of his shall have my fullest
friendship; and I would have it known that I intend my-
self to go with him on this attempt, that all may see I
will spare nothing that is in my power to help him.*' She
spoke long and cleverly in this strain ; but when she had
ended many replied thus: — ^**The Swedes made no hon-
ourable progress in Norway when they followed King
Olaf his father, and now no better success is to be ex-
pected, as this man is but in years of boyhood ; and there-
fore we have little inclination for this expedition." As-
trid replies, "All men who wish to be thought of true
courage must riot be deterred by such considerations. If
any have lost connections at the side of King Olaf, or been
themselves wounded, now is the time to show a man's
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heart and courage, and go to Norway to take venge-
ance." Astrid succeeded so far with words and encour-
agement that many men determined to go with her, and
follow King Magnus to Norway. Sigvat the skald
speaks of this : —
"Now Astrid, Olaf's widowed With help of Christ, she hoped to
queen, — bring
She who so many a change had Magnus to he the land's sole king,
seen, — As Harald was, who in his day
Took all the gifts of happier days. Obtained o'er all the upper sway.
Jewels and rings, all she could raise.
And at a Thing at Hangrar, where "And glad are we so well she sped, —
The Swedes were numerous, did de- The people's friend is now their
Clare head ;
What Olaf's son proposed to do. And good King Magnus always
And brought her gifts — ^their pay — shows
in view. How much he to Queen Astrid owes.
Such stepmothers as this good queen
"And with the Swedes no wiser plan. In truth are very rarely seen ;
To bring out every brave bold man. And to this noble woman's praise
Could have been found, had Magnus The skald with Joy his song will
been raise."
The son himself of the good queen.
Thiodolf the skald also says in his song of Magnus : —
"When thy brave ship left the land. And many a stout ship, tempest-tost.
The bending yard could scarce Was in that howling storm lost
withstand That brought thee safe to Slgtuna's
The fury of the whistling gale, shore, *
That split thy many-coloured sail ; Far from the sound of ocean's roar."
2. — Magnus's expedition from svithjod.
King Magnus set out on his journey from Sigtuna with
a great force, which he had gathered in Svithjod. They
proceeded through Svithjod on foot to Helsingj aland. So
says Amor, the earl's skald : —
"And many a dark-red Swedish And chosen men by thee were led,
shield Men who have stained the wolf's
Marched with thee from the Swedish tongue red.
field. Each milk-white shield and polished
The country people crowded in. spear
To help Saint Olaf's son to win ; Came to a splendid gathering there."
Magnus Olafson went from the East through Jamta-
hnd over the keel-ridge of the country and came down
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upon the Throndhjem district, where all men welcomed
the king with joy. But no sooner did the men of King
Svein, the son of Alfifa, hear that King Magnus Olafson
was come to the country, than they fled on all sides and
concealed themselves, so that no opposition was made to
King Magnus; for King Svein was in the south part of
the country. So says Arnor, the earls' skald :
"He who the eagle's talons stains The lightning of thy eye so near.
Rushed from the Bast on Thrond- Great king! thy foemen could not
hjem's plains; hear.
The terror of his plumed helm Scattered they fled — their only care
Drove his pale foemen from the If thou their wretched lives wilt
realm. spare."
3. — MAGNUS MADE KING.
Magnus Olafson advanced to the town (Nidaros),
where he was joyfully received. He then summoned the
people to the Eyra-thing ;^ and when the bondes met at the
Thing, Magnus was taken to be king over the whole land,
as far as his father Olaf had possessed it. Then the
king selected a court, and named lendermen, and placed
bailiffs and officers in all domains and offices. Immedi-
ately after harvest King Magnus ordered a levy through
all Throndhjem land, and he collected men readily; and
thereafter he proceeded southwards along the coast.
4. — KING SVEIN'S FUGHT.
King Svein Alfifason was staying in South Hordaland
when he heard this news of war. He immediately sent
out war-tokens to four different quarters, summoned the
^Byra Thing, held on the ayr of the river Ntd, that la. on the spit of
sand, still called an ayr in the north of Scotland, dividing a lake, pond,
or river-mouth from the sea. At the Thing held here the kings of Nor-
way were chosen and proclaimed. It was held to he the proper Thing
for settling disputes between kings in Norway. — L.
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bondes to him, and made it known to all that they should
join him with men and ships to defend the country. All
the men who were in the neighbourhood of the king pre-
sented themselves ; and the king formed a Thinjg, at which
in a speech he set forth his business, and said he would
advance against Magnus Olafson and have a battle with
him, if the bondes would aid his cause. The king's
speech was not very long, and was not received with
much approbation by the bondes. Afterwards the Dan-
ish chiefs who were about the king made long and clever
speeches ; but the bondes then took up the word, and an-
sw-red them; and although many said they would follow
Svein, and fight on his side, some refused to do so bluntly,
some were altogether silent, and some declared they would
join King Magnus as soon as they had an opportunity.
Then King Svein says, "Methinks very few of the bondes
to whom we sent a message have appeared here; and of
those who have cc«ie, and tell us to our face that they will
join King Magnus as soon as they can, we shall have as
little benefit as of those who say they will sit at home
quietly. It is the same with those who say nothing at all.
But as to those who promise to help us, there are not more
than every other man; and that force will avail us little
against King Magnus. It is my counsel, therefore, that
we do not trust to these bondes; but let us rather go to
the land where all the people are sure and true to us, and
where we will obtain forces to conquer this country
again." As soon as the king had made known this res-
oluticMi all his men followed it, turned their ship's bows,
and hoisted sail. King Svein sailed eastward along the
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land, and then set right over to Denmark without delay,
and Hardaknut received his brother Svein very kindly.
At their first meeting Hardaknut offered King Svein to
divide the kingdom of Denmark with him, which offer
King Svein accepted.
6. — KING Magnus's journey to norway.
In autumn (1036) King Magnus proceeded eastward
to the end of the country, and was received as king
throughout the whole land, and the country people were
rejoiced at his arrival.
6. — DEATH OF king CANUTE THE GREAT AND HIS SON
SVEIN.
King Svein, Canute's son, went to Denmark, as before
related, and took part in the government with his brother
Hardaknut. In the same autumn King Canute the Great
died in England, the 13th November, forty years old, and
was buried at Winchester. He had been king of Den-
mark for twenty-seven years, and over Denmark and
England together twenty-four years, and also over Nor-
way for seven years. King Canute's son Harald was
then made king in England. The same winter (1036)
King Svein, Alfifa's son, died in Denmark. Thiodolf
the skald made these lines concerning King Magnus: —
"Through Sweden's dirty roads Uie And partly by hla men betrayed:
throng Plying to Denmark o'er the sea.
Followed the king In spearmen He leaves the land quite clear to
strong. thee."
Svein doth fly, in truth afraid.
B jame Gullbrarskald composed the following lines con-
cerning Kalf Arnason : —
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"Bj thee the kings got each his Kalf! It was jou who showed the
own, — way
Magnus by thee got Norway's To our young king, the battle-
throne ; lover, —
And Syein in Denmark got a seat. From Russia to his father's sway
When out of Norway he was beat. You showed the way, and brought
him over."
King Magnus ruled over Norway this winter (r(>36),
and Hardaknut over Denmark.
7. RECONCILIATION BETWEEN HARDAKNUT AND KING
MAGNUS.
The following spring (1036) the kings on both sides
ordered out a levy, and the news was that they would
have a battle at the Gaut river ; but when the two armies
approached each other, the lendermen in the one army sent
messengers to their connections and friends in the other ;
and it came to a proposal for a reconciliation between the
two kings, especially as, from both kings being but young
and childish, some powerful men, who had been chosen
in each of the countries for that purpose, had the rule of
the country on their account. It thus was brought about
that there was a friendly meeting between the kings, and
in this meeting a peace was proposed ; and the peace was
to be a brotherly union under oath to keep the peace to-
wards each other to the end of their lives ; and if one of
them should die without leaving a son, the longest liver
should succeed to the whole land and people. Twelve
of the principal men in each kingdc«n swore to the kings
that this treaty should be observed, so long as any one of
them was in life. Then the kings separated, and each re-
turned home to his kingdom ; and the treaty was kept as
long as both lived.
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8.— OF QUEEN AStRID.
Queen Astrid, who had been married to King Olaf
the Saint, came to Norway with King Magnus her step-
son, as before related, and was held by him deservedly
in great honour and esteem. Then came also Alfhild,
King Magnus's mother, to the court, and the king re-
ceived her with the greatest affection,' and showed her
great respect. But it went with Alfhild, as it does with
many who come to power and honour, that pride keeps
pace with promotion. She was ill pleased that Queen
Astrid was treated with more respect, had a higher seat,
and more attention. Alfhild wanted to have a seat next
to the king, but Astrid called Alfhild her slave-woman,
as indeed she had formerly been when Astrid was queen
of Norway and King Olaf ruled the land, and therefore
would on no account let her have a seat beside her, and
they could not lodge in the same house.
9.— OF SIGVAT THE SKAIJ).
Sigvat the skald had gone to Rcwne, where he was at
the time of the battle of Stiklestad.
He was on his way back from the South when he
heard tidings of King Olaf s fall, which gave him great
grief. He then sang these lines : —
"One morning early on a hill. Where our king fell, — our kind good
The misty town asleep and still, king.
Wandering I thought upon the fields. Where now his happy youthful
Strewed o'er with broken mail and spring?
shields. My father too ! — for Thord was then
One of the good king's ehosen men."
One day Sigvat went through a village, and heard a
husband lamenting grievously over the loss of his wife,
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Striking his breast, tearing his clothes, weeping bitterly,
and saying he wanted to die; and Sigvat sang these
lines : —
"This poor man mourni a much- But the brave man who knows no
loved wife, fear
Gladly would he be quit of life. Drops for his king a silent tear,
Must love be paid for by our grief? And feels, perhaps, his loss as deep
The price seems great for Joy so brief. As those who clamour when they
weep."
Sigvat came home to Norway to the Throndhjem
country, where he had a farm and children. He came
from the South along the coast in a merchant vessel, and
as they lay in Hillarsund they saw a great many ravens
flying about. Then Sigvat said:—
"I see here many a croaking raven When Olafs ship lay here wind-
Flying about the well-known haven : bound.
When Olaf's ship was floating here. Oft screamed the erne o'er Hillar
They knew that food for them was sound,
near ; , Impatient for the expected prey.
And wont to follow to the fray."
When Sigvat came north to the town of Throndhjem
King Svein was there before him. He invited Sigvat
to stay with him, as Sigvat had formerly been with his
father King Canute the Great ; but Sigvat said he would
first go home to his farm. One day, as Sigvat was walk-
ing in the street, he saw the king's men at play, and he
sang: —
"One day before I passed this way. That made me pale, and feel unwell.
When the king's guards were at Perhaps it was I thought. Just then,
their play, How noble Olaf with his men.
Something there was— I need not In former days, I oft have seen
tell — In manly games upon this green."
Sigvat then went to his farm; and as he heard that
many men upbraided him with having deserted King
Olaf, he made these verses : —
"May Christ condemn me still to I was at Rome, as men know well
bum Who saw me there, and who can tell
In Quenchless fire, if I dfd turn. That there in danger I was then :
And leave King Olaf in his need. — The truth I need not hide from
My soul is free from such base deed. men."
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Sigvat was ill at ease in his home. One day he went
out and sang: —
"While Olaf lived, how smiled the But now to me all seems so dreary.
land!— All black and dull— of life I'm
Mountain and cliff, and pebbly weary:
strand. Cheerless to-day» cheerless to-mor-
All Norway then, so fresh, so gay, row —
On land or sea, where oft I lay. Here in the North we have great
sorrow."
Early in winter Sigvat went westward over the ridge
of the country to Jamtaland, and onwards to Helsingja-
land, and came to Svithjod. He went immediately to
Queen Astrid, and was with her a long time, and was a
welcome guest. He was also with her brother King
Emund, and received from him ten marks of' proved
silver, as is related in the song of Canute. Sigvat always
inquired of the merchants who traded to Novgorod if
they could tell him any news of Magnus Olafson. Sigvat
composed these lines at that time: —
"I ask the merchant oft who drives To little birds, which wing their way
His trade to Russia, 'Hdw he thrives. Between the lands, I fain would say.
Our noble prince? How lives he How much we long our prince to see ;
therciT' They seem to bear a wish from me."
And still good news — ^hls praise — I
hear.
10.— OF KING Magnus's first arrival in svithjod.
Immediately after Magnus Olafson came to Svithjod
from Russia, Sigvat met him at Queen Astrid's house,
and glad they all were at meeting. Sigvat then sang : —
"Thou art come here, prince, young I join myself to thy young power.
and bold ! I could not o'er to Russia hie, —
Thou art come home ! With joy be- Thy mother's guardian here was I.
hold It was my punishment for giving
Thy land and people. Prom this Magnus his name, while scarcely
hour living."
Afterwards Sigvat travelled with Queen Astrid, and
followed Magnus to Norway. Sigvat sang thus : —
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"To the crowds streaming to the If He. to whom be all the praise.
Thing* Give us a son in all his wajs
To see and hear Magnus their king. Like to his sire, no folk on earth
Loudly, young king. I'll speak my Will bless so much a royal birth."
mind —
'Qod to His people has been kind.'
Now when Magnus became king of Norway Sigvat
attended him> and was his dearest friend. Once it hap-
pened that Queen Astrid and Alfhild the king's mother
had exchanged some sharp words with each other, and
Sigvat said : —
"Alfhild ! though it was Ood's will The queen-bom Astrid should not be
To raise thee — yet remember still Kept out of due respect by thee."
11. — KING OI^AF's shrine.
King Magnus had a shrine made and mounted with
gold and silver, and studded with jewels. This shrine
was made so that in shape and size it was like a coffin.
Under it was an arched way, and above was a raised roof,
with a head and a roof-ridge. Behind were plaited
hangings ; and before were gratings with padlocks, which
could be locked with a key. In this shrine King Magnus
had the holy remains of King Olaf deposited, and many
were the miracles there wrought. Of this Sigvat speaks : —
"For him a golden shrine Is made. Here many a man shall feel his way.
For him whose heart was ne'er Stone-blind, unconscious of the day,
afraid And at the shrine where Olaf liee
Of mortal man — the holy king, Give songs of praise for opened
Whom the Lord Ood to heaven did eyes."
bring.
It was also appointed by law that King Olaf's holy
day should be held sacred over all Norway, and that day
has been kept ever afterwards as the greatest of Church
days. Sigvat speaks of it : —
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"To Olaf, Magnus' father, raise. Well may I keep within my breast
Within my house, the song of praise ! A day for him in holy rest, —
With joy, yet grief, we'll keep the My upraised hands a golden ring
day On every branch' bear from that
Olaf to heaven was called away. king."
12.— OF THORBR HUND.
Thorer Hund left the country immediately after King
Olaf s fall. He went all the way to Jerusalem, and many
people say he never came back. Thorer Hund had a son
called Sigurd, father of Ranveig who was married to
Joan, a son of Ame Amason. Their children were Vid-
kun of Bjarkey, Sigurd Hund, Erling, and Jardthrud.
13. — OF THE MURDER OF HAREK OF THJOTTA.
Harek of Thjotta sat at home on his farm, till King
Magnus Olafson came to the country and was made king.
Then Harek went south to Throndhjem to King Magnus.
At that time Asmund Grankelson was in the king's house.
When Harek came to Nidaros, and landed out of the ship,
Asmund was standing with the king in the gallery outside
the loft, and both the king and Asmund knew Harek
when they saw him. "Now," says Asmund to the king,
"I will pay Harek for my father's murder." He had in
his hand a little thin hatchet. The king looked at him,
and said, "Rather take this axe of mine." It was thick,
and made like a club. "Thou must know, Asmund,"
added he, "that there are hard bones in the old fellow."
Asmund took the axe, went down, and through the house,
and when he came down to the cross-road Harek and his
men coming up met him. Asmund struck Harek on the
iTbe fingers, thn branches of the hand, bore golden fruits from the
generosity of the king. — ^L.
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head, so that the axe penetrated to the brains; and that
was Harek's death-wound. Asmund turned back directly
to the king's house, and the whole edge of the axe was
turned with the blow. Then said the king, "What would
thy axe have done, for even this one, I think, is spoilt ?*'
King Magnus afterwards gave him a fief and office in
Halogaland, and many are the tales about the strife be-
tween Asmund and Harek's sons.
14.— OF THORGEIR FI.EK.
Kalf Arnason had at first, for some time, the greatest
share of the government of the country under King Mag-
nus ; but afterwards there were people who reminded the
king of the part Kalf had taken at Stiklestad, and then
it became difficult for Kalf to give the king satisfaction in
anything. Once it happened there were many men with
the king bringing their affairs before him; and Thorgeir
Flek from Sula in Veradal, of whom mention is made be-
fore in the history of King Olaf the Saint, came to him
about some needful business. The king paid no attention
to his words, but was listening to people who stood near
him. Then Thorgeir said to the king, so loud that all
who were around him could hear —
"Listen, my lord, to my plain word. Listen to me : well did I see
I too was there, and had to bear The men you're trusting the dead
A bloody head from Stiklestad : corpse thrusting
For I was then with Olaf s men. Out of their way, as dead it lay ;
And striking o'er your father's gore."
There was instantly a great uproar, and some told
Thorgeir to go out ; but the king called him, and not only
despatched his business to his satisfaction, but promised
him favour and friendship.
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16. — KAU? ARNASON FI.IES THE COUNTRY.
Soon after this the king was at a feast at the farm of
Haug in Veradel, and at the dinner-table Kalf Arnason
sat upon one side of him, and Einar Tambaskelfer on the
other. It was already come so far that the king took
little notice of Kalf, but paid most attention to E4nar.
The king said to Einar, "Let us ride to-day to Stiklestad.
I should like to see the memorials of the things which
took place there." Einar replies, "I can tell thee noth-
ing about it; but take thy foster-father Kalf with thee;
he can give thee information about all that took place."
When the tables were removed, the king made himself
ready, and said to Kalf, "Thou must go with me to Stik-
lestad."
Kalf replied, "That is really not my duty."
Then the king stood up in a passion, and said, "Go thou
shalt, Kalf!" and thereupon he went out.
Kalf put on his riding clothes in all haste, and said to
his foot-boy, "Thou must ride directly to Eggja, and
order my house-servants to ship all my property on board
my ship before sunset."
King Magnus now rides to Stiklestad, and Kalf with
him. They alighted from horseback, and went to the
place where the battle had been. Then said the king to
Kalf, "Where is the spot at which the king fell?"
Kalf stretched out his spear-shaft, and said, "There
he lay when he fell."
The king: "And where wast thou, Kalf?"
Kalf: "Here where I am now standing."
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The king turned red as blood in the face, and said,
"Then thy axe could well have reached him."
Kalf replied, "My axe did not come near him;" and
immediately went to his horse, sprang on horseback, and
rode away with all his men; and the king rode back to
Haug. Kalf did not stop until he got home in the even-
ing to Eggja. There his ship lay ready at the shore side,
and all his effects were on board, and the vessel manned
with his house-servants. They set off immediately by
night down the fjord, and afterwards proceeded day and
night, when the wind suited. He sailed out into the West
sea, and was there a long time plundering in Ireland,
Scotland, and the Hebudes. Bjame Gullbrarskald, tells of
this in the song about Kalf : —
"Brother of Thorberg, who still stood He is the first who friendship broke.
Well with the king ! in angry mood For envious men the falsehood
He is the first to break with thee, spoke ;
Who well desenres esteemed to be ; And he will be the first to rue
The breach of friendship 'twizt jou
two."
16.— OF THE THREATS OF THE SONDES.
King Magnus added to his property V^gia, which
Hrut had been owner of, and Kviststad, which had be-
longed to Thorgeir, and also Eggja, with all the goods
which Kalf had left behind him; and thus he confiscated
to the king's estate many great farms, which had be-
longed to those of the bonde-army who had fallen at Stik-
lestad. In like manner, he laid heavy fines upon many
of those who made the greatest opposition to King Olaf.
He drove some out of the country, took large sums of
money from others, and had the cattle of others slaugh-
tered for his use. Then the bondes began to murmur,
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and to say among themselves, "Will he go on in the same
way as his father and other chiefs, whom we made an
end of when their pride and lawless proceedings became
insupportable?" This discontent spread widely through
the country. The people of Sogn gathered men, and, it
was said, were determined to give battle to King Magnus,
if he came into the Fjord district. King Magnus was
then in Hordaland, where he had remained a long time
with a numerous retinue, and was now come to the reso-
lution to proceed north to Sogn. When the king's friends
observed this, twelve men had a meeting, and resolved
to determine by casting lots which of them should inform
the king of the discontent of the people; and it so hap-
pened that the lot fell upon Sigvat.
17.— OF TH^ FREE-SPEAKING SONG (bERSOGUSVISUR).
Sigvat accordingly composed a poem, which he called
the Free-speaking Song, which begins with saying the
king had delayed too long to pacify the people, who were
threatening to rise in tumult against him. He said : —
"Here In the south, from Sogn Is Let us take arms, and briskly go
spread To battle, if it must be so ;
The news that strife draws to a head : Defend our king — but still deplore
The bondes will the king oppose — His land plunged In such strife once
Kings and their folk should ne'er be more."
foes.
In this song are a4so these verses : —
"Hakon. who at Fltlar died, — "The bondes ask but what is fair;
Hakon the Good, could not abide The Olafs and the Barls, when there
The Yiklng rule, or robber train. Where Magnus sits, confirmed to all
And all men's love he thus did gain. Their lands and gear — to great and
The people since have still in mind small.
The laws of Hakon, just and kjpd ; Bold Trygve's son, and Harald's
And men will never see the day heir.
When Hakon's laws have passed The Olafs, while on earth they were,
away. Observed the laws themselves had
made.
And none was for his own afraid.
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"Let not thy counsellors stir thj
wrath
Against the man who speaks the
truth ;
Thy honour lies in thy good sword*
But still more in thy royal word ;
And, if the people do not lie.
The new laws turn out not nigh
So Ju8t and mild, as the laws given
At Ulfasund in face of heaven.
"De cautious, with this news of
treason
Flying about — give them no reason.
We hang the thief, hut then we use
Consideration of the excuse.
I think, great king (who wilt rejoice
Eagle and wolf with battle voice).
It would be wise not to oppose
Thy bondes, and make them thy
foes.
"Dread king! who urges thee to
break
Thy pledged word, and back to take
Thy promise given? Thou warrior
bold:
With thy own people word to hold.
Thy promise fully to maintain.
Is to thyself the greatest gain :
The battle>storm raiser he
Must by hi/i own men trusted be.
"Who urges thee, who seek*st re-
nown.
The bondes' cattle to cut down?
No king before e'er took in hand
Such viking-work in his own land.
Such rapine men will not long bear.
And the king's counsellors will but
share
In their ill-will: when once in-
flamed,
The king himself for all is blamed.
"A dangerous sign it is, I fear.
That old grey-bearded men appear
In corners whispering at the Thing,
As if they had bad news to bring.
The young sit still, — ^no laugh, or
shout, —
More looks than words passing
about;
And groups of whispering heads are
seen.
On buttoned breasts, with lowering
mien.
"Among the udalmen, they say
The king, if he could have his way.
Would seize the bondes' udal land.
And free-bom men must this with-
stand.
In truth the man whose udal fleld.
By any doom that law can yield
From him adjudged the king would
take.
Could the king's throne and power
shake.
This verse is the last : —
"A holy bond between us still
Makes me wish speedy end to ill :
The sluggard waits till afternoon, —
At once great Magnus! grant our
boon.
Thee we will serve with heart and
hand.
With thee we'll fight by sea or land :
With Olaf's sword take Olaf's mind.
And to thy bondes be more kind."
In this song the king was exhorted to observe the laws
which his father had established. This exhortation had
a good effect on the king, for many others held the same
language to him. So at last the king consulted the most
prudent men, who ordered all affairs according to law.
Thereafter King Magnus had the law-book composed in
writing which is still in use in Throndhjem district, and
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is called The Grey Goose} King Magnus afterwards
became very popular, and was beloved by all the country
people, and therefore he was called Magnus the Good.
18.— ?0^ THE ENGUSH KINGS.
The king of the English, King Harald, died (1(M0)
five years after his father King Canute, and was buried
beside his father at Winchester. After his death his
brother Hardaknut, the second son of the old King Ca-
nute, was king of England, and was thus king both of
Denmark and England, He ruled these kingdoms two
years, and then died of sickness in England, leaving no
children. He was buried at Winchester beside his father.
After his death Edward the Good, a son of the English
king Ethelred (and Emma, a daughter of Richard earl
of Rouen), was chosen king in England, King Edward
the Good was, on his mother's side, a brother of Harald
and Hardaknut, the sons of Canute the Great; and the
daughter of Canute and Queen Emma was Gunhild, who
was married to the Emperor Henry of Germany, who was
called Henry the Mild. Gunhild had been three years in
Germany when she fell sick, and she died five years after
the death of her father King Canute the Great.
^The Qrey Oooae, so called probably from the colour of the parchment
on which it l8 written^ is one of the most curious relics of the Middle
Ages, and give us an unexpected view of the social condition of the
Northmen in the eleventh century. Law appears to have been so far
advanced among them that the forms were not merely established, but
the slightest breach of the legal forms of proceeding Involved the loss of
the case. The Orey Ooo8e embraces subjects not dealt with probably by
any other code in Europe at that period. The provision for the poor, the
equality of weights and measures, police of markets and of sea havens,
provision for illegitimate children of the poor, inns for travellers, wages
of servants and support of them in sickness, protection of pregnant women
and even of domestic animals from injury, roads, bridges, vagrants, beg-
gars, are subjects treated of in this code. — Schlegel. — ^L.
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19.— OF KING MAGNUS OLAFSON.
When King Magnus Olafson heard of Hardaknut's
death, he immediately sent people south to Denmark, with
a message to the men who had bound themselves by oath
to the peace and agreement which was made between King
Magnus and Hardaknut, and reminded them of their
pledge. He added, as a conclusion, that in summer
(1042) he would come with his army to Denmark to take
possession of his Danish dominions, in terms of the agree-
ment, or to fall in the field with his army. So says Amor,
the earls' skald : —
"Wise were the words, exceeding *Wltb his good sword he'll Denmark
wise, gain.
Of him who stills the hungriest cries Or fall upon a bloody plain ;
Of beasts of prey — the earl's lord : And rather than give up his cause.
And soon fulfilled will be his word : Will leave his corpse to raven's
claws.' "
20. — KING MAGNUS'S ARMAMENT.
Thereafter King Magnus gathered together a great
army, and summoned to him all lendermen and powerful
bondes, and collected war-ships. When the army was
assembled it was very handsome, and well fitted out. He
had seventy large vessels when he sailed from Norway.
So says Thiodolf the skald : —
"Brave king ! the terror of the foe. And southward now the bright keel
With thee will many a long-ship go. glides ;
Full seventy sail are gathered here. O'er the white waves the Bison rides.
EUuitward wHh their great king to Sails swell, yards crack, the highest
steer. mast
O'er the wide sea scarce seen at last"
Here it related that King Magnus had the great Bison,
which his father King Olaf had built. It had more than
thirty banks of rowers; and forward on the bow was a
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great buffalo head, and aft on the stern-post was its tail.
Both the head and the tail, and both sides of the ship, were
gilded over. Of this speaks Arnor, the earls' skald : —
"The white foam lashing o'er the Around Stavanger-polnt careering,
deck Through the wild sea's white flames
Oft made the glided head to shake : steering,
The helm down, the Tessel's heel Tackle loud singing to the strain,
Oft showed her stem's brlght-glac- The storm-horse flies to Denmark's
Ing steel. plain."
King Magnus set out to sea from Agder, and sailed
over to Jutland. So says Amor : —
'1 can relate how through the gale The Iron-clad Thingmen's chief to
The gallant Bison carried sail, see
With her lee gunwale in the wave. On Jutland's coast right glad were
The king on board, Magnus the we, —
brave! Right glad our men to see a king
Who In the flght his sword could
swing."
21. — KING MAGNUS COMES TO DENMARK.
When King Magnus came to Denmark he was joyfully
received. He appointed a Thing without delay, to which
he summoned the people of the country, and desired they
would take him as king, according to the agreement which
had been entered into. As the highest of the chiefs of the
country were bound by oath to King Magnus, and were
desirous of keeping their word and oath, they endeavoured
zealously to promote the cause with the people. It con-
tributed also that King Canute the Great, and all his de-
scendants, were dead ; and a third assistance was, that his
father King Olaf s sanctity and miracles were become
celebrated in all countries.
22. — ^KING MAGNUS CHOSEN KING OF DENMARK.
King Magnus afterwards ordered the people to be sum-
moned to Viborg to a Thing. Both in older and later
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times, the Danes elected their kings at the Viborg Thing.
At this Thing the Danes chose Magnus Olafson to be king
of all the Danish dominions. King Magfnus remained
long in Denmark during the summer (1042) ; and wher-
ever he came the people received him joyfully, and obeyed
him willingly. He divided the country into baronies and
districts, and gave fiefs to men of power in the land. Late
in autumn he returned with his fleet to Norway, but lay
for some time at the Gaut river.
23.— OF SVEIN ULFSON.
There was a man, by name Svein, a son of Earl Ulf,
and grandson of Thorgils Sprakaleg. Svein's mother was
Astrid, a daughter of King Svein Forkbeard. She was a
sister of Canute the Great by the father's side, and of the
Swedish King Olaf Eirikson by the mother's side; for
her mother was Queen Sigrid the Haughty, a daughter
of Skoglar Toste. Svein Ulfson had been a long time
living with his relation the Swedish king, ever since King
Canute had ordered his father Ulf to be killed, as is re-
lated in the saga of old King Canute, — that he had his
brother-in-law, Earl Ulf, murdered in Roskilde; and on
which account Svein had not since been in Denmark.
Svein UlfscMi was one of the handsomest men that could
be seen; he was very stout and strong, and very expert
in all exercises, and a well-spoken man withal. Every one
who knew him said he had every quality which became a
good chief. Svein Ulfson waited upon King Magnus
while he lay in the Gaut river, as before mentioned, and
the king received him kindly, as he was by many advised
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to do; for Svein was a particularly popular man. He
could also speak for himself to the king well and cleverly ;
so that it came at last to Svein's entering into King Mag-
nus's service, and becoming his man. They often talked
together afterwards in private concerning many affairs.
24. SVEIN ULFSON CREATED AN EARI..
One day, as King Magnus sat in his high-seat and
many people were around him, Svein Ulfson sat upon a
footstool before the king. The king then made a speech :
— "Be it known to you, chiefs, and the people in general,
that I have taken the following resolution. Here is a
distinguished man, both for family and for his own merits,
Svein Ulfson, who ha? entered into my service, and given
me promise of fidelity. Now, as ye know, the Danes have
this summer become my men, so that when I am absent
from the country it is without a head ; and it is not un-
known to you how it is ravaged by the people of Vindland,
Kurland, and others from the Baltic, as well as by Saxons.
Therefore I promised them a chief who could defend and
rule their land; and I know no man better fitted, in all
respects, for this than Svein Ulfson, who is of birth to be
chief of the country. I will therefore make him my earl,
and give him the government of my Danish dominions
while I am in Norway ; just as King Canute the Great set
his father, Earl Ulf, over Denmark while he was in Eng-
land."
Then Einar Tambaskelfer said, "Too great an earl —
too great an earl, my foster-son !''
The king replied in a passion, "Ye have a poor opinion
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of my judgment, I think. Some consider that ye are too
great earls, and others that ye are fit for nothing."
Then the king stood up, took a sword, and girt it on
the earl's loins, and took a shield and fastened it on his
shoulders, put a helmet upon his head, and gave him the
title of earl, with the same fiefs in Denmark which his
father Earl Ulf had formerly held. Afterwards a shrine
was brought forth containing holy relics, and Svein laid
his hand hereon, and swore the oath of fidelity to King
Magnus; upon which the king led the earl to the high-
seat by his side. So says Thiodolf : —
'"Twas at the Qaut river's shore. The vows hj Sveln solemnly given.
With hand on shrine Svein Ulfson On holy bones of saints in heaven.
swore. To Magnus seemed both fair and
King Magnus first said o'er the oath, fast :
With which Svein Ulfson pledged He found they were too fair to last"
hU troth.
Earl Svein went thereafter to Denmark, and the whole
nation received him well. He established a court about
him, and soon became a great man. In winter (1043),
he went much about the country, and made friends among
the powerful chiefs; and, indeed, he was beloved by all
the people of the land.
25. — KING MAGNUSES FORAY.
King Magnus proceeded northward to Norway with his
fleet, and wintered there; but when the spring set in
(1043) he gathered a large force, with which he sailed
south to Denmark, having heard the news from Vindland
that the Vindland people in Jomsborg had withdrawn from
their submission to him. The Danish kings had formerly
had a very large earldom there, and they first founded
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Jomsborg ; and now the place was become a very strong
fortress. When King Magnus heard of this, he ordered
a large fleet and army to be levied in Denmark, and sailed
in summer to Vindland with all his forces, which made a
very large army altogether. Arnor, the earls' skald, tells
of it thus : —
"Now in this strophe, royal youth ! And never did a king before
I tell no more than the plain truth. So many ships to any shore
Thy armed outfit from the strand Lead on. as thou to Vindland's isle :
Left many a keel- trace on the sand, The Vindland men in fright recoiL"
Now when King Magnus came to Vindland he attacked
Jomsborg, and soon took the fortress, killing many people,
burning and destroying both in the town and in the coun-
try all around, and making the greatest havoc. So says
Arnor, the earl's skald: —
"The robbers, hemmed 'twixt death The heathen on his false gods calls,
and fire, And trembles even in their halls;
Knew not how to escape thy ire : And by the light from its own flame
O'er Jomsborg castle's highest towers
Thy wrath the whirlwind-flre pours.
O'er Jomsborg castle's highest towers The king this viking-hold o'ercame."
Dd-f
Many people in Vindland submitted to King Magnus,
but many more got out of the way and fled. King Mag-
nus returned to Denmark, and prepared to take his winter
abode there, and sent away the Danish, and also a great
many of the Norwegian people he had brought with him.
26. — SVEIN RECEIVES THE TITI.E OF KING.
The same winter (1043), in which Svein Ulfson was
raised to the government of the whole Danish dominions,
and had made friends of a great number of the principal
chiefs in Denmark, and obtained the affections of the peo-
ple, he assumed by the advice of many of the chiefs the
title of king. But when in the spring thereafter he heard
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that King Magnus had come from the north with a great
army, Svein went over to Scania, from thence up to Gaut-
land, and so on to Svithjod to his relation, King Emund,
where he remained all summer, and sent spies out to Den-
mark, to inquire about the king's proceedings and the
number of his men. Now when Svein heard that King
Magnus had let a great part of his army go away, and also
that he was south in Jutland, he rode from Svithjod with
a great body of people which the Swedish king had given
him. When Svein came to Scania the people of that coun-
try received him well, treated him as their king, and men
joined him in crowds. He then went on to Seeland, where
he was also well received, and the whole country joined
him. He then went to Fyen, and laid all the islands under
his power ; and as the people also joined him, he collected
a great army and many ships of war.
27.— OF KING MAGNUSES MILITARY FORCE.
King Magnus heard this news, and at the same time
that the people of Vindland had a large force on foot. He
summoned people therefore to come to him, and drew
together a great army in Jutland. Otto, also, the Duke
of Brunsvik, who had married Ulfhild, King Olaf the
Saint's daughter, and the sister of King Magnus, came
to him with a great troop. The Danish chiefs pressed
King Magnus to advance against the Vindland army, and
not allow pagans to march over and lay waste the coun-
try ; so it was resolved that the king with his army should
proceed south to Heidaby. While King Magnus hiy at
Skotborg river, on Hlyrskog Heath, he got intelligence con-
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cerning the Vindland army, and that it was so numerous
it could not be counted; whereas King Magnus had so
few, that there seemed no chance for him but to fly. The
king, however, determined on fighting, if there was any
possibility of gaining the victory ; but the most dissuaded
him from venturing on an engagement, and all, as one
man, said that the Vindland people had undoubtedly a pro-
digious force. Duke Otto, however, pressed much to go
to battle. Then the king ordered the whole army to be
gathered by the war trumpets into battle array, and or-
dered all the men to arm, and to lie down for the night
under their shields ; for he was told the enemy's army had
come to the neighbourhood. The king was very thought-
ful; for he was vexed that he should be obliged to fly,
which fate he had never experienced before. He slept but
little all night, and chanted his prayers.
28. — 0^ KINa OLAI^'S MIRACLE.
The following day was Michaelmas eve. Towards
dawn the king slumbered, and dreamt that his father.
King Olaf the Saint, appeared to him, and said, "Art thou
so melancholy and afraid, because the Vindland people
come against thee with a great army? Be not afraid of
heathens, although they be many ; for I shall be with thee
in the battle. Prepare, therefore, to give battle to the Vind-
landers, when thou hearest my trumpet.'* When the king
awoke he told his dream to his men, and the day was then
dawning. At that moment all the people heard a ring-
ing of bells in the air ; and those among King Magnus's
men who had been in Nidaros thought that it was the
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ringing of the bell called Glod, which King Olaf had pre-
sented to the church of Saint Clement in the town of
Nidaros.
29. — ^BATTLE OF HLYRSKOG HEATH.
Then King Magnus stood up, and ordered the war
trumpets to sound, and at that moment the Vindland army
advanced from the south across the river against tiim;
on which the whole of the king's army stood up, and ad-
vanced against the heathens. King Magnus threw oflF
from him his coat of ring-mail, and had a red silk shirt
outside over his clothes, and had in his hands the battle-
axe called Hel^, which had belonged to King Olaf. King
Magnus ran on before all his men to the enemy's army,
and instantly hewed down with both hands every man
who came against him. So says Arnor, the earls' skald : —
"His armour on the ground be flung His broad axe Hel wltb botb bands
His broad axe round bis bead be wielding,
swung: Shields, helms, and skulls before it
And Norway's king strode on in yielding,
might, He seemed with Fate the world to
Through ringing swords, to the wild share,
fight. And life or death to deal out there.'*
This battle was not very long ; for the king's men were
very fiery, and where they came the Vindland men fell as
thick as tangles heaped up by the waves on the strand.
They wlio stood behind betook themselves to flight, and
were hewed down like cattle at a slaughter. The king
himself drove the fugitives eastward over the heath, and
people fell all over the moor. So says Thiodolf : —
"And foremost he pursued, He drove them o'er the heath.
And the flying foe down hewed ; And they fly from bloody death ;
An eagle's feast each stroke, But the moor, a mile or more,
As the Vindland helms he broke. With the dead was studded o'er."
^Hel — Death; the goddess of Death. — h.
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It is a common saying, that there never was so great a
slaughter of men in the northern lands, since the time of
Christianity, as took place among the Vindland people on
Hlyrskog's Heath. On the other side, not many of King
Magnus's people were killed, although many were
wounded. After the battle the king ordered the wounds of
his men to be bound ; but there were not so many doctors
in the army as were necessary, so the king himself went
round, and felt the hands of those he thought best suited
for the business ; and when he had thus stroked their palms
he named twelve men, who, he thought, had the softest
hands, and told them to bind the wounds of the people;
and although none of them had ever tried it before, they
all became afterwards the best of doctors. There were
two Iceland men among them ; the one was Thorkil, a son
of Geire, from Lyngar; the other was Atle, father of
Bard Svarte of Selardal, from whom many good doctors
are descended. After this battle, the report of the miracle
which King Olaf the Saint had worked was spread widely
through the country ; and it was the common saying of
the people, that no man could venture to fight against
King Magnus Olafson, for his father Saint Olaf stood
so near to him that his enemies, on that account, never
could do him harm.
30. — BATTLE AT RE.
King Magnus immediately turned round with his army
against S vein, whom he called his earl, although the Danes
called him their king; and he collected ships, and a great
force, and on both sides a great strength was assembled.
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In Svein's army were many chiefs from Scania, Halland,
Seeland, and Fyen; while King Magnus, on the other
hand, had mostly Norway and Jutland men, and with
that war-force he hastened to meet Svein. They met at
Re, near Vestland; and there was a great battle, which
ended in King Magnus gaining the victory, and Svein
taking flight. After losing many people, Svein fled back
to Scania, and from thence to Gautland, which was a
safe refuge if he needed it, and stood open to him. King
Magnus returned to Jutland, where he remained all winter
(1044) with many people, and had a guard to watch his
ships. Arnor, the earls* skald, speaks of this : —
"At Re our battle-IOTing lord At Re. upon the western shore.
In bloody meeting stained his In Vestland warrior's blood once
sword, — more."
31. — BATTLE AT AROS.
Svein Ulfson went directly to his ships as soon as he
heard that King Magnus had left his fleet. He drew to
him all the men he could, and went round in winter among
the islands, Seeland, Fyen, and others. Towards Yule he
sailed to Jutland, and went into Limfjord, where many
people submitted to him. He imposed scat upon some,
but some joined King Magnus. Now when King Magnus
heard what Svein was doing, he betook himself to his
ships with all the Northmen then in Denmark, and a part
of the Danish troops, and steered south along the land.
Svein was then in Aros with a great force ; and when he
heard of King Magnus he laid his vessels without the
town, and prepared for battle. When King Magnus
he^^-d for certain where Svein was, and that the distance
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between them was but short, he held a House-thing, and
addressed his people thus : "It is reported to me that the
earl and his fleet are lying not far from us, and that he
has many people. Now I would let you know that I in-
tend to go out against the earl and fight for it, although
we have fewer people. We will, as formerly, put our
trust in God, and Saint Olaf, my father, who has given
us victory sometimes when we fought, even though we
had fewer men than the enemy. Now I would have you
get ready to seek out the enemy, and give battle the mo-
ment we find him by rowing all to attack, and being all
ready for battle." Thereupon the men put on their weap-
ons, each man making himself and his place ready; and
then they stretched themselves to their oars. When they
saw the earl's ships they rowed towards them, and made
ready to attack. When Svein's men saw the forces they
armed themselves, bound their ships together, and then
began one of the sharpest of battles. So says Thiodolf,
the skald : —
"Shield against shield, the earl and They never saw before or since
king On battle-deck : the brave might
Made shields and swords together wince,
ring. As spear and arrow whistling flew.
The gold -decked heroes made a play Point blank, death-brlnglng, quick
Which HUd's Iron-shlrt men say and true."
They fought at the bows, so that the men only on the
bows could strike ; the men on the forecastle thrust with
spears; and all who were farther off shot with light
spears or javelins, or war-arrows. Some fought with
stones, or short stakes ; and those who were aft of the mast
s^hot with the bow. So Says Thiodolf : —
"Steel-pointed spear, and sharpened Screamed o'er the prey preparing
stake. there.
Made the broad shield on arm shake : And stones and arrows thickly flew.
The eagle, hovering in the air. And many a warrior bold they slew.
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The bowman nerer twanged his bow Were not first tired of this blaj :
And drew his shaft so oft as now ; Arrows and darts so quickly fij.
And Throndhjem's bowmen on that You could not follow with the eye."
day
Here it appears how hot the battle was with casting
weapons. King Magnus stood in the beginning of the
battle within a shield-rampart ; but as it appeared to him
that matters were going on too slowly, he leaped over the
shields, and rushed forward in the ship, encouraging his
men with a loud cheer, and springing to the bows, where
the battle was going on hand to hand. When his men
saw this they urged each other on with mutual cheering,
and there was one great hurrah through all the ships. So
says Thiodolf : —
'* 'On with our ships ! on to the foe !' Spears against shields In fury rat-
Cry Magnus' men — on, on they go. tie, —
Was never seen so fierce a batUe."
And now the battle was exceedingly sharp ; and in the
assault Svein's ship was cleared of all her forecastle men
upon and on both sides of the forecastle. Then Magnus
boarded Svein's ship, followed by his men ; and one after
the other came up, and made so stout an assault that
Svein's men gave way, and King Magnus first cleared
that ship, and then the rest, one after the other. Svein
fled, with a great part of his people; but many fell, and
many got life and peace. Thiodolf tells of this : —
"Brave Magnus, from the stem The king's luck thrtres — their decks
springing are cleared.
On to the stem, where swords were Of fighting men no more appeared.
ringing The earl's ships are driven to flight.
From his sea-raven's beak of gold Before the king would stop the fight :
Deals death around — the brave ! the The gold-distributor first then
bold! Gave quarters to the vanquished
The earl's housemen now begin men."
To shrink and fall: their ranks
grow thin —
This battle was fought on the last Sunday before Yule.
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'"Twas on a Sunday morning bright. And many a man, foredoomed to die.
Fell out this great and bloody fight. To save his life o'erboard did fly.
When men were arming, fighting. But sank ; for swimming could not
dying. save.
Or on the red decks wounded lying. And dead men rolled In every waYO."
Magnus took seven ships from Svein's people. So says
Thiodolf:—
"Thick Olaf'B son seven vessels The Norway girls will not be sad
cleared. To hear such news — each from her
And with his fleet the prises steered. lad.'*
He also sings: —
"The captured men will grieve the A heavy storm that very night
most O'ertook them flying from the flght;
Svein and their comrades to have And skulls and bones are tumbling
lost ; round.
For it went ill with those who fled. Under the sea, on sandy ground."
Their wounded had no easy bed.
Svein fled immediately by night to Seeland, with the
men who had escaped and were inclined to follow him;
but King Magnus brought his ships to the shore, and sent
his men up the country in the night-time, and early in the
morning they came down to the strand with a great booty
in cattle. Thiodolf tells about it : —
*'But yesterday with heavy stones And driven their cattle to the shore.
We crushed their skulls, and broke And fllled our ships with food in
their bones. store.
And thinned their ranks; and now To save his land from our quick
to-day swords.
Up through their land we've ta'en Svein will need something more
our way, than words."
32. — svein's FUGHT.
King Magnus sailed with his fleet from the south after
Svein to Seeland; but as soon as the king came there
Svein fled up the country with his men, and Magnus fol-
lowed them, and pursued the fugitives, killing all that
were laid hold of. So says Thiodolf : —
"The Seeland girl asks with fear. We scoured through all their muddy
'Whose blood-bespattered shield and lanes,
spear — Woodlands., and flelds, and miry
The earl's or king's — ^up from the plains.
shore Their hasty footmarks in the clay
Moved on with many a warrior Showed that to Rlngsted led their
merer way.
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"Spattered with mud from heel to
head.
Our gallant lord his true men led.
Will Lund's earl halt his hasty
flight.
And try on land another fight?
His hanner yesterday was seen,
The sand-hills and green trees be-
tween.
Through moss and mire to the
strand.
In arrow flight, leaving the land."
Then Svein fled over to Fyen Island, and King Magnus
carried fire and sword through Seeland, and burnt all
round, because their men had joined Svein's troop in har-
vest. So says Thiodolf : —
"As Sveln !n winter had destroyed
The royal house, the king employed
No little force to guard the land.
And the earl's forays to withstand.
An armed hand one mom he found.
And so beset them round and round.
That Canute's nephew quickly fled.
Or he would have been captive led.
'Our Throndhjem king In his Just ire
Laid waste the land with sword and
flre.
Burnt every house, and over all
Struck terror into great and small.
To the earl's friends he well repaid
Their deadly hate — such wild work
made
On them and theirs, that from his
fury.
Flying for life, away they hurry."
33. ^BURNING IN FYEN.
As soon as King Magnus heard that Svein with his
troops had gone across to Fyen, he sailed after them ; and
when Svein heard this news he went on board ship and
sailed to Scania, and from thence to Gautland, and at last
to the Swedish King. King Magnus landed in Fyen, and
plundered and burned over all; and all of Svein's men
who came there fled far enough. Thiodolf speaks of it
thus : —
"Fiona isle, once green and fair.
Lies black and reeking through the
air:
The red fog rises, thick and hot.
From burning farm and smoulder-
ing cot.
The gaping thralls In terror gase
On the broad upward-splrlng blaze.
From thatched roofs and oak-built
walls.
Their murdered masters' stately
halls.
**Sveln's men, my girl, will not for-
set
That thrice they have the Norse-
men met,
By sea, by land, with steel, with flre,
Thrice have they felt the Norse
king's ire.
Fiona's maids are slim and fair,
The lovely prises, lads, we'll share:
Some stand to arms in rank and
row.
Some seise, bring oft, and fend with
blow."
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After this the people of Denmark submitted to King
Magnus, and during the rest of the winter, there was
peace. King Magnus then appointed some of his men to
govern Denmark; and when spring was advanced he
sailed northwards with his fleet to Norway, where he re-
mained a great part of the summer.
34. — ^BATTLE AT HELGANES.
Now, when Svein heard that King Magnus had gone to
Norway he rode straight down, and had many people out
of Svithjod with him. The people of Scania received him
well, and he again collected an army, with which he first
crossed over into Seeland and seized upon it and Fyen,
and all the other isles. When King Magnus heard of this
he gathered together men and ships, and sailed to Den-
mark ; and as soon as he knew where Svein was lying with
his ships King Magnus sailed to meet him. They met at
a place called Helganes, and the battle began about the fall
of day. King Magnus had fewer men, but larger and
better equipt vessels. So says Amor, the earls' skald : —
"At Helganes — so goes the tale — When twilight fell he urged the fight.
The hrave wolf-feeder» under sail. Close combat — man to man all night ;
Made many an ocean-elk^ his prey» Through a long harrest night's dark
Seized many a ship ere break of day. hours.
Down poured the battle's iron
showers.*'
The battle was very hot, and as night advanced the fall
of men was great. King Magnus, during the whole night,
threw hand-spears. Thiodolf speaks of this : —
"And there at Helganes sunk down. The Norsemen's king let fly his
Sore wounded, men of great re- spears,
nown; His death-wounds adding to their
And Svein's retainers lost all heart, fears ;
Ducking before the flying dart. For each spear-blade was wet all
o'er,
iShi^— L. ^^ ^ ^* "'**'* ^ ^^^ life-gore.**
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To make a short tale, King Magnus won the victory
in this battle, and Svein fled. His ship was cleared of men
from stem to stem ; and it went so on board many others
of his ships. So says Thiodolf : —
"Barl STeIn fled from the empty Hnelter.^ the sword his father bore,
deck. Was edge and point, stained red
Ills lonely ship an unmann'd wreck ; with gore :
Magnus the Qood. the people's friend, Swords sprinkle blood o'er armour
Pressed to the death on the false bright,
SYeln. When kings for land and power
And Amor says : —
flghf
"The cutters of Bjorn*s own brother The king took them and all their
Soon changed their owner for gear:
another ; The crews, howeyer, got off clear."
A great number of Svein's men fell, and King Magnus
and his men had a vast booty to divide. So says Thio-
dolf:—
"Where the Norsemen the Danish (There all the smnmer swords were
slew, ringing)
A Oautland shield and breast-plate A helm, gay arms, and gear worth
true bringing.
Fell to my share of spoil by lot ; Home to my quiet lovely one
And something more 1' the south I I sent — ^wlth news how we had won."
got:
Svein fled up to Scania with all the men who escaped
with him; and King Magnus and His people drove the
fugitives up through the country without meeting any
opposition either from Svein's men or the bondes. So
says Thiodolf : —
"Olars brave son then gave com- A foray through the land he
mand, makes ;
All hfs ships' crews should quickly Denmark in every quarter shakes,
land : Up hill and down the horses scour.
King Magnus, marching at their Carrying the Danes from Norse-
head, men's power."
A noble band of warriors led.
King Magnus drove with fire and sword through the
land. So says Thiodolf: —
>Thls was the name of Saint OlaTs sword, which Magnus had
recovered. — L.
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"And now the Norsemen storm To Lund. o*er Scania's peaceful
along, field.
Following their banner in a throng : My shoulder bore my useless shield :
King Magnus' banner flames on high, A fairer land, a better road.
A star to guide our roaming by. As friend or foe, I neYer trod."
They began to burn the habitations all around, and the
people fled on every side. So says Thiodolf :—
".Our ice-cold iron In great store. Red flashing over half the sky;
Our arms, beside the king we bore : The blazing town flings forth Its
The Scanian rogues fly at the view light.
Of men and steel all sharp and true. Lighting the cowards on their flight."
Their timbered houses flame on
high.
And he also sang : —
"The king o'er all the Danish land "Across Fiona's moor again.
Roams, with his flre-bringlng band : The paths late trodden by our men
The house, the hut, the farm, the We tread once more, until quite near,
town. Through morning mist, the foes ap-
All where men dwelt is burned down. pear.
O'er Denmark's plains and corn- Then up our numerous banners flare
flelds. In the cold early morning air;
Meadows and moors, are seen our And they from Magnus' power who
shields : fly
Victorious over all, we chase Cannot his quick war-work deny."
Sveln's wounded men from place to
place.
Then Svein fled eastwards along Scania, and King
Magnus returned to his ships, and steered eastwards also
along the Scanian coast, having got ready with the great-
est haste to sail. Thiodolf sings thus about it : —
"No drink but the salt sea Hard work on the salt sea.
On board our ships had we. Off Scania's coast, had we;
When, following our king. But we laboured for the king.
On board our ships we spring. To his foemen death to bring."
Svein fled to Gautland, and then sought refuge with
the Swedish king, with whom he remained all winter
(1046), and was treated with great respect.
35.— OF KING Magnus's campaign.
When King Magnus had subdued Scania he turned
about, and first went to Falster, where he landed, plun-
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SAGA OF MAGNUS THE GOOD
dered, and killed many people who had before submitted
to Svein. Amor speaks of this : —
"A bloody rengeance for their ^lle The battle-fleld la covered o'er.
King Magnus takes on Falster Isle ; With eagle'a prey from shore to
The treacherous Danes his fury feel. shore ;
And fall before his purpled steel. And the king's courtmen were the
first
To quench with blood the raren's
thirst."
Thereafter Magnus with his fleet proceeded to the isle
of Fyen, went on land, plundered, and made great devas-
tation. So says Arnor, the earls' skald : —
*'To fair Ptona's grassy shore He will be long remembered there.
His banner now again he bore: The warrior in his twentieth year.
He who the mail-shirt's linked chains Whom their black rayens from afar
Severs, and all its lustre stains. — Saluted as he went to war."
36. — OF KING MAGNUSES BATTLES.
King Magnus remained in Denmark all that winter
(1046), and sat in peace. He had held many battles, and
had gained the victory in all. So says Od Kikinaskald : —
"Tore Michaelmas was struck the Short before Tule fell out the day.
blow Southward of Aros. where the fray.
That laid the Vindland vikings low ; Though not enough the foe to quell.
And people learned with joy to hear Was of the bloodiest men can telL"
The clang of arms, and leaders' cheer.
And Arnor says: —
I
*'01af*s avenger who can sing? Four battles won within a year. —
The skald cannot o'ertake the king. Breaker of shields! with sword and
Who makes the war-bird daily drain spear,
The corpse-blood of his foemen slain. And hand to hand, exalt thy fame
Above the kings of greatest name."
King Magnus had three battles with Svein Ulfson. So
says Thiodolf : —
"To our brave Throndhjem sover- After three battles to regain
eign's praise What was his own. unjustly ta'en.
The skald may all his skaldcraft Unjustly kept, and dues denied,
raise: He levied dues In red-blood dyed."
For fortune, and for daring deed.
His song will not the truth exceed.
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37. — OF KING MAGNUS, AND THORFIN AND RAGNVALD,
EARLS OF ORKNEY.
While King Magnus the Good, a son of King Olaf the
Saint, ruled over Norway, as before related, the Earl
Ragnvald Brusason lived with him. Earl Thorfin Sigurd-
son, the uncle of Ragnvald, ruled then over Orkney. King
Magnus sent Ragnvald west to Orkney, and ordered that
Thorfin should let him have his father's heritage. Thorfin
let Ragnvald have a third part of the land along with him ;
for so had Bruse, the father of Ragnvald, had it at his
dying day. Earl Thorfin was married to Ingebjorg, the
earl-mother, who was a daughter of Fin Arnason. Earl
Ragnvald thought he should have two-thirds of the land,
as Olaf the Saint had promised to his father Bruse, and
as Bruse had enjoyed as long as Olaf lived. This was the
origin of a great strife between these relations, concern-
ing which we have a long saga. They had a great battle
in Pentland Firth, in which Kalf Arnason was with Earl
Thorfin. So says Bjarne GuUbrarskald : —
*'Thy cutters, dashing through the KalT. thou art fond of warlike toil,
tide, Oay in the strife and bloody broil ;
Brought aid to Earl Thoriln's side. But here 'twas hate made thee con-
Fin's son-in-law. and people say tend
Thy aid made Bruse's son give way. Against Barl Ragnrald, the king's
friend."
38. — OF KING Magnus's i^etter to engi^and.
King Magnus ruled then both over Denmark and Nor-
way; and when he had got possession of the Danish do-
minions he sent ambassadors over to England to King Ed-
ward, who brought to him King Magnus's letter and seal;
And in this letter there stood, along with a salutation from
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SAGA OF MAGNUS THE GOOD
King Magnus, these words: — "Ye must have heard of
the agreement which I and Hardaknut made, — ^that he of
us two who survived the other should have all the land
and people which the deceased had possessed. Now it has
so turned out, as ye have no doubt heard, that I have taken
the Danish dominions as my heritage after Hardaknut.
But before he departed this life he had England as well
as Denmark; therefore I consider myself now, in conse-
quence of my rights by this agreement, to own England
also. Now I will therefore that thou deliver to me the
kingdom; otherwise I will seek to take it by arms, both
from Denmark and Norway ; and let him rule the land to
whom fate gives the victory."
39. — KING Edward's answer to king magnus's i^etter.
Now when King Edward had read Jhis letter, he replied
thus : "It is known to all men in this country that King
Ethelred, my father, was udal-born to this kingdom, both
after the old and new law of inheritance. We were four
sons after him ; and when he by death left the throne my
brother Edmund took the government and kingdom ; for
he was the oldest of us brothers, and I was well satisfied
that it was so. And after him my stepfather, Canute the
Great, took the kingdom, and as long as he lived there was
no access to it. After him my brother Harald was king
as long as he lived ; and after him my brother Hardaknut
took the kingdoms both of Denmark and England ; for he
thought that a just brotherly division that he should have
both England and Denmark, and that I should have no
kingdom at all. Now he died, and then it was the resolu-
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tion of all the people of the country to take me for king
here in England. So long as I had no kingly title I served
my superiors in all respects, like those who had no claims
by birth to land or kingdom. Now, however, I have re-
ceived the kingly title, and am consecrated king. I have
established my royal dignity and authority, as my father
before me ; and while I live I will not renounce my title.
If King Magnus come here with an army, I will gather
no army against him ; but he shall only get the opportunity
of taking England when he has taken my life. Tell him
these words of mine." The ambassadors went back to King
Magnus, and told him the answer to their message. King
Magnus reflected a while, and answered thus: "I think
it wisest, and will succeed best, to let King Edward have
his kingdom in peace for me, and that I keep the kingdoms
God has put into my hands."
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SAGA OF HARALD HARDRADE.
PBEUMIKABT BEMABK8.
Harald, son of Sigurd Syr, was born in the year 1015, and left
Norway 1030. He was called Hardrade, that is, the severe coun-
sellor, the tyrant, though the Icelanders never applied this epi-
thet to him. Harald helped the Icelanders in the famine of
1056, and sent them timber for a church at Thingvol. It was
the Norwegians who gave him the name tyrant in contrast to
the debonnaireU of Magnus. He came to Norway in 1046, and
became sole king in 1047. He died in 1066. and his son and
successor Magnus died in 1069.
His saga is to be compared with Agrip, Fagrakinnat and Ifor-
kinakinna.
The skalds quoted are: Thioldolf, Bolverk, Illuge Bryndala-
skald, Stuf the skald, Thorarin Skeggjason, Valgard o' Val, Od
Kikinaskald, Orane Skald, Thorleik the Fair, Stein Herdison,
Ulf the Marshal, Amor the earls' skald, Thorkel Skallason, and
King Harald Hardrade himself.
1. — HARAI.D ESCAPES FROM THE BATTI.E OF STIKI.ESTAD.
Harald, son of Sigurd Syr, brother of Olaf the Saint,
by the same mother, was at the battle of Stiklestad, and
was fifteen years old when King Olaf the Saint fell, as was
before related. Harald was wounded, and escaped with
other fugitives. So says Thiodolf : —
"At Haug ttie flre-iparks from his Bulgaria's conqueror. I ween,
shield Had scarcely fifteen winters seen.
Flew round the king's head on the When from hs murdered brother's
field. side
As blow for blow, for Olaf's sake. His unhelmed head he had to hide."
His sword and shield would give
and take.
Ragnvald Brusason led Harald from the battle, and the
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night after the fray took him to a bbnde who dwelt in a
forest far from other people. The peasant received
Harald, and kept him concealed ; and Harald was waited
upon until he was quite cured of his wounds. Then the
bonders son attended him on the way east over the ridge
of the land, and they went by all the forest paths they
could, avoiding the common road. The bonde's son did
not know who it was he was attending ; and as they were
riding together between two uninhabited forests, Harald
made these verses : —
"M7 woundB were bleeding as I rode ; From wood to wood I crept along.
And down below the bondes strode. Unnoticed by the bonde- throng ;
Killing the wounded with the sword, 'Who knows/ I thought, 'a day may
The followers of their rightful lord. come
My name will yet be great at
home/ ••
He went eastward over the ridge through Jamtaland
and Helsingjaland, and came to Svithjod, where he found
Ragnvald Brusason, and many others of King Olaf 's men
who had fled from the battle at Stiklestad, and they re-
mained there till winter was over.
2.— HARAI^d'S journey to CONSTANTINOPI.E.
The spring after (1031) Harald and Ragnvald got
ships, and went east in summer to Russia to King Jaris-
leif, and were with him all the following winter. So says
the skald Bolverk : —
"The king's sharp sword lies clean Our brare king is to Russia gone, —
and bright. Brayer than he on earth there's
Prepared in foreign lands to fight : none :
Our ravens croak to have their fill. His sharp sword will carve many a
The wolf howls from the distant hill. feast
To wolf and raven In the Bast."
King Jarisleif gave Harald and Ragnvald a kind recep-
tion, and made Harald and Eilif, the son of Earl Ragn-
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SAGA OF HARALD HARDRADE
vald, chiefs over the land-defence men of the king. So
says Thiodolf : —
"Where Billf was, one heart and The eastern Vlndland men they
hand drove
The two chiefs had in their com- Into a comer; and they move
mand ; The Leslans, although ill at ease.
In wedge or line their battle order To take the laws their conquerors
Was ranged by both without dis- please."
order.
Harald remained several years in Russia, and travelled
far and wide in the Eastern land. Then he began his ex-
pedition out to Greece, and had a great suite of men with
him; and on he went to Constantinople. So says Bol-
verk : —
"Before the cold sea-curling blast The king saw glancing o*er the bow
The cutter from the land flew past. Constantinople's metal glow
Her black yards swinging to and fro. From tower and roof, and painted
Her shield-hung gunwale dipping sails
low. Gliding past towns and wooded
Tales."
3.— OF HARAI.D.
At that time the Greek empire was ruled by the Em-
press Zoe the Great, and with her Michael Catalactus.
Now when Harald came to Constantinople he presented
himself to the empress, and went into her pay; and im-
mediately, in autumn, went on board the galleys manned
with troops which went out to the Greek sea. Harald had
his own men along with him. Now Harald had been but
a short time in the army before all the Varings flocked
to him, and they all joined together when there was a
battle. It thus came to pass that Harald was made chief
of the Varings. There was a chief over all the troops
who was called Gyrger, and who was a relation of the
empress. Gyrger and Harald went round among all the
Greek islands, and fought much against the corsairs.
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4. — OF HARALD AND GYRGER CASTING LOTS.
It happened once that Gyrger and the Varings were
going through the country, and they resolved to take their
night quarters in a wood; and as the Varings came first
to the ground, they chose the place which was best for
pitching their tents upon, which was the highest ground ;
for it is the nature of the land there to be soft when rain
falls, and therefore it is bad to choose a low situation for
your tents. Now when Gyrger, the chief of the army,
came up, and saw where the Varings had set up their
tents, he told them to remove, and pitch their tents else-
where, saying he would himself pitch his tents on their
groimd. Harald repli*, "If ye come first to the night
quarter, ye take up your ground, and we must go pitch
our tents at some other place where we best can. Now do
ye so, in the same way, and find a place where ye will. It
is, I think, the privilege of us Varings here in the domin-
ions of the Greek emperor to be free, and independent of
all but their own commanders, and bound only to serve
the emperoF and empress." They disputed long and hotly
about this, and both sides armed themselves, and were
on the way to fight for it ; but men of understanding came
between and separated them. They said it would be better
to come to an agreement about such questions, so that
in future no dispute could arise. It came thus to an arbi-
tration between them, at which the best and most saga-
cious men should give their judgment in the case. At this
arbitration it was determined, with the consent of all par-
ties, that lots should be thrown into a box, and the Greeks
and Varings should draw which was first to ride, or to
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SAGA OF HARALD HARDRADE
row, or to take place in a harbour, or to choose tent
ground; and each side should be satisfied with what the
drawing of the lots gave them. Accordingly the lots were
made and marked. Harald said to Gyrger, "Let me see
what mark thou hast put upon thy lot, that we may not
both mark our lots in the same way." He did so. Then
Harald marked his lot, and p?Ut it into the box along with
the other. The man who was to draw out the lots then
took up one of the lots between his fingers, held it up in
the air, and said, "This lot shall be the first to ride, and to
row, and to take place in harbour and on the tent field."
Harald seized his hand, snatched the die, and threw it into
the sea, and called out, "That was our lot !" Gyrger said,
"Why did you not let other people see it?" Harald re-
plies, "Look at the one remaining in the box, — ^there you
see your own mark upon it." Accordingly the lot which
was left behind was examined, and all men saw that
Gyrger's mark was upon it, and accordingly the judgment
was given that the Varings had gained the first choice in
all they had been quarrelling about. There were many
things they quarrelled about, but the end always was that
Harald got his own way.
5. — harald's Expedition in the land o? the Sara-
cens (serkland).
They went out all on a campaign in summer. When
the whole army was thus assembled Harald kept his men
out of the battle, or wherever he saw the least danger,
under pretext of saving his men ; but where he was alone
with his own men only, he fought so desperately that they
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THE HEIMSKRINGLA
must either come off victorious or die. It thus happened
often that when he commanded the army he gained vic-
tories, while Gyrger could do nothing. The troops ob-
served this, and insisted they would be more successful if
Harald alone was chief of the whole army, and upbraided
the general with never effecting anything, neither himself,
nor his people. Gyrger again said that the Varings would
give him no assistance, and ordered Harald to go with
his men somewhere else, and he, with the rest of his army,
would win what they could. Harald accordingly left the
army with the Varings and the Latin men, and Gyrger
on his side went off with the Greek troops. Then it was
seen what each could do. Harald always gained victories
and booty; but the Greeks went home to Constantinople
with their army, all except a few brave men, who, to gain
booty and money, joined themselves to Harald, and took
him for their leader. He then went with his troops west-
ward to Africa, which the Varings call Serkland, where
he was strengthened with many men. In Serkland he took
eighty castles, some of which surrendered, and others
were stormed. He then went to Sicily. So says Thio-
dolf:—
*'The serpent's bed of glowing gold Before upon Sicilian plains.
He hates — the generous king, the Shield joined to shield, the fight he
bold ! gains.
He who four score towers laid low. The victory at H lid's war game ;
Ta'en from the Saracenic foe. And now the heathens dread his
name."
So says also Illuge Bryndala-skald : —
"For Michael's empire Harald So Budle's son his friendship showed
fought. When he brought friends to his
And southern lands to Michael abode."
brought ;
Here it is said that Michael was king of the Greeks at
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hoK
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atti
Hare
'^rest ,^xNG MAGNIJS.
KALF ARNASON FLEES FROM Itding..
{from. <i pal ttititt l-fi A.'ii'}. Kwr-.- 3-110 .-,.'-- ^-t. '. ^
■yilJi h^{Uii of StiHle^tn<l wlifi oio of Mu— hen It . .,, .:, :; r
^ arti..!i jLud C(Mi,T^.q\unc<u.->. tJi.;L v\ CI look pi VlCtori". v' ^' '^ ^
TT'c^ ConS'^t.-'-i'v in tl.is J; :i -u- c m^.— .. !iuM;t were intlllOplt" ' '
nmkr Kalf, I'-^^ek ^r(\ T^.."r, u i. --r 1r 'I'e c:y w •-_ crain ^ -
iorvvar<l, t^ont'enn'Of nn.l i\h>G ninl t':-rM^<:i. ^^ • "' ^
cry wa^ "i*'juv;ir(U |i>r\var«J, (l\r?si-Tnt*r. ! Cv<}^>-u:^ r^^*^
\frn!" Tn t!i-' fi'kt C,';,.i' i; .ralJvva U'St Im> iiic UP..] rciSt-
!]if!«^<' thnt It<* !>:■'! l)r'^i^ ^li'ii h\- Kiif. S'.l)-wiiu*!:u\ i\a -a
rtl'i^d jO'titly wit'i fCiric ALh-th^, \v.\^ iron ; ] o'' I'u^ act,
\^!i«-Ti iL.-iUcti by ^l^^llll^ to ride with l':in lo the b.iVV- i-^M
ji'tint <'':t : 'k ^i n w^-. rt /Jl.^l l< U, Jns cotihcu-iiro ,s«> ^:l^,f^. I,,
ti^d frnr rf cii-ci'irM -« ^ '>!' ;kc flee*! a'-'\ tl..' a'Vi r.>n.t-u-i
Uv'iily rr.oniiUMl liis h(.>r^o and tied tlu- mnntry ai^d 1k-c:;'im" a
\ ikiiig ro\ cr.
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SAGA OF HARALD HARDRADE
that time. Harald remained many years in Africa, where
he gathered great wealth in gold, jewels, and all sorts of
precious things; and all the wealth he gathered there
which he did not need for his expenses, he sent with trusty
men of his own north to Novgorod to King Jarisleif's care
and keeping. He gathered together there extraordinary
treasure, as is reasonable to suppose ; for he had the plun-
dering of the part of the world richest in gold and valua-
ble things, and he had done such great deeds as with truth
are related, such as taking eighty strongholds by his
valour.
6. — BATTI.E IN SICILY.
Now when Harald came to Sicily he plundered there
also, and sat down with his army before a strong and pop-
ulous castle. He surrounded the castle; but the walls
were so thick there was no possibility of breaking into it,
and the people of the castle had enough of provisions, and
all that was necessary for defence. Then Harald hit upon
an expedient. He made his bird-catchers catch the small
birds which had their nests within the castle, but flew into
the woods by day to get food for their young. He had
small splinters of tarred wood bound upon the backs of the
birds, smeared these over with wax and sulphur, and set
fire to them. As soon as the birds were let loose they all
flew at once to the castle to their young, and to their nests,
which they had under the house roofs that were covered
with reeds or straw. The fire from the birds seized upon
the house roofs ; and although each bird could only carry a
small burden of fire, yet all at once there was a mighty
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flame, caused by so many birds carrying fire with them
and spreading it widely among the house roofs. Thus one
house after the other was set on fire, until the castle itself
was in flames. Then the people came out of the castle
and begged for mercy ; the same men who for many days
had set at defiance the Greek army and its leader. Harald
granted life and safety to all who asked quarter, and made
himself master of the place.
7. — BATTLE AT ANOTHER CASTLE.
There was another castle before which Harald had come
with his army. This castle was both full of people and so
strong, that there was no hope of breaking into it. The
castle stood upon a flat hard plain. Then Harald under-
took to dig a passage from a place where a stream ran in
a bed so deep that it could not be seen from the castle.
They threw out all the earth into the stream, to be carried
away by the water. At this work they laboured day and
night, and relieved each other in gangs; while the rest
of the army went the whole day against the castle, where
the castle people shot through their loop-holes. They shot
at each other all day in this way, and at night they slept on
both sides. Now when Harald perceived that his under-
ground passage was so long that it must be within the
castle walls, he ordered his people to arm themselves. It
was towards daybreak that they went into the passage.
When they got to the end of it they dug over their heads
until they came upon stones laid in lime which was the
floor of a stone hall. They broke open the floor and rose
into the hall. There sat many of the castle-men eating
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SAGA OF HARALD HARDRADE
and drinking, and not in the least expecting such unin-
vited wolves; for the Varings instantly attacked them
sword in hand, and killed some, and those who could get
away fled. The Varings pursued them ; and some seized
the castle gate, and opened it, so that the whole body of
the army got in. The people of the castle fled ; but many
asked quarter from the troops, which was granted to
all who surrendered. In this way Harald got possession
of the place, and found an immense booty in it.
8. — -BATTI^ AT A THIRD CASTI.E.
They came to a third castle, the greatest and strongest
of them all, and also the richest in property and the fullest
of people. Around this castle there were great ditches, so
that it evidently could not be taken by the same device as
the former; and they lay a long time before it without
doing anything. When the castle-men saw this they be-
came bolder, drew up their array on the castle walls, threw
open the castle gates, and shouted to the Varings, urging
them, and jeering at them, and telling them to come into
the castle, and that they were no more fit for battle than
so many poultry. Harald told Tiis men to make as if they
did not know what to do, or did not understand what was
said. "For," says he, "if we do make an assault we can-
effect nothing, as ihty can throw their weapons under
their feet among us ; and if we get in the castle with a
party of our people, they have it in their power to shut
them in, and shut out the others; for they have all the
castle gates beset with men, We shall therefore show
them the same scorn they show us, and let them see we
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do not fear them. Our men shall go out upon the plain
nearest to the castle ; taking care, however, to keep out of
bow-shot. All our men shall go unarmed, and be play-
ing with each other, so that the castle-men may see
we do not regard them or their array.*' Thus it went on
for some days, without anything being done.
9. — OF UtF AND HAUX)R.
Two Iceland men were then with Harald : the one was
Haldor,* a son of the gode Snorre, who brought this ac-
count to Iceland ; the other was Ulf Uspakson, a grandson
of Usvifer Spake. Both were very strong men, bold
under arms, and Harald's best friends ; and both were in
this play. Now when some days were passed the castle
people showed more courage, and would go without
weapons upon the castle wall, while the castle gates were
standing open. The Varings observing this, went one day
to their sports with the sword under their cloaks, and the
helmet under their hats. After playing awhile they ob-
served that the castle people were off their guard ; and in-
stantly seizing their weapons, they made at the castle
gates. When the men of the castle saw this they went
against them armed completely, and a battle began in the
castle gate. The Varings had no shields, but wrapped
their cloaks round their left arms. Some of them were
wounded, some killed, and all stood in great danger.
Now came Harald with the men who had remained in the
camp, to the assistance of his people ; and the castle-men
had now got out upon the walls, from which they shot
^One of the descendants of this Haldor was Snorre Sturlason, the
author of Heimakringla.
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and threw stones down upon them: so that there was a
severe battle, and those who were in the castle gates
thought that help was brought them slower than they
could have wished. When Harald came to the castle gate
his standard-bearer fell, and Harald said to Haldor, "Do
thou take up the banner now." Haldor took up the ban-
ner, and said foolishly, "Who will carry the banner before
thee, if thou followest it so timidly as thou hast done for
a while ?*' But these were words more of anger than of
truth; for Harald was one of the boldest of men under
arms. Then they pressed in, and had a hard battle in the
castle; and the end was that Harald gained the victory
and took the castle. Haldor was much wounded in the
face, and it gave him great pain as long as he lived.
10. — BATTLE AT A FOURTH CASTLE.
The fourth castle which Harald came to was the great-
est of all we have been speaking about. It was so strong
that there was no possibility of breaking into it. They
surrounded the castle, so that no supplies could get into
it. When they had remained here a short time Harald
fell sick, and he betook himself to his bed. He had his
tent put up a little from the camp, for he found quietness
and rest out of the clamour and clang of armed men. His
men went usually in companies to or from him to hear his
orders; and the castle people observing there was some-
thing new among the Varings, sent out spies to discover
what this might mean. When the spies came back to the
castle they had to tell of the illness of the commander of
the Varings, and that no assault on that account had been
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THE HEIMSKRINCLA
made on the castle. A while after Harald's strength be-
gan to fail, at which his men were very melancholy and
cast down; all which was news to the castle-men. At
last Harald's sickness increased so rapidly that his death
was expected through all the army. Thereafter the
Varings went to the castle-men ; told them, in a parley, of
the death of their commander ; and begged of the priests
to grant him burial in the castle. When the castle people
heard this news, there were many among them who ruled
over cloisters or other great establishments within the
place, and who were very eager to get the corpse for their
church, knowing that upon that there would follow very
rich presents. A great many priests, therefore, clothed
themselves in all their robes, and went out of the castle
with cross and shrine and relics and formed a beautiful
procession. The Varings also made a great burial. The
coffin was borne high in the air, and over it was a tent of
costly linen and before it were carried many banners.
Now when the corpse was brought within the castle gate
the Varings set down the coffin right across the entry,
fixed a bar to keep the gates open, and sounded to battle
with all their trumpets, and drew their swords. The whole
army of the Varings, fully armed, rushed from the camp
to the assault of the castle with shout and cry; and the
monks and other priests who had gone to meet the corpse
and had striven with each other who should be the first to
come out and take the oflfering at the burial, were now
striving much more who should first get away from the
Varings ; for they killed before their feet every one who
was nearest, whether clerk or unconsecrated. The Var-
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SAGA OF HARALD HARDRADE
ings rummaged so well this castle that they killed all the
men, pillaged everything and made an enormous booty.
11.— OF HARALD.
Harald was many years in these campaigns, both in
Serkland and in Sicily. Then he came back to Constanti-
nople with his troops and stayed there but a little time be-
fore he began his expedition to Jerusalem. There he left
the pay he had received from the Greek emperor and all
the Varings who accompanied him did the same. It is
said that on all these expeditions Harald had fought
eighteen regular battles. So says Thiodolf : —
"Harald the Stern ne'er allowed The king, before hla home return.
Peace to his foemen» false and Oft dyed the bald head of the erne
proud : With blood j specks, and o'er the
In eighteen battles, fought and won, waste
The valour of the Norseman shone. The sharp-claw'd wolf his footsteps
traced."
12. HARALD'S expedition to PALESTINE.
Harald went with his men to the land of Jerusalem
and then up to the city of Jerusalem, and wheresoever he
came in the land all the towns and strongholds were given
up to him. So says the skald Stuf, who had heard the
king himself relate these tidings : —
"He went, the warrior bold and And by the terror of his name
brave. Under his power the country came,
Jerusalem, the holy grave. Nor needed wasting fire and sword
And the interior of the land, To yield obedience to his word."
To bring under the Greeks' com-
mand;
Here it is told that this land came without fire and
sword under Harald's command. He then went out to
Jordan and bathed therein, according to the custcwn of
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other pilgrims. Harald gave great gifts to our Lord's
grave, to the Holy Cross, and other holy relics in the land
of Jerusalem. He also cleared the whole road all the way
out to Jordan, by killing the robbers and other disturbers
of the peace. So says the skald Stuf : —
"The Agder king cleared far and The wicked people of the land
wide Were punished here bj his dread
Jordan's fair banks on either side ; hand.
The robber-bands before him fled. And they hereafter will not mlsa
And his great name was widelj Much worse from Jesus Christ tlugi
spread. this."
13. — HARAU) PUT IN PRISON,
Thereafter he went back to Constantinople. When
Harald returned to Constantinople from Jerusalem he
longed to return to the North to his native land ; and when
he heard that Magnus Olafson, his brother's son, had be-
come king both of Norway and Denmark, he gave up his
command in the Greek service. And when the empress
Zoe heard of this she became angry and raised an accusa-
tion against Harald that he had misapplied the property
of the Gredc emperor which he had received in the cam-
paigns in which he was commander of the army. There
was a young and beautiful girl called Maria, a brother's
daughter of the empress Zoe, and Harald had paid his
addresses to her ; but the empress had given him a refusal.
The Varings, who were then in pay in Constantinople, have
told here in the North that there went a report among
well-informed people that the empress Zoe herself wanted
Harald for her husband, and that she chiefly blamed Har-
ald for his determination to leave Constantinople, al-
though another reason was given out to the public. Con-
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stantinus Monomachus was at that time emperor of the
Greeks and ruled along with Zoe. On this account the
Greek emperor had Harald made prisoner and carried
to prison.
14. — KING OLAF'S MIRACI.E AND BI.INDING THE GREEK
EMPEROR.
When Harald drew near to the prison King Olaf the
Saint stood before him and said he would assist him. On
that spot of the street a chapel has since been built and
consecrated to Saint Olaf and which chapel has stood
there ever since. The prison was so constructed that there
was a high tower open above, but a door below to go into
it from the street. Through it Harald was thrust in,
along with Haldor and Ulf. Next night a lady of dis-
tinction with two servants came, by the help of ladders,
to the top of the tower, let down a rope into the prison
and hauled them up. Saint Olaf had formerly cured this
lady of a sickness and he had appeared to her in a vision
and told her to deliver his brother. Harald went imme-
diately to the Varings, who all rose from their seats when
he came in and received him with joy. The men armed
themselves forthwith and went to where the emperor
slept. They took the emperor prisoner and put out both
the eyes of him. So says Thorarin Skeggjason in his
poem: —
"Of glowing gold that decks the hand But Its great emperor In the strife
The king got plenty in this land ; Was made stone-blind for all his
life."
So says Thiodolf, the skald, also : —
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THE HEIMSKRINGLA
"He who the hungry woirs wild yell The Norse king's mark will not
Quiets with prey, the stern, the fell. adorn.
Midst the uproar of shriek and shout The Norse king's mark gives cause
Stung the Oreek emperor's eyes both to mourn ;
out: His mark the Bastem king must
bear.
Groping his sightless way in fear."
In these two songs, and many others, it is told that
Harald himself blinded the Greek emperor; and they
would surely have named some duke, count, or other great
man, if they had not known this to be the true account ;
and King Harald himself and other rnen who were with
him spread the account.
15. — HARAI^d'S journey from CONSTANriNOPI.E.
The same night King Harald and his men went to the
house where Maria slept and carried her away by force.
Then they went down to where the galleys of the Varings
lay, took two of them and rowed out into Sjavid sound.
When they came to the place where the iron chain is
drawn across the sound, Harald told his men to stretch out
at their oars in both galleys; but the men who were not
rowing to run all to the stem of the galley, each with his
luggage in his hand. The galleys thus ran up and lay on the
iron chain. As soon as they stood fast on it, and would
advance no farther, Harald ordered all. the men to run for-
ward into the bow. Then the galley, in which Harald was,
balanced forwards and swung down over the chain; but
the othefj which remained fast athwart the chain, split in
two, by which many men were lost ; but some were taken
up out of the sound. Thus Harald escaped out of Con-
stantinople and sailed thence into the Black Sea ; but be-
fore he left the land he put the lady ashore and sent her
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SAGA OF HARALD HARDRADE
back with a good escort to G>nstantinopIe and bade her
tell her relation, the Empress Zoe, how little power she
had over Harald, and how little the empress could have
hindered him from taking the lady. Harald then sailed
northwards in the EHipalta and then all round the Eastern
empire. On this voyage Harald composed sixteen songs
for amusement and all ending with the same words. This
is one of them : —
"Past Sicily's wide plains we flew. Never, I think, along this shore
A dauntless, never-wearied crew ; Did Norseman ever sail before ;
Our viking steed rushed through the Tet to the Russian queen, I fear,
sea. My gold-adorned, I am not dear."
As viking-like fast, fast sailed we.
With this he meant Ellisif, daughter of King Jarisleif
in Novgorod.
16.— OP KING HARAU>.
When Harald came to Novgorod King Jarisleif re-
ceived him in the most friendly way and he remained
there all winter (1045). Then he took into his own keep-
ing all the gold and the many kinds of precious things
which he had sent there from Constantinople and which
together made up so vast a treasure that no man in the
Northern lands ever saw the like of it in one man's pos-
session. Harald had been three times in the poluta-svarf
while he was in Constantinople. It is the custom, namely,
there, that every time one of the Greek emperors dies, the
Varings are allowed poluta-svarf; that is, they may go
through all the emperor's palaces where his treasures are
and each may take and keep what he can lay hold of while
he is going through them.
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THE HEIMSKRINGLA
17. KING HARALD^S MARRIAGE.
This winter King Jarisleif gave Harald his daughter
Elisabeth in marriage. She is called by the Northmen
Ellisif . This is related by Stuf the Blind, thus :—
"Agder's chief now got the queen Of gold, no doubt, a mighty store
Who long his secret love had been. The princess to her husband bore."
In spring he began his journey from Novgorod and
came to Aldeigjuborg, where he took shipping and sailed
from the East in summer. He turned first to Svithjod
and came to Sigtuna. So says Valgard o' Val : —
"The fairest cargo ship e'er bore. The ship through dashing foam he
Prom Russia's distant eastern shore steers.
The gallant Harald homeward Through the sea-rain to Srithjod
brings — reers,
(Sold, and a fame that skald still And at Slgtuna's grassy shores
sings. His gallant vessel safely moors."
18. — THE I^EAGUE BETWEEN KING HARALD AND SVEIN
ULFSON.
Harald found there before him Svein Ulfson, who the
autumn before (1045) had fled from King Magnus at
Helganes; and when they met they were very friendly
on both sides. The Swedish king, Olaf the Swede, was
brother of the mother of Ellisif, Harald's wife; and As-
trid, the mother of Svein, was King Olaf's sister. Harald
and Svein entered into friendship with each other and
confirmed it by oath. All the Swedes were friendly to
Svein, because he. belonged to the greatest family in the
country; and thus all the Swedes were Harald's friends
and helpers also, for many great men were connected with
him by relationship. So says Thiodolf : —
"Cross the East sea the yessel flew, — The heavy vessel's leeward side
Her oak-keel a white furrow drew Was hid beneath the rushing tide :
From Russia's coast to Swedish land. While the broad sail and gold-tipped
Where Harald can great help com- mast
pand. Swung to an4 'ro In tl\e l^ard blast"
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19. — KING HARALD's foray.
Then Harald and Svein fitted out shipd and gathered
together a great force; and when the troops were ready
they sailed from the East towards Denmark. So says
Valgard : —
"Brave Ynsre ! to the land decreed As past the Scanlan plains they fly.
To thee by fate, with tempest speed The gay ships glance twizt sea and
The winds fly with thee o'er the sea — sky,
To thy own udal land with thee. And Scanlan brides look out, and
fear
Some ill to those they hold most
They landed first in Seeland with their men and herried
and burned in the land far and wide. Then they went to
Fyen, where they also landed and wasted. So says Val-
gard: —
"Harald! thou hast the isle laid And shows the housemates' silent
waste, train
The Seeland men away hast chased. In terror scouring o'er the plain.
And the wild wolf by daylight Seeking the forest's deepest glen,
roams To house with wolves, and 'scape
Through their deserted silent homes. from men.
Fiona too could not withstand
The fury of thy wasting hand. -pew were they of escape to tell.
Helms burst, shields broke,— Fiona's por, sorrow-worn, the people fell :
Dounds. The only captives from the fray
Were fllled with death's terrlflc w^re lovely maidens led away.
w^'*'***- And In wild terror to the strand,
Down to the ships, the linked band
"Red flashing In the southern sky. Of fair-haired girls is roughly
The clear flame sweeping broad and driven,
high. Their soft skins by the Irons riven."
From fair Roeskllde's lofty towers.
On lowly huts its flre-rain pours ;
20. — KING MAGNUS'S LEVY.
King Magnus Olafson sailed north to Norway in the
autumn after the battle at Helganes (1045). There he
hears the news that Harald Sigurdson, his relation, was
come to Svithjod ; and moreover that Svein Ulfson and
Harald had entered into a friendly bond with each other
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THE HEIMSKRINGLA
and gathered together a great force, intending first to sub-
due Denmark and then Norway. King Magnus then or-
dered a general levy over all Norvi^ay and he soon collected
a great army. He hears then that Harald and Svein were
come to Denmark and were burning and laying waste the
land and that the country people were everywhere submit-
ting to them. It was also told that King Harald was
stronger and stouter than other men, and so wise withal
that nothing was impossible to him, and he had always the
victory when he fought a battle; and he was also so rich
in gold that no man could compare with him in wealth.
Thiodolf speaks thus of it : —
"Norsemen, who stand the sword of On either side of Seeland's ooast
foe A fleet appears — a white winged
Like forest-stems unmoved by blow ! host :
My hopes are fled, no peace is near. — Magnos from Norway takes his
People fly here and there in fear. course.
Harald from Sweden leads his force."
21. — ^TREATY BETWEEN HARALD AND MAGNUS.
Those of Harald's men who were in his counsel said
that it would be a great misfortune if relations like Harald
and Magnus should fight and throw a death-spear against
each other ; and therefore many offered to attempt bring-
ing about some agreement between them, and the kings,
by their persuasion, agreed to it. Thereupon some men
were sent off in a light boat, in which they sailed south
in all haste to Denmark, and got some Danish men, who
were proven friends of King Magnus, to propose this
matter to Harald. This affair was conducted very se-
cretly. Now when Harald heard that his relation. King
Magnus, would offer him a league and partition, so that
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SAGA OF HARALD HARDRADE
Harald should have half of Norway with King Magnus,
and that they should divide all their movable property
into two equal parts, he accepted the proposal, and tne
people went back to King Magnus with this answer.
22. — ^TREATY BETWEEN HARAI4> AND SVEIN BROKEN.
A little after this it happened that Harald and Svein
one evening were sitting at table drinking and talking
together, and Svein asked Harald what valuable piece of
all his property he esteemed the most.
. He answered, it was his banner Land-waster.
Svein asked what was there remarkable about it, that
he valued it so highly,
Harald replied, it was a common saying that he must
gain the victory before whom 'that banner is borne, and it
had turned out so ever since he had owned it.
Svein replies, "I will begin to believe there is such
virtue in the banner when thou hast held three battles
with thy relation Magnus, and hast gained them all."
Then answered Harald with an angry voice, "I know
my relationship to King Magnus, without thy reminding
me of it ; and although we are now going in arms against
him, our meeting may be of a better sort."
Svein changed colour, and said, "There are people,
Harald, who say that thou hast done as much before as
only to hold that part of an agreement which appears to
suit thy own interest best."
Harald answers, "It becomes thee ill to say that I have
not stood by an agreement, when I know what King Mag-
nus could tell of thy proceedings with him."
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THE HEIMSKRINGLA
Thereupon each went his own way. At night, when
Harald went to sleep within the bulwarks of his vessel, he
said to his footboy, "I will not sleep in my bed to-night,
for I suspect there may be treachery abroad. I observed
this evening that my friend Svein was very angry at my
free discourse. Thou shalt ke6p watch, therefore, in case
anything happen in the night." Harald then went away to
sleep somewhere else, and laid a billet of wood in his place.
At midnight a boat rowed alongside to the ship's bulwark ;
a man went on board, lifted up the cloth of the tent of the
bulwarks, went up, and struck in Harald's bed with a
great ax, so that it stood fast in the lump of wood. The
man instantly ran back to his boat again, and rowed away
in the dark night, for the moon was set ; but the axe re-
mained sticking in the piece of wood as an evidence.
Thereupon Harald waked his men and let them know the
treachery intended. "We can now see sufficiently," said
he, "that we could never match Svein if he practises such
deliberate treachery against us ; so it will be best for us
to get away from this place while we can. Let us cast
loose our vessel and row away as quietly as possible."
They did so, and rowed during the night northwards
along the land; and then proceeded night and day until
they came to King Magnus, where he lay with his army.
Harald went to his relation Magnus, and there was a
joyful meeting betwixt them. So says Thiodolf : —
"The far-known king the order gare, ' And Olaf's son, with justice rare»
In silence o'er the swelling waye, Offers with him the realm to share.
With noiseless oars, his ressels gay People, no douht, rejoiced to find
From Denmark west to row away ; The kings had met in peaceful
mind."
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SAGA OF HARALD HARDkADB
Afterwards the two relatives conversed with each other
and all was settled by peaceful agreement.
23. — KING MAGNUS GIVES HARAI.D HAl^^ O^ NORWAY.
King Magnus lay at the shore and had set up tents
upon the land. There he invited his relation, King
Harald, to be his guest at table; and Harald went to the
entertainment with sixty of his men and was feasted ex-
cellently. Towards the end of the day King Magnus went
into the tent where Harald sat and with him went men
carrying parcels consisting of clothes and arms. Then the
king went to the man who sat lowest and gave him a good
sword, to the next a shield, to the next a kirtle, and so on,
—clothes, or weapons, or gold ; to all he gave one or the
other valuable gift, and the more costly to the more dis-
tinguished men among them. Then he placed himself
before his relation Harald, holding two sticks in his haind,
and said, "Which of these two sticks wilt thou have, my
friend?"
Harald replies, "The one nearest me."
"Then," said King Magnus, "with this stick I give thee
half of the Norwegian power, with all the scat and duties,
and all the domains thereunto belonging, with the condi-
tion that everywhere thou shalt be as lawful king in Nor-
way as I am myself ; but when we are both together in one
place, I shall be the first man in seat, service and saluta-
tion ; and if there be three of us together of equal dignity,
that I shall sit in the middle, and shall have the royal
tent-ground and the royal landing-place. Thou shalt
strengthen and advance our kingdom, in return for mak-
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THE HEIMSKRINGLA
ing thee that man in Norway whom we never expected any
man should be so long as our head was above ground."
Then Harald stood up, and thanked him for the high
title and dignity. Thereupon they both sat down, and
were very merry together. The same evening Harald and
his men returned to their ships.
24. — HARALD GIVES MAGNUS THE HAL^ O^ HIS TREAS-
URES.
The following morning King Magnus ordered the
trumpets to sound to a General Thing of the people; and
when it was seated, he made known to the whole army
the gift he had given to his relation Harald. Thorer of
Steig gave Harald the title of King there at the Thing;
and the same day King Harald invited King Magnus to
table with him, and he went with sixty men to King Har-
ald's land-tent, where he had prepared a feast. The two
kings sat together cm a high-seat, and the feast was splen-
did ; everything went on with magnificence, and the kings
were merry and glad. Towards the close of the day King
Harald ordered many caskets to be brought into the tent,
and in like manner people bore in weapons, clothes and
other sorts of valuables; and all these King Harald di-
vided among King Magnus's men who were at the feast.
Then he had the caskets opened and said to King Magnus,
"Yesterday you gave us a large kingdom, which your
hand won from your and our enemies, and took us in
partnership with you, which was well done; and this has
cost you much. Now we on our side have been in foreign
parts, and oft in peril of life, to gather together the gold
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SAGA OF HARALD HARDRADE
which you here see. Now, King Magnus, I will divide
this with you. We shall both own this movable property,
and each have his equal share of it, as each has his equal
half share of Norway. I know that our dispositions are
different, as thou art more liberal than I am; therefore
let us divide this property equally between us, so that
each may have his share free to do with as he will."
Then Harald had a large ox-hide spread out, and turned
the gold out of the caskets upon it. Then scales and
weights were taken and the gold separated and divided
by weight into equal parts ; and all people wondered
exceedingly that so much gold should have come together
in one place in the northern countries. But it was under-
stood that it was the Greek emperor's property and
wealth ; for, as all people say, there are whole houses there
full of red gold. The kings were now very merry. Then
there appeared an ingot among the rest as big as a man's
hand. Harald took it in his hands and said, "Where is
the gold, friend Magnus, that thou canst show against
this piece?"
King Magnus replied, "So many disturbances and
levies have been in the country that almost all the gold
and silver I could lay up is gone. I have no more gold in
my possession than this ring." And he took the ring off
his hand and gave it to Harald.
Harald looked at it, and said, "That is but little gold,
friend, for the king who owns two kingdoms; and yet
some may doubt whether thou art rightful owner of even
this ring."
Then King Magnus replied, after a little reflection,
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THE HEIMSKRINGLA
"If I be not rightful owner of this ring, then I know not
what I have got right to; for my father, King Olaf the
Saint, gave me this ring at our last parting."
Then said King Harald, laughing, "It is true. King
Magnus, what thou sayest. Thy father gave thee this
ring, but he took the ring from my father for some trifling
cause ; and in truth it was not a good time for small kings
in Norway when thy father was in full power."
King Harald gave Thorer of Steig at that feast a bowl
of mountain birch, that was encircled with a silver ring
and had a silver handle, both which parts were gilt ; and
the bowl was filled with money of pure silver. With that
came also two gold rings, which together stood for a
mark. He gave him also his cloak of dark purple lined
with white skins within, and promised him besides his
friendship and great dignity. Thorgils Snorrason, an in-
telligent man, says he has seen an altar-cloth that was
made of this cloak ; and Gudrid, a daughter of Guthorm,
the son of Thorer of Steig, said, according to Thorgil's
account, that she had seen this bowl in her father Gu-
thorm's possession. Bolverk also tells of these matters : —
"Thou, generous king, I have been The people gained a blessed peace,
told. Which 'twixt the kings did nerer
For the green land hast given gold ; cease ;
And Magnus got a mlghtj treasure. While Svetn, disturbed with war's
That thou one half might'st rule at alarms.
pleasure. Had hit folk alwttjrs under aims."
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