Heimskringla

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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 (A.D. 1027).

After Yule a king's messenger came to Thorberg, with the order
that Thorberg should come to him before midsummer; and the order
was serious and severe. Thorberg 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. Soon after
Thorberg went to his brother Fin, told him the circumstances, and
asked him to accompany him. Fin replied, that he thought it
foolish to be so completely under woman'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 Arnason, 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 necessity, as to incur the king's
indignation. It might be excused 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, -- a
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 promised, without more ado, to
make the journey. Ragnhild sent men east to Jadar to her father
Erling, and begged him to send people. Erling's sons, Sigurd and
Thord, came out, each with a ship of twenty benches of rowers and
ninety men. When they came north Thorberg 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, Kaff Arnason was there before them; and he also had a
wellmanned 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 Thorberg wished that they should
first proceed with moderation, 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 therefore 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 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 looked 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
come to your knowledge against me, then will I agree to a peace
with you brothers."

Then Fin returned to his forces, and told the conditions 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
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 matter." Arne Arnason 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 listening 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 fulfillment, 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 (A.D.
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 Arnason had been a short time with King Olaf, the
king called him to a conference, along with some other 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 and ships, and then proceed, with all the force I can muster,
against King Canute the Great: for I know for certain 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 country, and he commanded
that this order should be circulated 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 vessels, 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-servants 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 returned from
the North. Thorer Hund had also come 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 offer 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 Gunstein 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 referring 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.

Thorer says, "This is a heavy money mulct."

"Without it," replies Fin, "there will be no agreement."

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 ornament; 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 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 unpaid."

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
Westfjord, and went to sea, keeping south along the land so far
off 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 liquor 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, "I believe that Thorer must be our enemy, and
it appears to me always better to have him at a distance than
near."

150. DISPUTE BETWEEN HAREK AND ASMUND.

Asmund Grankelson had been this winter (A.D. 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 egg-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
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, although
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 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 rigged 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 equipment; 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. Asmund 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, according to King Olaf's
commands, when Geller Thorkelson got leave to go to Iceland, as
before related. He remained there (A.D. 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
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 consented,
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 sacrificing 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 detained under pretext that they must wait
until the scat is collected; and that they should be separated,
and placed 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 grown-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
sheriffs 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 scoffed 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 them, and found them in a wood in which they
had concealed 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 little 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 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 reindeer hides, out of which they cut sandals, and
bound them under their feet, with the hoofs of the reindeer feet
trailing behind. But before they set off 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 comrade travelled the
whole night until they came to a lonely wood, where they
concealed themselves when it was daylight. 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
therefore 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 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 happens; 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 come, 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 Arnliot told them to throw away
nothing of their food, neither bones nor crumbs. Arnliot took a
silver plate out of the pocket of his cloak, and ate from it.
When they were done eating, Arnliot 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 Arnliot and
the others went up, and laid themselves down to sleep. Arnliot
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. They 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 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 shoulders, 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 comrade and the man of the merchants company who had
escaped. He proceeded until he came to King Olaf in the town
(Nidaros); told the king all that had happened, and presented to
him the silver plate. The king said it was wrong that 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."