Heimskringla

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"The swords stand there,
All bright and fair, --
Those oars that dip in blood:
If I in favour stood,
I too might have a share.
A sword the skald would gladly take,
And use it for his master's sake:
In favour once he stood,
And a sword has stained in blood."

The king took a sword of which the handle was twisted round 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 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 expenses.

173. OF BJORN THE 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 offices 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 missing: therefore Bjorn
ordered a Thing to be called to examine 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 Osterdal, 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. OF RAUD'S SONS.

There was a man called Raud who dwelt in Osterdal. His wife was
called Ragnhild; and his sons, Dag and Sigurd, were men of great
talent. They were present at the Thing, made a reply in defence
of the Osterdal people, and removed the accusation from them.
Bjorn 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 retinue, came to guest-
quarters in the house of bailiff Bjorn. The matter which had
been before the Thing was then complained of to the king; and
Bjorn said that Raud's sons appeared to him to have committed
these thefts. A messenger was sent for Raud's sons; and when
they appeared before the king he said they had not at all the
appearance 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 Bjorn dissuaded 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 originally 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
remembered 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 accomplishment, that he could see the misdeeds and
vices of 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
committed," 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 accompanied 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 remarkably 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 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
outside, 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 excellent 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
disposition, 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 punishment 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?"

"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 towards the elbow.

Thorer said, "Take care, for I have a boil upon my arm."

The king held his hand there, and felt there was something 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.

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 himself. 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 connections 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
Grjotgard'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 Grjotgard was sleeping. Grjotgard
and his men, roused by the stir of people and clash of arms, ran
to their weapons, 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 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 deathwound. 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 OLAF SENDS FOR 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 districts 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 throughout the whole of the Danish dominions, and had no
fewer than 1200 vessels.

178. KING OLAF'S COUNSELS.

The news came to Norway that King Canute had assembled 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 spoke about this among themselves. Sigvat tells
of it thus: --

"Our men are few, our ships are small,
While England's king is strong in all;
But yet our king is not afraid --
O! never be such king betrayed!
'Tis evil counsel to deprive
Our king of countrymen to strive
To save their country, sword in hand:
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 various 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 foe
Offers us money if we go.
I may be blamed, accused of fear;
But treachery, not faith, rules here.
Men may retire who long have shown
Their faith and love, and now alone
Retire because they cannot save --
This is no treachery in the brave."

179. HAREK OF THJOTTA BURNS GRANKEL AND HIS MEN.

The same spring (A.D. 1028) it happened in Halogaland that Harek
of Thjotta remembered how Asmund Grankelson had plundered and
beaten his house-servants. A 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 morning 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 Halogaland 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 Limfjord.
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 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 friendship. 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 trader 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 governor-
in-chief of all the land in Norway 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 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 earls 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 Norway, 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 remained, 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
chiefship began anew with this.

182. OF THORARIN LOFTUNGA.

There was a man by name Thorarin Loftunga, an Icelander 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 a 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 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 Jove,
Guardian of Greece, his realm above."

King Canute rewarded him for the poem with fifty marks of silver.
The poem was called the "Headransom" ("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 his men is 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 Eger 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 Eger coast.
And peaceful men in haste now hie
Up Hiornagla-hill the fleet to spy,
As round the ness where Stad now lies
Each high-stemmed ship in splendour flies.

"Nor seemed the voyage long, I trow,
To warrior on the high-built bow,
As o'er the ocean-mountains riding
The land and hill seem past him gliding.
With whistling breeze and flashing spray
Past Stein the gay ships dashed away;
In open sea, the southern gale
Filled 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 sails."

Here it is told that King Canute's expedition was grander than
saga can tell; but Thorarin sang thus because he would pride
himself upon being one of King Canute's retinue when he came to
Norway.

153. OF THE MESSENGERS SENT BY KING OLAF FOR HIS SHIPS.

The men whom King Olaf had sent eastwards to Gautland 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
Denmark, 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: --

"The warrior-king, whose blood-stain'd shield
Has shone on many a hard-fought field,
England and Denmark now has won,
And o'er three kingdoms rules alone.
Peace now he gives us fast and sure,
Since Norway too is made secure
By him who oft, in days of yore,
Glutted the hawk and wolf with gore."

154. OF KING OLAF 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 proceeded on according to the winds. This was
in the beginning of winter (A.D. 1029). The 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 Skjalgson 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 assembled all the men he could.

155. OF KING OLAF'S VOYAGE.

On Thomasmas, before Yule (Dec. 21), the king left 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 thereafter turned in towards
the land, intending to run up the fjords to gather men and money.
Erling Skjalgson perceived 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 assembled. He
hailed from ship to ship the orders to let the sails gently sink,
and to unship the booms and outriggers, 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 pursuit of
King Olaf.