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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."

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 OLAF'S LEVY OF MEN.

King Olaf made ready in spring (A.D. 1027) to leave Nidaros, 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 looking 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 halberd 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 offers you, although ye have received many gifts of

friendship 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 grounds 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 expedition from which they excuse

themselves, although I expected 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

business."  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 doing's, and besides a man 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 island 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 Leif;

"otherwise I would with great pleasure have accepted 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 in 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 (A.D.

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 by Karl, and then his comrades; and all

fully armed as if 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 spoken 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 benches, 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 replied, "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 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 off 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 lying on the

bench raised himself now upon his elbow; and this was Thord the

Low.  He said, "These are no ordinary reproaches we suffer from

Karl Morske, and therefore 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 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."  Immediately a man came running and calls with great

haste to Leif Ossurson, telling him to come as quickly as

possible to Lagman Gille's tent; "for," says he, "Sirurd

Thorlakson ran in just now into the mouth of the tent, and gave

one of Gille's men a desperate wound."  Leif rose up instantly,

and went off to Gille's tent along with his men.  Karl remained

sitting, and the Norway people stood around in all corners.  Gaut

immediately sprang up, and struck with a hand-axe over the heads

of the people, 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 people 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 comrade, and

Gaut and Thord for the murder of Karl.  The Norway people rigged

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 vengeance; 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 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 LEVY.

Now we must proceed with the relation we began before, -- that

King Olaf set out with his men, and raised a levy over the whole

country (A.D. 1027).  All lendermen in the North followed him

excepting Einar 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 (A.D. 1027), and which was called the

Visund (1).  It was a very large ship, with a bison's head gilded

all over upon the bow.  Sigvat the skald speaks thus of it: --

     "Trygvason's Long Serpent bore,

     Grim gaping o'er the waves before,

     A dragon's head with open throat,

     When last the hero was afloat:

          His cruise was closed,

          As God disposed.

     Olaf has raised a bison's head,

     Which proudly seems the waves to tread.

     While o'er its golden forehead dashing

     The waves its glittering horns are washing:

          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 great force, and

four or five ships.  He himself had a 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

everywhere 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 Norway.  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.

ENDNOTES:

(1)  Visundr is the buffalo; although the modern 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.

155. OF KING OLAF 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; 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 support 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 submit 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 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

     From Throndhjem to the south.'

     Across the cold East sea,

          The Swedish king

          His host did bring,

     To gain great victory.

     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 fleet lies in ranks."

154. OF 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 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 (A.D. 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! many a merry morn was pass'd,

     When our vessel was made fast,

     And we lay on the glittering tide

     or Rouen river's western side."

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

obtained the permission he desired.  He then sang: --

     "The way to Jutland's king I sought;

     A little patience I was taught.

     The doors were shut -- all full within;

     The udaller could not get in.

     But Gorm's great son did condescend

     To his own chamber me to send,

     And grant my prayer -- although I'm one

     Whose arms the fetters' weight have 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 Hakon,

     Have leagued themselves, and counsel taken

     Against King Olaf's life,

     And are ready for the strife.

     In spite of king and earl, I say,

     `I love him well -- may he get away:'

     On the Fields, wild and dreary,

     With him I'd live, and ne'er be weary."

Sigvat made many other songs concerning this expedition of Canute

and Hakon.  He made this among others: --

     "`Twas not the earl's intention then

     'Twixt Olaf and the udalmen

     Peace to establish, and the land

     Upright to hold with Northman's hand;

     But ever with deceit and lies

     Eirik's descendant, Hakon, tries

     To make ill-will and discontent,

     Till all the udalmen are bent

     Against King Olaf's rule to rise."

157. OF KING CANUTE'S SHIP THE 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 vessels 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 --

     Canute of the clear blue eye!

     The king is out on the ocean's breast,

     Leading his grand fleet from the West.

     On to the East the ship-masts glide,

     Glancing and bright each long-ship's side.

     The conqueror of great Ethelred,

     Canute, is there, his foemen's dread:

     His dragon with her sails of blue,

     All bright and brilliant to the view,

     High hoisted on the yard arms wide,

     Carries great Canute o'er the tide.

     Brave is the royal progress -- fast

     The proud ship's keel obeys the mast,

     Dashes through foam, and gains the land,

     Raising a surge on Limfjord's strand."

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 country.

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

(A.D. 1026), as we related.  But the earl immediately gave it out

that King Canute had, at parting, made known to him his will and

desire 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 principal 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

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 greatest 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 Limfjord, and waited

thus for King Canute.  Now when they heard that King Canute had

come from the West to Limfjord 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 anything which is thought to be

against the king."  He replies, that Hardaknut has not done this

of his own judgement.  "And therefore," says he, "it has turned

out as might have been expected, that when he, a child, and

without understanding, wanted to be called king, the country,

when any evil came and an enemy appeared, must be conquered 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 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 confidence 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 UIf 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

reconciliation.  The earl did so.

159. FORAY IN SCANIA.

When King Olaf and King Onund heard that King Canute was come

from the West, and also that he had a vast force, they sailed

east to Scania, and allowed themselves to ravage and burn in the

districts there, and then proceeded eastward along the land to

the frontier of Sweden.  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 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

riverhead 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: --

     "The king, who shields

     His Jutland fields

     From scaith or harm

     By foeman's arm,

     Will not allow

     Wild plundering now:

     `The greatest he,

     On land or sea.'"

160. BATTLE IN HELGA RIVER.

One day, towards evening, King Onund's spies saw King Canute

coming sailing along, and he was not far off.  Then King Onund

ordered the war-horns to sound; on which his people struck their

tents, put on their weapons, rowed out of the harbour and east

round the land, bound their ships together, and prepared for

battle.  King Onund made his spies run up the country to look for

King 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, some to converse with the

people of other ships.  They observed nothing until the water

came rushing 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 perished, 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 numerous and

chosen crew on board, well armed and exercised, 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 quarters.  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 suffered 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 Canute the Great: --

     "The king, in battle fray,

     Drove the Swedish host away:

     The wolf did not miss prey,

     Nor the raven on that day.

     Great Canute might deride

     Two kings if he had pride,

     For at Helga river's side

     They would not his sword abide."

Thord Sjarekson also sang these lines in his death song of King

Olaf: --

     "King Olaf, Agder's lord,

          Ne'er shunned the Jutland king,

     But with his blue-edged sword

          Broke many a panzer ring.

     King Canute was not slow:

          King Onund filled the plain

     With dead, killed by his bow:

          The wolf howled o'er the slain."

161. KING OLAF AND KING ONUND'S PLANS.

King Olaf and King Onund sailed eastward to the Swedish king's

dominions; and one day, towards evening, 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 greater 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 wagon safe.  In this expedition we have won something, and

lost nothing.  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."

King Olaf thanked King Onund for his friendly offer.  "But if I

may advise," says he, "then we should take another 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

(1) 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 home 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 Halland, know well whose favour

they have to seek.  Canute'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.

ENDNOTES:

(1)  The thingmen, or hired body-guard attending the court. -- L.

162. OF KING CANUTE AND EARL ULF.

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, others 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 before Michaelmas, rode with a great 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 agreed to; and a chess-board was produced, and

they played together.  Earl Ulf was hasty in temper, stiff, and

in nothing yielding; 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 Denmark next to the

king.  Earl Ulf's sister Gyda was married 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 king

Edward the Good.

163. OF THE EARL'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, 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 ordered; and when the king came to the church he

bestowed on it great property, so that it had a large domain, by

which that place was raised very high; and these lands 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 after them.

165. OF EGIL AND TOFE.

While King Olaf lay there, he had frequently conferences 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 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 reconciliation

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 OLAF.

King Olaf had now frequent conferences with his people, 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 unadvisable which others considered highly

serviceable; and there was much indecision in their councils.

King Canute had always spies in King Olaf's army, who entered

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 promises 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 concealed.  Some took at once money bribes, and others were

promised money afterwards; and a great many there were who had

got great 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 OLAF'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 really 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 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 determination, from all these considerations, that

the people who would follow him should make themselves ready to

proceed by land across Gautland, and so to Norway.  "But our

ships," said he, "and all things that we cannot take with us, I

will send eastward to the Swedish king's dominions, and let them

be taken care of for us there."

168. HAREK OF THJOTTA'S VOYAGE.

Harek 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 :--

     "I'11 mount my ocean steed,

     And o'er the sea I'll speed;

     Forests and hills are not for me, --

     I love the moving sea,

     Though Canute block the Sound,

     Rather than walk the ground,

     And leave my ship, I'll see

     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

Calmar.  There he had 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 part 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.

Harek made this song as he sailed northward round the isle of

Vedrey: --

     "The widows of Lund may smile through their tears,

     The Danish girls may have their jeers;

          They may laugh or smile,

          But outside their isle

     Old Harek still on to his North land steers."

Harek went on his way, and never stopped till he came north to

Halogaland, to his own house in Thjotta.

169. KING OLAF'S COURSE FROM 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 to

Sarpsborg, where he remained, and ordered a winter abode to be

prepared (A.D. 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 Arne

Arnmodson, and they stood in great favour with the king.  Geller

Thorkelson, who the summer before had come from Iceland, also

came there to the king, as before related.

170. OF SIGVAT THE SKALD.

Sigvat the skald had long been in King Olaf's household, as

before related, and the king made him his marshal.  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 Normandy, 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 home,

     No more by land or sea to roam,

          But by thy side

          Still to abide.

     Great king!  what seat here shall be take

     For the king's honour -- not his sake?

          For all seats here

          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 Sigvat'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

     A generous heart, would have me stay,

     Service in his great court to take,

     And my own Norway king forsake.

     Two masters at a time, I said,

     Were one too many for men bred

     Where truth and virtue, shown to all,

     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.

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