Saga of King Harald Grafeld and of Earl Hakon Son of Sigurd

3. COUNCILS BY GUNHILD AND HER SONS.

Gunhild the King-mother, and her sons, often met, and talked
together upon the government of the country. Once Gunhild asked
her sons what they intended to do with their kingdom of
Throndhjem. "Ye have the title of king, as your forefathers had
before you; but ye have little land or people, and there are many
to divide with. In the East, at Viken, there are Trygve and
Gudrod; and they have some right, from relationship, to their
governments. There is besides Earl Sigurd ruling over the whole
Throndhjem country; and no reason can I see why ye let so large a
kingdom be ruled by an earl, and not by yourselves. It appears
wonderful to me that ye go every summer upon viking cruises
against other lands, and allow an earl within the country to take
your father's heritage from you. Your grandfather, whose name
you bear, King Harald, thought it but a small matter to take an
earl's life and land when he subdued all Norway, and held it
under him to old age."

Harald replied, "It is not so easy, mother, to cut off Earl
Sigurd as to slay a kid or a calf. Earl Sigurd is of high birth,
powerful in relations, popular, and prudent; and I think if the
Throndhjem people knew for certain there was enmity between us,
they would all take his side, and we could expect only evil from
them. I don't think it would be safe for any of us brothers to
fall into the hands of the Throndhjem people."

Then said Gunhild, "We shall go to work another way, and not put
ourselves forward. Harald and Erling shall come in harvest to
North More, and there I shall meet you, and we shall consult
together what is to be done." This was done.

4. GUNHILD'S SONS AND GRJOTGARD.

Earl Sigurd had a brother called Grjotgard, who was much younger,
and much less respected; in fact, was held in no title of honour.
He had many people, however, about him, and in summer went on
viking cruises, and gathered to himself property. Now King
Harald sent messengers to Throndhjem with offers of friendship,
and with presents. The messengers declared that King Harald was
willing to be on the same friendly terms with the earl that King
Hakon had been; adding, that they wished the earl to come to King
Harald, that their friendship might be put on a firm footing.
The Earl Sigurd received well the king's messengers and friendly
message, but said that on account of his many affairs he could
not come to the king. He sent many friendly gifts, and many glad
and grateful words to the king, in return for his friendship.
With this reply the messengers set off, and went to Grjotgard,
for whom they had the same message, and brought him good
presents, and offered him King Harald's friendship, and invited
him to visit the king. Grjotgard promised to come and at the
appointed time he paid a visit to King Harald and Gunhild, and
was received in the most friendly manner. They treated him on
the most intimate footing, so that Grjotgard had access to their
private consultations and secret councils. At last the
conversation, by an understanding between the king and queen, was
turned upon Earl Sigurd; and they spoke to Grjotgard about the
earl having kept him so long in obscurity, and asked him if he
would not join the king's brothers in an attack on the earl. If
he would join with them, the king promised Grjotgard that he
should be his earl, and have the same government that Sigurd had.
It came so far that a secret agreement was made between them,
that Grjotgard should spy out the most favourable opportunity of
attacking by surprise Earl Sigurd, and should give King Harald
notice of it. After this agreement Grjotgard returned home with
many good presents from the king.

5. SIGURD BURNT IN A HOUSE IN STJORADAL

Earl Sigurd went in harvest into Stjoradal to guest-quarters, and
from thence went to Oglo to a feast. The earl usually had many
people about him, for he did not trust the king; but now, after
friendly messages had passed between the king and him, he had no
great following of people with him. Then Grjotgard sent word to
the king that he could never expect a better opportunity to fall
upon Earl Sigurd; and immediately, that very evening, Harald and
Erling sailed into Throndhjem fjord with several ships and many
people. They sailed all night by starlight, and Grjotgard came
out to meet them. Late in the night they came to Oglo, where
Earl Sigurd was at the feast, and set fire to the house; and
burnt the house, the earl, and all his men. As soon as it was
daylight, they set out through the fjord, and south to More,
where they remained a long time.

6. HISTORY OF HAKON, SIGURD'S SON.

Hakon, the son of Earl Sigurd, was up in the interior of the
Throndhjem country when he heard this news. Great was the tumult
through all the Throndhjem land, and every vessel that could swim
was put into the water; and as soon as the people were gathered
together they took Earl Sigurd's son Hakon to be their earl and
the leader of the troops, and the whole body steered out of
Throndhjem fjord. When Gunhild's sons heard of this, they set
off southwards to Raumsdal and South More; and both parties kept
eye on each other by their spies. Earl Sigurd was killed two
years after the fall of King Hakon (A.D. 962). So says Eyvind
Skaldaspiller in the "Haleygjatal": --

"At Oglo. as I've heard, Earl Sigurd
Was burnt to death by Norway's lord, --
Sigurd, who once on Hadding's grave
A feast to Odin's ravens gave.
In Oglo's hall, amidst the feast,
When bowls went round and ale flowed fast,
He perished: Harald lit the fire
Which burnt to death the son of Tyr."

Earl Hakan, with the help of his friends, maintained himself in
the Throndhjem country for three years; and during that time
(A.D. 963-965) Gunhild's sons got no revenues from it. Hakon had
many a battle with Gunhild's sons, and many a man lost his life
on both sides. Of this Einar Skalaglam speaks in his lay, called
"Vellekla," which he composed about Earl Hakon: --

"The sharp bow-shooter on the sea
Spread wide his fleet, for well loved he
The battle storm: well loved the earl
His battle-banner to unfurl,
O'er the well-trampled battle-field
He raised the red-moon of his shield;
And often dared King Eirik's son
To try the fray with the Earl Hakon."

And he also says-

"Who is the man who'll dare to say
That Sigurd's son avoids the fray?
He gluts the raven -- he ne'er fears
The arrow's song or flight of spears,
With thundering sword he storms in war,
As Odin dreadful; or from far
He makes the arrow-shower fly
To swell the sail of victory.
The victory was dearly bought,
And many a viking-fight was fought
Before the swinger of the sword
Was of the eastern country lord."

And Einar tells also how Earl Hakon avenged his father's
murderer: --

"I praise the man, my hero he,
Who in his good ship roves the sea,
Like bird of prey, intent to win
Red vengeance for his slaughtered kin.
From his blue sword the iron rain
That freezes life poured down amain
On him who took his father's life,
On him and his men in the strife.
To Odin many a soul was driven, --
To Odin many a rich gift given.
Loud raged the storm on battle-field --
Axe rang on helm, and sword on shield."

The friends on both sides at last laid themselves between, and
brought proposals of peace; for the bondes suffered by this
strife and war in the land. At last it was brought to this, by
the advice of prudent men, that Earl Hakon should have the same
power in the Throndhjem land which his father Earl Sigurd had
enjoyed; and the kings, on the other hand, should have the same
dominion as King Hakon had: and this agreement was settled with
the fullest promises of fidelity to it. Afterwards a great
friendship arose between Earl Hakon and Gunhild, although they
sometimes attempted to deceive each other. And thus matters
stood for three years longer (A.D. 966-968), in which time Earl
Hakon sat quietly in his dominions.

7. OF HARALD GRAFELD.

King Hakon had generally his seat in Hordaland and Rogaland, and
also his brothers; but very often, also, they went to Hardanger.
One summer it happened that a vessel came from Iceland belonging
to Icelanders, and loaded with skins and peltry. They sailed to
Hardanger, where they heard the greatest number of people
assembled; but when the folks came to deal with them, nobody
would buy their skins. Then the steersman went to King Harald,
whom he had been acquainted with before, and complained of his
ill luck. The king promised to visit him, and did so. King
Harald was very condescending, and full of fun. He came with a
fully manned boat, looked at the skins, and then said to the
steersman, "Wilt thou give me a present of one of these gray-
skins?" "Willingly," said the steersman, "if it were ever so
many." On this the king wrapped himself up in a gray-skin, and
went back to his boat; but before they rowed away from the ship,
every man in his suite bought such another skin as the king wore
for himself. In a few days so many people came to buy skins,
that not half of them could be served with what they wanted; and
thereafter the king was called Harald Grafeld (Grayskin).