Saga of Olaf Haroldson

60. THE HISTORY OF EYVIND URARHORN.

There was a man called Eyvind Urarhorn, who was a great man, of
high birth, who had his descent from the East Agder country.
Every summer he went out on a viking cruise, sometimes to the
West sea, sometimes to the Baltic, sometimes south to Flanders,
and had a well-armed cutter (snekkia) of twenty benches of
rowers. He had been also at Nesjar, and given his aid to the
king; and when they separated the king promised him his favour,
and Eyvind, again, promised to come to the king's aid whenever he
was required. This winter (A.D. 1017) Eyvind was at the Yule
feast of the king, and received goodly gifts from him. Brynjolf
Ulfalde was also with the king, and he received a Yule present
from the king of a gold-mounted sword, and also a farm called
Vettaland, which is a very large head-farm of the district.
Brynjolf composed a song about these gifts, of which the refrain
was --

"The song-famed hero to my hand
Gave a good sword, and Vettaland."

The king afterwards gave him the title of Lenderman, and Brynjolf
was ever after the king's greatest friend.

61. THRAND WHITE'S MURDER.

This winter (A.D. 1017) Thrand White from Throndhjem went east to
Jamtaland, to take up scat upon account of King Olaf. But when
he had collected the scat he was surprised by men of the Swedish
king, who killed him and his men, twelve in all, and brought the
scat to the Swedish king. King Olaf was very ill-pleased when he
heard this news.

62. CHRISTIANITY PROCLAIMED IN VIKEN.

King Olaf made Christian law to be proclaimed in Viken, in the
same way as in the North country. It succeeded well, because the
people of Viken were better acquainted with the Christian customs
than the people in the north; for, both winter and summer, there
were many merchants in Viken, both Danish and Saxon. The people
of Viken, also, had much trading intercourse with England, and
Saxony, and Flanders, and Denmark; and some had been on viking
expeditions, and had had their winter abode in Christian lands.

63. HROE'S FALL.

About spring-time (A.D. 1017) King Olaf sent a message that
Eyvind Urarhorn should come to him; and they spake together in
private for a long time. Thereafter Eyvind made himself ready
for a viking cruise. He sailed south towards Viken, and brought
up at the Eikreys Isles without Hising Isle. There he heard that
Hroe Skialge had gone northwards towards Ordost, and had there
made a levy of men and goods on account of the Swedish king, and
was expected from the north. Eyvind rowed in by Haugasund, and
Hroe came rowing from the north, and they met in the sound and
fought. Hroe fell there, with nearly thirty men; and Eyvind took
all the goods Hroe had with him. Eyvind then proceeded to the
Baltic, and was all summer on a viking cruise.

64. FALL OF GUDLEIK AND THORGAUT.

There was a man called Gudleik Gerske, who came originally from
Agder. He was a great merchant, who went far and wide by sea,
was very rich, and drove a trade with various countries. He
often went east to Gardarike (Russia), and therefore was called
Gudleik Gerske (the Russian). This spring (A.D. 1017) Gudleik
fitted out his ship, and intended to go east in summer to Russia.
King Olaf sent a message to him that he wanted to speak to him;
and when Gudleik came to the king he told him he would go in
partnership with him, and told him to purchase some costly
articles which were difficult to be had in this country. Gudleik
said that it should be according to the king's desire. The king
ordered as much money to be delivered to Gudleik as he thought
sufficient, and then Gudleik set out for the Baltic. They lay in
a sound in Gotland; and there it happened, as it often does, that
people cannot keep their own secrets, and the people of the
country came to know that in this ship was Olaf the Thick's
partner. Gudleik went in summer eastwards to Novgorod, where he
bought fine and costly clothes, which he intended for the king as
a state dress; and also precious furs, and remarkably splendid
table utensils. In autumn (A.D. 1017), as Gudleik was returning
from the east, he met a contrary wind, and lay for a long time at
the island Eyland. There came Thorgaut Skarde, who in autumn had
heard of Gudleik's course, in a long-ship against him, and gave
him battle. They fought long, and Gudleik and his people
defended themselves for a long time; but the numbers against them
were great, and Gudleik and many of his ship's crew fell, and a
great many of them were wounded. Thorgaut took all their goods,
and King Olaf's, and he and his comrades divided the booty among
them equally; but he said the Swedish king ought to have the
precious articles of King Olaf, as these, he said, should be
considered as part of the scat due to him from Norway.
Thereafter Thorgaut proceeded east to Svithjod. These tidings
were soon known; and as Eyvind Urarhorn came soon after to
Eyland, he heard the news, and sailed east after Thorgaut and his
troop, and overtook them among the Swedish isles on the coast,
and gave battle. There Thorgaut and the most of his men were
killed, and the rest sprang overboard. Eyvind took all the goods
and all the costly articles of King Olaf which they had captured
from Gudleik, and went with these back to Norway in autumn, and
delivered to King Olaf his precious wares. The king thanked him
in the most friendly way for his proceeding, and promised him
anew his favour and friendship. At this time Olaf had been three
years king over Norway (A.D. 1015-1017).

65. MEETING OF OLAF AND RAGNVALD.

The same summer (A.D. 1017) King Olaf ordered a levy, and went
out eastwards to the Gaut river, where he lay a great part of the
summer. Messages were passing between King Olaf, Earl Ragnvald,
and the earl's wife, Ingebjorg, the daughter of Trygve. She was
very zealous about giving King Olaf of Norway every kind of help,
and made it a matter of her deepest interest. For this there
were two causes. She had a great friendship for King Olaf; and
also she could never forget that the Swedish king had been one at
the death of her brother, Olaf Trygvason; and also that he, on
that account only, had any presence to rule over Norway. The
earl, by her persuasion, turned much towards friendship with King
Olaf; and it proceeded so far that the earl and the king
appointed a meeting, and met at the Gaut river. They talked
together of many things, but especially of the Norwegian and
Swedish kings' relations with each other; both agreeing, as was
the truth also, that it was the greatest loss, both to the people
of Viken and of Gautland, that there was no peace for trade
between the two countries; and at last both agreed upon a peace,
and still-stand of arms between them until next summer; and they
parted with mutual gifts and friendly speeches.

66. KING OLAF THE SWEDE.

The king thereupon returned north to Viken, and had all the royal
revenues up to the Gaut river; and all the people of the country
there had submitted to him. King Olaf the Swede had so great a
hatred of Olaf Haraldson, that no man dared to call him by his
right name in the king's hearing. They called him the thick man;
and never named him without some hard by-name.

67. ACCOUNT OF THEIR RECONCILIATION.

The bondes in Viken spoke with each other about there being
nothing for it but that the kings should make peace and a league
with each other, and insisted upon it that they were badly used
by the kings going to war; but nobody was so bold as to bring
these murmurs before the king. At last they begged Bjorn the
marshal to bring this matter before the king, and entreat him to
send messengers to the Swedish king to offer peace on his side.
Bjorn was disinclined to do this, and put it off from himself
with excuses; but on the entreaties of many of his friends, he
promised at last to speak of it to the king; but declared, at the
same time, that he knew it would be taken very ill by the king to
propose that he should give way in anything to the Swedish king.
The same summer (A.D. 1017) Hjalte Skeggjason came over to Norway
from Iceland, according to the message sent him by King Olaf, and
went directly to the king. He was well received by the king, who
told him to lodge in his house, and gave him a seat beside Bjorn
the marshal, and Hjalte became his comrade at table. There was
good-fellowship immediately between them.

Once, when King Olaf had assembled the people and bondes to
consult upon the good of the country, Bjorn the marshal said,
"What think you, king, of the strife that is between the Swedish
king and you? Many people have fallen on both sides, without its
being at all more determined than before what each of you shall
have of the kingdom. You have now been sitting in Viken one
winter and two summers, and the whole country to the north is
lying behind your back unseen; and the men who have property or
udal rights in the north are weary of sitting here. Now it is
the wish of the lendermen, of your other people, and of the
bondes that this should come to an end. There is now a truce,
agreement, and peace with the earl, and the West Gautland people
who are nearest to us; and it appears to the people it would be
best that you sent messengers to the Swedish king to offer a
reconciliation on your side; and, without doubt, many who are
about the Swedish king will support the proposal, for it is a
common gain for those who dwell in both countries, both here and
there." This speech of Bjorn's received great applause.

Then the king said, "It is fair, Bjorn, that the advice thou hast
given should be carried out by thyself. Thou shalt undertake
this embassy thyself, and enjoy the good of it, if thou hast
advised well; and if it involve any man in danger, thou hast
involved thyself in it. Moreover, it belongs to thy office to
declare to the multitude what I wish to have told." Then the
king stood up, went to the church, and had high mass sung before
him; and thereafter went to table.

The following day Hjalte said to Bjorn, "Why art thou so
melancholy, man? Art thou sick, or art thou angry at any one?"
Bjorn tells Hjalte his conversation with the king, and says it is
a very dangerous errand.

Hjalte says, "It is their lot who follow kings that they enjoy
high honours, and are more respected than other men, but stand
often in danger of their lives: and they must understand how to
bear both parts of their lot. The king's luck is great; and much
honour will be gained by this business, if it succeed."

Bjorn answered, "Since thou makest so light of this business in
thy speech, wilt thou go with me? The king has promised that I
shall have companions with me on the journey."

"Certainly," says Hjalte; "I will follow thee, if thou wilt: for
never again shall I fall in with such a comrade if we part."