Saga of Olaf Haroldson

133. OF KING OLAF.

When spring (A.D. 1024) was advanced King Olaf rigged out his
ships, and sailed southwards in summer along the land. He held
Things with the bondes on the way, settled the law business of
the people, put to rights the faith of the country, and collected
the king's taxes wherever he came. In autumn he proceeded south
to the frontier of the country; and King Olaf had now made the
people Christians in all the great districts, and everywhere, by
laws, had introduced order into the country. He had also, as
before related, brought the Orkney Islands under his power, and
by messages had made many friends in Iceland, Greenland, and the
Farey Islands. King Olaf had sent timber for building a church
to Iceland, of which a church was built upon the Thing-field
where the General Thing is held, and had sent a bell for it,
which is still there. This was after the Iceland people had
altered their laws, and introduced Christianity, according to the
word King Olaf had sent them. After that time, many considerable
persons came from Iceland, and entered into King Olaf's service;
as Thorkel Eyjolfson, and Thorleif Bollason, Thord Kolbeinson,
Thord Barkarson, Thorgeir Havarson, Thormod Kalbrunar-skald.
King Olaf had sent many friendly presents to chief people in
Iceland; and they in return sent him such things as they had
which they thought most acceptable. Under this show of
friendship which the king gave Iceland were concealed many things
which afterwards appeared.

134. KING OLAF'S MESSAGE TO ICELAND, AND THE COUNSELS OF THE
ICELANDERS.

King Olaf this summer (A.D. 1024) sent Thorarin Nefiulfson to
Iceland on his errands; and Thorarin went out of Throndhjem fjord
along with the king, and followed him south to More. From thence
Thorarin went out to sea, and got such a favourable breeze that
after four days sail he landed at the Westman Isles, in Iceland.
He proceeded immediately to the Althing, and came just as the
people were upon the Lawhillock, to which he repaired. When the
cases of the people before the Thing had been determined
according to law, Thorarin Nefiulfson took up the word as
follows: -- "We parted four days ago from King Olaf Haraldson,
who sends God Almighty's and his own salutation to all the chiefs
and principal men of the land; as also to all the people in
general, men and women, young and old, rich and poor. He also
lets you know that he will be your sovereign if ye will become
his subjects, so that he and you will be friends, assisting each
other in all that is good."

The people replied in a friendly way, that they would gladly be
the king's friends, if he would be a friend of the people of
their country.

Then Thorarin again took up the word: -- "This follows in
addition to the king's message, that he will in friendship desire
of the people of the north district that they give him the
island, or out-rock, which lies at the mouth of Eyfjord, and is
called Grimsey, for which he will give you from his country
whatever good the people of the district may desire. He sends
this message particularly to Gudmund of Modruvellir to support
this matter, because he understands that Gudmund has most
influence in that quarter."

Gudmund replies, "My inclination is greatly for King Olaf's
friendship, and that I consider much more useful than the out-
rock he desires. But the king has not heard rightly if he think
I have more power in this matter than any other, for the island
is a common. We, however, who have the most use of the isle,
will hold a meeting among ourselves about it."

Then the people went to their tent-houses; and the Northland
people had a meeting among themselves, and talked over the
business, and every one spoke according to his judgment. Gudmund
supported the matter, and many others formed their opinions by
his. Then some asked why his brother Einar did not speak on the
subject. "We think he has the clearest insight into most
things."

Einar answers, "I have said so little about the matter because
nobody has asked me about it; but if I may give my opinion, our
countrymen might just as well make themselves at once liable to
land-scat to King Olaf, and submit to all his exactions as he has
them among his people in Norway; and this heavy burden we will
lay not only upon ourselves, but on our sons, and their sons, and
all our race, and on all the community dwelling and living in
this land, which never after will be free from this slavery. Now
although this king is a good man, as I well believe him to be,
yet it must be hereafter, when kings succeed each other, that
some will be good. and some bad. Therefore if the people of this
country will preserve the freedom they have enjoyed since the
land was first inhabited, it is not advisable to give the king
the smallest spot to fasten himself upon the country by, and not
to give him any kind of scat or service that can have the
appearance of a duty. On the other hand, I think it very proper
that the people send the king such friendly presents of hawks or
horses, tents or sails, or such things which are suitable gifts;
and these are well applied if they are repaid with friendship.
But as to Grimsey Isle, I have to say, that although nothing is
drawn from it that can serve for food, yet it could support a
great war-force cruising from thence in long-ships; and then, I
doubt not, there would be distress enough at every poor peasant's
door."

When Einar had thus explained the proper connection of the
matter, the whole community were of one mind that such a thing
should not be permitted; and Thorarin saw sufficiently well what
the result of his errand was to be.

135. THE ANSWER OF THE ICELANDERS.

The day following, Thorarin went again to the Lawhill, and
brought forward his errand in the following words: -- "King Olaf
sends his message to his friends here in the country, among whom
he reckons Gudmund Eyjolfson, Snorre Gode, Thorkel Eyjolfson,
Skapte the lagman, and Thorstein Halson, and desires them by me
to come to him on a friendly visit; and adds, that ye must not
excuse yourselves, if you regard his friendship as worth
anything." In their answer they thanked the king for his message
and added, that they would afterwards give a reply to it by
Thorarin when they had more closely considered the matter with
their friends. The chiefs now weighed the matter among
themselves, and each gave his own opinion about the journey.
Snorre and Skapte dissuaded from such a dangerous proceeding with
the people of Norway; namely, that all the men who had the most
to say in the country should at once leave Iceland. They added,
that from this message, and from what Einar had said, they had
the suspicion that the king intended to use force and strong
measures against the Icelanders if he ruled in the country.
Gudmund and Thorkel Eyjolfson insisted much that they should
follow King Olaf's invitation, and called it a journey of honour.
But when they had considered the matter on all sides, it was at
last resolved that they should not travel themselves, but that
each of them should send in his place a man whom they thought
best suited for it. After this determination the Thing was
closed, and there was no journey that summer. Thorarin made two
voyages that summer, and about harvest was back again at King
Olaf's, and reported the result of his mission, and that some of
the chiefs, or their sons, would come from Iceland according to
his message.

136. OF THE PEOPLE OF THE FAREY ISLANDS.

The same summer (A.D. 1024) there came from the Farey Islands to
Norway, on the king's invitation, Gille the lagman, Leif
Ossurson, Thoralf of Dimun, and many other bondes' sons. Thord
of Gata made himself ready for the voyage; but just as he was
setting out he got a stroke of palsy, and could not come, so he
remained behind. Now when the people from the Farey Isles
arrived at King Olaf's, he called them to him to a conference,
and explained the purpose of the journey he had made them take,
namely, that he would have scat from the Farey Islands, and also
that the people there should be subject to the laws which the
king should give them. In that meeting it appeared from the
king's words that he would make the Farey people who had come
answerable, and would bind them by oath to conclude this union.
He also offered to the men whom he thought the ablest to take
them into his service, and bestow honour and friendship on them.
These Farey men understood the king's words so, that they must
dread the turn the matter might take if they did not submit to
all that the king desired. Although they held several meetings
about the business before it ended, the king's desire at last
prevailed. Leif, Gille, and Thoralf went into the king's
service, and became his courtmen; and they, with all their
travelling companions, swore the oath to King Olaf, that the law
and land privilege which he set them should be observed in the
Farey Islands, and also the scat be levied that he laid upon
them. Thereafter the Farey people prepared for their return
home, and at their departure the king gave those who had entered
into his service presents in testimony of his friendship, and
they went their way. Now the king ordered a ship to be rigged,
manned it, and sent men to the Farey Islands to receive the scat
from the inhabitants which they should pay him. It was late
before they were ready; but they set off at last: and of their
journey all that is to be told is, that they did not come back,
and no scat either, the following summer; for nobody had come to
the Farey Isles, and no man had demanded scat there.