Saga of Olaf Haroldson

146. OF THE ICELANDERS.

King Olaf called before him the men who had come from Iceland,
Thorod Snorrason, Geller Thorkelson, Stein Skaptason, and Egil
Halson, and spoke to them thus: -- "Ye have spoken to me much in
summer about making yourselves ready to return to Iceland, and I
have never given you a distinct answer. Now I will tell you what
my intention is. Thee, Geller, I propose to allow to return, if
thou wilt carry my message there; but none of the other
Icelanders who are now here may go to Iceland before I have heard
how the message which thou, Geller, shalt bring thither has been
received."

When the king had made this resolution known, it appeared to
those who had a great desire to return, and were thus forbidden,
that they were unreasonably and hardly dealt with, and that they
were placed in the condition of unfree men. In the meantime
Geller got ready for his journey, and sailed in summer (A.D.
1026) to Iceland, taking with him the message he was to bring
before the Thing the following summer (A.D. 1027). The king's
message was, that he required the Icelanders to adopt the laws
which he had set in Norway, also to pay him thane-tax and nose-
tax (1); namely, a penny for every nose, and the penny at the
rate of ten pennies to the yard of wadmal (2). At the same time
he promised them his friendship if they accepted, and threatened
them with all his vengeance if they refused his proposals.

The people sat long in deliberation on this business; but at last
they were unanimous in refusing all the taxes and burdens which
were demanded of them. That summer Geller returned back from
Iceland to Norway to King Olaf, and found him in autumn in the
east in Viken, just as he had come from Gautland; of which I
shall speak hereafter in this story of King Olaf. Towards the
end of autumn King Olaf repaired north to Throndhjem, and went
with his people to Nidaros, where he ordered a winter residence
to be prepared for him. The winter (A.D. 1027) that he passed
here in the merchant-town of Nidaros was the thirteenth year of
his reign.

147. OF THE JAMTALAND PEOPLE.

There was once a man called Ketil Jamte, a son of Earl Onund of
Sparby, in the Throndhjem district. He fled over the ridge of
mountains from Eystein Illrade, cleared the forest, and settled
the country now called the province of Jamtaland. A great many
people joined him from the Throndhjem land, on account of the
disturbances there; for this King Eystein had laid taxes on the
Throndhjem people, and set his dog, called Saur, to be king over
them. Thorer Helsing was Ketil's grandson, and he colonised the
province called Helsingjaland, which is named after him. When
Harald Harfager subdued the kingdom by force, many people fled
out of the country from him, both Throndhjem people and Naumudal
people, and thus new settlements were added to Jamtaland; and
some settlers went even eastwards to Helsingjaland and down to
the Baltic coast, and all became subjects of the Swedish king.
While Hakon Athelstan's foster-son was over Norway there was
peace, and merchant traffic from Throndhjem to Jamtaland; and, as
he was an excellent king, the Jamtalanders came from the east to
him, paid him scat, and he gave them laws and administered
justice. They would rather submit to his government than to the
Swedish king's, because they were of Norwegian race; and all the
Helsingjaland people, who had their descent from the north side
of the mountain ridge, did the same. This continued long after
those times, until Olaf the Thick and the Swedish king Olaf
quarrelled about the boundaries. Then the Jamtaland and
Helsingjaland people went back to the Swedish king; and then the
forest of Eid was the eastern boundary of the land, and the
mountain ridge, or keel of the country, the northern: and the
Swedish king took scat of Helsingjaland, and also of Jamtaland.
Now, thought the king of Norway, Olaf, in consequence of the
agreement between him and the Swedish king, the scat of Jamtaland
should be paid differently than before; although it had long been
established that the Jamtaland people paid their scat to the
Swedish king, and that he appointed officers over the country.
The Swedes would listen to nothing, but that all the land to the
east of the keel of the country belonged to the Swedish king.
Now this went so, as it often happens, that although the kings
were brothers-in-law and relations, each would hold fast the
dominions which he thought he had a right to. King Olaf had sent
a message round in Jamtaland, declaring it to be his will that
the Jamtaland people should be subject to him, threatening them
with violence if they refused; but the Jamtaland people preferred
being subjects of the Swedish king.

148. STEIN'S STORY.

The Icelanders, Thorod Snorrason and Stein Skaptason, were ill-
pleased at not being allowed to do as they liked. Stein was a
remarkably handsome man, dexterous at all feats, a great poet,
splendid in his apparel, and very ambitious of distinction. His
father, Skapte, had composed a poem on King Olaf, which he had
taught Stein, with the intention that he should bring it to King
Olaf. Stein could not now restrain himself from making the king
reproaches in word and speech, both in verse and prose. Both he
and Thorod were imprudent in their conversation, and said the
king would be looked upon as a worse man than those who, under
faith and law, had sent their sons to him, as he now treated them
as men without liberty. The king was angry at this. One day
Stein stood before the king, and asked if he would listen to the
poem which his father Skapte had composed about him. The king
replies, "Thou must first repeat that, Stein, which thou hast
composed about me." Stein replies, that it was not the case that
he had composed any. "I am no skald, sire," said he; "and if I
even could compose anything, it, and all that concerns me, would
appear to thee of little value." Stein then went out, but
thought he perceived what the king alluded to. Thorgeir, one of
the king's land-bailiffs, who managed one of his farms in
Orkadal, happened to be present, and heard the conversation of
the king and Stein, and soon afterwards Thorgeir returned home.
One night Stein left the city, and his footboy with him. They
went up Gaularas and into Orkadal. One evening they came to one
of the king's farms which Thorgeir had the management of, and
Thorgeir invited Stein to pass the night there, and asked where
he was travelling to. Stein begged the loan of a horse and
sledge, for he saw they were just driving home corn.

Thorgeir replies, "I do not exactly see how it stands with thy
journey, and if thou art travelling with the king's leave. The
other day, methinks, the words were not very sweet that passed
between the king and thee."

Stein said, "If it be so that I am not my own master for the
king, yet I will not submit to such treatment from his slaves;"
and, drawing his sword, he killed the landbailiff. Then he took
the horse, put the boy upon him, and sat himself in the sledge,
and so drove the whole night. They travelled until they came to
Surnadal in More. There they had themselves ferried across the
fjord, and proceeded onwards as fast as they could. They told
nobody about the murder, but wherever they came called themselves
king's men, and met good entertainment everywhere. One day at
last they came towards evening to Giske Isle, to Thorberg
Arnason's house. He was not at home himself, but his wife
Ragnhild, a daughter of Erling Skjalgson, was. There Stein was
well received, because formerly there had been great friendship
between them. It had once happened, namely, that Stein, on his
voyage from Iceland with his own vessel, had come to Giske from
sea, and had anchored at the island. At that time Ragnhild was
in the pains of childbirth, and very ill, and there was no priest
on the island, or in the neighbourhood of it. There came a
message to the merchant-vessel to inquire if, by chance, there
was a priest on board. There happened to be a priest in the
vessel, who was called Bard; but he was a young man from
Westfjord, who had little learning. The messengers begged the
priest to go with them, but he thought it was a difficult matter:
for he knew his own ignorance, and would not go. Stein added his
word to persuade the priest. The priest replies, "I will go if
thou wilt go with me; for then I will have confidence, if I
should require advice." Stein said he was willing; and they went
forthwith to the house, and to where Ragnhild was in labour.
Soon after she brought forth a female child, which appeared to be
rather weak. Then the priest baptized the infant, and Stein held
it at the baptism, at which it got the name of Thora; and Stein
gave it a gold ring. Ragnhild promised Stein her perfect
friendship, and bade him come to her whenever he thought he
required her help. Stein replied that he would hold no other
female child at baptism, and then they parted. Now it was come
to the time when Stein required this kind promise of Ragnhild to
be fulfilled, and he told her what had happened, and that the
king's wrath had fallen upon him. She answered, that all the aid
she could give should stand at his service; but bade him wait for
Thorberg's arrival. She then showed him to a seat beside her son
Eystein Orre, who was then twelve years old. Stein presented
gifts to Ragnhild and Eystein. Thorberg had already heard how
Stein had conducted himself before he got home, and was rather
vexed at it. Ragnhild went to him, and told him how matters
stood with Stein, and begged Thorberg to receive him, and take
care of him.

Thorberg replies, "I have heard that the king, after sending out
a message-token, held a Thing concerning the murder of Thorgeir,
and has condemned Stein as having fled the country, and likewise
that the king is highly incensed: and I have too much sense to
take the cause of a foreigner in hand, and draw upon myself the
king's wrath. Let Stein, therefore, withdraw from hence as
quickly as thou canst."

Ragnhild replied, that they should either both go or both stay.

Thorberg told her to go where she pleased. "For I expect," said
he, "that wherever thou goest thou wilt soon come back, for here
is thy importance greatest."

Her son Eystein Orre then stood forward, and said he would not
stay behind if Ragnhild goes.

Thorberg said that they showed themselves very stiff and
obstinate in this matter. "And it appears that ye must have your
way in it, since ye take it so near to heart; but thou art
reckoning too much, Ragnhild, upon thy descent, in paying so
little regard to King Olaf's word."

Ragnhild replied, "If thou art so much afraid to keep Stein with
thee here, go with him to my father Erling, or give him
attendants, so that he may get there in safety." Thorberg said
he would not send Stein there; "for there are enough of things
besides to enrage the king against Erling." Stein thus remained
there all winter (A.D. 1027).

After Yule a king's messenger came to Thorberg, with the order
that Thorberg should come to him before midsummer; and the order
was serious and severe. Thorberg laid it before his friends, and
asked their advice if he should venture to go to the king after
what had taken place. The greater number dissuaded him, and
thought it more advisable to let Stein slip out of his hands than
to venture within the king's power: but Thorberg himself had
rather more inclination not to decline the journey. Soon after
Thorberg went to his brother Fin, told him the circumstances, and
asked him to accompany him. Fin replied, that he thought it
foolish to be so completely under woman's influence that he dared
not, on account of his wife, keep the fealty and law of his
sovereign.

"Thou art free," replied Thorberg, "to go with me or not; but I
believe it is more fear of the king than love to him that keeps
thee back." And so they parted in anger.

Then Thorberg went to his brother Arne Arnason, and asked him to
go with him to the king. Arne says, "It appears to me wonderful
that such a sensible, prudent man, should fall into such a
misfortune, without necessity, as to incur the king's
indignation. It might be excused if it were thy relation or
foster-brother whom thou hadst thus sheltered; but not at all
that thou shouldst take up an Iceland man, and harbour the king's
outlaw, to the injury of thyself and all thy relations."

Thorberg replies, "It stands good, according to the proverb, -- a
rotten branch will be found in every tree. My father's greatest
misfortune evidently was that he had such ill luck in producing
sons that at last he produced one incapable of acting, and
without any resemblance to our race, and whom in truth I never
would have called brother, if it were not that it would have been
to my mother's shame to have refused."

Thorberg turned away in a gloomy temper, and went home.
Thereafter he sent a message to his brother Kalf in the
Throndhjem district, and begged him to meet him at Agdanes; and
when the messengers found Kalf he promised, without more ado, to
make the journey. Ragnhild sent men east to Jadar to her father
Erling, and begged him to send people. Erling's sons, Sigurd and
Thord, came out, each with a ship of twenty benches of rowers and
ninety men. When they came north Thorberg received them
joyfully, entertained them well, and prepared for the voyage with
them. Thorberg had also a vessel with twenty benches, and they
steered their course northwards. When they came to the mouth of
the Throndhjem fjord Thorberg's two brothers, Fin and Arne, were
there already, with two ships each of twenty benches. Thorberg
met his brothers with joy, and observed that his whetstone had
taken effect; and Fin replied he seldom needed sharpening for
such work. Then they proceeded north with all their forces to
Throndhjem, and Stein was along with them. When they came to
Agdanes, Kaff Arnason was there before them; and he also had a
wellmanned ship of twenty benches. With this war-force they
sailed up to Nidaros, where they lay all night. The morning
after they had a consultation with each other. Kalf and Erling's
sons were for attacking the town with all their forces, and
leaving the event to fate; but Thorberg wished that they should
first proceed with moderation, and make an offer; in which
opinion Fin and Arne also concurred. It was accordingly resolved
that Fin and Arne, with a few men, should first wait upon the
king. The king had previously heard that they had come so strong
in men, and was therefore very sharp in his speech. Fin offered
to pay mulct for Thorberg, and also for Stein, and bade the king
to fix what the penalties should be, however large; stipulating
only for Thorberg safety and his fiefs, and for Stein life and
limb.

The king replies, "It appears to me that ye come from home so
equipped that ye can determine half as much as I can myself, or
more; but this I expected least of all from you brothers, that ye
should come against me with an army; and this counsel, I can
observe, has its origin from the people of Jadar; but ye have no
occasion to offer me money in mulct."

Fin replies, "We brothers have collected men, not to offer
hostility to you, sire, but to offer rather our services; but if
you will bear down Thorberg altogether, we must all go to King
Canute the Great with such forces as we have."

Then the king looked at him, and said, "If ye brothers will give
your oaths that ye will follow me in the country and out of the
country, and not part from me without my leave and permission,
and shall not conceal from me any treasonable design that may
come to your knowledge against me, then will I agree to a peace
with you brothers."

Then Fin returned to his forces, and told the conditions which
the king had proposed to them. Now they held a council upon it,
and Thorberg, for his part, said he would accept the terms
offered. "I have no wish," says he, "to fly from my property,
and seek foreign masters; but, on the contrary, will always
consider it an honour to follow King Olaf, and be where he is."
Then says Kalf, "I will make no oath to King Olaf, but will be
with him always, so long as I retain my fiefs and dignities, and
so long as the king will be my friend; and my opinion is that we
should all do the same." Fin says, "we will venture to let King
Olaf himself determine in this matter." Arne Arnason says, "I
was resolved to follow thee, brother Thorberg, even if thou hadst
given battle to King Olaf, and I shall certainly not leave thee
for listening to better counsel; so I intend to follow thee and
Fin, and accept the conditions ye have taken."

Thereupon the brothers Thorberg, Fin, and Arne, went on board a
vessel, rowed into the fjord, and waited upon the king. The
agreement went accordingly into fulfillment, so that the brothers
gave their oaths to the king. Then Thorberg endeavored to make
peace for Stein with the king; but the king replied that Stein
might for him depart in safety, and go where he pleased, but "in
my house he can never be again." Then Thorberg and his brothers
went back to their men. Kalf went to Eggja, and Fin to the king;
and Thorberg, with the other men, went south to their homes.
Stein went with Erling's sons; but early in the spring (A.D.
1027) he went west to England into the service of Canute the
Great, and was long with him, and was treated with great
distinction.

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