Saga of Olaf Haroldson

68. JOURNEY OF BJORN THE MARSHAL.

A few days afterwards. when the king was at a Thing-meeting,
Bjorn came with eleven others. He says to the king that they
were now ready to proceed on their mission, and that their horses
stood saddled at the door. "And now," says he, "I would know
with what errand I am to go, or what orders thou givest us."

The king replies, "Ye shall carry these my words to the Swedish
king -- that I will establish peace between our countries up to
the frontier which Olaf Trygvason had before me; and each shall
bind himself faithfully not to trespass over it. But with regard
to the loss of people, no man must mention it if peace there is
to be; for the Swedish king cannot with money pay for the men the
Swedes have deprived us of." Thereupon the king rose, and went
out with Bjorn and his followers; and he took a gold-mounted
sword and a gold ring, and said, in handing over the sword to
Bjorn, "This I give thee: it was given to me in summer by Earl
Ragnvald. To him ye shall go; and bring him word from me to
advance your errand with his counsel and strength. This thy
errand I will think well fulfilled if thou hearest the Swedish
king's own words, be they yea or nay: and this gold ring thou
shalt give Earl Ragnvald. These are tokens (1) he must know
well."

Hjalte went up to the king, saluted him, and said, "We need much,
king, that thy luck attend us;" and wished that they might meet
again in good health.

The king asked where Hjalte was going.

"With Bjorn," said he.

The king said, "It will assist much to the good success of the
journey that thou goest too, for thy good fortune has often been
proved; and be assured that I shall wish that all my luck, if
that be of any weight, may attend thee and thy company."

Bjorn and his followers rode their way, and came to Earl
Ragnvald's court, where they were well received. Bjorn was a
celebrated and generally known man, -- known by sight and speech
to all who had ever seen King Olaf; for at every Thing, Bjorn
stood up and told the king's message. Ingebjorg, the earl's
wife, went up to Hjalte and looked at him. She recognized him,
for she was living with her brother Olaf Trygvason when Hjalte
was there: and she knew how to reckon up the relationship between
King Olaf and Vilborg, the wife of Hjalte; for Eirik Bjodaskalle
father of Astrid, King Olaf Trygvason's mother, and Bodvar father
of Olaf, mother of Gissur White the father of Vilborg, were
brother's sons of the lenderman Vikingakare of Vors.

They enjoyed here good entertainment. One day Bjorn entered into
conversation with the earl and Ingebjorg, in which he set forth
his errand, and produced to the earl his tokens.

The earl replies, "What hast thou done, Bjorn, that the king
wishes thy death? For, so far from thy errand having any
success, I do not think a man can be found who could speak these
words to the Swedish king without incurring wrath and punishment.
King Olaf, king of Sweden, is too proud for any man to speak to
him on anything he is angry at."

Then Bjorn says, "Nothing has happened to me that King Olaf is
offended at; but many of his disposition act both for themselves
and others, in a way that only men who are daring can succeed in.
But as yet all his plans have had good success, and I think this
will turn out well too; so I assure you, earl, that I will
actually travel to the Swedish king, and not turn back before I
have brought to his ears every word that King Olaf told me to say
to him, unless death prevent me, or that I am in bonds, and
cannot perform my errand; and this I must do, whether you give
any aid or no aid to me in fulfilling the king's wishes."

Then said Ingebjorg, "I will soon declare my opinion. I think,
earl, thou must turn all thy attention to supporting King Olaf
the king of Norway's desire that this message be laid before the
Swedish king, in whatever way he may answer it. Although the
Swedish king's anger should be incurred, and our power and
property be at stake, yet will I rather run the risk, than that
it should be said the message of King Olaf was neglected from
fear of the Swedish king. Thou hast that birth, strength of
relations, and other means, that here in the Swedish land it is
free to thee to tell thy mind, if it be right and worthy of being
heard, whether it be listened to by few or many, great or little
people, or by the king himself."

The earl replies, "It is known to every one how thou urgest me:
it may be, according to thy counsel, that I should promise the
king's men to follow them, so that they may get their errand laid
before the Swedish king, whether he take it ill or take it well.
But I will have my own counsel followed, and will not run hastily
into Bjorn's or any other man's measures, in such a highly
important matter. It is my will that ye all remain here with me,
so long as I think it necessary for the purpose of rightly
forwarding this mission." Now as the earl had thus given them to
understand that he would support them in the business, Bjorn
thanked him most kindly, and with the assurance that his advice
should rule them altogether. Thereafter Bjorn and his fellow-
travellers remained very long in the earl's house.

69. CONVERSATION OF BJORN AND INGEBJORG.

Ingebjorg was particularly kind to them; and Bjorn often spoke
with her about the matter, and was ill at ease that their journey
was so long delayed. Hjalte and the others often spoke together
also about the matter; and Hjalte said; "I will go to the king if
ye like; for I am not a man of Norway, and the Swedes can have
nothing to say to me. I have heard that there are Iceland men in
the king's house who are my acquaintances, and are well treated;
namely, the skalds Gissur Black and Ottar Black. From them I
shall get out what I can about the Swedish king; and if the
business will really be so difficult as it now appears, or if
there be any other way of promoting it, I can easily devise some
errand that may appear suitable for me."

This counsel appeared to Bjorn and Ingebjorg to be the wisest,
and they resolved upon it among themselves. Ingebjorg put Hjalte
in a position to travel; gave him two Gautland men with him, and
ordered them to follow him, and assist him with their service,
and also to go wherever he might have occasion to send them.
Besides, Ingebjorg gave him twenty marks of weighed silver money
for travelling expenses, and sent word and token by him to the
Swedish king Olaf's daughter, Ingegerd, that she should give all
her assistance to Hjalte's business, whenever he should find
himself under the necessity of craving her help. Hjalte set off
as soon as he was ready. When he came to King Olaf he soon found
the skalds Gissur and Ottar, and they were very glad at his
coming. Without delay they went to the king, and told him that a
man was come who was their countryman, and one of the most
considerable in their native land, and requested the king to
receive him well. The king told them to take Hjalte and his
fellow-travellers into their company and quarters. Now when
Hjalte had resided there a short time, and got acquainted with
people, he was much respected by everybody. The skalds were
often in the king's house, for they were well-spoken men; and
often in the daytime they sat in front of the king's high-seat,
and Hjalte, to whom they paid the highest respect in all things,
by their side. He became thus known to the king, who willingly
entered into conversation with him, and heard from him news about
Iceland.

70. OF SIGVAT THE SKALD.

It happened that before Bjorn set out from home he asked Sigvat
the skald, who at that time was with King Olaf, to accompany him
on his journey. It was a journey for which people had no great
inclination. There was, however, great friendship between Bjorn
and Sigvat. Then Sigvat sang: --

"With the king's marshals all have I,
In days gone by,
Lived joyously, --
With all who on the king attend,
And knee before him humbly bend,
Bjorn, thou oft hast ta'en my part --
Pleaded with art,
And touched the heart.
Bjorn! brave stainer of the sword,
Thou art my friend -- I trust thy word."

While they were riding up to Gautland, Sigvat made these verses:
--

"Down the Fjord sweep wind and rain,
Our stout ship's sails and tackle strain;
Wet to the skin.
We're sound within,
And gaily o'er the waves are dancing,
Our sea-steed o'er the waves high prancing!
Through Lister sea
Flying all free;
Off from the wind with swelling sail,
We merrily scud before the gale,
And reach the sound
Where we were bound.
And now our ship, so gay and grand,
Glides past the green and lovely land,
And at the isle
Moors for a while.
Our horse-hoofs now leave hasty print;
We ride -- of ease there's scanty stint --
In heat and haste
O'er Gautland's waste:
Though in a hurry to be married,
The king can't say that we have tarried."

One evening late they were riding through Gautland, and Sigvat
made these verses: --

"The weary horse will at nightfall
Gallop right well to reach his stall;
When night meets day, with hasty hoof
He plies the road to reach a roof.
Far from the Danes, we now may ride
Safely by stream or mountain-side;
But, in this twilight, in some ditch
The horse and rider both may pitch."

They rode through the merchant town of Skara, and down the street
to the earl's house. He sang: --

"The shy sweet girls, from window high
In wonder peep at the sparks that fly
From our horses heels, as down the street
Of the earl's town we ride so fleet.
Spur on! -- that every pretty lass
May hear our horse-hoofs as we pass
Clatter upon the stones so hard,
And echo round the paved court-yard."

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