Saga of Olaf Haroldson

124. MURDER OF THORER SEL.

Asbjorn had a long-ship standing in the noust (shipshed), and it
was a snekke (cutter) of twenty benches; and after Candlemas
(February 2, 1023), he had the vessel put in the water, brought
out all his furniture, and rigged her out. He then summoned to
him his friends and people, so that he had nearly ninety men all
well armed. When he was ready for sea, and got a wind, he sailed
south along the coast, but as the wind did not suit, they
advanced but slowly. When they came farther south they steered
outside the rocks, without the usual ships' channel, keeping to
sea as much as it was possible to do so. Nothing is related of
his voyage before the fifth day of Easter (April 18, 1023), when,
about evening, they came on the outside of Karmt Island. This
island is so shaped that it is very long, but not broad at its
widest part; and without it lies the usual ships' channel. It is
thickly inhabited; but where the island is exposed to the ocean
great tracts of it are uncultivated. Asbjorn and his men landed
at a place in the island that was uninhabited. After they had
set up their ship-tents Asbjorn said, "Now ye must remain here
and wait for me. I will go on land in the isle, and spy what
news there may be which we know nothing of." Asbjorn had on mean
clothes, a broadbrimmed hat, a fork in his hand, but had girt on
his sword under his clothes. He went up to the land, and in
through the island; and when he came upon a hillock, from which
he could see the house on Augvaldsnes, and on as far as
Karmtsund, he saw people in all quarters flocking together by
land and by sea, and all going up to the house of Augvaldsnes.
This seemed to him extraordinary; and therefore he went up
quietly to a house close by, in which servants were cooking meat.
From their conversation he discovered immediately that the king
Olaf had come there to a feast, and that he had just sat down to
table. Asbjorn turned then to the feasting-room, and when he
came into the ante-room one was going in and another coming out;
but nobody took notice of him. The hall-door was open, and he
saw that Thorer Sel stood before the table of the high-seat. It
was getting late in the evening, and Asbjorn heard people ask
Thorer what had taken place between him and Asbjorn; and Thorer
had a long story about it, in which he evidently departed from
the truth. Among other things he heard a man say, "How did
Asbjorn behave when you discharged his vessel?" Thorer replied,
"When we were taking out the cargo he bore it tolerably, but not
well; and when we took the sail from him he wept." When Asbjorn
heard this he suddenly drew his sword, rushed into the hall, and
cut at Thorer. The stroke took him in the neck, so that the head
fell upon the table before the king, and the body at his feet,
and the table-cloth was soiled with blood from top to bottom.
The king ordered him to be seized and taken out. This was done.
They laid hands on Asbjorn, and took him from the hall. The
table-furniture and table-cloths were removed, and also Thorer's
corpse, and all the blood wiped up. The king was enraged to the
highest; but remained quiet in speech, as he always was when in
anger.

125. OF SKJALG, THE SON OF ERLING SKJALGSON.

Skjalg Erlingson stood up, went before the king, and said, "Now
may it go, as it often does, that every case will admit of
alleviation. I will pay thee the mulct for the bloodshed on
account of this man, so that he may retain life and limbs. All
the rest determine and do, king, according to thy pleasure."

The king replies, "Is it not a matter of death, Skjalg, that a
man break the Easter peace; and in the next place that he kills a
man in the king's lodging; and in the third that he makes my feet
his execution-block, although that may appear a small matter to
thee and thy father?"

Skjalg replies, "It is ill done, king, in as far as it displeases
thee; but the deed is, otherwise, done excellently well. But if
the deed appear to thee so important, and be so contrary to thy
will, yet may I expect something for my services from thee; and
certainly there are many who will say that thou didst well."

The king replies, "Although thou hast made me greatly indebted to
thee, Skjalg, for thy services, yet I will not for thy sake break
the law, or cast away my own dignity."

Then Skjalg turned round, and went out of the hall. Twelve men
who had come with Skjalg all followed him, and many others went
out with him. Skjalg said to Thorarin Nefiulfson, "If thou wilt
have me for a friend, take care that this man be not killed
before Sunday." Thereupon Skjalg and his men set off, took a
rowing boat which he had, and rowed south as fast as they could,
and came to Jadar with the first glimpse of morning. They went
up instantly to the house, and to the loft in which Erling slept.
Skjalg rushed so hard against the door that it burst asunder at
the nails. Erling and the others who were within started up. He
was in one spring upon his legs, grasped his shield and sword,
and rushed to the door, demanding who was there. Skjalg named
himself, and begs him to open the door. Erling replies, "It was
most likely to be thee who hast behaved so foolishly; or is there
any one who is pursuing thee?" Thereupon the door was unlocked.
Then said Skjalg, "Although it appears to thee that I am so
hasty, I suppose our relation Asbjorn will not think my
proceedings too quick; for he sits in chains there in the north
at Augvaldsnes, and it would be but manly to hasten back and
stand by him." The father and son then had a conversation
together, and Skjalg related the whole circumstances of Thorer
Sel's murder.

126. OF THORARIN NEFIULFSON.

King Olaf took his seat again when everything in the hall was put
in order, and was enraged beyond measure. He asked how it was
with the murderer. He was answered, that he was sitting out upon
the doorstep under guard.

The king says, "Why is he not put to death?"

Thorarin Nefiulfson replies, "Sire, would you not call it murder
to kill a man in the night-time?"

The king answers, "Put him in irons then, and kill him in the
morning."

Then Asbjorn was laid in chains, and locked up in a house for the
night. The day after the king heard the morning mass, and then
went to the Thing, where he sat till high mass. As he was going
to mass he said to Thorarin, "Is not the sun high enough now in
the heavens that your friend Asbjorn may be hanged?"

Thorarin bowed before the king, and said, "Sire, it was said by
Bishop Sigurd on Friday last, that the King who has all things in
his power had to endure great temptation of spirit; and blessed
is he who rather imitates him, than those who condemned the man
to death, or those who caused his slaughter. It is not long till
tomorrow, and that is a working day."

The king looked at him, and said, "Thou must take care then that
he is not put to death to-day; but take him under thy charge, and
know for certain that thy own life shall answer for it if he
escape in any way."

Then the king went away. Thorarin went also to where Asbjorn lay
in irons, took off his chains, and brought him to a small room,
where he had meat and drink set before him, and told him what the
king had determined in case Asbjorn ran away. Asbjorn replies,
that Thorarin need not be afraid of him. Thorarin sat a long
while with him during the day, and slept there all night. On
Saturday the king arose and went to the early mass, and from
thence he went to the Thing, where a great many bondes were
assembled, who had many complaints to be determined. The king
sat there long in the day, and it was late before the people went
to high mass. Thereafter the king went to table. When he had
got meat he sat drinking for a while, so that the tables were not
removed. Thorarin went out to the priest who had the church
under his care, and gave him two marks of silver to ring in the
Sabbath as soon as the king's table was taken away. When the
king had drunk as much as he wished the tables were removed.
Then said the king, that it was now time for the slaves to go to
the murderer and put him to death. In the same moment the bell
rang in the Sabbath.

Then Thorarin went before the king, and said, "The Sabbath-peace
this man must have, although he has done evil."

The king said, "Do thou take care, Thorarin, that he do not
escape."

The king then went to the church, and attended the vesper
service, and Thorarin sat the whole day with Asbjorn. On Sunday
the bishop visited Asbjorn, confessed him, and gave him orders to
hear high mass. Thorarin then went to the king, and asked him to
appoint men to guard the murderer. "I will now," he said, "be
free of this charge." The king thanked him for his care, and
ordered men to watch over Asbjorn, who was again laid in chains.
When the people went to high mass Asbjorn was led to the church,
and he stood outside of the church with his guard; but the king
and all the people stood in the church at mass.