Saga of Olaf Haroldson

149. FIN ARNASON"S EXPEDITION TO HALOGALAND.

Now when Fin Arnason had been a short time with King Olaf, the
king called him to a conference, along with some other persons he
usually held consultation with; and in this conference the king
spoke to this effect: -- "The decision remains fixed in my mind
that in spring I should raise the whole country to a levy both of
men and ships, and then proceed, with all the force I can muster,
against King Canute the Great: for I know for certain that he
does not intend to treat as a jest the claim he has awakened upon
my kingdom. Now I let thee know my will, Fin Arnason, that thou
proceed on my errand to Halogaland, and raise the people there to
an expedition, men and ships, and summon that force to meet me at
Agdanes." Then the king named other men whom he sent to
Throndhjem, and some southwards in the country, and he commanded
that this order should be circulated through the whole land. Of
Fin's voyage we have to relate that he had with him a ship with
about thirty men, and when he was ready for sea he prosecuted his
journey until he came to Halogaland. There he summoned the
bondes to a Thing, laid before them his errand, and craved a
levy. The bondes in that district had large vessels, suited to a
levy expedition, and they obeyed the king's message, and rigged
their ships. Now when Fin came farther north in Halogaland he
held a Thing again, and sent some of his men from him to crave a
levy where he thought it necessary. He sent also men to Bjarkey
Island to Thorer Hund, and there, as elsewhere, craved the quota
to the levy. When the message came to Thorer he made himself
ready, and manned with his house-servants the same vessel he had
sailed with on his cruise to Bjarmaland, and which he equipped at
his own expense. Fin summoned all the people of Halogaland who
were to the north to meet at Vagar. There came a great fleet
together in spring, and they waited there until Fin returned from
the North. Thorer Hund had also come there. When Fin arrived he
ordered the signal to sound for all the people of the levy to
attend a House-Thing; and at it all the men produced their
weapons, and also the fighting men from each ship-district were
mustered. When that was all finished Fin said, "I have also to
bring thee a salutation, Thorer Hund, from King Olaf, and to ask
thee what thou wilt offer him for the murder of his court-man
Karle, or for the robbery in taking the king's goods north in
Lengjuvik. I have the king's orders to settle that business, and
I wait thy answer to it."

Thorer looked about him, and saw standing on both sides many
fully armed men, among whom were Gunstein and others of Karle's
kindred. Then said Thorer, "My proposal is soon made. I will
refer altogether to the king's pleasure the matter he thinks he
has against me."

Fin replies, "Thou must put up with a less honour; for thou must
refer the matter altogether to my decision, if any agreement is
to take place."

Thorer replies, "And even then I think it will stand well with my
case, and therefore I will not decline referring it to thee."

Thereupon Thorer came forward, and confirmed what he said by
giving his hand upon it; and Fin repeated first all the words he
should say.

Fin now pronounced his decision upon the agreement, -- that
Thorer should pay to the king ten marks of gold, and to Gunstein
and the other kindred ten marks, and for the robbery and loss of
goods ten marks more; and all which should be paid immediately.

Thorer says, "This is a heavy money mulct."

"Without it," replies Fin, "there will be no agreement."

Thorer says, there must time be allowed to gather so much in loan
from his followers; but Fin told him to pay immediately on the
spot; and besides, Thorer should lay down the great ornament
which he took from Karle when he was dead. Thorer asserted that
he had not got the ornament. Then Gunstein pressed forward, and
said that Karle had the ornament around his neck when they
parted, but it was gone when they took up his corpse. Thorer
said he had not observed any ornament; but if there was any such
thing, it must be lying at home in Bjarkey. Then Fin put the
point of his spear to Thorer's breast, and said that he must
instantly produce the ornament; on which Thorer took the ornament
from his neck and gave it to Fin. Thereafter Thorer turned away,
and went on board his ship. Fin, with many other men, followed
him, went through the whole vessel, and took up the hatches. At
the mast they saw two very large casks; and Fin asked, "What are
these puncheons?"

Thorer replies, "It is my liquor."

Fin says, "Why don't you give us something to drink then,
comrade, since you have so much liquor?"

Thorer ordered his men to run off a bowlfull from the puncheons,
from which Fin and his people got liquor of the best quality.
Now Fin ordered Thorer to pay the mulcts. Thorer went backwards
and forwards through the ship, speaking now to the one, now to
the other, and Fin calling out to produce the pence. Thorer
begged him to go to the shore, and said he would bring the money
there, and Fin with his men went on shore. Then Thorer came and
paid silver; of which, from one purse, there were weighed ten
marks. Thereafter Thorer brought many knotted nightcaps; and in
some was one mark, in others half a mark, and in others some
small money. "This is money my friends and other good people
have lent me," said he; "for I think all my travelling money is
gone." Then Thorer went back again to his ship, and returned,
and paid the silver by little and little; and this lasted so long
that the day was drawing towards evening. When the Thing had
closed the people had gone to their vessels, and made ready to
depart; and as fast as they were ready they hoisted sail and set
out, so that most of them were under sail. When Fin saw that
they were most of them under sail, he ordered his men to get
ready too; but as yet little more than a third part of the mulct
had been paid. Then Fin said, "This goes on very slowly, Thorer,
with the payment. I see it costs thee a great deal to pay money.
I shall now let it stand for the present, and what remains thou
shalt pay to the king himself." Fin then got up and went away.

Thorer replies, "I am well enough pleased, Fin, to part now; but
the good will is not wanting to pay this debt, so that both thou
and the king shall say it is not unpaid."

Then Fin went on board his ship, and followed the rest of his
fleet. Thorer was late before he was ready to come out of the
harbour. When the sails were hoisted he steered out over
Westfjord, and went to sea, keeping south along the land so far
off that the hill-tops were half sunk, and soon the land
altogether was sunk from view by the sea. Thorer held this
course until he got into the English sea, and landed in England.
He betook himself to King Canute forthwith, and was well received
by him. It then came out that Thorer had with him a great deal
of property; and, with other things, all the money he and Karle
had taken in Bjarmaland. In the great liquor-casks there were
sides within the outer sides, and the liquor was between them.
The rest of the casks were filled with furs, and beaver and sable
skins. Thorer was then with King Canute. Fin came with his
forces to King Olaf, and related to him how all had gone upon his
voyage, and told at the same time his suspicion that Thorer had
left the country, and gone west to England to King Canute. "And
there I fear he will cause as much trouble."

The king replies, "I believe that Thorer must be our enemy, and
it appears to me always better to have him at a distance than
near."

150. DISPUTE BETWEEN HAREK AND ASMUND.

Asmund Grankelson had been this winter (A.D. 1027) in Halogaland
in his sheriffdom, and was at home with his father Grankel.
There lies a rock out in the sea, on which there is both seal and
bird catching, and a fishing ground, and egg-gathering; and from
old times it had been an appendage to the farm which Grankel
owned, but now Harek of Thjotta laid claim to it. It had gone so
far, that some years he had taken by force all the gain of this
rock; but Asmund and his father thought that they might expect
the king's help in all cases in which the right was upon their
side. Both father and son went therefore in spring to Harek, and
brought him a message and tokens from King Olaf that he should
drop his claim. Harek answered Asmund crossly, because he had
gone to the king with such insinuations -- "for the just right is
upon my side. Thou shouldst learn moderation, Asmund, although
thou hast so much confidence in the king's favour. It has
succeeded with thee to kill some chiefs, and leave their
slaughter unpaid for by any mulct; and also to plunder us,
although we thought ourselves at least equal to all of equal
birth, and thou art far from being my equal in family."

Asmund replies, "Many have experienced from thee, Harek, that
thou art of great connections, and too great power; and many in
consequence have suffered loss in their property through thee.
But it is likely that now thou must turn thyself elsewhere, and
not against us with thy violence, and not go altogether against
law, as thou art now doing." Then they separated.

Harek sent ten or twelve of his house-servants with a large
rowing boat, with which they rowed to the rock, took all that was
to be got upon it, and loaded their boat. But when they were
ready to return home, Asmund Grankelson came with thirty men, and
ordered them to give up all they had taken. Harek's house-
servants were not quick in complying, so that Asmund attacked
them. Some of Harek's men were cudgelled, some wounded, some
thrown into the sea, and all they had caught was taken from on
board of their boat, and Asmund and his people took it along with
them. Then Harek's servants came home, and told him the event.
Harek replies, "That is called news indeed that seldom happens;
never before has it happened that my people have been beaten."

The matter dropped. Harek never spoke about it, but was very
cheerful. In spring, however, Harek rigged out a cutter of
twenty seats of rowers, and manned it with his house-servants,
and the ship was remarkably well fitted out both with people and
all necessary equipment; and Harek went to the levy; but when he
came to King Olaf, Asmund was there before him. The king
summoned Harek and Asmund to him, and reconciled them so that
they left the matter entirely to him. Asmund then produced
witnesses to prove that Grankel had owned the rock, and the king
gave judgment accordingly. The case had a one-sided result. No
mulct was paid for Harek's house-servants, and the rock was
declared to be Grankel's. Harek observed it was no disgrace to
obey the king's decision, whatever way the case itself was
decided.