Saga of Olaf Haroldson

171. OF ERLING SKJALGSON AND HIS SONS.

Erling Skjalgson and all his sons had been all summer in King
Canute's army, in the retinue of Earl Hakon. Thorer Hund was
also there, and was in high esteem. Now when King Canute heard
that King Olaf had gone overland to Norway, he discharged his
army, and gave all men leave to go to their winter abodes. There
was then in Denmark a great army of foreigners, both English,
Norwegians, and men of other countries, who had joined the
expedition in summer. In autumn (A.D. 1027) Erling Skjalgson
went to Norway with his men, and received great presents from
King Canute at parting; but Thorer Hund remained behind in King
Canute's court. With Erling went messengers from King Canute
well provided with money; and in winter they travelled through
all the country, paying the money which King Canute had promised
to many in autumn for their assistance. They gave presents in
money, besides, to many whose friendship could be purchased for
King Canute. They received much assistance in their travels from
Erling. In this way it came to pass that many turned their
support to King Canute, promised him their services, and agreed
to oppose King Olaf. Some did this openly, but many more
concealed it from the public. King Olaf heard this news, for
many had something to tell him about it; and the conversation in
the court often turned upon it. Sigvat the skald made a song
upon it: --

"The base traitors ply
      With purses of gold,
Wanting to buy
      What is not to be sold, --
The king's life and throne
      Wanting to buy:
But our souls are our own,
      And to hell we'll not hie.
No pleasure in heaven,
      As we know full well,
To the traitor is given, --
      His soul is his hell."

Often also the conversation turned upon how ill it beseemed Earl
Hakon to raise his hand in arms against King Olaf, who had given
him his life when he fell into the king's power; but Sigvat was a
particular friend of Earl Hakon, and when he heard the earl
spoken against he sang: --

"Our own court people we may blame,
If they take gold to their own shame,
Their king and country to betray.
With those who give it's not the same,
From them we have no faith to claim:
'Tis we are wrong, if we give way."

172. OF KING OLAF'S PRESENTS AT YULE.

King Olaf gave a great feast at Yule, and many great people had
come to him. It was the seventh day of Yule, that the king, with
a few persons, among whom was Sigvat, who attended him day and
night, went to a house in which the king's most precious
valuables were kept. He had, according to his custom, collected
there with great care the valuable presents he was to make on New
Year's eve. There was in the house no small number of gold-
mounted swords; and Sigvat sang: --

"The swords stand there,
All bright and fair, --
Those oars that dip in blood:
If I in favour stood,
I too might have a share.
A sword the skald would gladly take,
And use it for his master's sake:
In favour once he stood,
And a sword has stained in blood."

The king took a sword of which the handle was twisted round with
gold, and the guard was gold-mounted, and gave it to him. It was
a valuable article; but the gift was not seen without envy, as
will appear hereafter.

Immediately after Yule (1028) the king began his journey to the
Uplands; for he had a great many people about him, but had
received no income that autumn from the North country, for there
had been an armament in summer, and the king had laid out all the
revenues he could command; and also he had no vessels with which
he and his people could go to the North. At the same time he had
news from the North, from which he could see that there would be
no safety for him in that quarter, unless he went with a great
force. For these reasons he determined to proceed through the
Uplands, although it was not so long a time since he had been
there in guest-quarters as the law prescribes, and as the kings
usually had the custom of observing in their visits. When he
came to the Uplands the lendermen and the richest bondes invited
him to be their guest, and thus lightened his expenses.

173. OF BJORN THE BAILIFF.

There was a man called Bjorn who was of Gautland family, and a
friend and acquaintance of Queen Astrid, and in some way related
to her. She had given him farm-management and other offices in
the upper part of Hedemark. He had also the management of
Osterdal district. Bjorn was not in esteem with the king, nor
liked by the bondes. It happened in a hamlet which Bjorn ruled
over, that many swine and cattle were missing: therefore Bjorn
ordered a Thing to be called to examine the matter. Such pillage
he attributed chiefly to the people settled in forest-farms far
from other men; by which he referred particularly to those who
dwelt in Osterdal, for that district was very thinly inhabited,
and full of lakes and forest-cleanings, and but in few places was
any great neighbourhood together.

174. OF RAUD'S SONS.

There was a man called Raud who dwelt in Osterdal. His wife was
called Ragnhild; and his sons, Dag and Sigurd, were men of great
talent. They were present at the Thing, made a reply in defence
of the Osterdal people, and removed the accusation from them.
Bjorn thought they were too pert in their answer, and too fine in
their clothes and weapons; and therefore turned his speech
against these brothers, and said it was not unlikely they may
have committed these thefts. They denied it, and the Thing
closed. Soon after King Olaf, with his retinue, came to guest-
quarters in the house of bailiff Bjorn. The matter which had
been before the Thing was then complained of to the king; and
Bjorn said that Raud's sons appeared to him to have committed
these thefts. A messenger was sent for Raud's sons; and when
they appeared before the king he said they had not at all the
appearance of thieves, and acquitted them. Thereupon they
invited the king, with all his retinue, to a three days'
entertainment at their father's; and although Bjorn dissuaded him
from it, the king went. At Raud's there was a very excellent
feast. The king asked Raud what people he and his wife were.
Raud answered that he was originally a Swedish man, rich and of
high birth; "but I ran away with the wife I have ever since had,
and she is a sister of King Hring Dagson." The king then
remembered both their families. He found that father and sons
were men of understanding, and asked them what they could do.
Sigurd said he could interpret dreams, and determine the time of
the day although no heavenly bodies could be seen. The king made
trial of his art, and found it was as Sigurd had said. Dag
stated, as his accomplishment, that he could see the misdeeds and
vices of every man who came under his eye, when he chose to
observe him closely. The king told him to declare what faults of
disposition he saw in the king himself. Dag mentioned a fault
which the king was sensible he really had. Then the king asked
what fault the bailiff Bjorn had. Dag said Bjorn was a thief;
and told also where Bjorn had concealed on his farm the bones,
horns, and hides of the cattle he had stolen in autumn; "for he
committed," said Dag, "all the thefts in autumn which he accuses
other people of." Dag also told the king the places where the
king should go after leaving them. When the king departed from
Raud's house he was accompanied on the way, and presented with
friendly gifts; and Raud's sons remained with the king. The king
went first to Bjorn's, and found there that all Dag had told him
was true. Upon which he drove Bjorn out of the country; and he
had to thank the queen that he preserved life and limbs.

175. THORER'S DEATH.

Thorer, a son of Olver of Eggja, a stepson of Kalf Arnason, and a
sister's son of Thorer Hund, was a remarkably handsome man, stout
and strong. He was at this time eighteen years old; had made a
good marriage in Hedemark, by which he got great wealth; and was
besides one of the most popular of men, and formed to be a chief.
He invited the king and his retinue home to him to a feast. The
king accepted the invitation, went to Thorer's, and was well
received. The entertainment was very splendid; they were
excellently treated, and all that was set before the guests was
of the best that could be got. The king and his people talked
among themselves of the excellence of everything, and knew not
what they should admire the most, -- whether Thorer's house
outside, or the inside furniture, the table service, or the
liquors, or the host who gave them such a feast. But Dag said
little about it. The king used often to speak to Dag, and ask
him about various things; and he had proved the truth of all that
Dag had said, both of things that had happened or were to happen,
and therefore the king had much confidence in what he said. The
king called Dag to him to have a private conversation together,
and spoke to him about many things. Afterwards the king turned
the conversation on Thorer, -- what an excellent man Thorer was,
and what a superb feast he had made for them. Dag answered but
little to this, but agreed it was true what the king said. The
king then asked Dag what disposition or faith he found in Thorer.
Dag replied that he must certainly consider Thorer of a good
disposition, if he be really what most people believe him to be.
The king told him to answer direct what he was asked, and said
that it was his duty to do so. Dag replies, "Then thou must
allow me to determine the punishment if I disclose his faith."
The king replied that he would not submit his decision to another
man, but again ordered Dag to reply to what he asked.

Dag replies, "The sovereign's order goes before all. I find this
disposition in Thorer, as in so many others, that he is too
greedy of money."

The king: "Is he then a thief, or a robber?"

"He is neither."

"What is he then?"

"To win money he is a traitor to his sovereign. He has taken
money from King Canute the Great for thy head."

The king asks, "What proof hast thou of the truth of this?"

Dag: "He has upon his right arm, above the elbow, a thick gold
ring, which King Canute gave him, and which he lets no man see."

This ended their conference, and the king was very wroth. Now as
the king sat at table, and the guests had drunk a while with
great mirth, and Thorer went round to see the guests well served,
the king ordered Thorer to be called to him. He went up before
the table, and laid his hands upon it.

The king asked, "How old a man art thou, Thorer?"

He answered, "I am eighteen years old."

"A stout man thou art for those years, and thou hast been
fortunate also."

Then the king took his right hand, and felt it towards the elbow.

Thorer said, "Take care, for I have a boil upon my arm."

The king held his hand there, and felt there was something hard
under it. "Hast thou not heard," said he, "that I am a
physician? Let me see the boil."

As Thorer saw it was of no use to conceal it longer, he took off
the ring and laid it on the table.

The king asked if that was the gift of King Canute.

Thorer replied that he could not deny it was.

The king ordered him to be seized and laid in irons. Kalf came
up and entreated for mercy, and offered money for him, which also
was seconded by many; but the king was so wroth that nobody could
get in a word. He said Thorer should suffer the doom he had
prepared for himself. Thereupon he ordered Thorer to be killed.
This deed was much detested in the Uplands, and not less in the
Throndhjem country, where many of Thorer's connections were.
Kalf took the death of this man much to heart, for he had been
his foster-son in childhood.