 Section 36 of Himes Kringle by Snorri Sturlson, translated by George Pope Morris and Iraker Magnusson. This book of acts recording is in the public domain. The Story of Olaf, the Holy Part 8, Chapter 106-120 Chapter 106, Peace Between the Urals and King Olaf Earl Thorfinn heard that Brucey, his brother, was gone east to meet King Olaf and to seek avail of him, but for this reason that Thorfinn had been before to see King Olaf and had gotten himself into friendship with him, he thought he had there a safe enough place, and he wadded more over that there would be many furtherers of his case, but more would they be if he himself came there too. So Earl Thorfinn took that reed that he got him ready at his swiftest, and went east to Norway, and was minded that betwixt his coming, and Bruceys should be as short a space as might be, and that Bruceys errand should not come to an end before Thorfinn met the King. But this came otherwise to pass than the Earl was minded, for when Earl Thorfinn came to see King Olaf, then was ended and done the covenant between the King and Earl Brucey, and Earl Thorfinn wadded not that Earl Brucey had given up his dominion until he was already come to King Olaf. Now when they met, Earl Thorfinn and King Olaf then hove up King Olaf the very same claim to the dominion over Orkney, which he had set forth to Earl Brucey, and he bade Thorfinn the same thing to it that he should will away to the King that deal of the islands which was the Earl's already. The Earl gave a good and quiet answer to the words of the King, and said that he set a right great store by the friendship of the King, and if thou, Lord, deem thyself in need of my aid against other chieftains, thou hast fully earned it already. But it is not handy for me to give thee homage, because I am already an Earl of the Scottish King and his liegemen. But when the King found that the Earl hung back in his answers to these claims of his which he had already set forth, then spake the King, if thou, Earl, will not become my man, then is the choice open to me to set what man I will over Orkney. But I will that thou make me oath not to lay claim to those lands, and to leave them in peace whom I set there over. But if thou wilt take neither choice, then he who rules the lands will deem that unpeace shall we look for of thee, nor mayest thou deem it wonderful then though they'll meet no. The Earl answers and prayed the King for respite to think the matter over. The King did so and allowed the Earl a while to take counsel on this choice with his men. Then he prayed the King to give him time until next summer that he might first go west over sea, because his counsellors were at home, but he was but a child of years. But the King bade him make his choice there and then. Now Thorkle, foster father, was at that time with King Olaf. He sent a man privily to Earl Thorfinn and bade him whatsoever were in his heart not to set his mind on parting as at this time from King Olaf without coming to peace, seeing that he had gotten into the hands of the King. By this reminder the Earl thought he saw the only choice of good-hap was to let the King have his will as then. But this seemed to him no wise choice worthy to it that himself should have no hope of his heritage, and with all that he swear oath that they should hold his dominion in peace who had no birth right there too. But whereas he mistouted him as to his getting away, he chose to come under the hand of the King and become his man, even as Brucey had done. The King found that Thorfinn was a man much more high metal than Brucey and could away worse with this penalty, wherefore he trusted in Thorfinn worse than in Brucey for the King saw through it that Thorfinn would deem that he might look for the backing of the Scottish King if he should break this covenant. The King wadded this of his wisdom that Brucey came loath into all the peace covenant, but that he said that only which he was minded to hold. But as to Thorfinn when he had made up his mind as to what to agree to, he came cheerfully into all the terms and hung back in knot which the King was the first to settle. But this the King mistouted that the Earl would be minded to throw over some of the covenant. Chapter 107 The Departure of Thorfinn and his peace with Thorfinn. When King Oloth had thought out all this matter, he let blow to a thronged assembly and called the the the Earls. Then said the King, Now will I make clear the covenant between me and the Earls of Orkney unto all people. They have now yea said my being the owner of Orkney and Shetland and have become my men both of them and have bound all this with sworn oaths. And now I give the dominion to them as a thief, one third of the lands to Brucey, another third to Thorfinn, even as they had had before. But that third which I know wrong mouth had, I claim to have fallen into my court in return for his having slain I bend your oxhorn my court man and fellow and dear friend. To that deal of the islands I will look in the manner that seemeth good to me. This also do I crave of your brethren my Earls that I will ye take peace of Thorfinn's son for the sling of your brother Einar and I will that doom thereof be under me if ye will say yea thereto. As in other matters so also in this the Earls yea said all that the King spake. Then came forth Thorfinn and hand sell the King's doom in this case and so the thing broke up. King Olaf awarded weirgild for Earl Einar equal to weirgild for three landed men but because of his guilt one third of the guild should fall through. Then Earl Thorfinn prayed the King for leave to go away and when he had got it the Earl got ready at his swiftest. Now when he was all bound and was drinking on board his ship on a day Thorfinn Amundson came before him all of a sudden and laid his head on the Earl's knees and bet him do with him what he would. The Earl asked why he feared thus we be men already at peace by the King's doom so stand up Thorfinn. Thorfinn did so and said the peace that the King has made I shall abide by as concerning the matter between me and Brucey but the part therein that concerneth thee thou shalt rule alone for though the King has awarded me lands and land dwelling in Orkney yet can I of thy temper so well that I have no business to those islands unless I go under thy given troth Earl. Therefore will I says he bind myself to thee in this never to come into Orkney whatever the King may say. The Earl held his peace and was slow to fall to speech then he said if thou wilt thorkle that I doom in our matter rather than we abide by the King's doom then this shall be the beginning of our peace making that thou shalt fare with me to Orkney and be with me nor ever sunder from me but with my leave and freedom thereto. Thou shalt be bound toward my land and to do all such works as I will let do while we are both alive. Thorkle answers this shall rest in thy power Earl as all elsewhere in I may have my say. Then Thorkle stood forth and hand-selled all this to the Earl as he had quoted. The Earl said that as to we're guilt he would set forth that matter later on and then he took sworn oath of Thorkle here too. Now Thorkle but took himself forthwith to the journey with the Earl who went away as soon as he was ready and he and King Olaf never saw each other again. Chapter 108 Earl Brucie's departure Earl Brucie tarried behind there and got ready more at his leisure but before he went away King Olaf had certain parlays with him and spoke on this wise. I am minded to think Earl that I shall have in thee the man to trust and throw in west over sea yonder and my mind is that thou have two-thirds of the lands to rule over even as thou hast had before for my will it is that thou be in no way a lesser or a less mighty man now that thou art my liege man than thou were before but I will make fast thy droth to me in that I will that rogne evolved thy son shall be left behind here with me I see then that when thou hast both my backing and two-thirds of the islands thou mayest well hold thine own against Thorkle and thy brother Brucie took that with thanks the having two-thirds rather than one-third of the islands and after this he tarried but a little while or ever he went his way and he came in the harvest tide to Orkney. Ragnaval Brucie's son was left behind in the east with King Olaf he was the goodliest of all men to look upon his hair thick and yellow as silk he was of early days big and strong and of all men was he the likeliest both by reason of his wits and his courteous manners he was for a long time thereafter with King Olaf here of Teletotar the sword in that dropper which he wrought on King Olaf the Shetlanders groan leal now to thee for things are counted now keep thou ward on the power on the good ones of the folk kings nair yet was seen and engling in eastland who beneath him break down the isles of westland ere thee we get oh fight swift chapter 109 of orals Brucie and Thorfinn when the brethren Thorfinn and Brucie came west to Orkney Brucie took two-thirds of the islands to rule over and Thorfinn one-third he was ever in Caithness and in Scotland and set his men over the islands so now Brucie alone had the warding of the islands which at that time lay much open to war in that Northman and Danes harried much in western Viking and off came on the Orkneys as they feared to and fro the west and nest liftings they made Brucie whited his brother Thorfinn where as he had no folk out of the warding of Orkney and Shetland but yet took scat and dues therefrom as appertained to his share then Thorfinn bat him the choice to have one-third of the land and that Thorfinn should have the other two and uphold the land warding on behalf of both of them now although this shifting did not speedily befall then yet it is so told in the Earl tales that it came to pass and that Thorfinn had two-thirds and Brucie one-third when as commute the rich had laid Norway under him and King Olaf was gone out of the land Earl Thorfinn the son of Sigurd was the noblest of all Earl's of the islands and had more dominion than other Orkney Earl's he got to him Shetland and Orkney and the South Isles and have with all a great dominion in Scotland and Ireland there to quote Arnor the Earl's scald folk hearkened to ring hater from the giant Isles to Dublin each man was counted Thorfinn's truth tell I to the people Thorfinn was the greatest of warriors he took the Earl dim when he was but five winters old and ruled for more than 60 winters and died of sickness in the latter days of Harold Sigurdsson but Brucie died in the days of Canuta rich a little after the fall of King Olaf the holy chapter 110 of Herak of the Ota now fair forth two stories and now shall we take up the matter where we left it afford whereas it was told how King Olaf Haroldson had made peace with Olaf the sweet King and how he had gone that same summer north through Thrandheim at that time he had been King for five winters that autumn he made all things ready for a winter dwelling in the doys and there he abode the winter through that winter abode with King Olaf Thorkel foster father the son of Amon as was written before King Olaf said himself much to asking how Christ's faith might be holding in the land and what he learned thereof came to this that Christian faith would not be holding to when one came north into Haloga land and yet it fell far short of being well done both throughout Naum, Dale and upper Thrandheim now there was a man named Herak son of Ivan the Skald Spiller who dwelt in the island called Theota which lies in Haloga land Ivan had been a man not of great wealth but of high kin and Mikkel manhood in Theota there lived at this time small bonders not a few Herak bought him a stead first not right great and moved his household thither but after a few seasons he had cleared off all the other bonders who had dwelt there before so that now he alone owned all the island and reared for himself there a right great manner Herak speedily became right wealthy he was of Mikkel wisdom and a man of great adieu he had long been held in great honor by men of high degree he was in the tale of kindred with the kings of Norway so for that sake Herak had much worship of the lords of the land for Gunnhild the mother of Herak's father was the daughter of Earl Hauftan and Inge Björg the daughter of Herald Herafuer by the time that these things befell Herak was somewhat stricken in years Herak was the man most accounted of in all Haloga land he had for a long while held the thin cheaping and the king's bailiwick over the mark whilst he had it alone whilst in fellowship with others as yet he had not come to meet King Olaf but words and messengers had gone between them and all in loving wise and the same went to the king Olaf sat in the dois men went yet again between him and Herak of Theota and then the king made it known that in the following summer he was minded to fare north into Haloga land and all the way north through the lands and but of this journey the Haloga landers had right many misgivings chapter 111 of the Haloga landers now king Olaf got him ready in spring with five ships and had 300 men and when he was all bound he died his journey north along the land and when he came into Namdale folk he summoned a thing with the bonders and at everything he was taken for king there as elsewhere he let be read out the laws whereby he bade the folk of the land to hold to the Christian faith at the peril of life and limb or for for sure of all goods for every man who would not go under Christ's law there on many a man the king laid heavy penalties and let them go alike over rich and unrich in such a way he left things in every part that all folk avowed they would hold to the holy faith the most of the mightier men and many great bonders made banquets against the king's coming and in this wise he went on all the way north to Haloga land herrick of the order made a feast for the king and there was right michael throng and the feast of the bravest there with all herrick became king Olaf's landed man and king Olaf gave him the same grants as he had held of the former lords of the land chapter 112 of asmund the son of grankle a man his name grankle or grand kettle a wealthy bonder and now somewhat on in years but while he was in his young days he had been in viking and a michael warrior he was a man of great prowess in most things concerning manly deeds asmund was the name of his son and was in all things like to his father or somewhat further he went it was the say of many men that by goodliness strength and prowess he was the third best endowed man in norway but named the first therein were king hay con ethyl stands foster son and Olaf trig vissen now grankle bad king Olaf to a banquet and the feast there was full noble and grankle saw the king off with great gifts the king prayed that asmund came with him and laid many words there too asmund deemed he might not thrust his own honor away from him so he but took himself to the journey with the king and thereafter became his man and came into the greatest good viking with the king king Olaf tarried in haloga land for the most part of the summer and went into everything round and christened there all the people in those days they're dwelt in bur chisel thorough hound the mightiest man north there and he now became king Olaf's landed man then many sons of mighty bounders but took themselves into king Olaf's company out of haloga land but when the summer war on the king came from the north and turned inward up Thrandheim on to nidois and sat there through the winter after and that winter thorkle foster father came west away from orcney when as he had slain Earl Einer wrong mouth that autumn there was dearth of corn in Thrandheim but before for a long while had been plenty as years but now the dearth was over all the north country and was the greater the further northward one was but east in the land the corn was good and all over the uplands with all but this helped the Thrandheim folk that they had nickel old corn chapter 113 of the blood offerings of Thrandheim folk that harvest were the tidings told to king Olaf from inner Thrandheim that the bonders there had had thronged feasts at winter nights and that there were great drinkings the king was told that all cups there were signed to the iser after ancient want this followed the tale with all that neat were slaughtered there and horses and the stalls reddened with blood and blood offering was done with this word set forth that that was for the booting of the year this followed more over that all folk deemed it was clearly to be seen that the gods had gotten wrought whereas the haloga landers had turned to christ faith that when the king heard these tidings he sent men up into Thrandheim and summoned to him the bonders whom he thought good to name there was a man named alvor of egg ja known by the name of the stead where at he dwelt he was a mighty man and of high kindred and was at the head of those who went on this journey to the king on behalf of the bonders and when they met the king he laid against them these charges but over answered on behalf of the bonders and said that they had had no feasts that autumn out taken their own gills or drinkings turn and turn about and some bitings of friends but as to what has been told these said he consuming the ways of talk of us Thrandheim folk when we are a drinking that what always meant to be aware of such talk but I may not answer for men foolish and men they would what they may say over was a man deft of speech and bold spoken and worded all these guilt from off the bonders and at last the king said that the upthrand timers would bear witness to themselves as to how well they stood in their faith then the bonders got leave to go home again and with forthwith when they had arrayed them they departed chapter one hundred and fourteen of the blood of offerings of the upthrand time folk later on in the winter the king was told that the upthrand timers were gathered together in multitudes at mere and that great blood offerings had been there at midwinter and that there they had made blood offerings for peace and a good winter season and when the king deemed he knew for sure the truth of this he sent men and messages up into Thrandheim and summoned the bonders down to the town still naming by name such men as he deemed the wisest among them so now the bonders had a parlay and talked over this message between them and they were all the least willing to grow this journey who had feared the winter before but at the prayer of all the bonders over undertook the journey and when he came down to the town he went straight away to see the king and then fell to talk the king laid it on hand to the bonders that they had had a midwinter blood offering over answered and said that the bonders were sackless of that guilt we had said he yield biddings and drinking bouts far and wide about the country's sides the bonders are not minded so to pinch them in their cheer for the yield feast as that a good deal be not left over and this it was lord that men were a drinking of long after at mere there is a great chief's dead and big houses and bickle dwelling round about and therefore deem it good glee to drink together a many the king answered little and was rather cross grained deeming that he wanted that other things were truer than that which was now set forth the king bad the bonders go back but yet says he I shall get to know the truth to wit that ye hide the matter and do not face it but however things have gone hither to do no such things again so the bonders fared home again and told of their journey that it had been none of the smoothest and that the king was somewhat raw chapter 115 the slang of over of egg ja king oloth had a great feast at Easter and had many men of the town bidden and many bonders with all but after Easter the king let run out his ships and bear their two rigging and oars he let deck the ships and tilt them and bedight them he let the ships float thus arrayed by the gangways king oloth sent men into verdale forthwith after Easter now a man is named Thorald a king steward he warded the king's manner at how and the king sent him word to come to him at his speediest Thorald did not put the journey under his head but went forthwith out to the town together with the king's messengers the king called him for a privy talk and asked after it what truth is in that which is told me about the ways of the upthran timers whether it be so that they are turning them to blood offerings I will says the king that thou tell me things as they are and as thou knowest them most truthfully this is thy bound in duty for thou art my man Thorald answers lord this will I tell thee first that I flitted hither to the town my two sons and my wife and of my chattels all that I might bring with me now if thou wilt have a true story of me that shall be if I will but if I tell thee things as they are then must thou look after mine affairs the king said till the truth of what I ask thee but I shall so look after thine affairs that thou shalt take no hurt. Thorald answered this is the truth to tell king if I am to tell things as they are that throughout upper thran time well now all the folk are all heathen in their faith though some men be there who are christened now it is their want to have a blood offering in autumn to welcome the winter and another at mid winter and the third at summer for the welcoming of summer these are the rays of the high old folk the spare biters the verdale folk and the scorn folk there are twelve men who take upon themselves to carry out the blood feasts and now next spring it is over's turn to uphold the feast and now he is in much ado at mir and thither have been brought all the goods which are needed for the feast now when the king knew the truth he let blow together his host and let tell men to go aboard ship the king named captains of ships and leaders of companies with all and the ship on which each company should go the rail was speedy the king had five ships and three hundred men and their width stood up the first the wind was fair and the colors made no long way of it before the wind but no man was aware that the king would so speedily come up thither the king came by night to mir and there a man ring was straight way cast about the houses there was over laid hand on and the king let slay him together with very many other men the king seized all the goods of the feast and let bring them aboard his ships and all that wealth with all both house decking and garments and dear bought things which folk had flitted thither and let share them as war getting amongst his men the king also let set upon those men in their houses who he deemed had the most share in these doings some of whom were laid hands upon and laid in arms and others some got away about running off but of many were their goods seized then the king summoned a thing with the bonders and whereas he had by then laid hands on many of the mighty men and had them in his power their kinsmen and friends were minded to ye say obedience to the king so that as at this time there was no uprising against the king in thrandheim all the folk there he turned to the right faith and set their teachers and let make churches and hallow them the king laid down that over was not to be atoned for and laid hand on all the wealth which he had owned but as to other men whom he deemed to be the most guilt bitten some of them he let slay and some maim others some he drove out of the land and from others again he took fines thereafter the king feared back again down to nidois chapter 106 of the sons of arnie a man is named arnie son of arne mod he had for wife thora the daughter of thore stein gallows these were their children calvin thoreburg amundi co-beorn arne beorn arnie their daughter was ragnahill and harrick atheota had heard to wife arnie was a landed man mighty and well renowned a great friend of king olof at this time his sons calvin thin were of king olof's company and were held there in great honor the woman whom over of eggja had had to wife was young and fair of high kin and wealthy she was deemed an exceeding good match but her warding was then in the hands of the king she and over had two sons both young calvin son of arnie prayed the king to give him in wedlock the wife that over had had and for the sake of friendship the king granted him this and there with all the wealth that over had owned then the king made him a landed man and the king gave him his stewardship about up thrandon so now calv became a great lord and an exceeding wise man was he chapter 117 king olof's journey to the uplands and now had olof been for seven winters king in norway that summer came to him the urls of orkney thorphin and brucee those lands king olof had made his own as is a forrit that summer king olof went over either mere and in harvest he went into romsdale where he went a land from his ships and fared on to the uplands and came forth on to last year there he let hands be laid on all the best men both about last year and therefore and they must needs either take to christ's faith or else suffer death or flee away if they could bring that about but they who took to christ's faith gave their sons into king olof's hands as hostages of their trial the king abode the night over at the place called the steds in last year and set a priest there over then he went to cross laudale and came down to a place called staff brent along that valley there runs a river called otta and fair built it is on either side of that river and is called lower and the king might see all the dwelt country and long scathe visit says the king that we needs must burn so fair a dwelling therewith he made his way with his company down into the dale and took night quarters at a homestead height nests and there the king chose his chamber in a certain loft where he slept himself which stands yet today and not have been done to its sense there the king tarried for five nights and sheared up a thing bidding summoning to him both the folk of vaggy and of lore and of he dale and let the message go with the summons that they should either fight with him and divide fire at his hands or take christening and bring him their sons for hostages so they came to the king and gave themselves up to him but some fled south to the dale's chapter 118 the story of good brand adales there was a man height good brand adales who was as a king over the dale's though he were but her serve by title sigbat the scald accounted him as even with earling skilg son for might and wide lands and thus sigbat sang about earling one other jockboards waster have i watered like unto thee herder of men height good brand wide over lands he ruled oh loather of the worms land i call ye twain deemed even that bower of snake seat lieth who deems himself the mightier good brand had one son who was here told up now when good brand heard of these tidings that king oloth had come to lore and dred men against their will to take christening he sheared up the war arrow and summoned all the dale folk to the stead which is called howl and thork to meet him there though that they all came and a countless host was there whereas an eye there too is the water called the love so that folk could come together by ship as well as by land so good brand had a thing with them and said that into lore was come a man height oloth who will bid us another faith than that which we have already and will break asunder all our gods and say that he hath a god much greater and mightier it is a marvel that the earth doth not burst asunder under him whereas he dare to say such things and that our gods suffer him to walk about any longer and the seamen that if we bared for out of our gods house when he standeth here at this homestead and he hath ever been our avail that when he seeeth oloth and his men then will his god melt away and he and his men come to naught there at they lifted a whoop all together and said that oloth should never come away thence if he came to meet them and he will not dare they say to go farther south through the dails then they set apart seven hundred men to go aspiring north to broad and the leader of that company was the son of good brand then eighteen went to his old and many renowned men with him and they came to the stead which is height hoth where they tarry three nights and where many folk flocked to them and such as had fled from last year and lore and baggy they to it who would not go under christening but king oloth and bishops sigurd set up clerks behind them in lore and baggy there upon they crossed the baggy roost and came down to sill and were there for the night and learned the tidings that a great host was there before them thereof with all heard the bonders who were at the broad and arrayed them for a battle with the king and so when the king was arisen he did on his war gear and went south along the sill walls and stayed him not till he was within the broad and saw there a great host before him arrayed for battle then the king arrayed his folk and wrote himself at their head and cast word at the bonders and bad them to take their christening they answered today that will have to be about something else than mocking us and there with all they whooped the war whoop and smote their weapons on their shields there at the king's men leaped forward and shot their spears and forth with the bonders turned to flight so that but few men held their ground the son of good brand was laid hand on and the king gave him peace and kept him with him the king tarried there four nights then spake the king to the son of good brand go down now back to that father and tell him that speedily shall I come did them so he went home again and tells his father hard tidings how they had met with the king and fallen to a fight with him but all our hosts broke into flight forthwith at the first but I was laid hands upon says he and the king gave me my life and bad me go tell thee that he cometh hither speedily now we have no more here than two hundred of all that host which we then had to meet him with all therefore I counsel thee father not to fight with that man that is easily heard says good brand that all the pit hath been knocked out of thee on an evil day thou wentest away from home and for a long while will that journey be told against thee for thou throwest already that madness were with that man goeth about and who hath done a right evil shame to thee and to that company but in the night after good brand dreamed that a man came to him bright shining and great all there went out from him and he spake to good brand no journey of victory was it that thy son went on against king Olaf but much less with thou had if thou art minded to give battle to the king for that will fall thyself and all thy company and wolves will drag thee and all of you and ravens will tear you at this terror he was exceeding a dread and telleth it to thord big belly who was a lord over the dales he answers and says the self same thing came before me says he but on the morrow's morning they let low for a thing and said that they deemed it good read to have a parlay with the man who came from the north with a new word of bidding and to what with what truth he beareth then spake good brand to his son now thou shalt go and twelve men with thee to see the king that gave thee thy life and so it was done and to the meeting of the king they came and told him their errand that the bonders would have a thing with him and make truth between the king and the bonders the king was well enough pleased at this and they settled this with him on their word of honor as long as the meeting should last and this done they went back and told good brand and thought that truth was made then fed the king to the stead which was called lid stead and carried their four or five nights whereupon he fared to meet the bonders and held a thing with them but much wet was their day long so soon as the thing was set the king stood up and said that the folk of last year and of lore and of baggy had been christened and had broken down their houses of blood offerings and now believe in the true god who shaped heaven and earth and who knoweth all things thereupon the king sat down and good brand answers we know not of whom thou art speaking thou callest him a god whom neither thou seeest nor any other man but we have a god who can be seen every day but who is not abroad today because the weather is wet and awful will he seem to you and mighty enough to look on and I wean if he come to the thing that fear will shoot through the breasts of you but in as much as thou sayest that thy god is so mighty then let him do so much as that tomorrow the weather be cloudy but no rain and then we shall meet here again thereafter the king went home to his chamber and with him went the son of good brand in hostage but the king gave them another man in his stead in the evening the king asked the son of good brand what like their god was made he says that he was marked after the likeness of Thor and had a hammer in his hand great of growth and hollow within under him there is it done as it were a stall and there on he stands when he is without doors on him there is no lack of gold and silver for loaves of bread are brought to him every day and flesh meet with all thereafter they went to bed but the king waked all the night through and was at his prayers but when it was day again the king went to mass and then to meet and thereafter to the thing but the weather had gone even so as good brand had bespoken then stood the bishop up in his choir cope with a miter on his head and his staff in his hand and set forth the faith to the bonders and told them many tokens which god had done and made good the end of his speech then answers thord big belly much sayeth he the horned one yonder who hath the staff in hand the upper end whereof is crooked after the fashion of a weather's horn now in as much as thou fellow claimest that thy god do with so many marvelous things then say thou to him tomorrow before the sun rises that he let it be clear and sunshine then let us meet and do one of two things either be of one mind on this matter or give battle and so for that time they parted chapter 119 good brand of days christened there was with king Olaf a man height colby the strong a man of furth folk kin he was always so arrayed that he was girt with a sword and had in his hand a great stake of word which some men call a club the king said to colby that he should stand next to him in the morning thereafter he spake to his men go eat this night to wear the ships of the bonders are and bore holes in them all and rajji their yoke beasts away from the homesteads whereas they are abiding and so was it done all that night the king was at his prayers and prayed god to loosen this trouble by his grace and mercy but when ours were done towards the dawn of day he went to the thing and when he came to the thing there were come some of the bonders and there were they saw a great throng of bonders bearing to the thing bearing between them a mickle man shape all gleaming with golden silver and when the bonders who were at the thing already saw this they all leaped up and bowed to the monster and syphons was he placed in the midst of the thing mead on one side sat the bonders on the other the king and his company then good brandadale stood up and spake where is now thy god king i am minded to think now that somewhat low he beareth his chin beard and it seemed to me that last now is the swagger of thee and of the horned one yonder whom thou callest a bishop and that's sitting there beside thee than yesterday it was for that now our god has come he who ruleeth all things and looketh on you with keen eyes and i see that now ye are full of fear and scarce dare to lift up your eyes now drop your folly and throw in our god who hath all your ways in his hand and thus he closed his speech the king spake to colbyne the strong without the bonders warding thereof if so it befell the while of my speech that they look away from their god then give him that stroke the most that thou mayest with thy club then the kings stood up and said many things has thou said to us this morning thou dimest did i wonder that thou mayest not see our god but we hope he will soon come to us thou threaten us us with thy god who is blind in death and may neither help himself nor others and may get him no wither away from his place save he be born and now i look for it that he will be but a little way from ill though look ye now and gaze eastward there now fareth our god with a great light then ran up the sun and all the bonders looked towards him and in that same nick of time laid on colbyne so well on their god that it burst all asunder and out of it leaped mice as big as cats and adders and worms but the bonders were so afraid that they fled away some to the ships but when as they ran out their craft the water rushed in and filled them so they might not go aboard them but they that ran to the yoke beast found them nowhere thereafter the king let call the bonders saying that he wished to have a talk with them and there at they turned back and held the thing there on stood up the king and spake i know not says he what betoken in this hubba and running about which ye are making but now ye may see what might your god have on whom ye laid gold and silver meat and vitals and in now ye saw who the whites were that enjoyed this mice to wit worms adders and paddocks and in a sorry case are they who throw in such things and will not forsake their folly now take ye back your gold and precious things which are scattered here over the meeting give them to your wives but no more bedeck there with stocks and stones but now two choices lie between you and me either that ye take christening now and here or else give me battle now today and let him this day bear the victory from the other on to whom that god willeth it in whom we trove then stood up good brand odeos and said michael scave have we now fared about our god and yet seeing that he had not the might to help us we will now trove in the god in whom thou throwest and they all took christ's faith and the bishop christened good brand and his son king olof and bishop sigurd left teachers there behind them and as friends they parted who before were unfriends and good brand letmaker church there in the dayos chapter 120 heathmark christened king olof fared thereafter down to heathmark and christened folk there for whereas he had laid hands on the kings there he did not venture to go far afield over the country with little folk after such a mighty deed whereas heathmark was not widely christened but in this journey the king did not hold his hand till all heathmark was christened and churches were hallowed and teachers appointed there too then he fared down to thotten and hath land and there righted the faith of the folk and left it so that there was all christened thence he fared into ring realm and there all folk were christened thereafter heard the realm realm folk that king olof got ready for a journey up thither and called out a nickel gathering and said amongst themselves that it was ever in their minds concerning that progressman olof fared afore over the land and said that never again should he so fare they're over but the king arrayed himself for the journey nonetheless but when king olof fared up into realm realm with his host a gathering of bonders came against him at the river called nitya and a whole host had the bonders but when they met the bonders fell to battle forthwith but speedily it grew too hot for them and the back they shrunk forthwith and were beat to their bettering for they all took christening then and there the king fared over that folk land and did not depart their front till all men had taken to christ's faith thence he went east to soul isles and christened that dwelling there came to him the skull odor the sword and prayed to go under the hand of king olof the winter before olof the swede king had died and now was onan son of olof king in sweden thence king olof turned back to realm realm and by that time the winter was all but past then king olof summoned together a thronged thing in the place where ever since the hide cyvis thing has been holding and he set up the law that to this thing all uplanders should see and that the law of hide cyvy should prevail throughout all the folks of the uplands and as far afield as where as they have done since but when it was spring he made down towards the sea and let array his ships and went in the spring down to tunsburg and sat there through the spring when it was most thronged there and ladings were being brought to the town from other countries the years increase was good as then all about the wick and likewise of good avail all the way north to stod but to the north thereof there was mikkel der end of the story of olof the holy part eight chapter 106 through 120 section 37 of heim's kringla by snorri stirrelson translated by george po morris and iraq magnuson this liber box recording is in the public domain the story of olof the holy part nine chapter 121 through 135 chapter 121 peace between king olof and in our than bar skill in the spring king olof sent word west through odd deer and all the way north through rogueland and through horde land that he would have neither corn nor malt nor meal brought away thence nor sold and let this go there with that he would be coming with his company and would be faring about feasting according to old custom now this message went throughout all these folk lands but the king tarried in the wick through the summer and went all the way east of the land's end in our than bar skelfer had been with olof the sweet king all the time since the death of or else fine his brother-in-law and had become olof the sweet king's man and got great grants from him but when the king was dead in our urine to seek him peace with king olof the thick and to that end messages had gone between them in the spring but when as king olof was lying in the elf in our than bar skelfer came there with certain men and he and the king talked over their peacemaking and it was settled between them that i know should go north to franheim and have all his lands and also those are states that have gone to burgliote's dowry so i know it went on his way to the north but the king tarried in the wick and was for a long time at burg through the harvest and the first part of the winter chapter one hundred and twenty two peace between king olof and erling skeogson erling skeogson held his dominion such wise that all the way from the north from sog and sea and east to the then disness he had his will in all things with the bonders but of kingly grants he had much less than before then people stood in such all of him that no one put his lot into another scale than he will the king deemed that the mastery of erling was exceeding a man was height ours like skull o fit jar a man of high kin and mighty skeog the father of erling and askel the father of aslak were brother's sons aslak was a great friend of king olof and the king set him down in south hoardland and gave him there a large thief and great grants and the king bet him hold his own to the full against erling but not was it that wise so soon as the king was no longer an eye for erling must have it all his way between them according to his will alone and no wise meeker did he show himself though aslak would draw up with him so there there dealings that aslak might not hold it out in his bail if free so he fared to seeking olof and told him of his dealings with erling the king bad aslak be with him until i and erling shall meet then the king sent word to erling that he should come to tansberg in the spring to meet him and when they met they had parlays together and the king said so it is told me of thy dominion erling that there is no man from the north downward from sagran sea unto the damned isness who may hold his freedom for thee yet many men are there who deemed them odlborn to even rights with men of like birth with themselves lo here is now aslak thy kinsman who deemeth that he barely hath enough and to spare of thy cold shoulder in your dealings now i know not which of the two it may be whether he hath any guilt thereto or whether he must needs pay for my having appointed him to look after my affairs there and though i name him herein yet many others bewail themselves and likewise before me both those who sit in bay of referees and stewards with all who look after our manners and who have to array manner feasts for us in our company erling says speedily shall i answer this that i may say that i witted with guilt either aslak or any other man because they be in thy service but this shall i ye say that it is now as it has long been that each one of us kinsman will be greater than the other this other thing shall i ye say to thee i bow the neck of a goodwill to thee king oloth but this shall i deem a treblous matter to lout before seal thaurier who is thrawborn through all his kin although he be now thy steward or to bow to other such as are his peers of kindred although thou lay honor on them then the friends of both sides took up the speech praying that they should come to peace they said that in no man could the king have such strengthening as in erling if he may be thy full friend on the other hand they said to erling that he should be yielding with the king saying that if he hold him in friendship with the king then it would be an easy matter for him to bring about what so he would with any other man so ended this parlay that erling was to have the same grants as he had had before and all charges which the king had against erling came to not morover skeog the son of erling should go to the king and be with him then aslak went back to his manners and they were at peace so to say erling also went home to his manners and held to his want as to his masterfulness chapter 123 the beginnings of aspion seals bane there was a man height sigurd son of thaurier and brother of thaurier hound of birch isle sigurd had to wife sigurd the daughter of skeog and sister to erling their son was aspion who was deemed to have in him much of the makings of a man when he was growing up sigurd abode at thrandness and amped and was a man of mighty wealth a man of micro worship he had not done homage to the king and thaurier was the more accounted of of the brothers in that he was the king's landed man but at home at his house sigurd was in no way a man of lesser state while he then done was he was want to have three blood offerings every year one at winter nights another at midwinter and the third against summer and when he took christening he held to the same want in the matter of the feasts in autumn then he had michael bidding her friends and in winter a yule bidding and bad yet again many men to him and a third feast he had at easter and had then also a multitude and to this want he held as long as he lived sigurd died of sickness then was aspion of eighteen winters he took the heritage after his father and he too held to the old want and had three feasts every year even as his father had had now it was but a short while after aspion took the heritage of his father that the year's increase took to worsening and the sowings of folk failed but aspion held to the same want as to his feasts and in good stead it stood him then that there was old corn and other old stores that were needed but when this season war and the next came round the corn was no way better than it had been a four then would sigurd have the feast done away with some or all of them but this aspion would not have so in harvest time he went to see his friends and bought corn where so he might and got it as gift from some and so it came to pass that year that he upheld all his feasts but the next spring but little sowing was to be got done for no one could buy any seed corn wherefore sigurd counseled that the house corals should be managed but this aspion would not and in all matters he kept to the same want as before that summer the corn looked like to be scarce and on the top of that came the tail towed from the south of the land that king Olaf banned the flitting of corn and malt and meal from the south up into the north country then aspion deemed that the gathering in of household stuff was growing a troublesome matter so then that was his read that he let run out a ship of burden which he owned a ship seaworthy for the main as for its growth the ship was good and all its rigging was of the very best and there went with it a sail striped with a band aspion fell to his journey and 20 men with him they fared away from the north in the summer tide and of their journey not is told until they hoe into corns sound at eve of day and lay to at ag valdsness a great stead there stands a little way up on the island of corped and is called ag valdsness a king's manner it was a noble stead and the steward thereof was Thorir seal he was the steward of the king there Thorir was a man of small kin but had been well brought up he was a good craftsman deft of speech showy of array forward and stubborn and all this stood him instead after he had gotten him the backing of the king swift he was of speech and ready there too aspion he and his way here overnight but in the morning when it was full daylight Thorir went down to the ship and certain men with him he asked who was the master of that brave craft and aspion told of himself and named his father Thorir spears what was the furthest he was minded to go and what was his errand aspion says he won't buy him corn and malt and says the sooth was that michael dearth there was north in the land but it is told us that good is the season here so will tell good men sell us some corn i see that here be big ricks and an easement it were to us if we need go no further afield Thorir answers i shall do thee the easement that thou need is not fair any further corn chipping or wider about roga land i can tell thee this that thou mayest will turn back handsome fair no further whereas thou wilt get no corn here nor other where for the king banneth the selling of corn hence into the north land so fair thou back hallow golander that will be best for thee aspion answers if it be so as thou sayest good man that we shall get here no corn chipping then my errand will be not less than to go kin seeking to solely and see the abode of my kinsman earling Thorir answers how michael kinship has thou with earling he answers my mother is his sister Thorir says maybe then that i have not spoken rarely if thou art the sister son of the king of the roga landers then aspion and his men cast off the tilt and turned the ship seaword Thorir called after them and said fair ye now well and come here as ye fare back aspion says that so it should be so they fare on their journey and come to the jay dar one day at eve ferred aspion up a land with ten men and ten gave heed to the ship so when aspion came to the steady got there a good welcome and earling was as merry as might be to him earling seated him next to himself and asked many tidings from the north country aspion told him of his errands all clearly earling answered that it had not well befallen them that the king had banned the selling of corn i know no men here about says sea of whom it may be hoped that they will dare to break the word of the king and i've trouble enough in heeding the king's temper for there be many who try to undo our friendship aspion says late may truth be learned in my youth i was taught that my mother was freeborn on every half and this moreover that earling of soli was now the noblest of all her kindred but now i hear thee say that thou hast not so much freedom for the king's thralls on jadar here as that thou mayest do with thy corn what so pleasantly earling looked on him and grinned till his teeth showed and said less what ye heligolanders of the king's might than we rogolanders but rash of word thou wilt be at home and no long descent has thou to tell up here unto drink we now first kinsmen let us see tomorrow how thine errand shall speed so did they and were married that night next day they talked together earling and aspion and earling said i've somewhat thought over thy corn chipping aspion now how hard to please without be about thy sellers he said he cared never a whit from whom he bought the corn if it were fairly sold him said earling it seemed to me most like that my thralls own so much corn as that thou wilt have a full chipping and they be not within laws or lands right with other men aspion says he will take this then the thralls were told about the bargain and they gave forth corn and malt and sold it to aspion who loaded his ship even as he would and when he was ready to go away earling saw him off with friendly gifts and in love they parted aspion had a good wind it will and hoe into corn sound and they too off ag volsness in the evening and there they terried for the night now thorier seal had already tidings of the journey of aspion of this with all that his ship was deep laden thorier summoned folk to him in the night tide so that before day he had over 60 men and went to meet aspion in the first of the dawn they fared straightway aboard this ship aspion and his were clad by then and aspion greeted thorier thorier asked what sort of lading aspion had on board ship he said that corn and malt it was thorier says then will earling be at his old want to take for fooling all words of the king forsooth he weary if not of that to withstand him in all wise and the marvel it is that the king led of him have his way in all thorier was mad of speech for a while but when he held his piece aspion said that this corn had been owned by earlings thralls thorier answered snappishly that he hated no wit any tricks of earling and his folk but it is either this or that aspion either you go a land or we put you all outboard for we will not have you thronging us while we are clearing out the ship aspion saw that he had no strength of men against thorier and he and his men went up a land and thorier let clear all the lading out of the ship but when the ship was cleared thorier walked along it and said a mighty good sail have these halaga landers go ye fetch that old sail of my ship of burden and give it to them it is quite good enough for them whereas they be sailing without loose keel and so it was done that the sails were shifted in this plight aspion with his men went their ways and made forth the north along the land and let it not till he came home early in winter and great was the fame of that journey so now all the toil of feast dining was taken off aspion shoulders for that winter thorier howl bad aspion to a you feast and his mother and such of their men as they were take with them aspion had no will to go and sat at home that was found that the rear deemed that aspion had dealt uncourteously with the bidding in that he would not go so thorier jeered about aspion's journey says he there is both great diversity of honor between us the kinsmen of aspion and he moreover so make of it such toil as he was at last summer to go and seek out a meeting with earling all the way to jadar but now will not fare here to me under the next house a what not but he may deem that seal thorier is way laying him in every home such words are heard aspion of thorier and other such like aspion was mightily ill content with his journey all the worse when he heard it held at such laughter and mocking so this winter he aboded home and went no wither to any biddings chapter 124 the slaying of seal thorier aspion had a long ship a 20 bench cutter which stood in a great boat house after candle miss aspion let the ship be launched and its gear borne down there too and let array the ship then he summoned to him his friends and had well knife 90 men all well-weaponned but when he was ready and a wind at will be fell he sailed south along the land and they fare on their ways going somewhat slow but when they got south along the land they kept to the outer road rather than the highway when they might not is told that they're fearing till they hold in to prompt from the west in the evening of the fifth day after Easter but the land goes such wise there that it is a great isle and long and for the most part not broad and lies on the highway on the western side thereof there is mickle dwelling but on the side that turneth towards the main sea the island is widely undwell aspion and his men landed on the western side of the island where it was undwelled and when they had tilted them aspion said now shall ye be left here behind and abide me but I shall go into the island to spy what is toward for we have heard no tidings as yet aspion had but evil raiment and a slouch hat he had a fork in hand and was girt with a sword under his garment he went up a land and across the island and as he came upon a certain heath once he might look on the stead of odd evolvedness and further out over corms sound he saw mickle fearing of men both by sea and by land and all those crowds were making for the homestead of odd evolvedness he deemed this wondrous so he went home to the stead and there whereas serving men were dining meat and straightway he heard and understood from their talk that king auloth had come there to a feast and this with all that the king had gone to table so aspion turned to the hall and as he came into the porch one man went out and another in and no man gave any heed to him the hall door was open and he saw that Thorir seal stood before the board of the high seat by now the evening was far spent aspion harkened and heard how men were asking Thorir about his dealings with aspion and also that Thorir told a long story thereof in aspion deemed he clearly told an unfair tale then he heard how a man said how did aspion take it when you were clearing the ship thorir says he bore up in a way but not right well while we were clearing the ship but when we took the sail from him he wept but when aspion heard this he drew his sword hard and swift and sprang into the hall and straightway hewed at thorir and the stroke came on the outward of his neck and the head fell on the board before the king but the trunk on his feet and the tablecloth were all bloody up and down the king spake him bad take him and lead him out and even so it was done and aspion was laid hands on and led out of the hall but the table array and the cloths were taken and brought away and thorir's body was carried off the thaw and all was cleansed on which blood had fallen the king was mighty wroth yet kept his words well in as his want ever was chapter 125 of skeog-earlingson skeog-earlingson stood up and went before the king and spoke thus now it will be as off before king that one must look to thee for making good what has fallen amiss i will offer money for this man that he may hold his life and limbs but thou king should be and share all the rest the king says is it not a guilt unto death skeog if a man break the Easter peace and is it not another that he slew a man within the king's hall and the third one which thou and thy father will deem of little account that he had my feet for hewing block skeog answers ill it is king that it mislike of thee for otherwise had the work been done at the best but king if thou take this deed amiss and deem it a great matter yet i have hope that i shall have of thee something great for my service and many will say that thou mayest well so do the king answers however much thou be worth skeog i shall not for thy sake break the law or cast down kingly honor then skeog turned away and went out of the hall with skeog there had been 12 men and they all followed him and many others went away with him skeog spoke to the roaring nut the old son if thou wilt have my friendship then lay thine whole mind here too that the man be not slain before sunday there upon fared skeog and his men and took a rowing cutter which he owned in road south as hard as they might make it and came at the kindling of day to jay dar and went straight way up to the stead and into the loft where in swept earling skeog ran against the door so that it broke off the nails where at awoke earling and those others who were there within he was the quickest on foot and caught up his shield and sword and sprang to the door and asked who fared so fiercely skeog named himself and bad opened the door earling says that was like least that thou wouldst be the man if a fool were a stir or fair any men after thee then the door was opened and skeog said this i wean that though thou think that i'm fairing madly ask beyond thy kinsman deems that i'd fare none too speedily now that he sits in fetters north at aug voltsness and that were manlier to fare it now and avail him then father and son had a talk together and skeog told earling all the tidings at the slaying of seal thorair chapter 126 of thorair and nithiolson king olav sat him down in his seat when things had been put straight in the hall and exceeding roth he was he asked what were the tidings of the slayer he was told that he was out in the porch and was watched there the king says what is he not slain answers the raren nithiolson lord call us thou not that a deed of murder to slay men by night then said the king put him in fetters and slay him the morrow's mourn then was asked beyond fettered and locked up in a house through the night next day the king harkened matins and then went to council where he sat till high mass then he went to the mass and when he came from the service he spoke to the raren will the sun perchance be high enough now so that asked beyond thy friend may hang the raren answered and lauded to the king lord that said the bishop last Friday that the king who hath might over all both bore with them that grieved his heart and blessed is he who may rather liken himself to him than to them who then doomed the man to death or them who had his death fulfilled now it is no long while to wait for the morrow and that is a working day the king looked around at him and said thou shalt have thy will herein that he shall not be slain today so now shalt thou take him to thyself and guard him and know this for sure that there on lies thy life if he get away no matter how there upon the king went his ways and for raren whether where asked beyond sat in irons then the raren did off him the fetters and brought him into a certain little chamber and let fetch him meet and drink and told him what the king had laid upon himself in case asked beyond should run away as beyond says that the raren had no need to fear that so the raren sat with him long through that day and slept there the next night with all on the saturday the king arose and went to matins and then he went to the council and up multitude of bondage was come there and they had many planes to set forth there the king sat for a long while of the day and went somewhat late to the high mass where upon he went to meet and when he had partaken there up he drank for a while with the table still standing now the raren went to the priest who looked after the church and gave him two ounces of silver to ring in the holy tide so soon as the king's tables were taken up now when the king had drunk for as long as he deemed seemingly then was the board taken up then spoke the king saying that now it was meat that the thrall should take the manslayer and slay him but at that nick of time the holy tide was rung in so the raren went before the king and said that man will be like have respite the holy day over though he have done evil the king says he'd him the raren that he may not get away so the king went to church to nonce and the raren sat still that day with aspeorn on the sunday the bishop went to aspeorn and shrived him and gave him leave to go and harken high mass then the raren went to the king and let him get men to guard the manslayer i will now says he be quit of his matter the king bad him have thanks for what he had done and got men to guard aspeorn and then he was put into fetters when folk went to high mass aspeorn was led to the church and outside the church he stood together with those who warded him the king and all the people stood at the mass chapter 127 peace between earling and king olav now must we take up the tale whereas before we turn from it that earling and skeog his son took counsel together on this troublesome matter and through the wedding of skeog and other of the sons of earling it was settled together and host together and to cheer up the war arrow and soon there came together a great company and went aboard ship and when the score of the tale of the folk was told there were well-knocked 1500 men with this company they fared and came on sunday to aug of all snests in corp and went with all the host up to the sted and came there at the time when the gospel was done they went forth with up to the church and took aspeorn and broke the fetters away from him but at this din and crash of weapons rushed all into the church who had earth stood without but they who were in the church looked all out saved the king alone who stood and looked not about earling and his sons or read their host on either side of the street that led from the church to the hall and earling and his son stood next to the hall now when all the hours had been sung then straightway the king went forth out of the church he went forth the first into the fold and then his men went after the other straightway when he came home to the door then went earling before the door and louder before the king and greeted him the king answered and bad god helped him then earling took up the word so is it told me that a great folly hath overtaken aspeorn my kinsman and ill is it king if so it hath been brought about that thou art ill content there at for this therefore have I now come to offer for him peace and such like boot as thou thyself wilt have done and to take and return his life and limbs and land dwelling the king answers so missy moth earling as if thou and by and dean eat now to have the might in the matter of aspeorn and I know not why thou so give us to doubt that thou wits bid peace for him for I'm minded to think that for this cause hast thou drawn together and hosted men that thou meanest now to rule matters between us earling says thou shalt rule king and rule so that we part appeased the king says thus thou mean to put me to fear earling and hast thou this nickel company to that end naysay see but if there be ought else in it I shall not flee now earling answered thou needest not mind me of that that our meetings have hitherto gone in such wise that I have had but a little might of folk against thee but now I will not hide it from the what is in my mind to it that I will we pardon peace otherwise I look for it that I shall not risk our meeting anymore and earling was read as blood in the face of him then came forth sigured the bishop and said to the king Lord I commend the in obedience to God's cause to make peace with earling even according to his bidding to it that this man have peace of life and then bet that thou alone frame the peace covenant the king answered thou shalt rule then spoke the bishop thou earling give the king such surety as like of him and that aspion then take his truce and go into the power of the king earling got the sureties and the king took them then aspion went to take truce and gave himself up to the king and kissed him on the hand where upon earling turned away with his company but no greetings there were the king went into the hall and aspion with him where upon the king laid open the peace award this shall be the beginning of our peace aspion the thou shalt undergo this law of the land that whoso slayeth a servant of the king he shall undertake that same service if it be the king's will now will I that thou take on thee this same stewardship that seelthorier had and to rule over my manner here at odd baldness aspion said that so it should be as the king would but first would I fare home to my house and set it in order the king said he was well content therewith and he went thence to another feast which had been arrayed for him thereby but aspion got him away to meet his fellows they had lain in hiding bites all the while that aspion was away they had had news of all that had bitted him over his matters and would not go away until they knew what might be the upshot there of chapter 128 of Thorier hound and aspion seals bane then aspion turns to his journey and let it not the spring through until he comes north to his stead ever thereafter he was called aspion seals bane but when aspion had been home no long while the two kings been met he and thorier and talked together thorier asked him carefully about his journey and all the things that had bitted therein and aspion told the tale as it had come to pass said thorier then be like thou deemest thou hast wreaked the shame that was done to thee when thou west robbed last autumn so is it aspion or what deemest thou thereof kinsman that is soon said called thorier thy first journey whereas thou fared south into the land was of the shamefulest yet one that stood to some booting but this journey is the shame both of thee and thy kinsman if that come to pass that thou be made a king's thrall and peer of thorier seal the worst of men now do thou so manly that thou rather sit here on thine own lands and we thy kinsmen shall give thee strength so much that thou shall come never again into such a jeopardy aspion deemed this seemingly and before he and thorier parted this council was settled upon that aspion should sit at home and not go to the king or into his service and so did he and sat at home at his steds chapter 129 how king olaf christen's vores and valdrice after that king olaf and earlings georgson had met at ag valdsness ill will arose anew betricks them and waxed here too that it came to utter enmity betricks them in the spring king olaf fared manner eating about fordland and then spared up to vores whereas he had heard that the folk there were but little in the faith he held a thing with the bonders at a place called vang the other came the bonders thronging all armed the king bad them take christening but the bonders bad them battle in return and he came to this that either side drew up the battle in a rain but this befell the bonders that fear shot through their breasts and no one would stand the foremost so that was the end of it which served them better that they gave themselves up to the king and took christening nor did the king depart from them still all folk were christened there on a day it befell that the king was writing his ways and singing his psalms but when he came over against the howls he took his stand and said now let man tell man these words of mind that it be my council that never again a king of norway fair betricks these howls and men say that most kings have taken heed there too ever since then fared king olaf out into oster furth and there met his ships and then went north into saugen and there went feasting at the summer through but when harvest tide said in he turned up into the furth and fared dance up to valdrice where the folk were yet heathen the king went as fast as he might drive up to the water and came there unawares and pun the bonders and took all their ships and went to board with all his host then he shared a thing bidding and the thing was set so near the to the water that the king had all the ships to fall back upon if he deemed he needed it the bonders sought to the thing with unhosted men all weapon the king bad them christened them but the bonders whooped against him and bad him hold his peace and forthwith made huge din and clatter of weapons but when the king saw that they would not harken to what he had to teach them and also that they had such a multitude of folk that there was no restanding them he turned his speech and asked them if there were any men at the thing who had such causes against each other as they wished that he should settle between them it was soon found in the words of the bonders that there were many but ill at peace with each other who had run together to gain say all christening but so soon as the bonders began to set forth their planes each one gathered folk to him to back up his suit thus matters went on all that day and at eve the thing broke up but so soon as the bonders had heard that king allot had fared over baldress and had come into the people parts they had let fair abroad the war arrow and summoned together thane anthral and with his host they fared against the king so that many places there were empty of people the bonders held together the gathering when as the thing broke up and the king was where thereof so when he came to his ships he bad row right across the water in the night and let go up into the dwelling and let burn and rob there next day they wrote from nest to nest and the king let burn all the dwelling but the bonders who were in the gathering when they saw the reek and low of their homesteads became loose in the gathering so each one took himself away and made for home to see if he might find his household and so soon as the riff came into the host each fared after other until it was all split into small flocks and now the king rode across the water and burnt on either shore thereof then came the bonders to him and prayed for mercy and bad allegiance to him and he gave life to every man who came to him and crave therefore and their goods therewithal and now no man gains said christening so the king let christen the folk and took hostages from the bonders the king tarried there long through the autumn and let draw the ships over the necks between the waters the king fared but little up country away from the waters for he trusted the bonders but ill he let build and hollow churches there and appointed clerks there too but when the king deemed that frost might be looked for he made his way up inland and came down upon cotton hereof teleth arnor the urls scald how king oloth had burnt in the uplands when as he sang concerning herald his brother it goes in the kin that the king burned the homes of those uplanders their folk paid for the king's wrath who of all men was foremost folk would not give obedience to the furtherer of things gainful till things were plunged in peril for the king's foes got but gallows thereafter king oloth went north through the dales all the way up on to the fell nor made a halt until he came to thrandheim and all the way down to nadoi's he arrayed there for winter sojourn and sat there winter over that was the tenth winter of his kingdom chapter 130 of ina tham bar skelfer the summer before ina tham bar skelfer fared away from the land and first went to england where he met hay con his brother-in-law and dwelt there with him a while sithons ina went to meet conute the king and got great gifts of him thereafter he fared south over sea and all the way south to romberg and came back the summer after and went to his steds and that time he and king oloth did not meet chapter 131 the birth of magnus the good there was a woman height alfield who was called king's bond made though she was come of good stock she was the fairest of women and lived at the court of king oloth but that spring the tidings were that she was with child and the bosom friends of the king knew that he would be father to that child it so befell on a night that alfield fell ill and few people were nigh there were some women and a priest and sig about the skull and some few others alfield was heavily beset and was brought well nigh to death's door she gave birth to a boy baren and for a while they knew not for sure whether the child were alive and when he gave forth a breath but all unrightly the priest bad sig got go until the king he answers i dare and know wise go wake the king for he banneth any man to break his sleeper he awake of himself the priest answers hard need calls for it now that this child be christened from his seems it is right unlike to live sig about answers rather dare i risk this that thou christened the child that that i wake the king and i will take the blame on myself and give name to it and so they did and the boy was christened and height magnus the next morning when the king was waked and clad he was told of these tidings and let call sig about to him and said why were thou so bold to let christen my child before i knew there are sig about answers because i would rather give two men to god than one to the devil the king said why should all that be at stake answered sig about the child was at death's door and that had been a devil's man had it died heathen but now is it a god's man and on the other hand i knew though thou should be wrought with me not more would lie on it than my life and if it be thy will that i lose it for this sake then i look to it that i'd be god's man the king said why let us thou height the boy magnus that is no kin name of us sig about answered i called him after carla magnus the king for him i knew to be the best man of this world then said the king a man of great good luck art thou sig about but it is not to wonder at though good luck and wisdom go together but that is more wondrous which wiles can be that such good luck follows unwise men that even unwise reeds turn to good luck then was the king right glad the swain was reared and was soon a likely lad as age went over him chapter 132 the slaying of aspion seals bane this same spring king olaf gave to asman grankle son one half of the bailiwick of haloga land against harrick of theota who before had had the whole of it part as grant part as fee asman had a cutter and well night 30 men on board her all well-weaponed and when asman came north they met he and harrick and asman told him how the king had ordained concerning the bailiwick and let the tokens of the king followed therewith harrick says that the king must rule as to who was to have the bailiwick yet the lords of a foretime did not so to diminish the right of us who are kinborn to holding dominion of kings and handed over to sons of bonders such as never have had the like affairs on hand before now though it might be found in harrick that he took the matter to heart he let asman take over the bailiwick even according as the king had sent words to him so asman went home to his father and tarried there for a little while and afterwards went to his bail liffery north in haloga land and when he came north into long aisle there lived there at that time two brothers one called goon stein the other carly they were wealthy men and of mickel account goon stein was a man of husbandry and the older of the two brothers carly was goodly to look upon and full showy of attire and either was of great prowess in many ways asman had good welcome there and tarried for a while and gathered from the bail liffery what he could get carly put that before asman that he would go with himself to meet king ola and seek him their court service asman egged him on much to this and promised his furtherance before the king here too so that carly might get done the errand he besought so carly became asman's fellow fairer asman heard that aspeorn seals bane had gone south to the fair of vega and had a great ship of burden which he owned and 920 men thereon and that he was as then liked to be coming from the south asman he and his went on their way south along the land and had a headwind though but little thereof they met ships assailing which were of the vega fleet and they asked prively about the goings of aspeorn it was told them that by then he would be on his way from the south now asman and carly were bedfellows and the dearest of friends so on a day it befell that asman with his company rode along a certain sound and a ship of burden came sailing up to them an easy to know ship it was a ship of painted bowels and stained with white stone and red and a sail strike with bends they had with all then said carly all talkest thou hear of how thou wouldst be full fain to set eyes on aspeorn seals bane now i want not how to can a ship if he be not sailing there asman said do me a good turn good fellow and tell me if thou canest him then the ships ran past each other carly said there sits seals bane at the tiller in a blue kirtle asman answers i shall fetch him a red kirtle and therewith asman shot a spear to aspeorn seals bane and it smote him a midward and flew through him so that it stuck fast in the headboard and aspeorn fell dead from the tiller there upon either of them went their own way they brought the dead body of aspeorn north through friendzness then let sigrid send after forer hound from birch isle and he came there too when aspeorn's body was laid out according to their want but when they went away sigrid chose gifts to her friends and let forer off to his ship but before they parted she spake so it is now forer that aspeorn my son harkened to the loving reeds now his life did not last long enough to reward it as it was worth and though i'd be worse fitted there too than he would have been yet have i good will there too here is now a gift that i will give thee and which i would might stand thee in good stead but it was a spear here is now that spear which stood through aspeorn my son and the blood is still there on thereby thou mayest the better bear in mind that it will tally with the wound which thou sawest on aspeorn thy brother's son now it would be a manly deed of thee if thou should so let this spear go out of thine hand that it should be standing in the breast of olof the thick now i speak this word hereon says she that thou be every man's dastard if thou avenge not aspeorn and therewithal she turned away thoria was so wroth that her words that he might answer nothing and he heeded not though he let go of the spear nor did he heed the bridge and into the deep would he have gone if men had not caught hold of him and steadied him as he went aboard the ship that was a bar spear and no great one and the socket thereup inlaid with gold so thoria and his folk rode away and home to birch isle asmond and his company went on their way until they came south with randheim and met king olof and asmond told the king what tidings had befallen in his fairings carly became one of the king's bodyguard and he and asmond held well to their friendship but as to the words which carly and asmond had spoken to each other before the slaying of aspeorn but did they were no wise kept hidden for they told them to the king themselves but there befell as is said each hath his friends amongst unfriends for there were certain men there who bore the words in mind and hence they came back again to thoria hound chapter 133 of king olof as the spring wore on king olof bestowed himself and arrayed his ships and later in the summer he went south along the land holding things with the bonders the turning men and mending the faith of the land wherever the king went he called in his dues this summer the king went all the way south to the land's end and by this time he had christened the land everywhere whereas were the wide countryside's he had also framed laws over all the land he had moreover brought under him the orkneys even as is aforetold he had also been sending out messages and made many friends both in iceland and greenland and likewise in furrow king olof had sent to iceland timber for a church and that church was made at thing wall whereas is the all thing and therewith he sent a great bell which is still there that was after that the icelanders had changed their law and set up christian rite even according to the words that king olof had sent them there an end sythens there went from iceland many men of worship who served in the household of king olof there was thorical son of ioth thor leak son of boli thord son of coalbind thord son of bork thorgier son of havar and thormach coalbrow scald king olof had sent friendly gifts to many chiefs in iceland and they sent him such things as there were to be had in which they thought he would be most worthy of being sent him but in these tokens of friendship which the king was showing to the icelanders there lay hidden other matters which afterwards were laid bare chapter 134 of king olof's message to iceland and the council taken by the icelanders that summer king olof sent to iceland thororan nep yolfson on his errands and when the king set off thororan steered his own ship out of randheim and bore him fellowship as far south as mir then sororan sailed out into the main and had severe wind that he sailed for four days until he made the aries in iceland he went straight way to the outing and came there when men were on the lawberg and forthwith went to the lawberg the wind men had done their law business there thororan nep yolfson took up the word four nights ago i parted from king olof heraldson and he sent a fiver to this land unto all chiefs and men who bear rule in the land and therewithal to all folk carls and queens young men and old men of wheel and men of woe god's greeting and his own and therewith that he willeth to be your lord if he be willing to be his things and either to be friends and furtherers of the other unto all good things men answered his word well and all folk quote that they would fame be friends of the king if he were the friend of folk here within the land then thororan took up the word this goeth with the message of the king that for friendship's sake he prayeth the northlanders to give him that island or outskerry which lyeth of aya furth and men call grimzy in return therefore he willeth to pay such goods from his own land as men may crave of him but more he sent it toward to good month of matter me to further this matter for you have heard that good month has most to say in those parts good month answered i'm fain of friendship with king Olaf for i am minded to think that that will profit me and mickle more than that outskerry which he bideth but the king has not heard a right that i have more might thereover than other men for that have now been made common but now shall we have a meeting on this matter between ourselves we who have most gain of the island then go men to their booths and they're upon the northlanders hold a meeting between themselves and talk this matter over and each one had his say according as he looked upon the matter good month flitted the case and many turned towards it after his way then folk asked why ironer his brother said not thereon for redeem they say that he can see clearest through most things then answered ironer i am few spoken on this matter because no one has called upon me to speak but if i am to speak my mind then i am minded to think that it will be for the folk of this land not to go under any scat gifts to king Olaf nor any such like burdens as he layeth on men in norway that unfreedom we should not bring upon our own hands only but both upon ourselves and our sons and our sons sons yeah and all our offspring dwelling within this land in that throlden shall never go nor turn away from this land now though this king be a good man which i will throw he be yet it will go henceforth i said the two when there is a change of kings that they will be uneven some good some ill but if the folk of the land are minded to hold to their freedom which they have had ever since this land was drilled in then thus must it be done to let the king get no hold neither as to owning land here nor as to the matter of paying him fixed dues such as may be reckoned for liege duty but that i deem well fitting that men send friendly gifts to the king they who will that such as hawks or horses tilts or sails of such other things as may be fit to be sent that would be well bestowed if friendship came in return but as to grimzy this is to be said that if nothing be brought then wherein is meat getting yet may and host of men be fed there and shouldn't host of outland men be sitting there and they fare then some their long ships then i weaned that many are caught carl might deem his door be thronged and forth with when iner had spoken this and set forth the whole way out of it then all the people had turned round with one accord that this should not be done and thus for raren saw what was the end of his errand in this affair chapter 135 of the answers of the icelanders the next day through our and went again to the lawberg and again spake his errand and began in such wise king olof sent a word to his friends hither in the land and he named thereof goodman son of ayoth snory the priest oracle the son of ayoth scopti the speaker at law thorstine the son of hall he sent if you were to descend that ye should fare to meet him and seek dither a friendly bidding and this he said that ye should not put this journey under your head if he deemed his friendship of any worth they answered this matter and thanked the king for his bidding and said that they would later on let the raren know about their journeys when they had taken read with themselves and their friends now when the chiefs fell to talking the matter over between themselves each one spake what seemed good to him concerning this journey snory the priest and scopti let it this to run the risk in face of the men of norway that dither should fare all those men from iceland who bore most rule in the land they said that from this message they deemed that misgivings might be drawn concerning that which iner had guessed to wit that the king was minded to pine some of the icelanders if he might have his will goodman and thoracle son of ayoth urged much that men should bestow themselves according to the word of queen olof and said that that would be a journey of great honor and as they were thrashing out this matter between them that seemed to be held most fast among them that they themselves should not fare but each one to send on his behalf someone who was deemed well fitted there too and with things thus done they parted from the thing and there be felt no outfaring that summer but the raren made a double journey of it that summer and came in harvest time to meet king olof and told him what was the upshot of his errand and this with all that the chieftains would come from iceland according to the word he had sent there too or their sons else end of the story of olof the holy part nine chapter one hundred and twenty one through one hundred and thirty five