103 EYVIND URARIIORN'S MURDER.
One summer (1018) that Earl Einar marauded in
Ireland, he fought in Ulfreks-fjord with the Irish king
Konofogor, as has been related before, and suffered there
a great defeat. The summer after this (1019) Eyvind
Urarhorn was coming from the west from Ireland, in-
tending to go to Norway ; but the w^eathcr w^as lx)isterous,
and the current asrainst him. so he ran into Osmundwall.
and lay there wind-bound for some time. When Earl
Einar heard of this, he hastened thither with many peo-
4 397
THE HEIMSKRINGLA
pie, took Eyvind prisoner, and ordered him to be put to
deatli, but spared the hves of most of his people. In
autumn they proceeded to Norway to King Olaf, and told
him Eyvind was killed. The king said little about it,
but one could see that he considered it a great and vexa-
tious loss; for he did not usually say much if anything
turned out contrary to his wishes. Earl Thorfin scrit
Thorkel Fosterer to the islands to gather in his scat.
Now, as Einar gave Thorkel the greatest blame for the
dispute in which Thorfin had made claim to the islands,
Thorkel came suddenly back to Caithness from Orkney,
and told Earl Thorfin that he had learnt that Earl Einar
would have murdered him if his friends and relations had
not given him notice to escape. "Now," says he, "it
is come so far between the earl and me, that either some-
thing decisive between us must take place if we meet, or
I must remove to such a distance that his power will not
reach me." The earl encouraged Thorkel much to go
east to Norway to King Olaf. "Thou wilt be highly re-
spected," says he, "wherever thou comest among hon-
ourable men ; and I know so well thy disposition and the
earl's, that it will not be long before ye come to extremi-
ties." Thereupon Thorkel made himself ready, and pro-
ceeded in autumn to Norway, and then to King Olaf,
with, whom he stayed the whole winter (1020), and was
in high favour. The king often entered into conversa-
tion with him, and he thought, what was true, that Thor-
kel was a high-minded man, of good understanding. In
his conversations with Thorkel, the king found a great
difference in his description of the two earls; for Thorkel
398
SAGA OF OLAF IIARALDSON
was a great friend of Eaii Thorfin, but lirid much to say
against Einar. Early in spring (1020J the king sent a
ship west over the sea to Earl Thorfin, with the invita-
tion to come east and visit liiui in Norway. The earl
did not decline the invitation, for it was accompanied by
assurances of friendship.
104. EARIv dinar's murder.
Earl Thorfin went east to Norway, and came to King
Olaf, from whom he received a kind reception, and stayed
till late in the summer. When he was preparing to re-
turn westwards again. King Olaf made him a present of
a large and fully-rigged long-ship. Thorkel the Fosterer
joined company with the earl, who gave him the ship
which he brought with him from the West. The king
and the earl took lea\c of each other tenderly. In au-
tumn Earl Thorfin came to Orkney, and when Earl Einar
heard of it he w^ent on board his ships with a numerous
band of men. Earl Bruse came up to his two brothers,
and endeavoured to mediate between them, and a peace
was concluded and confirmed by oath. Thorkel Fos-
terer was to be in peace and friendship with Earl Einar;
and it was agreed that each of them should give a feast
to the other, and that the earl should first be Thorkel's
guest at Sandwick. When the earl came to the feast he
Avas entertained in the best manner ; but the earl was not
cheerful. There was a great room, in which there were
doors at each end. The day the earl should depart Thor-
kel was to accompany him to the other feast ; and Thorkel
399
THE HEIMSKRINGLA
sent men before, who should examine the road they
had to travel that day. The spies came back, and said
to Thorkel they had discovered three ambushes. "And
Nve think," said they, "there is deceit on foot." When
Thorkel heard this h? lengthened out his preparations
for the journey, and gathered people about him. The
earl told him to get ready, as it was time to be on horse-
back. Thorkel answered, that he had many things to
put in order first, and went out and in frequently. There
was a fire upon the floor. At Inst he w^ent in at one door,
followed by an Iceland man from Eastfjord, called Ilal-
vartl, who locked the door after him. Thorkel went in
between the fire and the place where the earl was sitting.
The earl asked, "Art thou ready at last, Thorkel?"
Thorkel answers, "Now I am ready;" and struck the
earl upon the head so that he fell upon the floor.
Then said the Icelander, "I never saw people so foolish
as not to drag the earl out of the fire;" and took a stick,
which he set under the earl's neck, and put him upright
on the bench. Thorkel and his two comrades then went
in all haste out of the other door opposite to that by
which they went in, and Thorkel's men were standing
without fully armed. The earl's men now went in, and
took hold of the earl. He was already dead, so nobody
thought of avenging him : and also the whole w^as done so
quickly ; for nobody expected such a deed from Thorkel,
and all supposed thnt there really w-as, as before related, a
friendship fixed between the earl and Thorkel. The most
whf) were within were unarmed, and they were partly
Thorkel's good friends; and to this may be added, that
400
SAGA OF OLAF IIAKALDSON
fate had decreed a longer life to Thorkcl. When Thor-
kel came out he had not fewer men with him than the
earl's troop. Thorkel went td his ship, and the earl's
men went their way. The same day Thorkel sailed out
eastwards into the sea. This happened after winter; but
he came safely to Norway, went as fast as he could to
Olaf, and was well received by him. The king expressed
his satisfaction at this deed, and Thorkel was with him
all winter (1021).
105. AGREEMENT BETWEEN KING OLAE AND EARE BRUSE.
After Earl Einar's fall Bruse took the part of the coun-
try which he had possessed ; for it was known to many
men on what conditions Einar and Bruse had entered
into a partnership. Although Thorfin thought it would
be more just that each of them had half of the islands,
Bruse retained the two-thirds of the country that win-
ter (1021). In spring, however, Thorfin produced his
claim, and demanded the half of the country; but Bruse
would not consent. They held Things and meetings
about the business; and although their friends endeav-
oured to settle it, Thorfin would not be content with less
than the half of the islands, and insisted that Bruse, with
his disposition, wonld have enough even with a third
part. Bruse replies, "When T took my lieritage after my
father I was well satisfied with a third part of the coun-
try, and there was nobody to dispute it w ilh me ; and now
I have succeeded to another third in heritage after my
brother, according to a lawful agreement between us;
401
THE HEIMSKRINGLA
and although I am not powerful enough to maintain a
feud against thee, my brother, I will seek some other
way, rather than willingly renounce my property." With
this their meeting ended. But Bruse saw that he had no
strength to contend against Thorfm, because Thorfin had
both a greater dominion and also could have aid from his
motlier's brother, the Scottish king. He resolved, there-
fore, to go out of the country ; and he went eastward to
King Olaf, and had \\'\i\\ him his son Ragnvald, then ten
years old. When the earl came to the king he was well
received. The earl now declared his errand, and told
the king the circumstances of the w^hole dispute between
liim and his brother, and asked help to defend his king-
dom of Orkney ; promising, in return, the fullest friend-
ship towards King Olaf. In his answer, the king began
with showing how Harald Harfager had appropriated to
himself all udal rights in Orkney, and that the earls, since
that time, have constantly held the country as a fief, not
as their udal property. "As a sufficient proof of which,"
said he, "when Eirik Blood-axe and his sons were in
Orkney the earls were subject to them ; and also when my
relation Olaf Trygvason came there thy father, Earl
Sigurd, became his man. Now I have taken heritage
after King Olaf, and I w^ill give thee the condition to
become my man, and then I will give thee the islands as a
lief; and we shall try if I cannot give thee aid that will
be more to the purj>ose than Thorfin can get from the
Scottish king. Tf thou wilt not accept of these terms,
then will I win back my udal property there in the West,
as our forefathers and relations of old possessed it."
402
SAGA or OLAF HARALDSON
The carl carefully considered this speech, laid it before
his friends, and demanded their advice if he should agree
to it, and enter into such terms with King- Olaf and be-
come his vassal. "But I do not see what my lot will be
at m}" dq:)arture if I say no; for the king has clearly
enough declared his claim upon Orkney; and from his
great power, and our being in his hands, it is easy for him
to make our destiny what he pleases,"
Although the earl saw that there was much to be con-
sidered for and against it, he chose the condition to de-
liver himself and his dominion into the king's power.
Thereupon the king took the earl's power, and the gov-
ernment over all the earl's I'ands, and the earl became his
vassal under oath of fealty.
106 — THE earl's agreement to THE king's TERMS.
Thorfin the earl heard that his brother Bruse had gone
east to King Olaf to seek support from him ; but as Thor-
fin had been on a visit to King Olaf before, and had con-
cluded a friendship wath him, he thought his case w^ould
stand w^ell with the king, and that many would support
it ; but he believed that many more would do so if he went
there himself. Earl Thorfin resolved, therefore, to go
east himself without delay; and he thought there would
be so little difference between the time of his arrival and
Bruse's, that Bruse's errand could not be accomplished
before he came to King Olaf. But it went otherwise
than Earl Thorfin had expected ; for when he came to the
king the agreement between the king and Bruse was al-
403
THE HEIMSKRINGLA
ready concluded and settled, and Earl Thorlin did not
know a word about Bruse's having surrendered his udal
domains until he came to King Olaf. As soon as Earl
Thorfui and King Olaf met, the king made the same de-
mand upon the kingdom of Orkney tliat he had done to
Earl Bruse, and required that Thorfin should voluntarily
deliver over to the king that part of the country which
he had possessed hitherto. The earl answered in a
friendly and respectful way, that the king's friendship
lay near to his heart : "And if you think, sire, that my help
against other chiefs can be of use, you have already every
clain. to it ; but I cannot be your vassel for service, as I
am an earl of the Scottish king, and owe fealty to him."
As the king found that the earl, by his answer, declined
fulfilling the demand he had made, he said, "Earl, if thou
wilt not become my vassal, there is another condition;
namely, that I will place over the Orkney Islands the
man I please, and require thy oath that thou wilt make
no claim upon these lands, but allow whoever I place
over them to sit in peace. If thou wilt not accept of
either of these conditions, he who is to rule over these
lands may exjiect hostility from thee, and thou must not
think it strange if like meet like in this business."
The earl begged of the king some time to consider the
matter. The king did so, and gave the earl time to take
the counsel of his friends on the choosing one or other
<>\ these conditions. Then the earl requested a delay un-
til next summer, that he might go over the sea to the west,
for his proper counsellors were all at home, and he him-
self was but a child in respect of age; t>ut the king re-.
404
SAGA OF OLAF IIARALDSON
quired that he should now make his election of one or
other of the conditions. Thorkel Fosterer was then with
the king, and he privately sent a person to Earl Thorfin,
and told him, whatever his intentions might be, not to
think of leaving Olaf without being reconciled with him,
as he stood entirely in Olaf's power. From such hints
the earl saw there was no other way than to let the king
have his own will. It was no doubt a hard condition to
have no hope of ever regaining his paternal heritage, and
moreover to bind himself by oath to allow those to enjoy
in peace his domain who had no hereditary right to it;
but seeing it was uncertain how he could get away, he
resolved to submit to the king and become his vassal, as
Bruse had done. The king observed that Thorfin was
more high-minded, and less disposed to suffer subjection
than Bruse, and therefore he trusted less to Thorfin than
to Bruse ; and he considered also that Thorfin ^vould trust
to the aid of the Scottish king, if he broke the agreement.
The king also had discernment enough to perceive that
Bruse, although slow to enter into an agreement, would
promise nothing but what he intended to keep ; but as to
Thorfin, when he had once made up his mind he went
readily into every proposal, and made no attempt to ob-
tain any alteratiou of the king's first conditions: there-
fore the king had his suspicions that the earl would in-
fringe the agreement.
107. — EARL TIIORFIN's DEPARTURE, AND RECONCILIA-
TION W^ITII TIIORKEL.
When the king had carefully considered the whole mat-
405
THE HEIMSKRINGLA
tcr by liimself, he ordered the signal to sound for a Gen-
eral Thing, to which he called in the earls. Then said the
king, "I will now make known to the public our agree-
ment with the Orkney earls. They have now acknowl-
edged my right of property to Orkney and Shetland, and
have lx)th become my vassals, all which they have con-
firmed by oath ; and now I will invest them with these
lands as a fief : namely, Bruse with one third part and
Thorfin with one third, as they formerly enjoyed them ;
but the other third which Einar Rangmund had, I adjudge
as fallen to my domain, because he killed Eyvind Urar-
horn, my court-man, partner, and dear friend ; and that
part of the land I will manage as I think proper. I have
also my earls, to tell you it is my pleasure that ye enter
into an agreement with Thorkel Amundason for the mur-
der of your brother Einar, for I will take that business,
if ye agree thereto, within my own jurisdiction." The
earls agreed to this, as to everything else that the king
proposed. Thorkel came forward, and surrendered to
the king's judgment of the case, and the Thing con-
cluded. King Olaf aw-arded as great a penalty for Earl
Einar's murder as for three lendermen; but as Einar
himself was the cause of the act, one third of the mulct
fell to the ground. Thereafter Earl Thorfin asked the
king's leave to depart, and as soon as he obtained it made
ready for sea with all speed. It happened one day, when
all was ready for the voyage, the earl sat in his ship
drinking; and Thorkel Amundason came unexpectedly
to him, laid his head upon the earl's knee, and bade him do
with him what he pleased. The earl asked why he did
406
SAGA OF OLAF HARALDSON
SO. "We are, you know, reconciled men, according to
the king's decision; so stand up, Thorkel."
Thorkel replied, "The agreement which the king made
as between me and Bruse stands good ; but what regards
the agreement with thee thou alone must determine. Al-
though the king made conditions for my property and safe
residence in Orkney, yet I know so well thy disposition
that there is no going to the islands for me, unless I go
there in peace with thee. Earl Thorfin; and therefore
I am willing to promise never to return to Orkney, what-
ever the king may desire."
The earl remained silent ; and first, after a long pause,
he said, "If thou wilt rather, Thorkel, that I shall judge
between us than trust to the king's judgment, then let the
beginning of our reconciliation be, that you go witli me
to the Orkney Islands, live with me, and never leave me
but with my will, and be bound to defend my land, and
execute all that I want done, as long as we both are in
life."
Thorkel replies, "This shall be entirely at thy pleas-
ure, earl, as well as everything else in my power." Then
Thorkel went on, and solemnly ratified this agreement.
The earl said he would talk afterwards aboait the mulct
of money, but took Thorkel's oath upon the conditions.
Thorkel immediately made ready to accompany the earl
on his voyage. The earl set off as soon as all was ready,
and never again were King Olaf and Thorfin together.
108. — EARiv brush's departure;.
Earl Bruse remained behind, and took his time to gtt
407
THE HEIMSKRINGLA
ready. Before his departure the king sent for him, anct
said, "It appears to me, earl, that in thee I have a man on
the west side of the sea on whose fidelity I can depend ;
therefore I intend to give thee the two parts of the coun-
trv which thou formerly hadsl to rule over; for I will not
that thou shouldst be a less powerful man after entering
into my service than before : but I will secure thy fidel-
ity Iw keeping thy son Ragnvald with me. I see well
enough that with two parts of the country and my help,
thou wilt be able to defend what is thy own against thy
brother Thorfin." Bruse w^as thankful for getting two
thirds instead of one third of the country, and soon after
he set out, and came about autumn to Orkney ; but Ragn-
vald, Bruse's son, remained behind in the East with King
Olaf. Ragnvald was one of the handsomest men that
could be seen, — his hair long, and yellow as silk; and he
soon grew up, stout and tall, and he was a very able and
superb man, both of great understanding and polite man-
ners. He was long with King Olaf. Otter Svarte
speaks of these affairs in the poem he composed about
King Olaf: —
"From Shetland, far off in the cold These isles of the West midst the
North sea, ocean's wild roar.
Come chiefs who desire to be sub- Scarcely heard the voice of their
Ject to thee : sovcrcigu before ;
No kinr so well known for his will. Our bravest of sovereigns before
and his might, could scarce bring
To defend his own people from These islesmen so proud to acknowl-
scaith or unright. edge their king."
100. OF THE EARI.S THORFIN AND BRUSE.
The brothers Thorfin and Bruse came west to Orkney ;
and Bruse took the two parts of the country under his
rule, and Thorfin the third part. Thorfin w^as usually in
408
SAGA Of OLAP IIARALDSON
Caithness and elsewhere in Scotland; hut placed men of
his own over the islands. It was left to Briise alone to
defend the islands, which at that time were severely
scourged by vikings ; for the Northmen and Danes went
much on viking cruises in the West sea, and frequently
touched at Orkney on the w^ay to or from the West, and
plundered, and took provisions and cattle from the coast.
Bruse often complained of his brother Thorfin, that he
made no equipment of war for the defence of Orkney
and Shetland, yet levied his share of the scat and duties.
Then Thorfin oiTered to him to exchange, and that P.ruse
should have one third and Thorfin two thirds of the land,
but should undertake the defence of the land, for the
whole. Although this exchange did not take place imme-
diately, it is related in the saga of the earls that it was
agreed upon at last ; and that Thorfin had two parts and
Bruse only one, when Canute the Great subdued Nor-
way and King Olaf fled the country. Earl Thorfin
Sigurdson has been the ablest earl of these islands, and
has had the greatest dominion of all the Orkney earls;
for he had under him Orkney, Shetland, and the Hebudes,
besides very great possessions in Scotland and Ireland.
Arnor. the carls' skald, tells of his possessions : —
"Prom Thurso-skerry to Dublin, All people love his sway,
All people hold with good Thorlin — And the generous chief obey.
Thorfin was a very great warrior. He came to the
earldom at five years of age, ruled more than sixty years,
and died in his bed aljout the last days of Harald Sigurd-
son. But Bruse died in the days of Canute the Great,
a short time after the fall of Saint Olaf.
409
THE HEIMSKRINGLA
110. — OF HAREK OF THJOTTA.
Having now gone through this second story, we shall
return to that which we left, — at King Olaf Haraldson
having concluded peace with King Olaf the Swedish
king, and having the same summer gone north to
Throndhjem (1010). He had then been king in Nor-
way five years (1015-1019). In harvest time he pre-
pared to take his winter residence at Nidaros, and he re-
mained all winter there (1020). Thorkel the Fosterer,
Amunde's son, as before related, was all that winter with
liim. King Olaf inquired very carefully how it stood with
Christianity throughout the land, and learnt that it was
not observed at all to the north of Halogaland, and was
far from being observed as it should be in Naumudal,
and the interior of Throndhjem. There was a man by
name Harek, a son of Eyvind Skaldaspiller, who dwelt
in an island called Thjotta in Halogaland. Eyvind had
not been a rich man. but was of high family and high
mind. In Thjotta, at first, there dwelt many small
bondes; but Harek began with buying a farm not very
large and lived on it, and in a few years he had got all
the lx)ndes that were there before out of the way ; so that
he had the whole island, and built a large head-mansion.
He soon became very rich ; for he was a veiT prudent
man, and very successful. He had long been greatly re-
spected by the chiefs; and being related to the kings of
Norway, had been raised by them to high dignities.
Harek's father's mother. Ounhild, was a daughter of
Karl Halfdan. and Tngebjorg, Harald .Harfager's daugh-
410
SAGA OF OLAF 1 1 AK ALUS ON
ten At the time the circumstance happened which we
are going to relate he was somewhat advanced in years.
Harek was the most respected man in Ilalogaland, and
for a long time had the Lapland trade, and did the king's
business in Lapland; sometimes alone, sometimes with
others joined to him. He had not himself been to wait
on King Olaf, but messages had passed between them,
and all was on the most friendly footing. This winter
(1020) that Olaf was in Nidaros, messengers passed
between the king and Harek of Thjotta. Then tlic king
made it known that he intended going north to Haloga-
land, and as far north as the land's end ; but the people of
Halogaland expected no good from this expedition.
111. OF THE PEOPLE OE HAEOGALAND.
Olaf rigged out five ships in spring (1020), and had
with him about 300 men. When he was ready for sea
he set northwards along the land ; and when he came
to Naumudal district he summoned the bondes to a Thing.
and at every Thing was accepted as king. He also made
the laws to be read there as elsewhere, by wdiich the jieo-
, pie are commanded to observe Christianity ; and he tlireat-
ened every man with loss of life, and limbs, and property,
who would not subject himself to Christian law. He
inflicted severe punishments on many men, great as well
as small, and left no district until the people had consented
to adopt the holy faith. The most of the men of power
and of the great bondes made feasts for the king, and so
he proceeded all the way north to Halogaland. Harek
411
THE HEIMSKRINGLA
of Thjotta also made a feast for the king, at which there
was a great multitude of guests, and the feast was very
splendid. Harek was made lenderman. and got the same
privileges he had enjoyed under the former chiefs of the
country.
112. OP ASMUND GRANKELSON.
There was a man called Grankel, or Granketil, who
was a rich bonde, and at this time rather advanced in
age. In his youth he had been on viking cruises, and
had been a powerful fighter ; for he possessed great readi-
ness in all sorts of bodily exercises. His son Asmund
was equal to his father in all these, and in some, indeed,
he excelled him. There were many who said that with
respect to comeliness, strength, and Ixxlily expertness,
he might be considered the third remarkably distinguished
for these that Norway had ever produced. The first was
Hakon Athelstan's foster-son; the second, Olaf Tryg-
vason. Grankel invited King Olaf to a feast, which was
very magnificent; and at parting Grankel presented the
king with many honourable gifts and tokens of friendship.
The king invited Asmund, with many persuasions, to fol-
low him; and as Asmund could not decline the honours
offered him, he got ready to travel with the king, became