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he　journey。　　Now　when　the　king　went　up　into　Raumarike　with　his　forces；　the　multitude　of　bondes　came　against　him　at　a　river　called　Nitja；　and　the　bondes　had　a　strong　army；　and　began　the　battle　as　soon　as　they　met；　but　they　soon　fell　short；　and　took　to　flight。　　They　were　forced　by　this　battle　into　a　better　disposition；　and　immediately　received　Christianity；　and　the　king　scoured　the　whole　district；　and　did　not　leave　it　until　all　the　people　were　made　Christians。　　He　then　went　east　to　Soleys；　and　baptized　that　neighbourhood。　　The　skald　Ottar　Black　came　to　him　there；　and　begged　to　be　received　among　his　men。　　Olaf　the　Swedish　king　had　died　the　winter　before　（A。D。　1021）；　and　Onund；　the　son　of　Olaf；　was　now　the　sole　king　over　all　Sweden。　　King　Olaf　returned；　when　the　winter　（A。D。　1022）　was　far　advanced；　to　Raumarike。　　There　he　assembled　a　numerous　Thing；　at　a　place　where　the　Eidsvold　Things　have　since　been　held。　　He　made　a　law；　that　the　Upland　people　should　resort　to　this　Thing；　and　that　Eidsvold　laws　should　be　good　through　all　the　districts　of　the　Uplands；　and　wide　around　in　other　quarters；　which　also　has　taken　place。　　As　spring　was　advancing；　he　rigged　his　ships；　and　went　by　sea　to　Tunsberg。　　He　remained　there　during　the　spring；　and　the　time　the　town　was　most　frequented；　and　goods　from　other　countries　were　brought　to　the　town　for　sale。　　There　had　been　a　good　year　in　Viken；　and　tolerable　as　far　north　as　Stad；　but　it　was　a　very　dear　time　in　all　the　country　north　of　there。



121。　RECONCILIATION　OF　THE　KING　AND　EINAR。

In　spring　（A。D。　1022）　King　Olaf　sent　a　message　west　to　Agder；　and　north　all　the　way　to　Hordaland　and　Rogaland；　prohibiting　the　exporting　or　selling　of　corn；　malt；　or　meal；　adding；　that　he；　as　usual；　would　come　there　with　his　people　in　guest…quarters。　　The　message　went　round　all　the　districts；　but　the　king　remained　in　Viken　all　summer；　and　went　east　to　the　boundary　of　the　country。　Einar　Tambaskelfer　had　been　with　the　Swedish　king　Olaf　since　the　death　of　his　relation　Earl　Svein；　and　had；　as　the　khag's　man；　received　great　fiefs　from　him。　　Now　that　the　king　was　dead；　Einar　had　a　great　desire　to　come　into　friendship　agreement　with　Olaf；　and　the　same　spring　messages　passed　between　them　about　it。　　While　the　king　was　lying　in　the　Gaut　river；　Einar　Tambaskelfer　came　there　with　some　men；　and　after　treating　about　an　agreement；　it　was　settled　that　Einar　should　go　north　to　Throndhjem；　and　there　take　possession　of　all　the　lands　and　property　which　Bergliot　had　received　in　dower。　　Thereupon　Einar　took　his　way　north；　but　the　king　remained　behind　in　Viken；　and　remained　long　in　Sarpsborg　in　autumn　（A。D。　1022）；　and　during　the　first　part　of　winter。



122。　RECONCILIATION　OF　THE　KING　AND　ERLING。

Erling　Skjalgson　held　his　dominion　so；　that　all　north　from　Sogn　Lake；　and　east　to　the　Naze；　the　bondes　stood　under　him；　and　although　he　had　much　smaller　royal　fiefs　than　formerly；　still　so　great　a　dread　of　him　prevailed　that　nobody　dared　to　do　anything　against　his　will；　so　that　the　king　thought　his　power　too　great。　There　was　a　man　called　Aslak　Fitiaskalle；　who　was　powerful　and　of　high　birth。　　Erling's　father　Skjalg；　and　Aslak's　father　Askel；　were　brother's　sons。　　Aslak　was　a　great　friend　of　King　Olaf；　and　the　king　settled　him　in　South　Hordaland；　where　he　gave　him　a　great　fief；　and　great　income；　and　ordered　him　in　no　respect　to　give　way　to　Erling。　　But　this　came　to　nothing　when　the　king　was　not　in　the　neighbourhood；　for　then　Erling　would　reign　as　he　used　to　do；　and　was　not　more　humble　because　Aslak　would　thrust　himself　forward　as　his　equal。　　At　last　the　strife　went　so　far　that　Aslak　could　not　keep　his　place；　but　hastened　to　King　Olaf；　and　told　him　the　circumstances　between　him　and　Erling。　　The　king　told　Aslak　to　remain　with　him　until　he　should　meet　Erling；　and　sent　a　message　to　Erling　that　he　should　come　to　him　in　spring　at　Tunsberg。　　When　they　all　arrived　there　they　held　a　meeting　at　which　the　king　said　to　him；　〃It　is　told　me　concerning　thy　government；　Erling；　that　no　man　from　Sogn　Lake　to　the　Naze　can　enjoy　his　freedom　for　thee；　although　there　are　many　men　there　who　consider　themselves　born　to　udal　rights；　and　have　their　privileges　like　others　born　as　they　are。　　Now；　here　is　your　relation　Aslak；　who　appears　to　have　suffered　great　inconvenience　from　your　conduct；　and　I　do　not　know　whether　he　himself　is　in　fault；　or　whether　he　suffers　because　I　have　placed　him　to　defend　what　is　mine；　and　although　I　name　him；　there　are　many　others　who　have　brought　the　same　complaint　before　us；　both　among　those　who　are　placed　in　office　in　our　districts；　and　among　the　bailiffs　who　have　our　farms　to　manage；　and　are　obliged　to　entertain　me　and　my　people。〃

Erling　replies　to　this；　〃I　will　answer　at　once。　　I　deny　altogether　that　I　have　ever　injured　Aslak；　or　any　one　else；　for　being　in　your　service；　but　this　I　will　not　deny；　that　it　is　now；　as　it　has　long　been；　that　each　of　us　relations　will　willingly　be　greater　than　the　other：　and；　moreover；　I　freely　acknowledge　that　I　am　ready　to　bow　my　neck　to　thee；　King　Olaf；　but　it　is　more　difficult　for　me　to　stoop　before　one　who　is　of　slave　descent　in　all　his　generation；　although　he　is　now　your　bailiff；　or　before　others　who　are　but　equal　to　him　in　descent；　although　you　bestow　honours　on　them。〃

Now　the　friends　of　both　interfered；　and　entreated　that　they　would　be　reconciled；　saying；　that　the　king　never　could　have　such　powerful　aid　as　from　Erling；　〃if　he　was　your　friend　entirely。〃　　On　the　other　hand；　they　represent　to　Erling　that　he　should　give　up　to　the　king；　for　if　he　was　in　friendship　with　the　king；　it　would　be　easy　to　do　with　all　the　others　what　he　pleased。　　The　meeting　accordingly　ended　so　that　Erling　should　retain　the　fiefs　he　formerly　had；　and　every　complaint　the　king　had　against　Erling　should　be　dropped；　but　Skjalg；　Erling's　son；　should　come　to　the　king；　and　remain　in　his　power。　　Then　Aslak　returned　to　his　dominions；　and　the　two　were　in　some　sort　reconciled。　　Erling　returned　home　also　to　his　domains；　and　followed　his　own　way　of　ruling　them。



123。　HERE　BEGINS　THE　STORY　OF　ASBJORN　SELSBANE。

There　was　a　man　named　Sigurd　Thoreson；　a　brother　of　Thorer　Hund　of　Bjarkey　Island。　　Sigurd　was　married　to　Sigrid　Skjalg's　daughter；　a　sister　of　Erling。　　Their　son；　called　Asbjorn；　became　as　he　grew　up　a　very　able　man。　　Sigurd　dwelt　at　Omd　in　Thrandarnes；　and　was　a　very　rich　and　respected　man。　　He　had　not　gone　into　the　king's　service；　and　Thorer　in　so　far　had　attained　higher　dignity　than　his　brother；　that　he　was　the　king's　lenderman。　　But　at　home；　on　his　farm；　Sigurd　stood　in　no　respect　behind　his　brother　in　splendour　and　magnificence。　　As　long　as　heathenism　prevailed；　Sigurd　usually　had　three　sacrifices　every　year：　one　on　winter…night's　eve；　one　on　mid…winter's　eve；　and　the　third　in　summer。　　Although　he　had　adopted　Christianity；　he　continued　the　same　custom　with　his　feasts：　he　had；　namely；　a　great　friendly　entertainment　at　harvest　time；　a　Yule　feast　in　winter；　to　which　he　invited　many；　the　third　feast　he　had　about　Easter；　to　which　also　he　invited　many　guests。　　He　continued　this　fashion　as　long　as　he　lived。　　Sigurd　died　on　a　bed　of　sickness　when　Asbjorn　was　eighteen　years　old。　　He　was　the　only　heir　of　his　father；　and　he　followed　his　father's　custom　of　holding　three　festivals　every　year。　　Soon　after　Asbjorn　came　to　his　heritage　the　course　of　seasons　began　to　grow　worse；　and　the　corn　harvests　of　the　people　to　fail；　but　Asbjorn　held　his　usual　feasts；　and　helped　himself　by　having　old　corn；　and　an　old　provision　laid　up　of　all　that　was　useful。　　But　when　one　year　had　passed　and　another　came；　and　the　crops　were　no　better　than　the　year　before；　Sigrid　wished　that　some　if　not　all　of　the　feasts　should　be　given　up。　That　Asbjorn　would　not　consent　to；　but　went　round　in　harvest　among　his　friends；　buying　corn　where　he　could　get　it；　and　some　he　received　in　presents。　　He　thus　kept　his　feasts　this　winter　also；　but　the　spring　after　people　got　but　little　seed　into　the　ground；　for　they　had　to　buy　the　seed…corn。　　Then　Sigurd　spoke　of　diminishing　the　number　of　their　house…servants。　　That　Asbjorn　would　not　consent　to；　but　held　by　the　old　fashion　of　the　house　in　all　things。　　In　summer　（A。D。　1022）　it　appeared　again　that　there　would　be　a　bad　year　for　corn；　and　to　this　came　the　report　from　the　south　that　King　Olaf　prohibited　all　export　of　corn；　malt；　or　meal　from　the　southern　to　the　northern　parts　of　the　country。　　Then　Asbjorn　perceived　that　it　would　be　difficult　to　procure　what　was　necessary　for　a　house…keeping；　and　resolved　to　put　into　the　water　a　vessel　for　carrying　goods　which　he　had；　and　which　was　large　enough　to　go　to　sea　with。　　The　ship　was　good；　all　that　belonged　to　her　was　of　the　best；　and　in　the　sails　were　stripes　of　cloth　of　various　colours。　　Asbjorn　made　himself　ready　for　a　voyage；　and　put　to　sea　with　twenty　men。　　They　sailed　from　the　north　in　summer；　and　nothing　is　told　of　their　voyage　until　one　day；　about　the　time　the　days　begin　to　shorten；　they　came　to　Karmtsund；　and　landed　at　Augvaldsnes。　　Up　in　the　island　Karmt　there　is　a　large　farm；　not　far　from　the　sea；　and　a　large　house　upon　it　called　Augvaldsnes；　which　was　a　king's　house；　with　an　excellent　farm；　which　Thorer　Sel；　who　was　the　king's　bailiff；　had　under　his　management。　　Thorer　was　a　man　of　low　birth；　but　had　swung　himself　up　in　the　world　as　an　active　man；　and　he　was　polite　in　speech；　showy　in　clothes；　and　fond　of　distinction；　and　not　apt　to　give　way　to　others；　in　which　he　was　supported　by　the　favour　of　the　king。　　He　was　besides　quick　in　speech；　straightforward；　and　free　in　conversation。　　Asbjorn；　with　his　company；　brought　up　there　for　the　night；　and　in　the　morning；　when　it　was　light；　Thorer　went　down　to　the　vessel　with　some　men；　and　inquired　who　commanded　the　splendid　ship。　　Asbjorn　named　his　own　and　his　father's　name。　　Thorer　asks　where　the　voyage　was　intended　for；　and　what　was　the　errand。

Asbjorn　replies；　that　he　wanted　to　buy　corn　and　malt；　saying；　as　was　true；　that　it　was　a　very　dear　time　north　in　the　country。　　〃But　we　are　told　that　here　the　seasons　are　good；　and　wilt　thou；　farmer；　sell　us　corn？　　I　see　that　here　are　great　corn　stacks；　and　it　would　be　very　convenient　if　we　had　not　to　travel　farther。〃

Thorer　replies；　〃I　will　give　thee　the　information　that　thou　needst　not　go　farther　to　buy　corn