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ed　in　the　country。　Gudmund　and　Thorkel　Eyjolfson　insisted　much　that　they　should　follow　King　Olaf's　invitation；　and　called　it　a　journey　of　honour。　But　when　they　had　considered　the　matter　on　all　sides；　it　was　at　last　resolved　that　they　should　not　travel　themselves；　but　that　each　of　them　should　send　in　his　place　a　man　whom　they　thought　best　suited　for　it。　　After　this　determination　the　Thing　was　closed；　and　there　was　no　journey　that　summer。　　Thorarin　made　two　voyages　that　summer；　and　about　harvest　was　back　again　at　King　Olaf's；　and　reported　the　result　of　his　mission；　and　that　some　of　the　chiefs；　or　their　sons；　would　come　from　Iceland　according　to　his　message。



136。　OF　THE　PEOPLE　OF　THE　FAREY　ISLANDS。

The　same　summer　（A。D。　1024）　there　came　from　the　Farey　Islands　to　Norway；　on　the　king's　invitation；　Gille　the　lagman；　Leif　Ossurson；　Thoralf　of　Dimun；　and　many　other　bondes'　sons。　　Thord　of　Gata　made　himself　ready　for　the　voyage；　but　just　as　he　was　setting　out　he　got　a　stroke　of　palsy；　and　could　not　come；　so　he　remained　behind。　　Now　when　the　people　from　the　Farey　Isles　arrived　at　King　Olaf's；　he　called　them　to　him　to　a　conference；　and　explained　the　purpose　of　the　journey　he　had　made　them　take；　namely；　that　he　would　have　scat　from　the　Farey　Islands；　and　also　that　the　people　there　should　be　subject　to　the　laws　which　the　king　should　give　them。　　In　that　meeting　it　appeared　from　the　king's　words　that　he　would　make　the　Farey　people　who　had　come　answerable；　and　would　bind　them　by　oath　to　conclude　this　union。　He　also　offered　to　the　men　whom　he　thought　the　ablest　to　take　them　into　his　service；　and　bestow　honour　and　friendship　on　them。　These　Farey　men　understood　the　king's　words　so；　that　they　must　dread　the　turn　the　matter　might　take　if　they　did　not　submit　to　all　that　the　king　desired。　　Although　they　held　several　meetings　about　the　business　before　it　ended；　the　king's　desire　at　last　prevailed。　　Leif；　Gille；　and　Thoralf　went　into　the　king's　service；　and　became　his　courtmen；　and　they；　with　all　their　travelling　companions；　swore　the　oath　to　King　Olaf；　that　the　law　and　land　privilege　which　he　set　them　should　be　observed　in　the　Farey　Islands；　and　also　the　scat　be　levied　that　he　laid　upon　them。　　Thereafter　the　Farey　people　prepared　for　their　return　home；　and　at　their　departure　the　king　gave　those　who　had　entered　into　his　service　presents　in　testimony　of　his　friendship；　and　they　went　their　way。　　Now　the　king　ordered　a　ship　to　be　rigged；　manned　it；　and　sent　men　to　the　Farey　Islands　to　receive　the　scat　from　the　inhabitants　which　they　should　pay　him。　　It　was　late　before　they　were　ready；　but　they　set　off　at　last：　and　of　their　journey　all　that　is　to　be　told　is；　that　they　did　not　come　back；　and　no　scat　either；　the　following　summer；　for　nobody　had　come　to　the　Farey　Isles；　and　no　man　had　demanded　scat　there。



137。　OF　THE　MARRIAGE　OF　KETIL　AND　OF　THORD　TO　THE　KING'S　SISTERS。

King　Olaf　proceeded　about　harvest　time　to　Viken；　and　sent　a　message　before　him　to　the　Uplands　that　they　should　prepare　guest…　quarters　for　him；　as　he　intended　to　be　there　in　winter。　　Afterwards　he　made　ready　for　his　journey；　and　went　to　the　Uplands；　and　remained　the　winter　there；　going　about　in　guest…　quarters；　and　putting　things　to　rights　where　he　saw　it　needful；　advancing　also　the　cause　of　Christianity　wheresoever　it　was　requisite。　　It　happened　while　King　Olaf　was　in　Hedemark　that　Ketil　Kalf　of　Ringanes　courted　Gunhild；　a　daughter　of　Sigurd　Syr　and　of　King　Olaf's　mother　Asta。　　Gunhild　was　a　sister　of　King　Olaf；　and　therefore　it　belonged　to　the　king　to　give　consent　and　determination　to　the　business。　　He　took　it　in　a　friendly　way；　for　he　know　Ketil；　that　he　was　of　high　birth；　wealthy；　and　of　good　understanding；　and　a　great　chief；　and　also　he　had　long　been　a　great　friend　of　King　Olaf；　as　before　related。　　All　these　circumstances　induced　the　king　to　approve　of　the　match；　and　so　it　was　that　Ketil　got　Gunhild。　　King　Olaf　was　present　at　the　wedding。　　From　thence　the　king　went　north　to　Gudbrandsdal；　where　he　was　entertained　in　guest…quarters。　　There　dwelt　a　man；　by　name　Thord　Guthormson；　on　a　farm　called　Steig；　and　he　was　the　most　powerful　man　in　the　north　end　of　the　valley。　　When　Thord　and　the　king　met；　Thord　made　proposals　for　Isrid；　the　daughter　of　Gudbrand；　and　the　sister　of　King　Olaf's　mother；　as　it　belonged　to　the　king　to　give　consent。　　After　the　matter　was　considered；　it　was　determined　that　the　marriage　should　proceed；　and　Thord　got　Isrid。　　Afterwards　Thord　was　the　king's　faithful　friend；　and　also　many　of　Thord's　relations　and　friends；　who　followed　his　footsteps。　　From　thence　King　Olaf　returned　south　through　Thoten　and　Hadaland；　from　thence　to　Ringerike；　and　so　to　Viken。　　In　spring　（A。D。　1025）　he　went　to　Tunsberg；　and　stayed　there　while　there　was　the　market…meeting；　and　a　great　resort　of　people。　　He　then　had　his　vessels　rigged　out；　and　had　many　people　about　him。



138。　OF　THE　ICELANDERS。

The　same　summer　（A。D。　1025）　came　Stein；　a　son　of　the　lagman　Skapte；　from　Iceland；　in　compliance　with　King　Olaf's　message；　and　with　him　Thorod；　a　son　of　Snorre　the　gode；　and　Geller；　a　son　of　Thorkel　Eyjolfson；　and　Egil；　a　son　of　Hal　of　Sida；　brother　of　Thorstein　Hal。　　Gudmund　Eyjolfson　had　died　the　winter　before。　These　Iceland　men　repaired　to　King　Olaf　as　soon　as　they　had　opportunity；　and　when　they　met　the　king　they　were　well　received；　and　all　were　in　his　house。　　The　same　summer　King　Olaf　heard　that　the　ship　was　missing　which　he　had　sent　the　summer　before　to　the　Farey　Islands　after　the　scat；　and　nobody　knew　what　had　become　of　it。　　The　king　fitted　out　another　ship；　manned　it；　and　sent　it　to　the　Farey　Islands　for　the　scat。　　They　got　under　weigh；　and　proceeded　to　sea；　but　as　little　was　ever　heard　of　this　vessel　as　of　the　former　one；　and　many　conjectures　were　made　about　what　had　become　of　them。



139。　HERE　BEGINS　THE　STORY　OF　CANUTE　THE　GREAT。

During　this　time　Canute　the　Great；　called　by　some　Canute　the　Old；　was　king　of　England　and　Denmark。　　Canute　the　Great　was　a　son　of　Svein　Haraldson　Forkedbeard；　whose　forefathers；　for　a　long　course　of　generations；　had　ruled　over　Denmark。　　Harald　Gormson；　Canute's　grandfather；　had　conquered　Norway　after　the　fall　of　Harald　Grafeld；　Gunhild's　son；　had　taken　scat　from　it；　and　had　placed　Earl　Hakon　the　Great　to　defend　the　country。　　The　Danish　King；　Svein　Haraldson；　ruled　also　over　Norway；　and　placed　his　son…in…　law　Earl　Eirik；　the　son　of　Earl　Hakon；　to　defend　the　country。　　The　brothers　Eirik　and　Svein；　Earl　Hakon's　sons；　ruled　the　land　until　Earl　Eirik　went　west　to　England；　on　the　invitation　of　his　brother…in…law　Canute　the　Great；　when　he　left　behind　his　son　Earl　Hakon；　sister's　son　of　Canute　the　Great；　to　govern　Norway。　　But　when　Olaf　the　Thick　came　first　to　Norway；　as　before　related；　he　took　prisoner　Earl　Hakon　the　son　of　Eirik；　and　deposed　him　from　the　kingdom。　　Then　Hakon　proceeded　to　his　mother's　brother；　Canute　the　Great；　and　had　been　with　him　constantly　until　the　time　to　which　here　in　our　saga　we　have　now　come。　　Canute　the　Great　had　conquered　England　by　blows　and　weapons；　and　had　a　long　struggle　before　the　people　of　the　land　were　subdued。　　But　when　he　had　set　himself　perfectly　firm　in　the　government　of　the　country；　he　remembered　that　he　also　had　right　to　a　kingdom　which　he　had　not　brought　under　his　authority；　and　that　was　Norway。　　He　thought　he　had　hereditary　right　to　all　Norway；　and　his　sister's　son　Hakon；　who　had　held　a　part　of　it；　appeared　to　him　to　have　lost　it　with　disgrace。　　The　reason　why　Canute　and　Hakon　had　remained　quiet　with　respect　to　their　claims　upon　Norway　was；　that　when　King　Olaf　Haraldson　landed　in　Norway　the　people　and　commonalty　ran　together　in　crowds；　and　would　hear　of　nothing　but　that　Olaf　should　be　king　over　all　the　country；　although　some　afterwards；　who　thought　that　the　people　upon　account　of　his　power　had　no　self…government　left　to　them；　went　out　of　the　country。　　Many　powerful　men；　or　rich　bondes　sons；　had　therefore　gone　to　Canute　the　Great；　and　pretended　various　errands；　and　every　one　who　came　to　Canute　and　desired　his　friendship　was　loaded　with　presents。　　With　Canute；　too；　could　be　seen　greater　splendour　and　pomp　than　elsewhere；　both　with　regard　to　the　multitude　of　people　who　were　daily　in　attendance；　and　also　to　the　other　magnificent　things　about　the　houses　he　owned　and　dwelt　in　himself。　　Canute　the　Great　drew　scat　and　revenue　from　the　people　who　were　the　richest　of　all　in　northern　lands；　and　in　the　same　proportion　as　he　had　greater　revenues　than　other　kings；　he　also　made　greater　presents　than　other　kings。　　In　his　whole　kingdom　peace　was　so　well　established；　that　no　man　dared　break　it。　　The　people　of　the　country　kept　the　peace　towards　each　other；　and　had　their　old　country　law：　and　for　this　he　was　greatly　celebrated　in　all　countries。　　And　many　of　those　who　came　from　Norway　represented　their　hardships　to　Earl　Hakon；　and　some　even　to　King　Canute　himself；　and　that　the　Norway　people　were　ready　to　turn　back　to　the　government　of　King　Canute；　or　Earl　Hakon；　and　receive　deliverance　from　them。　　This　conversation　suited　well　the　earl's　inclination；　and　he　carried　it　to　the　king；　and　begged　of　him　to　try　if　King　Olaf　would　not　surrender　the　kingdom；　or　at　least　come　to　an　agreement　to　divide　it；　and　many　supported　the　earl's　views。



140。　CANUTE'S　MESSAGE　TO　KING　OLAF。

Canute　the　Great　sent　men　from　the　West；　from　England；　to　Norway；　and　equipped　them　magnificently　for　the　journey。　　They　were　bearers　of　the　English　king　Canute's　letter　and　seal。　　They　came　about　spring　（A。D。　1025）　to　the　king　of　Norway；　Olaf　Haraldson；　in　Tunsberg。　　Now　when　it　was　told　the　king　that　ambassadors　had　arrived　from　Canute　the　Great　he　was　ill　at　ease；　and　said　that　Canute　had　not　sent　messengers　hither　with　any　messages　that　could　be　of　advantage　to　him　or　his　people；　and　it　was　some　days　before　the　ambassadors　could　come　before　the　king。　　But　when　they　got　permission　to　speak　to　him　they　appeared　before　the　king；　and　made　known　King　Canute's　letter；　and　their　errand　which　accompanied　it；　namely；　〃that　King　Canute　considers　all　Norway　as　his　property；　and　insists　that　his　forefathers　before　him　have　possessed　that　kingdom；　but　as　King　Canute　offers　peace　to　all　countries；　he　will　also　offer　peace　to　all　here；　if　it　can　be　so　settled；　and　will　not　invad