Heimskringla; Or, The Chronicle of the Kings of Norway
corn as you require to buy; and they are not subject to law, or land
regulation, like other men." Asbjorn agreed to the proposal. The slaves
were now spoken to about the purchase, and they brought forward corn and
malt, which they sold to Asbjorn, so that he loaded his vessel with what
he wanted. When he was ready for sea Erling followed him on the road,
made him presents of friendship, and they took a kind farewell of each
other. Asbjorn got a good breeze, landed in the evening at Karmtsund,
near to Augvaldsnes, and remained there for the night. Thorer Sel had
heard of Asbjorn's voyage, and also that his vessel was deeply laden.
Thorer summoned people to him in the night, so that before daylight he
had sixty men; and with these he went against Asbjorn as soon as it was
light, and went out to the ship just as Asbjorn and his men were putting
on their clothes. Asbjorn saluted Thorer, and Thorer asked what kind of
goods Asbjorn had in the vessel.
He replied, "Corn and malt."
Thorer said, "Then Erling is doing as he usually does, and despising the
king's orders, and is unwearied in opposing him in all things, insomuch
that it is wonderful the king suffers it."
Thorer went on scolding in this way, and when he was silent Asbjorn said
that Erling's slaves had owned the corn.
Thorer replied hastily, that he did not regard Erling's tricks. "And
now, Asbjorn, there is no help for it; ye must either go on shore, or we
will throw you overboard; for we will not be troubled with you while we
are discharging the cargo."
Asbjorn saw that he had not men enough to resist Thorer; therefore
he and his people landed, and Thorer took the whole cargo out of the
vessel. When the vessel was discharged Thorer went through the ship, and
observed. "Ye Halogalanders have good sails: take the old sail of our
vessel and give it them; it is good enough for those who are sailing
in a light vessel." Thus the sails were exchanged. When this was done
Asbjorn and his comrades sailed away north along the coast, and did not
stop until they reached home early in whiter. This expedition was talked
of far and wide, and Asbjorn had no trouble that winter in making feasts
at home. Thorer Hund invited Asbjorn and his mother, and also all whom
they pleased to take along with him, to a Yule feast; but Asbjorn sat
at home, and would not travel, and it was to be seen that Thorer thought
Asbjorn despised his invitation, since he would not come. Thorer scoffed
much at Asbjorn's voyage. "Now," said he, "it is evident that Asbjorn
makes a great difference in his respect towards his relations; for in
summer he took the greatest trouble to visit his relation Erling in
Jadar, and now will not take the trouble to come to me in the next
house. I don't know if he thinks there may be a Thorer Sel in his way
upon every holm." Such words, and the like sarcasms, Asbjorn heard of;
and very ill satisfied he was with his voyage, which had thus made him
a laughing-stock to the country, and he remained at home all winter, and
went to no feasts.
124. MURDER OF THORER SEL.
Asbjorn had a long-ship standing in the noust (shipshed), and it was
a snekke (cutter) of twenty benches; and after Candlemas (February
2, 1023), he had the vessel put in the water, brought out all his
furniture, and rigged her out. He then summoned to him his friends and
people, so that he had nearly ninety men all well armed. When he was
ready for sea, and got a wind, he sailed south along the coast, but as
the wind did not suit, they advanced but slowly. When they came farther
south they steered outside the rocks, without the usual ships' channel,
keeping to sea as much as it was possible to do so. Nothing is related
of his voyage before the fifth day of Easter (April 18, 1023), when,
about evening, they came on the outside of Karmt Island. This island is
so shaped that it is very long, but not broad at its widest part; and
without it lies the usual ships' channel. It is thickly inhabited;
but where the island is exposed to the ocean great tracts of it are
uncultivated. Asbjorn and his men landed at a place in the island that
was uninhabited. After they had set up their ship-tents Asbjorn said,
"Now ye must remain here and wait for me. I will go on land in the isle,
and spy what news there may be which we know nothing of." Asbjorn had
on mean clothes, a broadbrimmed hat, a fork in his hand, but had girt on
his sword under his clothes. He went up to the land, and in through the
island; and when he came upon a hillock, from which he could see the
house on Augvaldsnes, and on as far as Karmtsund, he saw people in all
quarters flocking together by land and by sea, and all going up to the
house of Augvaldsnes. This seemed to him extraordinary; and therefore
he went up quietly to a house close by, in which servants were cooking
meat. From their conversation he discovered immediately that the king
Olaf had come there to a feast, and that he had just sat down to table.
Asbjorn turned then to the feasting-room, and when he came into the
ante-room one was going in and another coming out; but nobody took
notice of him. The hall-door was open, and he saw that Thorer Sel stood
before the table of the high-seat. It was getting late in the evening,
and Asbjorn heard people ask Thorer what had taken place between him
and Asbjorn; and Thorer had a long story about it, in which he evidently
departed from the truth. Among other things he heard a man say, "How did
Asbjorn behave when you discharged his vessel?" Thorer replied, "When we
were taking out the cargo he bore it tolerably, but not well; and when
we took the sail from him he wept." When Asbjorn heard this he suddenly
drew his sword, rushed into the hall, and cut at Thorer. The stroke took
him in the neck, so that the head fell upon the table before the king,
and the body at his feet, and the table-cloth was soiled with blood from
top to bottom. The king ordered him to be seized and taken out. This
was done. They laid hands on Asbjorn, and took him from the hall. The
table-furniture and table-cloths were removed, and also Thorer's corpse,
and all the blood wiped up. The king was enraged to the highest; but
remained quiet in speech, as he always was when in anger.
125. OF SKJALG, THE SON OF ERLING SKJALGSON.
Skjalg Erlingson stood up, went before the king, and said, "Now may it
go, as it often does, that every case will admit of alleviation. I will
pay thee the mulct for the bloodshed on account of this man, so that
he may retain life and limbs. All the rest determine and do, king,
according to thy pleasure."
The king replies, "Is it not a matter of death, Skjalg, that a man
break the Easter peace; and in the next place that he kills a man in
the king's lodging; and in the third that he makes my feet his
execution-block, although that may appear a small matter to thee and thy
father?"
Skjalg replies, "It is ill done, king, in as far as it displeases thee;
but the deed is, otherwise, done excellently well. But if the deed
appear to thee so important, and be so contrary to thy will, yet may I
expect something for my services from thee; and certainly there are many
who will say that thou didst well."
The king replies, "Although thou hast made me greatly indebted to thee,
Skjalg, for thy services, yet I will not for thy sake break the law, or
cast away my own dignity."
Then Skjalg turned round, and went out of the hall. Twelve men who had
come with Skjalg all followed him, and many others went out with him.
Skjalg said to Thorarin Nefiulfson, "If thou wilt have me for a friend,
take care that this man be not killed before Sunday." Thereupon Skjalg
and his men set off, took a rowing boat which he had, and rowed south as
fast as they could, and came to Jadar with the first glimpse of morning.
They went up instantly to the house, and to the loft in which Erling
slept. Skjalg rushed so hard against the door that it burst asunder at
the nails. Erling and the others who were within started up. He was in
one spring upon his legs, grasped his shield and sword, and rushed to
the door, demanding who was there. Skjalg named himself, and begs him to
open the door. Erling replies, "It was most likely to be thee who
hast behaved so foolishly; or is there any one who is pursuing thee?"
Thereupon the door was unlocked. Then said Skjalg, "Although it appears
to thee that I am so hasty, I suppose our relation Asbjorn will not
think my proceedings too quick; for he sits in chains there in the north
at Augvaldsnes, and it would be but manly to hasten back and stand by
him." The father and son then had a conversation together, and Skjalg
related the whole circumstances of Thorer Sel's murder.
126. OF THORARIN NEFIULFSON.
King Olaf took his seat again when everything in the hall was put in
order, and was enraged beyond measure. He asked how it was with the
murderer. He was answered, that he was sitting out upon the doorstep
under guard.
The king says, "Why is he not put to death?"
Thorarin Nefiulfson replies, "Sire, would you not call it murder to kill
a man in the night-time?"
The king answers, "Put him in irons then, and kill him in the morning."
Then Asbjorn was laid in chains, and locked up in a house for the night.
The day after the king heard the morning mass, and then went to the
Thing, where he sat till high mass. As he was going to mass he said
to Thorarin, "Is not the sun high enough now in the heavens that your
friend Asbjorn may be hanged?"
Thorarin bowed before the king, and said, "Sire, it was said by Bishop
Sigurd on Friday last, that the King who has all things in his power
had to endure great temptation of spirit; and blessed is he who rather
imitates him, than those who condemned the man to death, or those
who caused his slaughter. It is not long till tomorrow, and that is a
working day."
The king looked at him, and said, "Thou must take care then that he is
not put to death to-day; but take him under thy charge, and know for
certain that thy own life shall answer for it if he escape in any way."
Then the king went away. Thorarin went also to where Asbjorn lay in
irons, took off his chains, and brought him to a small room, where
he had meat and drink set before him, and told him what the king had
determined in case Asbjorn ran away. Asbjorn replies, that Thorarin need
not be afraid of him. Thorarin sat a long while with him during the day,
and slept there all night. On Saturday the king arose and went to the
early mass, and from thence he went to the Thing, where a great many
bondes were assembled, who had many complaints to be determined. The
king sat there long in the day, and it was late before the people went
to high mass. Thereafter the king went to table. When he had got meat he
sat drinking for a while, so that the tables were not removed. Thorarin
went out to the priest who had the church under his care, and gave him
two marks of silver to ring in the Sabbath as soon as the king's table
was taken away. When the king had drunk as much as he wished the tables
were removed. Then said the king, that it was now time for the slaves
to go to the murderer and put him to death. In the same moment the bell
rang in the Sabbath.
Then Thorarin went before the king, and said, "The Sabbath-peace this
man must have, although he has done evil."
The king said, "Do thou take care, Thorarin, that he do not escape."
The king then went to the church, and attended the vesper service, and
Thorarin sat the whole day with Asbjorn. On Sunday the bishop visited
Asbjorn, confessed him, and gave him orders to hear high mass. Thorarin
then went to the king, and asked him to appoint men to guard the
murderer. "I will now," he said, "be free of this charge." The king