Heimskringla; Or, The Chronicle of the Kings of Norway
prepared to return home, and on his departure he received splendid
presents from King Canute. Bjarne the skald tells of these
circumstances:--
"Sprung from old earls!--to England's lord
Thou owest many a thankful word
For many a gift: if all be true,
Thy interest has been kept in view;
For when thy course was bent for home,
(Although that luck is not yet come,)
'That Norway should be thine,' 'tis said,
The London king a promise made."
Kalf thereafter returned to Norway, and came to his farm.
195. OF THE DEATH OF EARL HAKON.
Earl Hakon left the country this summer (A.D. 1029), and went to
England, and when he came there was well received by the king. The earl
had a bride in England, and he travelled to conclude this marriage, and
as he intended holding his wedding in Norway, he came to procure those
things for it in England which it was difficult to get in Norway. In
autumn he made ready for his return, but it was somewhat late before he
was clear for sea; but at last he set out. Of his voyage all that can
be told is, that the vessel was lost, and not a man escaped. Some relate
that the vessel was seen north of Caithness in the evening in a heavy
storm, and the wind blowing out of Pentland Firth. They who believe this
report say the vessel drove out among the breakers of the ocean; but
with certainty people knew only that Earl Hakon was missing in the
ocean, and nothing belonging to the ship ever came to land. The same
autumn some merchants came to Norway, who told the tidings that were
going through the country of Earl Hakon being missing; and all men
knew that he neither came to Norway nor to England that autumn, so that
Norway that winter was without a head.
196. OF BJORN THE MARSHAL.
Bjorn the marshal sat at home on his farm after his parting from King
Olaf. Bjorn was a celebrated man; therefore it was soon reported far and
wide that he had set himself down in quietness. Earl Hakon and the other
chiefs of the country heard this also, and sent persons with a verbal
message to Bjorn. When the messengers arrived Bjorn received them well;
and afterwards Bjorn called them to him to a conference, and asked their
business. He who was their foreman presented to Bjorn the salutations of
King Canute, Earl Hakon, and of several chiefs. "King Canute," says he,
"has heard much of thee, and that thou hast been long a follower of King
Olaf the Thick, and hast been a great enemy of King Canute; and this
he thinks not right, for he will be thy friend, and the friend of all
worthy men, if thou wilt turn from thy friendship to King Olaf and
become his enemy. And the only thing now thou canst do is to seek
friendship and protection there where it is most readily to be found,
and which all men in this northern world think it most honourable to be
favoured with. Ye who have followed Olaf the Thick should consider how
he is now separated from you; and that now ye have no aid against King
Canute and his men, whose lands ye plundered last summer, and whose
friends ye murdered. Therefore ye ought to accept, with thanks, the
friendship which the king offers you; and it would become you better if
you offered money even in mulct to obtain it."
When he had ended his speech Bjorn replies, "I wish now to sit quietly
at home, and not to enter into the service of any chief."
The messenger answers, "Such men as thou art are just the right men to
serve the king; and now I can tell thee there are just two things for
thee to choose,--either to depart in peace from thy property, and wander
about as thy comrade Olaf is doing; or, which is evidently better, to
accept King Canute's and Earl Hakon's friendship, become their man,
and take the oaths of fealty to them. Receive now thy reward." And he
displayed to him a large bag full of English money.
Bjorn was a man fond of money, and self-interested; and when he saw
the silver he was silent, and reflected with himself what resolution he
should take. It seemed to him much to abandon his property, as he did
not think it probable that King Olaf would ever have a rising in his
favour in Norway. Now when the messenger saw that Bjorn's inclinations
were turned towards the money, he threw down two thick gold rings,
and said, "Take the money at once, Bjorn, and swear the oaths to King
Canute; for I can promise thee that this money is but a trifle, compared
to what thou wilt receive if thou followest King Canute."
By the heap of money, the fine promises, and the great presents, he was
led by covetousness, took the money, went into King Canute's service,
and gave the oaths of fealty to King Canute and Earl Hakon, and then the
messengers departed.
197. BJORN THE MARSHAL'S JOURNEY.
When Bjorn heard the tidings that Earl Hakon was missing he soon altered
his mind, and was much vexed with himself for having been a traitor in
his fidelity to King Olaf. He thought, now, that he was freed from the
oath by which he had bound himself to Earl Hakon. It seemed to Bjorn
that now there was some hope that King Olaf might again come to the
throne of Norway if he came back, as the country was without a head.
Bjorn therefore immediately made himself ready to travel, and took some
men with him. He then set out on his journey, travelling night and day,
on horseback when he could, and by ship when he found occasion; and
never halted until he came, after Yule, east to Russia to King Olaf, who
was very glad to see Bjorn. Then the king inquired much about the
news from Norway. Bjorn tells him that Earl Hakon was missing, and the
kingdom left without a head. At this news the men who had followed
King Olaf were very glad,--all who had left property, connections, and
friends in Norway; and the longing for home was awakened in them. Bjorn
told King Olaf much news from Norway, and very anxious the king was to
know, and asked much how his friends had kept their fidelity towards
him. Bjorn answered, it had gone differently with different people.
Then Bjorn stood up, fell at the king's feet, held his foot, and said,
"All is in your power, sire, and in God's! I have taken money from King
Canute's men, and sworn them the oaths of fealty; but now will I follow
thee, and not part from thee so long as we both live."
The king replies, "Stand up, Bjorn' thou shalt be reconciled with me;
but reconcile thy perjury with God. I can see that but few men in Norway
have held fast by their fealty, when such men as thou art could be false
to me. But true it is also that people sit in great danger when I am
distant, and they are exposed to the wrath of my enemies."
Bjorn then reckoned up those who had principally bound themselves to
rise in hostility against the king and his men; and named, among others,
Erling's son in Jadar and their connections, Einar Tambaskelfer, Kalf
Arnason, Thorer Hund, and Harek of Thjotta.
198. OF KING OLAF.
After King Olaf came to Russia he was very thoughtful, and weighed what
counsel he now should follow. King Jarisleif and Queen Ingegerd offered
him to remain with them, and receive a kingdom called Vulgaria, which is
a part of Russia, and in which land the people were still heathen. King
Olaf thought over this offer; but when he proposed it to his men they
dissuaded him from settling himself there, and urged the king to betake
himself to Norway to his own kingdom: but the king himself had resolved
almost in his own mind to lay down his royal dignity, to go out into the
world to Jerusalem, or other holy places, and to enter into some order
of monks. But yet the thought lay deep in his soul to recover again, if
there should be any opportunity for him, his kingdom in Norway. When
he thought over this, it recurred to his mind how all things had gone
prosperously with him during the first ten years of his reign, and how
afterwards every thing he undertook became heavy, difficult, and hard;
and that he had been unlucky, on all occasions in which he had tried
his luck. On this account he doubted if it would be prudent to depend so
much upon his luck, as to go with so little strength into the hands of
his enemies, seeing that all the people of the country had taken part
with them to oppose King Olaf. Such cares he had often on his mind, and
he left his cause to God, praying that He would do what to Him seemed
best. These thoughts he turned over in his mind, and knew not what to
resolve upon; for he saw how evidently dangerous that was which his
inclination was most bent upon.
199. OF KING OLAF'S DREAM.
One night the king lay awake in his bed, thinking with great anxiety
about his determination, and at last, being tired of thinking, sleep
came over him towards morning; but his sleep was so light that he
thought he was awake, and could see all that was doing in the house.
Then he saw a great and superb man, in splendid clothes, standing by his
bed; and it came into the king's mind that this was King Olaf Trygvason
who had come to him. This man said to him, "Thou are very sick of
thinking about thy future resolutions; and it appears to me wonderful
that these thoughts should be so tumultuous in thy soul that thou
shouldst even think of laying down the kingly dignity which God hath
given thee, and of remaining here and accepting of a kingdom from
foreign and unknown kings. Go back rather to that kingdom which thou
hast received in heritage, and rule over it with the strength which God
hath given thee, and let not thy inferiors take it from thee. It is the
glory of a king to be victorious over his enemies, and it is a glorious
death to die in battle. Or art thou doubtful if thou hast right on thy
side in the strife with thine enemies? Thou must have no doubts, and
must not conceal the truth from thyself. Thou must go back to thy
country, and God will give open testimony that the kingdom is thine by
property." When the king awoke he thought he saw the man's shoulders
going out. From this time the king's courage rose, and he fixed firmly
his resolution to return to Norway; to which his inclination also
tended most, and which he also found was the desire of all his men. He
bethought himself also that the country being without a chief could be
easily attacked, from what he had heard, and that after he came himself
many would turn back towards him. When the king told his determination
to his people they all gave it their approbation joyfully.
200. OF KING OLAF'S HEALING POWERS.
It is related that once upon a time, while King Olaf was in Russia, it
happened that the son of an honest widow had a sore boil upon his neck,
of which the lad lay very ill; and as he could not swallow any food,
there was little hope of his life. The boy's mother went to Queen
Ingegerd, with whom she was acquainted, and showed her the lad. The
queen said she knew no remedy for it. "Go," said she, "to King Olaf, he
is the best physician here; and beg him to lay his hands on thy lad, and
bring him my words if he will not otherwise do it." She did as the queen
told her; and when she found the king she says to him that her son is
dangerously ill of a boil in his neck, and begs him to lay his hand on
the boil. The king tells her he is not a physician, and bids her go to
where there were physicians. She replies, that the queen had told her
to come to him; "and told me to add the request from her, that you would
would use the remedy you understood, and she said that thou art the best
physician here in the town." Then the king took the lad, laid his hands
upon his neck, and felt the boil for a long time, until the boy made
a very wry face. Then the king took a piece of bread, laid it in the
figure of the cross upon the palm of his hand, and put it into the boy's
mouth. He swallowed it down, and from that time all the soreness left