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The bonde was so ill hearing this that he could not row, and the oars hung loose in his hands.
Then said the king, "Thy mind is turned much to these crows, bonde, and to what they say."The bonde replies, "Now I suspect it is true what they say."The third time the crow came flying screeching at its very worst, and almost settling on the ship.Now the bonde threw down his oars, regarded them no more, and stood up before the king.
Then the king said, "Thou art taking this much to heart, bonde;what is it they say?"The peasant -- "It is likely that either they or I have misunderstood -- ""Say on," replied the king.
The bonde replied in a song: --
"The `one-year old'
Mere nonsense told;
The `two-years' chatter Seemed senseless matter;The three-years' croak Of wonders spoke.
The foul bird said My old mare's head I row along;And, in her song, She said the thief Was the land's chief."The king said, "What is this, bonde! Wilt thou call me a thief?"Then the king gave him good presents, and remitted all the land-rent of the place he lived on.So says Stein: --"The pillar of our royal race Stands forth adorned with every grace.
What king before e'er took such pride To scatter bounty far and wide?
Hung round with shields that gleam afar;
The merchant ship on one bestows, With painted streaks in glowing rows.
"The man-at-arms a golden ring Boasts as the present of his king;At the king's table sits the guest, By the king's bounty richly drest.
King Olaf, Norway's royal son, Who from the English glory won, Pours out with ready-giving hand His wealth on children of the land.
"Brave clothes to servants he awards, Helms and ring-mail coats grace his guards;Or axe and sword Har's warriors gain, And heavy armour for the plain.
Gold, too, for service duly paid, Red gold all pure, and duly weighed, King Olaf gives -- be loves to pay All service in a royal way."11.OF KING OLAF KYRRE'S DEATH.
King Olaf lived principally in his domains on his large farms.
Once when he was east in Ranrike, on his estate of Haukby, he took the disease which ended in his death.He had then been king of Norway for twenty-six years (A.D.1068-1093); for he was made king of Norway the year after King Harald's death.King Olaf's body was taken north to Nidaros, and buried in Christ church, which he himself had built there.He was the most amiable king of his time, and Norway was much improved in riches and cultivation during his reign.
MAGNUS BAREFOOT'S SAGA.
PRELIMINARY REMARKS.
The greater part of the contents of this saga is also found in "Agrip", "Fagrskinna", and "Morkinskinna".
Magnus and his cousin Hakon became kings in 1093, but Hakon ruled only two years and died in 1095.King Magnus fell in the year 1103.
Skalds quoted are: Bjorn Krephende, Thorkel Hamarskald, and Eldjarn.
1.BEGINNING OF THE REIGN OF KING MAGNUS AND HIS COUSIN HAKON.
Magnus, King Olaf's son, was, immediately after King Olaf's death, proclaimed at Viken king of all Norway; but the Upland people, on hearing of King Olaf's death, chose Hakon, Thorer's foster-son, a cousin of King Magnus, as king.Thereupon Hakon and Thorer went north to the Throndhjem country, and when they came to Nidaros they summoned the Eyrathing; and at that Thing Hakon desired the bondes to give him the kingly title, which was agreed to, and the Throndhjem people proclaimed him king of half of Norway, as his father, King Magnus, had been before.Hakon relieved the Throndhjem people of all harbour duties, and gave them many other privileges.He did away with Yule-gifts, and gained by this the good-will of all the Throndhjem people.
Thereafter Hakon formed a court, and then proceeded to the Uplands, where he gave the Upland people the same privileges as the Throndhjem people; so that they also were perfectly well affected to him, and were his friends.The people in Throndhjem sang this ballad about him: --"Young Hakon was the Norseman's pride, And Steig-Thorer was on his side.
Young Hakon from the Upland came, With royal birth, and blood, and name.
Young Hakon from the king demands His royal birthright, half the lands;Magnus will not the kingdom break, --The whole or nothing he will take."
2.HAKON'S DEATH.
King Magnus proceeded north to the merchant town (Nidaros), and on his arrival went straight to the king's house, and there took up his abode.He remained here the first part of the winter (A.D.1094), and kept seven longships in the open water of the river Nid, abreast of the king's house.Now when King Hakon heard that King Magnus was come to Throndhjem, he came from the East over the Dovrefield, and thence down from Throndhjem to the merchant town, where he took up his abode in the house of Skule, opposite to Clement's church, which had formerly been the king's house.King Magnus was ill pleased with the great gifts which Hakon had given to the bondes to gain their favour, and thought it was so much given out of his own property.This irritated his mind; and he thought he had suffered injustice from his relative in this respect, that he must now put up with less income than his father and his predecessors before him had enjoyed; and he gave Thorer the blame.When King Hakon and Thorer observed this, they were alarmed for what Magnus might do; and they thought it suspicious that Magnus kept long-ships afloat rigged out, and with tents.The following spring, after Candlemas, King Magnus left the town in the night with his ships; the tents up, and lights burning in the tents.They brought up at Hefring, remained there all night, and kindled a fire on the land.Then Hakon and the men in the town thought some treachery was on foot, and he let the trumpets call all the men together out on the Eyrar, where the whole people of the town came to him, and the people were gathering together the whole night.When it was light in the morning, King Magnus saw the people from all districts gathered together on the Eyrar; and he sailed out of the fjord, and proceeded south to where the Gulathing is held.