Heimskringla. Snorri Sturluson

had possessed under King Hakon, and on that they considered themselves at peace. All Gunhild's sons had the character of being penurious; and it was said they hid their money in the ground. Eyvind Skaldaspiller made a song about this:—

      "Main-mast of battle! Harald bold!

       In Hakon's days the skald wore gold

       Upon his falcon's seat; he wore

       Rolf Krake's seed, the yellow ore

       Sown by him as he fled away,

       The avenger Adils' speed to stay.

       The gold crop grows upon the plain;

       But Frode's girls so gay in vain

       Grind out the golden meal, while those

       Who rule o'er Norway's realm like foes,

       In mother earth's old bosom hide

       The wealth which Hakon far and wide

       Scattered with generous hand: the sun

       Shone in the days of that great one,

       On the gold band of Fulla's brow,

       On gold-ringed hands that bend the bow,

       On the skald's hand; but of the ray

       Of bright gold, glancing like the spray

       Of sun-lit waves, no skald now sings—

       Buried are golden chains and rings."

      Now when King Harald heard this song, he sent a message to Eyvind to come to him, and when Eyvind came made a charge against him of being unfaithful. "And it ill becomes thee," said the king, "to be my enemy, as thou hast entered into my service." Eyvind then made these verses:—

      "One lord I had before thee, Harald!

       One dear-loved lord! Now am I old,

       And do not wish to change again,—

       To that loved lord, through strife and pain,

       Faithful I stood; still true to Hakon,—

       To my good king, and him alone.

       But now I'm old and useless grown,

       My hands are empty, wealth is flown;

       I am but fir for a short space

       In thy court-hall to fill a place."

      But King Harald forced Eyvind to submit himself to his clemency. Eyvind had a great gold ring, which was called Molde, that had been dug up out of the earth long since. This ring the King said he must have as the mulet for the offence; and there was no help for it. Then Eyvind sang:—

      "I go across the ocean-foam,

       Swift skating to my Iceland home

       Upon the ocean-skates, fast driven

       By gales by Thurse's witch fire given.

       For from the falcon-bearing hand

       Harald has plucked the gold snake band

       My father wore—by lawless might

       Has taken what is mine by right."

      Eyvind went home; but it is not told that he ever came near the king again.

      2. CHRISTIANITY OF GUNHILD'S SONS.

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      Gunhild's sons embraced Christianity in England, as told before; but when they came to rule over Norway they made no progress in spreading Christianity—only they pulled down the temples of the idols, and cast away the sacrifices where they had it in their power, and raised great animosity by doing so. The good crops of the country were soon wasted in their days, because there were many kings, and each had his court about him. They had therefore great expenses, and were very greedy. Besides, they only observed those laws of King Hakon which suited themselves. They were, however, all of them remarkably handsome men—stout, strong, and expert in all exercises. So says Glum Geirason, in the verses he composed about Harald, Gunhild's son:—

      "The foeman's terror, Harald bold,

       Had gained enough of yellow gold;

       Had Heimdal's teeth enough in store,

       And understood twelve arts or more."

      The brothers sometimes went out on expeditions together, and sometimes each on his own account. They were fierce, but brave and active; and great warriors, and very successful.

      3. COUNCILS BY GUNHILD AND HER SONS.

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      Gunhild the King-mother, and her sons, often met, and talked together upon the government of the country. Once Gunhild asked her sons what they intended to do with their kingdom of Throndhjem. "Ye have the title of king, as your forefathers had before you; but ye have little land or people, and there are many to divide with. In the East, at Viken, there are Trygve and Gudrod; and they have some right, from relationship, to their governments. There is besides Earl Sigurd ruling over the whole Throndhjem country; and no reason can I see why ye let so large a kingdom be ruled by an earl, and not by yourselves. It appears wonderful to me that ye go every summer upon viking cruises against other lands, and allow an earl within the country to take your father's heritage from you. Your grandfather, whose name you bear, King Harald, thought it but a small matter to take an earl's life and land when he subdued all Norway, and held it under him to old age."

      Harald replied, "It is not so easy, mother, to cut off Earl Sigurd as to slay a kid or a calf. Earl Sigurd is of high birth, powerful in relations, popular, and prudent; and I think if the Throndhjem people knew for certain there was enmity between us, they would all take his side, and we could expect only evil from them. I don't think it would be safe for any of us brothers to fall into the hands of the Throndhjem people."

      Then said Gunhild, "We shall go to work another way, and not put ourselves forward. Harald and Erling shall come in harvest to North More, and there I shall meet you, and we shall consult together what is to be done." This was done.

      4. GUNHILD'S SONS AND GRJOTGARD.

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      Earl Sigurd had a brother called Grjotgard, who was much younger, and much less respected; in fact, was held in no title of honour. He had many people, however, about him, and in summer went on viking cruises, and gathered to himself property. Now King Harald sent messengers to Throndhjem with offers of friendship, and with presents. The messengers declared that King Harald was willing to be on the same friendly terms with the earl that King Hakon had been; adding, that they wished the earl to come to King Harald, that their friendship might be put on a firm footing. The Earl Sigurd received well the king's messengers and friendly message, but said that on account of his many affairs he could not come to the king. He sent many friendly gifts, and many glad and grateful words to the king, in return for his friendship. With this reply the messengers set off, and went to Grjotgard, for whom they had the same message, and brought him good presents, and offered him King Harald's friendship, and invited him to visit the king. Grjotgard promised to come and at the appointed time he paid a visit to King Harald and Gunhild, and was received in the most friendly manner. They treated him on the most intimate footing, so that Grjotgard had access to their private consultations and secret councils. At last the conversation, by an understanding between the king and queen, was turned upon Earl Sigurd; and they spoke to Grjotgard about the earl having kept him so long in obscurity, and asked him if he would not join the king's brothers in an attack on the earl. If he would join with them, the king promised Grjotgard that he should be his earl, and have the same government that Sigurd had. It came so far that a secret agreement was made between them, that Grjotgard should spy out