heimskringla-第64部分

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avourably；　saying　that　he　would　take　Thorkel's　advice。　　〃I　had　intended　to　go　out　from　the　country　with　six　ships；　but　now　I　will　only　take　three　with　me；　but　thou　must　not　come　again；　Thorkel；　with　any　such　request。〃　　The　bondes　thanked　Thorkel　for　his　assistance；　and　the　earl　set　out　on　a　viking　cruise；　and　came　back　in　autumn。　　The　spring　after；　the　earl　made　the　same　levy　as　usual；　and　held　a　Thing　with　the　bondes。　　Then　Thorkel　again　made　a　speech；　in　which　he　entreated　the　earl　to　spare　the　people。　　The　earl　now　was　angry；　and　said　the　lot　of　the　bondes　should　be　made　worse　in　consequence　of　his　intercession；　and　worked　himself　up　into　such　a　rage；　that　he　vowed　they　should　not　both　come　next　spring　to　the　Thing　in　a　whole　skin。　　Then　the　Thing　was　closed。　When　Amunde　heard　what　the　earl　and　Thorkel　had　said　at　the　Thing；　he　told　Thorkel　to　leave　the　country；　and　he　went　over　to　Caithness　to　Earl　Thorfin。　　Thorkel　was　afterwards　a　long　time　there；　and　brought　up　the　earl　in　his　youth；　and　was　on　that　account　called　Thorkel　the　Fosterer；　and　he　became　a　very　celebrated　man。



102。　THE　AGREEMENT　OF　THE　EARLS。

There　were　many　powerful　men　who　fled　from　their　udal　properties　in　Orkney　on　account　of　Earl　Einar's　violence；　and　the　most　fled　over　to　Caithness　to　Earl　Thorfin：　but　some　fled　from　the　Orkney　Islands　to　Norway；　and　some　to　other　countries。　　When　Earl　Thorfin　was　grown　up　he　sent　a　message　to　his　brother　Einar；　and　demanded　the　part　of　the　dominion　which　he　thought　belonged　to　him　in　Orkney；　namely；　a　third　of　the　islands。　　Einar　was　nowise　inclined　to　diminish　his　possessions。　　When　Thorfin　found　this　he　collected　a　warforce　in　Caithness；　and　proceeded　to　the　islands。　As　soon　as　Earl　Einar　heard　of　this　he　collected　people；　and　resolved　to　defend　his　country。　　Earl　Bruse　also　collected　men；　and　went　out　to　meet　them；　and　bring　about　some　agreement　between　them。　　An　agreement　was　at　last　concluded；　that　Thorfin　should　have　a　third　part　of　the　islands；　as　of　right　belonging　to　him；　but　that　Bruse　and　Einar　should　lay　their　two　parts　together；　and　Einar　alone　should　rule　over　them；　but　if　the　one　died　before　the　other；　the　longest　liver　should　inherit　the　whole。　　This　agreement　seemed　reasonable；　as　Bruse　had　a　son　called　Ragnvald；　but　Einar　had　no　son。　　Earl　Thorfin　set　men　to　rule　over　his　land　in　Orkney；　but　he　himself　was　generally　in　Caithness。　　Earl　Einar　was　generally　on　viking　expeditions　to　Ireland；　Scotland；　and　Bretland。



103。　EYVIND　URARHORN'S　MURDER。

One　summer　（A。D。　1018）　that　Earl　Einar　marauded　in　Ireland；　he　fought　in　Ulfreks…fjord　with　the　Irish　king　Konofogor；　as　has　been　related　before；　and　suffered　there　a　great　defeat。　　The　summer　after　this　（A。D。　1019）　Eyvind　Urarhorn　was　coming　from　the　west　from　Ireland；　intending　to　go　to　Norway；　but　the　weather　was　boisterous；　and　the　current　against　him；　so　he　ran　into　Osmundwall；　and　lay　there　wind…bound　for　some　time。　　When　Earl　Einar　heard　of　this；　he　hastened　thither　with　many　people；　took　Eyvind　prisoner；　and　ordered　him　to　be　put　to　death；　but　spared　the　lives　of　most　of　his　people。　　In　autumn　they　proceeded　to　Norway　to　King　Olaf；　and　told　him　Eyvind　was　killed。　　The　king　said　little　about　it；　but　one　could　see　that　he　considered　it　a　great　and　vexatious　loss；　for　he　did　not　usually　say　much　if　anything　turned　out　contrary　to　his　wishes。　　Earl　Thorfin　sent　Thorkel　Fosterer　to　the　islands　to　gather　in　his　scat。　　Now；　as　Einar　gave　Thorkel　the　greatest　blame　for　the　dispute　in　which　Thorfin　had　made　claim　to　the　islands；　Thorkel　came　suddenly　back　to　Caithness　from　Orkney；　and　told　Earl　Thorfin　that　he　had　learnt　that　Earl　Einar　would　have　murdered　him　if　his　friends　and　relations　had　not　given　him　notice　to　escape。　　〃Now；〃　says　he；　〃it　is　come　so　far　between　the　earl　and　me；　that　either　some　thing　decisive　between　us　must　take　place　if　we　meet；　or　I　must　remove　to　such　a　distance　that　his　power　will　not　reach　me。〃　　The　earl　encouraged　Thorkel　much　to　go　east　to　Norway　to　King　Olaf。　〃Thou　wilt　be　highly　respected；〃　says　he；　〃wherever　thou　comest　among　honourable　men；　and　I　know　so　well　thy　disposition　and　the　earl's；　that　it　will　not　be　long　before　ye　come　to　extremities。〃　Thereupon　Thorkel　made　himself　ready；　and　proceeded　in　autumn　to　Norway；　and　then　to　King　Olaf；　with　whom　he　stayed　the　whole　winter　（A。D。　1020）；　and　was　in　high　favour。　　The　king　often　entered　into　conversation　with　him；　and　he　thought；　what　was　true；　that　Thorkel　was　a　high…minded　man；　of　good　understanding。　In　his　conversations　with　Thorkel；　the　king　found　a　great　difference　in　his　description　of　the　two　earls；　for　Thorkel　was　a　great　friend　of　Earl　Thorfin；　but　had　much　to　say　against　Einar。　Early　in　spring　（A。D。　1020）　the　king　sent　a　ship　west　over　the　sea　to　Earl　Thorfin；　with　the　invitation　to　come　east　and　visit　him　in　Norway。　　The　earl　did　not　decline　the　invitation；　for　it　was　accompanied　by　assurances　of　friendship。



104。　EARL　EINAR'S　MURDER。

Earl　Thorfin　went　east　to　Norway；　and　came　to　King　Olaf；　from　whom　he　received　a　kind　reception；　and　stayed　till　late　in　the　summer。　　When　he　was　preparing　to　return　westwards　again；　King　Olaf　made　him　a　present　of　a　large　and　fully…rigged　long…ship。　Thorkel　the　Fosterer　joined　company　with　the　earl；　who　gave　him　the　ship　which　he　brought　with　him　from　the　west。　　The　king　and　the　earl　took　leave　of　each　other　tenderly。　　In　autumn　Earl　Thorfin　came　to　Orkney；　and　when　Earl　Einar　heard　of　it　he　went　on　board　his　ships　with　a　numerous　band　of　men。　　Earl　Bruse　came　up　to　his　two　brothers；　and　endeavoured　to　mediate　between　them；　and　a　peace　was　concluded　and　confirmed　by　oath。　　Thorkel　Fosterer　was　to　be　in　peace　and　friendship　with　Earl　Einar；　and　it　was　agreed　that　each　of　them　should　give　a　feast　to　the　other；　and　that　the　earl　should　first　be　Thorkel's　guest　at　Sandwick。　When　the　earl　came　to　the　feast　he　was　entertained　in　the　best　manner；　but　the　earl　was　not　cheerful。　　There　was　a　great　room；　in　which　there　were　doors　at　each　end。　　The　day　the　earl　should　depart　Thorkel　was　to　accompany　him　to　the　other　feast；　and　Thorkel　sent　men　before；　who　should　examine　the　road　they　had　to　travel　that　day。　　The　spies　came　back；　and　said　to　Thorkel　they　had　discovered　three　ambushes。　　〃And　we　think；〃　said　they；　〃there　is　deceit　on　foot。〃　　When　Thorkel　heard　this　he　lengthened　out　his　preparations　for　the　journey；　and　gathered　people　about　him。　The　earl　told　him　to　get　ready；　as　it　was　time　to　be　on　horseback。　　Thorkel　answered；　that　he　had　many　things　to　put　in　order　first；　and　went　out　and　in　frequently。　　There　was　a　fire　upon　the　floor。　　At　last　he　went　in　at　one　door；　followed　by　an　Iceland　man　from　Eastfjord；　called　Halvard；　who　locked　the　door　after　him。　　Thorkel　went　in　between　the　fire　and　the　place　where　the　earl　was　sitting。　　The　earl　asked；　〃Art　thou　ready　at　last；　Thorkel？〃

Thorkel　answers；　〃Now　I　am　ready；〃　and　struck　the　earl　upon　the　head　so　that　he　fell　upon　the　floor。

Then　said　the　Icelander；　〃I　never　saw　people　so　foolish　as　not　to　drag　the　earl　out　of　the　fire；〃　and　took　a　stick；　which　he　set　under　the　earl's　neck；　and　put　him　upright　on　the　bench。　　Thorkel　and　his　two　comrades　then　went　in　all　haste　out　of　the　other　door　opposite　to　that　by　which　they　went　in；　and　Thorkel's　men　were　standing　without　fully　armed。　　The　earl's　men　now　went　in；　and　took　hold　of　the　earl。　　He　was　already　dead；　so　nobody　thought　of　avenging　him：　and　also　the　whole　was　done　so　quickly；　for　nobody　expected　such　a　deed　from　Thorkel；　and　all　supposed　that　there　really　was；　as　before　related；　a　friendship　fixed　between　the　earl　and　Thorkel。　　The　most　who　were　within　were　unarmed；　and　they　were　partly　Thorkel's　good　friends；　and　to　this　may　be　added；　that　fate　had　decreed　a　longer　life　to　Thorkel。　　When　Thorkel　came　out　he　had　not　fewer　men　with　him　than　the　earl's　troop。　　Thorkel　went　to　his　ship；　and　the　earl's　men　went　their　way。　　The　same　day　Thorkel　sailed　out　eastwards　into　the　sea。　This　happened　after　winter；　but　he　came　safely　to　Norway；　went　as　fast　as　he　could　to　Olaf；　and　was　well　received　by　him。　　The　king　expressed　his　satisfaction　at　this　deed；　and　Thorkel　was　with　him　all　winter　（A。D。　1091）。



105。　AGREEMENT　BETWEEN　KING　OLAF　AND　EARL　BRUSE。

After　Earl　Einar's　fall　Bruse　took　the　part　of　the　country　which　he　had　possessed；　for　it　was　known　to　many　men　on　what　conditions　Einar　and　Bruse　had　entered　into　a　partnership。　　Although　Thorfin　thought　it　would　be　more　just　that　each　of　them　had　half　of　the　islands；　Bruse　retained　the　two…thirds　of　the　country　that　winter　（A。D。　1021）。　　In　spring；　however；　Thorfin　produced　his　claim；　and　demanded　the　half　of　the　country；　but　Bruse　would　not　consent。　They　held　Things　and　meetings　about　the　business；　and　although　their　friends　endeavoured　to　settle　it；　Thorfin　would　not　be　content　with　less　than　the　half　of　the　islands；　and　insisted　that　Bruse；　with　his　disposition；　would　have　enough　even　with　a　third　part。　　Bruse　replies；　〃When　I　took　my　heritage　after　my　father　I　was　well　satisfied　with　a　third　part　of　the　country；　and　there　was　nobody　to　dispute　it　with　me；　and　now　I　have　succeeded　to　another　third　in　heritage　after　my　brother；　according　to　a　lawful　agreement　between　us；　and　although　I　am　not　powerful　enough　to　maintain　a　feud　against　thee；　my　brother；　I　will　seek　some　other　way；　rather　than　willingly　renounce　my　property。〃　　With　this　their　meeting　ended。　　But　Bruse　saw　that　he　had　no　strength　to　contend　against　Thorfin；　because　Thorfin　had　both　a　greater　dominion　and　also　could　have　aid　from　his　mother's　brother；　the　Scottish　king。　　He　resolved；　therefore；　to　go　out　of　the　country；　and　he　went　eastward　to　King　Olaf；　and　had　with　him　his　son　Ragnvald；　then　ten　years　old。　　When　the　earl　came　to　the　king　he　was　well　received。　　The　earl　now　declared　his　errand；　and　told　the　king　the　circumstances　of　the　whole　dispute　between　him　and　his　brother；　and　asked　help　to　defend　his　kingdom　of　Orkney；　promising；　in　return；　the　fullest　friendship　towards　King　Olaf。　In　his　answer；　the　king　began　with　showing　how　Harald　Harfager　had　appropriated　to　himself　all　udal　rights　in　Orkney；　and　that　the　earls；　since　that　time；　have　constantly　held　the　country　as　a　fief；　not　as　their　udal　property。