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Thorer　replies；　〃And　even　then　I　think　it　will　stand　well　with　my　case；　and　therefore　I　will　not　decline　referring　it　to　thee。〃　

Thereupon　Thorer　came　forward；　and　confirmed　what　he　said　by　giving　his　hand　upon　it；　and　Fin　repeated　first　all　the　words　he　should　say。

Fin　now　pronounced　his　decision　upon　the　agreement；　　that　Thorer　should　pay　to　the　king　ten　marks　of　gold；　and　to　Gunstein　and　the　other　kindred　ten　marks；　and　for　the　robbery　and　loss　of　goods　ten　marks　more；　and　all　which　should　be　paid　immediately。

Thorer　says；　〃This　is　a　heavy　money　mulct。〃

〃Without　it；〃　replies　Fin；　〃there　will　be　no　agreement。〃

Thorer　says；　there　must　time　be　allowed　to　gather　so　much　in　loan　from　his　followers；　but　Fin　told　him　to　pay　immediately　on　the　spot；　and　besides；　Thorer　should　lay　down　the　great　ornament　which　he　took　from　Karle　when　he　was　dead。　　Thorer　asserted　that　he　had　not　got　the　ornament。　　Then　Gunstein　pressed　forward；　and　said　that　Karle　had　the　ornament　around　his　neck　when　they　parted；　but　it　was　gone　when　they　took　up　his　corpse。　　Thorer　said　he　had　not　observed　any　ornament；　but　if　there　was　any　such　thing；　it　must　be　lying　at　home　in　Bjarkey。　　Then　Fin　put　the　point　of　his　spear　to　Thorer's　breast；　and　said　that　he　must　instantly　produce　the　ornament；　on　which　Thorer　took　the　ornament　from　his　neck　and　gave　it　to　Fin。　　Thereafter　Thorer　turned　away；　and　went　on　board　his　ship。　　Fin；　with　many　other　men；　followed　him；　went　through　the　whole　vessel；　and　took　up　the　hatches。　　At　the　mast　they　saw　two　very　large　casks；　and　Fin　asked；　〃What　are　these　puncheons？〃

Thorer　replies；　〃It　is　my　liquor。〃

Fin　says；　〃Why　don't　you　give　us　something　to　drink　then；　comrade；　since　you　have　so　much　liquor？〃

Thorer　ordered　his　men　to　run　off　a　bowlfull　from　the　puncheons；　from　which　Fin　and　his　people　got　liquor　of　the　best　quality。　　Now　Fin　ordered　Thorer　to　pay　the　mulcts。　　Thorer　went　backwards　and　forwards　through　the　ship；　speaking　now　to　the　one；　now　to　the　other；　and　Fin　calling　out　to　produce　the　pence。　　Thorer　begged　him　to　go　to　the　shore；　and　said　he　would　bring　the　money　there；　and　Fin　with　his　men　went　on　shore。　　Then　Thorer　came　and　paid　silver；　of　which；　from　one　purse；　there　were　weighed　ten　marks。　　Thereafter　Thorer　brought　many　knotted　nightcaps；　and　in　some　was　one　mark；　in　others　half　a　mark；　and　in　others　some　small　money。　　〃This　is　money　my　friends　and　other　good　people　have　lent　me；〃　said　he；　〃for　I　think　all　my　travelling　money　is　gone。〃　　Then　Thorer　went　back　again　to　his　ship；　and　returned；　and　paid　the　silver　by　little　and　little；　and　this　lasted　so　long　that　the　day　was　drawing　towards　evening。　　When　the　Thing　had　closed　the　people　had　gone　to　their　vessels；　and　made　ready　to　depart；　and　as　fast　as　they　were　ready　they　hoisted　sail　and　set　out；　so　that　most　of　them　were　under　sail。　　When　Fin　saw　that　they　were　most　of　them　under　sail；　he　ordered　his　men　to　get　ready　too；　but　as　yet　little　more　than　a　third　part　of　the　mulct　had　been　paid。　　Then　Fin　said；　〃This　goes　on　very　slowly；　Thorer；　with　the　payment。　　I　see　it　costs　thee　a　great　deal　to　pay　money。　I　shall　now　let　it　stand　for　the　present；　and　what　remains　thou　shalt　pay　to　the　king　himself。〃　　Fin　then　got　up　and　went　away。

Thorer　replies；　〃I　am　well　enough　pleased；　Fin；　to　part　now；　but　the　good　will　is　not　wanting　to　pay　this　debt；　so　that　both　thou　and　the　king　shall　say　it　is　not　unpaid。〃

Then　Fin　went　on　board　his　ship；　and　followed　the　rest　of　his　fleet。　　Thorer　was　late　before　he　was　ready　to　come　out　of　the　harbour。　　When　the　sails　were　hoisted　he　steered　out　over　Westfjord；　and　went　to　sea；　keeping　south　along　the　land　so　far　off　that　the　hill…tops　were　half　sunk；　and　soon　the　land　altogether　was　sunk　from　view　by　the　sea。　　Thorer　held　this　course　until　he　got　into　the　English　sea；　and　landed　in　England。　He　betook　himself　to　King　Canute　forthwith；　and　was　well　received　by　him。　　It　then　came　out　that　Thorer　had　with　him　a　great　deal　of　property；　and；　with　other　things；　all　the　money　he　and　Karle　had　taken　in　Bjarmaland。　　In　the　great　liquor…casks　there　were　sides　within　the　outer　sides；　and　the　liquor　was　between　them。　The　rest　of　the　casks　were　filled　with　furs；　and　beaver　and　sable　skins。　　Thorer　was　then　with　King　Canute。　　Fin　came　with　his　forces　to　King　Olaf；　and　related　to　him　how　all　had　gone　upon　his　voyage；　and　told　at　the　same　time　his　suspicion　that　Thorer　had　left　the　country；　and　gone　west　to　England　to　King　Canute。　　〃And　there　I　fear　he　will　cause　as　much　trouble。〃

The　king　replies；　〃I　believe　that　Thorer　must　be　our　enemy；　and　it　appears　to　me　always　better　to　have　him　at　a　distance　than　near。〃



150。　DISPUTE　BETWEEN　HAREK　AND　ASMUND。

Asmund　Grankelson　had　been　this　winter　（A。D。　1027）　in　Halogaland　in　his　sheriffdom；　and　was　at　home　with　his　father　Grankel。　　There　lies　a　rock　out　in　the　sea；　on　which　there　is　both　seal　and　bird　catching；　and　a　fishing　ground；　and　egg…gathering；　and　from　old　times　it　had　been　an　appendage　to　the　farm　which　Grankel　owned；　but　now　Harek　of　Thjotta　laid　claim　to　it。　　It　had　gone　so　far；　that　some　years　he　had　taken　by　force　all　the　gain　of　this　rock；　but　Asmund　and　his　father　thought　that　they　might　expect　the　king's　help　in　all　cases　in　which　the　right　was　upon　their　side。　　Both　father　and　son　went　therefore　in　spring　to　Harek；　and　brought　him　a　message　and　tokens　from　King　Olaf　that　he　should　drop　his　claim。　　Harek　answered　Asmund　crossly；　because　he　had　gone　to　the　king　with　such　insinuations　　〃for　the　just　right　is　upon　my　side。　　Thou　shouldst　learn　moderation；　Asmund；　although　thou　hast　so　much　confidence　in　the　king's　favour。　　It　has　succeeded　with　thee　to　kill　some　chiefs；　and　leave　their　slaughter　unpaid　for　by　any　mulct；　and　also　to　plunder　us；　although　we　thought　ourselves　at　least　equal　to　all　of　equal　birth；　and　thou　art　far　from　being　my　equal　in　family。〃

Asmund　replies；　〃Many　have　experienced　from　thee；　Harek；　that　thou　art　of　great　connections；　and　too　great　power；　and　many　in　consequence　have　suffered　loss　in　their　property　through　thee。　But　it　is　likely　that　now　thou　must　turn　thyself　elsewhere；　and　not　against　us　with　thy　violence；　and　not　go　altogether　against　law；　as　thou　art　now　doing。〃　　Then　they　separated。

Harek　sent　ten　or　twelve　of　his　house…servants　with　a　large　rowing　boat；　with　which　they　rowed　to　the　rock；　took　all　that　was　to　be　got　upon　it；　and　loaded　their　boat。　　But　when　they　were　ready　to　return　home；　Asmund　Grankelson　came　with　thirty　men；　and　ordered　them　to　give　up　all　they　had　taken。　　Harek's　house…　servants　were　not　quick　in　complying；　so　that　Asmund　attacked　them。　　Some　of　Harek's　men　were　cudgelled；　some　wounded；　some　thrown　into　the　sea；　and　all　they　had　caught　was　taken　from　on　board　of　their　boat；　and　Asmund　and　his　people　took　it　along　with　them。　　Then　Harek's　servants　came　home；　and　told　him　the　event。　Harek　replies；　〃That　is　called　news　indeed　that　seldom　happens；　never　before　has　it　happened　that　my　people　have　been　beaten。〃

The　matter　dropped。　　Harek　never　spoke　about　it；　but　was　very　cheerful。　　In　spring；　however；　Harek　rigged　out　a　cutter　of　twenty　seats　of　rowers；　and　manned　it　with　his　house…servants；　and　the　ship　was　remarkably　well　fitted　out　both　with　people　and　all　necessary　equipment；　and　Harek　went　to　the　levy；　but　when　he　came　to　King　Olaf；　Asmund　was　there　before　him。　　The　king　summoned　Harek　and　Asmund　to　him；　and　reconciled　them　so　that　they　left　the　matter　entirely　to　him。　　Asmund　then　produced　witnesses　to　prove　that　Grankel　had　owned　the　rock；　and　the　king　gave　judgment　accordingly。　　The　case　had　a　one…sided　result。　　No　mulct　was　paid　for　Harek's　house…servants；　and　the　rock　was　declared　to　be　Grankel's。　　Harek　observed　it　was　no　disgrace　to　obey　the　king's　decision；　whatever　way　the　case　itself　was　decided。



151。　THOROD'S　STORY。

Thorod　Snorrason　had　remained　in　Norway；　according　to　King　Olaf's　commands；　when　Geller　Thorkelson　got　leave　to　go　to　Iceland；　as　before　related。　　He　remained　there　（A。D。　1027）　with　King　Olaf；　but　was　ill　pleased　that　he　was　not　free　to　travel　where　he　pleased。　　Early　in　winter；　King　Olaf；　when　he　was　in　Nidaros；　made　it　known　that　he　would　send　people　to　Jamtaland　to　collect　the　scat；　but　nobody　had　any　great　desire　to　go　on　this　business；　after　the　fate　of　those　whom　King　Olaf　had　sent　before；　namely；　Thrand　White　and　others；　twelve　in　number；　who　lost　their　lives；　as　before　related；　and　the　Jamtalanders　had　ever　since　been　subject　to　the　Swedish　king。　　Thorod　Snorrason　now　offered　to　undertake　this　journey；　for　he　cared　little　what　became　of　him　if　he　could　but　become　his　own　master　again。　　The　king　consented；　and　Thorod　set　out　with　eleven　men　in　company。　　They　came　east　to　Jamtaland；　and　went　to　a　man　called　Thorar；　who　was　lagman；　and　a　person　in　high　estimation。　　They　met　with　a　hospitable　reception；　and　when　they　had　been　there　a　while；　they　explained　their　business　to　Thorar。　　He　replied；　that　other　men　and　chiefs　of　the　country　had　in　all　respects　as　much　power　and　right　to　give　an　answer　as　he　had；　and　for　that　purpose　he　would　call　together　a　Thing。　　It　was　so　done；　the　message…token　was　sent　out；　and　a　numerous　Thing　assembled。　　Thorar　went　to　the　Thing；　but　the　messengers　in　the　meantime　remained　at　home。　　At　the　Thing；　Thorar　laid　the　business　before　the　people；　but　all　were　unanimous　that　no　scat　should　be　paid　to　the　king　of　Norway；　and　some　were　for　hanging　the　messengers；　others　for　sacrificing　them　to　the　gods。　　At　last　it　was　resolved　to　hold　them　fast　until　the　king　of　Sweden's　sheriffs　arrived；　and　they　could　treat　them　as　they　pleased　with　consent　of　the　people；　and　that；　in　the　meantime；　this　decision　should　be　concealed；　and　the　messengers　treated　well；　and　detained　under　pretext　that　they　must　wait　until　the　scat　is　collected；　and　that　they　should　be　separated；　and　placed　two　and　two；　as　if　for　the　convenience　of　boarding　them。　　Thorod　and　another　remained　in　Thorar's　house。　　There　was　a　great　Yule　feast　and　ale…drinking；　to　which　each　brought　his　own　liquor；　for　there　were　many　peasants　in　the　village；　who　all　drank　in　company　together　at　Yule。　　There　was　another　village　not　far　distant；　where　Thorar's　brother…in…law　dwelt；　who　was　a　rich　an