Heimskringla; Or, The Chronicle of the Kings of NorwaySnorri Sturluson
History
Heimskringla; Or, The Chronicle of the Kings of Norway
Snorri Sturluson
Iceland -- History; Norway -- History; Sagas -- Translations into English; Scandinavia -- History
Then says Asgaut. "It is not wonderful that thou art called Olaf the
Thick, seeing thou answerest so haughtily to such a prince's message,
and canst not see clearly how heavy the king's wrath will be for thee
to support, as many have experienced who had greater strength than thou
appearest to have. But if thou wishest to keep hold of thy kingdom, it
will be best for thee to come to the king, and be his man; and we shall
beg him to give thee this kingdom in fief under him."
The king replies with all gentleness, "I will give thee an advice,
Asgaut, in return. Go back to the east again to thy king, and tell him
that early in spring I will make myself ready, and will proceed eastward
to the ancient frontier that divided formerly the kingdom of the kings
of Norway from Sweden. There he may come if he likes, that we may
conclude a peace with each other; and each of us will retain the kingdom
to which he is born."
Now the messengers turned back to their lodging, and prepared for their
departure, and the king went to table. The messengers came back soon
after to the king's house; but the doorkeepers saw it, and reported it
to the king, who told them not to let the messengers in. "I will not
speak with them," said he. Then the messengers went off, and Thorgaut
said he would now return home with his men; but Asgaut insisted still
that he would go forward with the king's errand: so they separated.
Thorgaut proceeded accordingly through Strind; but Asgaut went into
Gaulardal and Orkadal, and intended proceeding southwards to More, to
deliver his king's message. When King Olaf came to the knowledge of this
he sent out his pursuivants after them, who found them at the ness in
Stein, bound their hands behind their backs, and led them down to the
point called Gaularas, where they raised a gallows, and hanged them so
that they could be seen by those who travelled the usual sea-way out of
the fjord. Thorgaut heard this news before he had travelled far on his
way home through the Throndhjem country; and he hastened on his journey
until he came to the Swedish king, and told him how it had gone with
them. The king was highly enraged when he heard the account of it; and
he had no lack of high words.
58. OLAF AND ERLING RECONCILED.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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