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years　old；　had　made　a　good　marriage　in　Hedemark；　by　which　he　got　great　wealth；　and　was　besides　one　of　the　most　popular　of　men；　and　formed　to　be　a　chief。　He　invited　the　king　and　his　retinue　home　to　him　to　a　feast。　　The　king　accepted　the　invitation；　went　to　Thorer's；　and　was　well　received。　　The　entertainment　was　very　splendid；　they　were　excellently　treated；　and　all　that　was　set　before　the　guests　was　of　the　best　that　could　be　got。　　The　king　and　his　people　talked　among　themselves　of　the　excellence　of　everything；　and　knew　not　what　they　should　admire　the　most；　　whether　Thorer's　house　outside；　or　the　inside　furniture；　the　table　service；　or　the　liquors；　or　the　host　who　gave　them　such　a　feast。　　But　Dag　said　little　about　it。　　The　king　used　often　to　speak　to　Dag；　and　ask　him　about　various　things；　and　he　had　proved　the　truth　of　all　that　Dag　had　said；　both　of　things　that　had　happened　or　were　to　happen；　and　therefore　the　king　had　much　confidence　in　what　he　said。　　The　king　called　Dag　to　him　to　have　a　private　conversation　together；　and　spoke　to　him　about　many　things。　　Afterwards　the　king　turned　the　conversation　on　Thorer；　　what　an　excellent　man　Thorer　was；　and　what　a　superb　feast　he　had　made　for　them。　　Dag　answered　but　little　to　this；　but　agreed　it　was　true　what　the　king　said。　　The　king　then　asked　Dag　what　disposition　or　faith　he　found　in　Thorer。　Dag　replied　that　he　must　certainly　consider　Thorer　of　a　good　disposition；　if　he　be　really　what　most　people　believe　him　to　be。　The　king　told　him　to　answer　direct　what　he　was　asked；　and　said　that　it　was　his　duty　to　do　so。　　Dag　replies；　〃Then　thou　must　allow　me　to　determine　the　punishment　if　I　disclose　his　faith。〃　The　king　replied　that　he　would　not　submit　his　decision　to　another　man；　but　again　ordered　Dag　to　reply　to　what　he　asked。

Dag　replies；　〃The　sovereign's　order　goes　before　all。　　I　find　this　disposition　in　Thorer；　as　in　so　many　others；　that　he　is　too　greedy　of　money。〃

The　king：　〃Is　he　then　a　thief；　or　a　robber？〃

〃He　is　neither。〃

〃What　is　he　then？〃

〃To　win　money　he　is　a　traitor　to　his　sovereign。　　He　has　taken　money　from　King　Canute　the　Great　for　thy　head。〃

The　king　asks；　〃What　proof　hast　thou　of　the　truth　of　this？〃

Dag：　〃He　has　upon　his　right　arm；　above　the　elbow；　a　thick　gold　ring；　which　King　Canute　gave　him；　and　which　he　lets　no　man　see。〃

This　ended　their　conference；　and　the　king　was　very　wroth。　　Now　as　the　king　sat　at　table；　and　the　guests　had　drunk　a　while　with　great　mirth；　and　Thorer　went　round　to　see　the　guests　well　served；　the　king　ordered　Thorer　to　be　called　to　him。　　He　went　up　before　the　table；　and　laid　his　hands　upon　it。

The　king　asked；　〃How　old　a　man　art　thou；　Thorer？〃

He　answered；　〃I　am　eighteen　years　old。〃

〃A　stout　man　thou　art　for　those　years；　and　thou　hast　been　fortunate　also。〃

Then　the　king　took　his　right　hand；　and　felt　it　towards　the　elbow。

Thorer　said；　〃Take　care；　for　I　have　a　boil　upon　my　arm。〃

The　king　held　his　hand　there；　and　felt　there　was　something　hard　under　it。　　〃Hast　thou　not　heard；〃　said　he；　〃that　I　am　a　physician？　　Let　me　see　the　boil。〃

As　Thorer　saw　it　was　of　no　use　to　conceal　it　longer；　he　took　off　the　ring　and　laid　it　on　the　table。

The　king　asked　if　that　was　the　gift　of　King　Canute。

Thorer　replied　that　he　could　not　deny　it　was。

The　king　ordered　him　to　be　seized　and　laid　in　irons。　　Kalf　came　up　and　entreated　for　mercy；　and　offered　money　for　him；　which　also　was　seconded　by　many；　but　the　king　was　so　wroth　that　nobody　could　get　in　a　word。　　He　said　Thorer　should　suffer　the　doom　he　had　prepared　for　himself。　　Thereupon　he　ordered　Thorer　to　be　killed。　This　deed　was　much　detested　in　the　Uplands；　and　not　less　in　the　Throndhjem　country；　where　many　of　Thorer's　connections　were。　　Kalf　took　the　death　of　this　man　much　to　heart；　for　he　had　been　his　foster…son　in　childhood。



176。　THE　FALL　OF　GRJOTGARD。

Grjotgard　Olverson；　Thorer's　brother；　and　the　eldest　of　the　　brothers；　was　a　very　wealthy　man；　and　had　a　great　troop　of　people　about　him。　　He　lived　also　at　this　time　in　Hedemark。　　When　he　heard　that　Thorer　had　been　killed；　he　made　an　attack　upon　the　places　where　the　king's　goods　and　men　were；　but；　between　whiles；　he　kept　himself　in　the　forest　and　other　secret　places。　　When　the　king　heard　of　this　disturbance；　he　had　inquiry　made　about　Grjotgard's　haunts；　and　found　out　that　he　had　taken　up　night…　quarters　not　far　from　where　the　king　was。　　King　Olaf　set　out　in　the　night…time；　came　there　about　day…dawn；　and　placed　a　circle　of　men　round　the　house　in　which　Grjotgard　was　sleeping。　　Grjotgard　and　his　men；　roused　by　the　stir　of　people　and　clash　of　arms；　ran　to　their　weapons；　and　Grjotgard　himself　sprang　to　the　front　room。　He　asked　who　commanded　the　troop；　and　it　was　answered　him；　〃King　Olaf　was　come　there。〃　　Grjotgard　asked　if　the　king　would　hear　his　words。　　The　king；　who　stood　at　the　door；　said　that　Grjotgard　might　speak　what　he　pleased；　and　he　would　hear　his　words。　　Grjotgard　said；　〃I　do　not　beg　for　mercy；〃　and　at　the　same　moment　he　rushed　out；　having　his　shield　over　his　head；　and　his　drawn　sword　in　his　hand。　　It　was　not　so　much　light　that　he　could　see　clearly。　　He　struck　his　sword　at　the　king；　but　Arnbjorn　ran　in；　and　the　thrust　pierced　him　under　his　armour　into　his　stomach；　and　Arnbjorn　got　his　deathwound。　　Grjotgard　was　killed　immediately；　and　most　of　his　people　with　him。　　After　this　event　the　king　turned　back　to　the　south　to　Viken。



177。　KING　OLAF　SENDS　FOR　HIS　SHIPS　AND　GOODS。

Now　when　the　king　came　to　Tunsberg　he　sent　men　out　to　all　the　districts；　and　ordered　the　people　out　upon　a　levy。　　He　had　but　a　small　provision　of　shipping；　and　there　were　only　bondes'　vessels　to　be　got。　　From　the　districts　in　the　near　neighbourhood　many　people　came　to　him；　but　few　from　any　distance；　and　it　was　soon　found　that　the　people　had　turned　away　from　the　king。　　King　Olaf　sent　people　to　Gautland　for　his　ships；　and　other　goods　and　wares　which　had　been　left　there　in　autumn；　but　the　progress　of　these　men　was　very　slow；　for　it　was　no　better　now　than　in　autumn　to　sail　through　the　Sound；　as　King　Canute　had　in　spring　fitted　out　an　army　throughout　the　whole　of　the　Danish　dominions；　and　had　no　fewer　than　1200　vessels。



178。　KING　OLAF'S　COUNSELS。

The　news　came　to　Norway　that　King　Canute　had　assembled　an　immense　armament　through　all　Denmark；　with　which　he　intended　to　conquer　Norway。　　When　this　became　known　the　people　were　less　willing　to　join　King　Olaf；　and　he　got　but　little　aid　from　the　bondes。　　The　king's　men　often　spoke　about　this　among　themselves。　Sigvat　tells　of　it　thus：　

　　　　　〃Our　men　are　few；　our　ships　are　small；　　　　　　While　England's　king　is　strong　in　all；　　　　　　But　yet　our　king　is　not　afraid　　　　　　　O！　　never　be　such　king　betrayed！　　　　　　'Tis　evil　counsel　to　deprive　　　　　　Our　king　of　countrymen　to　strive　　　　　　To　save　their　country；　sword　in　hand：　　　　　　Tis　money　that　betrays　our　land。〃

The　king　held　meetings　with　the　men　of　the　court；　and　sometimes　House…things　with　all　his　people；　and　consulted　with　them　what　they　should；　in　their　opinion；　undertake。　　〃We　must　not　conceal　from　ourselves；〃　said　he；　〃that　Canute　will　come　here　this　summer；　and　that　he　has；　as　ye　all　know；　a　large　force；　and　we　have　at　present　but　few　men　to　oppose　to　him；　and；　as　matters　now　stand；　we　cannot　depend　much　on　the　fidelity　of　the　country　people。〃　　The　king's　men　replied　to　his　speech　in　various　ways；　but　it　is　said　that　Sigvat　the　skald　replied　thus；　advising　flight；　as　treachery；　not　cowardice；　was　the　cause　of　it：　

　　　　　〃We　may　well　fly；　when　even　our　foe　　　　　　Offers　us　money　if　we　go。　　　　　　I　may　be　blamed；　accused　of　fear；　　　　　　But　treachery；　not　faith；　rules　here。　　　　　　Men　may　retire　who　long　have　shown　　　　　　Their　faith　and　love；　and　now　alone　　　　　　Retire　because　they　cannot　save　　　　　　　This　is　no　treachery　in　the　brave。〃



179。　HAREK　OF　THJOTTA　BURNS　GRANKEL　AND　HIS　MEN。

The　same　spring　（A。D。　1028）　it　happened　in　Halogaland　that　Harek　of　Thjotta　remembered　how　Asmund　Grankelson　had　plundered　and　beaten　his　house…servants。　　A　cutter　with　twenty　rowing…benches；　which　belonged　to　Harek；　was　afloat　in　front　of　the　house；　with　tent　and　deck；　and　he　spread　the　report　that　he　intended　to　go　south　to　Throndhjem。　　One　evening　Harek　went　on　board　with　his　house…servants；　about　eighty　men；　who　rowed　the　whole　night；　and　he　came　towards　morning　to　Grankel's　house；　and　surrounded　it　with　his　men。　　They　then　made　an　attack　on　the　house；　and　set　fire　to　it；　and　Grankel　with　his　people　were　burnt；　and　some　were　killed　outside；　and　in　all　about　thirty　men　lost　their　lives。　After　this　deed　Harek　returned　home；　and　sat　quietly　in　his　farm。　Asmund　was　with　King　Olaf　when　he　heard　of　it；　therefore　there　was　nobody　in　Halogaland　to　sue　Harek　for　mulct　for　this　deed；　nor　did　he　offer　any　satisfaction。



180。　KING　CANUTE'S　EXPEDITION　TO　NORWAY。

Canute　the　Great　collected　his　forces；　and　went　to　Limfjord。　　When　he　was　ready　with　his　equipment　he　sailed　from　thence　with　his　whole　fleet　to　Norway；　made　all　possible　speed；　and　did　not　land　to　the　eastward　of　the　Fjords；　but　crossed　Folden；　and　landed　in　Agder；　where　he　summoned　a　Thing。　　The　bondes　came　down　from　the　upper　country　to　hold　a　Thing　with　Canute；　who　was　everywhere　in　that　country　accepted　as　king。　　Then　he　pl