First he travelled round in Hadaland, and then he proceeded north to Gudbrandsdal.And now it went as King Sigurd Syr had foretold, that people streamed to him from all quarters; and he did not appear to have need for half of them, for he had nearly 300 men.But the entertainments bespoken did not half serve; for it had been the custom that kings went about in guest-quarters in the Uplands with 60 or 70 men only, and never with more than 100men.The king therefore hastened over the country, only stopping one night at the same place.When he came north to Dovrefield, he arranged his journey so that he came over the mountain and down upon the north side of it, and then came to Opdal, where he remained all night.Afterwards he proceeded through Opdal forest, and came out at Medaldal, where he proclaimed a Thing, and summoned the bondes to meet him at it.The king made a speech to the Thing, and asked the bondes to accept him as king;and promised, on his part, the laws and rights which King Olaf Trygvason had offered them.The bondes had no strength to make opposition to the king; so the result was that they received him as king, and confirmed it by oath: but they sent word to Orkadal and Skaun of all that they knew concerning Olaf's proceedings.
37.LEVY AGAINST OLAF IN THRONDHJEM.
Einar Tambaskelfer had a farm and house at Husaby in Skaun; and now when he got news of Olaf's proceedings, he immediately split up a war-arrow, and sent it out as a token to the four quarters -- north, south, east, west, -- to call together all free and unfree men in full equipment of war: therewith the message, that they were to defend the land against King Olaf.The message-stick went to Orkadal, and thence to Gaulardal, where the whole war-force was to assemble.
38.OLAF'S PROGRESS IN THRONDHJEM.
King Olaf proceeded with his men down into Orkadal, and advanced in peace and with all gentleness; but when he came to Griotar he met the assembled bondes, amounting to more than 700 men.Then the king arrayed his army, for he thought the bondes were to give battle.When the bondes saw this, they also began to put their men in order; but it went on very slowly, for they had not agreed beforehand who among them should be commander.Now when King Olaf saw there was confusion among the bondes, he sent to them Thorer Gudbrandson; and when he came he told them King Olaf did not want to fight them, but named twelve of the ablest men in their flock of people, who were desired to come to King Olaf.
The bondes agreed to this; and the twelve men went over a rising ground which is there, and came to the place where the king's army stood in array.The king said to them, "Ye bondes have done well to give me an opportunity to speak with you, for now I will explain to you my errand here to the Throndhjem country.First Imust tell you, what ye already must have heard, that Earl Hakon and I met in summer; and the issue of our meeting was, that he gave me the whole kingdom he possessed in the Throndhjem country, which, as ye know, consists of Orkadal, Gaulardal, Strind, and Eyna district.As a proof of this, I have here with me the very men who were present, and saw the earl's and my own hands given upon it, and heard the word and oath, and witnessed the agreement the earl made with me.Now I offer you peace and law, the same as King Olaf Trygvason offered before me."The king spoke well, and long; and ended by proposing to the bondes two conditions -- either to go into his service and be subject to him, or to fight him.Thereupon the twelve bondes went back to their people, and told the issue of their errand, and considered with the people what they should resolve upon.
Although they discussed the matter backwards and forwards for a while, they preferred at last to submit to the king; and it was confirmed by the oath of the bondes.The king now proceeded on his journey, and the bondes made feasts for him.The king then proceeded to the sea-coast, and got ships; and among others he got a long-ship of twenty benches of rowers from Gunnar of Gelmin; another ship of twenty benches he got from Loden of Viggia; and three ships of twenty benches from the farm of Angrar on the ness which farm Earl Hakon had possessed, but a steward managed it for him, by name Bard White.The king had, besides, four or five boats; and with these vessels he went in all haste into the fjord of Throndhjem.
39.OF EARL SVEIN'S PROCEEDINGS.
Earl Svein was at that time far up in the Throndhjem fjord at Steinker, which at that time was a merchant town, and was there preparing for the yule festival (A.D.1015).When Einar Tambaskelfer heard that the Orkadal people had submitted to King Olaf, he sent men to Earl Svein to bring him the tidings.They went first to Nidaros, and took a rowing-boat which belonged to Einar, with which they went out into the fjord, and came one day late in the evening to Steinker, where they brought to the earl the news about all King Olaf's proceedings.The earl owned a long-ship, which was lying afloat and rigged just outside the town: and immediately, in the evening, he ordered all his movable goods, his people's clothes, and also meat and drink, as much as the vessel could carry, to be put on board, rowed immediately out in the night-time, and came with daybreak to Skarnsund.There he saw King Olaf rowing in with his fleet into the fjord.The earl turned towards the land within Masarvik, where there was a thick wood, and lay so near the rocks that the leaves and branches hung over the vessel.They cut down some large trees, which they laid over the quarter on the sea-side, so that the ship could not be seen for leaves, especially as it was scarcely clear daylight when the king came rowing past them.The weather was calm, and the king rowed in among the islands; and when the king's fleet was out of sight the earl rowed out of the fjord, and on to Frosta, where his kingdom lay, and there he landed.
40.EARL SVEIN'S AND EINAR'S CONSULTATIONS.