Episode 14

While King Harald's son Guthorm had the defence of Viken, he sailed outside of the islands on the coast, and came in by one of the mouths of the tributaries of the Gaut river.When he lay there Solve Klofe came upon him, and immediately gave him battle, and Guthorm fell.Halfdan the White and Halfdan the Black went out on an expedition, and plundered in the East sea, and had a battle in Eistland, where Halfdan the White fell.

34.MARRIAGE OF EIRIK.

Eirik, Harald's son, was fostered in the house of the herse Thorer, son of Hroald, in the Fjord district.He was the most beloved and honoured by King Harald of all his sons.When Eirik was twelve years old, King Harald gave him five long-ships, with which he went on an expedition, -- first in the Baltic; then southwards to Denmark, Friesland, and Saxland; on which expedition he passed four years.He then sailed out into the West sea and plundered in Scotland, Bretland, Ireland, and Valland, and passed four years more in this way.Then he sailed north to Finmark, and all the way to Bjarmaland, where he had many a battle, and won many a victory.When he came back to Finmark, his men found a girl in a Lapland hut, whose equal for beauty they never had seen.She said her name was Gunhild, and that her father dwelt in Halogaland, and was called Ozur Tote.

"I am here," she said, "to learn sorcery from two of the most knowing Fins in all Finmark, who are now out hunting.They both want me in marriage.They are so skilful that they can hunt out traces either upon the frozen or the thawed earth, like dogs; and they can run so swiftly on skees that neither man nor beast can come near them in speed.They hit whatever they take aim at, and thus kill every man who comes near them.When they are angry the very earth turns away in terror, and whatever living thing they look upon then falls dead.Now ye must not come in their way;but I will hide you here in the hut, and ye must try to get them killed." They agreed to it, and she hid them, and then took a leather bag, in which they thought there were ashes which she took in her hand, and strewed both outside and inside of the hut.

Shortly after the Fins came home, and asked who had been there;and she answered, "Nobody has been here." "That is wonderful,"said they, "we followed the traces close to the hut, and can find none after that." Then they kindled a fire, and made ready their meat, and Gunhild prepared her bed.It had so happened that Gunhild had slept the three nights before, but the Fins had watched the one upon the other, being jealous of each other.

"Now," she said to the Fins, "come here, and lie down one on each side of me." On which they were very glad to do so.She laid an arm round the neck of each and they went to sleep directly.She roused them up; but they fell to sleep again instantly, and so soundly the she scarcely could waken them.She even raised them up in the bed, and still they slept.Thereupon she too two great seal-skin bags, and put their heads in them, and tied them fast under their arms; and then she gave a wink to the king~s men.

They run forth with their weapons, kill the two Fins, and drag them out of the hut.That same night came such a dreadful thunder-storm that the could not stir.Next morning they came to the ship, taking Gunhild with them, and presented her to Eirik.

Eirik and his followers then sailed southwards to Halogaland and he sent word to Ozur Tote, the girl's father, to meet him.Eirik said he would take his daughter in marriage, to which Ozur Tote consented, and Eirik took Gunhild and went southwards with her (A.D.922).

35.HARALD DIVIDES HIS KINGDOM.

When King Harald was fifty years of age many of his sons were grown up, and some were dead.Many of them committed acts of great violence in the country, and were in discord among themselves.They drove some of the king's earls out of their properties, and even killed some of them.Then the king called together a numerous Thing in the south part of the country, and summoned to it all the people of the Uplands.At this Thing he gave to all his sons the title of king, and made a law that his descendants in the male line should each succeed to the kingly title and dignity; but his descendants by the female side only to that of earl.And he divided the country among them thus: --Vingulmark, Raumarike, Vestfold and Thelamark, he bestowed on Olaf, Bjorn, Sigtryg, Frode, and Thorgils.Hedemark and Gudbrandsdal he gave to Dag, Hring, and Ragnar.To Snaefrid's sons he gave Ringerike, Hadeland, Thoten, and the lands thereto belonging.His son Guthorm, as before mentioned, he had set over the country from Glommen to Svinasund and Ranrike.He had set him to defend the country to the East, as before has been written.King Harald himself generally dwelt in the middle of the country, and Hrorek and Gudrod were generally with his court, and had great estates in Hordaland and in Sogn.King Eirik was also with his father King Harald; and the king loved and regarded him the most of all his sons, and gave him Halogaland and North More, and Raumsdal.North in Throndhjem he gave Halfdan the Black, Halfdan the White, and Sigrod land to rule over.In each of these districts he gave his sons the one half of his revenues, together with the right to sit on a high-seat, -- a step higher than earls, but a step lower than his own high-seat.His king's seat each of his sons wanted for himself after his death, but he himself destined it for Eirik.The Throndhjem people wanted Halfdan the Black to succeed to it.The people of Viken, and the Uplands, wanted those under whom they lived.And thereupon new quarrels arose among the brothers; and because they thought their dominions too little, they drove about in piratical expeditions.