Egil’s Saga - E. Eddison R.

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be found both bidden and boun3 for such things as you may have the will to use us for. Our father had here long time the King’s stewardship. Well went that in his hands. ’Tis hard for you, King, to find right men to set over your affairs here, sith here may you but seldom come yourself. Here is little main of land, that you should fare here with your host; and scarce will you do thus again, to fare hither with few folk, seeing that here is much untrustworthy people.”

      The King waxed exceeding wroth with this talk, and spake yet quietly, as was ever the wont of him whenso he heard such tidings as were of great matter. He asked then, whether was Thorolf at home in Torgar.

      Harek said that there was no hope of this. “Thorolf is so well knowing, that he would have the wit to be out of the way of your host, King; for he would look for this, that they should not all hold their tongues so well as that thou, King, shouldst not be made ware of these tidings. Fared he north to Alost straightway when he heard tell that you were on your way from the north.” The King spake little of these tidings before men; yet was that found, that he would put fast trust in those words that had been spoke to him.

      And now fared the King on his journey. Hildirid’s sons led him forth in worthy wise with gifts, but he promised them his friendship. Those brethren gave out that they had an errand into Naumdale, and fared so in a round with the King that they fell in with him at every other while. Alway he took well with their talk.

      THERE was a man named Thorgils the Yeller. He was a homeman of Thorolf’s and was had of him in the most esteem of all his housecarles. He had followed Thorolf then when he was a-viking. Then was he his forecastle-man and his banner-bearer. Thorgils had been at Hafrsfirth in the host of King Harald, and was skipper there of that ship which Thorolf had, the same he had had a-viking. Thorgils was a mighty man of his hands and the greatest man of valour. The King had bestowed on him gifts of friendship after the battle and promised him his friendship. Thorgils was overseer of the household at Torgar when Thorolf was not at home. Thorgils had then the ruling there. But when Thorolf had fared from home, then had he gotten together the Finn-scat, even all that which he had had from the fell and which was the King’s, and made it over into the hands of Thorgils, and bade him bring it to the King, if himself came not home afore that the King should fare from the north and southaway.

      Thorgils arrayed a ship of burden,1 a great and a good, that Thorolf had, and bare aboard of her the scat, and had near twenty men: sailed south after the King and found him in Naumdale. But when Thorgils came to see the King, then bare he to the King Thorolf’s greetings, and said that he fared there with the Finn-scat, that Thorolf sent unto the King. The King looked upon him and answereth nought, and men saw that he was wroth.

      Then Thorgils gat him gone, and thought to find a better season to have speech with the King. He came to see Oliver Hnufa and said unto him all as it had befallen, and asked if he knew aught of what was toward.

      “I know not that,” said he. “But this have I found, that the King falleth silent every while that Thorolf is spoke of, ever since we were in Leka; and I misdoubt me therefore lest he be slandered. That know I of Hildirid’s sons, that they be in long privy talkings with the King, and that is easy-found in the words of them, that they be unfriends of Thorolf s. But I will shortly find out all this from the King.”

      Thereafter fared Oliver to see the King, and spake: “Thorgils the Yeller is hither come, your friend, with that scat that is come out of Finnmark and is yours; and the scat is far greater than hath aforetime been, and of far better wares. There is haste upon him of his journey. Do so well, King, as go and see, for sure none shall ever have seen such good grey-wares”.2

      The King answereth him not, and yet went thither where the ship was laid. Thorgils brake bulk straightway of the wares and showed them to the King. But when the King saw that it was true that the scat was far greater and better than had aforetime been, then smoothed was his brow somewhat, and then might Thorgils hold speech with him. He brought the King some beaver-skins3 that Thorolf sent him, and more costly treasures besides that he had gotten on the fell. The King was then glad of himself and asked what had befallen to tell of in the farings of Thorolf and his men. Thorgils told him clearly of all that. Then spake the King: “Great scathe is that, whereas Thorolf will not be true to me, but will fain be my banesman”.

      Then many that were by, and all with one accord, answered and said that here must be some slander of ill men, if such-like things were said to the King, but Thorolf must be held guiltless of such things. It came to this, that the King said he would liever trow it to be as they now said. Then was the King light in all his talk with Thorgils, and they parted well agreed.

      But when Thorgils saw Thorolf he said unto him all this, even as it had fared.

      THOROLF fared that winter yet again to the Mark, and had with him near a hundred men. And now fared he like as in that former winter: had a cheaping-fair with the Finns and fared wide about the Mark. But when he sought farther east, and news spread there of his farings, then came Kvens1 to him and said that they were sent unto him, and that that was done of Faravid, the king of Kvenland: said that Kirials2 harried in his land, and he sent word to this intent, that Thorolf should fare thither and give him help. There was this too in his word-sending, that Thorolf should have even shares with the king, and every man of his should have as much as three Kvens. Now that was their law of the Kvens, that the king should have of the booty shared with the men of his host one-third part, and, over and above that, to his own sole use, all beaver-skins and sables and miniveres. Thorolf laid this before the men of his host and bade them choose which it should be, go or no: but that was the choice of most, to take that hazard wherein lay so great fee to be gained, and the end of their redetaking was that they fared east with the messengers.

      Finnmark is wide exceedingly. The main sea goeth by the west thereof, and from it big firths; so likewise by the north and all east-about; but south thereof is Norway, and the Mark taketh well nigh all the inland region southaway, even as Halogaland the coast-lands. Now east from Naumdale is Jamtaland, and then Helsingland, then Kvenland, then Finnland, then Kirialaland: but Finnmark lieth back beyond all these lands, and there be wide fell-settlements up in the Mark, some in the dales, and some by the waters’ side. In Finnmark be waters wondrous big, and there by the waters’ side big mark-lands, but high fells lie aback from end to end of the Mark, and that is called the Keel.3

      Now when Thorolf came east to Kvenland and was met with King Faravid, then make they ready for their journey and had three hundred men, and the Northmen the fourth hundred, and fared the upper way about Finnmark and came forth there where the Kirials were on the fell, the same which had aforetime harried the Kvens. But when these were ware of unpeace toward, they gathered together and fared forth to meet it: they looked for victory, like as before. But when they fell to battle, the Northmen went hard forward. They had shields withal trustier than had the Kvens. And now turned it to man-fall in the host of the Kirials: much people fell of them but some fled. King Faravid and Thorolf took fee there past all telling: turned back to Kvenland, and after that fared Thorolf and his folk to the Mark. He and King Faravid parted with friendship.

      Thorolf came down from the fell into Vefsnir: fared then first to his own place, to Sandness: there tarried awhile: fared from the north about spring-time with his folk to Torgar. But when he came there it was said to him how Hildirid’s sons had been that winter in Thrandheim with King Harald, and this withal, that they had not spared to slander Thorolf to the King. There was much said to Thorolf hereof, what manner of stuff they had to their slander. Thorolf answered thus: “The King will not believe it, though such lies be borne up before him (seeing that there is no matter in it), that I should bewray him: for he hath in many a thing done great good to me, and in no thing done me ill. And so far is it from me, that I should will to do him a hurt, though I had the choice, that I had much rather be landed man of his than be called king, when there

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