One summer it happened that a vessel came from Iceland belonging to Icelanders, and loaded with skins and peltry.They sailed to Hardanger, where they heard the greatest number of people assembled; but when the folks came to deal with them, nobody would buy their skins.Then the steersman went to King Harald, whom he had been acquainted with before, and complained of his ill luck.The king promised to visit him, and did so.King Harald was very condescending, and full of fun.He came with a fully manned boat, looked at the skins, and then said to the steersman, "Wilt thou give me a present of one of these gray-skins?" "Willingly," said the steersman, "if it were ever so many." On this the king wrapped himself up in a gray-skin, and went back to his boat; but before they rowed away from the ship, every man in his suite bought such another skin as the king wore for himself.In a few days so many people came to buy skins, that not half of them could be served with what they wanted; and thereafter the king was called Harald Grafeld (Grayskin).
8.EARL EIRIK'S BIRTH.
Earl Hakon came one winter to the Uplands to a feast, and it so happened that he had intercourse with a girl of mean birth.Some time after the girl had to prepare for her confinement, and she bore a child, a boy, who had water poured on him, and was named Eirik.The mother carried the boy to Earl Hakon, and said that he was the father.The earl placed him to be brought up with a man called Thorleif the Wise, who dwelt in Medaldal, and was a rich and powerful man, and a great friend of the earl.Eirik gave hopes very early that he would become an able man, was handsome in countenance, and stout and strong for a child; but the earl did not pay much attention to him.The earl himself was one of the handsomest men in countenance, -- not tall, but very strong, and well practised in all kinds of exercises; and witha1prudent, of good understanding, and a deadly man at arms.
9.KING TRYGVE OLAFSON'S MURDER.
It happened one harvest (A.D.962) that Earl Hakon, on a journey in the Uplands, came to Hedemark; and King Trygve Olafson and King Gudrod Bjornson met him there, and Dale-Gudbrand also came to the meeting.They had agreed to meet, and they talked together long by themselves; but so much only was known of their business, that they were to be friends of each other.They parted, and each went home to his own kingdom.Gunhild and her sons came to hear of this meeting, and they suspected it must have been to lay a treasonable plot against the kings; and they often talked of this among themselves.When spring (A.D.963)began to set in, King Harald and his brother King Gudrod proclaimed that they were to make a viking cruise, as usual, either in the West sea, or the Baltic.The people accordingly assembled, launched the ships into the sea, and made themselves ready to sail.When they were drinking the farewell ale, -- and they drank bravely, -- much and many things were talked over at the drink-table, and, among other things, were comparisons between different men, and at last between the kings themselves.
One said that King Harald excelled his brothers by far, and in every way.On this King Gudrod was very angry, and said that he was in no respect behind Harald, and was ready to prove it.
Instantly both parties were so inflamed that they challenged each other to battle, and ran to their arms.But some of the guests who were less drunk, and had more understanding, came between them, and quieted them; and each went to his ship, but nobody expected that they would all sail together.Gudrod sailed east ward along the land, and Harald went out to sea, saying he would go to the westward; but when he came outside of the islands he steered east along the coast, outside of the rocks and isles.
Gudrod, again, sailed inside, through the usual channel, to Viken, and eastwards to Folden.He then sent a message to King Trygve to meet him, that they might make a cruise together in summer in the Baltic to plunder.Trygve accepted willingly, and as a friend, the invitation; and as heard King Gudrod had but few people with him, he came to meet him with a single boat.They met at Veggen, to the east of Sotanes; but just as they were come to the meeting place, Gudrod's men ran up and killed King Trygve and twelve men.He lies buried at a place called Trygve's Cairn (A.D.963).
10.KING GUDROD'S FALL.
King Harald sailed far outside of the rocks and isles; but set his course to Viken, and came in the night-time to Tunsberg, and heard that Gudrod Bjornson was at a feast a little way up the country.Then King Harald set out immediately with his followers, came in the night, and surrounded the house.King Gudrod Bjornson went out with his people; but after a short resistance he fell, and many men with him.Then King Harald joined his brother King Gudrod, and they subdued all Viken.
11.OF HARALD GRENSKE.
King Gudrod Bjornson had made a good and suitable marriage, and had by his wife a son called Harald, who had been sent to be fostered to Grenland to a lenderman called Hroe the White.
Hroe's son, called Hrane Vidforle (the Far-travelled), was Harald's foster-brother, and about the same age.After his father Gudrod's fall, Harald, who was called Grenske, fled to the Uplands, and with him his foster-brother Hrane, and a few people.
Harald staid a while there among his relations; but as Eirik's sons sought after every man who interfered with them, and especially those who might oppose them, Harald Grenske's friends and relations advised him to leave the country.Harald therefore went eastward into Svithjod, and sought shipmates, that he might enter into company with those who went out a cruising to gather property.Harald became in this way a remarkably able man.