Page:The Early Kings of Norway.djvu/136

 126 EARLY KINGS OF NORWAY. made answer : " I have heard say, by old accounts there are, that King Gorm of Denmark" (Blue- tooth's father, Knut's great-grandfather) "was con- sidered but a small king ; having Denmark only and few people to rule over. But the kings who suc- ceeded him thought that insufficient for them ; and it has since come so far that King Knut rules over both Denmark and England, and has conquered for him- self a part of Scotland. And now he claims also my paternal bit of heritage ; cannot be contented without that too. Does he wish to rule over all the countries of the North? Can he eat up all the kale in England itself, this Knut the Great ? He shall do that, and reduce his England to a desert, before I lay my head in his hands, or show him any other kind of vassalage. And so I bid you teU him these my words : I will defend Norway with battle-axe and sword as long as life is given me, and will pay tax to no man for my kingdom.'' Words which naturally irritated Knut to a high degree. Next year accordingly (year 1027), tenth or eleventh year of Olaf 's reign, there came bad rumours out of England : That Knut was equipping an immense