Page:The Heimskringla; or, Chronicle of the Kings of Norway Vol 1.djvu/391

 has but one son, and cares but little about him, as he is but the son of a concubine."

The earl talked so long to Gold Harald that the project pleased him well; and the king, the earl, and Gold Hakon often talked over the business together. The Danish king then sent messengers north to Norway to Harald Greyskin, and fitted them out magnificently for their journey. They were well received by Harald. The messengers told him that Earl Hakon was in Denmark, but was lying dangerously sick, and almost out of his senses. They then delivered from Harald, the Danish king, the invitation to Harald Greyskin, his foster-son, to come to him, and receive investiture of the fiefs he and his brothers before him had formerly held in Denmark; and appointing a meeting in Jutland. Harald Greyskin laid the matter before his mother and other friends. Their opinions were divided. Some thought that the expedition was not without its danger, on account of the men with whom they had to deal; but the most were in haste to begin the journey, for at that time there was such a famine in Norway that the kings could scarcely feed their men-at-arms: and on this account the Fiord, on which the kings resided, usually got the name of Hardanger (Hard-acre). In Denmark, on the other hand, there had been tolerably good crops; so that people thought that if King Harald got fiefs, and something to rule over there, they would get some assistance. It was therefore concluded, before the messengers returned, that Harald should travel to Denmark to the Danish king in summer, and accept the conditions King Harald offered.

Harald Greyskin went to Denmark in summer with three long-ships; and Herse Asbiorn, from the Fiord district, commanded one of them. King Harald sailed from Viken over to Lymfiord in Jutland, and landed