Page:The Heimskringla; or, Chronicle of the Kings of Norway Vol 1.djvu/437

 house, but could not find him. Then Olaf held a House Thing or council out in the yard, and stood upon a great stone which lay beside the swine-stye, and made a speech to the people, in which he promised to enrich the man with rewards and honours who should kill the earl. This speech was heard by the earl and the thrall Karker. There was a little daylight admitted to them.

"Why art thou so pale," says the earl, "and now again black as earth? Thou hast not the intention to betray me?"

"By no means," replies Karker.

"We were born on the same night," says the earl, "and the time will be short between our deaths." King Olaf went away in the evening. When night came the earl kept himself awake; but Karker slept, and was disturbed in his sleep. The earl woke him, and asked him u what he was dreaming of?" He answered, "I was at Lade, and Olaf Tryggvesson was laying a gold ring about my neck." The earl says, "It will be a red ring Olaf will lay about thy neck if he catches thee. Take care of that! From me thou shalt enjoy all that is good, therefore betray me not."

They then kept themselves awake both; the one, as it were, watching upon the other. But towards day the earl suddenly dropped asleep; but his sleep was so unquiet that he drew his heels under him, and raised his neck, as if going to rise, and screamed dreadfully high. On this Karker, dreadfully alarmed, drew a large knife out of his belt, stuck it in the earl's throat, and cut it across, and killed Earl Hakon. Then Karker cut off the earl's head, and ran away. Late in the day he came to Lade, where he delivered the earl's head to King Olaf, and told all these circumstances of his own and Earl Hakon's doings. Olaf had him taken out and beheaded.