Page:The Heimskringla; or, Chronicle of the Kings of Norway Vol 2.djvu/129

 KINGS OF NORWAY. 121 Atle got up to look after his sledge, but never did he saga vu. find it again ; and so he returned home. And this is the only news, king, I have to tell." The king says, " This is news of but little impor- tance, if it be all thou hast to tell." Emund replies, " Lately something happened which may well be called news. Gaute Tafason went with five war-ships out of the Gotha river, and when he was lying at Eker Island there came five large Danish merchant-ships there. Gaute and his men immediately took four of the great vessels, and made a great booty without the loss of a man; but the fifth vessel slipped out to sea, and sailed away. Gaute gave chase with one ship, and at first came nearer to them ; but as the wind increased, the Danes got away. Then Gaute wanted to turn back ; but a storm came on so that he lost his ship at Leso, with all the goods, and the greater part of his crew. In the mean time his people were waiting for him at Eker ; but the Danes came over in fifteen merchant- ships, killed them all, and took all the booty they had made. So but little luck had they with their greed of plunder." The king replied, " That is great news, and worth being told ; but what now is thy errand here? " Emund replies, " I travel, sire, to obtain your judgment in a difficult case, in which our law and the Upsal law do not agree." The king asks, " What is thy appeal case?" Emund replies, " There were two noble-born men of equal birth, but unequal in property and disposi- tion. They quarrelled about some land, and did each other much damage ; but most was done to him who was the more powerful of the two. This quarrel, however, was settled, and judged of at a General Thing; and the judgment was, that the most power- ful should pay a compensation. But at the first pay- ment, instead of paying a goose, he paid a gosling;