Page:The Heimskringla; or, Chronicle of the Kings of Norway Vol 2.djvu/134

 126 CHRONICLE OF THE saga vii. have this business on hand, and try if this uproar can be appeased." The king says that he will adopt this advice. " I will," says he, " that ye brothers undertake this business; for I trust to you the most among my men." Thorvid the Stammerer said, " I remain behind. Let Jacob your son go with them, for that is necessary." Then said Freyvid, " Let us do as Thorvid says: he will not leave you, and I and Arnvid must travel." This counsel was followed. Olaf went to his ships, and set out into the Maelare lake, and many people came to him. The brothers Arnvid and Freyvid rode out to Ullaraker, and had with them the king's son Jacob ; but they kept it a secret that he Avas there. The brothers observed that there was a great concourse and war-gathering, for the bonders held the Thing night and day. When Arnvid and Freyvid met their relations and friends, they said they would join with the people ; and many agreed to leave the management of the business in the hands of the brothers. But all, as one man, declared they would no longer have King Olaf over them, and no longer suffer his unlawful proceedings, and overweening pride which would not listen to any man's remon- strances, even when the great chiefs spoke the truth to him. When Freyvid observed the heat of the people, he saw in what a bad situation the king's cause was. He summoned the chiefs of the land to a meeting with him, and addressed them thus : — "It appears to me, that if we are to depose Olaf Ericsson from his kingdom, we Swedes of the Uplands should be the leading men in it ; for so it has always been, that the counsel which the Upland chiefs have re- solved upon among themselves has always been fol- lowed by the men of the rest of the country. Our forefathers did not need to take advice from the West Gotlanders about the government of the Swedes. Now