Page:The Heimskringla; or, Chronicle of the Kings of Norway Vol 2.djvu/175

 KINGS OF NORWAY. 167 forbids carrying corn out of this to the north of the saga vu. country. Sail back again, Halogalander, for that will be thy safest course." Asbiorn replies, " If it be so, bonder, as thou say est, that we can get no corn here to buy, I will, notwith- standing, go forward upon my errand, and visit my family in Sole, and see my relation Erling's habitation." Thorer : " How near is thy relationship to Erling?" Asbiorn : u My mother is his sister." Thorer : " It may be that I have spoken heedlessly, if so be that thou art sister's son of Erling." Thereupon Asbiorn and his crew struck their tents, and turned the ship to sea. Thorer called after them, " A good voyage, and come here again on your way back." Asbiorn promised to do so, sailed away, and came in the evening to Jederen. Asbiorn went on shore with ten men ; the other ten men watched the ship. When Asbiorn came to the house he was very well received, and Erling was very glad to see him, placed him beside himself, and asked him all the news in the north of the country. Asbiorn concealed no- thing of his business from him; and Erling said it happened unfortunately that the king had just forbid the sale of corn. " And I know no man here," says he, " who has courage to break the king's order, and I find it difficult to keep well with the king, so many are trying to break our friendship." Asbiorn replies, "It is late before we learn the truth. In my childhood I was taught that my mo- ther was free-born throughout her whole descent, and that Erling of Sole was her boldest relation ; and now I hear thee say that thou hast not the freedom, for the king's slaves here in Jederen, to do with thy own corn what thou pleasest." Erling looked at him, smiled through his teeth, and said, " Ye Halogalanders know less of the king's power than we do here ; but a bold man thou mayst M 4