Page:The Heimskringla; or, Chronicle of the Kings of Norway Vol 2.djvu/191

 KINGS OF NOKWAY. 183 Then said the king, " Thou art a very lucky man, saga vn. Sigvat; but it is not wonderful that luck should ac- company understanding. It is only wonderful how it sometimes happens that luck attends ignorant men, and that foolish counsel turns out lucky." The king was overjoyed at the circumstance. The boy grew up, and gave good promise as he advanced in age. The same spring, the king gave into the hands of ^S^™* Aasmund Grankelsson the half of the sheriffdom of the The mur- district of Halogaland, which Harek of Thiotto had ^ s r b ° orn formerly held, partly in fief, partly for defraying the Seisbane. king's entertainment in guest-quarters. Aasmund had a ship manned with nearly thirty well-armed men. When Aasmund came north he met Harek, and told him what the kin^ had determined with regard to the district, and produced to him the tokens of the king's full powers. Harek said, " The king had the right to give the sheriffdom to whom he pleased ; but the former sovereigns had not been in use to diminish our rights who are entitled by birth to hold powers from the king, and to give them into the hands of peasants who never before held such offices." But although it was evident that it was against Harek's inclination, he allowed Aasmund to take the sheriffdom according to the king's order. Then Aasmund proceeded home to his father, staid there a short time, and then went north to Halogaland to his sheriffdom ; and he came north to Largo Island, where there dwelt two brothers called Gunstein and Carl, both very rich and respect- able men. Gunstein, the eldest of the brothers, was a good husbandman. Carl was a handsome man in appearance, and splendid in his dress ; and both were, in many respects, expert in all feats. Aasmund was well received by them, remained with them a while, and collected such revenues of his sheriffdom as he could get. Carl spoke with Aasmund of his wish to go south with him and take service in the court of n 4