Page:The Heimskringla; or, Chronicle of the Kings of Norway Vol 2.djvu/241

 KINGS OF NORWAY. 233 said, " Give King Olaf this plate ; salute him, and say SAGA VIL it is from me." Then they made themselves ready for their journey, and parted. Thorodd went on with his comrade and the man of the merchants' company who had escaped. He proceeded until he came to King Olaf in the town (Nidaros) ; told the king all that had happened, and presented to him the silver plate. The king said it was wrong that Arnliot him- self had not come to him; " for it is a pity so brave a hero, and so distinguished a man, should have given himself up to misdeeds." Thoradd remained the rest of the winter with the king, and in summer got leave to return to Iceland ; and he and King Olaf parted the best of friends. King Olaf made ready in spring to leave Nidaros, C q^ k and many people were assembled about him, both King from Drontheim and the Northern country; and of men. evy when he was ready he proceeded first with his men to More, where he gathered the men of the levy, and did the same at Raumsdal. He went from thence to South More. He lay a long time at the Hero Isles waiting for his forces ; and he often held House- things, as many reports came to his ears about which he thought it necessary to hold councils. In one of these Things he made a speech, in which he spoke of the loss he suffered from the Faroe islanders. " The scatt which they promised me," he said, " is not forthcoming ; and I now intend to send men thither after it." Then he proposed to different men to un- dertake this expedition ; but the answer was, that all declined the adventure. Then there stood up a stout and very remarkable- looking man in the Thing. He was clad in a red kirtle, had a helmet on his head, a sword in his belt, and a large halberd in his hands. He took up the word and said, " In truth here is a great want of men. Ye have a good king ; but ye are bad servants