Page:The Heimskringla; or, Chronicle of the Kings of Norway Vol 2.djvu/274

 Griotijard. 266 CHRONICLE OF THE saga vii. As Thorer saw it was of no use to conceal it longer, he took off the ring and laid it on the table. The king asked if that was the gift of King Canute. Thorer replied that he could not deny it was. The king ordered him to be seized and laid in irons. Kalf came up and entreated for mercy, and offered money for him, which also was seconded by many ; but the king was so wroth that nobody could get in a word. He said Thorer should suffer the doom he had prepared for himself. Thereupon he ordered Thorer to be killed. This deed was much detested in the Uplands, and not less in the Drontheim country, where many of Thorer' s connections were. Kalf took the death of this man much to heart, for he had been his foster-son in childhood. Chapter Griotgard Olversson, Thorer's brother, and the CLXXVI D * I The fail of eldest of the brothers, was a very wealthy man, and had a great troop of people about him. He lived also at this time in Hedemark. When he heard that Thorer had been killed, he made an attack upon the places where the king's goods and men were ; but, between whiles, he kept himself in the forest and other secret places. When the king heard of this disturbance, he had inquiry made about Griotgard's haunts, and found out that he had taken up night- quarters not far from where the king was. King Olaf set out in the night-time, came there about day- dawn, and placed a circle of men round the house in which Griotgard was sleeping. Griotgard and his men, roused by the stir of people and clash of arms, ran to their weapons, and Griotgard himself sprang to the front room. He asked who commanded the troop ; and it was answered him, " King Olaf was come there." Griotgard asked if the king would hear his words. The king, who stood at the door, said that Griotgard might speak what he pleased, and he would hear his words. Griotgard said, " I do not