Page:The Heimskringla; or, Chronicle of the Kings of Norway Vol 2.djvu/298

 290 CHRONICLE OF THE saga vn. brought the matter with Kalf. As soon as the earl heard of it, he sent a message to Kalf that he should come to the town to him. Kalf did not decline the invitation, but came directly to Nidaros, and waited on the earl who received him kindly. In their con- versation it was fully agreed upon that Kalf should go into the earl's service, and should receive great fiefs. After this Kalf returned home, and had the greater part of the interior of the Drontheim country under him. As soon as it was spring Kalf rigged out a ship that belonged to him, and when she was ready he put to sea, and sailed west to England ; for he had heard that in spring King Canute was to sail from Denmark to England, and that King Canute had given Harald, a son of Thorkel the High, an earldom in Denmark. Kalf Arneson went to King Canute as soon as he arrived in England. Biorn Guldbraa- scald tells of this : — " King Olaf eastward o'er the sea To Russia's monarch had to flee ; Our Harald's brother ploughed the main, And furrowed white its dark-blue plain. Whilst thou — the truth I still will say, Nor fear nor favour can me sway — Thou to King Canute hastened fast, As soon as Olaf 's luck was past." Now when Kalf came to King Canute the king received him particularly well, and had many con- versations with him. Among other things, King Canute, in a conference, asked Kalf to bind himself to raise a warfare against King Olaf, if ever he should return to the country. " And for which," says the king, " I will give thee the earldom, and place thee to rule over Norway ; and my relation Hakon shall come to me, which will suit him better, for he is so honour- able and trustworthy that I believe he would not even throw a spear against the person of King Olaf if he came back to the country." Kalf lent his ear to what