Page:The Heimskringla; or, Chronicle of the Kings of Norway Vol 2.djvu/379

 KINGS OF NORWAY. 371 and office in Halogaland, and many are the tales about saga vht. the strife between Asmund and Harek's sons. Kalf Arneson had at first, for some time, the great- Chapter est share of the government of the country under of Thor- King Magnus ; but afterwards there were people who s eir F|ek - reminded the king of the part Kalf had taken at Stiklestad, and then it became difficult for Kalf to give the king satisfaction in any thing. Once it hap- pened there were many men with the king bringing their affairs before him ; and Thorgeir Flek from Suul in Vserdal, of whom mention is made before in the history of King Olaf the Saint, came to him about some needful business. The king paid no attention to his words, but was listening to people who stood near him. Then Thorgeir said to the king, so loud that all who were around him could hear, — " Listen, my lord, To my plain word. I too was there, And had to bear A bloody head From Stildested : For I was then With Olaf s men. Listen to me : Well did I see The men you're trusting The dead corpse thrusting Out of their way, As dead it lay; And striding o'er Your father's gore." There was instantly a great uproar, and some told Thorgeir to go out ; but the king called him, and not only despatched his business to his satisfaction, but promised him favour and friendship. Soon after this the king was at a feast at the farm Chapter of Haug in Vasrdal, and at the dinner- table Kalf Ka u' rne _ Arneson sat upon one side of him, and Einar Tarn- son flies the barskelver on the other. It was already come so far BB 2