Page:The Heimskringla; or, Chronicle of the Kings of Norway Vol 2.djvu/43

 KINGS OF NORWAY. 35 King Olaf began immediately bis progress through saga vn, the country, appointing feasts before him wherever chapter there were royal farms. First he travelled round in Ib^SS Hadeland, and then he proceeded north to Gud- travels in T 7-. o* TO the Up* brandsdal. And now it went as King bigurd byr lands, had foretold, that people streamed to him from all quarters; and he did not appear to have need for half of them, for he had nearly 300 men. But the enter- tainments bespoken did not half serve; for it had been the custom that kings went about in guest- quarters in the Uplands with 60 or 70 men only, and never with more than 100 men. The king therefore hastened over the country, only stopping one night at the same place. When he came north to Dovre- field, he arranged his journey so that he came over the Fielde and down upon the north side of it, and then came to Opdal, where he remained all night. Afterwards he proceeded through Opdal forest, and came out at Medaldal, where he proclaimed a Thing, and summoned the bonders to meet him at it. The king made a speech to the Thing, and asked the bonders to accept him as king; and promised, on his part, the laws and rights which King Olaf Tryg- gvesson had offered them. The bonders had no strength to make opposition to the king; so the re- sult was that they received him as king, and con- firmed it by oath: but they sent word to Orkedal and Skogn of all that they knew concerning Olaf 's proceedings. Einar Tambarskelver had a farm and house in x C xxvTr. Skoo-n : and now when he got news of Olaf 's proceed- a levy ings, he immediately split up a war-arrow, and sent oiaf in the it out as a token to the four quarters — north, south, 1 ^ I ^" theira east, west, — to call together all free and unfree men in full equipment of war : therewith the message, that they were to defend the land against King Olaf. The d 2