Page:The Heimskringla; or, Chronicle of the Kings of Norway Vol 2.djvu/75

 KINGS OF NORWAY. 67 thou so melancholy, man ? Art thou sick, or art thou saga vu. angry at any one?" Biorn tells Hialte his conver- sation with the king, and says it is a very danger- ous errand. Hialte says, "It is their lot who follow kings that they enjoy high honours, and are more respected than other men, but stand often in danger of their lives : and they must understand how to bear both parts of their lot. The king's luck is great ; and much ho- nour will be gained by this business, if it succeed." Biorn answered, " Since thou makest so light of this business in thy speech, wilt thou go with me? The king has promised that I shall have companions with me on the journey." " Certainly," says Hialte ; " I will follow thee, if thou wilt : for never again shall I fall in with such a comrade if we part." A few days afterwards, when the king was at a Chapter Thing-meeting, Biorn came with eleven others. He The jour-' says to the king that they were now ready to pro- " e 7 of ceed on their mission, and that their horses stood marshal, saddled at the door. " And now," says he, "I would know with what errand I am to go, or what orders thou givest us." The king replies, " Ye shall carry these my words to the Swedish king — that I will establish peace be- tween our countries up to the frontier which Olaf Tryggvesson had before me ; and each shall bind himself faithfully not to trespass over it. But with regard to the loss of people, no man must mention it if peace there is to be ; for the Swedish king cannot with money pay for the men the Swedes have deprived us of." Thereupon the king rose, and went out with Biorn and his followers ; and he took a gold-mounted sword and a gold ring, and said, in handing over the sword to Biorn, " This I give thee : it was given to me in summer by Earl Rognvald. To him ye shall go ; and f 2