Page:The Heimskringla; or, Chronicle of the Kings of Norway Vol 2.djvu/84

 76 SAGA VII. CHRONICLE OF THE took from him both life and land. Gunhild's sons also were cut off when they became disobedient to the Danish kings ; and Harald Gormson joined Nor- way to his own dominions, and made it subject to scatt to him. And we reckon Harald Gormson to be of less power and consideration than the Upsal kings, for our relation Styrbiorn subdued him, and Harald became his man ; and yet Eric the Victorious, my father rose over Styrbiorn's head when it came to a trial between them. When Olaf Tryggvesson came to Norway and proclaimed himself king, we would not permit it, but we went with King Swend, and cut him off ; and thus we have appropriated Norway, as thou hast now heard, and with no less right than if I had gained it in battle, and by conquering the kings who ruled it before. Now thou canst well sup- pose, as a man of sense, that I will not let slip the kingdom of Norway for this thick fellow. It is wonderful he does not remember how narrowly he made his escape, when we had penned him in in the Ma^lare lake. Although he slipped away with life from thence, he ought, methinks, to have something else in his mind than to hold out against us Swedes. Now, Hialte, thou must never again open thy mouth in my presence on such a subject." Hialte saw sufficiently that there was no hope of the king's listening to any proposal of a peace, and desisted from speaking of it, and turned the conver- sation to something else. When Hialte, afterwards, came into discourse with the king's daughter Ingi- gerd, he tells her his conversation with the king. She told him she expected such an answer from the king. Hialte begged of her to say a good word to the king about the matter, but she thought the king would listen as little to what she said: " But speak about it I will, if thou requirest it." Hialte assured her he would be thankful for the attempt.