Page:The Heimskringla; or, Chronicle of the Kings of Norway Vol 3.djvu/268

 256 CHRONICLE OF THE SAGA XIV. horse, and went to the girl and courted her. When the king went away, the bonder Simun came to know what the object of the king's visit had been. The o'irl was called Thora, and she was Simun the bon- der's servant-girl. Simun took good care of her afterwards, and the girl brought forth a male child, who was called Hakon, and was considered King Sigurd's son. Hakon was brought up by Simun Thorbergsson and his wife Gunhild. Their own sons also, Simun, Onund, and Andreas, were brought up with Hakon, and were so dear to him that death only could have parted them. ^xr?"^ While King Eystein Haraldsson was in Yiken, he Of Eystein fell iuto disputes with the bonders of Reine and the peasants of inhabitants of Hising Isle, who assembled to oppose Hisingisie. him ; but hc gave them battle at a place called Leik- berg, and afterwards burnt and destroyed all around in Hising ; so that the bonders submitted to his will, paid great fines to the king, and he took hostages from them. So says Einar Skuleson : — " The Viken men Wont strive again. With words or blows. The king to oppose. None safety found On Viken's ground, Till all, afraid, Pledge and scatt paid." And further: — " The king came near; He who is dear To all good men Came down the glen. By Leikberg hill. They who do ill. The Reine folk, fly. Or quarter cry." liAPTER Soon after King Eystein began his journey out of The war the couutry over sea to the West, and sailed first to expedition r ' ^ tt i of King Caithness. Here he heard that Earl Harald Mad-