y had fought
at Nis-river, and every one who had been there thought he could tell
something about it. Once some of them sat in a cellar and drank, and
were very merry and talkative. They talked about the Nis-river battle,
and who had earne'd the greatest praise and renown. They all agreed that
no man there had been at all equal to Earl Hakon. He was the boldest in
arms, the quickest, and the most lucky; what he did was of the greatest
help, and he won the battle. King Harald, in the meantime, was out in
the yard, and spoke with some people. He went then to the room-door, and
said, "Every one here would willingly be called Hakon;" and then went
his way.

71. OF THE ATTEMPT TO TAKE EARL HAKON.

Earl Hakon went in winter to the Uplands, and was all winter in his
domains. He was much beloved by all the Uplanders. It happened, towards
spring, that some men were sitting drinking in the town, and the
conversation turned, as usual, on the Nis-river battle; and some praised
Earl Hakon, and some thought others as deserving of praise as he. When
they had thus disputed a while, one of them said, "It is possible that
others fought as bravely as the earl at Nis-river; but none, I think,
has had such luck with him as he."

The others replied, that his best luck was his driving so many Danes to
flight along with other men.

The same man replied, "It was greater luck that he gave King Svein
quarter."

One of the company said to him, "Thou dost not know what thou art
saying."

He replied, "I know it for certain, for the man told me himself who
brought the king to the land."

It went, according to the old proverb, that the king has many ears. This
was told the king, and he immediately ordered horses to be gathered,
and rode away directly with 900 men. He rode all that night and the
following day. Then some men met them who were riding to the town with
mead and malt. In the king's retinue was a man called Gamal, who rode
to one of these bondes who was an acquaintance of his, and spoke to him
privately. "I will pay thee," said he, "to ride with the greatest speed,
by the shortest private paths that thou knowest, to Earl Hakon, and tell
him the king will kill him; for the king has got to the knowledge that
Earl Hakon set King Svein on shore at Nis-river." They agreed on the
payment. The bonde rode, and came to the earl just as he was sitting
drinking, and had not yet gone to bed. When the bonde told his errand,
the earl immed