as was the truth also, that it was the
greatest loss, both to the people of Viken and of Gautland, that there
was no peace for trade between the two countries; and at last both
agreed upon a peace, and still-stand of arms between them until next
summer; and they parted with mutual gifts and friendly speeches.

66. KING OLAF THE SWEDE.

The king thereupon returned north to Viken, and had all the royal
revenues up to the Gaut river; and all the people of the country there
had submitted to him. King Olaf the Swede had so great a hatred of Olaf
Haraldson, that no man dared to call him by his right name in the king's
hearing. They called him the thick man; and never named him without some
hard by-name.

67. ACCOUNT OF THEIR RECONCILIATION.

The bondes in Viken spoke with each other about there being nothing for
it but that the kings should make peace and a league with each other,
and insisted upon it that they were badly used by the kings going to
war; but nobody was so bold as to bring these murmurs before the king.
At last they begged Bjorn the marshal to bring this matter before the
king, and entreat him to send messengers to the Swedish king to offer
peace on his side. Bjorn was disinclined to do this, and put it off from
himself with excuses; but on the entreaties of many of his friends, he
promised at last to speak of it to the king; but declared, at the same
time, that he knew it would be taken very ill by the king to propose
that he should give way in anything to the Swedish king. The same
summer (A.D. 1017) Hjalte Skeggjason came over to Norway from Iceland,
according to the message sent him by King Olaf, and went directly to
the king. He was well received by the king, who told him to lodge in his
house, and gave him a seat beside Bjorn the marshal, and Hjalte became
his comrade at table. There was good-fellowship immediately between
them.

Once, when King Olaf had assembled the people and bondes to consult upon
the good of the country, Bjorn the marshal said, "What think you, king,
of the strife that is between the Swedish king and you? Many people
have fallen on both sides, without its being at all more determined than
before what each of you shall have of the kingdom. You have now been
sitting in Viken one winter and two summers, and the whole country
to the north is lying behind your back unseen; and the men who have
property or udal rights in the north are weary of sitting here. Now it
is the