, and Einar were chosen earls, and the country was
divided into three parts among them. Thorfin Sigurdson was five years
old when Earl Sigurd fell. When the Scottish king heard of the earl's
death he gave his relation Thorfin Caithness and Sutherland, with the
title of earl, and appointed good men to rule the land for him. Earl
Thorfin was ripe in all ways as soon as he was grown up: he was stout
and strong, but ugly; and as soon as he was a grown man it was easy to
see that he was a severe and cruel but a very clever man. So says Arnor,
the earls' skald:--

"Under the rim of heaven no other,
So young in years as Einar's brother,
In battle had a braver hand,
Or stouter, to defend the land."

ENDNOTES: (1) Hausakljufer--the splitter of skulls.--L.
(2) Brian's battle is supposed to have taken place on the 23rd
April 1014, at Clontart, near Dublin; and is known in Irish
history as the battle of Clontarf, and was one of the
bloodiest of the age. It was fought between a viking called
Sigtryg and Brian king of Munster, who gained the victory,
but lost his life.--L.

100. OF THE EARLS EINAR AND BRUSE.

The brothers Einar and Bruse were very unlike in disposition. Bruse
was a soft-minded, peaceable man,--sociable, eloquent, and of good
understanding. Einar was obstinate, taciturn, and dull; but ambitious,
greedy of money, and withal a great warrior. Sumarlide, the eldest of
the brothers, was in disposition like Bruse, and lived not long, but
died in his bed. After his death Thorfin claimed his share of the Orkney
Islands. Einar replied, that Thorfin had the dominions which their
father Sigurd had possessed, namely, Caithness and Sutherland, which
he insisted were much larger than a third part of Orkney; therefore he
would not consent to Thorfin's having any share. Bruse, on the other
hand, was willing, he said, to divide with him. "I do not-desire," he
said, "more than the third part of the land, and which of right belongs
to me." Then Einar took possession of two parts of the country, by which
he became a powerful man, surrounded by many followers. He was often in
summer out on marauding expeditions, and called out great numbers of the
people to join him; but it went always unpleasantly with the division of
the booty made on his viking cruises. Then the bondes grew weary of all
these burdens; but Earl Einar held fast by them with severity, calling
in all se