though there are many men there who consider themselves born
to udal rights, and have their privileges like others born as they are.
Now, here is your relation Aslak, who appears to have suffered great
inconvenience from your conduct; and I do not know whether he himself is
in fault, or whether he suffers because I have placed him to defend what
is mine; and although I name him, there are many others who have brought
the same complaint before us, both among those who are placed in office
in our districts, and among the bailiffs who have our farms to manage,
and are obliged to entertain me and my people."

Erling replies to this, "I will answer at once. I deny altogether that I
have ever injured Aslak, or any one else, for being in your service; but
this I will not deny, that it is now, as it has long been, that each of
us relations will willingly be greater than the other: and, moreover,
I freely acknowledge that I am ready to bow my neck to thee, King Olaf;
but it is more difficult for me to stoop before one who is of slave
descent in all his generation, although he is now your bailiff, or
before others who are but equal to him in descent, although you bestow
honours on them."

Now the friends of both interfered, and entreated that they would be
reconciled; saying, that the king never could have such powerful aid as
from Erling, "if he was your friend entirely." On the other hand, they
represent to Erling that he should give up to the king; for if he was
in friendship with the king, it would be easy to do with all the others
what he pleased. The meeting accordingly ended so that Erling should
retain the fiefs he formerly had, and every complaint the king had
against Erling should be dropped; but Skjalg, Erling's son, should
come to the king, and remain in his power. Then Aslak returned to his
dominions, and the two were in some sort reconciled. Erling returned
home also to his domains, and followed his own way of ruling them.

123. HERE BEGINS THE STORY OF ASBJORN SELSBANE.

There was a man named Sigurd Thoreson, a brother of Thorer Hund of
Bjarkey Island. Sigurd was married to Sigrid Skjalg's daughter, a sister
of Erling. Their son, called Asbjorn, became as he grew up a very
able man. Sigurd dwelt at Omd in Thrandarnes, and was a very rich and
respected man. He had not gone into the king's service; and Thorer in so
far had attained higher dignity than his brother, that he was the king's
lenderman. But at hom