-pleased with the voyage, but told Gunstein to remain with
him, promising to assist him when opportunity offered. Gunstein took the
invitation with thanks, and stayed with King Olaf.
ENDNOTES: (1) Ludr--the loor--is a long tube or roll of birch-bark
used as a horn by the herdboys in the mountains in Norway.
--L.
144. MEETING OF KING OLAF AND KING ONUND.
King Olaf was, as before related, in Sarpsborg the winter (A.D. 1026)
that King Canute was in Denmark. The Swedish king Onund rode across West
Gautland the same winter, and had thirty hundred (3600) men with him.
Men and messages passed between them; and they agreed to meet in spring
at Konungahella. The meeting had been postponed, because they wished
to know before they met what King Canute intended doing. As it was now
approaching towards winter, King Canute made ready to go over to England
with his forces, and left his son Hardaknut to rule in Denmark, and with
him Earl Ulf, a son of Thorgils Sprakaleg. Ulf was married to Astrid,
King Svein's daughter, and sister of Canute the Great. Their son Svein
was afterwards king of Denmark. Earl Ulf was a very distinguished man.
When the kings Olaf and Onund heard that Canute the Great had gone
west to England, they hastened to hold their conference, and met at
Konungahella, on the Gaut river. They had a joyful meeting, and had many
friendly conversations, of which something might become known to the
public; but they also spake often a great deal between themselves, with
none but themselves two present, of which only some things afterwards
were carried into effect, and thus became known to every one. At parting
the kings presented each other with gifts, and parted the best of
friends. King Onund went up into Gautland, and Olaf northwards to Viken,
and afterwards to Agder, and thence northwards along the coast, but
lay a long time at Egersund waiting a wind. Here he heard that Erling
Skjalgson, and the inhabitants of Jadar with him, had assembled a large
force. One day the king's people were talking among themselves whether
the wind was south or south-west, and whether with that wind they could
sail past Jadar or not. The most said it was impossible to fetch round.
Then answers Haldor Brynjolfson, "I am of opinion that we would go round
Jadar with this wind fast enough if Erling Skjalgson had prepared a
feast for us at Sole." Then King Olaf ordered the tents to be struck,
and the vessels to be hauled out,
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