reon they had discoursed when they were last
face to face. 'On that matter,' quoth the Earl, 'have I lain sleepless
both by night and day ever since, and I deem it the wisest counsel that
thou shouldst hold and rule the kingdom that thy father had and that
thou didst inherit after him, but that thou shouldst get for thy kinsman
Harald another kingdom wherein he may have all honour.' 'What kingdom is
that?' inquired the King, 'that I may lightly give to Harald, keeping
the Danish kingdom whole the while?' The Earl made answer, 'It is
Norway. The kings who rule there are hated by all the folk of their
land, & every man wishes them ill, as is but meet.' Then mused the King
aloud: 'Norway is a great land, and the folk are a hardy folk; it
beseems me to be a land ill chosen whereon to fall with a foreign host.
Thus did it happen to us when Hakon defended the land; many men were
slain to us but no victory did we achieve. Moreover Harald Eirikson is
my foster-son and hath sat on my knee.' Then saith the Earl: 'Long have
I known that thou hast given help to the sons of Gunnhild; yet with
naught but ill have they requited thee. We will take Norway more easily
than by fighting for her with all the hosts of Denmark. Send thou to thy
foster-son Harald, and bid him receive from thee the lands and fiefs
which they had aforetime here in Denmark.

Appoint a tryst with him; then can Gold Harald in a short while win
himself a kingdom in Norway from King Harald Grey-cloak.' Then answered
the King that it would be called of foul intent to betray his
foster-son. 'The Danes, I trow, will account it a better deed to slay a
Norwegian viking than one who is a brother's son and a Dane,' answereth
the Earl; & thereafter talked they on this matter until they were in
full accord.

|| Yet again came Gold Harald to speak with Hakon, and the Earl made
known to him that he had so championed his cause and to such good
purpose that there was hope that a kingdom might now be making ready for
him in Norway. 'Let us,' said he, 'hold fast by our compact. I shall be
able to afford thee great support in Norway. Get thou first that
kingdom. King Harald is now very old & hath but one son, a bastard, whom
he loveth but little.' To such measure did the Earl open up the matter
to Gold Harald that the younger man was in full accord with him thereon;
and thereafter did they all three take lengthy counsel, to wit, the
King, the Earl, and Gold Harald full oft. Then