ere dear to the
King.

Then said King Olaf: 'What means that which Emund told of Atti the
Silly?'

None answered, but they looked at one another.

Said the King, 'Speak now.'

Then said Thorvid the Stammerer: 'Atti quarrelsome, covetous,
ill-willed, silly, foolish.'

Then asked the King, 'Against whom is aimed this cut?'

Then answered Freyvid the Deaf: 'Sire, men will speak more openly, if
that may be with thy permission.'

Said the King: 'Speak now, Freyvid, with permission what thou wilt.'

Freyvid then took the word: 'Thorvid my brother, who is called the
wisest of us, calls the man Atti quarrelsome, silly, and foolish. He
calls him so because, ill-content with peace, he hunts eagerly after
small things, and yet gets them not, while for their sake he throws away
great and good things. I am deaf, but now so many have spoken that I
have been able to understand that men both great and small like it ill
that thou, sire, keepest not thy word with the King of Norway. And still
worse like they this: that thou makest of none effect the judgment of
the General Assembly at Upsala. Thou hast no need to fear King of Norway
or of Danes, nor anyone else, while the armies of Sweden will follow
thee. But if the people of the land turn against thee with one consent,
then we thy friends see no counsel that is sure to avail.'

The King asked: 'Who are the leading men in this counsel to take the
land from me?'

Freyvid answered: 'All the Swedes wish to have old law and their full
right. Look now, sire, how many of thy nobles sit in council here with
thee. I think we be here but six whom thou callest thy counsellors; all
the others have ridden away, and are gone into the provinces, and are
holding meetings with the people of the land; and, to tell thee the
truth, the war-arrow is cut, and sent round all the land, and a high
court appointed. All we brothers have been asked to take part in this
counsel, but not one of us will bear this name and be called traitor to
his king, for our fathers were never such.'

Then said the King: 'What expedient can we find? A great difficulty is
upon us: give ye counsel, noble sirs, that I may keep the kingdom and my
inheritance from my fathers; I wish not to contend against all the host
of Sweden.'

Arnvid the Blind answered: 'Sire, this seems to me good counsel: that
thou ride down to Aros with such as will follow thee, take ship there,
and go out to the lake; there appoint a meeting wit