Page:The Heimskringla; or, Chronicle of the Kings of Norway Vol 1.djvu/318

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CHRONICLE OF THE

people of Viken, and the Uplands, wanted those under whom they lived. And thereupon new quarrels arose among the brothers; and because they thought their dominions too little, they drove about in piratical expeditions. In this way, as before related, Guttorm fell at the river Quislen, slain by Solve Klofe; upon which Olaf took the kingdom he had possessed. Halfdan the White fell in Eastland, Halfdan Haaleg in Orkney. King Harald gave ships of war to Thorgils and Frode, with which they went westward on a viking cruise, and plundered in Scotland, Ireland, and Bretland. They were the first of the Northmen who took Dublin. It is said that Erode got poisoned drink there; but Thorgil was a long time king over Dublin, until he fell into a snare of the Irish, and was killed.

Chapter XXXVI.
Death of Rognvald Rettilbein.

Eric Bloodyaxe expected to be head king over all his brothers, and King Harald intended he should be so; and the father and son lived long together. Rognvald Rettilbein governed Hadeland, and allowed himself to be instructed in the arts of witchcraft, and became a great warlock. Now King Harald was a hater of all witchcraft. There was a warlock in Hordeland called Vitgeir; and when the kins: sent a message to him that he should give up his art of witchcraft, he replied in this verse —

"The danger surely is not great
From wizards born of mean estate,
When Haraid's son in Hadeland,
King Rognvald, to the art lays hand."

But when King Harald heard this, King Eric Bloodyaxe went by his orders to the Uplands, and burned his brother Rognvald in a house, along with eighty other warlocks; which work was much praised.

Chapter XXXVII.
Of Gudrod Liome.

Gudrod Liome was in winter on a friendly visit to his foster-father Thiodolf in Huine, and had a well-manned ship, with which he wanted to go north to