that the whole public cried and shouted that they would take him to be king. And so it was that the Drontheim people took Hakon, who was then fifteen years old, for king; and he took a court or body-guard, and servants, and proceeded through the country. The news reached the Uplands that the people in Drontheim had taken to themselves a king, who in every respect was like King Harald Haarfager,—with the difference, that Harald had made all the people of the land vassals[1], and unfree; but this Hakon wished well to every man, and offered the bonders to give them their udal rights again, which Harald had taken from them. All were rejoiced at this news, and it passed from mouth to mouth,—it flew, like fire in dry grass, through the whole land, and eastward to the land's end. Many bonders came from the Uplands to meet King Hakon. Some sent messages, some tokens; and all to the same effect—that his men they would be: and the king received all thankfully.
Chapter II.
King Hakon's progress through the country.
Early in winter, the king went to the Uplands, and summoned the people to a Thing; and there streamed all to him who could come. He was proclaimed king at every Thing; and then he proceeded eastward to Yiken, where his brother's sons, Tryggve and Gudrod, and many others, came unto him, and complained of the sorrow and evil his brother Eric had wrought. The hatred to King Eric grew more and more, the more liking all men took to King Hakon; and they got more boldness to say what they thought. King Hakon gave Tryggve and Gudrod the title of kings, and the dominions which King Harald had bestowed on their fathers.[2] Tryggve got Ranrige and Vingul
