KINGS OF NORWAY. 29 King Olaf had not been long here before he one day SA GA v n - called his step-father King Sigurd, his mother Aasta, Chapter and his foster-father Rane, to a conference and con- conversa- snltation. Olaf began thus: " It has so happened," i io . no * „ . *? i t i Kin s olaf said he, as is well known to you, that 1 have re- and King turned to this country after a very long sojourn in Slgur ' foreign parts, during all which time I and my men have had nothing for our support but what we cap- tured in war, for which we have often hazarded both life and soul ; for many an innocent man have we deprived of his property, and some of their lives: and foreigners are now sitting in the possessions which my father, his father, and their forefathers, for a long series of generations owned, and to which I have udal right. They have not been content with this, but have taken to themselves also the properties of all our relations who are descended from Harald Haarfager. To some they have left little, to others nothing at all. Now I wall disclose to you what I have long concealed in my own mind, that I intend to take the heritage of my forefathers ; but I will not wait upon the Danish or Swedish king to supplicate the least thing from them, although they for the time call that their property which was Harald Haar- fager's heritage. To say the truth, I intend rather to seek my patrimony with battle-axe and sword, and that with the help of all my friends and rela- tions, and of those who in this business will take my side. And in this matter I will so lay hand to the work that one of two things shall happen, — either I shall lay all this kingdom under my rule which they got into their hands by the slaughter of my kins- man Olaf Tryggvesson, or I shall fall here upon my inheritance in the land of my fathers. Now I ex- pect of thee, Sigurd, my stepfather, as well as other men here in the country who have udal right of succession to the kingdom, according to the law
