494 SOME EXPEDITIONS AND DEEDS OF GREAT VIKINGS. 



pleaded the same with the jarl. Knut sent men eastward from 

 England to Norway, very finely fitted out ; they brought a 

 letter and the seal of the King of the English. In the spring 

 they went to Olaf Haraldsson at Tunsberg. When he was 

 told that the messengers of Knut had corne he grew angry, 

 and said that Knut was not likely to send men thither with 

 messages that would be of use to him or his people ; and for 

 some days he would not let the messengers see himself. 

 When they got leave to speak, they appeared before him and 

 delivered the letter of Knut. They stated their errand that 

 Knut claimed all Norway, and that his forefathers had had it 

 before him ; but as he wished to have peace in every land, he 

 would not wage war upon Norway, if they could settle the 

 matter in any other way ; that if Olaf Haraldsson wanted to 

 be king over Norway he should go to Knut, and take the land 

 as a fief from him, become his man, and pay him such taxes as 

 the jarl paid before. Thereupon they delivered the letter, 

 which expressed the same thing. Olaf answered : ' I have 

 heard in old Sagas that Gorrn, King of the Danes, was thought 

 to be a great folk-king, and ruled only over Denmark ; but 

 these later Danish kings do not think that enough. Knut now 

 rules over Denmark and England, and has subdued a great 

 part of Scotland, and now he claims his inheritance from me. 

 He ought at last to show moderation in his greediness, or does 

 he wish to rule all Northern lands alone, or to eat alone all 

 the cabbage in England ? He is more likely to do that than 

 1 to bring him my head, or pay him any homage. Tell him 

 my words : that I will defend Norway with point and edge 

 while my life lasts, and pay no taxes from my kingdom.' 

 After this decision the messengers of Knut made ready to go 

 away, ill pleased with the result of their errand. . . . The 

 messengers of Knut returned with a fair wind across the sea. 

 They went to Knut and told him the answer to their message, 

 and the last words of Olaf. Knut answered : ' King Olaf is 

 mistaken if he thinks I want to eat alone all the cabbage in 

 England; he shall feel that I have more things within my 

 ribs than cabbage ; for henceforth evil shall come to him 

 from under every rib.' 



"Olaf summoned his lendirmen, and assembled a great 

 many that summer, for it was reported that Knut would come 

 from England. People heard report from trading ships from 

 the west that Knut was gathering a great host in England ; 

 some asserted and others denied that a host would come in the 

 latter part of the summer. Olaf stayed in Vik, and sent spies 

 to find out if Knut was coming to Denmark. In the autumn 

 he sent men eastwards to Sweden to Onund, his brother-in- 



