It happened one harvest (A.D. 962) that Earl Hakon, on a journey in
the Uplands, came to Hedemark; and King Trygve Olafson and King Gudrod
Bjornson met him there, and Dale-Gudbrand also came to the meeting. They
had agreed to meet, and they talked together long by themselves; but so
much only was known of their business, that they were to be friends of
each other. They parted, and each went home to his own kingdom. Gunhild
and her sons came to hear of this meeting, and they suspected it must
have been to lay a treasonable plot against the kings; and they often
talked of this among themselves. When spring (A.D. 963) began to set
in, King Harald and his brother King Gudrod proclaimed that they were to
make a viking cruise, as usual, either in the West sea, or the Baltic.
The people accordingly assembled, launched the ships into the sea, and
made themselves ready to sail. When they were drinking the farewell
ale,--and they drank bravely,--much and many things were talked over
at the drink-table, and, among other things, were comparisons between
different men, and at last between the kings themselves. One said that
King Harald excelled his brothers by far, and in every way. On this King
Gudrod was very angry, and said that he was in no respect behind Harald,
and was ready to prove it. Instantly both parties were so inflamed that
they challenged each other to battle, and ran to their arms. But some of
the guests who were less drunk, and had more understanding, came between
them, and quieted them; and each went to his ship, but nobody expected
that they would all sail together. Gudrod sailed east ward along the
land, and Harald went out to sea, saying he would go to the westward;
but when he came outside of the islands he steered east along the coast,
outside of the rocks and isles. Gudrod, again, sailed inside, through
the usual channel, to Viken, and eastwards to Folden. He then sent
a message to King Trygve to meet him, that they might make a cruise
together in summer in the Baltic to plunder. Trygve accepted willingly,
and as a friend, the invitation; and as heard King Gudrod had but few
people with him, he came to meet him with a single boat. They met
at Veggen, to the east of Sotanes; but just as they were come to the
meeting place, Gudrod's men ran up and killed King Trygve and twelve
men. He lies buried at a place called Trygve's Cairn (A.D. 963).