There was an Iceland man called Thord Sigvaldaskald, who had been long
with Earl Sigvalde, and afterwards with the earl's brother, Thorkel the
Tall; but after the earl's death Thord had become a merchant. He
met King Olaf on his viking cruise in the west, and entered into his
service, and followed him afterwards. He was with the king when the
incidents above related took place. Thord had a son called Sigvat
fostered in the house of Thorkel at Apavatn, in Iceland. When he was
nearly a grown man he went out of the country with some merchants; and
the ship came in autumn to the Throndhjem country, and the crew lodged
in the hered (district). The same winter King Olaf came to Throndhjem,
as just now related by us. Now when Sigvat heard that his father Thord
was with the king, he went to him, and stayed a while with him. Sigvat
was a good skald at an early age. He made a lay in honour of King Olaf,
and asked the king to listen to it. The king said he did not want poems
composed about him, and said he did not understand the skald's craft.
Then Sigvat sang:--
"Rider of dark-blue ocean's steeds!
Allow one skald to sing thy deeds;
And listen to the song of one
Who can sing well, if any can.
For should the king despise all others,
And show no favour to my brothers,
Yet I may all men's favour claim,
Who sing, still of our great king's fame."
King Olaf gave Sigvat as a reward for his verse a gold ring that weighed
half a mark, and Sigvat was made one of King Olaf's court-men. Then
Sigvat sang:--
"I willingly receive this sword--
By land or sea, on shore, on board,
I trust that I shall ever be
Worthy the sword received from thee.
A faithful follower thou hast bound--
A generous master I have found;
Master and servant both have made
Just what best suits them by this trade."
Earl Svein had, according to custom, taken one half of the harbour-dues
from the Iceland ship-traders about autumn (A.D. 1014); for the Earls
Eirik and Hakon had always taken one half of these and all other
revenues in the Throndhjem country. Now when King Olaf came there, he
sent his men to demand that half of the tax from the Iceland traders;
and they went up to the king's house and asked Sigvat to help them. He
went to the king, and sang:--
"My prayer, I trust, will not be vain--
No gold by it have I to gain:
All that the king himself here wins
Is not red gold, but a few skins.
it is not right that these poor men
Their harbour-dues should pay again.
That they paid once I know is true;
Remit, great king, what scarce is due."