Emund replies, "There were two noble-born men of equal birth, but
unequal in property and disposition. They quarrelled about some land,
and did each other much damage; but most was done to him who was the
more powerful of the two. This quarrel, however, was settled, and judged
of at a General Thing; and the judgment was, that the most powerful
should pay a compensation. But at the first payment, instead of paying
a goose, he paid a gosling; for an old swine he paid a sucking pig; and
for a mark of stamped gold only a half-mark, and for the other half-mark
nothing but clay and dirt; and, moreover, threatened, in the most
violent way, the people whom he forced to receive such goods in payment.
Now, sire, what is your judgment?"
The king replies, "He shall pay the full equivalent whom the judgment
ordered to do so, and that faithfully; and further, threefold to his
king: and if payment be not made within a year and a day, he shall be
cut off from all his property, his goods confiscated, and half go the
king's house, and half to the other party."
Emund took witnesses to this judgment among the most considerable of
the men who were present, according to the laws which were held in the
Upsala Thing. He then saluted the king, and went his way; and other men
brought their cases before the king, and he sat late in the day upon
the cases of the people. Now when the king came to table, he asked where
Lagman Emund was. It was answered, he was home at his lodgings. "Then,"
said the king, "go after him, and tell him to be my guest to-day."
Thereafter the dishes were borne in; then came the musicians with harps,
fiddles, and musical instruments; and lastly, the cup-bearers. The king
was particularly merry, and had many great people at table with him, so
that he thought little of Emund. The king drank the whole day, and slept
all the night after; but in the morning the king awoke, and recollected
what Emund had said the day before: and when he had put on his clothes,
he let his wise men be summoned to him; for he had always twelve of the
wisest men who sat in judgment with him, and treated the more difficult
cases; and that was no easy business, for the king was ill-pleased if
the judgment was not according to justice, and yet it was of no use
to contradict him. In this meeting the king ordered Lagman Emund to
be called before them. The messenger returned, and said, "Sire, Lagman
Emund rode away yesterday as soon as he had dined." "Then," said the
king, "tell me, ye good chiefs, what may have been the meaning of that
law-case which Emund laid before us yesterday?"
They replied, "You must have considered it yourself, if you think there
was any other meaning under it than what he said."
The king replied, "By the two noble-born men whom he spoke of, who were
at variance, and of whom one was more powerful than the other, and who
did each other damage, he must have meant us and Olaf the Thick."