Having now gone through this second story, we shall return to that which
we left,--at King Olaf Haraldson having concluded peace with King Olaf
the Swedish king, and having the same summer gone north to Throndhjem
(1019). He had then been king in Norway five years (A.D. 1015-1019). In
harvest time he prepared to take his winter residence at Nidaros, and
he remained all winter there (A.D. 1020). Thorkel the Fosterer, Amunde's
son, as before related, was all that winter with him. King Olaf inquired
very carefully how it stood with Christianity throughout the land, and
learnt that it was not observed at all to the north of Halogaland,
and was far from being observed as it should be in Naumudal, and the
interior of Throndhjem. There was a man by name Harek, a son of Eyvind
Skaldaspiller, who dwelt in an island called Thjotta in Halogaland.
Eyvind had not been a rich man, but was of high family and high mind. In
Thjotta, at first, there dwelt many small bondes; but Harek began with
buying a farm not very large and lived on it, and in a few years he had
got all the bondes that were there before out of the way; so that he had
the whole island, and built a large head-mansion. He soon became very
rich; for he was a very prudent man, and very successful. He had long
been greatly respected by the chiefs; and being related to the kings
of Norway, had been raised by them to high dignities. Harek's father's
mother Gunhild was a daughter of Earl Halfdan, and Ingebjorg, Harald
Harfager's daughter. At the time the circumstance happened which we are
going to relate he was somewhat advanced in years. Harek was the most
respected man in Halogaland, and for a long time had the Lapland trade,
and did the king's business in Lapland; sometimes alone, sometimes with
others joined to him. He had not himself been to wait on King Olaf,
but messages had passed between them, and all was on the most friendly
footing. This winter (A.D. 1020) that Olaf was in Nidaros, messengers
passed between the king and Harek of Thjotta. Then the king made it
known that he intended going north to Halogaland, and as far north as
the land's end; but the people of Halogaland expected no good from this
expedition.