Kalf Arnason went with Earl Hakon north to Throndhjem, and the earl
invited him to enter into his service. Kalf said he would first go home
to his farm at Eggja, and afterwards make his determination; and Kalf
did so. When he came home he found his wife Sigrid much irritated; and
she reckoned up all the sorrow inflicted on her, as she insisted, by
King Olaf. First, he had ordered her first husband Olver to be killed.
"And now since," says she, "my two sons; and thou thyself, Kalf, wert
present when they were cut off, and which I little expected from thee."
Kalf says, it was much against his will that Thorer was killed. "I
offered money-penalty for him," says he; "and when Grjotgard was killed
I lost my brother Arnbjorn at the same time." She replies, "It is well
thou hast suffered this from the king; for thou mayest perhaps avenge
him, although thou wilt not avenge my injuries. Thou sawest how thy
foster-son Thorer was killed, with all the regard of the king for thee."
She frequently brought out such vexatious speeches to Kalf, to which he
often answered angrily; but yet he allowed himself to be persuaded by
her to enter into the earl's service, on condition of renewing his fiefs
to him. Sigrid sent word to the earl how far she had brought the matter
with Kalf. As soon as the earl heard of it, he sent a message to
Kalf that he should come to the town to him. Kalf did not decline the
invitation, but came directly to Nidaros, and waited on the earl, who
received him kindly. In their conversation it was fully agreed upon that
Kalf should go into the earl's service, and should receive great fiefs.
After this Kalf returned home, and had the greater part of the interior
of the Throndhjem country under him. As soon as it was spring Kalf
rigged out a ship that belonged to him, and when she was ready he put
to sea, and sailed west to England; for he had heard that in spring King
Canute was to sail from Denmark to England, and that King Canute had
given Harald, a son of Thorkel the High, an earldom in Denmark. Kalf
Arnason went to King Canute as soon as he arrived in England. Bjarne
Gullbrarskald tells of this:--
"King Olaf eastward o'er the sea
To Russia's monarch had to flee;
Our Harald's brother ploughed the main,
And furrowed white its dark-blue plain.
Whilst thou--the truth I still will say,
Nor fear nor favour can me sway--
Thou to King Canute hastened fast,
As soon as Olaf's luck was past."
Now when Kalf came to King Canute the king received him particularly
well, and had many conversations with him. Among other things, King
Canute, in a conference, asked Kalf to bind himself to raise a warfare
against King Olaf, if ever he should return to the country. "And for
which," says the king, "I will give thee the earldom, and place thee
to rule over Norway; and my relation Hakon shall come to me, which will
suit him better, for he is so honourable and trustworthy that I believe
he would not even throw a spear against the person of King Olaf if he
came back to the country." Kalf lent his ear to what the king proposed,
for he had a great desire to attain this high dignity; and this
conclusion was settled upon between King Canute and Kalf. Kalf then
prepared to return home, and on his departure he received splendid
presents from King Canute. Bjarne the skald tells of these
circumstances:--
"Sprung from old earls!--to England's lord
Thou owest many a thankful word
For many a gift: if all be true,
Thy interest has been kept in view;
For when thy course was bent for home,
(Although that luck is not yet come,)
'That Norway should be thine,' 'tis said,
The London king a promise made."
Kalf thereafter returned to Norway, and came to his farm.