King Harald was a great man, who ruled his kingdom well in
home-concerns. Very prudent was he, of good understanding; and it is the
universal opinion that no chief ever was in northern lands of such deep
judgment and ready counsel as Harald. He was a great warrior; bold in
arms; strong and expert in the use of his weapons beyond any others, as
has been before related, although many of the feats of his manhood are
not here written down. This is owing partly to our uncertainty about
them, partly to our wish not to put stories into this book for which
there is no testimony. Although we have heard, many things talked about,
and even circumstantially related, yet we think it better that something
may be added to, than that it should be necessary to take something
away from our narrative. A great part of his history is put in verse
by Iceland men, which poems they presented to him or his sons, and for
which reason he was their great friend. He was, indeed, a great friend
to all the people of that country; and once, when a very dear time set
in, he allowed four ships to transport meal to Iceland, and fixed that
the shippund should not be dearer than 100 ells of wadmal. He permitted
also all poor people, who could find provisions to keep them on the
voyage across the sea, to emigrate from Iceland to Norway; and from that
time there was better subsistence in the country, and the seasons also
turned out better. King Harold also sent from Norway a bell for the
church of which Olaf the Saint had sent the timbers to Iceland, and
which was erected on the Thing-plain. Such remembrances of King Harald
are found here in the country, besides many great gifts which he
presented to those who visited him.