Heimskringla; Or, The Chronicle of the Kings of Norway

41. OF SIGVAT THE SKALD.

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."