Chapter 17 - Hildirida’s sons in Finmark and at
Harold’scourt.
Hildirida’s sons took the business in Halogaland; and none gainsaid this because of the king’s power,
but Thorolf’s kinsmen and friends were much displeased at the change. The two brothers went on the
fell in the winter, taking with them thirty men. To the Finns there seemed much less honour in these
stewards than when Thorolf came, and the money due was far worse paid.

That same winter Thorolf went up on the fell with a hundred men; he passed on at once eastwards to
Kvenland and met king Faravid. They took counsel together, and resolved to go on the fell again as in
the winter before; and with four hundred men they made a descent on Kirialaland, and attacked those
districts for which they thought themselves a match in numbers, and harrying there took much booty,
returning up to Finmark as the winter wore on. In the spring Thorolf went home to his farm, and then
employed his men at the fishing in Vagar, and some in herring-fishing, and had the take of every kind
brought to his farm.

Thorolf had a large ship, which was waiting to put to sea. It was elaborate in everything, beautifully
painted down to the sea-line, the sails also carefully striped with blue and red, and all the tackling as
elaborate as the ship. Thorolf had this ship made ready, and put aboard some of his house-carles as
crew; he freighted it with dried fish and hides, and ermine and gray furs too in abundance, and other
peltry such as he had gotten from the fell; it was a most valuable cargo. This ship he bade sail
westwards for England to buy him clothes and other supplies that he needed; and they, first steering
southwards along the coast, then stretching across the main, came to England. There they found a
good market, laded the ship with wheat and honey and wine and clothes, and sailing back in autumn
with a fair wind came to Hordaland.

That same autumn Hildirida’s sons carried tribute to the king. But when they paid it the king himself
was present and saw. He said:

’Is this tribute now paid all that ye took in Finmark?’

’It is,’ they answered.

’Less by far,’ said the king, ’and much worse paid is the tribute now than when Thorolf gathered it;
yet ye said that he managed the business ill.’