should return to the country. The
people of the interior of the Throndhjem country showed this clearly,
for he got no land-scat from them.

52. PLAN OF SVEIN AND THE SWEDISH KING.

Earl Svein went first to Svithjod to his brother-in-law Olaf the Swedish
king, told him all that had happened between him and Olaf the Thick, and
asked his advice about what he should now undertake. The king said that
the earl should stay with him if he liked, and get such a portion of his
kingdom to rule over as should seem to him sufficient; "or otherwise,"
says he, "I will give thee help of forces to conquer the country again
from Olaf." The earl chose the latter; for all those among his men who
had great possessions in Norway, which was the case with many who were
with him, were anxious to get back; and in the council they held about
this, it was resolved that in winter they should take the land-way over
Helsingjaland and Jamtaland, and so down into the Throndhjem land;
for the earl reckoned most upon the faithful help and strength of the
Throndhjem people of the interior as soon as he should appear there. In
the meantime, however, it was determined to take a cruise in summer in
the Baltic to gather property.

53. EARL SVEIN'S DEATH.

Earl Svein went eastward with his forces to Russia, and passed the
summer (A.D. 1015) in marauding there; but on the approach of autumn
returned with his ships to Svithjod. There he fell into a sickness,
which proved fatal. After the earl's death some of the people who had
followed him remained in Svithjod; others went to Helsingjaland, thence
to Jamtaland, and so from the east over the dividing ridge of the
country to the Throndhjem district, where they told all that had
happened upon their journey: and thus the truth of Earl Svein's death
was known (A.D. 1016).

54. OF THE THRONDHJEM PEOPLE.

Einar Tambaskelfer, and the people who had followed him went in winter
to the Swedish king, and were received in a friendly manner. There were
also among them many who had followed the earl. The Swedish king took it
much amiss that Olaf the Thick had set himself down in his scat-lands,
and driven the earl out of them, and therefore he threatened the king
with his heaviest vengeance when opportunity offered. He said that Olaf
ought not to have had the presumption to take the dominions which the
earl had held of him; and all the Swedish king's men agreed with him.
But the Throndhjem people, whe