. That was the end of Rognwald,
the invaluable jarl, always true to Haarfagr; and distinguished in world
history by producing Rolf the Ganger, author of the Norman Conquest of
England, and Turf-Einar, who invented peat in the Orkneys. Whether Rolf
had left Norway at this time there is no chronology to tell me. As to
Rolf's surname, "Ganger," there are various hypotheses; the likeliest,
perhaps, that Rolf was so weighty a man no horse (small Norwegian
horses, big ponies rather) could carry him, and that he usually walked,
having a mighty stride withal, and great velocity on foot.

One of these murderers of Jarl Rognwald quietly set himself in
Rognwald's place, the other making for Orkney to serve Turf-Einar in
like fashion. Turf-Einar, taken by surprise, fled to the mainland; but
returned, days or perhaps weeks after, ready for battle, fought with
Halfdan, put his party to flight, and at next morning's light searched
the island and slew all the men he found. As to Halfdan Long-leg
himself, in fierce memory of his own murdered father, Turf-Einar "cut an
eagle on his back," that is to say, hewed the ribs from each side of the
spine and turned them out like the wings of a spread-eagle: a mode of
Norse vengeance fashionable at that time in extremely aggravated cases!

Harald Haarfagr, in the mean time, had descended upon the Rognwald
scene, not in mild mood towards the new jarl there; indignantly
dismissed said jarl, and appointed a brother of Rognwald (brother, notes
Dahlmann), though Rognwald had left other sons. Which done, Haarfagr
sailed with all speed to the Orkneys, there to avenge that cutting of an
eagle on the human back on Turf-Einar's part. Turf-Einar did not resist;
submissively met the angry Haarfagr, said he left it all, what had been
done, what provocation there had been, to Haarfagr's own equity and
greatness of mind. Magnanimous Haarfagr inflicted a fine of sixty marks
in gold, which was paid in ready money by Turf-Einar, and so the matter
ended.

CHAPTER II. ERIC BLOOD-AXE AND BROTHERS.

In such violent courses Haarfagr's sons, I know not how many of them,
had come to an untimely end; only Eric, the accomplished sea-rover, and
three others remained to him. Among these four sons, rather impatient
for property and authority of their own, King Harald, in his old days,
tried to part his kingdom in some eligible and equitable way, and retire
from the constant press of business, now becoming burdensome to