rkell in Norway] Thorkell makes it known
that he means to fetch timber to build his church with, and sails
forthwith into the main sea when he was ready. He had an easy voyage
of it, but not a very short one, and they hove into Norway
northwardly. King Olaf then had his seat in Thrandheim, and Thorkell
sought forthwith a meeting with King Olaf, and his son Gellir with
him. They had there a good welcome. So highly was Thorkell accounted
of that winter by the king, that all folk tell that the king gave him
not less than one hundred marks of refined silver. The king gave to
Gellir at Yule a cloak, the most precious and excellent of gifts. That
winter King Olaf had a church built in the town of timber, and it was
a very great minster, all materials thereto being chosen of the best.
In the spring the timber which the king gave to Thorkell was brought
on board ship, and large was that timber and good in kind, for
Thorkell looked closely after it. Now it happened one morning early
that the king went out with but few men, and saw a man up on the
church which then was being built in the town. He wondered much at
this, for it was a good deal earlier than the smiths were wont to be
up. Then the king recognised the man, and, lo! there was Thorkell
Eyjolfson taking the measure of all the largest timber, crossbeams,
sills, and pillars. The king turned at once thither, and said: "What
now, Thorkell, do you mean after these measurements to shape the
church timber which you are taking to Iceland?" "Yes, in truth, sire,"
said Thorkell. Then said King Olaf, "Cut two ells off every main beam,
and that church will yet be the largest built in Iceland." Thorkell
answered, "Keep your timber yourself if you think you have given me
too much, or your hand itches to take it back, but not an ell's length
shall I cut off it. I shall both know how to go about and how to carry
out getting other timber for me." [Sidenote: His measuring of King
Olaf's church] Then says the king most calmly, "So it is, Thorkell,
that you are not only a man of much account, but you are also now
making yourself too big, for, to be sure, it is too overweening for
the son of a mere peasant to try to vie with us. But it is not true
that I begrudge you the timber, if only it be fated to you to build a
church therewith; for it will never be large enough for all your pride
to find room to lie inside it. But near it comes to the foreboding of
my mind, that the timber will be of li