Harold, son of Halfdan Swarthy, was heir after his father. He had bound himself by this vow, not to let his hair be cut or combed till he were sole king over Norway, wherefore he was called Harold Shockhead. So first he warred with the kings nearest to him and conquered them, as is told at length elsewhere. Then he got possession of Upland; thence he went northwards to Throndheim, and had many battles there before he became absolute over all the Thronds. After that he purposed to go north to Naumdale to attack the brothers Herlaug and Hrollaug, kings of Naumdale. But when these brothers heard of his coming, Herlaug with twelve men entered the sepulchral mound which they had caused to be made (they were three winters at the making), and the mound then was closed after them. But king Hrollaug sank from royalty to earldom, giving up his kingdom and becoming a vassal of Harold. So Harold gained the Naumdalesmen and Halogaland, and he set rulers over his realm there. Then went he southwards with a fleet to Mæra and Raumsdale. But Solvi Bandy-legs, Hunthiof's son, escaped thence, and going to king Arnvid, in South Mæra, he asked help, with these words:

'Though this danger now touches us, before long the same will come to you; for Harold, as I ween, will hasten hither when he has enthralled and oppressed after his will all in North Mæra and Raumsdale. Then will the same need be upon you as was upon us, to guard your wealth and liberty, and to try everyone from whom you may hope for aid. And I now offer myself with my forces against this tyranny and wrong. But, if you make the other choice, you must do as the Naumdalesmen have done, and go of your own will into slavery, and become Harold's thralls. My father though it victory to die a king with honour rather than become in his old age another king's subject. Thou, as I judge, wilt think the same, and so will others who have any high spirit and claim to be men of valour.'

By such persuasion king Arnvid was determined to gather his forces and defend his land. He and Solvi made a league, and sent messengers to Audbjorn, king of the Firthfolk, that he should come and help them. Audbjorn, after counsel taken with friends, consented, and bade cut the war-arrow and send the war-summons throughout his realm, with word to his nobles that they should join him.

But when the king's messengers came to Kveldulf and told him their errand, and that the king would have Kveldulf come to him with all his house-carles, then answered he:

'It is my duty to the king to take the field with him if he have to defend his own land, and there be harrying against the Firthfolk; but this I deem clean beyond my duty, to go north to Mæra and defend their land. Briefly ye may say when ye meet your king that Kveldulf will sit at home during this rush to war, nor will he gather forces nor leave his home to fight with Harold Shockhead. For I think that he has a whole load of good-fortune where our king has not a handful.'

The messengers went back to the king, and told him how their errand had sped; but Kveldulf sat at home on his estates.

Haraldr, sonr Hálfdanar svarta, hafði tekit arf eftir föður sinn í Vík austr. Hann hafði þess heit strengt at láta eigi skera hár sitt né kemba, fyrr en hann væri einvaldskonungr yfir Nóregi. Hann var kallaðr Haraldr lúfa. Síðan barðist hann við þá konunga, er næstir váru, ok sigraði þá, ok eru þar langar frásagnir. Síðan eignaðist hann Upplönd. Þaðan fór hann norðr í Þrándheim ok átti þar margar orrostur, áðr hann yrði einvaldi yfir öllum Þrændalögum.

Síðan ætlaðist hann at fara norðr í Naumudal á hendr þeim bræðrum, Herlaugi ok Hrollaugi, er þá váru konungar yfir Naumudal. En er þeir bræðr spurðu til ferðar hans, þá gekk Herlaugr í haug þann með tólfta mann, er áðr höfðu þeir gera látit þrjá vetr. Var síðan haugrinn aftr lokinn. En Hrollaugr konungr veltist ór konungdómi ok tók upp jarls rétt ok fór síðan á vald Haralds konungs ok gaf upp ríki sitt. Svá eignaðist Haraldr konungr Naumdælafylki ok Hálogaland. Setti hann þar menn yfir ríki sitt.

Síðan bjóst Haraldr konungr ór Þrándheimi með skipaliði ok fór suðr á Mæri, átti þar orrostu við Húnþjóf konung ok hafði sigr. Fell þar Húnþjófr. Þá eignaðist Haraldr konungr Norðmæri ok Raumsdal.

En Sölvi klofi, sonr Húnþjófs, hafði undan komizt, ok fór hann á Sunnmæri til Arnviðar konungs ok bað hann sér fulltings ok sagði svá: "Þótt þetta vandræði hafi nú borit oss at hendi, þá mun eigi langt til, at sama vandræði mun til yðvar koma, því at Haraldr, ætla ek, at skjótt mun hér koma, þá er hann hefir alla menn þrælkat ok áþját, sem hann vill, á Norðmæri ok í Raumsdal. Munuð þér inn sama kost fyrir höndum eiga sem vér áttum, at verja fé yðvart ok frelsi ok kosta þar til allra þeira manna, er yðr er liðs at ván, ok vil ek bjóðast til með mínu liði móti þessum ofsa ok ójafnaði. En at öðrum kosti munuð þér vilja taka upp þat ráð, sem Naumdælir gerðu, at ganga með sjálfvilja í ánauð ok gerast þrælar Haralds. Þat þótti föður mínum vegr at deyja í konungdómi með sæmð, heldr en gerast undirmaðr annars konungs á gamals aldri. Hygg ek, at þér muni ok svá þykkja ok öðrum þeim, er nökkurir eru borði ok kappsmenn vilja vera."

Af slíkum fortölum var konungrinn fastráðinn til þess at safna liði ok verja land sitt. Bundu þeir Sölvi þá samlag sitt ok sendu orð Auðbirni konungi, er réð fyrir Firðafylki, at hann skyldi koma til liðs við þá. En er sendimenn kómu til Auðbjarnar konungs ok báru honum þessa orðsending, þá réðst hann um við vini sína, ok réðu honum þat allir at safna liði ok fara til móts við Mæri, sem honum váru orð til send. Auðbjörn konungr lét skera upp herör ok fara herboð um allt ríki sitt. Hann sendi menn til ríkismanna at boða þeim til sín.

En er sendimenn konungs kómu til Kveld-Úlfs ok sögðu honum sín erendi ok þat, at konungr vill, at Kveld-Úlfr komi til hans með alla húskarla sína, Kveld-Úlfr svarar svá: "Þat mun konungi skylt þykkja, at ek fara með honum, ef hann skal verja land sitt ok sé herjat í Firðafylki. En hitt ætla ek mér allóskylt at fara norðr á Mæri ok berjast þar ok verja land þeira. Er yðr þat skjótast at segja, þá er þér hittið konung yðvarn, at Kveld-Úlfr mun heima sitja um þetta herhlaup ok hann mun eigi herliði safna ok eigi gera sína þá heimanferð at berjast móti Haraldi lúfu, því at ek hygg, at hann hafi þar byrði gnóga hamingju, er konungr várr hafi eigi krepping fullan."

Fóru sendimenn heim til konungs ok sögðu honum erendislok sín, en Kveld-Úlfr sat heima at búm sínum.